This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Eli Tokash: Hello everyone and welcome to episode 160 of Take A Bow.

[0:05] Eli Tokash: It's your host, Eli Tokash, and this week we have another great episode for you folks.

[0:10] Eli Tokash: Y'all, I'm so excited to share this episode with you. Uh, Jessie Mueller is just, oh, she's so good. I could go on and on about Jessie Mueller and how good she is as a performer, but this episode is just to die for.

[0:25] Eli Tokash: Uh, I cannot wait to share this with you folks. It's so real, it's so raw, it's so sincere. And we don't just talk about the journeys through the shows, but we talk about the industry.

[0:34] Eli Tokash: We talk about being a leader. Um, we talk about the Tony Awards and just the awards in general and what it means and how challenging that can be.

[0:45] Eli Tokash: Um, I love Jessie Mueller. She's so great. And um, this discussion that we have, I’m just so excited for you all to listen to.

[0:54] Eli Tokash: And I know that you all, well, I hope that you all will love it as much as I do and get as much of it as I did out of it.

[1:02] Eli Tokash: Um, so before we do that, we gotta talk about Broadway news because there's a lot to talk about.

[1:09] Eli Tokash: The Tony Awards were last night. Y'all, I was at the Tony Awards.

[1:11] Eli Tokash: I am, I'm still recovering. Um, I recorded two episodes of Take A Bow a day.

[1:20] Eli Tokash: Um, and so now I'm doing this, and so now my brain's very fried. And but we hey, we're here, we're buzzing, and we're gonna do a great episode and uh talk about the Tony Awards.

[1:34] Eli Tokash: But I had, yeah, I had the pleasure of being at the Tony Awards last night inside of a press room in a hotel a couple blocks away from the venue that the Tony Awards are being held.

[1:44] Eli Tokash: And I was in a room with a bunch of theater lovers, and it was the coolest thing to be able to watch the Tony Awards with people that cared about it as much as I did, and people who were invested in it as much as I was, and people that genuinely just knew so much about everything that was being discussed.

[2:04] Eli Tokash: And we, you know, we had our friends that we were cheering for and all the things. It was so great. I loved it.

[2:11] Eli Tokash: And just seeing how that all works is so cool. And we have some great, great, great content coming for you folks.

[2:18] Eli Tokash: I'm so excited to share it with you. Um, you literally, I'm literally gonna take you inside of a press room with us.

[2:26] Eli Tokash: And um, it's just a really, really cool, uh, I think it's gonna be a great YouTube video. Um, I think I may release it as a podcast episode too, but the video is what you're gonna want to see on YouTube to really come inside of the press room with us.

[2:40] Eli Tokash: Um, it's just a really cool experience. Literally, the winners, whoever won would literally come take photos, come talk to us, and we could interview them and hear an explicit version of their speech or a more fleshed-out version of their speech.

[2:58] Eli Tokash: Um, whatever it may have been. I mean, the Tony Award, okay, we're talking about it. With the Tony Awards, loved everything that happened, but there's so much that I was like, what is happening?

[3:08] Eli Tokash: How are we cutting off Jason Robert Brown? Um, for his win as Best Revival of a Play.

[3:15] Eli Tokash: I mean, his journey with the show is, I could, I just want to hear him talk about it for 17 days, you know? Like, it's just, how do you not let that man speak?

[3:27] Eli Tokash: Um, I understand that everyone's, you know, timed and everything, but for the shows, I feel like they should have a little bit longer because there's so many more people to talk and so many people to thank, uh, because it's a big show and it's not just like one individual.

[3:40] Eli Tokash: Um, so with that being said, you know, Jason Robert Brown coming over and talking to us and, uh, actually asking him a question was, um, was really, really cool, um, to be able to do that.

[3:52] Eli Tokash: And, and um, yeah, something I'll never forget. Uh, so I cannot wait to share that all.

[3:58] Eli Tokash: And if you're interested in that content, you know, we have the full version of Michael Arden's speech because we let him know that it was bleeped out and he found out from us that it was bleeped out, he didn't realize.

[4:09] Eli Tokash: Um, so he was willing to say it again for us. You know, we have all of that content coming to you folks, and I cannot wait to share it with you.

[4:17] Eli Tokash: Um, so with that being said, uh, more things happening about the Tony Awards. I loved this year's Tony Awards.

[4:23] Eli Tokash: I just loved it. Um, and here's what I'll say, because I don't, I want to say that I loved it, but I want to make things very clear.

[4:31] Eli Tokash: So obviously, we didn't have any writers this year for the Tony Awards, but they were able to, and this is a huge shout out to Ariana DeBose.

[4:42] Eli Tokash: This was so brilliantly done. Uh, and so, you know, Ariana's been a person who, whenever an obstacle is put in front of her, will meet it at 100%, will meet it with grace, will beat it, we'll do it respectfully, and um, it was just so perfect.

[5:04] Eli Tokash: You know, she did such an incredible job. I can't imagine how terrifying it must have been going, okay, I'm doing this.

[5:14] Eli Tokash: You know, it's for someone that like literally I don't think she's getting paid, you know. None of the hosts or presenters or anything like that.

[5:21] Eli Tokash: I don't think they get paid. But to go out there and just be like, okay, 3.42 million people are watching me right now.

[5:31] Eli Tokash: But I'm gonna go out there and whatever happens, happens, and that's that. You know, it's, yeah.

[5:37] Eli Tokash: It like that had to be terrifying. Y'all, that is the importance of writers. We need writers for the presenters.

[5:44] Eli Tokash: We need it for, we need an opening number of a song, you know. The songs are so fun, you know.

[5:50] Eli Tokash: That show-stopping number that opened the show last year with Ariana, uh, Neil Patrick Harris's opening number, like all, like that is Broadway. We need that.

[6:01] Eli Tokash: Um, and uh, you know, musical theater is all three things, you know, it's m, it's song, it's lyrics, it's lines, it's everything, and dancing.

[6:13] Eli Tokash: Um, so, you know, it's, um, it was beautifully done. And that's what I'll say, the Tony Awards, it was one of my favorite Tony Awards.

[6:23] Eli Tokash: Um, the way that they were able to do a dancing opening number, a dancing performance for Lifetime Achievement Award.

[6:30] Eli Tokash: Um, they also did, they also were able to feature the performances of Broadway shows more.

[6:37] Eli Tokash: You know, we had every show performing, even a show that was not nominated and a show that was not even in the season between A Beautiful Noise and Funny Girl.

[6:48] Eli Tokash: And let me tell you, A Beautiful Noise, that performance was incredible, and to see all of those incredible people, uh, bumping to "Sweet Caroline," it was kind of amazing.

[6:58] Eli Tokash: But yeah, no, it was so, so well done, you know, with what they were given.

[7:04] Eli Tokash: But, uh, you know, we need these writers and we need them to reach a deal here very soon with the WGA.

[7:10] Eli Tokash: Um, and so yeah, I mean, that's my kind of spiel about it. I'm sorry I'm rambling.

[7:16] Eli Tokash: My head's all over the place. I barely got sleep, and it's been, uh, quite the morning here over at Take A Bow Headquarters, which is just my home.

[7:24] Eli Tokash: Um, anyways, uh, thank you for sticking with me and dealing with my craziness.

[7:31] Eli Tokash: But, uh, talking about the awards themselves, first of all, I want to congratulate all the nominees and the winners.

[7:35] Eli Tokash: Uh, just being nominated for a Tony Award is all the recognition you need, um, and so deserved.

[7:43] Eli Tokash: Um, so the wins are just, that's really when it comes down to, uh, just one person's perspective, and that's not everyone's perspective.

[7:52] Eli Tokash: So, um, just to be nominated is an honor, and I'll say that for all the nominees.

[7:57] Eli Tokash: Uh, but another, uh, you know, to win is another level of honor, and um, thrilled for all of these winners and being able to root for them and see your friends have success is just so great.

[8:11] Eli Tokash: Uh, Bonnie Milligan, Michael Arden, Brandon Uranowitz, shout out Mariam Silverman, Jay Harrison G, um, all Take A Bow family members.

[8:21] Eli Tokash: Uh, it was really great to see them. Casey Nicholaw was fantastic and was on the show in the "Some Like It Hot" uh Media Day thing.

[8:31] Eli Tokash: Um, but yeah, I mean, just what a night. All of these, uh, wins and nominations were so well deserved.

[8:38] Eli Tokash: Uh, so thrilled for J. Harrison G. And that was the thing about this year's Tony Awards as well.

[8:42] Eli Tokash: Uh, was it was really, really cool to see, uh, the diversity in not only the nominations and not only in the performances, but also in the wins.

[8:53] Eli Tokash: Y'all, we had two non-binary people of color win Tony Awards, like at a major award.

[9:00] Eli Tokash: Um, that's huge and really, really cool for our community.

[9:04] Eli Tokash: Um, and then we of course saw a lot of Jewish representation with "Leopoldstadt" and "Parade" winning Best Play and Best Revival of a Musical.

[9:13] Eli Tokash: And shout out to Brandon Uranowitz for his performance as he won the Tony Award.

[9:18] Eli Tokash: Um, so we kind of saw, uh, we saw a little bit of everything, um, and it was really, really cool.

[9:23] Eli Tokash: And we had these incredible speeches, you know, Alex Newell and Bonnie Milligan talking about, you know, being a plus-sized person growing up and what it was said to them.

[9:34] Eli Tokash: Um, but you know, prevailing and being told that, you know, you're not the stereotypical beautiful and blah, blah, blah.

[9:42] Eli Tokash: Like their speeches were so perfect for a lot of people and for everyone, really.

[9:51] Eli Tokash: Um, and just so inspiring. There were so many great speeches.

[9:55] Eli Tokash: And so we had the representation from many places and many groups being represented, and it was really great to see.

[10:03] Eli Tokash: So shout out to them. Uh, and shout out to the Tonys for allowing that representation because, you know, we have a history of not letting that representation be shown.

[10:13] Eli Tokash: Um, so yeah, shout out to them.

[10:16] Eli Tokash: Um, and then I, you know, with the awards, it's like I, I don't know if you listened to the Tony predictions.

[10:26] Eli Tokash: Some of you did. Uh, some of you may not have.

[10:30] Eli Tokash: I don't know if I could have predicted more wrong. I predicted.

[10:35] Eli Tokash: I did have Michael Arden, Casey Nicholaw, Bonnie, and Jay and Alex.

[10:41] Eli Tokash: Um, I don't know if I got anything else right.

[10:46] Eli Tokash: I will say, uh, from my own perspective, uh, I did well with the behind the scenes, uh, and the plays, you know, "Life U Pi," uh, anything they were nominated for, I pretty much had, and that pretty much won, uh, if they were nominated.

[11:00] Eli Tokash: I think they didn't win just one category.

[11:02] Eli Tokash: Um, and then like scenic design of a play and lighting and all that, like I was able to do well on.

[11:08] Eli Tokash: But, uh, you know, I didn't have the revival, I didn't have Best Musical, I didn't have the lead for lead actress, I didn't have, uh, you know, some of these big ones.

[11:17] Eli Tokash: So shout out to all of them.

[11:20] Eli Tokash: And, uh, I was just blown away that some of these categories were just stacked, you know.

[11:26] Eli Tokash: Um, I really did think that "Shucked" was gonna win Best Book.

[11:30] Eli Tokash: That was the thing, you know, when "Kimberly Akimbo" won Best Score and Best Book.

[11:35] Eli Tokash: It was just like, okay, what do we, what are we doing here? Because we know that if they won those two, they have to win Best Musical, right?

[11:42] Eli Tokash: So are we still going? Um, but yeah, it was just very interesting to see how it all happened.

[11:48] Eli Tokash: Um, you know, have some thoughts, but uh, I'm very excited that, uh, they were able to, it went as well as it did, and I'm thrilled for everyone that did win because they do deserve it and their performances were great.

[12:02] Eli Tokash: But, you know, I would have liked to see a little bit more representation from the disabled community.

[12:06] Eli Tokash: I love that they had an ASL interpreter there, um, and they were doing the Tony Awards and they had some screen time, but, uh, would have loved to see a little bit more or even closer to the stage.

[12:16] Eli Tokash: They were kind of in a weird position.

[12:19] Eli Tokash: Also, "Cost of Living," I thought deserved a little bit more, uh, well, a lot of it more love.

[12:24] Eli Tokash: Um, and being able to show that, um, community as well as "Fat Ham."

[12:29] Eli Tokash: Like, I really thought "Fat Ham" was gonna do, make some noise there.

[12:32] Eli Tokash: So it was interesting to see these wins and to see, you know, everything that happened.

[12:41] Eli Tokash: So nonetheless, congrats to everyone.

[12:43] Eli Tokash: And, uh, I thought the Tony Awards did well.

[12:45] Eli Tokash: Here's the thing, 3.2 million people watched, but that's an 11% decrease from previous years.

[12:51] Eli Tokash: So that's very upsetting to see.

[12:53] Eli Tokash: And I just don't understand it.

[12:55] Eli Tokash: Like, what are we doing here?

[12:56] Eli Tokash: Um, it's, it's actually, I know what we're doing. Broadway's media, like their marketing is just not good.

[13:03] Eli Tokash: Like, we need to figure this out as a whole.

[13:06] Eli Tokash: And that's kind of what I try to do.

[13:08] Eli Tokash: Um, and I don't mean to call anybody out, and I don't mean to call the Broadway media out or anything, but like, I just don't understand.

[13:15] Eli Tokash: You have such big names, uh, on the biggest night for Broadway to showcase it, and we're down 11%.

[13:25] Eli Tokash: I just don't understand. We've had, I don't know if we've ever had this many stars on Broadway.

[13:31] Eli Tokash: You know, I mean, one category alone is a star for everything.

[13:40] Eli Tokash: You tell me those people aren't household names.

[13:44] Eli Tokash: Sean Hayes, we have Wendell Pierce, Samuel Jackson, uh, we have Ben Platt.

[13:48] Eli Tokash: I mean, that's that's a huge name now. Uh, we have Josh Groban.

[13:52] Eli Tokash: Everybody knows Josh Groban is, you know, like we have these stars, Sara Bareilles.

[13:57] Eli Tokash: Um, we have these stars, and and they're just not I don't know how we could have a decrease.

[14:02] Eli Tokash: We uh this just it it's we have representation from all over and names that have never been bigger.

[14:10] Eli Tokash: Like, I I just don't understand how we could get a decrease in that. It just blows me away.

[14:17] Eli Tokash: But you know, hopefully it uh we turn it around and hopefully we learn.

[14:23] Eli Tokash: But we have to market it better.

[14:24] Eli Tokash: We do.

[14:25] Eli Tokash: We have to showcase who's on Broadway a little bit better and and try to reach a larger audience, you know, all audiences, and not just, you know, I don't know.

[14:35] Eli Tokash: We need new audiences coming in. We need to continue to grow.

[14:38] Eli Tokash: So uh anyways, I won't bore you with that.

[14:40] Eli Tokash: Um what I will say is I want to share one last piece of news before I turn it over to Jessie Mueller.

[14:45] Eli Tokash: If you're caught up on all the episodes of Take A Bow, we've talked recently about Here Lies Love.

[14:51] Eli Tokash: And that's a musical that's gone it's got some controversy uh on Broadway recently because they wanted to do a track of their musicals and they weren't gonna hire any musicians when Broadway houses require musicians, uh especially when you do when you put on a musical and their song in it.

[15:09] Eli Tokash: Um and so there's a minimum of 12 musicians, and thankfully, Here Lies Love made the correct decision in adding 12 local 802 musicians.

[15:21] Eli Tokash: Um thrilled for them that they should have done it, they should have done it a long time ago.

[15:26] Eli Tokash: Uh, but they reached the agreement prior to their first preview, which is coming up.

[15:31] Eli Tokash: Uh, and uh I'm thrilled that you know they provided jobs and uh reached the agreement that they're gonna do a little bit of a mixture of both live music and track.

[15:44] Eli Tokash: Um so it'll be interesting to see how it all works.

[15:46] Eli Tokash: But I'm glad to see they made the correct prediction, and we they've actually uh since reaching the agreement, have gotten new producers and more producers.

[15:55] Eli Tokash: Um, so actually it was a good thing. Maybe it was even a strategic thing. I don't know.

[15:59] Eli Tokash: But yeah, good good for them, and uh we'll see what's to come.

[16:04] Eli Tokash: I'm excited to see it.

[16:05] Eli Tokash: So yeah, that's all the Broadway news I have for you folks this week.

[16:09] Eli Tokash: I've talked a lot here.

[16:11] Eli Tokash: I'm sorry, everyone.

[16:12] Eli Tokash: I'm going to the Waitress movie premiere tonight over in Tribeca.

[16:16] Eli Tokash: I am so excited.

[16:17] Eli Tokash: I don't I need like an energy drink or something.

[16:20] Eli Tokash: I'm sorry, y'all. I'm I'm not fully here today.

[16:23] Eli Tokash: Thank you for bearing with me and sticking with me.

[16:25] Eli Tokash: I promise this episode wasn't recorded today, so it's incredible, and I can't wait to share with y'all.

[16:30] Eli Tokash: So with me going to the Waitress uh premiere, I guess today, and it playing in Tribeca for two or three more days.

[16:39] Eli Tokash: I thought this was the perfect time to release this episode.

[16:41] Eli Tokash: So without further ado, let's turn it over to Jessie Mueller.

[16:46] Eli Tokash: All right, y'all. Little midnight phone plug-in here.

[16:50] Eli Tokash: Um just came out of the Waitress thing, just got back home uh and saw Waitress again live on the big screen at the Tribeca Film Festival.

[17:02] Eli Tokash: It what a night.

[17:03] Eli Tokash: I mean, the whole cast was there, Diane was there, Sara Bareilles was there, everyone was there, and it was just a fun community, and the whole um I the whole Broadway community basically just came and showed up and showed their support, and it was like louder than seeing a Broadway show, you know.

[17:27] Eli Tokash: The experience and the audience, um, and everyone cheering after every number and everything.

[17:33] Eli Tokash: It was just, it was it was magical.

[17:36] Eli Tokash: It was an incredible, unforgettable night.

[17:39] Eli Tokash: Um, and you all know I'm just in love with Waitress, so uh this was a really special night for me uh to revisit one of my favorite shows and to talk to and meet or see some of those people again.

[17:53] Eli Tokash: Uh it was just an absolute delight and um really something special.

[17:59] Eli Tokash: We even got a special guest performance from Sara Bareilles.

[18:03] Eli Tokash: She came out getting the audience to sing "What's Inside" with her.

[18:03] Eli Tokash: We all sang "Sugar Butter Flour" while she sang, you know, the little Jenna part.

[18:10] Eli Tokash: Oh my god, what a dream come true.

[18:12] Eli Tokash: Um, and then she came out and sang uh "She Used to Be Mine," which was just brilliant.

[18:18] Eli Tokash: And I posted both of those on our TikTok.

[18:20] Eli Tokash: So if you want to go check that out, we had these great seats.

[18:23] Eli Tokash: We were put in the third row.

[18:24] Eli Tokash: I was like, oh my god, this is amazing.

[18:26] Eli Tokash: Um and we had this close, beautiful um, you know, seat in view of this historic night and watching her take us on this journey and and tell and have her talk to us about how it all started with uh "She Used to Be Mine" and then grew to what it is, and uh gave us an opportunity to sing with her.

[18:46] Eli Tokash: It was just it was really, really amazing.

[18:49] Eli Tokash: So hopefully uh everyone gets an opportunity to see uh Waitress on the big screen.

[18:55] Eli Tokash: They get to revisit this magical, beautiful show.

[18:59] Eli Tokash: Um and we talk with Jessie Mueller in a way, this flawed show in just the most beautiful and best way possible.

[19:10] Eli Tokash: Um it's it's just so incredible.

[19:12] Eli Tokash: So um really excited.

[19:14] Eli Tokash: Hopefully you get a chance to see it.

[19:16] Eli Tokash: Go get your tickets now.

[19:17] Eli Tokash: Uh it's showing for two more days.

[19:19] Eli Tokash: Uh it has two more screenings, and you know, if it does well at the film festivals, more people will be able to see it, and you won't have to just be in New York to see it because we want more people worldwide to be able to experience this story, these incredible performances and so much more.

[19:38] Eli Tokash: So yeah, huge shout out there.

[19:40] Eli Tokash: And then I also wanted to talk about um there was a new update.

[19:45] Eli Tokash: So I mentioned earlier uh when I recorded the intro before leaving, uh, that the Tony Awards had a decrease in viewership.

[19:53] Eli Tokash: Um it was 3.4 million.

[19:57] Eli Tokash: Um those numbers were not the official numbers, apparently, those were unofficial numbers.

[20:03] Eli Tokash: So updated ratings um actually had 4.31 million viewers, uh, which is the highest in uh in three or no, four years uh since twenty nineteen.

[20:17] Eli Tokash: Um so they 2019 had 5.5 million viewers, so quite the decline from 2019 still.

[20:24] Eli Tokash: Uh it's over a million less viewers.

[20:26] Eli Tokash: Uh but it's great to see that this was the second highest uh from then, and uh just great to see Broadway represented in such a brilliant way uh last night because I thought it was done again.

[20:38] Eli Tokash: I might shared this earlier with such grace and humility and um rawness.

[20:43] Eli Tokash: Uh and it's be and it featured some of the most incredible performances and and a lot of performances from all types of Broadway shows.

[20:51] Eli Tokash: And uh, you know, that's really what we're doing is uh sharing these performances and and sharing them with you all to hopefully get you all to to come see these magical things live in person.

[21:02] Eli Tokash: Um, so yeah, uh I just wanted to correct that before uh, you know anyone kind of saw or like noticed, like, oh, that's not true.

[21:13] Eli Tokash: So I just want to recognize that um and recognize, you know, you all for tuning in for the Tony Awards and and celebrating Broadway from the comfort of your homes at a at a party, whatever it may have been.

[21:24] Eli Tokash: Uh, you know, it all means more than you know to this community and industry.

[21:30] Eli Tokash: So uh thank you all.

[21:31] Eli Tokash: And it's really a night of celebration for us fans too.

[21:35] Eli Tokash: So uh shout out to you all and I guess us.

[21:39] Eli Tokash: I guess me too.

[21:40] Eli Tokash: Uh cool.

[21:42] Eli Tokash: So now I'll turn it over to Jessie Mueller in this incredible conversation.

[21:47] Eli Tokash: Uh I cannot wait for you guys to to hear it.

[21:50] Eli Tokash: Jessie Mueller, curtain up.

[21:56] Eli Tokash: Today's guest is a Tony Award-winning star who we all know and love.

[22:02] Eli Tokash: If you don't know who she is, you are simply living under a rock.

[22:05] Eli Tokash: She is the incomparable uh Tony Award-winning actress for her role in Carole King's Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, uh, and is known for her performance as Jenna in Waitress, among many other unforgettable performances.

[22:20] Eli Tokash: It is my honor to welcome to Take A Bow, Jessie Mueller.

[22:24] Jessie Mueller: Hi, Jessie, how are we doing?

[22:25] Jessie Mueller: I'm good, Eli. How are you?

[22:26] Jessie Mueller: Thanks for having me.

[22:28] Eli Tokash: Oh my god. I'm fantastic. And now that I'm talking to you, are you kidding me? This is so exciting.

[22:32] Eli Tokash: Um yeah, thanks for doing this.

[22:34] Eli Tokash: The way I usually like to to start this whole like little cute thing that we're doing here is asking everybody, you know, why are we here?

[22:43] Eli Tokash: Like how what did what inspired you to want to start entertaining people, telling stories, all that jazz.

[22:50] Jessie Mueller: Oh wow. Well, I think I think I was exposed to it at an early age. My parents are actors, and I grew up um, yeah, just outside of Chicago.

[22:57] Jessie Mueller: And so we we saw a lot of theater, and I guess in my little mind it seemed kind of normal because it's what mommy and daddy did.

[23:05] Jessie Mueller: Right. So um, so yeah, I guess I would go to a lot of theater, so I had those very early experiences as an audience member of those I mean, those feelings that you have when you're watching something, and it's this whether you're getting uh wrapped up in the story or you're feeling what the actors are feeling.

[23:23] Jessie Mueller: And so I think when I was pretty little, I I can't remember necessarily a specific show, but just having that that experience of oh my gosh, that just what I just saw just did something to me.

[23:35] Jessie Mueller: I wonder if I could do that for someone.

[23:39] Jessie Mueller: Like I think I remember having that feeling early on.

[23:41] Jessie Mueller: And then I'm sure my reasons for um going that way or taking that path.

[23:47] Jessie Mueller: I'm sure there were there are many other layers to that, but um, I think that was sort of the beginning of where it something crystallized.

[23:54] Jessie Mueller: It was like, this is magic. I wonder if I could do that.

[23:57] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[23:58] Jessie Mueller: Yeah.

[23:58] Eli Tokash: Oh my God.

[24:00] Eli Tokash: It's so true. Anytime I go see the show, a show, any show, I'm like, yep, no, I remember why I'm doing this.

[24:06] Jessie Mueller: Yes, of course.

[24:07] Eli Tokash: This is this is everything.

[24:08] Eli Tokash: I just want to experience this as many times as I can.

[24:12] Jessie Mueller: Yeah.

[24:13] Eli Tokash: So uh that's amazing.

[24:14] Eli Tokash: That I love that.

[24:15] Eli Tokash: It's so it's interesting to hear that you're like a whole family uh of actors and performers.

[24:20] Eli Tokash: Uh, you know, obviously your sister, and now your parents too, I guess.

[24:23] Jessie Mueller: That's so cool.

[24:24] Jessie Mueller: Well, I have two brothers too, who are also amazing performers and singers and musicians and actors.

[24:29] Jessie Mueller: And so yeah, I I guess I think people had this idea that we were like the von Trapps, which we like very much were not.

[24:36] Jessie Mueller: It was not like sounds like no, but it was very much not like that.

[24:39] Jessie Mueller: It's not like we were sitting around the kitchen table, you know, planning our summer tour or something.

[24:45] Jessie Mueller: No.

[24:46] Jessie Mueller: Hilarious.

[24:46] Jessie Mueller: Um I guess maybe it was a little bit loud.

[24:49] Jessie Mueller: There was always they were always like exciting people around.

[24:52] Jessie Mueller: Like my parents' friends were actors, so I I found them very interesting.

[24:56] Jessie Mueller: There was always a lot of storytelling and laughing and accents and things like that around.

[25:02] Jessie Mueller: So I I guess yeah, it just was sort of in my in my world from a very early age.

[25:07] Eli Tokash: Yeah, your poor parents.

[25:09] Eli Tokash: I mean, I got into this because I saw my sister in a show and was like, I want to do that.

[25:13] Eli Tokash: So it was just two of us doing it, and my parents were running all over like town just going to different places, picking us up, dropping us off.

[25:21] Eli Tokash: And now to have like what, four kids doing it.

[25:23] Jessie Mueller: That's insane.

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

[25:25] Eli Tokash: And are your parents like I say, are your parents muggles?

[25:27] Jessie Mueller: Like that's something I like to refer to.

[25:30] Jessie Mueller: Yeah, yeah.

[25:31] Jessie Mueller: Yeah, and and the fact like I'm not from New York.

[25:33] Jessie Mueller: So like I'm from West Virginia, so they were driving me to New York for like auditions and we'd go back to West Virginia the same day.

[25:40] Jessie Mueller: It was just like it was craziness.

[25:41] Eli Tokash: So uh that's hilarious to hear that like your family was uh, you know, kind of the same thing in in ways.

[25:48] Jessie Mueller: But we didn't do anything like you started when you were pretty pretty young, yeah.

[25:48] Jessie Mueller: Yeah, yeah.

[25:52] Jessie Mueller: And then we didn't, I didn't Yeah, wow.

[25:55] Jessie Mueller: See, I don't I didn't I didn't do that.

[25:57] Jessie Mueller: I didn't do any sort of acting or performing when I was a kid.

[26:01] Jessie Mueller: I mean, aside from I don't know, like goofing off in our backyard or whatever.

[26:05] Jessie Mueller: It wasn't until like it wasn't until I got to high school that I really that I really started um I guess doing it in earnest or tr or uh even having the opportunity to do it in earnest.

[26:15] Eli Tokash: So um see, I think what you did is so interesting and like they so our parents weren't running us around everywhere.

[26:21] Eli Tokash: I guess because they were working, they were working actors, so sure.

[26:24] Jessie Mueller: Yeah, they so I I don't think they didn't stop us from doing that.

[26:27] Jessie Mueller: Like if we had expressed if I had expressed an interest or any of my siblings, I think they would have they would have gone with it.

[26:33] Jessie Mueller: But we just yeah, I don't know, we didn't do anything really until we got to high school.

[26:37] Eli Tokash: You got the bug a little later.

[26:38] Jessie Mueller: I understand.

[26:39] Jessie Mueller: Yeah, I love it.

[26:41] Jessie Mueller: Um, I mean, let's talk about your your journey to to Broadway and to New York.

[26:47] Eli Tokash: Uh your Broadway debut was in On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, um, which is super exciting.

[26:54] Eli Tokash: You literally were nominated for a Tony Award uh in your Broadway debut, which is craziness.

[26:59] Jessie Mueller: Um so with everything like going on, you know, moving to New York and all of these added things, not even the Tony Award.

[27:07] Jessie Mueller: Um, like, were you able, do you feel like you were able to like really just take it all in and enjoy the moment? And like, do you even remember like your first bow that you took on Broadway? Or was it all kind of just like craziness going on? Oh gosh. I think it was a little bit it was a little bit of craziness. I I think I feel like someone asked me this recently. I think I really remember the first, or it's like I have a memory of having a memory. Yeah, maybe of the first the first show of Clear Day in front of an audience, which I guess would have been our first preview, right? Because I had this, I had this like wicked entrance. It was very cool. I came, I came through it, I came through a trapdoor.

Yes, like up center. There was an elevator, right? So I my character sort of appeared. I was playing uh the the past life version of the lead the one of the lead characters, um David Turner played um Davy uh in the production, and there was some they had changed the story around a little bit, and then so he was the patient of Harry Connick Jr. and I sort of show up as his as David's past life. And um yeah, so I got to come out of an elevator and just sort of like appear in this fabulous, like pink, pink 1940s outfit that Kathy's mother had created. And and funnily enough, I was playing, I was a waitress in that scene. I mean, I was playing a wannabe singer, but she was she was working as waitress in a jazz club.

So I like came up with this like tray tray and the tray lit up, like prop said. I remember this. They'd like put a light in the tray, I think. So I was carrying these like fake drinks. It was all very imaginary. But I remember that. I remember being at the bottom of the elevator, and I think Chris was the elevator op. And we would always have an exchange in my dress or delighted, okay, here we go. Because once once you got clearance to they got over the radio clearance to get in the elevator, and then and then Chris would close the door and like lock it and stuff, and then it was like no turning back now. So as I was kind of rising up in into the air, I was like, oh, I guess I'm gonna, I guess I'm gonna be on a Broadway stage in a minute.

And then I think once I got there, it was like, oh, I know what to do. Like it's just a it's a stage. It pretty much feels like any other stage, and um with like better costumes and better lighting, and Harry Connick Jr.'s there, and um but there was something I I feel like I would I had I had those butterflies and stuff, and then once I hit the deck, I felt like, oh, no, we did this, like I rehearsed this, I I know what to do. So I think I stayed, I stayed grounded once I was up there, but I definitely remember that moment. Around oh all everything around that was a little there was some there was some craziness just because I had never the day to day stuff. I was like, yeah, I know how to do this.

I know how to do the job, the work. But the other side of the work, which I had never had experienced before, was all the press, all the marketing. I had never done any of that. Um I had been living in Chicago, and especially at that time, there just wasn't as much of that going on. Social media hadn't even blown up. Like there just wasn't this like major mechanism of marketing and all the press rollouts, and that was super super new to me. And the fact that I was a complete unknown in New York, there was the press team was very um uh specific and smart, I think about how they rolled out the information about this girl you never heard of is gonna be starring opposite her at Johnny Jr. And there were like lots of pictures taken, and they were dolling me up, and I was like, what is going on?

Oh my god. It was it was a bit of a wild ride, and I had nothing really to compare it to, and I didn't really have a lot of people I could talk to about it. I do remember that because um because I didn't know anybody who had gone through something like that. I didn't really I didn't really know anybody else in the in the Broadway theater community yet. Um, and everyone I did meet was really amazing and gracious and so welcoming, but yeah, it was a little yeah. If I'm being honest, it was a little weird to be like, so this really cool thing has happened to me, but I'm really struggling. Right. Because it's like it's like no one really wants to hear that. Right. No one wants to hear that you've had this this big opportunity, but you it's like you don't have the tools for some of the challenges that are being faced. And so you don't, and you have nothing to compare it to. You don't feel like you have a model for it. So that was that was really challenging.

[31:57] Eli Tokash: Yeah. Interesting. It's yeah, it came, I'm sure it was tricky to navigate it all. And it's so true that like no nobody wants to hear like the real stuff, you know. Everyone's here for like the superficial, what like the showy, you know, glamorous things. And it's like or like our job is to keep the magic right. The job is magic going, and you're like, okay.

[32:16] Jessie Mueller: Yeah.

[32:17] Eli Tokash: Like, are we not allowed to be humans? Like, there's a lot of there's a lot of work that goes into making it look all glossy and wonderful and makes you buy it by a ticket, you know, which I think is this is hopefully the stuff that that keeps the the artistic side of it grounded and keeps you realizing that you're telling a story. You're not telling a story of an actor going through a press junket, you're telling the story of a character, hopefully going through an experience and a human being um walking through certain circumstances in life. But but yeah, I totally I totally hear what you mean. Absolutely.

[32:54] Jessie Mueller: It's always that true. Um well you you then went on. I mean, you did this whole Broadway debut thing, and then you became quickly, very quickly, a Broadway veteran. Um you know, you you know you are you're I don't know what to say. That's like I'm reading I'm reading Cheetah Rivera's book right now. She just came out with her memoir. Yes, if you haven't read it. Okay, so I'm only like I feel like I'm not even a hundred pages in. I just started it the other day. Um so I I appreciate you saying that, and I and I try I I want and am working on accepting it. Yes, but um you know what I mean? I people like her, that's who I think is the Broadway veteran. That's and I just feel like I'm I'm proud of my achievements, but as far as I I don't know, it's still it's still hard for me to take something like that in.

[33:47] Eli Tokash: Yeah, no, I mean, but you are I mean, seven Broadway shows is it? I mean, like you done your I guess that's true.

[33:54] Jessie Mueller: Yeah. I've been really I've been really blessed.

[33:57] Eli Tokash: Yeah, yeah, more than a whole hand.

[34:00] Jessie Mueller: And more than a whole more than a whole hand of Blackway, mom.

[34:02] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[34:06] Jessie Mueller: Sometimes like click mom, I get more than a whole hand.

[34:10] Eli Tokash: I love it. You're gonna have uh almost two whole hands now, uh very soon, I'm sure. That's it's very exciting. Um, and now you're doing plays and you're doing musicals. It's like, oh my god, we're seeing everything of Jessie. We love it. Um no, it's great. Um so yeah, but but you quickly became this this I know I don't know, like you became uh involved in the community and you you know became well known around uh the Broadway and Broadway Town.

[34:37] Jessie Mueller: The town.

[34:39] Eli Tokash: Yes, of course. Um so then uh, you know, you star in in beautiful the Carole King musical, and I feel like that's kind of like I don't know, that's really where Jessie Mueller became like Jessie Mueller, you know, like this this grandiose um wonderful performer. Uh and everyone like you know, was like, oh my god, she's amazing. Um so uh talk to me uh about beautiful and kind of when did that all come into your life? Were you part of it from you know earlier stages? Did you join it for the Broadway production? Um what was that process like for you?

[35:16] Jessie Mueller: Um well I actually so I joined the show for the out of town production that they did in San Francisco. So some of the folks some of the folks that were in the original Broadway cast had been a part of readings like um like Nico Larson and Jared Specter um who played uh Cynthia Weill and Barry Mann respectively um they had done a couple readings I think a couple of readings together at that point um so I actually don't know how many years the show had been in process you know what I mean the sort of workshopping of it but um I th I think it was probably around that sort of sort of the magic number that people say like the five to seven years probably that that sort of the the creation of a musical can take but I c I came on board um when they knew that they were going to do an out of town try at San Francisco and then move it to Broadway at least that was that was the hope. I don't know if they had like secured the Broadway theater yet but um from my recollection that was sort of the the timeline of it all.

[36:14] Eli Tokash: So yeah yeah I'm just so so after the San Fran you didn't even realize that you know you had the potential to go to Broadway for sure.

[36:24] Jessie Mueller: We did know we did know at that point I I guess I guess all I'm saying is you you never know what can happen out of town. You know and you never know how that can how depending on how things go, whether timelines are going to get shifted but yeah I guess at that point once we had because we rehearsed in New York right for San Francisco we must have. I think so.

[36:33] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[36:33] Jessie Mueller: We rehearsed in New York and then we went out to San Francisco and did it at the Kerr in theater, I believe, out there.

[36:51] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[36:52] Jessie Mueller: And then we came back and we had about a week off or something like that, a week, two weeks, and then went back into rehearsals for the Broadway production.

[37:00] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[37:01] Jessie Mueller: That's awesome. And that was that was the first time we met Carole King.

[37:04] Eli Tokash: Oh my God.

[37:05] Jessie Mueller: Was we were coming back. We were coming back to rehearsal for the New York production. And I remember I saw Jared Specter walking down the street, and it had been a week, and it was like, hey buddy, how are you? You know, how is your break? And your week long break. Like, did you get to do your laundry? You know what I mean?

[37:21] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[37:21] Jessie Mueller: Did you get back from San Francisco? Did you unpack yet?

[37:25] Eli Tokash: Yeah, right. Did you unpack yet?

[37:27] Jessie Mueller: And um, so we got back and I see Jared on the street, and I'm like, hey, hey, hey. And we're sort of shuffling up to the, I forget what rehearsal studio we were at, maybe Chelsea or something. I I forget. And we come into the lobby and we're Jared and I are chit-chatting and kind of waiting behind this group that looks like they're waiting to take elevators up. And I'm kind of looking at this group of people in the lobby, and I'm like, whoa. I see this curly hair, this curly hair in front of me. The back of this woman's beautiful curly head. And I look at Jared and I was like, the stature is about right. I was like, and then I think she probably turned her head a little bit, and we were like, oh, and Jared, he's like, Well, I guess this is happening today.

I was like, holy shit. Like we hadn't, we hadn't met her yet. I hadn't spoken to her. I'd spoken to her daughter who met who manages her, um, Sherry Condor. And um, so it was like, it was like, it was like out of a movie, a romantic comedy, or something's like, bing, the elevator doors open, and Carol and her team, I think Sherry was with her. We got to get into the elevator, and Jared and I kind of hang back, and then we push the button and another elevator opens. We get in, we're like, what the heck? What the heck? What's happening? And then, and then sure enough, we get to the floor and it's like bing, the door's open, and she's right there.

[38:39] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[38:40] Jessie Mueller: And so I was like, I I don't remember what I said. It was probably like, hi. Right. What do you say? I've been um I I mean, I remember getting emotionally sort of overwhelmed because I just I had been spending so much time thinking about this person, watching this person, studying this person, a little bit of time trying to play this person, you know, the a version of the character of this person. Of course, you know what I mean? A the a version of a a sketch, a painting, if you will. Right. And then um, and then there she there she is in the flash, like her energy, her eyes, her and she was so she was so kind and open and generous. I think she just gave me a big hug, and I was just like, whoa.

I probably cried. I don't remember that. And then she came into rehearsal and she talked to everybody, and because at that point she um she had basically with all the press rollout of the show and everything, people had been speaking to her, and um it was just very she hadn't seen the show yet. It was very hard for her to watch because it covered such sort of intense emotional territory of her young her young life and her early career and the breakup of her first marriage, and so um, so she hadn't seen it yet. She's like, it's just but I've heard great things, and so it was so cool for her to show up and and sort of be vulnerable with us and say, like, hey, here's why I haven't seen it, but I'm so supporting this.

Um, and I've heard just amazing things from all my friends and colleagues and stuff who have seen the show and they're they know I'll be so proud and things like that. But the fact that she took the time to come talk to us and like shook all of our hands and answered questions if we had questions, it was just very cool.

[40:20] Jessie Mueller: She seems like the sweetest human being, you know.

[40:23] Jessie Mueller: She truly, she's to my sweetheart. To my experience, and she's still, I mean, she's still doing her thing, and she's just, she's such a legend, which I'm reminded of Cynthia Weil actually just passed away, whom Anika Larson played in the show.

[40:39] Jessie Mueller: Yeah, one of Carol's dear friends and writing partner with Barry Mann.

[40:43] Jessie Mueller: So it yeah, I've just been reflecting on it a lot, thinking about that show a lot and thinking about the impact that those, especially those women had on music at that time, which was so unusual and groundbreaking. And both of them were writing when they were so young. I mean, Cynthia Wildeberry Man, they just it's like every hit from that era. If it wasn't written by Carole King and Jerry Goffman, it was written by Barry Man and Cynthia Wilm. And just her lyrical genius and just what she was doing for women in that field, probably without even knowing it, is pretty exceptional.

[41:19] Eli Tokash: Yeah, absolutely. It must have been um, I don't know. Like not only are you like leading the show and you have so much material to focus on with this show. Um, but like for a performer, like what is it like to like perform for someone who you're playing, if that makes sense.

[41:39] Jessie Mueller: Well, thank God I did not the day she actually came to the show. Thank God I did not know she was there. Oh, really? I think that would have been super trippy. Like, I just think I would have been so in my head. Um like I get weirded out if I know friends are there, family is there. Like, I don't know, there's just something I think I'm thinking about I'm like watching myself do it a little bit, which I hate. That's just so for me, that's never that's never helpful. But I'm but it but it's like I'm seeing the work through their eyes or something. So I'm like, Yeah, oh that's right. They're watching and they're gonna gosh, what are they gonna think about this part? And this moment, you know what I mean?

Because like people I know and love. I I just like I feel for them and I sort of know some things that they will feel and experience, and then I so it's like I don't like to know when people are there. It's fine to know afterward, but yeah, I find that I get very my head. So thankfully, I did not know that Miss King was in the audience that night.

[42:36] Jessie Mueller: So we didn't find out until later. Yeah, Jared Specter was doing the Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS speech, and um the audience was kind of murmuring and like like oh, there are all these sounds, and I was like, wow, Jared is like nailing this speech, people really feeling this. I was like, we're gonna make some money tonight. Yes, and then it was like, no, it's because Carole King is walking across the stage in a sparkly jacket. I think that's why everybody's freaking out, and then we were the whole cast was just like doubled over because we were all on stage, we'd finished the show ends with Earth Move, and it's like tumbling down, and we're all in a line, like pow. And then Jared does the speech. We were all upstage of him, and then so it was it was kind of wild to just see an entire company of people just sort of like bend in half because the like air got knocked out of us because Carol was there.

[43:24] Eli Tokash: Yeah, I feel like I could not perform, you know. Like if I knew, like I would be like, we're done. It's just too much of a head trip.

[43:37] Jessie Mueller: Exactly. I oh it turns out I'm not feeling well. Sorry guys. Um yeah, right, yeah.

[43:43] Eli Tokash: Yeah, um, that is that because it just seems terrifying, but uh I'm glad that you just like didn't know and you were able to do your I didn't know, I was protected from that. The people in charge of the like they were very wise that that we didn't that they didn't let us know, so yeah.

[43:57] Jessie Mueller: Oh my god, terrifying. Um but I love it. I love it. Did it kind of like get easier? Like if she ever like came back that, like you know, knowing that like, oh, I already did it for her, like it didn't right.

[44:07] Jessie Mueller: We'd at least rip the band-aid off, right? You know what? I have no idea whether she ever saw me do it more than once.

[44:12] Jessie Mueller: Oh wow. I know I know um she she I believe she's been to the show uh many times since become such a such a champion of it. Right. Um, but yeah, I don't know if I don't know if she ever saw me do it more than once.

[44:26] Eli Tokash: Oh, fascinating.

[44:27] Jessie Mueller: And it was a couple of I love that a couple months in, a couple months in. So that's also probably really good. Like she gave us the time to really like get our footing.

[44:35] Eli Tokash: Totally, totally.

[44:37] Jessie Mueller: Um, I love that. It was it's cool that like, you know, beautiful, you can kind of like share it with um your sister in a way, you know, with Abby.

[44:45] Jessie Mueller: Totally uh also doing it. I mean, obviously you didn't do it at the same time, but uh you know, you both were able to lead that show, and it must be like uh a pretty neat thing. Did you go see it again? Like, and were you able to actually like watch it from the audience? What was that experience?

[44:59] Jessie Mueller: The first time well, the first time I saw it, I went with uh my buddy Anika and we went and saw it. So we we saw Shalina Kennedy do it yeah on Broadway. Um and I think Anika and I were like, is this gonna be weird? We don't know like how are we gonna feel? But so I think we kind of made a pact, we're like, let's do it together. And and then Nika was about to have a baby, so she had she had stepped out for maternity leave. So she was like, Before I get too pregnant, she's like, let's go together and we'll just do it. It'll be great, and we'll be together. And if it's weird, then it'll be weird together. Oh my gosh. But but we totally did not have the ex that experience. We were just like we were we were like fangirling out on the whole thing.

[45:41] Jessie Mueller: We're like, oh my gosh, look at everybody, and like that's what that looks like, and that's like like that transition. Or it's very funny to have the moments where you're like, oh, that moment I thought was about this, or like I was so worried about it, no one's even looking over there. They're looking over, they're not looking at me, they were over there focusing on this. Totally.

[45:57] Jessie Mueller: And then I saw it again. Um, because yes, my sister Abby Mueller was doing it. Um, she did the first national, she started in the first national tour.

[46:08] Jessie Mueller: So I went and saw her in Chicago, which is where a lot of our family is, which was great. I don't know who worked that out, but they were like in Chicago over the holidays.

[46:17] Jessie Mueller: Oh my god. Yeah, it was like I went with my brother Matt. Um, was my brother Andrew there too? I forget. I think it was just Matt and I. And so we went and saw in Chicago, and again, I was like, I don't know, I'm gonna feel this might be weird.

[46:30] Jessie Mueller: Yeah, and then it's it's I think the the moment I remember is the sort of first picture of the show, which is this beautiful grand piano, and Carole King is at the piano, and her like full her full long curl regalia carol in this beautiful blue and white dress that Aleo Vietti designed, and and it's so it's this weird thing of like weird, like I it's like I've been in that picture, but I never knew what the picture looked like. But then it was like, Oh, look, there's Abby's head in the picture, and then but it was like very soon after that, that initial feeling.

[47:03] Jessie Mueller: It's like, oh my god. I mean, she's just such a brilliant performer. So the first couple moments, I'm like, Oh, of course, like this is like this is Abby's version, and this is and she's the kind of person you just sort of feel like she puts you in the palm of her hand, you're like, Oh, I'm good, I can just relax.

[47:17] Jessie Mueller: So then it was just the cool thing of watching the show, and then and then having moments of like, oh yeah, duh, that's what that moment's supposed to be. Like, could work, Abs. I was like, I never cracked them up, like having this little moments or seeing the moments that are to me, that's the beauty of a good show, too, is that different people can inhabit it and bring their own, you know, their own self, their own spirit, there, which just sort of illuminates the the piece in a in a different way.

[47:44] Jessie Mueller: And I think we were really blessed. I mean, the show had such a life for so long, uh, both on Broadway, the tours, the tours are still happening. Uh, they're maybe just about to wrap up. I don't know that for sure, so don't quote me on that. But um, but regional theaters have started doing it. It's like in the canon now. That is wild to me.

[48:02] Jessie Mueller: And that's been my first experience with a show that I was a part of creating that is now that is now like out in the world.

[48:11] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[48:11] Jessie Mueller: I mean, no pun intended, but the show is quite literally beautiful, you know.

[48:16] Eli Tokash: Like that's what I thought.

[48:17] Jessie Mueller: That's what I thought when I saw it. It was really cool. I mean, you never quite know. You drink the Kool-Aid, and you're like, Well, we have to get into this, we have to love this, we have to believe in it. Right. It was really exceptional to watch it and just watch all the freaking talented people in it and the moments that because the show is so is quite busy for the role of Carol.

[48:38] Jessie Mueller: It's like when you're not on stage, you're usually changing clothes or changing a wig. You don't, you didn't, I didn't have a lot of time. There were some things that I got to watch every night that you know what I mean, but I didn't, I never got to see the full scope of it. So it was such a blessing to actually see the show and see what everybody had done and created.

[48:58] Jessie Mueller: And I just think, like, especially some of the performance segments with like the charrells and the drifters. I was like just blown away by everybody.

[49:07] Eli Tokash: Yeah, so talented.

[49:08] Jessie Mueller: And it's cool. It is there's there's a lot for Carol, of course, but the it is a little bit of an ensemble piece in a way, you know.

[49:15] Jessie Mueller: There's everyone has their features.

[49:17] Eli Tokash: Oh totally.

[49:18] Jessie Mueller: It's really cool to see from an audience perspective. You know, you're getting everybody's talent just thrown at you, and it's like, whoa, who's next? This is awesome.

[49:26] Jessie Mueller: It's great. Um, yeah, how they how they worked it out structurally, I think was very satisfying.

[49:31] Eli Tokash: Yeah, oh my god, absolutely.

[49:33] Jessie Mueller: Yeah.

[49:33] Eli Tokash: Um, well, well, let's move on.

[49:35] Eli Tokash: Let's I want to talk about Waitress because Waitress is my favorite shows.

[49:39] Jessie Mueller: Yeah, let's talk about Pi.

[49:40] Eli Tokash: Um, Waitress is literally one of my favorite shows, and it's not because I'm biased, because I adore Diane Paulis and owe my career to her.

[49:47] Jessie Mueller: Um but uh she is uh I love her and everything that she touches.

[49:52] Eli Tokash: Um but uh your work in Rachel's was literally just amazing, and I am obsessed with the show.

[50:00] Jessie Mueller: Um yeah, no, it's it's fantastic. When when the show was in rehearsals and you guys were in previews and everything like that, you know, Sarah would always come to. I was in Finding Neverland at the time, so Sarah would always come to our stage door, and she would always like be backstage with us talking and trying to get to Diane, and like it was so cool to sure, sure.

[50:20] Jessie Mueller: Yeah, and thought about that crossover, yeah.

[50:23] Eli Tokash: Yeah, so so she was like always there, and I was always freaking out over her because I used to have the biggest crush on her because I thought like she was amazing and I loved her music and everything.

[50:34] Jessie Mueller: And so when I was a kid and I was like, Oh my god, Sarah Brellis is in my theater.

[50:38] Eli Tokash: Um I feel her, she's near.

[50:46] Jessie Mueller: Her gravity're breathing the same air, guys.

[50:46] Eli Tokash: Breathing the same air, right?

[50:46] Jessie Mueller: Right.

[50:46] Eli Tokash: Right.

[50:46] Jessie Mueller: Um, yeah, literally, yeah.

[50:49] Jessie Mueller: Um, when I went yeah, when I was able to like actually see the show, I I just immediately like fell in love with it.

[50:59] Jessie Mueller: And at the time I was like 13 years old, and I probably shouldn't have been like understanding as much as I did. Um, but like it was it's just the the story is insane and it's a complicated character, Jenna, who we see her flaws, we see the decisions that she makes and all these things, but we also go on this journey with her and root for her.

[51:20] Eli Tokash: Um what was that like w what were you most excited? Because there's so much to attack uh with this character in particular.

[51:28] Jessie Mueller: Um what were you most excited to, you know, to to share and tell and get to to the bot like m meaty parts of uh when you were approached to do this character.

[51:39] Jessie Mueller: Well, I think certainly the first thing I had s a similar experience to you. Like the first thing I geeked out about was the music because I'd been such a fan of Sarah. So that and that was sort of I had known the film, the Adrian Shelley film, and went back and watched that. But by that point I knew that Sarah was attached, and they had sent um my my team some early demos of Sarah's and I listened and I was just like, What the and um I just I don't know, something in my heart was like, dang it. I I was like, I want to do this, I wanna do this.

[52:09] Jessie Mueller: Um and I remember you mentioned the thing too, but Jenna being a complicated character, and I remembered that about the film. But you do, you root for her, you go on the journey, and I think that was one of the things I remember seeing a preview for the film, possibly in a theater, and just being like, I wanna see this because these this is not a fairy tale.

[52:29] Jessie Mueller: This is Yeah. I was I felt like even from a preview, I was so compelled with the characters that that Adrian Shelley had written, because it was like this feels like people really going through things and like messing up, and that that's that's part of it.

[52:45] Jessie Mueller: And um and I and I even think that when I when I did the show, um that's something that is even I I'm not even sure I was that a butt, I guess what I'm trying to say is that's a lesson from the show I think is still seeping in for me personally that I'm still learning that it's like yes, life is messy.

[53:07] Jessie Mueller: Um you it like goes back to what we were saying about sometimes as a performer you're asked to you're asked to make things look very shiny and pretty and um glossy and perfect and yeah, but it's like that is not the truth in usually any way, shape, or form.

[53:27] Jessie Mueller: And so I was very I was very drawn to the project because I felt like yeah, it was and especially for a female character to be portrayed that way. I think in mass media we've getting we've gotten at that point we had gotten fairly used to the sort of like anti-hero hero and the sort of uh Don Drapers of mad men and these people who keep making terrible decisions, but we root for them and we follow them and we want to know why.

[53:49] Jessie Mueller: And um, but I think female characters weren't always given that the breadth of that emotion, the breadth of that that depth and that complexity. And I think I was really drawn to the complexity of the character. She wasn't just uh like a pretty leading lady who made pie.

[54:07] Jessie Mueller: And it was like, no, I wanna, yeah, I wanna, I want to get into the the messiness and the nitty gritty of it. And that was one of the things that really appealed to me.

[54:16] Jessie Mueller: Yeah, I think that's I think you kind of hit the nail on the head there. Like the thing that is so beautiful about this show is that it is so real and it is life, and it's like you can see yourself in many different characters, many different aspects. You know everyone's going through their own thing and it's just like, wow, this is like I can relate. And it's it's so beautiful. It's so grounded. Um so yeah, I I loved it. And then you add the music to it and it that it totally makes sense as to why you were so excited for it.

[54:49] Jessie Mueller: Yeah. You know, just similar to like Carole King, you know, like it continues to have a life, you know prior to uh the pandemic it like closed and then it came back uh in a new theater and now it's got a premiere going over at Tribeca. Um have you ever seen that show or are you excited? Like are you gonna be able to see the movie? W what is that experience gonna be like in revision?

[55:13] Jessie Mueller: I don't know. I I was kind of like I I feel like I'm a little out of the loop of the waitress world at the at the moment. So um I mean I hope like I would love to be um you know I'm just such a champion of the whole thing. Like I I am such a believer in the project and um yeah and I'm and I it makes me happy because I feel like in my conversations with um Adrian Shelley who wrote the film and starred in the film she played Dawn and her husband at the time Andy Ostroy like the conversations I've had with him over the years about just how thrilled Adrian would be that the legacy of this project keeps going on and her legacy keeps going on because we lost her far too soon and um so yeah it that's that's kind of another part of the beauty and the magic of it that these things hopefully you hope these things live on. You hop you hope that the the projects you give your heart and time and spirit to continue to reach people and touch people. And that's kind of that's that's a real that's a real blessing.

[56:18] Jessie Mueller: Yeah, absolutely. And you were a very integral part uh of all of that and and to have this life that it's had.

[56:24] Jessie Mueller: Yeah, no, absolutely. Um I wanted to talk to you about what like being uh a cast member, you know, like not to put the performance aside for a bit, but like we're this is kind of your second show where you really just like I mean, you were the show, like you were the you were the lead role, um, and you were doing all this thing. So I'm curious, not only for performers do you um, you know, have to take on all this material and everything like that, but there's also a side of it where it's like, oh, you have to be a leader and you have to be the lead of a cast and these people around you. What were you able to like kind of take anything over from that you learned from Carole King and doing beautiful um and bringing it over to Waitress or like what was that process like to for you as as someone who you know were still like new to Broadway, but you weren't, and now you're a lead role and taking the reins over.

[57:21] Jessie Mueller: Well, um, I don't know. I don't know how well of a a good of a job I I did. I it's funny, it's like I think back to beautiful. I brought a lot of bagels. Oh I think I thought that like I was like, when in doubt, bring snacks. Yes, bring bring bagels on Sundays. And I was living, I was living in Queens and there was a great bagel shop near me, and I was like, I'll bring bagels on Sundays. But um no, I d I did feel like it was important. I I think I think in any sort of community room project you're in, things do uh I I don't mean to say it like but it does, it like trickles down from the from the top. So and and I think as a person who might be leading a show, you are sort of the you're the boots on the ground, like the one the one that's showing up to the theater every day.

So it's like there are your directors, there are your producers and your whole artistic team, and those people, you know, certainly producers are setting a bar, and you and as a person maybe who's leading a cast, like you're getting trickled down from that. So um, and so are directors and stuff. So I think, and on certain projects, I felt like I've I've had to do more um sussing through of that than others, maybe if if say like things are really tough, or you're having a challenging experience, like what can you do when you come into the theater every day to make people feel like they're appreciated and they're safe, and um that they have what they need to do to do their job.

[58:57] Jessie Mueller: And I I have to say, the other thing that I was learning on the job was the whole idea of like a long running show. I had only ever done a show for a couple months at a time, if that um coming from Chicago theater, that's sort of your structure of how things are produced in a season. So um, and I was so fortunate, you know, that these shows were running, but it was like I had never flexed those muscles before. So I was trying to figure out how I was doing it personally, and then you realize everybody is trying to figure that out, and everybody's lives are going on, and people are going through things, and people are having life stuff that's happening, great life stuff, hard life stuff, and and the balance of what you bring, what you bring with you to work, what you leave at the door.

Um, it's kind of like what you you were saying like where's the line between you want to be professional and you want to show up and do your job, but also like you're a person, and sometimes sometimes you have a hard day. And I have to say that those two groups the we've talked about beautiful and waitress, those two groups um and casts were exceptional people because there were times when when I would be like, I don't know how I'm doing it today. And and people just they lifted, they lifted you up.

[1:00:12] Jessie Mueller: There, I think of like Eric Anderson and waitress playing cow. Every day he'd be like, just real straight with that mustache, he'd be like, You got this. Yo, and we'd circle up, we'd circle up every day, we'd circle up every day for waitress, and Eric would usually lead it, and we'd come up, we'd come up with um a pie of the day. Come up with a pie of the day. And uh it would usually be, yeah. Would we I'm trying to remember if we would ask, like, does anyone have a pie of the day or right? And sometimes it would be about what was going on in the world, like oh we all need more love pie, or today is like somebody's birthday, so we name a pie after that, or it's like Pride Month, so we name a pie after that.

Like, those are the kinds of things we'd do just to make sure that in that moment we knew as a group, like, hey, we got a job for the next what, two, two and a half hours, and here's a group of people that we can all depend on each other. You know, and like no matter what was happening outside of that room, like for this little moment, like we got this, we can do this. And we we knew we had an important story to tell. And um, and and an opportunity, and an opportunity. There might have been someone in the audience, and I think this is always the truth. You never know who's in the audience and needs to hear what is being said or needs to feel what might be felt. And that's not necessarily anything that we, as the people on stage are doing, I believe, but it's like it's being a part of the magic.

It's being a vessel to like let things move through you and through the audience and let that energy exchange happen because magic things can happen. Um and uh and so that's that's the thing that I would I mean, Eli, I like I I look back and there are moments where I'm like, man, I could have been a better leader, or I could have, I wish I I should say I wish I could have. But but I have to say, like, by the end of that show, I was tapped out.

[1:02:10] Jessie Mueller: Yeah. I was done, like, stick a fork in me. Um can't imagine. And uh, yeah, and thank God, you know, Sarah stepped in after I did and you know, did such an incredible job, and I got to see her do the show. And but like I wish I I don't know, I don't think I was super available to her. She, you know, I tried to be but like there's you know, we're human beings and the demands are very, very tough. And um, yeah, but you also have to give yourself some grace to be like, well, and I I also had I also had exceptional people to watch as I was coming up, and people that said very high bars, like Harry Connick Jr. and Cheetah Rivera, like never saw him complain, never saw him look tired, never, you know what I mean?

[1:02:59] Eli Tokash: Right.

[1:02:59] Jessie Mueller: So I had that in my brain too. I felt like I had those little angels on my shoulder being like, come on, you gotta like step it up. I don't know. I don't know what I'm saying, but amazing.

[1:03:15] Eli Tokash: Well, yeah, I mean, it it's true. And that's the thing. Like, that's kind of what I was asking earlier. Is like it it's hard when you're especially on your first like your first show and you're breaking into all this, you kind of like you you try to soak it up as much as you can, but it's kind of hard at the same time because there's so much new information throwing being thrown at you. And you're just trying to like I guess you don't realize like it all, you know, the first time. And and the second time you're like, oh, oh okay, yeah, like this is this is real. This is a job, and this is Broadway, and this is like I this is the people that I'm working with, you know. This doesn't happen every day. Um this is part of the job.

[1:03:57] Jessie Mueller: Yeah. I know this is part of the job. This is these are part of the demands, but yeah, and also getting smart about what you can handle and and uh what you need what what you need to ask for to make sure that you are you are still available and um able to do your job at night. Like I really feel for everybody, I just like send a blessing out in the world to everybody who's going through the Tony madness right now, the wonderful madness. Because it's not like it's not like when you do a TV show or a film and you've got the thing in the can and then you start your press junkets, then you start rolling out it is all happening while you're performing eight times a week.

[1:04:36] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[1:04:37] Jessie Mueller: So everybody, everybody getting ready for the Tonies right now, all the nominees, like at all the shows, they're just they're having huge pushes right now and um I'm sure everybody is exhausted and excited and all those things, but like there's a lot that's being asked of people to in um in the name of like forwarding forwarding the piece, right? Forwarding the project, like it's all it's all good stuff, but it doesn't mean it's easy.

[1:05:07] Eli Tokash: No, it doesn't mean it's always fun or you always have like the capacity for it.

[1:05:13] Jessie Mueller: So I just I I really feel for people for everybody just in that moment right now. It's it's exhilarating, but it is, I would say from my experience, it is also exhausting.

[1:05:23] Eli Tokash: Yeah, absolutely. And especially like your first time in your first show, of course, like that's when you're the first time you were nominated. Like you almost feel like you have to say yes to everything, and you have to, you know, just do whatever you can to like impress people or make a name for yourself or do whatever, you know. You kind of have that feeling, and then you start to learn, like, oh yeah, like I do have to take care of myself. That is that is something that that is probably something I should do. Um yeah, no, thank you for sharing that. Like, because uh I think it's a lot of people kind of overlook that and maybe not think about it because they don't see it um, you know, in that at in the at the time. Um maybe afterwards they come to realize it.

[1:06:05] Jessie Mueller: So um yeah, no, I uh and I've seen you be vocal about that before, and and I appreciate that as a performer, like for speaking out about that. And it's uh it's really important and something that you know not a lot of people can uh understand unless they go through it.

[1:06:19] Jessie Mueller: So sure, yeah.

[1:06:21] Eli Tokash: Yeah, so I love that. So thank you for sharing that. Um with it being, I I don't want to take too much more of your time, and I know you have to go. So I I want to talk about My Heart Goes On, which is the current process or project that you were uh working on. And it's a cast album that uh concept album, I guess you could say, of the uh a new musical, and it is now out on all platforms on all streaming platforms.

[1:06:45] Jessie Mueller: And you have this gorgeous little song in in this album, and it's called uh smile away. Um it's so like isn't it pretty? Literally when I heard the early demo.

[1:06:57] Jessie Mueller: So yeah, Jorge Rivera Haran's this like Wunderkin from um Notre Dame. Yeah. Um, and I got connected to it through a buddy of mine that I knew back in my Chicago days, who's a professor in Notre Dame now. Got a free funny email from him being like, Hey, we haven't spoken in a while. Ha ha, guess what? I'm running the musical theater department in Notre Dame. Isn't that funny? Um then he was like, I gotta like I gotta bend your ear about something. There's this amazing young artist and composer that I've been working with, this guy named Jorge, and um he's like, I would love for you if you have some time, just listen to a couple of these demos. And we are uh we'd love to make we'd love to make some more with different artists.

[1:07:35] Jessie Mueller: And that was during the pandemic, I want to say. And I was just blown away by the music, and I had only heard several songs. I think they were just the songs that I play the character of one of the lead characters' mother.

[1:07:48] Jessie Mueller: Yeah, um, in the piece. Uh it's very much a show about family and oh my gosh, family dynamics and how we communicate or do not communicate, and where are the chances that we take and the chances that we miss with each other? Um, especially in our pursuit of maybe our dreams and our passions and trying to find our purpose and and especially I think for young people, how how we can butt heads sometimes with our our whether they're our parental figures or role models and um everyone meeting their best, but sometimes those visions and those those hopes and dreams not not aligning and more colliding, and what that's what's that what that's like for sort of both generations to experience. Um, and that's also something I just loved about the show. I think it's just so grounded and um relatable in that respect, whether you're coming at it from the viewpoint of maybe a parent or a child, um, I just think it's super compelling.

[1:08:48] Jessie Mueller: And then and then I had the the cool experience of then Matt came back to me and said, Hey, I got this grant. And I think what we're gonna do with this, because they had staged a couple versions at Notre Dame and continued to work on the show. And he's like, I think what I want to do is I want to do like a full, like a cast, I want to do a studio album of this. I want to give it its due. Because especially after the pandemic, Matt was really interested in exploring uh how are things available to people? And how do we how do we connect with our art and what is the best way to give people um my god, my brain is like misfiring words, Jessie words, um access to give people access to to stories, to stories that matter and stories that could matter to them.

And he was like, Well, maybe we shouldn't worry right now about like putting up a show or getting all the funding for this or that or where to do it. He was like, Let's make an album, and then everybody can hear it, and people can decide then to do their own production wherever they are, whether it's at a high school or a college or a community theater. And so that's what they did.

[1:10:00] Jessie Mueller: And then when we finished the album, because it just came out uh maybe a couple weeks ago. May 5th. Okay. I was like, time's flying. Hey hey, birthday. Yeah, I was like, oh, what a great day to release an album. Yes, yes. Um, and then I got to like hear everything. I mean, I'd heard little bits and pieces and other but I I was I'm not just blown smoke, like I was really blown away. I I was like, this keyboard and call him a kid, and I'm stopping myself because he's not a kid. But I say that in terms of my respect and my kind of awe of this of a person who is at the beginning, to me, the beginning, the little buddingness of his career. And like if this is what he's doing now, I can't wait to see what he does next.

[1:10:47] Jessie Mueller: Yeah, because he's like taking what Lynn Manuel has done and Jonathan Larson and and lyrically what what he is playing with and stylistically. There's these gorgeous melodies, there's rap, there's it's just really exciting. It's really exciting. So I peep I hope people check it out. And um, and there's also just a a myriad of wonderful artists who worked on it and singers. And uh it's like if I try to list everybody right now, I will I will fail. Right. But like like Javi Muniz is on it, and uh again, don't play this game, Jessie, because you're you're gonna fail. But um, but I just it's yeah, I hope people check it out and enjoy it and share it with their friends and family. And um, yeah, I'm excited for people to hear it.

[1:11:33] Eli Tokash: Yeah, it's truly stunning. And literally your song, that that smile away song that I'm learning to, you were on a couple other songs too. Uh, but uh smile away, you literally the first like line, you know, you say you have this thread in uh in your hands and you're knitting and it you're like instantly in it, you know. Like you take us on a journey in three minutes, and it and it's so wonderful your your performance in this song. And I can't even like watch you, I'm just listening, and it's just so it's so wonderful. So uh everyone definitely go check it out. Loved it so much. So I can't wait to see what comes of it.

[1:12:04] Jessie Mueller: Um before I let you go, since it's Tony season, I gotta ask one last question.

[1:12:09] Eli Tokash: Yes, go for it.

[1:12:10] Jessie Mueller: Do you have uh favorite musical of this season?

[1:12:14] Jessie Mueller: Ooh my gosh, there's been I've been away and traveling for work a lot, so there's actually so much I haven't seen.

[1:12:21] Jessie Mueller: Oh, yeah. So I got I I know it's like I desperately want to get back, and now's the really hard time to get tickets. But um, let's see, what have I I mean, I love some like it hot. That was something I saw. That was something I saw on opening night, and I was just I was like, yes.

[1:12:37] Jessie Mueller: Musical theater lives. It just made me it just made me very excited about I'm like, we're gonna be okay.

[1:12:43] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[1:12:44] Jessie Mueller: I feel like it's one of those shows that is just like that is Broadway. Like, like when I think of Broadway, it's that, you know, type of thing.

[1:12:51] Jessie Mueller: Yeah, it was just all this talent, but like great storytelling, great music, great costumes, lighting, sets. Everybody was just phenomenal.

[1:13:03] Jessie Mueller: Phenomenal. And and just and there was an there was a lot of like, it was kind of like watching a golden age musical and all the best ways, but there were things that made it modern and relevant, but I didn't think anybody was like hitting you over the head with it. It was all story oriented. I just I loved it, and it got me excited too about um, yeah, I just thought it was really really um the subject matter that they had added to the original.

[1:13:33] Jessie Mueller: I was excited about the the space and the agency that that gives um people of color, people of uh just the LGBTQ plus community. I was like, yes, yes, yes, and yes. There's room and there's space. Everybody deserves to be seen and everybody deserves to be seen on this kind of platform at this level. And that made me really excited too.

[1:14:01] Jessie Mueller: Yeah, Jay Harrison G is phenomenal. Phenomenal. The way he just explores everything. It's just, it's so good. Uh everyone should piss it.

[1:14:09] Eli Tokash: Well thank you so much, Jessie. Uh honestly, this has been a real treat.

[1:14:12] Eli Tokash: And to talk to you about your career is is uh is really cool for me.

[1:14:16] Eli Tokash: Uh because I'm I'm such a fan of your career.

[1:14:19] Jessie Mueller: Um and uh we didn't even get to talk about all of it.

[1:14:22] Eli Tokash: But uh you have so much uh going and what you've done is just phenomenal.

[1:14:26] Eli Tokash: So congratulations on all your success and you have so much to take about uh so thank you for coming on here today.

[1:14:33] Jessie Mueller: Thanks for having me.

[1:14:34] Eli Tokash: It's been a pleasure take about Jessie Mueller oh my God.

[1:14:39] Eli Tokash: I just I can't even believe first of all that she was like on the show um and that I got to like talk to her.

[1:14:47] Eli Tokash: But just what we were able to talk about it was such a real conversation.

[1:14:47] Eli Tokash: It was such a personal and sincere conversation and um very rarely am I able to have that opportunity especially if someone of her caliber it was just really really a great I don't know it was a really great interview and I I hope that you all enjoyed it and kind of took away from it the same things that I got, you know, as far as being a leader in a show.

[1:15:12] Eli Tokash: And listen like when we have conversations uh with on here just in general with anybody these we talk about Broadway and we talk about all of that. But all of these stories, you know, at the end of the day we're just performers just like all of you probably listening.

[1:15:28] Eli Tokash: So um just because we're here on Broadway and you're leading a Broadway show and you kind of feel like you have to do whatever you may just you may need to do um such as Jessie and I were talking about you know you you probably feel the same pressure doing it in your local theater or your school production or whatever like you are the lead and you have to be you're looked up to um by other people in the show and uh you know you kind of have to take on that responsibility without even signing up for it you know because you just happen to get a job you know or a role um and one that you really wanted and you didn't know what else came with it.

[1:16:13] Eli Tokash: So um the conversations apply to literally every single performer that's ever performed um and just being so um open about it all it was really really cool to to talk to her about and she's so humble in the sense of like she doesn't even look at herself as a veteran or uh two time Tony nominee plus Tony winner.

[1:16:34] Eli Tokash: You know it's like whatever like she's just she's Jessie Mueller and she's still that nice human being that just i is a Broadway nerd and and likes Broadway and theater and wants to tell stories and entertain people and that's what this is all about and and kind of taking you and getting you an inside look into these people.

[1:16:56] Eli Tokash: And so this episode I felt was just uh a really special one for me.

[1:17:01] Eli Tokash: And uh to be able to share with you all just brings me so much joy and reminds me why I'm doing this.

[1:17:07] Eli Tokash: So uh shout out to Jessie.

[1:17:09] Eli Tokash: Um she doesn't have social media or like anything like that.

[1:17:12] Eli Tokash: So like I can't even like reach out to her and tell her how grateful I am, blah blah.

[1:17:17] Eli Tokash: Um so yeah, I this is just I'm I'm just so grateful.

[1:17:22] Eli Tokash: Hopefully she's listening to this.

[1:17:24] Eli Tokash: Um, that I that she was willing to come on here and give me her time and and and have such a candid discussion about her journeys through the show and just being in the industry and you know what she had to say about the Tony Awards season after the Tony Awards were last night.

[1:17:41] Eli Tokash: Like, it it's just it's truly incredible.

[1:17:45] Eli Tokash: And everything that she's took talked about um and you know, spoke out about, it's really beautiful.

[1:17:51] Eli Tokash: And then of course, you know, we I would be remiss in not mentioning My Heart Says Go again because that is right now is her new thing that uh her I guess newest job, I guess, that she did.

[1:18:04] Eli Tokash: Um, but her newest performance that she did and her performance of Smile Away on this cast album of My Heart Says Go is just breathtaking.

[1:18:14] Eli Tokash: So please, please, please I encourage you to go listen to that if you're a fan of Jessie Mueller.

[1:18:19] Eli Tokash: Um it kind of did to me what like what the first time I listened to what she used to be minded.

[1:18:25] Eli Tokash: Um it's just so beautiful, and the story that she takes us on in just three minutes is just she's so good, guys.

[1:18:33] Eli Tokash: I could talk all day about Jessie Mueller.

[1:18:36] Eli Tokash: Um, but she is she's just one of the greats uh in our industry um of our generation.

[1:18:42] Eli Tokash: So huge shout out and thank you for coming on and go check out My Heart Says Go on all uh platforms that you may listen to music.

[1:18:51] Eli Tokash: And uh her song, uh her big song, I guess, is Smile Away.

[1:18:55] Eli Tokash: Uh, I highly encourage you to listen to that.

[1:18:57] Eli Tokash: But uh, if you enjoy that song, go listen to the rest of the albums.

[1:19:00] Eli Tokash: Uh, the album is great.

[1:19:01] Eli Tokash: It's kind of influenced by In the Heights, and you can kind of get a little bit of Hamilton in there too.

[1:19:07] Eli Tokash: It's just beautifully written, and we talk a little bit more about the creation of the album in next episode with Javier Munoz coming out on Friday.

[1:19:18] Eli Tokash: So very excited and stay tuned for more of that.

[1:19:20] Eli Tokash: But Javi's episode next week is if you're a fan of Lindman Well Miranda, if you're a fan of Hamilton in the Heights, look out.

[1:19:29] Eli Tokash: I mean, that's an unforgettable episode.

[1:19:32] Eli Tokash: The stories that he drops just so casually are mind blowing.

[1:19:37] Eli Tokash: So uh can't wait to share that one with you all too.

[1:19:39] Eli Tokash: And uh thank you all so much for tuning in to this week's episode of Take A Bow.

[1:19:44] Eli Tokash: Uh, I see you all Friday with another episode with Javier Munoz.

[1:19:48] Eli Tokash: I'm so excited.

[1:19:49] Eli Tokash: Uh until then, bye everyone.

[1:19:51] Eli Tokash: Have a great couple days.

[1:19:55] Eli Tokash: Bye everyone.

[1:20:00] Eli Tokash: For this episode's current call, I would like to recognize a few people who also deserve to take a bow.

[1:20:05] Eli Tokash: This podcast would not be possible without the help from Dori Barrenstein, Alan Seals, Kimberly Garrett, and the team at the Broadway Podcast Network.

[1:20:12] Eli Tokash: Next in line to take a bow are our fabulous editors, Jessica Gorin, who edits the audio of the podcast that you just listened to, and Tessie Tokash, who edits the videos and visuals for this podcast.

[1:20:23] Eli Tokash: And our final bow are extra special to the patrons Brian Thompson, Pat McMara, the listeners of PCC, as well as all of the other patrons for their continued support.

[1:20:33] Eli Tokash: If you're interested in becoming a patron, go to Patreon.com slash T A B.

[1:20:37] 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.

[1:20:46] Eli Tokash: You can also subscribe, like, and comment on there as well.

[1:20:49] 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.

[1:20:56] Eli Tokash: The music of this podcast was made by Nikki Torsha and Cormac Collinon, and the logo was created by Giselle Bustos.

[1:21:02] Eli Tokash: And that wraps up this episode's curtain call.

[1:21:05] Eli Tokash: Thank you all again for listening to this week's episode, and I can't wait to see you next week.

[1:21:09] Eli Tokash: Bye everyone.

[1:21:10] Eli Tokash: Have a great week.