This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:01] Eli Tokash: Hello everyone and welcome to episode 204 of Take A Bow.

[0:06] Eli Tokash: I am your host, Eli Tokash, and this week we have a very exciting episode for you folks, as well as some very exciting announcements for you guys.

[0:14] Eli Tokash: I am super excited for what's to come. We've been plowing away over here, and we're super excited to announce what we have planned for the Tony Week.

[0:26] Eli Tokash: Um so to start off, I'm gonna just say we have a fabulous episode for you folks this week. Um we are joined by a Tony nominee who is nominated for this season, so could be soon to be a Tony winner, which is just super exciting, and um she's just absolutely killing it.

[0:33] Eli Tokash: I'm a big fan of her since seeing her in Beetlejuice, as well as seeing her in Something Rotten. Um just a few little hints, and then most recently here in Spamalot this season, um, we have none other than the incomparable Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer on the podcast today.

[1:10] Eli Tokash: Absolutely hilarious. Great conversation, a lot about just the process of what it's like to be a comedic actor on Broadway, do a little improvisation on Broadway. Um she gives such great advice and uh such a wonderful inside look into her process of creating her version of the Lady of the Lake.

[1:32] Eli Tokash: Uh so super exciting stuff, and uh we'll get into that conversation in just a minute, but as always, we gotta talk about the Broadway news, shall we? There's lots going on.

[1:43] Eli Tokash: Tony Week is right around the corner, or I guess the Tony Awards is right around the corner. Um, so obviously it's time to see shows. It's time we gotta pack in these shows before uh the Tony Awards come about.

[1:57] Eli Tokash: The shows that I saw may not have been the most popular with the Tony voters, but that's okay because we're still seeing shows. Um and uh, you know, there's just a couple more shows that I really need to see before uh the Tony Awards, and that includes Hell's Kitchen.

[2:13] Eli Tokash: Um I want to see Cabaret as well as Illinois. I saw SUFs over at the public, so I'm like, I feel like if I don't see it before the Tony Awards, it won't be the end of the world. I do want to see Sereophonic, although that's like the hardest ticket on Broadway right now.

[2:29] Eli Tokash: Um so Hell's Kitchen and Illinois is at the top of my list at the moment. Um but with that being said, I was able to see the Great Gatsby as well as the Who's Tommy show.

[2:40] Eli Tokash: Um so I loved both of them this past week since I met with you guys prior. Um I do want to say um last week, obviously it's Tony season, so we're trying to get the Tony nominees on, and uh, you know, they have a big busy schedule.

[2:56] Eli Tokash: This time of year is craziness for them. Uh so I appreciate all the time that uh the people that I have talked to have given me, and uh, you know, that starts with Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer this week, and then we've already had a couple filmed for next week, and we'll get into that soon.

[3:13] Eli Tokash: But uh speaking of the Great Gatsby and the Who's Tommy show, fantastic. I absolutely loved the Great Gatsby at Paper Mill Playhouse. I saw the first performance ever, and um I thought this performance that I just saw on Broadway was I remember loving it at Paper Mill, but I was just blown away this time.

[3:34] Eli Tokash: So I don't know what's going on with the Tony voters. Obviously, this was a jam-packed season, so in any other season, I feel like the Great Gatsby would have had um, you know, a good chance to get some more recognition, perhaps.

[3:48] Eli Tokash: Um Jeremy Jordan, Eva Noblezada, fantastic. Samantha Pauly and Noah J. Ricketts, absolutely phenomenal. Their chemistry is so freaking good.

[3:57] Eli Tokash: Uh, you could tell they like genuinely love each other, whether it's platonically or whatever, you know, it's just so fantastic. Um and Sam Pauly, shout out to Sam Pauly, previous guest on the pod.

[4:08] Eli Tokash: Um, and uh the Who's Tommy show is just a crazy show full of rock music, you know. It's like um I don't know. I don't know how to describe it. It's just nonstop, you know, rock.

[4:22] Eli Tokash: It's the music's great. It's obviously the Who, it's the Who's music. Um this is a revival. It's really cool what they do with the set.

[4:29] Eli Tokash: Um because it's very um simple and it's just like lights that they make into a pinball table that they make into doorways that they make into a pool table. Like what they're doing over there is just brilliant, and it's really neat to see uh how they're doing it, and it's very futuristic.

[4:48] Eli Tokash: It's very neat. Um, so shout out to the Who's Tommy. That show is so deep. Y'all, this Broadway season, there's just like a lot of depressing shows.

[4:59] Eli Tokash: Like that I I don't know. Like, I've decided that this is the we're gonna call 2024 the year of tears on Broadway. Uh I don't I don't even know what to say.

[5:11] Eli Tokash: Spamalot was like the only show that I can remember seeing this season where I like came out because uh and and like my cheeks hurt, you know, from whether it was smiling or laughing or whatever.

[5:22] Eli Tokash: But like Gatsby, like tearing up, Tommy tearing up, super deep story. Um what was the other one? Ga Outsiders, Outsiders, you know, like that's not a feel-good show.

[5:36] Eli Tokash: Um that it's very sad, very a lot of uh violence. Very cool how it's all done. Um, but you know, none of these like come out just going like, ooh, that was fun.

[5:48] Eli Tokash: Like, you know, they I come out of these shows this season, I'm like, oh honey, a nap. Like, it's time for bed. It's crazy. What these performers are doing on Broadway this season is no joke.

[5:58] Eli Tokash: So uh shout out to all of them. And uh, you know, obviously these shows are still good and they're doing their job if I'm coming out saying that.

[6:06] Eli Tokash: So uh that's just a testament to how strong this season is. Um all right, moving on from uh from that, uh we'll cause we'll talk more about the shows and everything when we do like a little Tony recap uh next week.

[6:19] Eli Tokash: Um Dolly Parton, uh some piece more Broadway news, the real news. Uh Dolly Parton is uh creating a bio musical, which I'm super excited about, and she's naming it Hello I'm Dolly, which is brilliant.

[6:35] Eli Tokash: Uh obviously she wrote nine to five, she has her Broadway ties. I don't know whether or not she's she maybe she's a fan of Hello Dolly.

[6:43] Eli Tokash: Um, you know, I I maybe it's a little play on that. I I think maybe she wanted to do Hello Dolly, and she didn't realize there was already a musical like with that title, so she said hello I'm Dolly.

[6:55] Eli Tokash: Um but I think it's absolutely brilliant nonetheless, and it's coming to Broadway in 2026. So we do have to wait a little bit.

[7:02] Eli Tokash: Um we have to wait two years, but that's gonna fly by. And uh I'm excited to see uh Dolly Parton back on Broadway.

[7:10] Eli Tokash: Um her nine to five, that music is just you know, it's so good. Um everyone loves it. The show is fantastic.

[7:17] Eli Tokash: I'm a big fan of that show. So um I have no doubts that uh Hello I'm Dolly is gonna be pretty neat, and obviously is gonna feature more of her songs.

[7:26] Eli Tokash: Uh a little biomusical, we can learn more about her life and everything like that. So um I think it'll be very fun and and knowing that she has the Broadway ties already, uh maybe that'll be a part of the show and how she created nine to five and a little bit more of an insight into uh, you know, her Broadway era, I guess.

[7:46] Eli Tokash: Hopefully, we get to see in the show. I don't know. I think it's gonna be cool. She's lived a very interesting and um quite uh inspiring life.

[7:54] Eli Tokash: So uh I think it'll be very, very neat. Um, all right. So oh speaking of the Tony Awards, when I said Tony recap, I probably should have led with this.

[8:02] Eli Tokash: Um the Tony Awards this Sunday, or I guess not this Sunday, next Sunday, uh this upcoming oh no, can't even say that. No, next Sunday.

[8:10] Eli Tokash: We'll just say next Sunday. We'll keep it with that. Um Tony's next Sunday uh will be hosted by Ariana DeBose.

[8:17] Eli Tokash: Uh however, their little act one uh performance, because obviously they can't fit in all of the nominations uh live on TV, otherwise the award show will just be forever.

[8:30] Eli Tokash: Um so they have like uh a little pre um uh prime time airing, I guess you could say. Um and that's gonna be hosted actually by Julianne Hough and Utkarsh Ambudkar.

[8:43] Eli Tokash: And love Utkarsh. I'm so excited for this. Julianne, obviously, we all know I love her, uh, from the POTUS days as well as when she has previously hosted uh these act ones, whether it was with Darren Criss or uh whomever who is.

[8:59] Eli Tokash: So um very excited for this. I think uh these two will compliment each other very well. And I love to see Utkarsh.

[9:06] Eli Tokash: He loves the Tonys, he's always at the Tonys, um obviously Pitch Perfect and all that. I just want to see him on Broadway.

[9:13] Eli Tokash: Um I think it'll be uh very fun, and I think it's gonna be coming up very soon, hopefully. Uh because he's always kind of like in this community still.

[9:21] Eli Tokash: Um it's always good to see. So uh next piece of news, uh, we just talked about one queen, Dolly Parton. Let's talk about another queen.

[9:30] Eli Tokash: Audra, are you kidding? Miss Audra McDonald is mothering, and we get to see Audra McDonald play the mama of all mamas on Broadway, as she is going to star as Mama Rose in Gypsy this coming fall.

[9:48] Eli Tokash: I am so freaking excited for this. It's absolutely insane. So not only do we get Audra, right, playing Mama Rose, uh-huh, the most iconic roles of all time on Broadway.

[10:00] Eli Tokash: Yeah, uh-huh. I'm so excited. Um, we're also getting this production directed by George C. Wolfe, arguably one of the greatest directors of all time, as well as choreography from Camille A. Brown.

[10:11] Eli Tokash: I mean, come on. This doesn't get any better. I am so freaking excited for this production. It's gonna be starting on November 21st, um, at the Majestic Theater, which for those of you who don't know, Majestic Theater is where Phantom of the Opera played for twenty-five years.

[10:31] Eli Tokash: And uh yeah, that's right on 44th Street. Obviously was closed due to renovations. They had to do renovations to the theater, and uh so that's going to be reopening the theater, which is just iconic.

[10:45] Eli Tokash: What a musical to do it. Um, and obviously it's gonna be an incredible cast. So what a cast to do it as well.

[10:51] Eli Tokash: Um it's going to be officially opening on December 19th of 2024, and as I mentioned before, previews and performances begin November 21st of 2024.

[11:02] Eli Tokash: So we don't have to wait long at all. Uh this was a little fun little guessing game that I was seeing going around TikTok and all of that, started by Ashley Hufford, actually.

[11:12] Eli Tokash: Um, so it was very cool what their marketing team has done uh to announce it. And I'm looking forward to uh what campaigns this marketing team has up their sleeves next.

[11:22] Eli Tokash: You know, obviously as performances begin and uh the rest of the cast is announced. I'm sure it'll be uh very, very fun and very, very cool as their announcement was as well.

[11:33] Eli Tokash: So uh shout outs to uh the marketing teams here on Broadway. So that is all the Broadway news I have for you folks this week.

[11:40] Eli Tokash: Uh obviously there's more going on. I'm just sharing the highlights. I do want to mention uh cheers to Richard Sherman on an incredible career, an incredible life.

[11:51] Eli Tokash: Uh Richard Sherman passed away two weeks ago. Um, and it was an honor to be able to perform his work for him on the national tour of Mary Poppins.

[12:01] Eli Tokash: Um, as well as uh I just want to say thank you uh for not only creating uh Mary Poppins, which was my first show that I ever did, um, but also creating Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, which um was the first show that I ever saw that got me into the mess that is musical theater.

[12:20] Eli Tokash: Um so shout out to Richard Sherman, you gave my sister and I um well, my whole family really, uh, but in particular uh my sister and I um such a something to live for, really.

[12:35] Eli Tokash: And um you uh filled our dreams and our homes for many, many years with your music and your work. So um, you know, thank you, Richard, and this episode is dedicated to you.

[12:51] Eli Tokash: So thank you for your contributions and uh sharing your gift to the world and to our industry. Um you've definitely left your mark on it and made it better, that's for sure.

[13:02] Eli Tokash: Uh just the kindest person. Um I also want to leave you all with a note. So next week, Take a Bow is going to be doing something very special.

[13:13] Eli Tokash: We are gonna be trying something out, we're gonna see how this goes. Next week, the goal. Everyone, subscribe to our YouTube channel right now.

[13:23] Eli Tokash: Um we will be live streaming on YouTube our episodes. Um that's right, and and I say episodes. We will be having at least three episodes next week.

[13:38] Eli Tokash: There could be more in the chamber. I'm not saying that there will be, because I keep saying promises that, you know, sometimes they don't always live up to it.

[13:50] Eli Tokash: All I'm saying is that we will have three live episodes on our YouTube channel. Those times right now are probably gonna be at different times.

[14:03] Eli Tokash: So I'm gonna be posting them on our Instagram, the exact schedule of what time we will be going live on our YouTube channel.

[14:12] Eli Tokash: Now, these live episodes, what's what's going on? What's it gonna be? These are going to be raw interviews that you all will get to participate in. So you all can ask questions while I like while we talk. Now, it will start out with just me, and then it'll be like a regular episode. It'll start out with just me, and then I'll add the guest in. Surprise guests along the way in these episodes. I can guarantee you one of the episodes are gonna have a surprise guest, and this guest that I'm interviewing doesn't even know that there's gonna be a surprise guest. So this is legit gonna be straight up raw, straight up craziness, straight up something that you all get to be a part of. And uh that's what's going on next week.

Uh so two of uh or one of the episodes has already been recorded, so um I'll be on there live, and then the episode with the guest will uh be pre-recorded, but it will be showing, and I will still be on live with the uh recording of it, and then um as that goes, uh perhaps we'll we'll get another special guest. Perhaps we'll uh end it uh afterwards, and I'll get to chat with you all about it before we do that. Um perhaps we'll bring on another special guest. It's gonna be craziness, it's gonna be a blast, it's gonna be uh something that we've never done before, and I don't think anyone in the Broadway uh sort of you know, podcasting world has done. So I'm very excited to give it a shot and uh try something new, switch it up.

As we are in the final stretch of the Tony Awards, who doesn't want more content in uh, you know, doing their research for the Tony brackets, whether it error or their Tony predictions, uh shout out to Telecharge and uh shall score, I think it's like the my rewards. If you fill out a Tony, if literally if you fill it out, you don't even have to get any of them right. I believe if you get uh if you fill one out, you get a thousand free points, which you then can redeem for a discount, or if you continue to accumulate more of those points, you will uh you know work your way to a free ticket on Broadway. So uh definitely worth doing, definitely worth checking out the content and uh seeing hearing from the nominees uh that are in this show uh in this season, uh, as well as possibly uh just people without are going to be performing at the Tony's, um maybe hosting the Tony's, I don't know, but it's just gonna be uh exciting and uh they are going to be somewhat related to this season, and I am just so excited to to see what happens in this craziness next week.

Uh, but it's gonna be a blast. So stay tuned, subscribe to our YouTube channel so that you will get the alerts. I will also be posting it uh on our uh Instagram and TikTok uh of a schedule and what's going on. Um, but I'm very excited nonetheless. Times TBD, but I can assure you uh it'll be a good time, and I will keep everyone posted on uh the social channels, and you can find us at take a bow on B-Way. Um, that's all I have for you folks this week. So without further ado, let's turn it over to our fabulous interview who I literally just hopped off the phone with, the unbelievably talented and the brilliantly hilarious Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer.

[18:12] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: This Broadway fan favorite is one of the newest Tony nominated actresses on Broadway as she is fresh off of her run in Spamalot, where she returned to the St. James Theater as Broadway's Miss Lady of the Lake. Her comedic talents and incredible voice is how you know her for originating the iconic role of Delia in Beetlejuice, amongst many other shows she starred in, such as Legally Blonde, Hairspray, Elf, A Catered Affair, and Sondheim on Sondheim. It is my honor to welcome to Take A Bow Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer.

[18:44] Eli Tokash: Hello, Leslie. How are we doing?

[18:46] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Good, Eli. Thanks so much for having me.

[18:49] Eli Tokash: Oh my gosh, I'm so happy to have you. It's so exciting that you are nominated for a Tony in this uh Broadway season. Obviously, uh seasons veteran. Uh, so this kind of feels like an extra special nomination, kind of celebrating your whole career, not just Spamalot. Well deserved. Congratulations.

[18:49] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Hello, Leslie. How are we doing?

[19:09] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Thank you so much. Yes, uh absolutely. Well, I I kind of just want to jump right into Spam a lot because Lady of the Lake, I was actually fortunate enough to see Spam a lot at both the Kennedy Center and here on Broadway.

[19:23] Eli Tokash: Oh wow.

[19:25] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Yeah, big fan of the show. Um, we've had James on here multiple times, James and Eaglehart, uh, Alex Brightman, all of the faves. So we love you that cast and everything. It just you couldn't get enough of Spam a lot. Um, but Lady of the Lake just seemed like it was kind of written for you. Like there was it was so perfect for you. I've never seen Spam Lot before. So I'm like, I can't picture anyone else that could ever possibly play that role. It's like you or no one, like it's just incredible. Um, but the thing that was like most um kind of I don't know, very cool to see uh when you were performing, is just the way that you balance, because obviously there's a comedy to the Lady of the Lake, uh, but then there's also the seriousness of her that you kind of have to balance um with in performing and telling her story. So I'm curious, you know, like what was it like to to find that comedic balance while also like playing those stakes super high when you know it was kind of just like fun at all at the same time.

[20:35] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: You know, um when you're playing a character like this that is very specific, you always have to play it like it's for real, right? In the sense that she is um, you know, she comes in and like sketches, right? So you don't get like a full-fledged character until the second act when she sings whatever happened to my part, and then you see this kind of touching scene with Arthur where you know they have like a dropped-in moment about the show, and then they he proposes and all that. So it's very quick. There's not a whole lot of backstory. So when you're doing it, you have to take a like you sort of have to play every moment that she's out there full tilt, um, and not try too hard. Because the audiences want to come to you.

They want to enjoy the character. They don't want you to come at them, even though you're playing a diva. Um, so the second actor was really great to be able to kind of sort of go, you know, you've you're not alone, Arthur, you know. You know, uh I've been here the whole time, and you know, the audience finds that funny because she has been and no one's really noticed her um that much, even though she helped lead them to the grail. Um and she, in effect, at the end of the show solves it, you know, gives them the answer. And, you know, you just play it very truthfully, and then the comedic bits that are very heightened, um, you kind of uh navigate how much or how little in the tone of the show, and then it just works.

You know, you saw a different show, I mean, from the span uh Kennedy Center to Broadway, I mean, it changed with not only costumes, hair, but like uh how I played certain things, how I Camelot certainly got expanded when I did the Camelot Lady of the Lake, which I call like the lounge singer Lady of the Lake. And I really played her seriously because she I always played her like you know, very as if it was a total departure from the redhead Lady of the Lake. It was her own thing. And the more I was able to sit in that, the more I made her real and sort of like a hot mess, but she took it very seriously, you know, and um it was so fun. It was so so fun. I miss it a lot.

[22:38] Eli Tokash: Well you mentioned like the show from the Candy Center to Broadway was very different. It I don't know it, correct me if I'm wrong. It just seems like every show is just completely different. Uh it seemed like there was just a lot of improving going on. Maybe it was just rewritten from the time I saw it at the Kennedy Center.

[22:56] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Oh, but Improv, improv wise, we always changed it. We changed it, I changed it every night. Sometimes twice in one day. I changed ad libs, and we were given in certain sections uh freedom to do that. Only in certain sections.

[23:10] Eli Tokash: Oh I see. Is it kind of like um written in the script that like oh improv or is it kind of just like the director saying, you know, you feel free to play around here?

[23:21] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: It was it came from us. It came from yeah, it came from us. And I think even the original cast probably had their own ad libby things and ad lib. Uh, but there's the script and then there's added things um that the boys and myself would add, and then we would cut, cut that added line, okay, keep that added line. Like one of them was I used to walk out in the Camelot scene in the feather dress, and I'd be like, you know, um, I'd be like, oh, welcome to Camelot, like, um, this body was brought to you by Ozempic. Call your doctor, it works. Get a laugh every time, and that was never in the script, obviously. Oh my god. And I it it started in the Kennedy Center, and you know, I'm wearing a like a see-through body con suit with feathers on it.

I mean, there's doesn't really leave much to the imagination. And so I just was like, Well, Zempic and Manjaro are big in the news. Everybody knows what Ozempic is, and uh why not just use it and see what happens? And it worked every night, and I kept it through our closing from the Kennedy Center to the last show we did.

[24:29] Eli Tokash: Oh my god, so lines like brilliant. Lines like that.

[24:32] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[24:34] Eli Tokash: Well, I mean, that kind of just goes even further to saying, like, you know, no shows off, because with improv, you know, you have to be present, you have to be listening. Um, because there was a lot of banter uh going on back and forth. It wasn't just like a a line or two, you know, here and there. What was it like to to just play? I mean, you like I mentioned with the cast, it's just a bunch of star-studded comedic people on Broadway with Chris Fitzgerald's even in the mix and like everyone, Nick Walker. Um do I don't know, did you feel like you learned anything? Like, have you ever improved that much on a Broadway stage? Like, what was that whole process like?

[25:16] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Um, it was easy because that's sort of what I do, you know, is is improvise, and I I mean, you know, yesterday I hosted a luncheon at the Pierre and I was improvising the entire time. You know, you're talking about arthritis in a very serious condition and how it affects people, but also, you know, someone's boyfriend came up to speak and present an award to uh their spouse, and they were so eloquent and very handsome, and when he stepped off the stage, I go, but the real question is, do you have a brother? And then the entire because he was so beautiful how he spoke about his girlfriend, who was one of the honorees, uh Anna Villafany, it was her it was her boyfriend. Yes. And it was so moving.

I mean, we thought this guy was gonna propose to her right then and there in the ballroom. And you know, he walks off, she accepts the award, everyone's so moved, she walks off. I come back to the podium as the host, and I said, Yeah. Well, yeah, and it was so serious, and I was like, Yeah, the real question is, do you have a brother? I have so many single friends, and this what you just did, you know, and the entire room cracked up. Because everyone's sort of it's always like, God, where did this guy come from? He's handsome, and who do more of these men exist in the world? Like this? And so it was a really good. And so, like, you know, I'm always improvising. I'm but it's part of who I am, especially, you know, if I'm entertaining or hosting an evening or even with friends. I mean, I'm constantly trying out material and friends. And that's kind of how we like that's that's just what I've been doing, I think, forever, you know.

[26:53] Eli Tokash: Yeah. That's awesome. I know. What that's crazy. A kind straight man. That's wonderful. Good looking, kind, sweet, almost teary. I was like, oh come on. Dream on. I mean, I'm taking, but a lot of my friends aren't. So I love it. Um well uh I actually like there's so many things about the Lady of the Lake that is just like it it's so layered because it's so fun with the improv and then you know, you have the the comedic balance while also doing the serious high stake. You're also playing like to the fourth wall, like you're playing to the audience, like there's so many crazy things that that's happening in your character, you know. And you're also kind of like acknowledging that, like, not even is there an audience, but you're also acknowledging that like you're on a Broadway stage, like you know you're being a Broadway star right now, you know. Like, is that kind of like uh did that kind of take getting used to? Do you like playing to the fourth wall? Is that kind of like another scene partner for you?

[27:56] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Yeah. I love it. Wow. You know, so when we say playing to the fourth wall, we're playing out to the audience, we're inviting them in, right? We're not, you know, it's not like here in a lot of shows where just to explain to people what that means, you're not addressing the audience ever uh directly. So when we break the fourth wall in our show, we bring the audiences part of our show now in a way that that most shows they aren't. They they have a participation at element because we look can look at them.

[28:25] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: We even go into the audience. We even bring them up on stage. So that is it's my favorite. I've done it in several shows. I love it. It's so fun. You've you know flying you know you're on the edge of your seat, flying by the seat of your pants, jumping out and you know you know um I call it crowd surfing. So crowd surfing in comedy is kind of like you really don't know uh what's gonna happen ever. You're jumping out there and without an edge you're just gonna ride in the wave of what they're feeling. You know I've made certain jokes some nights that killed and that other nights it was like crickets nothing. So it is so fun. It's so fun. You it's unpredictable and that's the kind of theater that I really love.

Now when you mentioned like the you try a joke and sometimes it kills is it an immediate cut or you are you like oh let's try it on one more audience. Sometimes you do especially in previews uh if you want to do that but then if you sometimes you know I was given sort of the freedom to write jokes like right before I came out on because really Camelot section was the part where I would write jokes. Everything else I'm not adding anything because it's very very by the book. So the Camelot section you know I'd come out and I'm like oh man I'd be getting dressed in the armor right before my entrance. I'm like, okay, should I sing the Lady Gaga or should I sing the Britney? Alright, this feels like a Britney audience.

This feels like a Brittany audience. And I don't think I should do the rehab joke. I think I should do the joke about this. Maybe I'll add this. Let's see how it plays on the matinee. And a lot of times it worked. And there was one time where I made a joke about a nun and they did not like it. So I never use it again. Mmm. Wow. Yeah, like I made it. I made a n I made a nun joke because Ethan Slater came out dressed as the nun and wrote a joke and it didn't go well. So then I didn't do it again. I was like, okay, that's fine. Moving on. So, like with comedy though, like it it's so interesting. Like comedians just like are so fascinating to me. Like, how do you kind of tiptoe the line? Like crossing the line, you know, like, because some people may find like offense to the nun joke, but like at the same time, you know, we're doing comedy, you know?

So, like, uh kind of like expected, right? We're just trying to laugh. It's not like uh I didn't mean it by like any malintent by it type of thing. Like, how do you balance that? It's hard. Uh, you have to know your audience, right? It is not a late night club downtown in the comedy cellar, right? It is a Broadway show. You have to keep the show moving. You have to know your your kind of audience. I'm not gonna make jokes about certain things. I'm not gonna talk about certain politicians, I'm not gonna talk about certain issues in government. You know, it I'm not gonna push the envelope in certain ways. I'm gonna do things that most people relate to, or that the character is making it you're making fun of this classic lounge singer character, right?

So there were a couple of things. You know, you know. She had a failed marriage. She got she got out of rehab in Sedona, Arizona. She, you know, things that are funny because they're so out of nowhere, but in the context, they work, and you're laughing, you're laughing at how ridiculous this is because she's ridiculous. Um then you have to move on. So it's very specific what I what I could do. And I didn't mess with the formula that much because it worked. So I was never gonna do like leaning into a more um edgy sort of comedic material that I may try downtown or I may try in my own show. Um it's not appropriate, right? And it and I didn't think it would go well. Totally. So when I did the nun joke, I that was the closest on the edge.

Like I think the joke was, you know, uh, so Chris Fitzgerald plays Patsy, Ethan was dressed as a nun, they do this little dance, Ethan, the nun leaves, and Patsy is left and he's heartbroken and he runs off. And I was like, Yeah, I don't trust nuns. I was like, I never trust a no, I don't trust nuns. Never trust a woman who believes in a man that doesn't exist. Oh, so you're basic right. Now that's edgy. That's edgy because you're saying, you're saying God doesn't exist, or like, oh, she's like, you know, praying to somebody that doesn't exist, which is a take on religion. And that night, I didn't get booze, but I got a uh, which I reacted to, like, you know, and they laughed at my reaction to their reaction.

But it's but I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna do that. I certainly wouldn't make Trump jokes or Biden jokes. Right. In DC, the kind of jokes that I did make where I would name a politician that ghosted me at a restaurant that everyone in DC knew, and one of that restaurants called Old Ebbots. Everybody goes to Old Ebbots after a show because it's one of the few places that's open late. They have a raw bar, a lot of actors pile into this place and it's always packed, and we're always hanging out and drinking there after a show. Or eating food because it's open late. So I was like, I forgot the politician's name. I was like, yeah, you know, I'm kind of sad. Uh I haven't found luck and love. I got ghosted by insert the name of the politician that is in the news but not polarizing at Old Ebbots.

You know what I mean? And they laughed because they know the politician, they know about getting ghosted, and they know old Ebbitts. It's easily recognizable, and in two seconds, it's a great joke. You know? That's brilliant. But you just don't, you don't you don't go to edgy. You don't go to edgy because there's enough edgy. There's enough uh edgy in the show. So yeah. So that's a long answer to your question.

[34:24] Eli Tokash: No, I no, I love it. It this is fascinating, and it just is a testament to the amount of work and the specificity of the choices and the preparation that went into this character, which ultimately led to a Tony nomination, not a big deal. Um I mean, this is the highest uh achievement in our industry. Like, w what is this whole I honestly like this whole like month meant to you because this is like the longest uh celebration, I guess, on Broadway with a bunch of you know the nominations and then the anticipation to the show and all the press that y'all do. Uh just what has this whole process uh been like.

[35:06] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: You know, um we and correct me if I'm wrong. No, it's true. We were we were closed, yes, we were closed before the nominations came out. All of them. All of them. And uh, you know, it was bittersweet because it's like, oh, you want the show to stay open so that people more people voters can come, even though voters did come. You want more of them to come, so you're kind of bombed, right? But then I got nominated for all these awards, and then I got nominated for the Tony, which was very exciting. And there's a lot, there's a whole campaign that goes with that in the sense of like people like you and many other people want to interview uh nominators, nomin nominees, and there's press and there's press junkets and there's luncheons and all these amazing things where you get to share this season with everybody and you get dressed up and you do the hair and makeup and the whole thing.

TV interviews and all that. And it's a lot of um, it's a lot of fun, but it's a lot of work. And like I've said before to other people, you know, my show's not open, so I'm not doing that double duty with like having to do the show every night and do the day job, which is uh like a essentially a Tony campaign or an award season time where you're showing up to for the dramadas and for the outer critics and for the drama leagues and you know, all these amazing outer c you know, outer critic circle or whatever. Um, so it's exhausting, but it's really fun and it's a moment in time that's short and it's an honor. So you kind of try to enjoy it and pace yourself. And then I, you know, I wrote a show in two weeks and I did it at Joe's pub and I wrote a little series on Instagram and I did that. So I definitely I kind of did do do double duty for a couple weeks, but it was worth it. It was so worth it.

[36:51] Eli Tokash: Now, like let's plug you really quickly, because I think this mini series is absolutely hilarious. Um it's called Lady of the Lake The Farewell Tour. Um and you know, like, how did this kind of come about? Like, was it kind of a strategy to be like in case Tony voters, you know, didn't get to see it, like maybe they can get a little taste? Like, what what how did that go uh come about and how did you create this?

[37:20] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: I mean, the spark of inspiration, yes, comes from the fact that I don't have a show to show what I do. Um, and I don't like just I like creating. So I was like, well, you know, with this character, she's a diva. I mean, in the show, as you saw in the Kennedy Center and on Broadway, I was like, remember me, Helen Hayes, remember me, Antoinette Perry. You know, she's very much into the whole thing, right? So I said, wouldn't it be funny? Like the show The Comeback that Lisa Coudreau was in to kind of expand her. Let's take her out of the show, let's pretend that she really does live in the lake in Central Park, and let's bring her out to claim this one last moment in time that she deserves to kind of um, you know, and we but we called it a Shmony Award instead of a Tony Award.

Yes, you know, she was nominated for a Shmoony. Because in the spirit of Spamalot, a Shmony award, Camelot Spamalot, Shmony, Tony, right? So in the spirit of that, um we created this little series about her comeback and her farewell tour. We did the documentary behind the scenes of getting nominated, what her life has been like. Now doing this Joe's pub show, we're having more episodes that are gonna drop once we edit some of the footage from Joe's pub about the culmination of her efforts. But and then doing the Joe's Pub show was an was an opportunity to do something live and crazy and mad cap, and anybody who wants to watch it, it's on the Joe's Pub YouTube channel. You can see our 930 show, which we taped, which is really, really fun and wacky.

Um to to expand it even more. And the show actually became actually very meaningful and cathartic in a way that I never saw coming, but also a way to me to make fun of myself and and fun lady to the like using it as this catalyst to make fun of this sort of world that we live in and and how serious we take it, but also how it's a big honor and it's so exciting. So it was all mixed in one. And that's and yes, and then people, you know, I I don't know if if a lot of voters saw it or whatever. If they did, great. If they didn't, okay. But a lot of people in the community and uh and people that I respect saw it and they loved it, and you can go on YouTube and watch it now.

[39:48] Eli Tokash: Yes, there's a clips on your Instagram. Why don't you do you do you know your Instagram handle off the top of your your head? Do you want to share that with everybody?

[39:56] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Yeah, it's at it's just Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer. I mean, even though I'm Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer, it's at Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer. So it's you can find me. I'm the one yeah, and you'll see the videos right on my my feed.

[40:08] Eli Tokash: Yeah, they're all pinned to it, so they're like the first ones you see. It's great.

[40:12] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: You're even in like your full costumes and wigs and like all of this. Like, is that kind of like uh a nice way to to give your little send-off to have like this kind of ease into the next chapter.

[40:33] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Yeah you know my uh the our producer Jeffrey Finn I hounded him to allow me to borrow and they production thank you so much production for going to the storage and getting my two Broadway costumes out of storage plus the gold dress that I wore in the in the marketing campaign that was all over New York the gold dress I was gifted that dress and at the end of the production so those two things combined and Tom Watson who very generously um lent me my Broadway wig and Charlotte who um styled it and also had Lily Kaufman my understudy who is in the show as well her wig from Broadway everyone was you know it's a pooled effort. Um and we just really uh got it all together and I was very they were very generous and kind to do that and it made all the difference.

I mean the the photos from that night are unbelievable. I'm gonna release a bunch of them epic. It it and and the photos and the Instagram you know and you know I I always hire a makeup artist Rachel Roberts and you know I I have a team that surrounds me that you know we try to make it at the highest level that we can and and it totally paid off. To walk around in Central Park in that outfit and that wig and be in the the boat I mean it was wild boat is the boat cracked me up and then you're to yelling at the guy behind you get out of your shot. I was like, this is this is iconic.

[42:05] Eli Tokash: Like, this is amazing.

[42:06] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Oh it's so good. Uh yeah, of course. I I mentioned in the intro that this was not your first time in the St. James Theater.

[42:14] Eli Tokash: So I'm always curious to ask people that like returned to to the same Broadway theater. Were you able to get the same dressing room that you had for something rotten as it was for Spamalot?

[42:28] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Um I got the one next to my old one.

[42:39] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: So I had when I came into Something Rotten, Catherine Brunel and I shared a dressing room. And so I replaced Teddy Blick and Stadt. So when I did Spamalot, you know, Josh Grizzetti was next to us in the bigger sort of dressing room by himself. So I got that dressing room and that's the one that I wanted, and they gave it to me and it was so nice. Oh my god, iconic. I love the dressing room stories. I love to see how like people decorate it, you know, like literally make it like a second apartment in New York because they're about the same size, let's be real. Crazy.

[43:15] Eli Tokash: Yeah, it's iconic. Um, well, uh I mean, before you go, I would be remiss and not to asking you about Beetlejuice because Beetlejuice was just of course an absolute phenomenon.

[43:29] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Yeah, um I guess like obviously it was a wild ride in two productions, one at the Winter Garden, one at the Marriott. You know, those fans really like took the reins of the show. Obviously, your guys' performances were iconic and helped that. Um, but what did it mean to you, just like the Broadway fans and supporting you and even post Beetlejuice? Like, like I see the Beetlejuice fans still like in your comments and supporting you along with the Tony nomination.

[43:58] Eli Tokash: How many of my shows? Are you kidding? They're all they're great. What does that mean to you? Have you ever been you to a part of a show that's kind of had that like cult fan base that's like kind of literally revolutionized like uh and led the charge of a Broadway show?

[44:13] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: No. I mean, look, our show caught fire with TikTok. Um and our album, our performance on the Tony Awards, we thought we were gonna close, we thought we were done, you know, blood in the water, terrible, because we didn't get great reviews, and then it exploded and the fans went nuts. And the kids that sent us artwork and that the lines down the street during, you know, for our autographs, we exploded. And then, you know, the world was changed forever with the pandemic. We were gonna extend. Um, we were gonna do a capture, but that all that obviously ended. But um, I've never been a part of something that had such a cult following. You know, I'm in a show called Has Been Hotel on Amazon, and that's a huge, huge following.

So, like, you know, these two things um are the biggest that I've experienced where I have people drawing characters of my care drawing, you know, their own version and cosplay of this character Rosie that I play on Has Been Hotel, but did the same thing for Delia in um Beetlejuice and still remember me from that every time I do a show anywhere.

[45:23] Oh, I saw you in Beetlejuice three times. I saw you in Beetlejuice two times. I saw you in Beetlejuice a million million times, you know. Um, and they all will they they just love the show. They have a huge connection. So it's very meaningful. Very, very meaningful, yeah.

[45:38] Eli Tokash: So if we've learned anything from this week's episode, it's that one buying a ticket to a Broadway show can actually save it. So kids buy your tickets, go support Broadway.

[45:49] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Yes.

[45:50] Eli Tokash: And then two, Alex Brightman is just a cult leader. He just likes to start cults.

[45:54] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Awesome. He does like to start cults. I love it.

[46:00] Eli Tokash: Well, Leslie, this has been an absolute blast. I can't thank you enough for joining me today and fitting me into your busy schedule during this crazy time. Best of luck at the Tony Awards.

[46:15] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Uh we'll be rooting for you here. Uh I know a lot of people listening will be too. Your performance in Spanish.

[46:20] Eli Tokash: Thank you so much. And listen, go to the YouTube page, go to my Instagram. You can feel free to watch the show. It'll be up for a while on the Joe's Pub YouTube page. It's a blast. We had some crazy guests, Sweaty Oracle that people know from TikTok. That's a polarized figure up. Uh he is our special guest. You will see that. So please go ahead and watch it. It's really fabulous. Share it with your friends. It was it's a good, it's a good time. And um, we're really proud of it, Randy Blair and I who created it.

[46:49] Eli Tokash: I love it. And we'll definitely link it to this podcast uh, you know, when we post it, it'll be in the link of the description and everything like that. So everyone go check it out. You can find it there or on Leslie's Instagram page. Uh Leslie, thank you so much, and you have so much to take a bow for.

[47:05] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much for having me.

[47:09] Eli Tokash: Take a bow Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer.

[47:12] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Oh my gosh. What an unbelievable episode. Uh I was so thrilled to get a half hour of her day on a jam-packed uh time in her life. Uh as well as uh another guest that we have coming on here.

[47:26] Eli Tokash: Um, so as I mentioned, you know, last week we had uh very exciting guest, Tony Nomini, blah blah blah, and it was gonna be such a super exciting.

[47:36] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Well, here it is, folks.

[47:38] Eli Tokash: Here we go. This is it. This is our very exciting episode that I was pumped about uh two weeks ago. Uh unfortunately, we had some last minute uh scheduling, you know, whatever's that uh postponed it, and uh here we are, and we have uh some more now in the chamber.

[47:57] We've been recording all week. It's been super exciting and super fun. And I really think that y'all are gonna enjoy these episodes. Hopefully you enjoyed this one today, when uh she would talk about just playing uh with the role. Like that's just something that's so cool and something that especially young performers I feel like really uh can learn from.

[48:19] I guess and kind of take away that like l it's hard because you know we want to come into this industry, right? And we're working with the best of the best, and we will just want to come in and make a good impression, be good people, and you know, like just come in, do our job and and just you know, make everyone happy, you know.

[48:39] And and just hearing what Leslie says, you know, it just really reminds you of like what it really is to be in a room. Like that's the uh impression that you have. But then the minute you're in the room, you're in with the room with all of these brilliantly like creatively minded people, you can't help but just start to play uh and kind of just be a kid, you know, and and see what works and um uh try something out.

[49:10] Like it it's hard, like just the thought of it being like, Oh, I wish I like I'd love to ask the director if I could do this or this and like some people, especially like in their first shows or whatever, can can get scared it and not speak up and not uh, you know, do what they really feel like the character would do or something that they would do, and that's what makes these performances so truthful and and believable and real.

[49:37] And uh that's just the testament of to uh of Leslie's performances and how uh wonderful her performances are because they are so brilliantly crafted by her and obviously in collaboration with the director and her scene partners and all of that, uh, but the work that just went into it and the research of the restaurant in DC with the politician and the ghosting and like every little detail that just like went into it that was like funny.

[50:04] And funny enough, I wanna shout out John Bolton. John Bolton would do the same thing uh in a Christmas story. He had this like three minute uh improv session that he could just do stand-up. Uh and John Bolton was actually on the our podcast many moons ago, one of my first ones that I did solo.

[50:23] Um, and uh I think we talked about that moment, and he would talk in he would say we went to Boston, right? And uh we were performing in Massachusetts, and he was like, and how about them socks, you know, and everyone's going crazy. They love the Red Sox, the baseball team from Boston, and he's like the Chicago White Sox, and they all start booing him, you know.

[50:45] Like it's just like the fun stuff with that, like where you can break the fourth wall, you can tell some jokes, and you can have fun with the audience, and um he obviously he like never he didn't like that joke obviously didn't work in like New York City because you know no no one's a Sox fan, you know, like uh, but maybe it did it would, and and he would get booed at the Red Sox and then cheers for the White Sox because they just hate the Red Sox, you know, like but obviously it was very well crafted for a Boston audience, and she obviously did that with uh DC, and then of course, you know, these uh stories here in New York, uh she made more uh universally well known because people are coming from all these different places and and everyone can relate to to those types of jokes with the Osempic and the stuff like that.

[51:32] So just brilliant uh work that just went into it. And obviously, this is a lot of work that people don't always even understand. Maybe they think it's written for them and she's just being told what to do. Like, no, this is her just crafting it and hearing that uh is just pretty incredible and uh obviously well deserved uh Tony nomination for her.

[51:55] Eli Tokash: In my opinion, and I'm not just saying this because I did speak to other people in this category, and those um that maybe uh we have an episode coming out next week with one of those people. She has my vote for for the Tony Awards.

[52:06] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Thank you.

[52:09] Eli Tokash: Um I I think her performance was um second to none in this entire season. Uh and that go goes for both uh actress and actor category. Um I just thought she stole the show.

[52:24] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Thank you.

[52:24] Eli Tokash: Um and it's funny because she kind of said that, you know, the whole time uh she's kind of written for her to like be forgotten about, and then she comes out and then she just like frickin' steals the show. You know, it but obviously she has many other moments where it sticks with you throughout the show.

[52:44] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Thank you.

[52:44] Eli Tokash: Um, and that's just her making the most of her time on stage. And uh so huge, huge props to Leslie. So well deserved. Um the Beetlejuice fan base uh definitely will enjoy this one and hearing about Spamalot.

[52:58] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Thank you.

[52:58] Eli Tokash: I do apologize we didn't get to talk more about Beetlejuice. Uh we had a tight schedule, but we made she made it work, and uh, I'm just forever grateful and uh super thrilled that we were able to do this.

[53:09] Now, friendly reminder, please, please, please go check out Joe'spub.com or visit Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer's Instagram and uh check out the performance at Joe's Pub because honest to God, I mentioned earlier in the intro, this season is all just so depressing, and you leave the theater just with tears or drained or whatever it may be.

[53:32] Do yourself a favor and have a night of laugh, have a night of laughter, have a night of smiling, have a night of just fun, you know, like just enjoy. And um, that's exactly what Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer's Lady of the Lake, the farewell tour show at Joe's Pub was and is.

[53:53] Um, and I promise you, uh, even if you're not sold on it yet, you know, go to her Instagram, see the mini episodes, and you're just gonna want more and more. Um, so highly recommend checking that out. Joe's Pub YouTube channel, um, as well as Leslie's uh Instagram. Go check it all out. She's great, and uh, you know, watch out for her on next Sunday uh at the Tony Awards.

[54:19] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Thank you.

[54:21] Eli Tokash: We'll be we'll be cheering her on, that's for sure. So uh with that being said, uh, like I mentioned, subscribe to our YouTube channel. That's Take A Bow Uh podcast, as well as our uh Instagram uh take a bow on B Way.

[54:34] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Yes.

[54:36] Eli Tokash: Uh very exciting stuff. We're gonna have a great week of content, and I really hope that you follow along. And uh, you know, if you guys do enjoy that, we will be doing more of that.

[54:45] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Yes.

[54:47] Eli Tokash: So uh just stay tuned. It's gonna be very exciting. So uh I love you all. Thank you all so much for listening. And uh as always, I will see you next week with another great episode.

[54:49] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Thank you.

[54:56] Eli Tokash: Uh, like I said, actually, we're gonna have three episodes next week, so keep an eye out for for uh a jumbled schedule uh and hopefully content coming at you every other day and or perhaps every day. Who knows?

[55:10] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Yes.

[55:11] Eli Tokash: We're we'll see where this goes. We have uh some exciting things planned. So uh stay tuned and uh appreciate you. Until then, have a great weekend, and I will see you all next week.

[55:16] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Bye everyone.

[55:16] Eli Tokash: Have a great weekend.

[55:25] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Alright, y'all, it's time for the final curtain call.

[55:28] Eli Tokash: I would like to take a moment to allow a couple other people to take a bow. Starting with a special shout out to the team at the Broadway Podcast Network, including Dory Berenstein, Alan Seals, Kimberly Garris, and the rest of the team at the Broadway Podcast Network.

[55:42] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Thank you.

[55:42] Eli Tokash: Next in line to Take A Bow, we have Giselle Bustos for creating our credible logo. Next up are our fabulous musicians Nikki Torsha and Cormac Cullenon for making our intro and outro music.

[55:54] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Thank you.

[55:54] Eli Tokash: And our final bow today are extra special for the patrons, Patrick McNamara, Brian Thompson, the listeners at PCC, and the rest of our fabulous patrons over at Patreon.com.

[56:06] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Thank you.

[56:06] Eli Tokash: If you're interested in becoming a patron, visit patreon.com slash T A B. If you enjoyed this week's episode, make sure you're subscribed on all podcast platforms or wherever you're listening to us today on.

[56:17] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Thank you.

[56:17] Eli Tokash: And definitely check out our YouTube page to see our latest videos, or even stay tuned for upcoming ones by subscribing on YouTube. If you're looking to follow us on social media to stay tuned for our latest news, visit us at Take A Bow on B Way.

[56:32] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Thank you.

[56:34] Eli Tokash: Well, that wraps up this week's curtain call. I hope you enjoyed this week's episode and I hope to see you again next week.

[56:38] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Thank you.

[56:40] Eli Tokash: Until then, bye everyone. Have a great week.