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[0:00] Eli Tokash: Hello everyone and welcome to episode 167 of Take A Bow. I'm your host, Eli Tokash, and this week we have such an incredible episode for you folks. I mean, I say that every week, but it truly is. It's always so fun talking to these fabulous people and learning about their stories. But today, not only do we get that, but we really get an inside scoop because we focus on one particular show, and that's Sweeney Todd. Y'all, I have not talked enough about Sweeney Todd. Well, let me rephrase that. I've talked about it a lot on here. However, I haven't talked to anybody in the cast since they've been in the cast, like since the run was going. You know, we had Samantha Polino on, who's obviously in the show, and I believe there's someone else, but there are stage managers.

There was Cody Bernard Richard. But we haven't had anyone to actually talk and talk about what life is like backstage and the show and how crazy it's been the past couple weeks between opening and the Tonys and the cast album that they're doing and all these different things. So we dive into it today, and it's kind of a different episode because we usually talk about career and kind of fit it all into an hour, but today it was really nice to really just talk and focus on one particular show. And because of that, we got the backstage scoop of what they're doing and what it's like to work with Annaleigh Ashford and Josh Groban. I mean, it's insane. Jordan Fisher, Gaten Matarazzo. I mean, literally, she talks about it all, and we have such a genuine conversation.

And our guest this week, I didn't even say it yet, is Maria Bilbao, and she is currently playing Joanna in Sweeney Todd. Yes, I feel you, Joanna. So good. Her performance is unbelievable. Guys, she's making her Broadway debut in literally arguably, I would say, the most exciting show on Broadway right now. And I say that out of love to all of the other shows, but between the star power, what the show is, the only Sondheim musical on Broadway right now, you know, there's just so much about it that is so exciting and appealing to audiences on Broadway right now. So shout out to Maria for coming on here and talking to us today. And I can't wait to share it all with you. But first, we gotta talk about Broadway news.

[2:18] Eli Tokash: And we're gonna start off by saying we have news ourselves of Take A Bow. BroadwayCon is coming up very soon. It's the weekend of July 21st through the 23rd. And guess what? We are going back to BroadwayCon. I am so freaking excited to return to BroadwayCon and do another live episode. We're doing a live episode there with guests. Yes, guests, not just one person, is what it seems like. We are currently finalizing the schedule, so we don't know. It's either gonna be Saturday or Sunday. I'm hoping it's the Sunday slot just because Saturday is going to overlap with the matinees for Saturday. So it could be tricky if people have plans to go see a show that are visiting or whatever it may be. So I'm praying for it's a Sunday in the morning before the three o'clock or the two o'clock, whatever the show's matinee you have on Sunday.

But very exciting stuff. Come hang out with us. And guess what? You can get discounted tickets just because you're listening to this right now. And this literally is not paid. I literally reached out to BroadwayCon myself and was like, hey, is there any chance we can do like a promo code or whatever? So they're giving me and all of you listening to this five percent off if you use the code take a bow pod. And you can get your BroadwayCon ticket and hang out with us. And really, really cool guests that I'm having on. I mean, I do remember the last time I was this excited for an episode. But honestly, because the month of June was just so much fun and an absolute thrill for me. But honestly, I may be more excited just because I'm obsessed with our guest, and it's gonna be live and in person, and it's gonna be in front of all of you, which is always way more fun than just like talking to myself and I feel like I'm at like a therapy by myself, or like journaling.

You know, so come join us, take a bow pod. You can get those discounts. Obviously, it's not much, but honestly, anything helps, right? So I was thrilled that we were able to get that, and hopefully you all will be able to take advantage of that, and you all are able to join us. So with that being said, stay tuned for that. I'll be posting who our guest is very soon. I'm sure social media will find out before you all find out if you just listen to the podcast, just because I do think it's gonna be solidified before next Thursday, and I'm gonna want to post it as soon as it's solidified so that we can share it and let you all plan accordingly. So very exciting stuff. Take a bow pod for five percent off BroadwayCon. Very exciting. I can't wait. Go check it out, come join us, come say hi.

[5:16] Eli Tokash: All right. Now into like the real Broadway news. There's lots going on, heartbreaking stuff out of Hadestown. Literally, I was sad the entire day. It felt like it was a rainy day, and I was just depressed. But Eva Noblazada is departing Hadestown on August 13th. And I am just, I'm shocked. I mean, I'm not shocked because she's so talented, and I'm sure she has another project lined up or she's working on something that she is super excited about and can't, you know, the schedules just can't do both. I mean, it's just too tricky. But I'm shocked in the sense that it's just Eva. You know, I always thought that Eva and Reeve were kind of a package deal in this show, and whatever one did, the other was gonna do.

And so hearing that just Eva was going to be leaving, I was kind of shocked. But honestly, I'm glad because she gets to have that day to herself and she's kind of celebrated. She gets her own little send-off, and it's not like a joint thing, and it's a little bit more special that way, and I just can't believe it. You know, she is so freaking good in that show. That show was basically made and written for her. And the shows will just not be the same. Her replacement will be obviously amazing, as always. If you're on Broadway, you're pretty talented, I will say. But I mean, it's Eva Noblazada. She's so good, and her voice I could listen to for days. So congratulations on an incredible run and happy trails, Eva Noblazada in Hadestown.

And I can't wait to see what's next because we know we don't have to wait too long. I would suspect. I mean, I don't want to start any rumors, but I think we can all agree that we are suspecting something a little bit.

[7:11] Eli Tokash: Anyways, moving on, I'll move on. A new highly anticipated revival of Cabaret that's currently going on in the West End with an insane cast, if I may add, is coming to Broadway this season in the spring of 2024. I'm so excited for this. I've actually never seen a production of Cabaret live, and I'm so excited that I'll get the chance to do that. Obviously not surprised because I feel like they revive this musical every five to ten years. And the last one was Alan Cumming, I believe, which was about seven years ago, I think. That's just a guesstimate. But I'm so excited for this, and everyone in the West End can't stop talking about it. Maud Apatow is killing it. So I hope that they bring this cast over and we get to experience the rave that's happening over in the West End.

So very exciting stuff. I will say, oh, another exciting news was Merrily We Roll Along extended their run three full months. This is incredible. And I also just want to say this as a reminder of how influential ticket sales are and just the supporting of the arts. Because Merrily We Roll Along has not played a show on Broadway. I mean, they aren't even rehearsals for their Broadway show yet, like for their Broadway run. But they are already doing so well and have gotten so much support at all levels that they were able to extend for three months. It's just incredible. It's insane, and it's so great to see. And that's the power and the beauty that live theater can have, you know, if we all, I know it's expensive and everything, but if we all just come together and support the arts because y'all, it's just so worth it.

It's so good. We all need a little art in our life. Are you kidding? But it's just great to see. And it's a constant reminder of like, you know, it's so sad that shows close. Well, the reality of the show closing is that it just wasn't running. Like it wasn't making enough money and not enough people were coming to see the show and were supporting the show. Obviously, there are diehards in every show, it seems like diehard fans, but it's still not enough in a fiscal sense. So it's great to see that this show is already having the success it's having without even having a show on Broadway. We're not even rehearsing for Broadway yet. It's just so great to see and it's so exciting. And it is encouraging for the future and a good reminder.

[10:01] Eli Tokash: So anyways, I'll move on from that. And then I want to say congratulations to literally all of the Broadway folks nominated for an Emmy this year. The Emmy Award nominations came out yesterday, Wednesday, July 12th, and there was so much Broadway representation from Schmigadoon, and then of course you had Broadway actors from just this season alone pretty much that were all nominated for their individual awards. You know, Annaleigh Ashford was nominated, Arian Moayed was nominated, Jessica Chastain, Martin Short, and so many more. It's just so great to see this representation. And it's so great to see the Broadway community thrive on all of the different facets of our industry. And it's just so exciting.

And so I wanted to say congratulations. It's kind of mind-blowing to think how, you know, Annaleigh Ashford can go play on a TV show and then come to Broadway the next day as Mrs. Lovett, you know, in Sweeney Todd, which is a wild role, and Jessica Chastain in that and Arian for that matter, but especially Jessica Chastain in that just heart-wrenching and emotional performance that she gave in A Doll's House. It's just, it really is incredible, and nobody does it the way Broadway performers do it, you know, that they're able to just turn it on and off like that and go from place to place and character to character, person to person. It just shows you how special performers these folks are. And so huge congratulations and so well-deserved to be recognized for their talent and their craft. So, congrats to all of you.

[11:50] Eli Tokash: I want to also mention, just because this has been a very popular topic this week. I'm not gonna comment too much on it, but I want to say Katarina McCrimmon is going to play Fanny Brice in the National Tour of Funny Girl. First of all, I want to congratulate her. It's amazing. That role is literally a role of a lifetime, you know. Everyone says it. It's an incredible role. I love that it's a new name in our industry, you know, and not to take anything away, but not a lot of people have heard of Katarina McCrimmon because she hasn't done many Broadway shows or anything like that. So to see it in a lead role of such a big musical, you know, it's very rare, and it's great to see the new blood and everything like that.

More of that needs to happen. However, Fanny Brice is obviously a very Jewish-centered story, and you know, the neighborhood, the community, everything represented in Funny Girl is of the Jewish community. Katarina does not have a Jewish background or anything like that. So there has been some backlash on social media about it. I just want to say to this, the only thing I'll comment on this is please don't come after the performer. The performer simply saw an audition, came in and delivered a story powerful enough to get cast, and it was deserved, you know. Like she worked hard on the character, on the material, on everything to tell the story. However, it is our community, and in the sense of casting, I guess not casting, yeah, casting directors, directors, producers, all of those that should be doing the research that they are not in the sense of, you know, telling the stories and having these types of stories be told from an authentic place and not from asking friends of like what is this like?

[14:02] Maria Bilbao: Because that's what us actors have to do if we don't simply have those kind of experiences ourselves. We have to do our research and understand and relate in our own ways. So not doing that research from the producers and casting directors and everything is kind of the backlash or the things that you can comment about. Please don't bring Katarina down because she saw a role, she saw an opportunity to work, she saw an opportunity to jumpstart her career because this is a role that can do that, and she's taking it, you know. But it's from the industry that is really at fault here in the sense of sharing these stories that are not coming from an authentic place. I mean, we talk about the diversity and everything and being represented in the proper way.

And the Jewish community is no less than that, you know, like they are all of the different communities should be represented and should be represented by those authentic stories and performers and people who have gone through those struggles. So that's all I will say about that. Again, huge congratulations to Katarina. Obviously so well deserved if you got cast and did the work and everything like that. So again, please don't I I've seen a lot of comments and you know, it seems like they're targeting her. And you know, that's not necessarily necessary, especially for someone that's trying to break into the industry. I feel like it's just simply not fair, but neither is, you know, like a Christian person telling a Jewish story, you know.

So I totally understand it. But again, that I feel that comes from a different place. So if you want to comment on it, do so in however you may want to, but I encourage you to do it from a good place and to people that actually can control that. With that being said, we're just gonna move on and we're gonna take it into our fabulous episode with Maria Bilbao. So without further ado, Maria Bilbao, curtain up.

[16:33] Eli Tokash: So this week's guest is one of Broadway's rising stars, as she's currently giving breathtaking performances over at the Lund Fontaine Theater eight times a week as Joanna in Sweeney Todd on Broadway. Everyone, welcome to Take a Bow, Maria Bilbao.

[16:49] Maria Bilbao: Hi, hello.

[16:51] Eli Tokash: Was that good?

[16:53] Maria Bilbao: Okay, great. Amazing. Oh my god, I of course I'm so excited to chat with you today. I haven't chatted about Sweeney Todd on this yet, so I'm very excited to do it with you today. Um yeah, it's gonna be fun because I loved the show when I saw it. So uh very excited for this one. Um the way I usually like to start these things is just starting at the beginning. We'll get into Sweeney Todd, but uh tell me more about you, Maria, and why are we here? Like what inspired you to want to tell stories? How did you get started? What's your story?

[17:27] Maria Bilbao: Sure. Um, so I was born and raised in Miami, Florida. Um, and my mom and my grandma have always loved like musical theater. So once I came into the picture of their lives, I was, you know, when I was a little girl, I was a really expressive, dramatic, loved to sing everywhere that I went. So my mom put me into a summer camp for the performing arts when I was like seven. And I played a frog in Honka Musical. And I was like, this is it. I love this. I wanted. Yeah, it totally changed my life. And I really don't remember a year without doing at least a show at like summer camp or a show at my school. And I guess like I started thinking about it as a career when I was in high school. I started getting really serious about it.

Like started taking acting classes and like voice lessons. Started thinking about like colleges that I wanted to go to. Yeah. So yeah, and then once the time for college came around, that was a really difficult time just because I didn't get accepted to any of the schools that I was really like vying for. And that hurts as a high schooler who's like worked so hard for some. And I got in. And I had at that point, I had already like signed up for orientation for Florida State University to like mine theater. Um I said to them, you know, I'm not coming anymore. I went to Amda. I moved to New York. My parents were like, you're crazy, but I support you. I love you. I believe in you. Um yeah, and then I went to Amda, and once my fourth semester came around, um, we had a showcase and I was so lucky.

Um, I booked an agent from that and just started working. So I did my first professional show in the fall of 2018. Oh my gosh. Um and just did shows unbelievable. Um yeah, and then I was always auditioning for Broadway shows. Um, but nothing ever, ever, you know, came about those auditions. Like great callbacks, great little work sessions. And I wasn't booking anything. So yeah, when I got Sweeney Todd late last year, that was just a huge moment for me. I remember like getting the call from my manager and literally like falling to my knees. Oh because it was just such a beautiful moment. Right. Um, and really honestly, just like I wasn't I wasn't expecting to book the role that I got.

[20:41] Eli Tokash: Did you audition for Joanna? Like how did the audition process work?

[20:47] Maria Bilbao: Yeah. Um, so I had been asking my reps for a self tape for a long time. Oh my gosh. I was like, I saw, I saw, you know, all the promo um photos that were coming out. I think like or like last spring. Um and also I I wasn't super familiar with Sweeney Todd as a musical. Like I knew that it was about a guy who was a barber, and you know, this woman made the eyes out of people. Um like I had watched the movie, but I wasn't really familiar with the musical. But I wanted to I wanted to audition, and then I was like, I'm really interested in this Joanna part. I love her song. Um but you know, I kept getting the response from my reps, like, no, I think that they've already like booked that role. Like I'll see what I can do for you.

Wow. Um and I had kept kind of like pushing for it. Um then out of nowhere in October. No, in early November. Early November I got of last year, I got a self-tape request. Oh my god. For her, sent in a self-tape on Wednesday, got a call that they wanted to see me for a movement call and then for singing that Friday and then the following Tuesday, and that was like the Tuesday and the Friday before Thanksgiving. So my gosh. So I already booked my flight back home. Um, so I had to change all my flight stuff because I was like, I'm not missing this. Right. Went to my movement call on Friday, sang on Tuesday, went home for Thanksgiving, and then I went to Sonoma, California to do a holiday show. And that's where that that following Wednesday after Thanksgiving is when I got the call. Oh my god.

[22:37] Eli Tokash: So it all happened so fast.

[22:41] Maria Bilbao: Yeah. Oh my god, but that's so freaking cool. I would have told you because like I now I don't want to say because I don't know if it's a hundred percent true, that you're like the first performer to play Joanna of Cuban descent, but it's not tra I do know that like it's not a role that's like is traditionally played by I I don't know, like I feel like the history is just white people playing the role, especially in this show. So I'm curious, like what did that kind of mean to you to just like be in the lead and kind of represent you know, the Cuban community and and it feels amazing, like it it felt almost unattainable at a s uh uh at times just because you know it it is you know historically played by um like white women.

Right um so I wasn't really expecting much. Um so now like when I when I looked at the role, I was like, wow, I can like bring all of me to this. Like and and it's also a beautiful thing too of like most of the shows that I've done regionally have been about the Latin experience, like in the heights of Ida and in the tropics on yeah, yeah, on your phone. So it's always been you know, me presenting myself as a Latino woman, which I'm so proud of, and I love that about myself. Um there's something really special about just being able to play a person. Right. Um that there's no like stereotypes tied down to her, um, hopefully anymore, you know, with with me playing her. Um, and there's like yeah, she's just a person.

So it felt like I was like breaking a glass ceiling for myself. And also for other like Latino girls who want to, you know, pursue their career as sopranos, because there's not a lot of legit soprano roles for Latino women. Right. Um so I think that this is hopefully, you know, given a lot of um, I don't know, a lot of fire.

[25:01] Eli Tokash: Yeah, for sure.

[25:06] Maria Bilbao: A lot of fire for for like little Latino girls just to be like, yeah, I can do that too. Like I I can be that role. Um, so I'm just really grateful for the opportunity.

[25:06] Eli Tokash: Oh my god. And you uh get to lead the way, you get to be the face of that, you get to be the groundbreaker. Um it's so cool. I have to say, with just mentioning legit soprano and everything, I am obsessed with your voice. Um I uh it's mind-boggling, like just being in the theater and listening to that voice live. It's just so powerful, so strong.

[25:27] Maria Bilbao: It's unbelievable. Did you train in opera? Like, what was your training to kind of get there?

[25:33] Maria Bilbao: Yeah, um, I I had trained classically um in college, and also I sang some classical music when I was in high school with my voice teacher. Um, but it was always kind of like where my voice liked to sit. Yeah. Um like when I was in high school, I played I played a lot of like soprano roles. Like I was Mary Poppins in our in our no spring show. Um like cassette. I picked I played cassette when I was like 12. Um as you should. Yeah. So it had always been where my voice loved to sit. But I think that um, yeah, when when I when I started doing shows, like a Vita is so operatic, so I was able to like show off my my soprano range there. But once I started doing on your feet and like in the heights, I kind of got in this in this box of like okay, she can only belt.

I'm gonna only send her out for things that belt. So being able to sing legit soprano again is really, really nice and like just really like yummy and delicious for my body and my voice. I'm saying that belting is not, but like there's just something like my voice teachers, like it's like putting on a really nice fitting coat.

[26:52] Eli Tokash: Yeah, no, for sure. And now, I mean, like this it's not very um like it's not common that revivals do like a cast recording. So the fact that you are getting this opportunity to, you know, have your voice heard as a legit soprano uh worldwide. Um it's gotta be so cool. What was that feeling like?

[27:11] Maria Bilbao: It was meaning like goosebumps just thinking about, you know, there was a moment I was in the shower and I have this I have this like playlist that I'll that I've made for myself called Sing.

[27:23] Maria Bilbao: Yes, you know, I love all performers out there.

[27:27] Eli Tokash: For sure.

[27:27] Maria Bilbao: So I have concerts for ourselves.

[27:29] Eli Tokash: Yes, always.

[27:31] Maria Bilbao: Yeah. Um I hope my neighbors are not like super mad at me.

[27:35] Eli Tokash: Whatever.

[27:36] Maria Bilbao: Um so I was just on shuffle singing and then Greenfinch came on, and I was like, wait a second, this is so crazy because like at one point and right now, I'm singing with Sarah Rice, and in a couple of months, like young girls and anybody will be singing with me.

[28:00] Eli Tokash: Right.

[28:01] Maria Bilbao: That was really mind-blowing.

[28:03] Eli Tokash: Yeah, it's insane.

[28:05] Maria Bilbao: Really mind-blowing. It's so cool. So what was that recording process like? Because I know like there's tons of stuff going on, especially when you open a new show, so to add that element, what did you guys have to record on your day off? Like what talk to me about it.

[28:18] Maria Bilbao: Yeah, so it was wild. Um me and Jordan Fisher, we had a session together, like the same day. I was there earlier to record all of my solo stuff. Um so we did our recording on Friday before a show. Um so I think I was there at nine o'clock in the morning. No I recorded Greenfinch at like 9:45 in the morning. It was so I was up. I was up so early, warming up the voice. Um trying to get myself awake. You know, just going, did you go to bed? Like, was there a point? I know thank God, thank God Thursdays are an earlier show. Oh had a little bit more time to rest.

[29:06] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[29:07] Maria Bilbao: But also like the anticipation, I was like, oh my god, go to sleep, Maria. Um, but it was great. I was there from like nine to five. Um, and then went to the theater, did my show, and it was just like it happened so fast, and we, you know, we recorded everything. So it was like one day, and then that was it. And now Alex Lostmore, our music supervisor has just created like from the tracks that have been released, just gorgeous, gorgeous tracks. Like the mixing is so beautiful. So I'm just really excited for the rest of the album to come out. Oh my god, the four that's out like right now have just been on repeat, you know, just obsessed with all of them. That music is just so good.

[29:53] Eli Tokash: Yeah. Wait. How about like I don't know, like it's gotta be something special. It just to do a Sondheim piece in general has to be something truly special. But just the fact of like with him passing and everything and kind of honoring him and keeping his legacy alive. Like what has that been like and what has it been like to attack this Sondheim? I mean this his work is not easy to perform it is not easy.

[30:22] Maria Bilbao: But it is such an honor like being able to sing like Kiss Me, one of Sondheim's most beloved like patter songs. Right. Is oh man it's it's really an honor and like a blessing um to be able to do that. It's such a beast of a song and so intricate so like it's so specific that it was really challenging to learn and I remember getting my self-tape request for it and I wasn't familiar with Kiss Me because that song's not in the movie.

[30:56] Eli Tokash: Sure.

[30:57] Maria Bilbao: Um with Johnny Depp and I listened to that punk track and I was like whoa what is going on really fast. How am I gonna learn this? And then once I learned her I was like ooh this is fun. I love this because my mind I'm I'm a Gemini so like I'm always going from one place to another in my mind like so many thoughts all the time. So like I get her. I guess I love it. It's going from one place to another I get you Joanna. Let's let's see how we're gonna do this. Um yeah like singing Singing song, I've I've always loved Sondheim so much. I remember the first time I listened to well West Side Story. Like one of the I I think one of the most perfect musicals ever. Literally. Those lyrics. And like in in college, I I did a song from his first solo musical he ever wrote that he doesn't really, he has never really talked about because it didn't do so well Saturday night.

Um so I just like went on a deep dive about him and and it was so heartbreaking when he passed. And you know, in the beginning of this process, there were definitely moments where I was like, uh, if only were he were here so that we ask him the questions that we want to know about like certain lines and songs, you know, that are so specific, but there's nothing else in the script that talks about this line. Um and it's just beautiful that we get to honor his spirit every night.

[32:32] Eli Tokash: Yeah, and you guys do it so well. I mean, this music, I've never heard like I've seen a couple productions of like Sweeney Todd, not live, but like recordings and everything. But like the way that you guys are able to do it, maybe it's just being in a theater and hearing it live, is just you totally capture everything. Like I'm this production is so beautiful. I thought, I don't know, I don't want to start a whole controversy here, but I thought it was gonna win best revival. That's just my that's just my thing. I was just I came on here and was very vocal about that, but that's a whole other conversation. Um but like I mean, come on, like you have this freaking unbelievable cast. Like and you have this unbelievable work.

Like to talk to me about this cast because like Josh Robin, Annaleigh Ashford, Gaten Matarazzo, you were playing opposite Jordan Fisher. Like, talk to me about like what it's just been like to collaborate in a room and kind of have those people as team partners and just like be able to watch and learn from them.

[33:32] Maria Bilbao: Oh wow. It's like watching a masterclass every day. Honestly. And and these people are the kindest, most loving people, like so humble and giving, which is so amazing. Like to have Josh and Annalie be the kinds of people that they are, just like so open and lovely has created this incredible environment everywhere else in the cast that we all just like love each other so much. Um but yeah, and like Ruthie, like watching watching them during rehearsal, watching their specificity, the way that they would like go into their mind and think of another way to do something, or like, oh that that might not have come across as funny. Like, how can I make how can I make the comedic timing here better?

Um was just fascinating, and also something that I have taken with me in this process, especially during the rehearsals, was like, it's okay to like fail. Yeah, like you know, no matter who you are in this industry, if you're just starting or you're like a legend, like you're always gonna have moments of like failure and rehearsal where you forget lines or like you don't quite know what this moment is. So seeing that in real time with people that I really admire and have admired, um was really just I don't know. Let me put my shoulders down. It was like, okay, I do the work and I can trust myself. And if something happens, something happens, and that's beautiful because you find you find uh you find what you need to do through the failure, you know?

[35:16] Eli Tokash: Right.

[35:16] Maria Bilbao: Um, but yeah, like working opposite Jordan was incredible. He's we got along so well. Um and we just connected really well too. Um he was an amazing scene partner, so present. Yeah. So funny. Everyone is also just like really funny and goofy, which we need, you know, stage. Oh my god, the show is a lot, so yes, we need to switch it up. But we're always acting like fools.

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

[35:44] Maria Bilbao: Isn't that something like when I I don't know, I feel like it's one of those things that you don't know until you start performing on Broadway that it's like there is the professionalism, but then there are times where like it's okay to have fun and you're okay to like enjoy and you're reminded to play. Um like yeah, did you kind of like did I don't know, was that kind of something that you came in kind of leading the way in, or was that kind of something you adapted?

[36:12] Maria Bilbao: I definitely adapted to it because that's my like I I'm like a goofy silly person, yeah, just as myself, but there was a part of me that was like, oh, I gotta I gotta keep myself professional, I have to, you know, calm myself down backstage, be like a normal person. So it was a lot of adapting to it and noticing that like okay, people are being silly. That means I can be silly too. Yeah. And you know, we'll be just like silly backstage. Sometimes we'll be silly on stage with each other, right? And you know, people can't see us, and that's really fun, and it makes it, it makes the show like just so exciting, and it's beautiful that yeah, it's we're playing, and like Annalie before um when she you know comes backstage after like the opening number and she's about to get ready for Worst Pie, she's always like, let's have a play. And that seems to be that fun. Let's have a play. Let's play around for three hours, tell a beautiful story, and then go home and sleep and do it all over again.

[37:11] Eli Tokash: I'm obsessed. I'm I'm obsessed with Annaleigh Ashford. She is so good at the show.

[37:16] Maria Bilbao: Oh my god.

[37:17] Eli Tokash: Um so I'm curious because we were just talking about Jordan Fisher. I might go in a million places, but um we're we were we're still kind of in that era. Um we so I'm curious to you as someone who is performing and you have like a partner in the show, and you have to play like opposite someone so much, like so much of your show is with Anthony. And so I'm curious to know like what that kind of transition was like. You know, you and Jordan kind of are like found your chemistry and like we're working together, and then Daniel Yearwood comes in. So I was curious, like, how were you able to did you have the same like rehearsal time that you had with Jordan? Like how how did that all work and finding you know your guys' versions of Joanna and Anthony?

[38:04] Maria Bilbao: Um, so we we did not have as much rehearsal time, like me and Jordan had four weeks, we had a whole month to really dive into our characters and like discover Kiss Me and what that meant to us. Um and like all of our little scenes um and just our dynamics. So with Daniel, I think I had I had like one rehearsal with him. I had an intimacy session with him with our amazing intimacy coordinator Ann James. Wow. Um and that was like an hour, and then we had a put in. Oh my god. And that was it, and then, you know, the next Wednesday, he was on. Um, so a lot of it has been discovering it in the moment. Yeah. Um, which is exciting and scary for both of us, you know. But Daniel is just like there couldn't have been a better person to come in.

He is really so open and so ready to just like play and really a present scene partner. Like he's always checking in with me that things are cool. Um he's always making sure that he that we like touch hands before the show even starts and just like tell each other like where we are in our day, what we're feeling, how we are. So, and and we've started building a relationship like as friends, like outside of the show too. So that really helps us just build even more on our characters. But yeah, it's just been discovering it in the moment, but I kind of love that because it helps me and my character like be even more present because I'm constantly, you know, like my eye is always on Daniel, and whatever he does, you know, I'm gonna do.

Yeah, I'm just gonna do whatever I feel is right from what he's giving me. So it's changed my show in little ways that I didn't realize it could have. So that's really fun. Um yeah, yeah. It's been fun.

[40:08] Eli Tokash: I love it. Yeah, no, it's totally he. I mean, he's a pro, so I'm not surprised that you know, this isn't his first rodeo. So I'm not surprised that it was pretty seamless, and uh, you know, it's worked out. So that's that's great. Um, I'm curious to know. I mean, there's so many things happening. You made your Broadway debut in one of the coolest shows ever. Um, and now like you were able to perform at the Tony Awards. Like, can we talk about it? Like, what the heck was that like? Like, that'd be so cool.

[40:40] Maria Bilbao: Right? It was crazy. I'm like still processing that that even happened, and I'll probably be processing it for forever. Yeah. Because it was just like a surreal moment in my life, and that day was just like crazy. It was insane.

[40:58] Maria Bilbao: Like, we were there for the dress rehearsal at 10 a.m. We did our show at 2, and then we were like back there at like 9:30. Oh, so it was a long day of just like adrenaline and just excitement. Um, it was just like so beautiful. It was so fun. Like on our bus on the way to the Tony's, we were all like watching it, streaming it on our phones, and we were like having the most beautiful, like just like theater kid moments, like screaming for the people who won and like just admiring what everyone was wearing and all the performances. Right. So it was just like so fun. It was so much fun, and it happens so fast. Like, yeah, we were in the tent getting ready to go on stage, we were on stage, and then we were back in the bus, and it was like, oh my god, how was that like five minutes? Right. It just happened. I don't even I don't even know what I just did on stage. What is that?

[41:56] Eli Tokash: Yeah, well, that's what I was gonna ask you. Like, how are you like taking all of this in? And not just like the Tony Awards, but just like every moment, like there's so much happening all at once.

[42:05] Maria Bilbao: Um, one, so Nick, Nicholas Christopher are Pirelli and Paul Showar Sorce when we standby. One thing he told me, he's love him so much, love him dearly. Um, thing he told me, like right before we started previews and before opening and before the Tonies, he was like, take a mental picture. That's what I did. I remember the first time when I made my debut. I think he made his debut in Motown. Um, I took mental pictures and they stay with me forever, and I was like, Yeah, wow. And so I took one of those, and the one at the Tonys was like just the screen lifting and just seeing everybody in the audience, and that like outpour of like energy and love from all of them. Um, so yeah, mental pictures is what I've been just like holding.

[42:59] Eli Tokash: I love that. I love that so much. It also had to be cool just to like, I mean, you played Nina in In the Heights, so it had to be cool just to be like in the Heights. Have you been up there before?

[43:10] Maria Bilbao: I actually live in the Heights.

[43:11] Eli Tokash: Oh my god, what?

[43:13] Maria Bilbao: Yeah, it's so cool. Oh my god, I'm obsessed. So it wasn't a like journey for you because you're like, you know, if we didn't have to take the bus over, it would have been just like a 15-minute walk from where I am.

[43:26] Eli Tokash: Oh my god, uh, that's crazy.

[43:29] Maria Bilbao: It's insane because look, I've lived in the Heights for five years, and not once have I stepped into the United Palace. Not once.

[43:36] Eli Tokash: Oh, really?

[43:37] Maria Bilbao: So now I'm like, wow, I want to take advantage of all of the amazing, like the movies that are shown there, all the amazing movies that happen there, because it is a stunning theater.

[43:49] Eli Tokash: Yeah, yeah, truly. I love it. Uh although everyone was saying that it was really hot there. Did you feel that?

[43:54] Maria Bilbao: So hot. It was so hot. Like the moment we went into the theater on stage, I think all of us immediately started sweating. It had to be over 80 degrees inside of the case. We were all like, oh man, I feel so bad for everybody in their like gorgeous coter gowns, just like sweating.

[44:17] Eli Tokash: Yeah, that seems to be like the Taco Broadway still. You know, I was hot.

[44:21] Maria Bilbao: Yeah. Brutal. It really like, I don't know. Hey, at least you're saying Moyne, so it's not drying you out.

[44:30] Eli Tokash: Yeah, exactly. Can't complain too much. Um, that's amazing. Let's see. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. So I mean, there's been some incredible people that you've performed in front of, not only at the Tony Awards, which had to be insane and craziness all at the same time. But I mean, like, Bernadette Peters is coming to your show, and like all of these like icons, like who has been um someone that you've just like fangirled over coming to see the show, and and follow-up question who is someone that hasn't seen the show that you're dying to see the show?

[45:05] Maria Bilbao: Ah, okay. Um, so I 100% fangirled over Bernadette Peters when they told us over the speakers that she was in the house. I was like, oh my god, I need to get ready so fast. And I was like, um, and went down in an instant because I was like, I need to meet her. Um, she was so lovely, and then another person who like I have admired. Like, I remember my mom playing um one of her first albums in the car when I was so young and just like falling in love with her. Sarah Bareilles came. Oh obsessed, and like she was so kind and like down to earth. And like we just had like a normal conversation together. And I had to, of course, tell her like I love you so much, and your music has just like gotten me too much.

And she was like so just like grateful for what I was telling her. And then I, you know, I met her fiancé, Joe Tips, who was also about here. So both of them spectacular people. Um, the most genuine person, like literally. Yeah, like I was like, do you know who you are? I don't think you do.

[46:13] Eli Tokash: Yeah, I'm just like a human. Like I see beautiful music and I write beautiful music, but like I'm just here, you know, living this beautiful life. Sarah Paulson came to see the show. I was too nervous to say hi. Very nervous. I'm very nervous. I'm like, I am too. Um who else? Who else came to see our show? Uh it was a night that I was out, but Julianne came to see the show.

[46:42] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[46:43] Maria Bilbao: Um Queen. Queen. I love it. Queen. So just knowing that she saw the show was really special. Who hasn't seen the show that I would well the first person that comes to my mind, like Lady Gaga, Stephanie?

[46:57] Eli Tokash: What?

[46:58] Maria Bilbao: Look. Lady Gaga came to see the show.

[47:00] Eli Tokash: No, if she came to if she came, oh she I was gonna say, I feel like that would have been all over Broadway World. Um came to see the show. I think I think I would start crying. She's like my ultimate. Um, yeah, I would say that she's really huge for me. Um I feel like it works because like with the meat pies and the meat dress, you know, like it 100% does it. It's up her alley. It's totally on brand. So maybe, and maybe, you know, when one of these ways she'll come over to Fleet Street. Amazing. I'm obsessed. Was there anyone else that you wanted to like call out? Cause I feel like I cut you off.

[47:39] Maria Bilbao: Um, Lady Gaga. Brendan Urie, like, I love Panic at the Disco, Brendan Urie, love him. Also Hayley Williams from Paramore. Oh yes. All these singers. I was just gonna say you're big mus you you like the music.

[47:56] Eli Tokash: I love it. Yeah, I'm yes, I'm very music driven. As soon as I start my day, poop Spotify. Um who else? Oh my god, Bette Midler? Bette Midler would be super cool. Queen. Um Sean Hayes came to see us, and that was really cool.

[48:14] Maria Bilbao: Oh, I love Sean Hayes.

[48:16] Eli Tokash: Yeah, those are those are some of the top people that I would definitely fangirl and would love for them to come see our show.

[48:23] Maria Bilbao: I'm obsessed. It's so funny that you mentioned Julie Andrews came to see the show because there was a memory that came up on my phone just yesterday that like seven years ago or something, Julie Andrews and I were at the La Fontaine Theater and I have a picture with her, and I was like, because I was at Neverland at the lunch. And so I was like, she came backstage and we have a picture of our stage. I was like, oh my god, that was so cool. Like I little me had no idea who she was, but now I'm like, oh my god, but that is so special.

[48:54] Maria Bilbao: Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I was like, that's so prank manifesting that one day I'll perform for her.

[49:00] Eli Tokash: Right. Oh my god, no. Queen, literally bow down. Um you and then you mentioned Sean Hayes. So I'm curious. Like, you know, Sweeney Todd has a very unique schedule that not many shows have. Actually, like no shows have. Um where you're off like Monday and Tuesday, right?

[49:17] Maria Bilbao: Yeah.

[49:17] Eli Tokash: So ha ha have you been able to see any sh uh shows like during that time?

[49:22] Maria Bilbao: Yes, more shows than I have been able to see in like three years since Broadway reopened.

[49:28] Eli Tokash: Oh, I'm obsessed.

[49:29] Maria Bilbao: We're so lucky, you know. Sometimes we get ticket offers um from the country go see shows that I want to go see, but um I've seen so much. And that was a fave my fave.

[49:44] Eli Tokash: Oh I loved Kimberly Akimbo.

[49:49] Maria Bilbao: Real. Yeah. I loved Kimberly Akimbo. I thought it was so much fun. Like I walked out of that theater feeling inspired. Oh and just like it was such a beautiful story. I really loved Kimberly Akimbo. I really loved Goodnight Oscar with Sean.

[50:06] Eli Tokash: I haven't seen it. I'm dying.

[50:08] Maria Bilbao: It was beautiful. Um his performance was magnificent. Um just like his piano playing. Yeah. It was intense. I was like, man, I cannot believe you do that eight times a week. That is incredible.

[50:21] Eli Tokash: Yeah, he was saying, because I was at the Tony Awards and yeah, we had the we were at the press room, so like we were in a different location, and he was saying that he like had to do like acupuncture like every day in his hands or something he had to do. Accutane or something that he had to do in his hands so that he could play eight times a week.

[50:40] Maria Bilbao: Wow. Wow. It's craziness. But so like playing. And you know, Rhapsody in Blue is not an easy piece of you know, music. Um I know there's like that picture that he posted on Instagram of him icing his hands.

[50:54] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[50:55] Maria Bilbao: Before and after the show. Right. It's just that like Broadway is so it's so physical. Yeah, so physical. And it's just amazing what we put our bodies through for the sake of storytelling and for the love of storytelling and the pieces that we're doing. Um really beautiful.

[51:22] Eli Tokash: Yeah, like I feel like someone like Sean Hayes. I mean, Sean Hayes is a very well-known person where he could just be like, you know, maybe I'll just like pretend to play and someone else can play it in the orchestra. But like, you know, like Broadway has by far and away, in my opinion, the most dedicated performers and actors, you know.

[51:41] Maria Bilbao: By far. Um it's it's really fun to see, but like that's what makes it so special, you know.

[51:46] Eli Tokash: Yeah. And to just watch it live if there's nothing better.

[51:50] Maria Bilbao: Um I'm curious to ask you back to Sweeney Todd, if you weren't playing Joanna, do you have like someone that you would just like love to play?

[51:59] Eli Tokash: No gen like throw away the genders, throw away the age, yeah, yeah, yeah. Like throw it all away. Just like who what character in the show do you just like would love to play for another?

[52:11] Maria Bilbao: I think I'd love to play Toby. Period! Oh my god. I I'm here for it. So I think I'd love to play Toby or even Anthony, honestly, like I love, I love their songs.

[52:26] Eli Tokash: Oh my god. Real people to sing their songs are so beautiful. I want to hear you sing Joanna.

[52:32] Maria Bilbao: Oh my god. Stop. Maybe like I'll like in a cabaret, I'll do a female Q. Can we please a really great idea?

[52:42] Eli Tokash: Oh my god, I want it, I want it so bad. I always wanted to do like a cabaret of like, because I always think like men in musical theater have incredible songs, like incredible want songs. Not saying that women don't, but a lot of the times the men have those really big want songs that aren't particularly about love interests. Joanna is, but whatever. Right. Um, oh, I would love to do a cabaret of just like gender bending, a bunch of musical, like musical theater songs I love.

[53:10] Maria Bilbao: So my god. Girl, I got you. We'll do it. And while I'm around too. That one would 100%. Yes. Gayton's doing that. A Gayton version of that is just so stunning.

[53:21] Eli Tokash: It is so beautiful.

[53:22] Maria Bilbao: So good. It's so beautiful. I the first time that I saw it during rehearsals, just sobbing. Yeah. And it was with him and Annaleigh, like it's like the cutest thing of them on stage together.

[53:35] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[53:36] Maria Bilbao: Heartbreaking and beautiful.

[53:38] Eli Tokash: Yeah. I love it. Um, I have one last question for you, or in if you can shout anything out if you if you want to like talk about something that we haven't. Um, but I'm curious to know, like, my favorite thing about to ask is like give me like a backstage story that you love, you know. Like, what do you have like a pre-show ritual? Do you have any of these things that um you know maybe we don't see as audience members?

[54:06] Maria Bilbao: Yeah, um, one of the first pre-show rituals I can think of is like when all of us are on the lift to like for the opening number. Um, right before we come up, it's become this thing that I always say, like, I love you, I love you guys. Um to everyone on the lift. And now it's like become such a thing that people like look like Daniel Torres will look at me, like waiting for me to say it. It's like I can't do my show without you saying it. So there's that um me, Alicia um and Felix, two of our amazing ensemble members, and Felix also covers both um Toby and Anthony in the show.

[54:49] Maria Bilbao: So there's the three tenors moment, and that the end of it is like um sing it through the hypocrites, and for some reason, in my mind it became shrimp and grits, and we've just created this like weird shrimp moment with the three of us.

[55:13] Maria Bilbao: I absolutely love it. And like when I come off, I you know I run down the stairs disguised as a boy because Sweeney's like trying to kill me, and I come off stage and I'm like, I survived. Like I'm like, oh no, and it's always just to John Rhapson, the Beatle. Oh my god. I love um and e oh, another thing that I love, and nobody I'm I'm sure maybe like maybe one person in the audience can see me. But for Demena Part 2, um, I have to climb the tower all the way up. Um and it's like not completely dark on stage because you know, Anthony is singing the beginning of the song. So I'm literally in a cloak, like the Grim Reaper. I walk onto stage in my cloak and I climb up in my cloak, I take it off, and then I put it back on and climb down and scurry off like a little gremlin. Um it's one of my favorite moments because it's just like so funny to me that I'm on a Broadway stage in a cloak.

[56:25] Maria Bilbao: Yeah. Like hiding myself. I love it. I love it. Right. Oh my god. Only Broadway. Only Broadway. That's that magic. That's the body. There's so much that happens backstage. Like we are truly such fools. I love it. And if only the audience knew. You know, it's just very funny.

[56:51] Eli Tokash: How about those stairs in the La Fontaine? Are you on like the fifth floor dressing room?

[56:56] Maria Bilbao: I don't know. I am not.

[56:58] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[56:59] Maria Bilbao: I'm on technically the yeah, I'm on the second floor.

[57:04] Eli Tokash: So cares.

[57:06] Maria Bilbao: Oh, she's fancy. She's principal. It was really, it's really nice. Like the our PT room is all the way up on the sixth floor.

[57:14] Eli Tokash: Oh, the gre yeah.

[57:16] Maria Bilbao: Yeah, man. So it is. And a lot of my track is like when I'm so I play the young wife, like in that moment during fourth thing on the bridge, and I have to do a quick change into Joanna. So I'm literally like running down the stairs into the basement up the stairs.

[57:35] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[57:35] Maria Bilbao: That's a crossover.

[57:38] Eli Tokash: Brutal.

[57:39] Maria Bilbao: It's brutal. It's brutal. Yeah, it if you didn't need PT before going to PT, you'll need it walking the six lights of stairs.

[57:46] Eli Tokash: Yes, yes. And what's like that? Like that strange, like bouncy stuff that's on the stairs.

[57:52] Maria Bilbao: The black, spiky, like targeting. I don't know. It's so weird. I think that this just makes it harder.

[57:58] Eli Tokash: It definitely made the stairs steeper.

[58:00] Maria Bilbao: But I don't they say it's supposed to like help your back, or it's like a cushion. I don't know.

[58:06] Eli Tokash: I don't know if I believe it.

[58:08] Maria Bilbao: There's just a lot of whatever you need to tell yourselves.

[58:13] Eli Tokash: I love it. Um last question before I let you go. Uh, because I I never staged door, and Sweeney Todd was one of the only shows that I stage doored in seven years.

[58:25] Maria Bilbao: I don't know.

[58:26] Eli Tokash: Um, yeah, because I was just like, I just want to see it's madness. Like it is, it's craziness, and it's like down like half of the block as much as they can until there's a restaurant. Um so I'm curious to ask you like that stage door moment, uh, what does that ever get older? And do you have like a favorite memory? Like what what is that like for you?

[58:47] Maria Bilbao: Um, it never gets old. Sometimes it does get a little overwhelming. Like if you've had a really long day and you're like, oh, I just need to go home. So there are definitely nights where I listen to myself and I'm like, oh, I gotta just go home, Maria. But I love it. I really, really love it. It's really special being able to connect with people who have seen the show. And then just like thinking back on myself, and like I'm a I'm a stage door girl. Like, yeah, right. Every time that I would go to a show, immediately stage door. I'm like, I wanna I want to cry in front of the actors and tell them how much I appreciate them.

[59:23] Maria Bilbao: Um I see myself a lot in a lot of these like young people who come see this show, which is also an amazing thing that like people like Jordan Fisher and Gay Madarazo have really I think I think that the the crowd that you know watches them in shows has come to see our show, and it's like introducing Sweeney Todd to Gen Z.

[59:46] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[59:46] Maria Bilbao: So that's absolutely really cool that they're like starting to discover Sondheim.

[59:52] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[59:53] Maria Bilbao: But I think one of my favorite moments from the stage door, well, there was this adorable child. He I don't know how old he was. He was very young, but obviously a big Sweeney fan. He made, I guess his mom helped to make this shirt with all of our headshots on it. That's like Sweeney Todd, and like we would sign on our faces, and it was so sweet. And then this this young this young woman was like, it's so it's so amazing to see like a Latina play this role. Like you really like I'm a soprano and I'm a Latina too, and like this just gives me hope that like I can do this too.

[1:00:33] Maria Bilbao: And so that was just really beautiful.

[1:00:36] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[1:00:36] Maria Bilbao: Oh my god, I love it. The stage door life-changing reminds us why we put us through the the the eight shows a week.

[1:00:44] Eli Tokash: Yeah, it's really it's amazing.

[1:00:46] Maria Bilbao: It's amazing.

[1:00:47] Eli Tokash: Yeah, amazing. Well, Maria, this has been an absolute dream.

[1:00:52] Maria Bilbao: And this you oh my god, like reminiscing about the La Fontaine, all the things talking about Sweeney Todd. Are you kidding me?

[1:00:59] Eli Tokash: Uh, I haven't done it on this podcast yet, so uh thanks for doing that, and thanks for allowing me to.

[1:01:04] Maria Bilbao: Oh my god, no, thank you.

[1:01:06] Eli Tokash: You have so much to take about for. I cannot wait to see what's like to come because you know, this is just the beginning of a very wonderful career, and I just can't wait to cheer you on to it all.

[1:01:17] Maria Bilbao: Thank you.

[1:01:18] Eli Tokash: Yeah, of course. Thank you.

[1:01:20] Maria Bilbao: My pleasure.

[1:01:21] Eli Tokash: My pleasure. It was so fun talking with you.

[1:01:24] Maria Bilbao: Oh, you're so sweet.

[1:01:26] Eli Tokash: Thank you. Take a bow, Maria Bilbao.

[1:01:29] Maria Bilbao: Oh my gosh, that's so fun.

[1:01:30] Eli Tokash: Take a bow, Maria Bilbao.

[1:01:32] Maria Bilbao: Look at that rhyme.

[1:01:33] Eli Tokash: Oh my God. Um, anyways, sorry guys. Uh, I absolutely loved talking to Maria.

[1:01:39] Eli Tokash: Okay. You all know how much I'm obsessed with this revival of Sweeney Todd. I've talked about it on here several times. And, you know, to be able to geek out with it about s uh about the show with someone who is in the cast and in the show right now was such a blast.

[1:01:53] Eli Tokash: And hopefully you all enjoyed it as much as I did. Uh, because I really did enjoy my time uh talking to Maria today. And the fact that we kind of I'm curious to see how you all respond to the sense of like really focusing on one show or is something that's super relevant right now, and uh focusing on that particular piece is about and not the career itself.

[1:02:15] Eli Tokash: But I mean we did talk about her career, and it was cool to understand how, you know, as a Latinx performer such as Maria that uh she she played roles such as Nina and in the heights and Gloria Estefon really the roles that uh represented her community, and then to kind of hear her talk about what it was like to or what it is like right now to play Joanna and and just like and just Joanna, you know, like she's not like she's just playing a human and she's playing a character.

[1:02:47] Eli Tokash: And um, I think the conversation that we that she shared with that was kind of really it was really interesting that she was just, you know, she's viewed as a person and she's not you know, it doesn't have these stereotypes or these these references or anything like that, and she can just play, you know, uh uh as a human.

[1:03:06] Eli Tokash: And um I really thought that that was really great. And the discussion that she was able to share with us was uh fascinating and uh kind of a new perspective on it all.

[1:03:17] Eli Tokash: So uh shout out to Maria, you know everything that she did and then you know taking us through the Tony Awards and you know talking about her singing Joanna like that would be so fun. Like all these wonderful things I I hope you not only uh enjoyed it but also learned something and were able to be inspired by this episode as always you know that's what we try to do here.

[1:03:41] Eli Tokash: Um and uh yeah just huge shout out to Maria everyone needs to go see Sweeney Todd if you haven't seen Sweeney Todd yet get to it um there are lotteries there are rush I uh I don't know if there's rush I take that back there are lotteries for sure um and then there's standing room tickets so um and of course it's the Luntfontaine theater so there's not a bad seat in the house because it's the best theater on Broadway.

[1:04:02] Eli Tokash: Um I stand by that I will I'm I'm not even like trying to be biased right now um just because that's where Funny Neverland was but I will literally say that that is the best house on Broadway.

[1:04:14] Eli Tokash: I love it. The only bad thing about it is that you have to go upstairs to go to the bathroom and not like downstairs or like at that level but all theaters none of the theaters are like on the the orchestra level which is not accessible.

[1:04:28] Eli Tokash: But anyways that's my rant and um yeah just Maria is is so wonderful and we have so many great conversations coming to you very soon we have I I loving these perspectives it all, you know, director, choreographer, producer, performer, literally does everything and is a titan of our industry and has been for quite a some time now.

[1:04:58] Eli Tokash: And now we had a performer and a newcomer performer, which is something even more unique. And um, you know, soon we're gonna get a writer of one of my favorite musicals of this season, maybe called May Rhyme with a very inappropriate word.

[1:05:17] Eli Tokash: Um, but that's that's for another week. Um, because we're getting that very soon.

[1:05:21] Eli Tokash: And uh, you know, we have a Broadway con where we're getting two perspectives in one episode. So I I'm loving everything that's going on.

[1:05:29] Eli Tokash: So we have an exciting month as always, and actually, next week we will have a bonus episode at some point, uh, which I'm very excited to share that with you.

[1:05:40] Eli Tokash: And it's with a producer friend of mine who produced Trevor, um, who's one of the producers on Trevor and is working on a new project with me, and we're so excited to to share about it.

[1:05:53] Eli Tokash: And it's gonna be a little bonus episode. So keep your eyes peeled for that.

[1:05:57] Eli Tokash: And um, until then, I will see you all very soon. I'm going on a little cruise, a little vacation. For the first time, I'm going on a cruise and a vacation with just like my immediate family, um, like just my mom, dad, and siblings.

[1:06:12] Eli Tokash: So we're very excited. And I'm gonna come back super tan and super refreshed, and I can't wait to share that all with you.

[1:06:20] Eli Tokash: Um, until then, I hope that you all have a great week. I hope to see you all next week.

[1:06:26] Eli Tokash: Um, and I hope to see you all at BroadwayCon. Use code take up outpod for five percent off your BroadwayCon ticket.

[1:06:32] Eli Tokash: Um, any amount helps. You know, if you buy a three-day pass, I mean that's like 20 bucks.

[1:06:37] Eli Tokash: So, uh, you know, you could do a lot nowadays with 20 bucks. No, not really, but you could buy like a pack of gum, a couple packs at least.

[1:06:45] Eli Tokash: Uh anyways, thank you all so much for listening. I'm rambling. I'm gonna get you off.

[1:06:50] Eli Tokash: Uh, and I can't wait to see you all next week. Bye, everyone. Have a great week.

[1:06:58] Eli Tokash: For this episode's curtain call, I would like to recognize a few people who also deserve to take a bow. This podcast would not be possible without the help of Dori Berenstein, Alan Seals, Kimberly Garris, and the team at the Broadway Podcast Network.

[1:07:11] Eli Tokash: Next in line to take a bow are our fabulous editors, Jessica Warren, who edits the audio of the podcast that you just listened to, and Tessie Tokash, who edits the videos and visuals for this podcast.

[1:07:22] Eli Tokash: And how about a bow for our executive producer, Chris Greiner?

[1:07:25] 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.

[1:07:35] Eli Tokash: 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.

[1:07:47] Eli Tokash: You can also subscribe, like, and comment on there as well. If you're more into the regular social media and want to follow us, you can do that at Take About Podcast across all social media platforms.

[1:07:58] Eli Tokash: The music of this podcast was made by Nikki Torsha and Cormac Collinon, and the logo was created by Giselle Bustos.

[1:08:04] Eli Tokash: 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.