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[0:16] Eli Tokash: Hello everyone and welcome to episode 197 of Take A Bow. I'm your host, Eli Tokash, and this week we have a very exciting episode featuring a Broadway and TikTok and a bunch of other things, commercial, everything star. So uh very excited to have all sorts of different avenues on the podcast today. We have a lot of fun uh stories, but uh also a lot of different and like new perspective and conversations on this week's episode. So I'm very excited to announce that our wonderful guest this week is none other than jared goldsmith. Uh that's right. You may know him from Dear Evan Hansen, um, or perhaps you've seen him on TikTok. Uh, but we are very lucky to have him on, and he was a blast. So we can't wait to share that with you. Uh, but first, we gotta talk about some Broadway news, shall we?

[1:13] Eli Tokash: Um, first of all, I want to send a congratulations and happy opening to two shows that opened this past week. Well, I guess one of them is opening today. Uh, but you know, all the same. Uh, we are very excited to say happy opening to An Enemy of the People. Uh, but we're extra excited to say happy opening to Water for Elephants, which uh while you're listening to this, uh, there's a strong likelihood that I'm I'll actually be at the theater uh and I'll be getting the opportunity to interview the cast prior to their opening night.

[1:52] Eli Tokash: So uh we have a lot of very fun and exciting uh questions and uh I guess like content ideas from like we're gonna do like a little fun silly video. Uh and I actually think it's gonna be uh a blast, so I can't wait to share that with you. Um but we were speaking of Water for Elephants, we were lucky enough to see the show. Uh actually today on Wednesday when I'm seeing this, and I actually lost my voice from cheering a uh a little too hard. Um but it was so freaking good. I'm obsessed.

[2:27] Eli Tokash: It took me back to my Pippin days. So if anyone's listening who uh you know has kind of paid attention or followed me or whatever, uh or has I don't know, whatever, since Pippin, um, then you will be in for a real treat because this is arguably like I don't want to say better because like I I'm a little like I don't wanna like rank them or anything, but I think it's overall just so much more impressive, and maybe it's me like getting older and understanding it a little bit better.

[3:06] Eli Tokash: But I also think it's just like you more universal, and it's like for all ages will be able to go and enjoy it. Where I feel like as Pippin, it was more for not so much of the younger crowd, um, and more so for a young adult slash older crowd. Uh, but this is so much more um you know, lighthearted and it's all about life.

[3:33] Eli Tokash: And that was kind of like my biggest takeaway is like, you know, choosing the ride and just like accepting the things that are presented and rolling with the punches and you know living life to the fullest while while handling and going through it all. Um I thought the show was absolutely brilliant. The cast is stupid. Isabella McCall is a frickin' star.

[4:00] Eli Tokash: And so is Paul Alexander Nolan. Paul Alexander Nolan is my king and he could do anything and everything. And I it's so crazy to see him play such an egotistical human being so well. And he has for uh in multiple Broadway shows now. Um, because he's one of the sweetest, nicest guys you'll ever meet. Um so there's a lot of irony in that.

[4:22] Eli Tokash: And of course, you know, Grant Gustin, who everyone knows that I'm a huge fan of the f like him and him in The Flash. Um, so very excited for it. And I got to see some Pippin uh acrobats in the show. Shout out to Take A Bow family member Nico Nicholas Gelmoni. Um was able to gr uh like kind of grab lunch with him after the show, which was so sweet, and I can't wait to see them all again tomorrow.

[4:48] Eli Tokash: But very exciting stuff. Highly recommend going to see it. And um if that uh isn't enough, well, come back next week for uh either a bonus episode or a full length episode all about the show. It all depends on the type of content that I get at the opening night. Um, but I'm so excited nonetheless, and it's gonna be something really special.

[5:11] Eli Tokash: So um can't wait for that. And spe I guess even go continuingly to to continue talking about this. Um they're actually gonna be recording their cast album on Monday, this coming Monday. So that'll be something exciting for us to look forward to uh and it's great to know that the show will be getting a cast album and and their I guess legacy will will live on uh even when uh the show is no longer in New York but I have a feeling this is gonna run for for quite some time I know the Imperial is sometimes tricky to sell um but I think it's gonna do amazing and I I can't wait to send all of my friends to see the show I absolutely loved it because it's so entertaining the second they um kind of leave a hole in the plot to revisit later you kind of get confused and you're like what's going on and then they pull you right back in through the circus and it's just so brilliant and uh the direction of Jessica Stone who's the director of Kimberly Akimbo um, you know it's incredible so I can't wait to for everyone to see it um and send my friends and family uh alike so loved it go see Water for Elephants uh we'll be doing more on it tomorrow.

[5:25] Eli Tokash: Um and then moving on uh so sorry for like the real Broadway news and not so much about my personal opinion um very excited to announce that guys this is crazy insane I will never get tired of saying it Take A Bow family member Ben Platt ever heard of him um Ben Platt is going to be is going to reopen the Palace Theater with a three-week residency.

[7:02] Eli Tokash: This is literally so crazy. I hope I go see the show. Fun fact my first date with my girlfriend, uh, who we're going on like five years this year, our first ever date, and if it depends on who you ask, because if you ask me, it was our first date, but it wasn't an actual date because she had just gotten out of her relationship, and we I asked her as a friend, but I didn't want to ask her as a friend.

[7:30] Eli Tokash: Anyways, if you ask me it was our first date, put that on record. Um, and that it was front row to his first ever Sing to Me Instead tour, and then at the Beacon Theater, and then we saw him at Madison Square Garden for Reverie, and now I hope to God that we get the chance to see him in uh to reopen one of the most historic theaters uh on Broadway, right in the heart of Times Square.

[8:03] Eli Tokash: Um it obviously closed down in 2018 and they like lifted the theater up. So, like you know how the Marriott Marquis Theater, if you go into the lobby of the Marriott, you have to like take escalators up, and it's on like the third floor of the Marriott. That's basically what the Palace Theater did.

[8:22] Eli Tokash: They raised the theater. I believe they they gave it a little a little facelift too inside and everything. But uh they lifted up the theater to make room for like, I don't know, I guess like retail space and you know, just opportunities for like shopping or more attractions or whatever for for tourism.

[8:42] Eli Tokash: Um, but nonetheless, it's gonna be reopening and those performances begin May twenty eighth through June fifteenth. Uh, and there's gonna be 18 performances, and pretty much it's gonna be the Honey Mind uh album, which for the Ben Platt fans out there, he released is his new album that he teased here on Take A Bow last year in like June when we had him on, which is so crazy to think that like that was almost well, I guess it was like eight months ago, eight, nine months ago.

[9:19] Eli Tokash: Um, and he had talked about you know, writing a new album and writing a song about Noah, and he has now his single is release Andrew, so his first uh single from that album is out there, but the rest of it is coming out at a later date, and he's gonna be kicking it off with a residency at the Palace Theater, which is so exciting.

[9:39] Eli Tokash: So uh everyone go check that out. And he's also said that uh he's gonna have a lot of special guests. Uh I would only assume that those special guests would include Broadway stars, considering it's gonna be at the Broadway uh and in a Broadway house.

[9:56] Eli Tokash: Um, similar kind of like what the Jonas Brothers did, uh, and how they brought like Rob McClure and all these like Broadway people to perform with them in their Broadway residency. So um very exciting stuff. Everyone go check him out. The tickets are on sale.

[10:11] Eli Tokash: I hope to go. Uh, but we'll see. Stay tuned for all that. Uh, and then the last piece of Broadway news before I turn it over to this week's episode, is there was a surprise uh addition, I guess, to the current Broadway season.

[10:29] Eli Tokash: Uh it was announced that Illinois, the Sufjan Stevens dance musical. I definitely butchered that names, and I'm so sorry, Mr. Stevens. Um, names are not my specialty. Um, but I'm very excited. So we have one more brand new musical in the race for this year, and crazy enough, which I feel like is the most intriguing about this announcement.

[10:59] Eli Tokash: Uh, this show is currently running off Broadway at Park Avenue Armory. Um, and then it's transferring to the St. James Theater on April 24th. And for those of you who are like, oh, what's the St. James Theater? The St. James Theater is currently where Spamalot is playing.

[11:18] Eli Tokash: So Spamalot is gonna be in the best revival race. Um, but they're also closing on April 7th. So this literally gives uh the load-in, load out, and crew of both Spamalot and Illinois, as well as the St. James Theater staff, only two weeks to load out a show, and then load in a brand new one, and somehow, some way go through tech and all of these things within those two weeks and loading in and loading out, and these cast getting acquainted to the theater and the crossovers and the dressing rooms and all the things.

[12:03] Eli Tokash: So this is just bonkers, and uh, it's gonna be extremely exciting to see Illinois just because I already know that the excitement and the adrenaline of this quick process is going to kick in for these performers, and it's gonna translate to the stage.

[12:24] Eli Tokash: And sometimes there's literally nothing better than that to see as an audience member. So uh very excited for that. It is going to be a very strict and limited engagement. Uh it's going to go run from April 24th, as I mentioned, and uh it's going to end on August 10th.

[12:46] Eli Tokash: So just after the Tony Awards season and all of that. So uh very exciting stuff. So if you want to see it, or if you want to see it again, if you saw it off Broadway, um, you have a short amount of time to do so. So make sure you book your tickets now. Very exciting stuff, nonetheless. I can't wait to see it, and uh I've heard great things.

[13:05] Eli Tokash: So uh just another great and high quality musical in the race this season with all of these new musicals. It's gonna be wild to see uh what what happens with the award season and all of that fun stuff.

[13:21] Eli Tokash: So um cool. Well, that's all the news I have for you folks this week. Uh I'm running a little long here, so I think it's best now to turn it over to our fabulous guest this week and uh turn it over to Jared. So without further ado, y'all are gonna love these stories and love Jared. Um he we talk a lot about his background in the beginning, and that was super fun and super interesting to hear about the um, you know, if any of you young I I don't know if any of young people are listening right now and you guys are going through your college decision and whatnot, we really talk in depth about the Elon program. Um, because there seems to be a lot of Elon graduates currently on Broadway right now.

Um, and so I was kind of intrigued to hear more about the program and kind of focus on that for a little bit. It was nice to hear about his background and the programs at Elon. Uh, but then y'all are gonna really love it when we we start talking about Dear Evan Hansen and uh, you know, social media and how that's so important in a performer's portfolio to just um get continued, you know, um and to just further your exposure um as a human and as an artist, uh, because if people know who you are, then uh, you know, that that obviously helps you a million different ways and a million times more than uh someone that doesn't know you at all from Adam. Um, so it's really great conversation. Y'all are gonna love it, and these stories that he tells about, you know, Jordan Fisher and whatever and Ben Platt and all these things from Dear Evan Hansen are an absolute blast. So I'm just gonna let him share it with you. So without further ado, jared goldsmith.

[15:36] jared goldsmith: This week's guest is a Broadway and social media star who started his career very early in life, appearing in multiple nationwide commercials. Uh, but you may know this Elon Grad uh more so from TikTok or perhaps even his Broadway stint or the national tour of Dear Evan Hansen. So it is my pleasure to welcome to Take A Bow, jared goldsmith. Hi, Jared.

[16:01] jared goldsmith: Hi, Eli. Thanks so much for having me.

[16:03] Eli Tokash: Oh my god. No, this is this is a treat, and I'm thrilled that we were able to make this happen. I'm a big fan of of you and you know your career. And I I saw you in Dear Evan Hansen. I've been a big follower of your TikTok, all the things.

[16:19] jared goldsmith: Yeah.

[16:20] Eli Tokash: So um you're just so it just so creative and and it shows on the stage. Um, so it makes sense why your TikTok is just so hilarious and so uh brilliant, you know, like it's so stuff I never think of.

[16:35] jared goldsmith: Yeah, of course.

[16:36] jared goldsmith: Yeah, you know, it's it's uh it's been a fun path, it's been a fun kind of journey. A lot of the like social media and TikTok stuff really just came from COVID, but I was doing it even before then. Um, you know, I think we were all kind of like on Instagram and and you know, for the last 10 or plus more years. Um for me, uh, you know, it's been fun to kind of see it all grow and see it all change and see TikTok come in and then get threatened and get banned, and you know, and again it's always been very fun on my end. Uh and then yeah, just I I don't know, it's always just a great avenue to kind of keep creating. So um talk all about it and uh and yeah, I'm just so excited to be here. You know, I love all things theater and and that's yeah, my my bread and butter, but um yeah. Love it.

[17:29] Eli Tokash: Um, I mean, I I definitely want to talk more about your TikTok later on, especially because you're working on like a whole TikTok musical, it seems, with the Sephora and all of that. Um, but we'll get into that. The way I usually like to start these out is just you know, starting from the very beginning, and like how did we get here? Obviously, you were in these multiple commercials that you know were are huge commercials, Quaker Oats, Wendy's, uh, Charmin, um big companies, you know. So did it stem from there, or like how did you want to be in a commercial, or perhaps? You know, I guess in the very beginning, you know, like now I'm talking like so old, you know. That was back in the day when uh like you you would get your SAG card doing commercials, uh, you know, and I'm so old now.

I've I joined SAG and after when they were two unions. Um so like that was back in the day. Uh, you know, I did theater, and that was kind of you know, the avenue you would take if you were interested in performing.

[18:33] jared goldsmith: Um, and you'd you'd do community shows. I did a lot of JCC, you know, uh community center or or elementary school or you know, those kind of things, and then often there'd be you know, someone who might come see one of those shows. I grew up in New Jersey, so right across the river from New York City, and uh there'd be someone kind of you know, who maybe was a manager, maybe was an agent, or maybe knew someone that worked with an agent and was like, oh, this kid's really good, and you know, do you want to come in and and and read some some sides for us? It was always something like that. You want to come in for this manager and kind of read these, you know, these fake scenes or these fake sides, these old outdated sides.

Uh and that was kind of how a lot of it began. Um, you know, and my sister would do it a little bit too. And you know, so growing up, I I did a lot of community theater shows like Oliver and Seussical and just you know, the good old classic bunch that most kids would do.

[19:26] jared goldsmith: Um, because when you're growing up, those are kind of the only opportunities. You know, now it's kind of so incredible that a 10-year-old can get on TikTok and kind of make their own production. Uh but you know, this is now we're talking like 20 years ago. Um that those were kind of the avenues you would take. So for me, uh, you know, it it started, I guess, with commercials and voiceover, and kind of just doing that because that uh was easy, you know, from my kind of family parents end of things. That was the the less uh abrupt intrusive way of sort of you know interrupting your life. Uh, you know, uh occasionally I think there was the Harvey Fierstein Fiddler revival, like it was now probably 20 years ago. They were like, oh, can Jared come in for this? And it's like, well, maybe he doesn't need to be doing, you know, uh eight or even four shows a week, you know, as an as an eight-year-old, you know, disrupting the whole school and all that.

[20:22] jared goldsmith: Uh I I did go out for a few of the, you know, the Broadway ones when I was little, Mary Poppins, Billy Elliot. Oh, um, but it's you know, the timing just has to be right. You know, when you're a kid, it's uh it's tough, you know, uh when you're still growing up. Um so I am grateful for kind of how it all played out for me at least and how it's still playing out. Um, so I mean, the crazy thing with the commercials then, I mean, it they were just uh and and they still are, you know, uh those national commercials, you know, they'd air on TV, and you know, I think there were just so many so many more eyes on TV. Now we're like, what's a television? Um so back then um it was really like, oh, you're on TV, you know, now everyone's everyone's on TV or or or I don't I don't even know what TV is anymore. It's just different.

[21:09] jared goldsmith: Um so that was kind of the the early early years. And I I grew up going to theater camp. I I loved going to theater camp in the summer. So that was kind of like the you know, doing Broadway as an adult is kind of the closest you can get to doing theater camp as a as a kid. Um which I think is is super special. You know, it's it's just it's all so camp, and I think uh leaning into that is just I don't know, it's special, it's fun. I think it's silly, and that's kind of the point.

[21:36] Eli Tokash: Absolutely. Um I I'm obsessed. I mean, so it was it seems like theater was always like in your life or a part of your life, even from the young age, and you just kinda stuck with it. So like what was that um decision like to obviously like go off to college, which you are an Elon grad, um, and we have like nowadays we see almost every show has at least one Elon grad. That program is just so special. So what was that ultimate decision like for you?

[22:08] jared goldsmith: Again, it was kind of a timing and uh, you know, I I think there was a part of me that was like, I wanna go to college. I think I felt like I really wanted to refine the chops. I think there was a part of me that was like, well, I've been to theater camp and I've had kind of that experience, but it's theater camp and I wanna kind of get a more traditional understanding of it all. And I think when I was applying and you know, thinking about what I wanted to do um throughout high school, I was kinda like, this is what I'm good at. And like the other things I would do were like the TV film classes and the forensics tournaments that were like speech and debate. And, and you know, I was I was good at that, so I was like, I I should lean into this.

[22:54] jared goldsmith: Uh and that kind of was the decision. It was what I really wanted to do, and I wanted to find a, you know, I I wanted to really there was a part of me that I I think maybe it's just that imposter syndrome we always carry with us. I was like, uh, I'm I'm 18 and I've done a bunch of shows at summer camp and you know in community theater, but I I I feel like I don't know the first thing about acting, and I wanna like get the training and I want to really do it. Um and at the time, uh Elon was a great place. They really wanted me, and they had a really great program. I knew a couple people that kind of were there and and a lot of people were checking it out, and you had to go down there in person and audition. They didn't even do I mean, now there's probably virtual or and pre-screen and all that. They didn't even they said, no, we want you to come here and we want you to see the program.

[23:41] jared goldsmith: And that was back when the original professors had first founded that program, I think, who've all since left. Um, and uh, you know, it was kind of one of those, I just I fell in love with it, and I I you know, they wanted me really badly, and I was like, I feel wanted here, and I feel like this is a special place, and and really it was I mean, in a way, I I loved college so much more. I mean, ah, it's hard to even compare it to theater camp, but it was almost like theater camp on steroids, where it's like now you're going in this big place, you know, um, big school, you know, and Elon beautiful campus, like it's like Oz. Everything is brick, and there's fountains everywhere. I mean, theater camp was like Oz too, but this is like I mean, it was really, really nice, and there's people that really are now saying, I wanna do this full time as a career and choose this path.

[24:39] jared goldsmith: Uh and it was a true, you know, a fine arts, a bachelor of fine arts in music and theater, um, and kind of figuring it out from there. You know, it's it's tough, obviously, but they they really gave me this the skills. I mean, the truth is when I was 18, I really couldn't sing the Evan Hansen stuff. No, I couldn't sing a high A. I could yell a high A, maybe on a good day. And that just comes also with when you're, you know, when you're training, like the the male voice, it's not fully developed into sometimes into their 30s, um, like the early 30s.

[25:12] jared goldsmith: So uh I I really there were, you know, yes, I was doing things as a kid. I I did voiceovers and commercials, but the you know, the true practical like technique of singing, acting, and and dance. I couldn't dance at all. I mean, I had I didn't I really had no uh formal I danced in shows, but I didn't take ballet. I never took a ballet class before college, I never took a jazz class before college. Um uh or ta I mean even tap. I knew time steps, but I didn't, you know, they had true like rhythm tap um with this he was a master at at teaching tap, and I really uh was able to kind of just soar with those skills and kind of uh just take it all to the next level. I mean, the they they say these these kids they go to Elon and they become these like performing beasts because everything they do so much performance, you know, performance and music theater class, and they have even I remember we had a pro we had it was a history of musical theater class, but the final and the midterm was a performance.

It was a performance kind of describing whatever like era you had, if it was burlesque or vaudeville or um, you know, opera booth, or you know, kind of Gilbert and Sullivan style, like there were all these eras, and it was like a performance.

[26:32] jared goldsmith: So they always were keeping us on our toes and performing, and you know, between that and the vocal training and the, um, and again, like theater camp, you know, lifelong friends that get formed, and you know, you see people take this into many different paths. People come become agents or casting directors, or they perform and they, you know, they strike sometimes, sometimes later down the line. Sometimes you see even 10 years out, um, you know, they, they, they strike something crazy.

[26:59] jared goldsmith: Uh, so it definitely is a special place, yeah. And for me, you know, they had a great pipeline connecting folks to different summer stocks in between schools, um, or in between, yeah, in between school years. Uh, you know, one I did was the, it was the at the Flat Rock Playhouse, where again, they just like they turned you into these performance beasts, and you were an apprentice there for, you know, the whatever it was, 14 weeks in the summer.

[27:24] jared goldsmith: Um, you do the kids show, you do the adult show, you work on the costumes, you help build the sets, like they just keep you working, working, working. Um, and it's all on your craft. So it's, it's, it's fun. It's what you want to do, uh, if you want to do it, you know. And, uh, and for me, I mean, uh, it kind of, I just went from here to there, and by the end of, by the end of Elon, I, I had already, I had booked Evan Hansen, and they were like, we want you to come join our company, we're gonna put you on tour in the Broadway production, and, uh, and we want you to play Jared.

[27:55] jared goldsmith: Uh, so it all really was quite a whirlwind of an experience, and kind of finishing with that was like kind of the perfect bow on that four-year, uh, tie. Um, so it definitely worked out, you know. Um, and yeah.

[28:12] Eli Tokash: It's awesome to hear you say this. I mean, like if I was a kid listening to this, like trying to figure out what college, like you've sold me on Elon. Like it's great to hear how wonderful their program was and how dedicated they are. I mean, it seems like within those four years you, you literally did nothing including, uh, you know, in between the school years at conservatories and stuff but hone your craft. And so that, and it's good, great to see that the hard work obviously paid off in the four years of hard work you got rewarded by a tour and Broadway show.

[28:50] jared goldsmith: Like what? That's awesome. Yeah, it doesn't happen, you know, 'cause a lot of people, you know, that that's the reality is that it just doesn't happen for everyone. You, you saw it happening with a lot of folks from Elon. There were kids, uh, uh, you know, the year before me is like they, they left and they did Hamilton there and they left and they did Book of Mormon. And, you know, there are people before they, they left and they were on a, on a, on tour or they were on a Broadway show.

[29:14] jared goldsmith: Like it, it happened. It really did, um, but it obviously didn't happen to everyone and it's not always a talent thing. It's a timing thing and it's a, there's a lot that goes into it. It's, it's, it's just a tough, you know, reality. But, uh, yeah, it really did, it did w really work out. Um, yeah, for sure.

[29:30] jared goldsmith: I mean, hearing you talk about, you know, like the whole summer camps as like a kid and growing up, like it, it there comes a time because obviously I did a couple Broadway shows when I was like a kid and it's like there comes a time where it's no longer, you know, be cute and sing, you know, like it, it comes a time where in this adulthood it becomes much harder. There's more, um, there's more talent, you know, there's more people that are really well trained in going to these conservatories or colleges or whatever it may be, um, that there's just, you know, there's a lot more that goes into it, and it's no longer just, oh yes, go on stage and, and be a kid and play around.

[30:12] jared goldsmith: It becomes a job for everybody and, and things are taken way more seriously, you know.

[30:19] Eli Tokash: No, of course. I mean, that's why, uh, that's why a lot of I talk to agents and managers today that, you know, especially the ones that rep little kids, you know, they love going to see children's theater, you know, because they're like, oh, when someone's not getting paid to do it, it's like so rewarding to kind of watch them just revel in this magic of, you know, you know.

[30:40] jared goldsmith: Even if the love they do it for the love, you know, and you know, they're so young and there's, there's something, there is something really magical about seeing that. Um, and yeah, I mean you, you know it, you, you totally know. I mean, just it, that's a tough, you know, the, the kids that are on Broadway are, are amazing and it's, it's tough, it's not easy.

[31:00] jared goldsmith: It's not easy. Yeah, but it's so true, you know, like once you come out and, and it's a whole new world. Like you grow up and like you say, you develop, you have a new voice, you know, and this goes for all, all performers. So it, it's almost like a whole reset, you know, and it's, uh, it's been, it's been interesting to go through that process, but also, you know, learn more about it, like grow as a human and a performer throughout that process.

[31:26] jared goldsmith: Um, but I don't know, it, it just made me, it just made me think. I was like, oh, this is great. Um, so, yes, you went to Elon, and then you went out on tour with Dear Evan Hansen. Um, and you played Jared on the road.

[31:39] Eli Tokash: So was that, what was that process like, first of all? Like, did you know when you were signing up for the tour that you were starting on tour and then moving to Broadway?

[31:51] jared goldsmith: Or were you like, I remember they originally were just like, we, we want, we want Jared. We're not really sure where we're gonna put him just yet. Um, but we're gonna, we're gonna, we want Jared, we're gonna put him somewhere. Uh, he'll either open the tour or he'll, or he'll join Broadway, or maybe he'll join Broadway and, and, and then do the tour.

[32:12] jared goldsmith: Um, but we, we want him for something. Uh, eventually they were like, uh, we, we want him to open the, the touring company. I think that's gonna be the right fit.

[32:20] jared goldsmith: Uh, and the experience of the tour, the particularly just the rehearsal process was really special because you got to really kind of mount the show from scratch, um, in a new production with it, with a whole new company.

[32:38] jared goldsmith: So we all got to start together. Um, whereas, you know, when you're a replacement, you're kind of stepping in. Um, it's a little trickier.

[32:44] jared goldsmith: Uh, so it actually, I think the order worked out a little bit better because I then got to do it on Broadway when I returned, but I already knew the track, so it was a little easier to just like step in.

[32:57] jared goldsmith: Uh, you know, but the great part about the tour was we formed this company together. You know, Michael Grief, amazing director, had already kind of gotten it down. What's working right now on stage on Broadway times a week.

[33:11] jared goldsmith: Um, and this is when Dear Evan Hansen was really forming their empire, and you know, he got in a studio with us at New Forty Two and, you know, swings and understudies, everyone included a whole new band, new music director, but with, you know, the same music supervisors with Alex Lacamoire and with, with Ben Cohen and just all the folks there, um, just kind of tell us, you know, what’s gonna work and what’s gonna make sense.

[33:36] jared goldsmith: But it was, it was at a time as well where they were replacing kind of one by one the original company. So there was something nice about us all kind of rehearsing together in a studio and then sort of re-launching that tour and opening it, um, and playing it for every city for the first time, you know, you know, hearing kind of each city respond differently, hearing Los Angeles respond for the first time to this beautiful show, and then how Denver would respond differently and San Francisco and so on and so forth.

[34:08] jared goldsmith: So that was really, really interesting. Um, then they kept, you know, they kept it fresh. They always kept noting us and, and kept, you know, a director or associate director coming out to just make sure we were always asking questions, make sure we're listening, you know, because it really was only the eight of us on stage every night.

[34:25] jared goldsmith: Um, you know, you have, we pretty much had a full backstage company just in case something happened to someone.

[34:31] jared goldsmith: Um, on all the parts, but particularly the, the actor who was playing Evan. But, um, you know, it, uh, it's, it's not that many people on stage. So, um, that was, yeah, that was very, very interesting as well.

[34:47] jared goldsmith: Uh, but yeah, the tour, you know, a new company was just awesome, you know. I think, yeah, and they, they found as they opened Toronto and as they opened London, like it was great getting that process, especially for the actors and the musicians and just kind of everyone to sort of build it up from scratch.

[35:06] Eli Tokash: Absolutely. So, like, in getting that opportunity to know, you know, like work with Michael, because that's a very rare opportunity, you know, obviously, like the original cast gets to, and the whole preview process, tech, rehearsals, whatever, mounting the show on Broadway.

[35:20] Eli Tokash: Um, and then of course the first, like touring cast, but like when you're a replacement, you can't always work with the director, and you're kind of working with the dance captain and all of that process.

[35:29] jared goldsmith: So, what was it like to just be in the room with, you know, Pasek and Paul, Alex Lacamoire, Michael Grief? Like, how did that help you grow as a performer?

[35:40] jared goldsmith: Oh wow, yeah. Now I, I am thinking back. That was a really trippy experience. I mean, that was wild having the creators of the text kind of do some bookwork with them because we did.

[35:52] jared goldsmith: I mean, from day one, we, we got back to the table and we all sat down, we all read the piece as a company, and Steven Levinson was there, the book writer, and Benj Pasek was there, and we all kind of heard it out loud, and everyone kind of sat there listening to it.

[36:10] jared goldsmith: And it felt kind of like it was hearing it for the first time again because, you know, at that point, maybe at that point most of the full original company might have still been there, other than maybe Ben, you know, maybe some people were still kind of transitioning and turning over, but it, it was this was a whole new company, so a lot of it just moved differently, and what we found was, you know, yes, there are certain things that were working, but that's also because they had a chemistry with each other, and not everything, you know, it, it wasn't, you know, or I guess I guess we had Ben Ross, but it wasn't, you know, Ben Ross, do what Ben Platt did.

[36:49] jared goldsmith: It was kind of like, do you know what’s gonna feel honest? And I think, uh, I think Michael was always really great at getting us there, and I personally really liked working with Michael.

[37:01] jared goldsmith: I think I, I became a better actor working with him. And even through the years and coming back from COVID, I felt like I was strong. I think, I think everyone came back stronger from COVID, just wiser, older, more life experience, etc.

[37:15] jared goldsmith: I think it just makes you a better artist and actor and creative. Um, but yeah, I’m definitely really grateful for the time that we had in the room because it’s true, not always even with a tour do you get to work with the original director and kind of have that vision.

[37:31] jared goldsmith: There's a safety though because I think everyone was like, okay, we know this is, uh, an award-winning show, it's a hit now. And, um, you know, in the preview and tech process, there's, it's a little you don't know how they're gonna respond.

[37:46] jared goldsmith: Even when they have that off-Broadway tryout and it's doing well, you, you just don't know, and things do change and little tweaks here, and you know, that's why it's like, eh, it's never really frozen. They're always tweaking and changing things.

[37:56] jared goldsmith: There's one line we, by the end of my run about the school shooting that we just finally changed because I don't even remember what it was.

[38:07] jared goldsmith: Um, we changed it too, but there's a line where he said, um, you know, I'm loving the new hair length, very school shooter chic. And, uh, and it was one of those like, oh my god, you know, the, there was some, something happened toward the end of, uh, my run on Broadway, and I went to the stage manager and we were like, oh wait, we, we shouldn't be saying this right now.

[38:29] jared goldsmith: What something in here? Uh, so yeah, again, it's just always there were tweaks. Uh, and that would happen sometimes with, with cities too, and different, different cities.

[38:40] jared goldsmith: Um, they would tweak a few lines, uh, just on what the subject matter was, and you know, and you'd, you'd hear certain jokes would land in certain lines in the audience.

[38:52] jared goldsmith: That's what makes theater easier, you know.

[38:54] Eli Tokash: Absolutely. I was curious to ask you because like obviously like here on Broadway in New York, you know, there are, there is a New York audience, yes, but it's also like there's a lot of tourism and, and tourists come to Broadway shows and you know, especially a show like Dear Evan Hansen, that was like the top show to see for, for a very long time when it was on Broadway.

[39:13] Eli Tokash: So, um, you know, it, it seems like on Broadway a show is kind of more universally, um, crafted, I guess. And so for like on tour, do you feel like, you know, you mentioned with the audience it was very different show for you as an actor, but do you feel like it was kind of, you know, almost crafted differently in each theater that by the Sunday show of Denver it was completely different from this Sunday show in LA or whatever?

[39:41] jared goldsmith: Oh sure. Well that was, you know, the, the disadvantage on the tour is you don't get to learn how to play each house per se.

[39:54] jared goldsmith: Uh because every house is different, and that you know we were really told, especially by Michael, keep it small or you know, keep it real, play to each other. Do not feel the need to play to the back of the Denver Center where it is probably a three thousand seat audience. And that was the other thing. Of all the all the houses we played on tour, the music box was the smallest. You know, because that's just how it goes. You know, we were at the Fox in Atlanta, which was just, I think it's like 5,000 seats. It's sincerely me was like this rock concert. Everyone's just screaming. I mean it, you know, um Broadway, at least I got to learn to play the music box. And that's just an amazing theater.

You know, it's iconic. Every seat is kind of a great seat. Like there's it just is it's set up where every seat is just great. I think the first show I saw was probably the Pippin Revival. I was in that that's so funny. Yeah we were in the Pippin Revival. With uh with Rachel Jones. Yes. Yeah, which was at the the music box. So yeah, there you go. There you go. That's actually Evan Henson almost was at the Belasco. I remember it was almost at the Blasco and I guess what was it Shuffle Along was ended up closing and and I think Evan Hansen went to the music box. Because everyone loves that you know that foot traffic of 45th Street where there's just all these theaters. I think you know even the Imperial theater it sits on 46th but they wanted the entrance on 45th just to get that foot traffic in there.

[41:43] Eli Tokash: That's so interesting.

[41:45] jared goldsmith: Yeah it's uh you know, that they're they're famous these you know I all all the theaters you know the all the stories yeah of course how we do it you know that's why we do it. Yeah well I'm curious because obviously toy life is very different from Broadway. So obviously there's uh you're traveling on your days off that you know, you're playing to different houses, you're trying to explore the city, but also take care of yourself. Um so I'm curious, you know, once that once you made that transition to Broadway, and not only like um like learning the audience and everything like that, but like for you as like a person like outside of the show, was there an adjustment period at all that you felt uh in the sense of like you felt like perhaps you were able to rest a little bit more, or was it like oh now I'm in the city and now I'm can am available to do this reading during the day or something like that?

[42:37] jared goldsmith: Yeah, it was a little mixed bag of both. So yeah, you know, on tour on tour that that's the thing. You you you're kind of there to do the show. So I felt a little like, yeah, I'd explore a city, you know. I think maybe it was you know, San Francisco, yeah, I'm gonna go to the Walt Disney Family Museum because I want to see it and I w I'm I'm exploring San Francisco and I'm here. But yeah, uh, you know, on Broadway, you're kind of you're you're home and uh you know, you you wanna have time to do your day, but you also yeah, sometimes there were those readings and it's like, well, I I should do this. Uh uh I you know, so blah, that was kind of it was kind of a mixed blah answer, but um, yeah, it's it's kind of both, you know.

Uh I found I was starting to get a lot, especially toward the end of the Broadway run, you know, starting to get auditions or starting to be available now. Um it was a lot of kind of chaotic running around. Um I'm doing a show eight times a week, but at that point, the show's in your bones. For me, the show's okay. I'm not playing Evan, I'm not, you know, it's the talking for for the for that track that kind of killed a lot of those actors, and they they felt they couldn't have their days as much. Um, but I you know, I kind of had it down at a certain point where I was I'm pretty consistent, you know. I I wasn't I didn't need to call out that much. I just kind of knew what I needed to do, and by the time I returned, not so much, you know, because I I was so I started my Broadway run right before COVID, and then I did it again after COVID.

So again, we had that luxury of reopening, relaunching, getting back in the rehearsal room again, um, because you know, everyone had forgotten kind of their lines and numbers uh at that point, uh a little rusty, but like riding a bike. Um we're back. And you know, now in that return, I have this TikTok thing I've kind of built during COVID. So I've kind of got my days to sort of continue with that, and kind of the you know, it was like it was sometimes going to the studio and making a song during the day, going downtown, grabbing a bite, and and and then doing a a show at night. So uh it kind of just depended on the day, you know, and and you know, if you had that Wednesday two show day, or if it was the five show weekend, you need to save for that.

So it was kind of uh, but I always found it tough to go to bed immediately after a a show. You're just too wired up, and that's why I would usually sleep in not I didn't like to sleep in too late though. Uh, you know, it just depends. But when you're not on that eight show a week grind, you know, it's it's just a whole different game. Um totally. But but I think that's why, you know, they say like, you know, truly like trained actors, you know, they they can do eight shows a week. Like that's a that's a skill, you know, it's a skill keeping it fresh every night and staying present and just doing it, you know. That's that's not that's not easy. Um that's why that's why you train. You know, and and the great performers, you know, are the ones that allow audiences to come in and like not even realize that, you know, like realize that they maybe just did a show at two o'clock, you know.

Um they can't be tired, you know. It it's just there's no doubt that that that's a special skill and and something that, you know, there's a reason that like, for example, kids, the child labor laws, because like kids is probably it's probably harder to stay present, you know. It's easy to let your mind wander and and zone out or what do their own thing. Um, but it there's no doubt that that's a skill and that's something that like is learned and it's not uh it can be learned, I guess. Um it's not like something you either have or you don't, it could be learned.

[46:45] jared goldsmith: Um so I'm curious, you know, uh obviously you you were the this deer of enhancing cast is just I mean, it it's amazing. The f the whole family like involved of the many different Evans, the many different Jared, the many different Connors, you know, Zoe's etc. Um it's stacked. Really it's unfamable. Yeah. So yeah, like I I'm curious, you know, uh obviously in going through a lot of them, having them come back, you know, for the final show and and meeting them. Like was that is that that's a rare thing too, you know, to have a a company and a family, you know, together like that. It is it as is it like super tight were you guys able to did you I guess meet Ben or or Rachel or whoever like before um closing I guess yeah you know I had met I'm trying to think now I met Ben lad in LA yeah in LA he saw the show on tour in LA um and super sweet and you know I think the the entire company you know at at large I mean I I think of even you know I was really there for the middle section the kind of like bones of it um and I think I probably did the show with I'd have to count to really be sure but I think with I want to say 12 different Evans at the end of the day I think it might have been somewhere around there I guess I guess I could count them now I guess it was Ben and Steven and Noah and oh boy and Andrew and Michael and oh boy hold on and Josh and Jordan and Reese and Nathan maybe that's it maybe it was nine but that that's that already is like a lot that's a lot.

Oh and Mateo that's 10 Mateo that's 10. So um at least 10 now and I could be maybe I'm missing someone now I'm I hope I'm not missing anyone. But yeah, it's a lot. It's a lot, you know. Yeah uh that that also, I mean, I enjoyed that, honestly, as an actor. Like, I think that kind of kept everyone on their toes and kind of kept everyone listening to something else. And you know, at the end of the day, we're just talking to each other, we're just listening, we're just having conversations. So that is really what it's all about.

[49:21] Eli Tokash: And that show had such a heavy text. So I'm curious, you know, like in in the sense of like going through that many Evans and that many different perspectives, um, as a as your team partner, because I mean, for a lot of the show, like that's you that's your main team partner, you know, you're his like best friend family friend, or I guess whatever. Um so you know, was there what did that teach you kind of as a performer? And I guess obviously like staying present, but perhaps anything else, or uh, you know, what did you have um I guess not like inside jokes, but like things that you would do with Jordan that you wouldn't do with Sam or or Mateo or whoever, like I don't know, little on on stage things that no one really realizes.

[50:10] jared goldsmith: Yeah, yeah, you know, a lot of I think a consistent one was just like in c you know, in Sincerely Me, we're really together together, like in that kind of scene right there, whereas a lot of the other scenes were kind of like looking out into the void and kind of like the video chat, like almost Brechttian style. Um and uh but in that moment in Sincerely Me for Evan, it's kind of like he's toward he's he's close to Requiem, he's like almost at his like I get to take my two minute pee break, and like, you know, uh that I feel like consistently was always like Ben or Jordan or someone being like, Oh, I'm ready for this to be over, or you know, I'm calling out after this, or you know, I'm leaving Michael, or one, you know, sometimes it was one of those.

Um, but yeah, you know, or sometimes it's a it's an aside, like there was a moment in disappear where like, you know, Ben or someone would like turn around and you know, whisper something silly, or you know, I I I I don't know. I I yeah, I think it's honestly just part of the again, like the camp of just keeping it fun. I don't really I don't mind. I think that there is a a way to keep it professional in a you know because I'm not I'm not like promoting the goofing around, but uh I do think there's a I don't know, there's something almost to be said about that. Uh it's it's almost like these ways that help people get through the the show, like you know, how he would take a cup of water before four forever.

He would drink one glass at the dinner table, or like I've heard stories of that, like in I don't know, maybe it was Book of Mormon or something where it's like, yeah, price gets handed a a water something, you know, in this one moment or I feel like I've heard those stories of like someone gets a whatever it is. Uh so yeah, I I guess I to answer your question, I noticed definitely a lot of differences between the Evans, you know, particularly in the more face-to-face scenes. The the chat scenes were tricky because you really have to just use your listening skills. And sometimes I even in the rehearsal process, and Michael would would kind of encourage me to do this too. Like he was like, just turn to him and just talk to him and and you'll you'll you'll know what to do.

And I was like, this is helpful, you're right. Um so you know, a lot of it, you know, for me, because I a lot of my stuff is so comedy driven. I it's not about leaning too much into the comedy and relying too much on the joke, but keeping it authentic and keeping it real and reading reality. Um, which is something that I feel like I'm always kind of working on.

[52:48] Eli Tokash: I love that. That's so funny. And like you said, definitely not promoting f unprofessionalism, I guess. No, no, no. But that but that is so real. Like that happens in every Broadway show, you know, especially if companies, you know, get closer or things go wrong, and it's like, hey, remember when this goes wrong, what if we like I don't know, crazy.

[53:09] jared goldsmith: There's obviously a lie. That's what I love about, um, you probably know JJ, uh, JJ Neiman. Yeah. And we went to Elon together. Um, and I love his videos and I feel like sometimes he'll put out a like, you know, what you don't see like when we're standing in the wings, like on the other side, like, hey girl. Um, which I think is really it's real, yeah, that happens all the time. I mean, especially in those big, you know, that's the thing, when you're in a big show, you know, with a big ensemble, like a Back to the Future, a Book of Mormon or a big, you know, Hamilton even, you know, there's a lot, you know, you have a big kind of company culture and obviously there's a company culture in a smaller show too, but there's not as many people.

So, and when you're doing a dark show, like exactly, you know, you wanna also have fun and keep it bright and keep it light and like that's actually the funny thing is 'cause I think everyone in the company, you know, had to scream or cry to a degree, not as much as Evan, obviously, but um, you know, everyone kinda had to go to some emotional place. You know, there was the good for you scene. It gets a little, you know, it's a little there. Um, and I think everyone would kinda agree, like, actually, if you're having a good day, it'll be easier to do your job and do your show. And if you're having a bad day, sometimes it's like, oh, use it. And it's like, yeah, but sometimes that's not always the healthiest thing to do.

Um, because at the end of the day, like your body might go through something, but your like your body goes through something and your mind knows it wasn't real, but your body didn't necessarily feel that it wasn't real. Um, so, you know, it, I know that that role in particular was taxing on a lot of the actors that did play it. Um, Jared was just kind of the perfect balance. Um, but I ironically, whenever, you know, most of the covers they would cover Evan Connor Jared, which is like kind of crazy because you have to basically just memorize the entire script. But those actors went on for Evan the most. So whenever they had to go on for Jared or Connor, they would like freak out, like, oh my god, I'm gonna go to the wrong number.

I'm gonna have to, yeah, uh, because it's just, yeah, you know, and uh, their body cut Evan's kind of more in their body, you know, because they're, yeah, yeah, sure. It's so interesting. Yeah, it's so funny. Um, wow, I mean, I I'm obsessed with the show. Big fan of Dear Evan Hansen. I mean, it's a good one? It's really special. It's really special for sure. I could talk to you about it for forever. For forever. No pun intended. I definitely was a fan. When I saw it at Second Stage, I was like, oh my god, this is amazing. Um, so obviously getting to do it only just a couple years later was just like dream come true, like really, really crazy. That's awesome. That's so great to hear. So, uh, and like you did the show like justice.

Like you, your performance in the show is just so good. Honestly, like, yeah, no, I'm, uh, I'm obsessed, and your voice is just so incredible, and obviously you get to showcase that on TikTok, which I want to transition into before I let you go. Um, you know, you are a theater content creator, like yes, you're a performer, like you're doing all of the things. Um, you have almost 650,000 followers on TikTok, which is, uh, not, not it's nothing, you know, it's just so there's no one following you, clearly. Um, it's incredible. Um, so I mean, how cool has that been in kind of exploring because it seems like there's a, there is like this thing called theater TikTok and there's like this whole side of TikTok where it's like that's its own app almost.

So like how do you feel like, you know, that could really help someone's career and obviously you do such a great job in showcasing your talent. So how, how do you I guess, um, give it the advice to others that may try to do that or want to do that?

[57:29] jared goldsmith: Yeah, no, totally. Look, I'll be blunt. My advice is do it, uh, because I think it's, you know, look, if it, if you know, if it's not for you, that's fine, it's not for you. But I really, I really would encourage folks to explore, um, because it is really great to have a creative canvas um to just try things out. We didn't have this even 10 years ago, and I think it's easy to be afraid, and it's easy to be like, oh, I don't know, what if, you know, someone doesn't like it, or what if it's not good, or you know, what if no one watches it? And it's like, then no one watched it. You know, I think there's a lot of fear of like, oh, am I gonna say the wrong thing, and then it's gonna be met with backlash.

I can understand that too. Um, but I really have enjoyed it because I think it gives you the opportunity to create your own opportunity, and that's really important for any actor or creative or artist or whatever you want to call it. And simply put, like this just is where the eyes are now, and obviously there might be a quality uh that's like, you know, someone might, you know. I used to joke like in the days where I, you know, I was doing Evan Hansen, and I'd be like, this is so funny. Like I'm posting a silly video, and like 20,000 people have already viewed it, and only 1100 are coming to Evan Hansen tonight. And I get it. There's a different quality of, you know, he's paying to sit down for two and a half hours to see a Broadway musical versus a TikTok that might be seven seconds or even sixty seconds, sure.

Sure. Um, but at the same time, there are a lot of eyes here. There is a power to it, and now there really is a way you can earn doing it that's not even just brand related. So I would really encourage folks to do it, especially if they're in the theatrical space. And I think that's why TikTok is kind of a theater, there is that theater space, that theater-driven side, because you have these folks that are big on the app that maybe just do comedy or maybe just do silly yappy videos or silly videos for five-year-olds that, you know, I have a friend, she, uh, her name is Jess Val, maybe you've seen her TikToks, and she went to Penn State for Musical Theater, and she doesn't really do a lot of singing on hers, but she really is a theater kid, you know.

And I think we're finding more of this like we're chopping down the walls of the, you know, we're not hiding who was once a theater kid. It's like, no, Timothy Falman, Guardia, he's a theater kid, you know, Sabrina Carpenter and Ariana Grande and Renee Rapp and um, what's this one? What's the other one? I'm forgetting. Who isn't a theater kid? But it's true, they're all in that theater land, and you know, I think, uh, I don't know, I think, uh, it's a theater is how people express themselves, you know, especially when they're young and I think TikTok kind of has become this new vaudeville theater space. So, you know, I, it can be, it's a weird space, you know, in some ways I don't know really what's going on or what I'm doing, but I also love that I can sort of showcase my kind of musical or compositional or singing or acting or some form of talent in some way and kind of find an audience and it can resonate with people, and I mean that's, that's special.

I think that's, that's kind of really part of it. Um, it's, it's not true theater, I suppose, but I, uh, you know, there's a, when you know you're engaging authentically with people and you're growing kind of an audience and you have kind of that community and network, I think that's good. Um, I think there's nothing wrong with that. It's a lot about what Evan Hansen talks about.

[58:12] jared goldsmith: Um, of course. But you know, I think there is something cool about that. So I think the answer is kind of more and more, and you know, keep it healthy and not to burn out. But I think for anyone, my advice is really give it a try. You know, there's, you know, now it's almost like there's no excuse. I think it's been getting harder and harder to perform in someone else's thing because we're losing funding, or there was a strike, or there was a pandemic, or whatever, and now it's kind of like you're an iPhone tap and a Wi-Fi connection away from giving a tease of what you can't. And you know, it, I'm not saying it's the only way because it's not, but there's a part of me that almost feels like it is foolish to totally turn away from it.

So, you know, it's not for everyone, and I think you can also have different styles doing it. Um, you know, but I'd say give it a try. It really is interesting, and you bring up such a good point in the sense that there's so many eyes on it. Like I feel like that's the big thing. Like there's this saying in theater where it's like, oh, or, or like I guess in the entertainment industry in general, where it's like, oh, it's about who you know in order to succeed and everything like that. But in a sense, it's like it's all about who knows you and like what you can do. So like if you can, I guess, get that exposure that TikTok can bring, because anything can blow up and anybody can see it, then more people know about you, and that can lead to a lot of opportunities. So, um, I love what you said and that it kind of gave me a little revelation there. Um, so shout out to you and shout out for you to inspire so many others, yeah.

[1:03:38] jared goldsmith: Um, and your content is so great. And right now, you know, you're working on the Sephora musical. Can we talk about it? I mean, we, there's a lot of theater kids listening, so there's gonna be some interest. You know, I'll be honest, I, I don't know what really will be the total future with Sephora the musical. I've written like such a handful of like musicals and movie musicals and scripts that I've got, and I probably will end up teasing them on TikTok later this year or, or you know, get them out there somehow to sort of showcase them, even though it's not maybe its final form. But you know, what I love about the Sephora, uh, and kind of all that, you know, fun sort of commentary on consumerism has just been I've, I've now created these characters that I feel like people are really actually resonating with.

Um, because they're kind of stock characters, but they're, they're fun and I've been able to make videos of them and, and uh, you know, it originally started with I saw someone's TikTok sketch of like, you know, and there was a lot of this going around about these like $50 year olds who are loving Sephora and they're like, you know, driving up, you know, five hundred dollar seven hundred dollar bills for their parents, and it's like, what's going on? You're 10. Why do you need all this makeup? And I was like, Well, okay, if my skills are in the acting, singing, and composition, you know, musical composition department. Let me put it together. I'm sure I can make this work. And it's hitting. And, uh, I'm like, let me lean into this and kind of keep going.

So it, you know, the plan kind of worked. Uh, I'm gonna keep, you know, I put one, one the, the I guess the opening number out of it. It's on Spotify, you can go stream it. Um, fully produced, it's kind of well produced. It was, you know, probably six hours, me and my buddy at the computer, and we got it out there in just a couple days. We just said we're shocked dropping it and no pre-saved nonsense. Just here it is, it's out. And I think it's already gotten maybe 20, 25,000 streams on Spotify alone, just in like two weeks or something. It's great, you know, and that's, that's again, that's what it's all about from the creator side. It's like, do it, lean in, try things out, you know, quantity and quality.

Um, you know, I think that's where people get, uh, you know, hung up on the whole thing. It's because they know algorithmically they need a quantity and they worry of quality being kind of decreased at the same time. But also, if you know you have a talent, it's like you know you're gonna be of quality, you know.

[1:06:09] jared goldsmith: Yeah, and I think there is that trust in yourself, you have to have, you know, I think we're all riddled with doubt and insecurity, but like, you know, look at Evan Hansen.

[1:06:18] jared goldsmith: But it's like, but you also have to, you gotta have that trust and be able to own it and know you offer something to the world. I saw some social media meme, something today that was probably from some acting school that was like, you have to prove and know that you have something to offer. There's thousands of people doing this, you know. Make sure you are making it known that you have something you can offer. Um, you know, I love to do this like old man impression of it's tough, it's tough out there. You know, it's business, it's tough. You know, no one's gonna be have to want this, you have to want it as a career, you know. You have to you have to be committed, you know, you have to do the work.

No one's gonna do the work for you. You gotta do it yourself. Um but that's that's just my my soapbox. Um I love it. No, this is great. I listen to you talk for hours. The old man is I'm doing a one man show soon, uh that you'll hear more about uh in the coming months when it's finally up on uh on speed. So this is my tease, I'll I'll just say. Um, but the the hope is to get that that baby up this year. Oh, I'm successful. And uh it should be fun. Uh but yeah, that's that's kind of the old man in me that is just always like, look, it's tough. It's really tough. And that's you know, that's with everything. It just it is tough. And uh no one said the arts is easy by any means, but you know, the people that are in it love it, and I think that's why when you see folks kind of take a step back, it's because they were like, you know, I was really in it, and maybe I got too caught up in the business of it all or the whatever, and I had to take a step back.

I wasn't loving it anymore, you know. But if you can love it, you know, and that's the same thing with the social media, don't do it if you don't love it. You know, make the content you love, you know, make the stuff that makes you happy. And you know, I even with me, it's like, yeah, I think some of the Sephora stuff is kind of ridiculous, but also like it's it's you know, so is Suessical, and I love Suessical and exactly you know, uh, even pop music is inherently very silly, but I think people love it. So I don't know. I I mean, that's just being a theater kid's all about too. Like you're 10 year old little girl, like in these videos. You have this incredible voice that you're showcasing, you know, while being a 10 year old girl.

And it's like that's what it's all about. Like it's not it this isn't real life, you know. Nothing about theater is like real life. It it you can uh extract from it and you pull for it and you hope that people relate to it in real life, but what is actually happening is not always real life. So um I think that's what's so brilliant and and kind of allows you know, theater creators, I guess, and hopefully it will future creators listening to this, I guess, that what we do is play. So like just allow yourself to continue to play and like yeah, you know, like you don't have to think of it in a sense of like judgment or you know, you could just be doing it for yourself, and that that that's enough, you know. Just play, have fun and continue to love it.

[1:09:33] Eli Tokash: True. Yeah, and and that's the best way to continue to grow your craft, it is just doing so um Jared, th this has been so like it's inspir inspiring, I guess, inspirational. Um but also so educational and and I'm sure a lot of people learned. I know I learned a lot, so uh, you know, I I appreciate you having on. I mean, you have yeah.

[1:09:56] jared goldsmith: I think you thanks for having me. That's amazing.

[1:10:01] Eli Tokash: Of course, and uh, you know, we'll be following along for those of you who don't, if if if you don't follow Jared, that that's crazy, first of all. But if they do not, where can they find you on your social media?

[1:10:14] jared goldsmith: Yeah it's at Jared B Goldsmith everywhere don't don't forget the B as in boy and that's that's it I'm on Instagram and TikTok and YouTube and I've kind of back off Twitter because Twitter is kind of not Twitter anymore but I'm I'm on threads now I guess I don't know the whole words apps are there but I'm there I'm there find Instagram and TikTok are kind of the mains and YouTube is is is kind of big as well so yeah find me there and I'm on Spotify and if you go to one of those apps you'll be able to get linked over there so you can hear all my other music and everything so that's where I'm at.

[1:10:46] Eli Tokash: I love it well this has been great everyone follow him so you can hear about the one man show audition for the Sephora musical you know do whatever uh get involved and uh Jared it was so great talking to you and you have so much to take a bow for likewise thank you so much yes of course thank you take a bow jared goldsmith what an absolute blast it's so fun to to talk about uh not only you know the social media because that that's such a big part of our um industry uh like in a good and sometimes it can be bad ways but uh oftentimes good and we're seeing more of good uh especially late with it so uh it was great to talk about that and then of course it was so fun to talk about you know kind of tiptoeing the line between professionalism and unprofessionalism kind of tiptoeing the line of professionalism and unprofessionalism on Broadway because it's so freaking real.

[1:11:51] jared goldsmith: You know, we are on stage, and we are fully trying to make each other break, whether it's people in the wings, as he mentioned, or if we're literally on stage and we're allowed to like talk with each other because we know our mics are off. Like there was a moment. So when I saw Back to the Future a couple weeks ago, um, I came on here and said, you know, my thoughts on it and everything. What I didn't mention was one of our guests, Aaron Alcaraz. I was talking to him and Will Brenner, who was another one of our guests, and JJ Neiman after the show, and they were like, So, how about uh Aaron today blew his cover? And I was like, Oh, you know, like what are you talking about? Like, what's that mean?

And apparently, so Aaron Alcaraz gave Will Brenner a high five on stage, and Aaron got off stage and they told him, What are you doing? High fives were not invented or like weren't a thing in the year, whatever back to the future was when they went back in time. So, um, you know, just like random things like that that you don't even mean to do, and these things that aren't scripted or rehearsed or anything, and just things that happen during the day, and you either talk about it or you just like have some sort of human impulse to to do something that is completely new and completely random and never done before, but you're just trying to, you know, keep it fresh and you know, do what your body is telling you, or doing what you're you just have the impulse of doing and listening to yourself and whatever, but it's so random.

So it's funny to to talk about, you know, this Broadway when I had my Broadway moment, you know, and and hearing him like break or whatever that was. So maybe that'll be a further conversation or more of a conversation here on Take A Bow because, you know, there have been times where I I've had my fair share of those and I've had my fair share of uh hearing the unprofessionalism side because there was a moment in time, uh Michael Dean Morgan, who has he was my dad in Mary Poppins, and he has gone on to do several Broadway shows. One time during the bank scene in Mary Poppins, I went cross-eyed on him because I would always do it with my friend Sean Montgomery in the middle of like step in time in Supercal and we would be dancing and I would just like we would do cross-eyed at each other or make silly faces and just like try to get each other going or whatever.

And I did it to my dad, and he like totally forgot his line, came off stage, talked to stage manager, then stage manager had to come talk to me and were like, Hey, what's going on? Obviously they weren't mad because they know that's like what happens, but like there's just as they mentioned, you know, there's a time and a place, and there's parts of the show that you can and there's other parts that you can't, and there's certain people that you can have those interactions with some people you can't, you know. It's all about um finding that balance and and all of that. So it's it's very uh wild to think about and to even go through. But uh it it keeps the shows fun and it keeps them different and uh you know, it's happening every night, whether you or we like to admit it or not, or uh whether or not the audiences notice or not so um just uh a fun conversation and something that kind of like sparked my my brain and kept my wheels turning after the show uh and trying to incorporate more uh I guess conversations around that and and trying to seek those out more in the future so hopefully you'll see that because it really I mean it just kind of humanizes us and just is like oh wow you you know this really is like summer camp you know like this would just be like us in our high school play just having fun and making each other laugh like it it's just like that on Broadway so I've I feel like it's a fun tidbit. I don't know if y'all think it's silly or whatever maybe we won't talk about it but I think it's a blast and it's definitely something that happens in every show in one way or another.

[1:16:15] Eli Tokash: So uh yeah anyways that's all I have for you folks this week uh come back next week for a really fun episode it's either gonna be with a Broadway star who uh is already locked and loaded and when I say Broadway star she's a Broadway star um and one that's going to be opening a brand new musical very soon here um so that's very exciting I don't want to like say her name yet because it's a surprise um and I also don't want to say because uh I don't want to guarantee that that's gonna be it because if we get some really great content here at Water for Elephants we will be uh putting that into an episode perhaps we'll do a bonus episode and so we'll do like a Tuesday Thursday moment if it's not a ton of stuff, but if it is a ton of stuff, we will do um, you know, something for water for elephants, solely for water for elephants on Thursday.

So stay tuned. Highly recommend following us on social at Take A Bow Podcast. Uh, that's at take a bow podcast. Um, and then that's on Instagram and TikTok. We'll be posting on Instagram of what the plan is, and then uh on YouTube, we're also at Take A Bow Podcast, and that's really where uh the best way to consume the content that we get from Water for Elephants opening night, just because it's an in-person thing. Uh, and then of course we're gonna be doing some circus tricks that I learned in Pippin. So uh y'all are gonna want to watch those and it'll definitely translate better on in video form than uh here on the podcast. So very exciting stuff nonetheless. Stay tuned, and I can't wait to share it with you all. Until then, I hope you all have a such a great week and uh and a great weekend. So until then, bye everyone. See you next week.

[1:18:07] Eli Tokash: For this episode's current call, I would like to recognize a few people who also deserve to take a bow. This podcast would not be possible without the help of Dori Barenstein, Alan Seals, Kimberly Garrett, and the team at the Broadway Podcast Network. Next in line to take a bow are our fabulous editors, Jessica Warren, who edits the audio of the podcast that you just listened to, and Tessie Tokash, who edits the videos and visuals for this podcast. And how about a bow for our executive producer, Chris Grimer? 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. If you're interested in becoming a patron, go to Patreon.com slash TAB.

If you enjoyed this week's episode, make sure to subscribe on the platform that you are currently listening to this on, or go check out our YouTube where you can watch the episode. You can also subscribe, like, and comment on there as well. If you're more into the regular social media and want to follow us, you can do that at Take A Bow Podcast across all social media platforms. The music of this podcast was made by Nikki Torsha and Cormac Collinon, and the logo was created by Giselle Bustos. And that wraps up this episode's curtain call. Thank you all again for listening to this week's episode, and I can't wait to see you next week. Bye everyone. Have a great week.