This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Eli Tokash: Hello everyone and welcome to episode 207 of Take A Bow.

[0:06] Eli Tokash: I am your host, Eli Tokash, and I am so excited for this week's episode.

[0:10] Eli Tokash: First of all, happy Fourth of July, everyone. Happy July. Um we are so thrilled to uh be coming at you today.

[0:19] Eli Tokash: We moved this week's episode to Friday, uh, obviously. We were ready and prepped for Thursday.

[0:27] Eli Tokash: However, with the holiday, we were just like, let's give it a break. Um, let's let everyone enjoy the holiday, and we will upload this on Friday.

[0:36] Eli Tokash: And then if you're listening to this on Friday, like thank you. Um, and if you're listening to this on like Sunday or whenever you're traveling back from like a holiday weekend or whatever you're doing, thank you as well.

[0:48] Eli Tokash: And hope you're having safe travels. Um, but yeah, here we are. Uh, hope everyone had a great celebration and uh, you know, grilled out, did whatever, did the thing.

[0:56] Eli Tokash: Um we are thrilled to be coming at you today with the Jimmy Award finalists for this year's. Um we have peter dessert, who was a Jimmy Award finalist, and then we have mackenzie crawford, who made it to the character rounds of uh the Jimmy Awards, and we get into all of what that means if you're not really familiar with the Jimmy Awards, or if you are familiar uh and still, you know, maybe need a refresh or whatever.

[1:21] Eli Tokash: Uh, we explain it all, and this episode is brilliant. These are fresh, um, you know, aspiring theater performers that uh the goal is Broadway. Obviously, they made their Broadway debut.

[1:35] Eli Tokash: Um and uh they all crushed it, which was super cool to witness, but they also just went through a theater camp on steroids, like literally a theater camp on Broadway, and uh it featured uh the highest uh Broadway coaches and uh they rehearsed in Juilliard.

[1:54] Eli Tokash: Uh then they went and performed on the Minskoff Theater for casting directors and uh, you know, Broadway legends, uh judging and um you know ultimately picking a winner.

[2:07] Eli Tokash: Um so the the high school theater awards uh of the Jimmies, the National High School Theater Awards, um, it is just an incredible program.

[2:15] Eli Tokash: And what they are are doing continues to uh be more and more impactful into our industry.

[2:21] Eli Tokash: So I'm thrilled to be talking with uh people fresh out of that program.

[2:26] Eli Tokash: Um and we may have another episode coming very soon featuring the winners.

[2:30] Eli Tokash: Um I'll tease it, I'm not gonna promise it, but uh, you know, we'll see what happens.

[2:35] Eli Tokash: We're working on it. Um very exciting stuff.

[2:38] Eli Tokash: But uh Mackenzie and Peter are so awesome and they give such great insight into the program um for anyone that wants to, you know, isn't sure how to make it to the Jimmies or what that process is like, or what is it like when you get to the Jimmies, and um they do such a brilliant job explaining all of it and talking uh about their experience experience and uh you know what the future plan is and and future goals and dream roles, and it's just a great conversation featuring just genuine theater talk and genuine excitement.

[3:15] Eli Tokash: Um it's just such a blast and it's so raw um that uh it we have a long one for you.

[3:20] Eli Tokash: Obviously, there's two guests, so usually when there are two guests, uh it does run a little longer uh because you know, I want to hear two different perspectives.

[3:29] Eli Tokash: Um, so it's great to to have them on and uh talk about the Jimmy Awards.

[3:34] Eli Tokash: And uh with that being said, before we turn it over to that, I think it's time to turn it over to the Broadway news.

[3:40] Eli Tokash: And with it being such a long episode, we're gonna keep it short.

[3:44] Eli Tokash: Thankfully there wasn't too too much going on this week.

[3:47] Eli Tokash: Um I'll start out with the good news first, and I'll start out with saying that Wicked, the movie musical, has decided to uh move up its release date to November 22nd, which is super exciting.

[3:59] Eli Tokash: Uh obviously it's not too too uh big of a difference, uh, but it is moving up five whole days.

[4:07] Eli Tokash: The whole Wicked um release date has kind of been in a constant state of flux where I like had to like double check before coming on here.

[4:16] Eli Tokash: I'm like, they've moved the date so many times because of the pandemic and then they had uh the strike, so they had to um, you know, stop filming for a bit.

[4:26] Eli Tokash: And then um now it's uh it was going to release the same day as the second Moana movie, Moana 2.

[4:34] Eli Tokash: Um, and so now they've decided to move it up as uh they didn't want to compete with it.

[4:40] Eli Tokash: So um shout out to the theater fans.

[4:43] Eli Tokash: Um we're no longer having like the Moana 2 wicked, you know, Oppenheimer Barbie sort of dual or double feature uh moment.

[4:53] Eli Tokash: Um but we get to enjoy them separately and we get to have more days to celebrate movie musicals and songs and musicals and all the things.

[5:01] Eli Tokash: I guess I don't know if I would call them Moana movie musical, but it's pretty close.

[5:05] Eli Tokash: Um anyways, so that's exciting.

[5:07] Eli Tokash: Shout out to Wicked and who knows, hopefully that will stay the release date.

[5:12] Eli Tokash: Um and then for the last piece of news actually this week that I want to talk about is uh the Tony winning musical SUFs was disrupted by protesters this week.

[5:26] Eli Tokash: Um these protesters uh it's just crazy to to me uh what's happening in theater.

[5:33] Eli Tokash: I don't know how these people are getting into the theater, first of all, uh, because of the security in the theaters, they have the ushers, you know, you have to have a ticket, all of these things.

[5:44] Eli Tokash: Um, and especially like when the protests happen, um, it's it's very short.

[5:51] Eli Tokash: Like it they the theater workers do such a great job of protecting the artists and the audience and everyone in the theater, uh, and just protecting them to make sure that they're safe and they remain safe.

[6:03] Eli Tokash: Um, so it blows me away that it even like happens because they're so quick to respond and so great at what they do.

[6:10] Eli Tokash: So, shout out to all of them, first of all.

[6:12] Eli Tokash: Um, but you know, it it is happening uh a lot more, you know.

[6:16] Eli Tokash: We saw this the other day in Enemy of the People, um, and these activist group uh were protesting.

[6:24] Eli Tokash: Uh I don't know if it is the same or not, but the uh one activist group, I guess, was you know, chanting no theater on a dead planet, and uh this one was really chanting nonsense, in my opinion.

[6:38] Eli Tokash: Um, but they were saying that you know, cancel SUFs and that this was a um betrayal of the next generation of feminists.

[6:49] Eli Tokash: Um they were kind of just saying all these weird we odd things to me.

[6:54] Eli Tokash: Um radical, anti-racist, queer feminist.

[6:58] Eli Tokash: Um that that was the banner uh that was the website that was included on like banners that they were holding up, and as they chanted um, you know, all these things that weren't necessarily true, and I don't think things that SUFs even stands for um because they were saying SUFs is whitewashed and um you know w it's just rehashed uh white feminists and not celebrating the black ones which is not quite true either um but you know it has you know the uh we had a black artist for SUFs literally be nominated for a Tony Award this year and no one else was um so I don't know it was just a very odd thing to um to see and read and I think it's just people are just finding ways to just interfere and and kinda pick apart live theater and it's really really difficult to kind of see that.

[8:02] Eli Tokash: Um and I I don't know it I don't know it it's a tricky topic um but for anyone that is is afraid uh you know who may be like seeing this and being like oh I don't know if I want to go to the theater or whatever like that I will say as I mentioned the pro t no one was harmed first of all.

[8:24] Eli Tokash: Um the show continued um which was also something that I found quite surprising.

[8:31] Eli Tokash: Uh no one stopped it or anything.

[8:33] Eli Tokash: Um and like I said this was pretty ra this was wrapped up pretty quick.

[8:39] Eli Tokash: These um more and more especially as of late we get the art that really means something and really speaks to um, you know just I I guess political just all sorts of different um topics that like we are going through uh and relevant topics that uh need to be talked about um and what better way to do so and approach hard conversations than musical theater um or theater in general i think that's why a lot of us enjoy theater um and so it's tricky to to me to see this happen you know we saw this at parade we saw this just recently at an enemy of people and now we're seeing this at SUFs and obviously these are dealing with a lot of really um, you know uh monumental uh conversations about you know whether it's the Jewish heritage whether it's um the suffrage movement um and now uh or or just even just female feminist feminism um it it's it's crazy to to see what's going on but I hope that no one is is turned off from it because like I said uh everyone was safe the protesters uh were ushered out of the theater within 20 seconds um and everyone it they kind of kept it under control but uh obviously it was a big piece of news and I was able to talk to some of the cast members some of the cast members were really um troubled by it uh because I was I reached out to a couple of them just to even make sure that they were okay and I I wondered you know is this something that you would want to talk about and and address and you know some of like a lot of them were were kind of just like, no not not at the moment.

[10:32] Eli Tokash: Um, so obviously i the cast is dealing with it.

[10:36] Eli Tokash: I'm sure audiences were affected, but that reminds us once again of just how powerful um the message and how relevant the story uh that they're telling is to this day.

[10:48] Eli Tokash: Um, so please, please, please go support it.

[10:52] Eli Tokash: Please, please, please, when you are there, be present and learn so that we do not continue to uh uh be a part of this vicious cycle of just like not growing, um, and and kind of you know the uh moments like like that the other day, uh, where where they were rudely interrupted.

[11:12] Eli Tokash: So um, yeah, that's that's all I had to say.

[11:15] Eli Tokash: So, with that being said, um, let's go to a happier topic, shall we?

[11:19] Eli Tokash: Um, and let's go learn about the Jimmy Awards with uh none other than our fabulous guests, peter dessert and mackenzie crawford.

[11:27] Eli Tokash: peter dessert and mackenzie crawford, curtain up this week.

[11:49] Eli Tokash: We have two award-winning performers from the Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards and the Blue Star Awards in Kansas City, Missouri.

[11:57] Eli Tokash: These two rising college students have committed to University of Michigan and Syracuse University for musical theater, and just over a week ago, they made their Broadway debut uh at the Minskoff Theater in the Jimmy Awards.

[12:10] Eli Tokash: So it is my pleasure to welcome to Take A Bow, mackenzie crawford and peter dessert.

[12:15] mackenzie crawford: Hi everyone, how's it going?

[12:17] peter dessert: I'm great.

[12:17] mackenzie crawford: Awesome.

[12:19] Eli Tokash: Appreciate you guys doing this. How are you doing, Peter?

[12:22] peter dessert: I feel like you need to hear from you. It's great.

[12:24] peter dessert: Uh, I'm doing well. Very excited to be here.

[12:26] mackenzie crawford: Um, yeah.

[12:28] Eli Tokash: Awesome. Listen, so obviously there's three of us on here today.

[12:34] Eli Tokash: So I have questions. Some I do have for like you guys as individual performers.

[12:42] Eli Tokash: But for like the general questions, if y'all just want to rotate, uh answering first or whatever, uh, we'll let Mackenzie start the rotation.

[12:51] Eli Tokash: You know, ladies first. Gotta be a gentleman, right, Peter?

[12:54] peter dessert: For sure. Come on, come on.

[12:56] Eli Tokash: Alright, great. Um, so yeah, I mean, listen, I usually like to start these things at the beginning and just, you know, how did this all start?

[13:04] Eli Tokash: You know, what inspired you to want to be a performer? Where did you train?

[13:09] Eli Tokash: Which eventually led you to having such success uh for being the best high school performer in your respective states, and then you represented your state at the Jimmy.

[13:19] Eli Tokash: So uh talk to me about your journey through through all of that.

[13:23] mackenzie crawford: McKenzie will start with you.

[13:25] mackenzie crawford: Yeah, so I had a passion for performing very early growing up.

[13:30] mackenzie crawford: I was in like singing lessons in community theater, was a competitive dancer for like nine years, so I always loved being on stage.

[13:39] mackenzie crawford: Um so then I kind of uh had that in my mind that that's something that I wanted to do.

[13:44] mackenzie crawford: When I was like 11, I got to go to New York and I saw my first Broadway show.

[13:48] mackenzie crawford: Um and then afterward I was like, that's what I'm gonna do with the rest of my life, and I kind of had that in my mind ever since. Um and then growing up, it kind of stayed in the back of my mind, but was also kind of debating between college volleyball and what path I should take. Um, and then got back into theater, I guess, and started doing high school productions um and entered the college audition process um a couple other musical theater competitions um and just staying active in performance and being on stage and then um I saw the Jimmy Awards last year was watching it from my living room and at the time school had never been registered for a regional awards program so I didn't ever think that it was possible for me to do that so I was kind of like sad about it.

And then we got to um convince our theater director to register for it and sign up for the Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards. So my senior musical that we did we did the Drowsy Chaperone I played Janet and then I got nominated for the outstanding lead performer and got to go to our regional awards program and then from there was entered into the triple threat route which is the way that you get nominated for the Jimmies and then me and my other representative got nominated and we got to go up to the Jimmy Awards and represented Iowa at the National High School Musical Theater Awards.

[15:16] Eli Tokash: Wait, that's sick so you're like the first one from Iowa to get that from my knowledge or like from like a very long time.

[15:26] mackenzie crawford: It's been it's been a long time since my high school has registered for the Iowa high school musical that's awesome.

[15:32] Eli Tokash: So cool Peter what what what was your journey?

[15:35] peter dessert: Oh man I mean my mom stuck me in Willy Wonka when I was like five and then from there I did a lot of productions throughout like elementary and middle school and then I transitioned into more ballet in about seventh grade. Um and then seventh and eighth grade I did more ballet and dance and things like that. And then my freshman year, I kind of stopped performing all together. And I didn't really perform um most of my fresh like my entire freshman year and then into my sophomore year. And then I did my school's production of Mary Poppins. And then that year I got a nomination for best lead performer at my regional awards program and it kind of gave me like a kick in the butt and was like, hey, get back to this.

And then my junior year I was like all in, uh, ready to go. And then I decided I wanted to go to college for musical theater this past fall. I kind of started a little later than most people. I started in about August. But um yeah, I ended up loving that. And then the Jimmies have really been a goal for me for quite a while. Um and then last year I I was our runner up, so how my rap used to do it was they used to do lead performer would go and then supporting um the winner of supporting would be the runner up and they would like fill in if the lead wasn't able to go. So I won supporting last year, um, for Will Parker in Oklahoma, and I was sort of the backup. And then at one point they kinda had this little conflict with the Broadway League.

Um, so they weren't sure if he was gonna be able to go and they kinda called me in like a week before um the guy was supposed to go and I didn't end up going, but it was a great experience and prepared me for this year. And then yeah, this year I played Chad and I'll shake up at my high school. Um and I am the first I think I think I'm the first person to ever get nominated for my school. Um that was my sophomore year, and then I'm I'm the first person to go to the Jimmies for my school for sure. Um and yeah, it's just been a blast. Like I love my regional awards program. And yeah, I mean the Jimmies was just crazy. It was awesome.

[17:40] Eli Tokash: Yeah, I mean, it's it's sick. It's such a great program and obviously continues to just get bigger and and cooler and more talent, like the level of talent this year is crazy every year. Um so if I I'm understanding this right, you know, kind of from both of you. Um when you're going through your like high school show, right? The Jimmies are kind of on your mind, yes, or are you kind of just like, you know, let me focus on you know, the role I gotta do, the show I gotta do, let me not think about that, or is that you know, is that somewhere in there poking around being like, you know, if you do good, you may you may make your Broadway debut.

[18:19] mackenzie crawford: I would say it's like a blend of both. You know, you want to do the character justice and you really want to focus on the acting piece, but it's also like you want to be impressive in a sort of way. Um you want to set yourself apart for that potential of the Jimmy Awards. Um I think a big part of it for me was like really trying to build my program up. So it was like maybe that that nomination was sort of like a testament to how we built the program up, rather than like, oh, I want this because blah blah blah. Um and I would say like my rap changed it this year, so now we do it audition-based, and it's not really based on your performance in your show anymore. Um so we do like a preliminary audition where um you do you do a cut from your show and a cut from whatever song you want, and then from there they pick six nominees, three boys, three girls, and then from there you do a medley at the um at the ceremony, and you also do an audition in front of judges, and from there is who they decide go uh who goes to the Jimmies. So it's like a little different now. The performance doesn't matter as much as that audition.

[19:29] peter dessert: Um yeah.

[19:31] mackenzie crawford: Yeah, so mine works pretty similarly. Like I said, I've this is not something that I've done before, so I didn't really know how it was gonna work. So knowing that our school was registered for the Jimmy Awards, and it had been something that I was really passionate about, um kind of wanting to pursue or really interested in seeing what the opportunity could, I don't know, potentially just how it would all work out. Um but the thing about um registering is that you have to have judges come to watch your show and they adjudicate your performances. So my school we had three performances, and we didn't know which ones the judges were gonna be at. So for me personally, it was not knowing what performances the judges were gonna be in the audience, so making sure that I was giving my all every single time, which I think really helped kind of take my mind off of the fact that there were judges in the audience, just because at the end of the day, like whether they are or they aren't, you owe the audience as well as yourself and your castmates the best performance that you can give.

Um, so I think that that kind of it was in the back of my mind of just knowing that there's a potential that they could be watching, but you also have an entire theater watching you, which I think you owe the same performance to.

[20:36] peter dessert: Um, so I think that that kind of helped separate my mind a little bit and keep me grounded. Um, but the same thing that Peter said is our rate our regional awards program works pretty similarly to that, um, which I was I didn't know um until I kind of got into the whole process of it and was nominated. But so you you perform in your show, you get adjudicated, you get nominated as a lead performer, and then the way that our rap works is you enter into either the triple threat track, which is where the nominees are picked to go to the Jimmy Awards, or there's another track that you can take um because they hold like a Broadway intensive kind of camp that you can get a scholarship to and go to instead. So people have the opportunity to take the Jimmy track or to take that camp scholarship track, which I think is also something super cool. Um, but like Peter's, we all kind of audition with a piece from our musical and then a separate piece.

[21:40] peter dessert: And then we all get together and we perform character medlies and that triple threat medley, and then from that they choose the female and the male representative.

[21:51] mackenzie crawford: That is so freaking cool. Learning about this is it's crazy. Like I went to well, I ended up going to like high school in New York and at like a performing arts school. And like we didn't do any of this stuff. So it's crazy that like, you know, Iowa and Missouri, like it's awesome that uh these like smaller states are are getting represented uh in such a beautiful way here in New York, and just to show like you know, that's what's beautiful about Broadway is just the diverse backgrounds of everybody that's on Broadway. Like literally everyone's coming out of different places of the world, and it truly is like, you know, the best of the best, you know, getting to perform. Um it's awesome. Congratulations to both of you. I mean, it it's such an awesome uh journey.

[22:38] peter dessert: Yeah, yeah, of course.

[22:40] Eli Tokash: Um fascinating. I can't believe they do like an audition and stuff too. And also it's it's great to hear like the whole Jimmy experience really seems like the the coolest thing for for me as like an outsider hearing about it is it really feels like it's preparing you for the industry and not just like coaching you for a performance, you know, not knowing when the judges are there, you know. That's a lot like the preview process on Broadway or the opening night process and lead to you know Tony voters or something like that. Um so it's very interesting to to kind of hear how the whole thing is set up and how strategically it is. Um it's it's pretty cool.

[23:21] mackenzie crawford: Um sorry, I'm like fanboying over the Jimmies.

[23:24] Eli Tokash: Um shout out Van Kaplan and Keisha.

[23:26] mackenzie crawford: Um so uh yeah, so you guys so obviously McKenzie, I heard that you went to New York. Peter, was this your first time in New York or did you been?

[23:35] peter dessert: It was not. I I went for the first time in April, actually. So I hadn't ever really seen a Broadway show until April, which was awesome.

[23:44] mackenzie crawford: Oh, you're kidding.

[23:45] peter dessert: Yeah, my grandma's a director at well, she she's like the executive director at the Omaha Playhouse. It's like uh it's like the biggest community theater in the country, and she loves theater, and she took me and my sister and my mom to New York, and we saw like a bunch of shows, and that's like pretty much all we did, and it was just a blast.

[24:02] Eli Tokash: Okay. Was that because you knew that like, oh, the Jimmies were coming?

[24:08] peter dessert: No.

[24:09] Eli Tokash: Oh wow.

[24:09] peter dessert: We we hadn't found out our nominations yet, so it was just because I guess I enjoyed theater and I was going to school for it the next year. She felt like it was good timing.

[24:18] Eli Tokash: Oh, that's awesome.

[24:19] Eli Tokash: Yeah. What show did you see? Anything good?

[24:21] peter dessert: Ooh, I saw I saw eight shows.

[24:23] Eli Tokash: What?

[24:24] peter dessert: I saw I know, I know. I saw Spam a lot to begin, and then I saw Sweeney Todd, Water for Elephants, Days of Wine and Roses, Closing Night, which was incredible. That's that was like the greatest show I've ever seen. And then I saw.

[24:39] mackenzie crawford: Oh man.

[24:40] peter dessert: I saw the notebook, I saw appropriate.

[24:42] mackenzie crawford: Nice.

[24:43] peter dessert: And then I'm missing one. Yeah, it was it was crazy. I mean you really popped off too.

[24:46] Eli Tokash: You saw like the good ones, right? Good for you.

[24:50] peter dessert: Yeah, it was crazy.

[24:53] Eli Tokash: Isn't it like when going to a Broadway show, and you can now both speak on this, obviously, because I know both of you have seen Broadway shows. It's something different about it, right? Like musical theater is musical theater, and there's always stories and everything. And I always say like regional theaters are just as incredible of what they're doing. But when you come to Broadway, the difference is like money, and it's a lot of money. Um, so like they can really wow audiences. Like, what is it about Broadway to you guys that kind of just is so special and and and kind of just re I guess ignites the like kid inside of you with like the theater loving kid that just like wants to run up on stage and like perform with them or something.

[25:34] mackenzie crawford: Yeah, I mean, I'll go. Uh wow. I mean, like I said, um, seeing that first Broadway show when I was really young was kind of the first step of this journey and the first thing that made me really feel like I kind of knew what I wanted to do with my life and felt like that was my purpose and that was my path. Um, and I mean, like you said, regional theaters and Broadway are equally as incredible and put on such incredible shows with such talented performers. Um, but I think the thing, like you said, that kind of sets it apart is just the fact that like that's the end goal. You know what I mean? And maybe it's not just the fact that it's on Broadway and it's in that theater, but it's just the fact that like you know that you put in so much hard work and you've it's the way that I think about it is just every time that I'm in a Broadway theater and I'm seeing those people perform, not only are they incredibly talented and like so driven and dedicated to their roles, but it's just the fact that you know that they had to work really, really hard to be there, and I think that that's something that sometimes goes unnoticed of just like that if you're talented enough, you'll just automatically book a role.

And I think something that's really important to kind of take a step back and understand is that it's such a competitive industry and it is so competitive, you know. And so I think that the biggest thing for me is just being in that audience and seeing not only how talented those performers are, but how hard they definitely had to work to get that spot and to keep that spot.

[27:09] peter dessert: Absolutely.

[27:09] Eli Tokash: Peter, do you want to add anything to that?

[27:11] peter dessert: Yeah, I mean, 100%. I think what McKenzie said about talent is super insightful. Like, I think a lot of the times people are like, oh, you either got it or you don't, especially with like singing and stuff.

[27:22] mackenzie crawford: Yeah.

[27:22] peter dessert: And it's like maybe yes, you start out with a certain skill set, but man, like there's a lot of moving pieces and work that does go into it. Um, and I think that what what McKenzie said was each of them is like a testament to that.

[27:39] Eli Tokash: Like you, we did some QA's with some Broadway people, and it was like, man, some of them just had to work for so long to really get that shot.

[27:46] mackenzie crawford: Yeah.

[27:47] Eli Tokash: Um, and it's tough. I mean, you gotta admit maybe you have to work like two jobs while you're auditioning, and it's just you're just trying to make it work. Um, so I think, yeah, what watching those performers like knowing how much they put into it is really cool.

[28:00] peter dessert: Absolutely. It's something interesting that you said that kind of I guess reminded me of like something that I heard or something that was told to me where it's like this industry, uh, everyone's working so hard, you know, like and everyone's working in equal amount in different ways, um, focusing on different skills or whatever it may be, but everyone also gets their time, their time to shine. And like, although something right now may not be good and you have to find something to make ends meet, uh, whether it's a job or whether it's a gig or just like playing at a bar, you know, to like get through rent or whatever it is, you know, that eventually your time will come and there is a place for you somewhere eventually. It's just like you have to be patient, even though it sucks.

[28:50] mackenzie crawford: Like Dim. So um, I love that you said that and um, you know, it it's all about timing and I it is a competition, but uh, heading back to what Mackenzie said, but uh what I loved about seeing your guys' Jimmy's performance, so I wanted to have you both on because you were in the same group and you could just tell within your group, although y'all were competing against each other, I don't even like to use that word, but y'all were performing with each other. It was no longer this is an individual thing, it was let me find a way to enhance and support the whoever's getting the main focus right now. And that was very evident, especially with your guys' group, um, and Damson as well, who ended up winning.

Um, he was a part of it. And so I'm curious, you know, was that something that was talked about um, as far as, you know, this isn't a competition, we have to support each other, we have to make sure that uh, you know, everyone gets their moment to shine. Um, and then how do you uh as performers, you know, really actually take that advice and be like, hey, I do have to let someone shine right now.

[30:05] peter dessert: Okay. Um, I mean, I don't really think it was a conversation that needed to be had because I think we all kind of just I don't know, it's just our group, especially. I we just had so much fun because we just we were all like best friends. We loved performing with each other, and we had a blast. The conversation of needing to like, hey, you need to take a step back and let this person have their moment. I don't think it really ever needed to be had just because we kind of as performers can feel um and we know just that like you get your time to shine. You know what I mean? Like it is your job in that moment to enhance their story and to let them take the lead and to be there in support.

[30:57] mackenzie crawford: It's like I don't know how to explain it. It's just the way that I see it, whether you're the person singing the solo in the front of the stage with everyone's attention on you, you have the same responsibility back in the ensemble singing the background vocals and helping that person to feel like they're supported and they have people behind them that want them to succeed, that want them to do well. I mean, the biggest thing that I can remember is just us being backstage, jumping up and down, hugging each other, so excited to go on stage. You're like, let's do this, let's have so much fun. So, like you said, I mean, it just never really felt like a competition or like we were competing against each other because we all just had a blast performing with each other, and it was such an incredible opportunity.

[31:36] peter dessert: Yeah, I mean, um, with the competition thing, I think maybe at the beginning, I kind of came in with like the mindset of like, oh, I want to win this, blah blah blah. I was uh and obviously you want to do your best and you want to like have that competition aspect, but then I think we hit the preliminary coaching, and uh Damson was in my coaching group, and I was front row, and he sang Javert's suicide for his prelims song and it like melted my face off, and I was like, oh crap. I was like, I don't think I'm winning this anymore. And then from there, it was just kind of like you kind of let it go in a way, and it becomes more about like more about like making yourself proud of your own performance and like and like really maybe doing the song justice and things like that.

[32:24] mackenzie crawford: Um, and I think by the time that we got to the performance, they had helped us so much with like the mental thing. Like we had this we had this um lady, um, her name was Get Fit with Nick. That's like her tag on Instagram. And every morning we would do like like movement to get um like our bodies moving, and then we'd also do like like a form of yoga where you kind of lay on the floor and she'd like she'd like talk to you, and it was it was really cool for like the mental side of things because I think that's sometimes like a neglected side, it's like is like how are you like locked in mentally and like um how does that translate to your performance? And I feel like they really helped us with a lot of that, which was really cool, and um by the time we got to the performance, it was like I I wasn't even really worried about it, you know. You you maybe you maybe still want those things, but it's not like you're like relying on that to like make you happy anymore, you know.

[33:13] peter dessert: Um, just getting out there and performing. I was like, I don't I can I can probably maybe speak for Mackenzie too. Like we were just kind of like, let's just leave it all out there. Cause like the nice thing was finalists had already been decided before the actual performance, so it's not like that was really going to make or break you for finalist, which was nice because then you could kind of just let go.

[33:35] mackenzie crawford: Right.

[33:35] peter dessert: Um, yeah.

[33:37] mackenzie crawford: It was less stressful for sure.

[33:38] Eli Tokash: So all of this is kind of predetermined prior to the performance. It's not like uh, okay, after the opening number, I have to see if I'm gonna be in the group sta or the character stage. Is that is that right?

[33:51] peter dessert: Oh, that'd be crazy.

[33:52] mackenzie crawford: Yeah.

[33:54] peter dessert: Yeah, I mean, yeah, we found out whether w whether or not we were in the character medleys um like the Wednesday before the um performance, and then we out of that character group, we auditioned again and they determined finalists from that um so it was already like set before we ever performed. The winner's not set.

[34:14] mackenzie crawford: Right.

[34:15] peter dessert: The winner is based on like the performance at the Jimmy Awards, but the finalists and the medleys had already been set, which was not see that's so interesting, and you guys are talking about like auditioning and everything, I guess for each stage. Um, it's gotta be so weird for them to just like ask to cast and not like for a roll. Um, but hey, that it's fascinating to to hear the process and w whatever they're doing is clearly working. Um, so like you know, as this thing as this program, you know, it continues to get bigger and bigger and it has all this social media following and y you have uh w I don't even know, like probably three thousand people in that Minskoff Theater. That Minskoff Theater's huge.

Um, and then you've got another 20,000 watching on the live stream at home um while it's going on. Like, did did any of that phase y'all? Like, I I don't know how big your like high school theater is where you were performing your show, but I I can assume that 23,000 it didn't have 23,000 kids. I don't know. What was that experience like for y'all?

[35:20] mackenzie crawford: Yeah, you can go okay.

[35:22] peter dessert: Go kid.

[35:22] mackenzie crawford: Um, I don't think that like the number of people really phased me. It was more like who those people were, if you know what I'm saying. Like we had kind of talked about uh a big thing about the Jimmies that like people really strive for is the fact that it's so much exposure to like maybe casting agents, directors, even like some choreographers, things like that. Those are some of the people that are watching you or that are judging you. So it's like I don't think sorry about that.

[35:54] peter dessert: Yeah, you're good.

[35:54] mackenzie crawford: Um, so it's like knowing that like Andrew Barth Feldman was in that audience was more nerve-wracking than the fact that it was just 23,000 random people.

[36:04] peter dessert: Yeah, you know, even if it was like a solo concert for him, I think I would have been more nervous than just 23,000 random people.

[36:15] mackenzie crawford: I do.

[36:16] peter dessert: Oh, I didn't even notice that's a lot.

[36:18] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[36:18] peter dessert: You got the Evan Polo on today.

[36:18] mackenzie crawford: I I'm not, I'm I swear I'm not trying to um I saw a really funny comment. Somebody was like, somebody's like, someone's trying uh he's trying to jack Andrew Barth Feldman's stees, which is like a bunch of slang that I never thought was used in the same sentence as Andrew Barth Feldman.

[36:36] peter dessert: Yeah, what I swear I'm not. This is my favorite polo.

[36:39] Eli Tokash: No, you look great, bud. I mean, I'm just it was it was funny. Uh McKenzie, how about you? Did you have any? I don't know, like not stage fright, but like the audience uh with the number and all that.

[36:50] mackenzie crawford: Yeah, I mean, like Peter said, it wasn't too much about the number per se, but just who was in the audience. Um, but on the flip side of things, kind of like I said earlier, it's just like no matter who's in the audience. I think you always strive as a performer to give it your all, not only for like the audience, but for yourself. Um that was something for me. It's just like obviously the number and the important people in the audience can get into your head, but the thing that helps is that you can't like really see anyone in the audience. So if I didn't see what the theater looked like before and how many rows there were in the balcony, I wouldn't know if it was five or if it was like a hundred.

You know what I mean? So my biggest thing is just it wasn't really about the numbers. It was just about I don't know. I just wanted to to make myself proud and feel like I did my best. So I feel like the numbers wasn't as scary, but it was still kind of intimidating.

[37:43] Eli Tokash: Yeah, I know, sure. I mean, hey, it it's human nature to be, you know, you you just put the pressure on yourself because of your desire to to do well and do well for yourself. Um I I also wanted to ask, you know, the Lion King stage is like slanted. Is that hard to like perform on?

[38:00] peter dessert: They have like a it's like a it's called a rake. So like the stage was flat when you performed on it, but when we were doing our closer, there's like a rectangular section of it that raises.

[38:15] mackenzie crawford: Yeah.

[38:16] peter dessert: And then it goes back down.

[38:17] mackenzie crawford: That's crazy.

[38:18] peter dessert: It was like it wasn't as steep, but it was definitely steep. Like I didn't think that I was like gonna be able to feel it, but you're still like running down in heels to the bottom of the stage.

[38:30] mackenzie crawford: And you got a hundred people in front of you.

[38:31] peter dessert: It was it was a little scary, but it was it wasn't too hard. I mean, hey, I mean it I can't even walk with like tennis shoes, let alone heels, and then on a sled, you know, like I'm all over the place.

[38:42] Eli Tokash: All right, but that's fascinating. Well, listen, uh Peter, you you talked about Andrew and you know, with him in the audience. I I I've gotta ask you what it was like to perform I Love Betsy. I mean, first of all, you're freaking crazy for singing it, but like that just the huge props to you for doing that, and uh, you know, obviously that his I guess rendition of it uh continues to go viral just randomly and it just resurfaces on the internet all the time. So you know, what was that whole process like? I saw a video that you saw that video and like were like dead set on doing it, but uh you know, what when it came down to the day, what was going through your head and and uh I guess talk to me about performing that song. Did you choose that or did they give it to you? What was just the whole process?

[39:32] peter dessert: Yeah, so I I would say like two years ago, like two summers ago, um, my friend showed me that video and he sent it to me and he was like, He's like, Oh, this guy reminds me of you. And I was like, Oh, sick song. I was like, Oh, this is a great song. And then I sang it for like an audition that winter, and then I just kind of kept singing it, like over and over again. Like if I was ever at like a new um place to audition, I would just use that song. And then I did it at Kansas Thespians Festival for my Thespi, like last year, and then I did it for every single college audition of this year, uh every single pre-screen. So it was like when I got to the point where um I was like a finalist at my regional awards program, um, and they were like they were like, oh, what song?

Or or we had to pick four songs, right? We had like an up tempo, um, a ballad, and then two backups for like each of those. And then so we had to pick four songs, and I was like, that's my number one. I sang it for them, and they were like, that's great. Um, and then I had some other songs as well. But that one was kind of always at the forefront of my mind. And then I mean, it was just kind of a no brainer. I just sang it so much and like it I I it felt like a song that I really connected to rather than maybe something that I just learned or like just found out about. Um it felt like something that I knew and I knew well, which they said was like a really important thing to bring to the Jimmies.

So then I I did have the option to switch it once I got to the Jimmies. I could have done that or Heartbreaker from Bright Star. Oh, another song that I really love, but it was it was just kind of like a gut feeling and like I felt like I could really show them who I was with that song, and I'm like, I'm really glad that I did it. Obviously it comes with some pressure and some comparisons, but like obviously, and I I kinda knew that when I signed up with that song.

[41:26] peter dessert: But I'm really glad that I did it because I think the goal wasn't to make it like different than Andrew Barth Feldman's, but it was just to do it in the way that I felt really portrayed one what I wanted to portray.

[41:41] peter dessert: And then I mean someone told me I out I I found out I was gonna be a finalist, and then like I went backstage and someone told me, Oh, he's in the fourth row on the left. No. And I was like, crap, tell me that. So then I came out and I was like, you know, you kinda walk up and I look like straight at and I was like, crap, that's Andrew Barth Feldman. And then like it that first little part where like I'm dancing, it was really, really nerve-wracking. Just because I knew exactly where he was.

[42:10] peter dessert: Yeah. And like the fact that he was really there. But I mean it just kind of all faded away once I started singing. And um, like I don't think I've ever had more fun on like a stage ever than singing that song. It's kinda cool because you can use that in the song. Like the song, like if you're nervous in real life and you like actually show it, like it's like no biggie, you know, like it kind of works.

[42:36] peter dessert: No biggie at all. Yeah. That that's kind of to be cool. That's it. Definitely not. But I will say, you know, your first song, I mean, like, you were very impressive. I came on here last week, because I do this like uh episode every week and did like a Jimmy recap, and I like just kept rambling about on about you. I was like, this guy, he's doing it all. He's the cool guy, and then he's like a little bit more like dorky, you know, like it's great, and and it's great that you can.

[43:05] peter dessert: I mean, I'm a sucker for character actors, and I don't want to like put you in like uh uh umbrella or whatever, but like no, it's okay. I mean, next Chris Fitzgerald over here, you know, like it's awesome. Whoa, yeah, I know seriously. It it's awesome. I would like die to see you sing uh never getting rid of me waitress, you know. Like those are just like fun, you know, fun songs.

[43:31] peter dessert: Yeah, it's it's great. And then of course you can do the um the cool guy, loving my baby, you know, like it's great, it's awesome to see. You crushed it. And McKenzie, obviously you too, um, with uh with your performance, I don't want to show off. You crushed it. Then you like um y you had your little feature in the the opening number and like all of the it's hilarious because the first you know opening number, the curtain comes up and there's something so cool to see a girl in the back like and like I don't mean like I don't know like I don't want to say anything like upsetting or whatever but it was so cool to see you featured my eyes went right to you and you were taller than everyone and it was so freaking cool.

[44:21] peter dessert: So like what what has this journey been like for you because I know you you had this TikTok video that I just saw that you post on your Instagram or I guess your Instagram story um about being like a tall girl in this industry and you know we don't see that like all of the girls in our industry are so short all of these adults in our industry that are short play like 14 year olds it like our industry doesn't make sense and so like I'm curious to know like what is what's been your journey and uh just that whole process and kind of allowing yourself to give take up that sort of space and that role in our industry.

[45:02] mackenzie crawford: Yeah absolutely um so like I said I kind of always had a passion for performing growing up but I also had a really big passion for sports so not only was I doing all of those performing things but I was also playing four different four different sports like basketball, volleyball, softball, running track like all of that stuff. And I loved both of them pretty equally I did go to that Broadway show when I was like 11 ish and I was like okay that's what I want to do with the rest of my life and I kind of always knew that and had that in the back of my mind as I went through life.

[45:33] mackenzie crawford: And then in high school, I still followed both pretty equally. I was really heavily involved in our music and our theater department. And then also was varsity volleyball captain, was playing lots of sports, doing everything on the other side too. And then I mean, like I said in that video, it's you have that dream in the back of your head, but you also, like, as a tall person, you're always asked, like, oh, do you play sports? Do you play basketball? It's never no one, no one's gonna come up to you like you look like someone that's in musical theater and that can sing. You know what I mean?

[46:03] mackenzie crawford: So kind of that on top of just feeling like um, I don't know, there's always expectations and um the stereotype that tall people kind of are just meant to play sports, and that's just what they do, you know, and that's what you're always asked. Um, so I kind of did feel very pressured just from those expectations from other people, and there were a lot of times where I was told that I took up too much space, that I would never fit into any of the characters, and that I just couldn't be successful because of my height, and obviously that gets you when you're growing up and you're kind of figuring out your path and how you're gonna do this life, and the industry is already so competitive that people who look exactly like the character that are blonde, five foot two Glinda's that would be absolutely perfect for the role, have a hard enough time booking it on their own, even when they do look exactly like that character and what agents they're looking for.

[46:59] mackenzie crawford: So I was like, how could someone that's like six foot three, that it would be taller than every single person in the cast, that would draw too much attention, would ever get booked, you know what I mean? And the same thing happened when I was in show choir at my high school. Um there was I would be, you know, like I would be blocked on stage. I was in the front row, and they couldn't put a row behind me because no one else would be seen. Um, and yeah, I mean, you get a lot of comments about like, oh, well, no one's gonna be able to see me. Oh, why are you in the front? No one's like, you're taking too much space, everyone's always looking at you.

[47:35] mackenzie crawford: And it's always like, oh, well, maybe I'm not supposed to be on here then, and I just need to do something else. So that got into the back of my mind, and then I got really deep into the college volleyball recruitment process, and I kind of had it in my mind that musical theater wasn't for me, it would never happen. So I had to play sports like everyone else like always told me I should, or that I like that's what I was supposed to do. Um, and then I did, like I said in that video, got to go to Kristen Chenoweth's Broadway Boot Camp that she hosts in Oklahoma.

[48:03] mackenzie crawford: Um, and I've actually gone the past two summers, and I'm going again this summer, which is really cool. Um, but she is an incredible human being, has given me such incredible opportunities. Um, I actually got to go out to Nashville and sing with her at the Grand Ole Opry, which was so incredible. But she awesome. Like she's she's such an amazing person, and she's given opportunities to all the kids at her camp as well that have come to sing with her on tours.

[48:28] mackenzie crawford: But her and Kenny Ortega kind of I voiced to them that um in one of my interviews that I just I felt like I would never be successful because my height would automatically just define my success, and I could never have my dream come true, I guess. And they kind of told me and explained to me that like something that never like was put into perspective for me is the flip side of things, is that having attention drawn to you or taking up space is not always a bad thing, and especially when it comes to performance, like sometimes having those attributes that set you apart is not a bad thing and can be things that make you stand out and stand out in a good way.

[49:09] mackenzie crawford: Um, so then that kind of rewired my brain. I got deep into the college edition process, was entering into musical theater competitions and everything like that. Again, got into my high school musical and regional awards program. Um I got into my dream school for musical theater, uh, the University of Michigan, which was something that again is a dream come true. And two years ago, never thought that I would be going there for musical theater, maybe volleyball, but not musical theater.

[49:35] mackenzie crawford: Um, but I mean, it's just I after posting that video and after seeing the comments on the videos from the Jimmy Awards of oh, the tall girl in the red dress, oh, the tall girl in the back. Like, I love seeing tall girls in theater. Like you said, I don't think that there's a lot of representation. I mean, growing up, you don't see like I didn't see really anyone of my height or my stature on stage or at those Broadway theaters when I was seeing those shows.

[50:00] mackenzie crawford: And it was a little disheartening of knowing that, like, in an already competitive industry, I was coming in, I guess, with what I had in my mind was I don't know, just like not a good thing. Uh, but I don't know. I mean, I trust that everything kind of will work out exactly as it's supposed to, and I uh have a very strong um spiritual relationship, and I've I'm very deep in my faith, and I trust that um I was given these attributes and given an audience or opportunities to kind of serve as I guess a vessel or an inspiration to just um give hope to people that never really felt like they could do it, whether it's they're tall girls in theater or whether they're just someone that looks different and isn't necessarily um the kind of ingenue that is in their desired field.

[50:57] mackenzie crawford: Um, but I guess long story short, I've been talking for a long time, but it's just um it's an incredible opportunity um to be able to be seen as an inspiration for people that um never got to see tall girls in theaters. So being that for someone else is more of a dream come true than anything else could come in the future.

[51:18] peter dessert: Absolutely. You're like the female version of Troy Bolton over here. We're gonna like get like a hammer and brink musical or something. We'll have to get you shooting basketball on Broadway or something. It's awesome.

[51:31] peter dessert: Uh I love it. It's great. It's great to have the the interests and and I don't know, the other things, you know, to make you a well-rounded human being. I always say, like, I try not to let performing, you know, control my life, even though here we are.

[51:47] mackenzie crawford: Um but that's okay. We're chilling. We're we're still loving it.

[51:52] Eli Tokash: Um so uh McKenzie with you the whole um auditioning for each stage and everything like that, as Peter kind of alluded to earlier. Did you kind of have a plan uh for like what your song would be if you were gonna sing?

[52:12] mackenzie crawford: Yeah, so I was kind of laughing when theater was uh when Peter was talking about it because I was kind of on the opposite side. I mean, I went in because we auditioned for the first round on Monday, and that was like the first kind of it was like the second day that we were there, and that's how you get placed into either the character medleys or the feature group.

[52:31] mackenzie crawford: Um, and with that audition, you sing a piece from your musical, and then you sing another song of your choice. So I sang Show Off from the Jazzy Chaperone, and then I also sang With You from Ghost, which was the song that the winner sang last year, and four other girls sang the same audition song. So then once I was placed into a character medley, um, there were still three other girls that were singing the same song, which honestly I know that like that wasn't really a thing in the back of my mind because I know that every single red edition of it is gonna be so different, and each performer brings such a uniqueness to that performance.

[53:04] mackenzie crawford: Um it wasn't really that I was worried that we were all singing the same song. I know that that was kind of a thing that was going on with the guys too in the character medleys in those second auditions. But I I don't know, I kind of I had a gut feeling, kind of in the same way that Peter did, of just like I need to sing something else, and that I feel like they've already seen me sing this, and I kind of it was the best performance that I think I could have given for that song.

[53:28] mackenzie crawford: So I feel like going in to sing it a second time, I wouldn't have given it as much justice or feel like I did it as well as I did the first time. And I also kind of even before those original auditions, I was like, oh, should I change my song? I don't know. Um, so I ended up changing it to uh The Winner Takes It All from Mama Mia.

[53:46] mackenzie crawford: And originally I had a cut that was like 45 seconds, it was really, really short, and then listening to everyone else run through their second audition like cuts, and they were all like two minutes and 30 seconds. I was like, okay, well, what is going on? Because I feel like I don't know, I feel like I'm kind of cutting myself short a little bit.

[54:07] mackenzie crawford: So then I talked to the directors, and and Jeffrey wrote me an incredible cut um that I felt like did the song more justice, and that gave me more room to tell a story and to deep dive into the character and what she's trying to communicate, I guess.

[54:26] mackenzie crawford: So that was a whole thing with the audition cuts. I changed my song um two days before the auditions, and then I changed my cut the day like six hours before.

[54:40] mackenzie crawford: Um so I was I was I was going through the cut. I was I was analyzing the new lyrics and and going through the lyrics and make sure that I memorized them. But also like at the end of the day, I think I was more focused on remembering the lyrics that I forgot that there was an entire room full of judges and casting directors watching me, which I think kind of relieved the pressure a little bit from that point.

[55:03] mackenzie crawford: Um but I at the end of the day I think that I had that gut feeling for a reason, and I felt like I gave the best performance that I could, and I could not be prouder of what I was able to do with the with the whole fiasco that went that went on.

[55:19] Eli Tokash: Hey, that's great. It's a good learning experience. That's what this whole process is for. So this whole process is just like so fascinating, and it's so fast. Like you have to fit all of this into a week, and y'all are you know, rehearsing at Juilliard, which is like casual or whatever, and that's cool and all, but um just uh, you know, every day sort of thing for you guys, I guess. Um so I you know, is that like with how fast it is with the the cuts and the the medleys and the the arrangements and everything that y'all have to learn in such a short amount of time? Like that's gotta be kinda crazy to just wrap your head around and and kinda just are you going home after rehearsals and then rehear continuing the rehearsal process in like your room?

Like, what is that whole process like and you know, or I guess what was the most rigorous or challenging or um I guess biggest learning process uh or big biggest learning moment of the process for you guys. I think that makes sense. Peter, we'll let you start.

[56:32] peter dessert: Um as far as like um the regul the rig the rigorous nature of the Jimmies, um I think I was I was like kinda I guess messing around the first couple days and like I kinda killed my voice just from talking so much. So then I after like the second day, I was like, crap, I have this prelim audition, and I just went on total vocal rest. Like I didn't really talk for like two days, and then I did my prelim audition, and then the next day or like two days later, we found out what medleys were, and from there I was just kinda dialed. Right? We'd get done with rehearsals at like 8:30, and I'd be like in bed by like 9:15. Wow. And then I was waking up with the sun in the morning, and then me and my friend Jonah and um he he played uh Crybaby.

He was like he was like the uh the other Elvis guy. Uh-huh. And then also my friend Christian Strong, he was Shrek. All the three of us would always go down to um the cafeteria at like 6:15 or 6:30, and we would just kind of run over stuff like by ourselves. But it was nice to have like other people there, and then we'd be like the first ones in line for breakfast. And I I don't know, I feel like having that mentality of like trying, at least trying to be like the first one down and like and like always being a little bit early and being a little bit more ready, um, really helps like the mental side of it. You're like, oh, then I'm prepared. You're like, it but if you just go back to your room at night and like you know, you chill on your phone, and like talking to your friends is great, and I would still talk to my friends sometimes because like it's good to stay grounded and like the remember all that, but I feel like really just staying focused on like what you're there to do is very important, and like it's easy to lose track of sometimes because there's so much going on because you have all these new friends, but really keeping in mind what you have to do while still cultivating those social interactions is like a really difficult thing to balance for sure.

And I kind of learned my lesson those first couple days. Um yeah, I did tons of vocal rest, man. And I had this thing called a nebula, yeah. Awesome. Um I mean, you should have seen it the last couple of days of the Jimmies, everyone was just like well, there were like a couple of us who were just like silent, and we like I would talk with just my consonants, so I wouldn't put any air through. So it was like it was weird, but it was a great learning experience on like how to conserve your voice and like and like how to talk in like a healthy way, if you know what I'm saying. It was interesting. Like, I still have a lot to learn, clearly.

[59:07] Eli Tokash: Yeah, you that's all you continue to do for sure. Always something to learn. McKenzie, what was your experience through this rigorous process?

[59:15] mackenzie crawford: Yeah, I mean, like Peter said, there's a lot um that goes into you can hear it right now, but vocal health. Um I and a lot of people were not used to what the rehearsal schedule kind of looked like, because on the flip side of things, they're also trying to emulate what a Broadway rehearsal kind of situation looks like, I guess. So we were rehearsing from like eight to eight every single day, so 12 hours of rehearsal that I was not used to at all. Um, so I mean, like, I I don't know. It was that was something that definitely was a big change and a big learning experience for me. Um, I think like everyone, when you're audition, when you're, oh gosh, I mean, like, it's really easy um to lose your voice and to feel vocally fatigued when you're rehearsing for 12 hours for 12 days.

Um, so I think that my biggest thing is I've never really been put in, I guess, an environment that requires so much of you in every single aspect, so vocally, mentally, emotionally, and being around such incredible and talented individuals who are now your best friends and you want to talk to, but you also have to stay focused on learning the material and keeping yourself healthy in every single way. That's definitely something that I had to learn throughout the process as well. I mean, I think all of us getting to know each other and talking for all hours of the day, um, those first couple days definitely got to everybody real fast. Um everybody was drinking tea, nebulizing everything the rest of the week after those first auditions, because I think that's when it kind of clicked that we are here for a reason.

Um, and the social aspect is so incredible and so amazing, but we also again have to stay focused on what we're here to do, which I think was such an incredible insight from Peter. Um, like, I don't know. I guess my biggest thing that I learned is just the um the what's it called? The stamina, the vocal stamina, and um how important it is when you're using your voice so often and so much and so full out at times that it's really important to keep yourself healthy vocally and emotionally, mentally and whatever. Um yeah, I mean that was the biggest thing. It's just I was not used to using my voice at all every single day, um, and then using it for 12 hours for 12 days was crazy. Um, so lots lots to learn still.

I will say also, like, a big thing that Van emphasized was like mark, mark, mark, mark. I think I only did maybe two or three full out runs of my medley before the actual ceremony, which is like so different from like what I'm used to, I guess. But when you have like long spread out rehearsal processes, like in a normal show, you can afford to maybe go full out once a day or something because the rest of the day you're not rehearsing. But when you're there, or like maybe when you're in Broadway rehearsals, you have to mark like a lot in order to keep your voice healthy. You can't go full out every run. So that's something that I've really been taking like back with me. Like I'm in, I'm gonna show I'm in SuziCal right now, and I know it's it's but I love SuziCal, and um, like I've been marking a lot more than I normally would pre Jimmy's, and I think that's something that is awesome to learn, and I've been really emphasizing that to like my other castmates and things like that. Like the more you mark, the better you're gonna feel when you actually need to go full out.

[1:03:03] Eli Tokash: So and it's a hard thing to learn, right? Like, I I feel like when I was uh, you know, uh young and like doing my first show or whatever, and was told to mark, I kind of thought, like, you know like no I'm not gonna take the easy way out like I've got it I I'll I'll do it like and meanwhile they're like no it's not the easy way out it's like the smart way like you're not a professional until you mark like that's like really like what was kind of said to me and kind of had to get drilled into my brain where it's like if you're not taking care of yourself you're not y you can't you know do the show at 110% on a nightly basis or you know you can try to do 110% on a nightly basis. That's never gonna happen.

It's very hard. So yeah I mean it it's it's crazy to to kind of hear this whole thing going. So you guys all had like coaches and stuff too so like this kind of brings up another question like was that kind of the most um I guess the best piece of advice that you received throughout the process or is there something else that you know looking back now we're about just over a week uh from it that you that that's something else that you really I guess like stuck with you and that you continue to incorporate into your daily routines as performers. Is there anything that you can think of um I guess I can take this one um I guess it's not like a daily thing but man um my coach for like my my final coach um her name was Mary Ann Hugh she was like um on Broadway's Miss Saigon and stuff or maybe West End I'm not sure but she's awesome.

And she gave me this note. I don't exactly remember what it was, but it was something about like movement. And really just like thinking like, how does your character like how would this person actually move in real life? And like really feeling the music at certain points. And like, gosh, I mean, it just kind of clicked for me. And I had like a blast that coaching session. And I think it helped so much with what ended up being my final song. Like, man, that movement piece was just something that had been missing for me. And I just like wasn't sure what to do with my body. And then she said something, and it all just like kind of fell into place. Because like I feel like if you run something enough times, you might have it down vocally, and you might have like the intention of each like sentence down because you can you can write that down or whatever.

But sometimes with movement, it's tough because you don't want to choreograph something in like a solo song, like in that setting, but you also don't want to go into it like blind. So like I oh, that's right. That's what she said. She was like, don't choreograph anything. Just like maybe have some like movements in mind of like how your character would move, and then just kind of go with the flow. Because it's like at that point you know the material and you know what you're supposed to sing and when. So then it's just like you can kind of maybe focus on that and really like think about each word when you're doing it. So yeah, I guess like preparation and then also just being free with movement was a huge thing that I learned.

[1:06:08] mackenzie crawford: Yeah, so I mean, I got a lot of great insight from both my prelim coaches and my um second audition coaches, but on top of that, they also brought in a lot of um actors and professionals and and casting directors. They brought in a lot of really insightful people to come talk to us while we were at Juilliard and um our time at the Jimmy's. Um, but another thing that really stuck with me was our talk back that we got to do um at MJ the musical after we saw it, um, which was also an incredible opportunity within itself. Um, but kind of getting to watch them perform and be like oh my gosh they're so incredible they're so amazing holy cow are they real and then sitting backstage with them listening to them talk and speaking to them like knowing that they're like real people and they at one time were in our position of high schoolers who had a dream and they're there now was so inspiring within itself but one thing that I remembered specifically that has really stuck with me throughout the whole process and when I came home is that one of the actresses said to do it scared and that was one thing that like you never really think about it but like you do at the same time I feel like in this industry it's so easy to get in your head and to compare yourself and to feel like you're not ready for something or that an opportunity is too big and that you're not there yet you're not prepared and I feel like the biggest thing is you have to stay out of your own way.

And that's something that she really emphasized is that even though you may not feel prepared in a way where like you feel like you're good enough or that you bring enough to the table I think that it's so important to chase those opportunities and to put yourselves in those rooms um even when you are scared and to do it when you're scared because you also have to take a step back and realize that you're given opportunities for a reason and you'll never be put in a place that you're not ready for. You may feel like it but at the end of the day you kind of also have to remember that some things are bigger than you. I mean sometimes the way that I like to think about it is you're placed into rooms and given opportunities for a reason, not necessarily to boost yourself or for your own personal benefit, but to impact other people.

So whether you're in an audition room and one of those judges really needed to see that rendition that you did of that song and you made that impact on them, even though you didn't get that role, you already made that impact. You already made a change in someone's life. Even though you were scared to go into that audition room, even though you didn't feel like you did your best, you still furthered, I guess, not necessarily your career, but furthered musical theater as a craft as a whole. Because at the end of the day, musical theater is meant to impact people and to communicate things that are hard to do with words. And I mean, that's something that I think kind of has stuck with me the most of just her saying to do it scared, because sometimes opportunities in the rooms that you're in are bigger than you, and they're not always for your personal benefit, but to make those impacts on other people because they might just need your performance that day.

[1:09:30] peter dessert: And it's still something that, you know, well, always probably needed to be worked on, at least for myself. But you know, and that's what I loved why you were saying earlier, you know, I was just trying to go in and make myself proud and do my best performance that I could give that day. Like when you said that earlier, I was like, that is so like mature and like of a performer to say. Um, so it's a great way to look at it. And if you can continue to look at it that way, you know, that'll set you up for success. And like anyone who is, you know, listening or whatever, um, that's the best way to, I guess, the mindset to have um going into an audition or performance or whatever it may be. So I totally get what you're saying.

I'm curious, you know, you have this like I said earlier, like the Jimmies just continue to grow and get bigger, and you probably have seen yourselves on social media, or you can see it now like on YouTube and you can watch it back. Have you guys watched it back, or is that like you don't even wanna you don't even want to like revisit it? You just want to move on.

[1:10:43] mackenzie crawford: I mean, yeah, I watch all of it. I've watched the YouTube, I've went back to watch the live stream, I've watched every single TikTok that gets posted or reel on Instagram, I've read through every single comment section, like no way both of you?

[1:11:00] peter dessert: Yes, dude, okay, yeah, you know, you talk and then yeah. I mean, it's not even just in a way of just like, oh, I'm scared, what are people gonna say? It's more of just like I don't know, like I'm it's not in a way where it's like, oh, I want to see myself perform, or like it's kind of both ways of like, oh, I did this, this is what I was watching people do last year, and now that's my face on that screen. How is that real life? Um, but it's just it was such an incredible opportunity, and I think that kind of being able to be home and take a step back and watch those videos back and appreciate how much hard work we all put into those performances and just the blessing of an opportunity it was as a whole, I think is just something so important. But yes, I've watched everything back.

[1:11:45] peter dessert: This is crazy. Yeah, dude. I mean, I've watched it like a million times. Like I just hold up again, like I just I don't know, man. It's just crazy because you know, you like Mackenzie said, you watch these videos for so long and you're like, you're like, holy crap, they're so cool, they're so good.

[1:12:07] mackenzie crawford: Yeah.

[1:12:08] peter dessert: And then like you get a video up there, that is crazy. Like I still I'm like, it still hasn't like registered yet.

[1:12:15] mackenzie crawford: Yeah.

[1:12:16] peter dessert: Like, that's me. Like, that's awesome. And I yeah, like, like I've read through some of the comments too, and like some of them actually have awesome criticisms. And like, obviously you're gonna get just like some people just being negative. And that's like that's totally chill. Because when especially when you do a song like maybe I did, you're gonna draw some comparisons, and some people aren't gonna like the fact that you did that song in the first place. So it's like I get that, and like, yeah, I was kind of prepared for that going into it, but I honestly really like reading those comments because then it's like, you know what, maybe I could have picked another song. Or maybe like, yeah, I was very close to this performance.

But like, I don't know. They kind of warned against that, but I think like I'm pretty secure in like my own performances that like I'm not really worried about that, and then it's also like it's also cool getting like the positive reinforcement. Um, 'cause it's just dope, you know?

[1:13:09] mackenzie crawford: Yeah.

[1:13:10] Eli Tokash: No, I mean, listen, I said it before, I'll say it again, like, I reached out to you two because like y'all were some of my favorite performances of the night. And you know, especially like Peter, I don't know how you are I just think way too much when I perform I get my own head. Um and that's something that I did like post puberty. I don't know where it came from. I don't know why it's like here, but it's just like the new voice and everything. But uh, you know, for you to like go out there and do that song, like to me, made me respect you like a little bit more. Like, you know, like so there's that side of it too where it's like okay, you may draw the comparisons, but you're also like voluntarily like replacing someone in a show that you're like not replacing.

Um so like you you're you you just have the like the it gives you extra confidence and like you know it just seems like I don't know, I just gained a lot of respect of the move, and I I don't know how you did it, but I I and I think that's why I respect it. Um but you also like went out there and you crushed it, and you didn't do a carbon copy of Andrew, you know, you made it your own, and you had I like in my parts, like you had a stronger moment before. Like if like there was all of these things that like you did, and Andrew, uh you know I love you, so it's okay. Um I'm not saying anything against you or your performance. You're obviously a massive success. So um, you know, uh but Peter, yeah, like you crushed it and you you went out there and you just said, you know, this is my song and this is this is how I'm feeling, and you connected to it and you did everything that you know you s you said you would do. Props to you.

[1:15:01] peter dessert: Thank you. And I I will say also, like, someone told me this at my regional awards program. They were like, I was talking about, oh, but I I what if I don't want to do Betsy because Andrew Brothers already did it and like everyone already knows that, and like the most famous Jimmy's performance ever. And then they were like, the judges don't they probably don't know that. Like most of these judges aren't like maybe as obsessed with the Jimmies as like a lot of us high schoolers are. So like while I might think of that performance as like, oh my goodness, like crazy, that's the Jimmies right there. But they might just think of the Jimmies as like maybe they've seen a couple clips and they were invited to do this because they're big in Broadway, and it's like they haven't watched that a million times. Maybe they've seen it, but they're not like keeping that in mind when I open my mouth and start singing I Love Betsy.

[1:15:50] mackenzie crawford: Right.

[1:15:50] peter dessert: You know, so that was a big thing for me. I think if it was like high school judges and they all knew about like the significance of it, then it would be different. But I don't think it was like as bold in the judging sense, but maybe it's like the full audience sense.

[1:16:05] mackenzie crawford: It was, well, yeah, a hundred percent. And I think that the nature of our industry is that especially like for guys, as you know, a lot of us have different ranges, um, but we also like you mentioned, they told you like if you're comfortable with that song, like as guys, and like especially at your age, especially, I'm a little bit like older than like I've went through puberty longer than you have, I'm sure. Um, but like, you know, our voice is changing every day. Like, we have to pick a song that we are secure in and that like we can pretty much like sing in our sleep. I'm still finding that song. So the fact that you found that song is like, you know, props to you, and you gotta stick it out there, and and you went out there on a Broadway stage and you sang it and you crushed it, and uh your finalist, like, you know, good for you. And uh, you know, it's I think it's really important and really cool to see. And like, I think uh another thing that most people don't know is that I did take it down two steps.

[1:17:12] mackenzie crawford: Really?

[1:17:13] peter dessert: Like, it's not in the original key at all. Like, it's down because like right now I don't really have that tenor range, like I'm really working on it. But it's insane. Right now, I'm in more of that berry range, but I it was crazy because I don't think anyone noticed.

[1:17:28] mackenzie crawford: No.

[1:17:29] peter dessert: I expected like half the comments to be like, Whoa, why did he take it down? Like blah blah blah. But like I haven't seen a single one. I don't know, like I don't know. It that's just crazy to me because I did take it down so much.

[1:17:43] mackenzie crawford: I think people are starting to normalize it.

[1:17:46] peter dessert: Are starting to normalize this whole thing, yes, me too, brother.

[1:17:51] mackenzie crawford: Me too, because Ben Platt screwed us all.

[1:17:54] peter dessert: Am I right? Like, this is crazy. He came out and started wailing on a stage, and I'm like, well, yeah. And there's like there's some songs you just can't do it with. You can't do it with Santa Fe, you know, you can't do it like my Petersburg. None of those like iconic A's. But most people don't know that I love Betsy's like an A. And they don't really know like the range. So it's it's I thought it was kind of fine.

[1:18:14] mackenzie crawford: Yeah.

[1:18:14] peter dessert: And another thing that I would like to add, if I can, Mackenzie, like hearing you uh talk about just like I don't even know, like reading those comments and like knowing that there's that comparison. A thing that I like that kind of flipped into my brain is that you talked earlier about how someone showed you that video of Andrew two years ago, and it became your song, and he inspired you and got you this far in your musical theater career from that song with your college auditions and getting into Syracuse and like so much accomplishment that you've done with that song in musical theater. I can only think to myself that so many people are seeing those videos, or so many people are showing those friends your video, and that's inspiring them, and you're inspiring the new generation of musical theater and guys, and I just it's incredible. And you are incredible. That's incredible. And it's just I just need to that goes for both of you so much. It's so nice.

[1:19:06] mackenzie crawford: Thank you.

[1:19:06] peter dessert: Y'all, y'all are crushing it. And that's what happens every time y'all step on a stage moving forward, you know. Uh Mackenzie, I've seen your uh she used to be mine video. Like, I you know, you you're you're crushing it too, you know. Like you're bringing the heat on stage and you're inspiring so many people, and and you know, like you said, especially now, like on TikTok and social media, with the way that uh that algorithm is that could be the first time someone's ever heard that song. So, like you who who cares? Um, but yeah, I mean it's just it's it's awesome, it's so cool. And y'all are y'all y'all are great people, and I see like now that I follow you guys like with the Jimmy's posts, and I see y'all's comments, and you're just so supportive of one another and your friends that you made, you know.

Like it that's really the key of just like being kind and supporting everyone and and keeping those relationships um throughout the industry. Uh, are you still in touch with any of them? You know, like now post Jimmy's. Is there a group chat? What what's going on?

[1:20:10] mackenzie crawford: Yeah, we we we have a big group that um I'm texting lots of them every single day, and we still keep in contact. We snap, we DM on Instagram, everything. I think that that group chat that we have is gonna is gonna it's gonna stay for a long time. They're gonna be your best friends, you're gonna see a lot of them throughout the year. They're super active.

[1:20:32] peter dessert: But it's like it's fine, it's like funny stuff.

[1:20:34] mackenzie crawford: Um is that the ding and I'm hearing Peter from your computer?

[1:20:38] peter dessert: Say it again.

[1:20:39] mackenzie crawford: Is that the dinging I'm hearing from your computer?

[1:20:41] peter dessert: Just the goochie.

[1:20:42] mackenzie crawford: Yeah, my computer, that's not me, right?

[1:20:44] peter dessert: I have no idea.

[1:20:45] mackenzie crawford: I'm just joking.

[1:20:46] peter dessert: Okay.

[1:20:46] mackenzie crawford: I don't think I am here and it might be though.

[1:20:49] peter dessert: You're chilling.

[1:20:50] mackenzie crawford: I was just making a joke to the group chat.

[1:20:52] peter dessert: That's awesome.

[1:20:54] mackenzie crawford: It was it's it's real funny. But yeah, man. I mean, I made some real I had this like group of like three or four guys, and it was just the best. It was it was the Spongebob, it was like the taller SpongeBob, um, the Edward Bloom from Big Fish.

[1:21:09] peter dessert: Oh yeah.

[1:21:09] mackenzie crawford: And uh the the crybaby guy from and and the Jack Kelly. Those were we would like run around and we were a little crew, it was awesome. And like I I really miss those guys. It's crazy that like man, I'm probably not gonna see them for a little while, you know.

[1:21:24] peter dessert: Right.

[1:21:24] mackenzie crawford: After spending so much with them in like the same place all the time. It's just it's crazy how quickly you can get close to people in this industry, right? Like, you don't know anybody from Adam, and then like you're supposed to perform on a Broadway stage as like their wife or their like husband. I'm like, what?

[1:21:40] peter dessert: Yeah, like our industry is so weird, but I love it. It's so great. Like, where where else could you do that? It's just wild.

[1:21:49] mackenzie crawford: Um yeah, I love it.

[1:21:51] Eli Tokash: So um I guess I want to do like two more questions and I'll let you all go. So um now post Jimmy's, right? What how has I get I don't want to like your life's changed? Like, is that like a weird question to ask you? Um, you know, I I've seen you guys as like followers double or triple or whatever it's been. Like y'all are getting all this uh posts from the Jimmy account, and Broadway stars are probably reposting your videos on their story or whatever. So, like, you know, what's been the impact now a week out, uh, I guess for all of you.

[1:22:32] mackenzie crawford: Yeah, I mean, obviously, like you said, social media has been a little crazy just with um the new tension.

[1:22:40] mackenzie crawford: And um, I mean, it's like I don't know, growing up, I was always like, oh my gosh, I wanna be famous when I'm older but like, it's like never something that you're like, that couldn't that's not real, you know what I mean.

[1:22:52] mackenzie crawford: But it's just like I like now that I'm older, I can just appreciate the platform that I've kind of been given in a way where like, as like I said, kind of like a tall girl in theater, it's not something that you see much. So seeing people follow me and DM me saying, "Hey, like I'm also a really tall girl in theater and I've struggled with the same things that you have, you're such an inspiration to me." Like that, it just makes my day, and it just it gives me so much peace and joy in knowing that I'm reaching people who are going through the same things and that might have needed to hear my story, which I think is something so incredible. And just outside of the whole like the clips of you singing that are going viral, it's just people visiting your profiles and seeing your story and who you are that inspires them.

It's something so cool, and I think is something that I think we can all appreciate. But like another thing is just like how our lives have changed is just the relationships that we've made. I mean, like, like we said, the people that we met at the Jimmy Awards, whether they're nominees or directors or staff members, it's just those people that are gonna be obviously in this industry and that are gonna be in our lives for the rest of it and running stem and auditions and everything. Like I've made so many lifelong friendships that I know that I'm just gonna stick with them and I'm gonna see them in my future. I mean, three, four other Michigan kids were at the Jimmy Awards, and I had never met them before.

I mean, we've had some conversations, but being able to really get to know them as people before going into the next four years is something that I've found to be incredible, and they've become my best friends, so I'm really excited for that. But I mean, just having this opportunity and knowing that we are all taking the next steps into furthering our career into chasing our dreams is something that I think has changed my life more than any publicity or following has.

[1:24:37] Eli Tokash: Great answer.

[1:24:39] peter dessert: Yeah, man. I mean, life post Jimmy's has been it's been like really dope and eye-opening, but I feel like one thing that I think I like honestly, I think everyone struggles with this at this point because I literally talked to Dance and he said the same thing. And he like imposter syndrome, where you're like, "Oh, am I really meant to be here? Did I just kind of make it here because I got a little lucky a couple times?" And like literally, I was talking to the winner of the Jimmy Awards, Dance and Chola Jr., and he was still being like, "Oh man, you know, I don't know, I don't know if it should have been me." And I'm just like, "What?" You know, it's mind-blowing, but like everyone goes through it, and I feel like coming back now, I feel like maybe before I was kind of like, "Ooh, is this really what I should be doing?

Like maybe, or like, do I have the tools in order to really make it?" And I feel like the Jimmy Awards were just super great, like mentally to be like, "Yes, like I can do this. If it's what I want and like I'm ready to pursue it, then I can do this." Yeah, um, and I think I will carry that with me for like a long time, you know.

[1:25:48] mackenzie crawford: I love that that's like that was your kind of okay from it. That's awesome. That kind of reassurance almost, you know, like you know, there is something here. Because you know, it's very hard to in this industry we get a lot of no, so we have to focus on the positive somehow.

[1:26:06] Eli Tokash: I love it. Well, listen, I want to leave off by asking both of you, you know, what's a dream role that we can sort of manifest that doesn't necessarily have to be your Broadway debut or whatever like that, but like just to get some people thinking about where they could place you and put you into a character or whatever. Maybe it's something you haven't even that hasn't been written, but if you do want to originate something, give us insight to the character that you want to originate.

[1:26:35] mackenzie crawford: I mean, I can go. Um, but obviously I just saw Hades Town on Broadway. Oh my gosh. Eurydice, that that is definitely a dream role. Um, Glinda in Wicked would be incredible. I love my girl Kristen Chenoweth. Um, but also like it's kind of j I kind of joked about it in my TikTok about like someone one day wanting to make like a tall girl the musical and me getting a phone call. But I think like honestly, like it's still kind of in the back of my head that I might not fit into the characters that are currently on Broadway right now. So I think that maybe like originating something where a tall girl is in that role and is in that spot originally might be something pretty cool, and I would really like to serve as kind of just it would be my dream to originate something that kind of sheds light on I don't know, I guess tall girls in theater, just the more uh the diversity of theater and uh the performers and the people that choose to pursue it as a career.

[1:27:39] peter dessert: Um, like okay, I think a lot of people don't know this about me, but I am like dancer first, man. Like I love dancing. And like I have I have a well, there was like this. I did the show Billy Elliott when I was in like fifth grade. Never heard it's regional. Oh, it's oh it's incredible. It's about it's like in Britain, and there's a poor guy, and he um he like dances, and it's like a beautiful story, and man, we were like the Midwest premiere of it, and I and that really like we trained for it for like a year and a half, like being that show, and then we like from there on after the show, I kept dancing, and like it was awesome, and I still love dance, like I'm still heavily involved in ballet and stuff.

So I would say like really any like lead role with like dance in it. So I love I love like Riff and West Side Story. That's probably my main one. I love that role. It's incredible. Um Jerry Mulligan in An American in Paris. Oh it's like one people name that role as well, but it's like it's like one of the only ballet shows out there, and I love like that original movie, An American in Paris. Incredible. Um Singin' in the Rain, like either role, just all that tap sounds awesome. But yeah, like any dancer role. I know there's like Black Swan that's in the works on Broadway, which would be like I love that movie. Um, yeah, man. Just because like I at least for Chad in All Shook Up, it was probably the most dancing I've ever done in any role, like in any show.

And it happened in like a lead role, which was just incredible. Like they really we did tap for Blue Suede Shoes, and like dancing while still like doing like a character and stuff is just my favorite thing in the whole world. So definitely a role with dance in it.

[1:29:19] Eli Tokash: So you you're not like just like ballet, right? You do it all.

[1:29:22] peter dessert: No, I mean, yeah, I tapped for years, and I still I've held on to a lot of that. Um, like I can, yeah, I love tap, man. We did we did Oklahoma last year, and we put like taps on cowboy boots, and I tapped in that, which was awesome. But yeah, I I'm not a fan of like technical jazz, I guess, but like Broadway jazz is awesome and like Fosse and stuff. It just feels a little different. But yeah, I I I do I I took Flamenco once. That was fun.

[1:29:51] mackenzie crawford: I don't even know what that is.

[1:29:53] peter dessert: Crazy. It's like this dance form that I believe originated in Spain. I really don't about that. But it's it's it's fun.

[1:30:01] Eli Tokash: Um, yeah, I love dance, all types of dance.

[1:30:04] mackenzie crawford: Jeez.

[1:30:04] Eli Tokash: What can't you do? Triple threat over here.

[1:30:06] peter dessert: Well, listen, you guys are the best. I can literally talk to y'all all day. We are an hour and a half almost, so I'm gonna let y'all go with your day. Uh, but this has been uh an absolute blast. I can't appreciate I can't thank you enough for uh your guys' insight into the tone uh to the Jimmy Awards, um, as well as just you know, advice for these aspiring actors that are listening to this. Um so can't thank you enough for for sharing your journey with us today, and you both have so much to take about for, and I'm excited to see what where you know your journey takes you next.

[1:30:45] mackenzie crawford: Thank you.

[1:30:45] peter dessert: Thank you so much for having us.

[1:30:47] mackenzie crawford: Yeah, thank you guys. Appreciate it.

[1:31:08] Eli Tokash: Take a bow, mackenzie crawford and peter dessert. What an absolute blast. I love learning about the Jimmy Awards. It is such an incredible program. I cannot thank it enough for what it's doing for the next generation of Broadway. Uh, not only is it um, you know, giving so many incredible people uh the training and the um resources that uh are so valuable and not a lot of people get, especially at that age, um, which is a hard age to book roles. You know, you're kind of in the in-between phase, you're kind of met with the decisions of, "Oh, do I go to college? Do I kind of pursue this as a career?" etc. Um, so this timing is so pivotal, and they are uh, you know, the winners get a substantial uh scholarship, and the finalists also get a uh smaller scholarship, but still a scholarship that uh really goes a long way for a lot of people.

So it's just incredible to see. And uh I love the Jimmy Awards and try to support it as much as I can every year. Uh obviously it's produced with the Pittsburgh CLO, which is where I got my start in the theater. So it holds an extra special place in my heart. Um, and so uh learning about it and really getting the ins and outs of it was such a cool experience. Um obviously we've had former Jimmy Awards uh, you know, finalists and winners on, uh such as Andrew Barth Feldman, Justin Cooley, and then uh just coming out of that program as well. I just want to shout out some more people, Josh Strobel, who's now in The Outsiders, you have Renee Rapp, you have even Nobazada, you have uh Ryan McCartan who's been in Broadway on Disney, you know, all these things.

Uh we have um Kyle Seelig, you know, Antonio Cipriano, you know, we have so many uh incredible talents in our industry, and a lot of them uh are so uh established already and they're still so young. So it's just such an incredible launch pad for people in giving them the exposure that they deserve and what they're doing now as theater um as just social media kind of takes over, they're really uh they do a really nice job of um promoting everyone uh on social media with their following and the giving them just further exposure to all everyone that's involved in in the competition. Um and that's not just the winners that's finalists that's characters. Uh the character medley has really uh become a popular thing on the TikToks and you can watch it on YouTube and everything.

So it's just so great for people to, you know, see these young artists and see them for the stories that they're telling and see them for who they are as people and as artists, um, it's so pivotal and uh it's such a wonderful program. I can't say enough good things about it. So uh shout out to Mackenzie and Peter for for really talking to us about it um and kind of giving us the craziness that is the week of the Jimmies and also uh providing us information on like you know anybody listening through to this around the world can make their Broadway debut through the Jimmy Awards. So you are your a school uh play away from making your Broadway debut. Yeah wherever you're listening to this from you could be in Oklahoma.

You could be anywhere in the world you could be in Hawaii um you could be anywhere listening to this in the United States and uh you will be uh consider you can be considered for the Jimmy Awards and it was so cool to hear Mackenzie, you know uh her school didn't even uh apply for that originally and they got their uh head of their drama department to be like, "Hey let let's do it this year. I hope you can consider our school." And and boom, she is there. She's making her Broadway debut. So even if your uh school is currently not uh a part of the the system or or the program, um, you can absolutely advocate for it and you can make it happen. Mackenzie is a prime example. Um, so there's just so many great things and great lessons and great pieces of advice to take from the uh this episode.

Um so I can't thank Mackenzie and Peter enough for coming on, and I hope that you all enjoyed this week's episode uh as much as I did, and uh I hope to see you all next week for another great episode. I hope everyone had a wonderful, hopefully long weekend. Um, and uh until next week, bye everyone. Have a great week.

[1:35:20] Eli Tokash: I'd 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 Seales, Kimberly Garris, and the rest of the team at the Broadway Podcast Network. Next in line to Take a Bow, we have Giselle Bustos for creating our incredible logo. Next up are our fabulous musicians Nikki Torsha and Cormac Culinon for making our intro and outro music. 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. If you're interested in becoming a patron, visit patreon.com slash TAB. 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.

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. 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. Until then, bye everyone. Have a great week.