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[0:00] Eli Tokash: Hello everyone and welcome to episode 157 of Take A Bow.

[0:05] Eli Tokash: I'm your host, Eli Tokash, and this week we have a very exciting episode for you folks.

[0:09] Eli Tokash: We have a two-headed monster on the podcast this week.

[0:13] Eli Tokash: We have one returning guest, the lovely Christine Dwyer, who played my mother in Finding Neverland on tour very briefly when I did that for a couple weeks.

[0:22] Eli Tokash: And then we are joined by her wonderful husband, Matt DeAngelis, who is another Broadway star, and someone I just had the pleasure to work with.

[0:32] Eli Tokash: And his talent is so ridiculous.

[0:34] Eli Tokash: And we get to talk about what it's like to be a Broadway couple and what it means to, you know, do a Broadway show at the same time or do shows at different times and what the schedule looks like, and specifically what it's like to tour with one another or without one another.

[0:51] Eli Tokash: So we have some really cool conversations here, some never before like unique conversations that we haven't had on the podcast here before.

[0:59] Eli Tokash: And we also talk about something very important, which is the Janice Jam.

[1:04] Eli Tokash: And the Janice Jam is an annual event that is to put in place, I guess, and started to celebrate Janice DeAngelis, Matt's mom, who passed away last year due to breast cancer.

[1:18] Eli Tokash: And as actors, we work very closely with Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS, the Actors Fund, well now called the Entertainment Community Fund.

[1:26] Eli Tokash: And they both work very closely and directly with the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative.

[1:34] Eli Tokash: So we get to talk about that and what that organization means to us as performers, but also as, for Matt's case, and Christine, what it means to them having gone through a process which the organization has helped out in such a huge way and continuously giving back and so many wonderful things.

[1:56] Eli Tokash: So we're gonna talk about it all, and it's a concert and it's featuring so many Broadway stars including some upcoming Take A Bow guests which we are very excited about.

[2:06] Eli Tokash: So before we get it over to that, I think we just gotta turn it over to some Broadway news because I have some news of my own for Take A Bow and then of course we can get into the Broadway news.

[2:17] Eli Tokash: So some Broadway all the Broadway related news this week I'm gonna start out by saying Take A Bow is doing, it's confirmed we're doing two episodes a week for the month of June who knows if this will go into July as well, we shall see but definitely for the month of June we are releasing obviously today the start of June on June 1st which is our regular Thursday episode drop but after today we will be dropping on Tuesdays and Fridays and I have the dates I have the guests lined up I am so excited to share this with you guys this is gonna blow your minds I've never seen a month like this and the fact that I was able to, I don't know now that I'm out of school I've had more time to focus on the podcast and everything and focus on getting guests and all of these things that we could do outside of just the recording a podcast and everything.

[3:19] Eli Tokash: So we have some really cool content coming up and really cool guests coming up.

[3:24] Eli Tokash: So I have a post coming out on Instagram.

[3:27] Eli Tokash: They're going to be the first to find out who the guests are they're gonna get exact dates of the episodes releasing in June and all the things.

[3:34] Eli Tokash: So make sure you go check us out on Instagram.

[3:37] Eli Tokash: We're also gonna be posting a TikTok about it.

[3:39] Eli Tokash: I'm very excited for all of it.

[3:41] Eli Tokash: Check us out at Take A Bow Podcast on all the social channels.

[3:45] Eli Tokash: We're very excited for this month.

[3:47] Eli Tokash: It's unbelievable.

[3:48] Eli Tokash: It's Pride Month.

[3:50] Eli Tokash: There's so much to celebrate.

[3:51] Eli Tokash: Happy Pride for everyone who celebrates and everyone who's in the community.

[3:56] Eli Tokash: I'm so excited for this month, and we are going to give us all a little more something more to celebrate and be proud of.

[4:04] Eli Tokash: I'm very excited for it, and we have some crazy guests that you can go check out on our Instagram now.

[4:11] Eli Tokash: Okay, so that's that.

[4:13] Eli Tokash: Just to say one more time after today, Thursday, June 1st, we will be releasing on Tuesdays and Fridays.

[4:20] Eli Tokash: So the next episode will be coming out June 6th on Tuesday.

[4:24] Eli Tokash: And then the next episode after that, you won't have to wait a full week.

[4:28] Eli Tokash: You'll just have to wait till Friday, June 9th, and you get to, you know, have the whole weekend to digest and entertain and enjoy that content, or just listen to it on Monday before our next episode comes out on Tuesday.

[4:43] Eli Tokash: So that'll be the month of June.

[4:45] Eli Tokash: It's gonna be bonkers, and I cannot wait to share it with you all.

[4:50] Eli Tokash: So that's that.

[4:51] Eli Tokash: And now into the Broadway news.

[4:55] Eli Tokash: We've got some tea.

[4:57] Eli Tokash: I mean, the Writers Guild Association strike is still going on.

[5:02] Eli Tokash: We now have some, you know, a bit of a, I guess, TIF, I guess, between Here Lies Love and the Orchestra and Musicians of Broadway.

[5:54] Eli Tokash: Here Lies Love is an upcoming Broadway show, David Bryn's upcoming Broadway show, directed by Alex Timbers.

[5:54] Eli Tokash: It's the first Broadway show that's going to feature an all-Filipina cast, and it's gonna be fantastic.

[5:54] Eli Tokash: And I'm so excited about it.

[5:54] Eli Tokash: However, they released a statement saying that they were not gonna have a live orchestra and they were gonna have tracks.

[5:54] Eli Tokash: And because of the music and all of the, they want to honor it correctly.

[5:54] Eli Tokash: They don't want to do their own Broadway twist on it and hire Broadway musicians.

[5:54] Eli Tokash: They're just wanting to have like a karaoke.

[8:38] Eli Tokash: It's kind of a homage to the cultures that Here Lies Love is trying to celebrate and represent and kind of paying forward to them, I guess, for lack of a better term, I don't know.

[8:38] Eli Tokash: That was David Bryn's kind of announcement in that sense.

[8:38] Eli Tokash: But then the musicians came out, they were unhappy with the news.

[8:38] Eli Tokash: The Broadway house that Here Lies Love is going into is literally called the Broadway Theater.

[8:38] Eli Tokash: And that's where like Fiddler on the Roof and Miss Saigon and King Kong.

[8:38] Eli Tokash: It's where all of these huge musicals go in, and it's one of Broadway's biggest houses.

[8:38] Eli Tokash: And the musician requirements differ up depending on which house.

[8:38] Eli Tokash: So when you're putting into a musical to a house, every Broadway theater has its own requirements of like backstage hands and how many people minimum can be in the orchestra.

[8:38] Eli Tokash: And of course, they have a maximum and everything like that, but they have a minimum of how large the orchestra can be.

[8:38] Eli Tokash: So for this house, it's one of the largest houses, so the minimum is one of the biggest on Broadway.

[8:38] Eli Tokash: So this is obviously putting a lot of musicians out of work, and musicians and their unions were not happy with that.

[8:38] Eli Tokash: So there is a bit of some conflict between the two, I guess you could say.

[8:38] Eli Tokash: I don't have an opinion on either side.

[8:38] Eli Tokash: I understand both sides.

[8:38] Eli Tokash: We've seen a no orchestra on Broadway before, and we've seen like these tracks been done.

[8:38] Eli Tokash: So I don't know what to think on it, but it's a very big story.

[8:38] Eli Tokash: It's something that we will have to continue to keep an eye on because it is something that is quite historic in our industry.

[8:38] Eli Tokash: To just be going through this and what it means for the future of Broadway and musicals and stuff like that.

[8:38] Eli Tokash: So it'll be interesting to follow.

[8:38] Eli Tokash: The show opens, they start their first preview on June 17th, and then they open later in July.

[8:38] Eli Tokash: But yeah, June 17th, they'll have to figure out and come to an agreement with the musicians union, and they'll either have to do a track or they'll have to do half and half, or maybe have a track with a minimum orchestra.

[8:38] Eli Tokash: I don't know what's gonna happen, but they're gonna have to come to an agreement before June 17th, or performances may start to get delayed, which no show wants to do.

[8:38] Eli Tokash: So we will wait and see, and I will get back to you on all of this.

[8:38] Eli Tokash: It's kind of a crazy time.

[8:40] Eli Tokash: Both sides said things that were like, whoa, type things that I don't know if they really meant, or if they were kind of in the heat of the moment.

[8:47] Eli Tokash: So I don't want to say any of that, but you can read all about it on like the New York Times and Broadway World and Playbill and all that stuff, but it's quite a big deal going on right now.

[8:58] Eli Tokash: So that's that.

[8:59] Eli Tokash: I'm very excited to announce New York City Center's Gala presentations and their Encore series for this year.

[9:07] Eli Tokash: New York City Center is literally unstoppable right now.

[9:11] Eli Tokash: I am obsessed with New York City Center and what they're doing.

[9:13] Eli Tokash: They're literally giving everybody a chance to see shows that they haven't seen or that they know that won't be able to see for a long time, or maybe people didn't get to see it because they didn't get its, you know, proper due, I guess when it was on Broadway, you know, shows ended very quickly, or whatever it may have been, or just something that hasn't been on Broadway for a long time, and they want to give this new generation of Broadway fans an opportunity to see this.

[9:40] Eli Tokash: So it's really cool what they're doing.

[9:42] Eli Tokash: Their Gala presentation is a show called Pow Joey, which is very exciting.

[9:47] Eli Tokash: Their cast they announced for it Ephraim Sykes, Jennifer Holliday, so many freaking cool people.

[9:54] Eli Tokash: It's gonna be led by the two of them.

[9:56] Eli Tokash: Very, very exciting.

[9:57] Eli Tokash: And then they have Encore's announcement.

[10:00] Eli Tokash: One being Sutton Foster is going to be starring in Once Upon a Mattress, which I'm so excited about.

[10:06] Eli Tokash: I literally haven't seen any of these shows, so I'm very excited to see all of these.

[10:09] Eli Tokash: So Sutton Foster, Once Upon a Mattress, Jelly's Last Jam and Titanic.

[10:16] Eli Tokash: We are gonna be able to see Titanic.

[10:18] Eli Tokash: I am so excited because I obviously didn't get to see it on Broadway.

[10:22] Eli Tokash: But I'm just, this is gonna be great.

[10:25] Eli Tokash: And cast announcements aren't all set yet.

[10:29] Eli Tokash: None of the encores are other than Sutton Foster being in Once Upon a Mattress, but obviously more casting announcements will be coming out later.

[10:37] Eli Tokash: So can't wait to share that with you all.

[10:40] Eli Tokash: Okay, moving on.

[10:42] Eli Tokash: Kelly Clarkson is writing a Broadway musical.

[10:44] Eli Tokash: I'm so excited for this.

[10:46] Eli Tokash: Are you kidding me?

[10:47] Eli Tokash: Kelly Clarkson is an icon, and I'm obsessed with her.

[10:50] Eli Tokash: Her talk show is everything.

[10:53] Eli Tokash: Her judging on The Voice is everything.

[10:56] Eli Tokash: I've become the biggest Kelly Clarkson and Niall Horan fan lately, and it's a problem.

[11:03] Eli Tokash: And so I was obsessed when they announced that she was transferring her talk show from Hollywood to New York.

[11:10] Eli Tokash: Because then I was like, oh my god, wait, I want to work on the set, or oh my god, wait, I'll be in a live audience one day for it because I will literally be applying every day trying to get into her show.

[11:23] Eli Tokash: And just be in the audience and see her work her magic live.

[11:27] Eli Tokash: I'm obsessed.

[11:28] Eli Tokash: So I was very excited to see this news now that she is coming to New York, obviously, because she's workshopping a musical.

[11:36] Eli Tokash: And I don't know if it's gonna be like of her music, or if it's literally like she's writing original music for a Broadway musical, which I am here for and literally just take my money now.

[11:49] Eli Tokash: I am very excited, but that'll be very interesting, and it's so important for Broadway to get these people, honest to God, more light and more names on Broadway.

[12:03] Eli Tokash: I know it's unfortunate for like the smaller people who haven't got an opportunity who are just as talented in everything, but Broadway is nowhere near the, I guess it doesn't have the fan base or I guess the loyal fan base or the money that industries such as movies and TV and concerts and whatever, all of them have.

[12:26] Eli Tokash: So to bring people who are part of those industries and get them to a smaller market such as Broadway, it's just so exciting and such a huge step for musical theater in general, which is all we're trying to do here.

[12:39] Eli Tokash: We're just trying to support everyone in musical theater and continue to help it grow, and hopefully everyone will succeed because that's what we're rooting for here on Take A Bow.

[12:48] Eli Tokash: So very exciting stuff.

[12:49] Eli Tokash: Ham for Ham.

[12:50] Eli Tokash: They're doing another Ham for Ham.

[12:51] Eli Tokash: And I think I'm gonna be able to be at this one.

[12:54] Eli Tokash: I'm so excited.

[12:55] Eli Tokash: Friday, you know the drill.

[12:57] Eli Tokash: Every Friday there seems to be a new Ham for Ham.

[12:59] Eli Tokash: It's good like with new Broadway shows of the season, which is so exciting.

[13:03] Eli Tokash: I am assuming, I'm like, I don't know how long this can go on.

[13:06] Eli Tokash: I don't know what his plan is, but Lin's cooking up something.

[13:09] Eli Tokash: I'm assuming just with the trends lately that this is gonna last until the Tonys.

[13:14] Eli Tokash: He seems to be doing all of the best musicals or best revivals.

[13:19] Eli Tokash: He seems to be including those, including best plays as well.

[13:23] Eli Tokash: New plays, I guess, because I don't think I've seen any revival plays at Ham for Ham yet.

[13:28] Eli Tokash: But yes.

[13:29] Eli Tokash: Oh, wait, just kidding.

[13:30] Eli Tokash: Doll's House was there.

[13:31] Eli Tokash: What am I talking about?

[13:32] Eli Tokash: Anyways, but he seems to be doing the shows that were nominated and the shows that are being represented at the Tonys.

[13:40] Matt DeAngelis: So I wonder if this is gonna just kind of marketing for the Tonies, and that's gonna end there, or what's going on because Ham for Ham is iconic, and these literally they've been shutting streets down for these ones.

[13:53] Eli Tokash: Uh, they've been blocking the street off. There's just so many people there. It's been incredible to see this community, you know, watch Ham for Ham and be supportive of Broadway, uh, live, you know, and not virtually or whatever they were doing during the pandemic. It's really, really fun and cool to see. Uh, I said fun and cool, by the way. I know I said that really fast, and that may have sounded like something else, but I was like, oh my god, no, I did not just say that. I promise. Um, anyways, okay, hang on. Um, so Sweeney is going on tour. Sweeney Todd is going on tour. So excited for this. I get to see Sweeney Todd this Sunday. Um, it's my first time ever seeing a production of Sweeney Todd live.

I'm so excited. And I was so excited to hear that more people, uh, you know, around the states will be able to see this production. Well, not this exact production, because I doubt this cast will go out there, but more people will be able to see this musical. I'm sure because it's Sweeney Todd and it's an iconic show, that they will be able to attach names to it. So I'm sure the cast is gonna be incredible either way. Uh, truly, I just I can't wait. And uh, I can't wait to see Sweeney Todd on Sunday. Uh, so yeah, that was kind of it for the Broadway news. I do want to say congratulations and happy opening to everyone over at Greyhouse, the mus uh, the play. Oh my god, the horror thriller play that's currently on Broadway, which is super exciting.

I got the chance to cover it last night and had an absolute blast. So content from that will be coming out shortly as well. Uh, and that'll be exclusively on YouTube. So make sure you head over and subscribe to our YouTube channel to see when all of that content comes out. All right, that's all I have. I've been long-winded here. Let's talk about the Janice Jam. Let's talk with Christine Dwyer and Matt DeAngelis about their careers. We have some Waitress talk, uh, especially because the Pro Shot is coming out soon. Hello, and Matt was in it. I'm so excited. We talk of Diane Paulus, all the things. So without further ado, Matt DeAngelis and Christine Dwyer, curtain up.

[16:01] Eli Tokash: All right. This week's guest is Double Trouble. We have one returning guest and one brand new guest. They are a Broadway's power couple who have been in some of the most iconic shows, such as Wicked, Waitress, and Hair. And next up, they are joining forces to raise money in support of the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative, part of the entertainment community fund at Haswell Greens with their annual celebration, the Janice Jam. So welcome to Take a Bow, Christine Dwyer and Matt DeAngelis. How are we doing?

[16:35] Christine Dwyer: We're doing great. Thanks for having me back.

[16:38] Matt DeAngelis: Yeah, thanks.

[16:39] Christine Dwyer: Oh my God. I'm honored. Are you kidding me? Mom and Dad. Are you kidding? This is great.

[16:45] Eli Tokash: This was a mouthful for me there in the intro that you guys are, uh, impressive duo. And now, uh, it's an honor to have you guys on here together. So there's an old joke when we collect money for Broadway Cares every year, and it's like everybody once a year, twice a year, the Broadway community comes together to try to pronounce the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative.

[17:04] Matt DeAngelis: It's so true.

[17:05] Christine Dwyer: Are you kidding me? That name is like a mouthful.

[17:08] Matt DeAngelis: Oh my god.

[17:09] Eli Tokash: Um, but it's so great what you guys are doing and supporting it and raising money for, uh, the organization. 100% of the ticket, uh, proceeds go to the organization, which is super cool. Um, so talk to me about the Janice Jam. How did it all come about? Um, and talk to me about what you're doing that night.

[17:29] Matt DeAngelis: Yeah, so, uh, sadly, last summer, uh, while I was doing Waitress on tour and Christine was doing, uh, Ragtime at Silicon Valley Mountain, California, we lost my mother, Janice DeAngelis, to breast cancer, to metastatic, uh, stage four breast cancer. Um, and so having gone through that, my mom was a real force of nature, and she loved the Broadway community and she saw every show and she had friendships with so many Broadway actors that didn't even involve me. Like she made me, but she was just straight up friends with all these people, and she was just a real vibrant person. And, um, sort of just because of circumstances, my family, we haven't really got a chance to have a true celebration for her yet.

And it's, uh, coming up on the year anniversary of her passing. And, um, Brian Campione over at Playbill and, uh, Maxwell Haddad and Amber Coates and I kind of came up with this idea, or they're supporting this idea that we had actually. And, um, we wanted to have a celebration for her and to raise money. I mean, I feel like we're less than 10 years away from eradicating this thing and from really being able to prevent people from going through what we went through and losing her. And, um, you know, one of the coolest things about being on Broadway for as long as we've been is like we got to ask friends for favors and everybody showed up. And it means a lot. It's a testament to her. It's a testament, hopefully, to us trying to live our lives like her and include people.

I always said my mother was the queen of everybody gets a Valentine. Um, I tried to live my life that way, and I think that this event is sort of all hands on deck, and a lot of people have really, you know, there are people who are like Emma Hunton is flying herself from LA to donate that ticket price to the charity. Omar Cardona from The Voice is flying himself here to do this event because they believe in what we're doing, and we're really excited to have them. It's gonna be a great night.

[19:14] Christine Dwyer: And so basically, it's a rock concert. Uh, everyone's gonna be singing some rock songs or rock Broadway songs. Is that what it is?

[19:22] Matt DeAngelis: Uh, it's mostly rock and roll. So we're teaming up with, um, Rock and Roll Debauchery. That was actually, um, a thing that Brian Campione, uh, and Angel Reed started to produce. And I was in, I think like their maybe second or third version of that concert. And when we brought this to Brian's attention, he was like, Well, why don't we team up? And you know, we already have kind of like an infrastructure in place, and we it can be Rock and Roll Debauchery and Ember Productions presents, you know, Broadway Rocks for Breast Cancer, the Janice Jam. And so, um, it's gonna be mostly rock songs. Uh, there are going to be two songs in there that kind of take the night down a little bit to really, um, just remember the people that we've lost, um, uh, allow people to just like take a breather from the rock concert to unmelt their faces, yeah.

And, and you know, to realize that this is for, um, people who are still struggling, people who we've lost, and people who, you know, will be affected by this disease later on in their lives. I mean, I think one of the things that we've actually recognized from doing this is so many people, like this matters, of course, deeply to us, and it's so personal, but it's so personal to so many people. So many of my friends have lost, um, parents and aunts and sisters and friends to breast. And people who are healthy have had scares with this.

[20:53] Christine Dwyer: Absolutely. It's just a thing, and yeah, and we want to grow this and we want to grow the awareness for this disease, and hopefully, next year we're gonna have like the mammogram van outside, and we're gonna offer that for people who are attending. And we just want to make this a place where everybody can come together and have a good time. But like she said, we want to make sure that we remember that it's there is still an ongoing battle. It's an ongoing battle, and people are struggling.

[21:13] Matt DeAngelis: Yes, and, and um, you know, we have we know a lot that breast cancer is one of the th one of the cancers that we should we really do know a lot about, except that there are still, you know, people who pass from it who, um, who aren't really able to provide themselves with health care to even catch it in time, things like that, um, that we want to don't we want to donate our time and donate the money that we make from this concert to make sure that everybody can take care of themselves and everyone can continue to stay healthy in their lives, and that there's nobody left out there that, um, that can't help themselves, uh, who might be affected by this disease. So that's that's a really important part to us, uh, for us.

[21:56] Christine Dwyer: Absolutely. Um, it's always as like, you know, it p at being in this community, you know how special the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative is in this organization and in our world. Um, I'm curious that do you guys have a relationship with them? Like do were they, uh, a pivotal role in your mother's, um, I don't know, experience with all of this?

[22:17] Matt DeAngelis: You know, it's funny, uh, not directly, they just happen to be the New York theater-based charity that is for this. But one thing that was wild, um, we partnered Waitress partnered with Susan G. Komen for breast cancer awareness month, and the waitresses all changed they changed the uniforms pink for the month of the three waitresses. Oh, and I remember the day they announced that was the day I found out my mother had breast cancer. So that was super, super, you know, synchronistic and and whatever. But, um, no, the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative has been really special to me just because I've done so much work with Broadway Cares over the years, and I've been the auctioneer for Waitress and over Christine's head is our little plaque we won on the tour.

Yes, we raised a bunch of money. And I'm really proud of the work that I've done with Broadway Cares and with Phyllis Newman over the years, and it's really nice to but that's always been inside of somebody else's infrastructure, right? And, and I'm unbelievably proud of the small piece that I played in helping us raise that kind of money. And I'm sure autograph memory beer from Sara Bareilles didn't hurt our numbers, but I feel like, um, but um, and it's nice to kind of just do my own thing, and, and this has been a labor of love for me, and it's helped me channel my grief. My mom was a person, like I said, who brought people together and who made everybody feel seen and heard and welcome. And I want her legacy and hopefully our legacy to be to be hosting an annual event that helps people that makes sure that everybody feels like they're a part of something.

And that's that's really important to me. And it's been really, really nice to partner with an organization like the Entertainment Community Fund, who is so their mission is so clear and they help so many people so directly. And they cut out so much red tape. You don't have to fill in a bunch of forms. If there are artists in trouble, they just give you the money, and it's really great.

[24:05] Christine Dwyer: And that I mean, one thing, you know, that I I was in a lot of shows where I gave the speech and had, you know, set asked people for money and everything. And I remember there was one specific year when I was on tour with Wicked, um, and one of the ensemble members who had been in Wicked forever, uh, you know, tearfully kind of brought up, um, we were trying to get people to sign posters, and we were trying to get people to to donate their time and stay after and count the money and do all these things. And she brought up at a company meeting that, um, that she actually had a breast cancer scare and what she was unemployed at the time and didn't didn't have health insurance and didn't have anything and that this organization actually directly helped her be able to go to the doctor be able to get the treatment that she needed and now she is, you know, thriving and and and still here and, um, and that that was just something that that really struck me because you know, we do we do do this twice a year every year and we we hear the name and we hear the initiative and we hear about the actor's fund and we hear about all these things but to actually look at someone in the face that you that you've known you've been on tour with for three and a half years or however long it was to say this actually saved my life potentially and and it does it does truly directly help people like you said it cuts it cuts out the red tape it it allows people to get the care that they need and and that that is a real story and that is not the only story in any Broadway show or or or you know for people who aren't even in the entertainment community like these these funds legitimately directly help human beings struggling and um struggling to pay for healthcare which obviously is a huge problem a huge problem in our country.

[25:48] Matt DeAngelis: So yeah, we're just we're very happy to kind of put Janice's name, um, elevated on this thing because she would have been geeked if she was on Playbill, so geeked, uh, and yeah, and it's important to us she always supported artists. I mean just like Matt said even even without him being there she was going to the tours to see our friends she was going back to days bringing food bringing yeah, like she was one of those people that really did constantly support artists and was so excited for every single person who got a gig or was going to be in town and she she was there to support or she was coming to New York and she was going to see your show. You know.

[26:28] Christine Dwyer: And so I think that, um, just being able to bring the Broadway community, her name and this amazing organization that we both know truly directly does help people is just really special and really important and, um, and something that we want to continue every year.

[26:45] Matt DeAngelis: Absolutely, and this is the first annual one. So this is the big kickoff event. Uh, and you have some like amaz like your lineup is incredible. Uh, you already mentioned some of them, but, uh, I'll name some more for us Broadway fans. You know, you have Javier Munoz, you have Samantha Pauly, you have, uh, Caitlin Houlihan, you have, I mean, obviously you two. Um, so talk to me like what what does that mean just to have all of these friends in one place to celebrate, you know, what's going on tonight and in support of such an amazing organization.

[27:19] Matt DeAngelis: Well, I think it's one of those things that I don't think I ever take it for granted, but like when you look around at like the swath of people that are in our ethos, it's crazy how talented the people that we spend all of our time with are, right? And it it like I said before, it means a lot. I didn't have to push anybody. Like even people that we don't know well. We we met Samantha Pauly, uh, on a gig like a year ago.

[27:43] Matt DeAngelis: Yeah, and I was like, oh, we should ask her. I mean, on the off chance that she's not busy doing her own stuff, which she even is like she's in time. She did a concert solo concert last night, and she's going on like, you know, a mini tour. Um, and I mean, I texted her out of the blue, it was just like, hey, how have you been? Um, we're doing this thing, this is what it is. If you have the date set, and her text back to me was already in my calendar. Absolutely. Like it was just pretty cool. It was just really cool, and everyone's response was like that. And then, like, really old friends coming out of the woodwork. For any fans out there of Broadway, I'm sure they know Vactive. They're a cappella, they've gone viral a bunch of times.

One of the guys who sings with them is Omar Cardona's brother, EJ, who is also on X Factor, who's also one of the best singers in the world. I've known him for even longer than I've known Omar. And I messed he'd messaged me asking about tickets or whatever. He's like, Hey, I want I'm coming up to see my brother in this thing. Like, tickets. I go, You want to sing something? And he goes, Yeah. And so now he's in the show. And it's just been this kind of like, and also not only the performers in the show, we have an hour and 15 minute pre-show, uh, where we have three of the world's greatest magicians. They work at Speakeasy Magic at the McKittrick Hotel. Uh, Matthew Holdsclaw, Prakash Peru, and Rachel Waxman are um, are confirmed to be doing up close magic.

We have Luke Hawkins, who's one of the world's greatest tap dancers, who's gonna be bringing his tap board and do tap. My friend Alexander. All the time, and we actually did one of our first summer theater gigs together when we were both in college. So I've known him since I was like 19 years. We've got four ambiance dancers who are also then going to run our silent auction. And we've got my friend Alex Nee is gonna be doing a juggling thing during so we have like an entire show planned. Not to mention, aside from the wonderfully talented people who have donated their time to do this, so many people have given us swag and things to do on our. We have tickets to Shucked, Six, Cadystown, Lion King, uh, Sleep No More, Speakeasy Magic, Titanic, uh, A Beautiful Noise.

I mean, we so many people have just believed in what we're doing, and I think that we're gonna give people a really, really good show and a really an opportunity to get some really cool items and other theater experiences. And also, it's also just gonna be an awesome concert. I mean, with the lots of people you said that we had like once we actually really kind of put it all down on paper, we were like, oh my god, like this is this is a concert that I would go to want to be at. Like this is literally very we that's how when I texted you and I was like, Oh my god, this looks sick. I saw it from your Instagram and it was like, oh my god, I want to go to this. And then I was like, oh my god, what this is so cool.

I love everything that you guys are doing. And I didn't even know that all of this uh other stuff, flashy things will be there, you know. Wait till you see these guys for any for any of you guys listening to this podcast, check out Speakeasy Magic at the McKittrick Hotel. It's like a three-hour show and it's up close magic, and they do three live stage shows right in front of you. Literally the best. I would say outside of Las Vegas, there is not a better magic show in America than Speakeasy Magic in the McCoy. Oh my god. And that was also really special to us too because when we went and one one of the uh gosh, um, one of his things is like someone get someone on the phone right now uh to to like help me do this magic trick.

And I always know my mom before it was even done ringing one time, she had her phone. So I said, Mom, my morning magic trick here. Yeah, and she did a magic trick with these guys over the phone. So that's also really special to us too, that they're they're gonna be here and that they, even though I don't know that they ever met her, they talked to her on the phone a couple of times and she was part of their show, and now they're gonna be a part of hers, which I think is really um special and just very cool. So uh we're we're so thrilled to to have people show up for us for to show up for the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative to show up for Janice and um to just like make this a really fun celebration.

That's what that's what we want it to be. A celebration to raise money to help people. That's that's the our main goal, and everybody has been so generous with their time. And um, and we just really really truly appreciate it and can't wait for every year it to get bigger and bigger and better and better. But I think starting off with a bang. We're starting off with a bang for sure. Oh my god, I'm so excited. This is like I'm I can't wait. And this is gonna be uh where where can we find tickets to to for those who want to come?

[32:11] Christine Dwyer: On our Instagram, we'll be having all the links. We can probably read the we can read the uh uh yeah, it's a it's an eventbrite page, but it is on my um uh insta. I think you can just search the Janis Jam on Eventbrite.com, I think. Because nothing else is called that. I don't think yeah, you can even do it on Google, and it takes you just find the eventbrite. It's one of the first things that'll pop up along with the Playbill article. Um, it's eventbrite.com slash e slash the dash Janice dash jam dash broadway dash rocks dash for dash breast dash cancer dash tickets. Yeah, I think they should just google it though.

[32:50] Matt DeAngelis: Yeah.

[32:54] Christine Dwyer: Like, wait, I gotta get a pen. Or my Instagram. Well, they can rewind if they need to. Um, my Instagram is at C teen dryer. I know that's weird, and I don't know why I did that, but that's what my Instagram name is now. C-T-E-E-N-D-R-Y-E-R. And um, Matt's is at M-A-T-T-D-E-A-N-G-E-L-I-S 22.

[33:19] Matt DeAngelis: Yep.

[33:19] Christine Dwyer: And all the links are on there, and all the links are are um in our our profile. And for anybody who isn't able to attend, there is a direct just giving page that is also on both of those places and will be in our bios. And also, if anybody wants to watch, we're the there's not enough internet bandwidth at the at the place to sustain like a paid live stream, right? We're gonna work on that for next year. But what we are gonna do is Omar Cardona is going to go live on his Instagram for the entire concert for anybody who wants to watch. Um and that is, and so he'll be on his, and we'll be able to take additional donations over the course of the concert. We'll be providing that information in his bio. So if you want to watch the show and you can't attend, it'll be on Omar Cardona's channel. I think it's our armor, yeah. Omar Jose Cardona on Instagram.

[34:04] Matt DeAngelis: Love it.

[34:09] Christine Dwyer: Also, you should just look him up, anyways.

[34:11] Matt DeAngelis: Yeah, also singers in the world.

[34:12] Christine Dwyer: No, I actually think he might be the best singer in the world.

[34:15] Matt DeAngelis: Oh wait, I love this.

[34:17] Christine Dwyer: I love this community that we have here at the Janice Jam, this family. You were alluding to the Just Giving page, and that is that link is much easier. So it's just giving.com slash page slash the Janis Jam 2023. Boom. Um pretty clear there and uh very exciting stuff. And it's gonna be uh on Monday, June 5th, so 6 to 9. So look out for it on all the things. Uh get your information, get your tickets, all the things. So exciting. I'll be there. So I can't wait. Say hi. Um and say hi to Matt and Christine and all the all the faves. Um, are you kidding me?

[34:55] Matt DeAngelis: Um, well, since I have you guys, I want to talk a little bit about your guys' career some more and talk just Broadway. Um, it's Tony season and all the things. Have you guys been able to see like any shows?

[35:07] Christine Dwyer: No.

[35:07] Matt DeAngelis: Well, I actually randomly have uh I've seen more than you.

[35:10] Christine Dwyer: You have seen more than me this year, yeah.

[35:11] Matt DeAngelis: Um, but yeah, no, there are a lot of shows. We were actually gone for almost three months in Florida doing Rock of Ages. So there was that then we kind of came back and went full force into this and um but but yeah I've gotten to see I'm still waiting on seeing Shucked. I've got to do that. But we're very excited Massachusetts is owned Alex Alex Newell is nominated from the same hometown as Janice by the way yeah didn't Alex go to the high school that no bishop Penway okay okay okay never mind this is only interesting for your viewers from Massachusetts yeah don't worry about it um but yeah I've seen I've seen quite a few of the shows um but I'm still waiting on have to see New York New York I have to see some like it hot and I have to see Shucked.

We haven't seen Angelia yet either I haven't seen Angelia yet we gotta get to work we gotta get to work oh my gosh gotta be a really great year I said I'm saying it I've I've been blasting it on my Facebook I think what they should do with this writer strike they should have freestyle love supreme host the Tony's and improvise the whole thing that's what I think they should do but I'm just some guy sitting here wait that's actually so brilliant yeah I don't know if they could have Lynn do it though because I feel like he's a part of the other people yeah yeah yeah yeah oh my god that's that's actually brilliant I'd love to see that but they already announced the host I know so it's like it's tricky I know but I did get which we love Ariado we love this is gonna be amazing oh yeah yeah Kimberly Akimbo oh yeah she saw that a couple weeks ago um there was like that one week where I just saw Broadway show after Broadway show at the end yeah you went nuts um is that your front runner to win?

[36:48] Christine Dwyer: Well, it's hard to say because I don't like because I haven't seen I I'm like a very fair person. I want everyone to win but it's honestly, I think there's some really interesting races. I think it's one of my favorite shows that I've seen in a very long time. Um I just thought it was brilliantly executed. I loved the music. Victoria Clark is amazing. Bonnie Milligan is amazing, Justin Foley is amazing. Um I think Bonnie Milligan is a lock to win this year.

[37:14] Matt DeAngelis: I think so too.

[37:15] Christine Dwyer: I mean, it and and just to see someone like her who we kind of came to the city at the same time, and I I knew her voice from concerts and stuff, and then to be able to see kind of her catapult to to Broadway legendary status, you know, with um head over heels, and then this I'm just I'm so happy for her, and she's such a great person. She's phenomenal in the show. And and it's just yeah, it's one of those shows that I I think I mean it's Janine Tessori, like pretty much I just you know, you can't really go wrong there. I think Shucked could be a dark horse to win best musical.

[37:49] Matt DeAngelis: Yeah, it's just true.

[37:50] Christine Dwyer: I do, I and I haven't seen it, but I've seen enough stuff about it, and there's enough buzz about it. And I think Broadway has been looking for an original comedy for a long time. I can't remember the last I mean Book of Mormon might have been the last, like true, like it came out of nothing and they just made a thing. You know what I mean? And like it's pretty cool. And I'm really excited for this little show at a theater that frankly doesn't get a lot of foot traffic. They're kind of like the little, you know, they're kind of like off the beaten path, and no one's ever heard of it and whatever, and it doesn't have it has a bunch of people that we think are stars in it, but maybe not the most recognizable names ever, but they are killing it, and I'm so happy for them. And like lots of Scottish Scott Stanley, Yasmin Suleiman, Alex Newell, all really good friends of ours in that show. We're really pulling for them.

[38:34] Matt DeAngelis: Uh-huh.

[38:37] Christine Dwyer: Yeah. And they don't and they donated four tickets to the to the route to the auction show. Yes, we love that. And I just think it's it's been nice to see, you know, since since the shutdown and everything, I don't know that we've like really had theaters this full with so many new shows and so many um incredible performances. I mean, really, like it's hard, it's hard to pick winners because they're all of the shows right now are really eclectic and different, and um, and all of the performers and what they're required to do is is all really eclectic and different, which I think is um it's what Broadway should be, and it's what Broadway's all about. And so just to see this season of shows that like you've got the really like super classic musical theater like New York New York, well, yeah, Camelot, like all these things, and then you've got something like Shucked, and then you've got something like Julia, and it's you have all of um all of these performers doing what we do best, which is like kind of everything.

I mean, Broadway performers are like we have to do the comedy, we have to do the the crazy. I mean, that's what I I think what I was like so struck by with Victoria Clark is like just how much is required of her in that show. And um, and there's not like there's not like a moment where she's not expertly executing a joke or expertly like making you just weep, or you know, or whatever. And it's um um it was just a really special special show and special performance for me, but um, but it's it seems like every single show right now has something like that. That's just like we're elevating people and performances and stories that like we haven't we haven't had in a long time on Broadway. You know, we haven't had something like this in a long time.

So it's it's exciting. I'm really I'm really proud of everybody for bringing it back and and um And I'm gonna just after all the nonsense that we've been through with the with the pandemic and shows opening and closing and then reopening and waitress coming back to Broadway, but closing early. And I mean we've it's been such an up and down time for people in the industry that it's like it'll be nice to just even though it's weird with the strike and whatever, it's just gonna be nice to have the Tonys again to have something on primetime network television that celebrates what we do, and there was one before, but it didn't, it was still Broadway was still kind of grinding its way back to life.

Like now it feels like even though there's still concerns about whatever, it seems like we're out of the pandemic time and things are starting to feel normal again, and it's gonna be really cool to celebrate our friends and to cheer people on.

[41:03] Matt DeAngelis: It's gonna be oh Natasha Williams, a lifer, a lifer in show business.

[41:09] Christine Dwyer: Stop it.

[41:10] Matt DeAngelis: Oh, she's the best.

[41:11] Christine Dwyer: She’s insane.

[41:12] Matt DeAngelis: She’s so good.

[41:13] Christine Dwyer: I did we we both did waitress with her for a long time. One of my favorite scene partners actually.

[41:19] Matt DeAngelis: Oh, she is so special and just like the sweetest, kindest person.

[41:24] Christine Dwyer: And I feel like this nomination is a celebration of a life in the theater.

[41:29] Matt DeAngelis: Yeah.

[41:30] Christine Dwyer: Yeah. Like that is like so cool.

[41:34] Matt DeAngelis: Like it was. I totally forgot she was in waiting. I'm so excited. She was so good. I got really lucky because she got to be on our tour for a few weeks just to help out because of an injury and whatever. And so we kind of we've we had known each other because she did Waitress here, and of course, I had met her several times, but to actually be on stage with her, and I mean, I think she literally like came in on Tuesday, we rehearsed. She had been doing Mama Morton in Chicago on like on Sunday. Yeah. Hadn't done Waitress in four months. Yeah, and we rehearsed like from 10 to noon during the day just to get all of our stuff. Then we did sound check, and then we did the show that night. And then she was my best friend.

And she was flawless. And she was flawless and amazing. And like was able to just like drop right into a relationship with someone that she barely knew in a show that those relationships are desperately important. And I was just so thrilled for her because she deserves it. She's earned it, and she's just a phenomenal performer. I mean, really, really truly special.

[42:36] Christine Dwyer: So really nervous. You guys have to see some like so good. I've been like a not so closeted fan of Kevin Delagula for so long. That guy's genius. He is hilarious. But he was also he's a writer, he's a producer, he's a director. I mean, that guy is a you want to talk about somebody who is literally good at everything. It's insane.

[42:56] Matt DeAngelis: Yeah. I don't even think I've ever met him. Like, he's one of the people in the business that I actually don't know, but I'm like such a fan, I can't even stand it.

[43:04] Christine Dwyer: Oh my god. Wait, that's so cute. Yeah, Harrison is amazing. He's a good friend of ours. I mean, we're just that's the other thing, too, is like, you know, talking about a life in show business. Like, there's so many people that we consider actual friends who are nominated this year, who are getting who were getting their due and who are getting recognized in a way that we've recognized them for years, and now they're doing the critical recognition that is just again, it's hard because you don't want to put too much value on what critics say about whatever, and that's a problematic whatever. But it's just so cool to see these people that we've believed in and seen do such great work for so long getting celebrated publicly. It's just I'm we're just we're over the moon. I can't wait to watch. We're gonna have a big party, we're gonna have theme cocktails at the house. It's gonna be great.

[43:46] Matt DeAngelis: I love it. That's so exciting.

[43:49] Christine Dwyer: I know. Tony's our Super Bowl, except, you know, we Matt and I like to super bowl.

[43:56] Matt DeAngelis: Christine. I don't mean to see Tony, but Matt and I do.

[43:59] Christine Dwyer: No, no, to be honest, you're right. I don't really care about the Super Bowl.

[44:03] Matt DeAngelis: So yeah, that you know, it is what it is. Um but yeah, no, it's so great. I've been saying all season, like whenever people like come on the podcast, I'm always like, which show could I see them in this season? I don't know. It's like a game I play with myself. But I so see Matt and Shucked, and I so see Christine and Anne Juliet. It's crazy.

[44:23] Christine Dwyer: Yeah, it it so I would love to I would love to do like a little uh day miscast, not even a miscast, but like uh a plug-in play.

[44:31] Matt DeAngelis: Uh you can pass me. That'd be great. We were really hoping we will we we are we are starting to manifest that we want to be in Kimberly Akimbo when it tours.

[44:40] Christine Dwyer: Oh, really?

[44:41] Matt DeAngelis: Yeah, I feel like I could like she says I haven't seen it yet, you gotta wait. But I'd love to play the dad in that part. Apparently, it's a great book.

[44:47] Christine Dwyer: Yeah, it'd be great.

[44:49] Matt DeAngelis: It's great. You would be awesome at it for sure. Um well, speaking of, you know, you two touring together. I mean, you guys have toured together a few times, right?

[44:57] Christine Dwyer: A Waitress.

[44:58] Matt DeAngelis: We're on a production contract once, and then we just did the three months in Florida together, which was also really, really cool.

[45:03] Eli Tokash: Yeah, well, what what is that like? Because I mean, touring can be a little lonely, so it must be nice to have a little companionship together and doing a show together. That must be so cool.

[45:12] Matt DeAngelis: I will say this. We're lucky on several levels. Genuinely, I think there are some couples who exist really well with distance between them. I don't mean that those are still wonderful relationships, but we aren't. We like we genuinely like to spend all of our time together. I play a lot of golf, and a lot of guys' husbands go play golf to get away from their wives, and I like it when she comes and drinks in the cart. Like, I like it. Like it's we like to be together all the time. And so that is really nice.

[45:38] Christine Dwyer: Um, but also like even couples in show business, like we do a lot of concerts together, we teach together, we run a company where we you know teach like college-bound musical theater students together, and that's always really nice. I think we teach really well together, we work really well together, but it's such a rare opportunity to get to be in a show together at all. And then when I really think about like the best I've ever felt as an actor, it was when I was doing the Earl and Jenna scenes with Christine, and that's on so many levels. One because we have a comfort and we exist in we touch each other in like a couple, so it instantly makes the scene have more weight, but then also she's my favorite actor, and so it's it was so nice to feel that kind of scene safety, right? Like there was nothing in scene in scenes that you know could be scary and triggering for some people, right?

[46:32] Matt DeAngelis: Um, it just never felt that way with her. I could change it up whenever I wanted, and I knew she would go with me, and she trusted me to change it up in a way that wasn't gonna derail the scene. Right. It was just it was wonderful. So, and then on top of that, like we got to travel with our best friend and our dog, and we got to go to some, and we've both toured. I think between the two of us, I think we did the math. We've done over 6,000 performances on the road in our and so you know, the there isn't a city in America that tourist go to that I don't know about, like that I go, Oh, I got I know this place, or I gotta go to this restaurant that I like or this bar. So then also we got to do that together. We got to go to Niagara Falls, we got to go like just like touristy stuff too. We got to do cool things. We did like that, I don't even know what you call it, that like go-kart tour of Santa Cruz.

[47:19] Christine Dwyer: Oh, that little yeah, the go-kart tour.

[47:22] Matt DeAngelis: That was so cool, but um, yeah, just thing things like that. It was also just you know, really helpful for me playing that playing Jenna and Waitress was really difficult. It's you know it's it's a big thing. It's it's a heavy lift and you have to go through a lot every single performance. It's just one of those parts that the script is so well written that you have like you have no choice except to like go there with it and you know I I mean cried every day in a in a cathartic way but like it was that was a thing. And um and just to have someone on the road with me to kind of help with that and like and you know take take care of me in that way was was really nice because I had never had that before and you know I I played Elphaba on the road and I didn't have a a a partner with me that was like kind of helping me navigate how difficult that was and it was it was really nice to have that um and and just not have to shoulder all of that on my own I guess.

[48:22] Christine Dwyer: Because it's it's one thing you know you can talk at night at the end of a a long day or at the end of a long week and I can I can explain to him the the things that were that I was struggling with on Finding Neverland let's say but he wasn't there.

[48:38] Matt DeAngelis: Right.

[48:38] Christine Dwyer: And then to just have have someone be there was really um really awesome for me and made the job a whole lot easier. Well then you you parse that out too it's like you know we're not gonna probably do this forever there'll be a time when we used to be actors right and when I think about the best like there there have been some really cool stuff that I've got she sang for the president of the United States. I got to, I'm friends with Sarah Borealis because of Waitress. And like, how cool is that right? These really cool things have come our way in in our life, and we live a very exciting life, and we are very, very grateful for all the things that have come our way that we've that we've gotten.

[49:14] Matt DeAngelis: But when I really think about the times that I'm gonna think about later, it's gonna be those. It's gonna be, you know, I mean, I'll never forget, you know. Christine's dad had some health problems, and she had to step away from the show for a second. And her first show back, I'll never forget that performance for as long as I live. Uh doing going back to Waitress even without her, with my like there's these moments. He's like family, and we're a family, we're married, right? There's like those moments. We're going back to Waitress after my mom passed. You know, those kinds of moments are the ones that are gonna stick out to me. And the fact that we've got to spend so much time doing a show that we love so deeply. I mean, God, anybody out there listening, bring Waitress back to Broadway. Let's go.

[49:52] Christine Dwyer: Do it again.

[49:52] Matt DeAngelis: Do it again. I'll do it. I'll do that show for the rest of my life and be happy. Um, but it it's just so good, and the people who make it is are so good, and we got to do that together, and it was just so special. I'll I'll just be I'll be grateful for it for the rest of my life.

[50:06] Christine Dwyer: Yeah, I I always say that Waitress to this day is still my number one all-time musical. I think I think Waitress and Come From Away are my two favorite musicals, and I'm just bummed.

[50:15] Matt DeAngelis: Come From Away is great.

[50:16] Christine Dwyer: Come From Away is non-equity now, and I'll never be able to be in it on production contract, but I'll do it regionally somewhere. Somewhere, they'll bring it back, they have to.

[50:24] Matt DeAngelis: It's so good.

[50:25] Christine Dwyer: From your lips, man. That's well, uh let's talk about Waitress some more because they're they're they did a pro shot.

[50:33] Matt DeAngelis: I didn't even know they did a pro shot, and then like the token.

[50:37] Christine Dwyer: Very sneaky cloak and dagger pro shot, yes.

[50:39] Matt DeAngelis: Yeah, what? And then all of a sudden they were like, We're debuting it at Tribeca or whatever, and I bought tickets right away. I'm going to the first screening.

[50:48] Christine Dwyer: Like, I'm either there.

[50:49] Matt DeAngelis: I will see you there.

[50:50] Christine Dwyer: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[50:51] Matt DeAngelis: Oh my god, yes, I'm so excited. Um, it it's just I I love the musical. What when did all of that come about? What was it like to film all of it?

[51:00] Christine Dwyer: It was really fast and furious. It came together like we had just come back to what we do when you filmed it more. Well, we call it we call it Waitress 2.0, which is the one we went over to the Barrymore. And it was that was like September 2021.

[51:14] Matt DeAngelis: Yeah.

[51:15] Christine Dwyer: Yeah. Yeah.

[51:16] Matt DeAngelis: September 2021.

[51:17] Christine Dwyer: And like I want to say it was like our third week open. And they were like, we're shooting this thing. And you know, then there was negotiations about money and whatever. But then it just came together so fast, and we were filming during the day, then they would break everything down and we would do the show at night. And then they filmed three shows at night, like for audience.

[51:37] Matt DeAngelis: Really?

[51:38] Christine Dwyer: But what was really cool about it, and like I what I think separates Waitress generally is that it's not a big musical. You know what I mean?

[51:47] Matt DeAngelis: Yeah.

[51:47] Christine Dwyer: Like Hamilton nailed the live capture because it's a musical, right? Like that thing is a big ass show. And they filmed it like a big ass show, and it looks perfect, amazing, clean. They got the close-up shots that they needed, but a lot of it was Pruscenium. They shot a lot of it, just go, this is what Hamilton looks like, right? And it and it slaps, right?

[52:09] Matt DeAngelis: What what is cool about it?

[52:10] Christine Dwyer: And I haven't seen the final edit, but what I saw shooting it, or you know, backstage on the monitors and stuff. A, it's helpful that Jesse Nelson, one of our writers, helped direct the live capture, and she was comes from the TV and film world, so that's like that was also very helpful. But they shot it more like an indie movie. Like a lot of the original, a lot of steady cams on stage, a lot of close-ups, a lot of time spent, a lot of time spent getting the acting up close shots with the principal characters.

[52:40] Matt DeAngelis: I love it.

[52:41] Christine Dwyer: And I think that's gonna, at least again, from what I saw, at least I think that it's gonna make it feel more a little more up close and personal, like a like an indie. And I think, like I said, I mean, Waitress is indie, even as a Broadway show. Like it's got indie music, it's an indie show. And so I think it's gonna be very different from the large-scale pro shots that we've seen. Even something like Come From Away.

[52:41] Matt DeAngelis: Yeah.

[52:41] Christine Dwyer: I think that it's gonna it again, just my limited pie piece of what I saw. It seems like they were going for a different aesthetic, which I think is gonna be really interesting and really cool.

[53:14] Matt DeAngelis: And also Sarah I love it.

[53:16] Christine Dwyer: Sarah's just great on film too. I mean, you know, and oh my gosh, she's great in anything.

[53:20] Matt DeAngelis: We forgot to mention Tony Award nominees, Sarah.

[53:23] Christine Dwyer: Sarah Borealis, yes.

[53:25] Matt DeAngelis: Oh my gosh, I forgot.

[53:26] Christine Dwyer: So exciting. Um I mean, we both saw that show. I saw it a couple of times. Um, and it was just it was very clear that to me that she was going to get a nomination, and I'm really happy for her.

[53:37] Matt DeAngelis: And um hardest working woman in show, but yeah, and and I think that she's gonna be uh obviously I saw her in Waitress Live, and she's gonna be amazing on this live capture.

[53:46] Christine Dwyer: Um, she was amazing in Jesus Christ Superstar Live, Five Girls Eva, like she just knows how to be on camera and make and be just grounded and warm and likable and and uh vulnerable and all of that. So I think it's gonna be really fun for people who maybe didn't get to see her on Broadway or did, but they were sitting, you know, far away to actually really see all of the nuanced things that were going on in her performance of that character.

[54:13] Matt DeAngelis: And the goal, hopefully, is that it goes really well at Tribeca and it eventually gets sold to a streaming service so that people can see it. People everywhere will be able to see this thing that we, like I said, that I would do for the rest of my life. I love Waitress.

[54:24] Christine Dwyer: So it's my favorite show I've ever been in.

[54:27] Matt DeAngelis: Come from awake with Thieves is my favorite show, but it it's not close.

[54:31] Christine Dwyer: Come uh Waitress is just it was it was everything I needed it to be. And I was in it for five years, off and on.

[54:38] Matt DeAngelis: Yeah, I was part of the Waitress family.

[54:39] Christine Dwyer: I still am, but for for five years there, and it's just it was it was some of the best times of my entire career.

[54:44] Matt DeAngelis: And and also you know, on a personal level too, and talking about the Janice Jam.

[54:49] Christine Dwyer: It's the show you were doing when you found out your mom had breast cancer.

[54:52] Matt DeAngelis: It was the show that you were doing when she passed, and those people are so formative in times like that, in times of grief and times of sadness and times of just being terrified, you know, all of those things. Stephanie Torrance, Benny Ellage, Tyrone Davis Jr., Julia Bain.

[55:09] Christine Dwyer: Yeah, they they just, you know, Benny and Jeremy stood up in our wedding. They were my two of my groomsmen.

[55:15] Matt DeAngelis: Wow.

[55:16] Christine Dwyer: Like it's um, it's just a special group of people, and it's a special show. And I literally I was talking to Sarah the other day, and I I every time I sign off at a comment, I'm like, thank you for everything you've given me.

[55:27] Matt DeAngelis: I say the same thing to Diane Paulus, because she directed me in Hair, and she directed you guys in Neverland. But like, there's just there's certain people in my career that just the blessings haven't stopped. Like it's I can't, I can never articulate how grateful I am to Sarah and Diane for bringing Waitress into my life. Like I'll never be able to explain it to them.

[55:45] Christine Dwyer: Absolutely. I just had Diane on this on December, in December. Yeah, and I said to her, I said that exact same thing. Yeah, I know, because you know, you guys got Hair and Waitress and all of that, and and uh uh Christine Neverland and Waitress, and then Neverland and Pippin for me. So we've all worked with Diane uh multiple times, you know. She's all of my Broadway shows have been with Diane. So I owe it all to her, you know. It's great.

[56:11] Matt DeAngelis: Um, but yeah, say the same thing, and she's just what a human being, what a talent, you know, that is. Just her directing is just out of this world. And so I can't wait to just see Waitress again. Even when I'm with Diane, sometimes I feel like I'm at a Mensa meeting. Like I'm a pretty smart guy and I can talk about a lot of stuff, but like sometimes I look at her and I'm like, what is it like? You're like, you're so smarter than other people. Like, what does that I know? I want a day in her brain. I want a day. It's just insane.

[56:39] Christine Dwyer: Yes. I will say, I was always like terrified of her. Like as a child. I was like, I don't know if you love me or you like really like she's a powerful, intimidating for she is she is something else, man. But she it's just amazing because her brain is always working, and you can see it. Like you can see her brain like rolling and figuring it out and problem solving, and it's like, oh my god, like you're so cool. Like, I don't know.

[57:09] Matt DeAngelis: One of the biggest things I met her, I met her at 26 years old, and then I worked with her again, you know, I guess starting at about 34 years old. And so and I'm a much different actor now than I was then. And I remember we were getting ready to remount this last tour, and we were gonna get to this the big Earl and Jenna fight scene, right? And I know Diane's a stop and start kind of person. She loves to really get in and beat every beat and you know, whatever. And I sometimes get uncomfortable as an actor in a room like that, doing a scene that emotional when everybody's watching. So I went to her the day before I knew we were gonna get there, and this is like this is how also emotionally intelligent she is.

I was like, hey, I'm feeling kind of funny about the work we're gonna do tomorrow. I was like, could you could you give me 20 minutes just with you and Stephanie? Wow. And so we can like work it before everybody's watching us work it. And she was she gave me the biggest hug, and she's like, oh my god, absolutely. She's like, I want you to feel comfortable, whatever. And we did, and we worked it, and we all got super emotional about it and whatever, and then the people came in, and then we got it right way faster than we would have got it right because she gave the actor what the actor needed in that moment. And it was really just the best.

[58:21] Christine Dwyer: Yeah, absolutely. I love everything about her and how she runs rehearsals and everything. Her like character backstories and stuff. I was like, those are brutal, and like literally as my presentation was happening, just like started bawling. I didn't even know I needed this.

[58:39] Matt DeAngelis: Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Nick Belton, who I don't even think is an actor anymore. Before he became an actor, he was the sous-chef at a restaurant called The Spotted Pig, which is like it was a really high-end restaurant. He has like knife skills and he like knows how to do all kinds of stuff. So for Hair, I love his whole thing was that his place in the tribe was that he was like the guy who cooked us all food. And his character presentation was he dressed a chicken. Like he like fully like took apart, like took all the wings off, and he cut his hand because he was trying to go too fast and finished the presentation anyway with like blood dripping down his arm, and then his blood on it was like, we're not gonna eat that. It was so funny.

[59:14] Christine Dwyer: Oh my god. And then you're like, okay, let's start from the top, Aquarius. And she's like, I need a band, I need a big literally, oh my god, that's hilarious. What a cast you all of you guys have worked with. I mean, that Hair cast, I wish I would have seen it on Broadway. Just Josh Lehman alone. Literally, my favorite human being.

[59:36] Matt DeAngelis: Oh, of course, but right, because you should find member lines together. Like it does. Yeah, hanging out with Josh Lehman is hanging out with like 25 people at once because he has all the characters. Literally. What a legend. And the voices he does, the accents he does, he's always switching it up. It's like, what Josh am I getting today? Right on the edge of getting away with them. Barely, but we love him. Him and Carrie Lee Carmelo together in the same room. It was just like the jokes would fly over my head. But now when I hang out with them, I'm like, oh my god, what are you guys doing? You this is literally what you'd say when I was like two, and you were totally like laughing. And I was on a five minute break and I didn't go. I think I stayed out in the hallway for 20 minutes. I was so unprofessional.

[1:00:20] Christine Dwyer: Because Josh was making.

[1:00:23] Matt DeAngelis: Oh special guest appearance. Chad will be at the Chad is gonna be at the event. We got an outfit form and everything.

[1:00:33] Christine Dwyer: Oh my god, obsessed. I love do you guys do like the dog die? The pink dog.

[1:00:36] Matt DeAngelis: Oh no, no, we haven't, but we we should. That would be hilarious.

[1:00:41] Christine Dwyer: Oh my god, Matt, I gotta show you this because this came up on my Snapchat memories the other day. It's us backstage at Waitress.

[1:00:50] Matt DeAngelis: Oh my god. God. This is some um this is 2017. Wow.

[1:00:56] Christine Dwyer: So six years ago. Yeah.

[1:01:00] Matt DeAngelis: It's wild. And then I think there's oh, that's my dad and I. Um, there's Kate, little Kate. Is this fit? Is that Swenson?

[1:01:09] Christine Dwyer: Yeah, this is Swenson. That's another thing. We want to talk about a true gentleman of show business. Will made a very, very generous donation to the get just giving page. And that is a Christine. Him and Gavin Creel, and Gavin made a video for the event. Casey did too. Casey Levy did as well. But Gavin and Will are just two people in this business that I look up to so much. They're they're wonderful people, they're great leaders in a company. Will is a wonderful father. I just I could not be more grateful to have understudied Will Swenson two different times. He's the best.

[1:01:40] Matt DeAngelis: Yeah. Oh my god. You guys are the coolest people in the world. Seriously.

[1:01:45] Christine Dwyer: You two, I'm saying, not Will.

[1:01:47] Matt DeAngelis: Well, Will is two. To be honest. Pretty cool.

[1:01:50] Christine Dwyer: To be honest, I feel like that's a good one. Will is pretty cool.

[1:01:53] Matt DeAngelis: Yeah. We do love Will. He's so good in A Beautiful Noise.

[1:01:57] Christine Dwyer: Oh yeah. I can tell you.

[1:01:59] Matt DeAngelis: You were there?

[1:02:02] Christine Dwyer: I was there. Didn't I see you at the party? I saw you at the party.

[1:02:05] Matt DeAngelis: Oh, maybe I did. Okay. Then what the hell? Don't listen to me. What the hell am I talking about?

[1:02:10] Christine Dwyer: Whatever. No, we have we this is this has been a treat. This has been an absolute blast. I can't wait to see you guys Monday.

[1:02:17] Matt DeAngelis: Yeah.

[1:02:18] Christine Dwyer: Um, and hopefully everyone listening is somehow in attendance.

[1:02:22] Matt DeAngelis: Yes.

[1:02:22] Christine Dwyer: Uh whether it's in person, virtually, um, and and watching live on uh Omar's channel or in social media, I guess, whatever. Um, and if not, you know, please uh donate what you can. Um if you're willing to, and uh, you know, what you guys are doing uh with your careers and how now you're turning into such a positive light. It's it's just incredible. And uh, you know, I'm a big fan of both of yours, so uh I can't wait to see what's next in the next couple years for for the Janice Jam and what's to come.

[1:02:54] Matt DeAngelis: Yeah. Absolutely.

[1:02:55] Christine Dwyer: Yeah, thank you so much for having us on here. It's so good to like still be in your life, even though you know.

[1:03:00] Matt DeAngelis: Oh my god. We worked together a while ago, and just to watch you like grow up and do this channel and like just have the success that you've had and be the person that you are. I'm just like so proud of you and happy that that I get to be a part of it in any kind of small way. So thank you. We really appreciate it.

[1:03:18] Eli Tokash: Oh my god, Christine. You know I love you. I adore you so much. That that tour was so interesting and so fun all at the same time. So we go through it together.

[1:03:30] Christine Dwyer: It wasn't interesting.

[1:03:33] Eli Tokash: Yeah, for sure. To say the least. Um, so yeah, I you know, uh, you know I love uh everyone, and um you two are are are the best. So now I got the chance to work with Matt recently.

[1:03:45] Matt DeAngelis: I know for a day for a day. We'll get into that on a different podcast.

[1:03:50] Eli Tokash: Real. Um, yeah, but uh it, you know, you guys are the coolest people in the world, and I've always looked up to you guys. So uh what you guys are doing is truly inspiring, and I I just can't wait to to be there and and to you know help in any way I can.

[1:04:04] Christine Dwyer: Thanks. I love it. We can't wait to see you.

[1:04:06] Matt DeAngelis: I can't wait to see it. Two Mondays in a birthday to see you then, that means.

[1:04:09] Christine Dwyer: I know. Oh my god, so exciting.

[1:04:11] Eli Tokash: Awesome. Um all right, thanks, guys. You guys have so much to take about. Take a bow. Christine Dwyer and Matt DeAngelis.

[1:04:18] Christine Dwyer: Oh, yes, we love a virtual bow.

[1:04:18] Eli Tokash: Take a bow, Christine Dwyer and Matt DeAngelis. Oh my god, I had an absolute blast talking to them. I literally could have talked to them for hours. Uh, but again, I had to run to the opening night of Greyhouse this week. And uh it was so great to to catch up with them and talk to them about the Janice Jam. I will be there collecting content, collecting all types of things, and saying hi to everyone who comes on Monday, June 5th to the Janice Jam. Come say hi. Come support this wonderful cause. Tickets are literally like $40. You can get in. Uh, and we'll we'll hang, we'll we'll do all these fun things. And it's just sounds incredible. Uh, it's literally the price of a rush ticket. And guess what?

It's literally a donation to the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative because 100% of the proceeds are going to that. Uh, all of these wonderful people who have stepped up and donated tickets or whatever it's been uh to see uh and continue to raise money to uh support the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative is just so freaking cool. Uh, shout out to everyone who's helped and donated already. If you can't make it, you can still donate. And if you can't make it, send a friend. Send a friend to enjoy this art, this literal night of art and uh a night of cool stuff that you can potentially win uh for a nice donation. Um which is super exciting, and uh they'll you can send them to do your silent auction bidding for you.

[1:05:55] Eli Tokash: Anyways, super fun, nonetheless. I'm so excited, and uh shout out to everyone who is willing to uh donate and come and join us. And uh I can't wait for this Waitress pro shot. Oh my god, I was gonna say Wicked because Christine was in Wicked and A Beautiful Noise. And uh yeah, so I can't wait for this Waitress pro shot. I'm literally going uh to Tribeca Film Festival. I announced it when like the tickets came out because I didn't even know it was happening, but it's June 12th, super excited. Uh, June 12th is when I'm going. So hopefully we'll see you there. And it's the Waitress the musical live on Broadway at Tribeca Film Festival. Um, so excited for that. I love Waitress and to be able to see it again is just so freaking exciting. And uh yeah, that that's all of the fun stuff that I have for you folks this week. Again, June is crazy. We are gonna be just we're taking this thing to the moon in the month of June. Um, good rhyme.

[1:06:53] Eli Tokash: Oh my god, when he's a writer. Um, anyways, when I I'm so excited to share all this incredible content that we are getting uh for the month of June. And I hope that you just continue to enjoy it, continue to come back and uh, you know, share it. Just tell your friends. Uh get everyone on board because we are telling stories, we are getting uh unbelievable, unforgettable content that you guys will not want to miss. And you're gonna want to tell everyone and make sure everyone enjoys uh and brings some smiles to their faces. So I appreciate everyone's support. Thanks again for listening to this week's episode. I can't wait to have you all back next Tuesday. Well, it's like not even seven days, so it's gonna be five days until I see you next. Um, can't wait, and I will see you all then. Hope you all had a great Memorial Day. Uh, long weekend, hopefully, and very enjoyable. And hopefully you all are staying safe. Bye, everyone. See you next week. Happy Pride.

[1:07:58] 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 Barenstein, 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 Grime? And our final bow our 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 T A B. 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 A Bow 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.