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[0:00] Eli Tokash: Hello, everyone, and welcome to episode 208 of Take A Bow. I'm your host Eli Tokach. And this week we have a very, very exciting episode with the lovely and multi-talented Blake Roman, who most of you probably don't know for his Broadway run in Harmony, which he made his Broadway debut in this past season. But you probably know him better from the hit animated series Hazbin Hotel, which, you know, there's a lot of theater crossover there. The whole cast is practically Broadway stars. We have some musical numbers in the show. You know, for those who know, know, and those who don't, this is going to be a great introduction to the show. And Blake just holds nothing back. It was just such a fun conversation.

It was so easy to just chat with him. And he gave us some great insight into both the Broadway industry and the voiceover recording industry, which so many Broadway people, you know, dabble in and, you know, kind of balance both and juggle both as they like, go record during the day and then go do a show at night. And, you know, it's interesting to see the differences yet also the similarities that Blake pointed out that the two kind of share, the two different mediums. So very interesting and exciting episode for many reasons. And then of course, for any Barry Manilow fans, we have some fun Barry Manilow stories that he shares with us about his run in Harmony. So very exciting stuff. And I think it's something that y'all are really going to enjoy.

But before we get into that, we got to talk about some Broadway news, shall we? There is lots of news. So I'm going to probably run through this quick. By the way, I didn't even post all of my theater shows that I saw this week on my Instagram. But, you know, I was fortunate enough to see three shows in the past since the last time I talked to you guys. I was able to see N.A. starring Holland Taylor and Anna Vellifogne. Absolutely incredible. I have no notes. I went into that show with zero expectations. Honestly, really wasn't expecting to like it. It's not usually like my style of a show. It's directed by Diane Paulus. And then, of course, has those two wonderful actresses. So, of course, it piqued my interest.

But, you know, it's a play and I have a love-hate relationship with plays, as many of you know. And then, of course, like it deals with politics, frankly. And sometimes I just try to like stay away from that. But, you know, more and more I've been seeing how politics can be discussed through art and how it's oftentimes more productively discussed through art. And so I went to see this play and just absolutely fell in love with it, so much so that I'm actually going to be at BroadwayCon next week. That's right. We will be doing a live episode on Saturday, July 27th at BroadwayCon, live and in person with the star of N.A., Anna Vellifogne. I'm so excited. And for many of you who know, Anna and I have met many times.

She probably has no idea who I am because she was, you know, making her Broadway debut in On Your Feet as Gloria Estefan right across the street from me in Finding Neverland. And then, of course, like right around the corner from where I was in Pippin, it was just through the marquee, you know, a little runway from the music box. So I'm very excited for this and it's going to be an absolute blast. And I hope that you guys will come and, you know, come check it out and experience the live show. We are doing it in between shows on Saturday, so it's not going to conflict with any of your show times, hopefully. Obviously, she has two shows and she was gracious enough to be meeting us in between shows on her Saturday.

So hopefully you guys will come check it out in between shows and we'll have a little party together. But nonetheless, Anna is fantastic and I can't wait to really dive into all of that next week with Anna on Saturday. Please, please, please join us at BroadwayCon for our live little session and we're going to have a lot of little giveaways. Actually, pretty big giveaways, but I'm not going to tell them yet. Y'all are just going to have to come and you'll get some free stuff just by attending. So please, please, please come on by. It's going to be a blast. I also was able to see Cabaret at the KitKat Club. The reason I didn't post basically any of them is because we weren't even able to take pictures inside of the KitKat Club.

The KitKat Club is awesome. I was fortunate enough to also do the opening night for that show and so it was really, really fun to now see the show and discuss. I talked to the cast and asked them questions, but it wasn't really show-specific questions as I hadn't seen the show quite yet. So when they would tell me a little bit about the show and what they can't wait for audiences to see and stuff like that, it was so fun, so cool to experience that for myself. And then, of course, just how nice and kind everyone was. It was awesome. It was just even more fun to root them on. The show was fantastic. Eddie Redmayne's performance is worth everything and worth seeing. His performance alone is fantastic, but this ensemble is just so brilliant and complement each other so beautifully that it's definitely one that you do not want to miss.

And the little pre-show that they have, now that I'm 21, you walk in and they hand you a shot and I'm like, oh god, I hate shots and had to act all cool and macho like, oh yeah, I just did that. It was just an absolute spectacle from the minute that you walk into the theater. And honestly, you don't even walk into the theater. It's like from the minute you walk behind the theater, through the alley, I guess you could say. And then you end up going into the theater where you are just greeted by these prologue performers in the show before the show, just to set the mood. And for anyone who hasn't seen the show, I highly recommend walking into the theater and enjoying the orchestra. But if you go, especially for those in the mezzanine, because I talked to some friends afterwards who were in the mezzanine and they were like, oh, we didn't even know because we didn't even make it downstairs.

Downstairs in the basement, I wouldn't even say the basement, I don't even know what you call it because it's not the orchestra because the orchestra is its own thing. But you go downstairs from the orchestra, so the basement lobby, basically. And there's a set of bathrooms down there. And then there's a full-blown bar. It's their biggest bar in the theater. That space was breathtaking. And it had three incredible prologue performers. And that was, I think, my favorite spectacle of it all. But yeah, it kind of reminded me of Moulin Rouge in the sense of like a club type of deal and how they set it up, but they kind of did it right. Like obviously Moulin Rouge, they come out one by one on the stage, maybe five to ten minutes before the show, but this is a whole hour and a half before the show.

And it's just so cool how it's all done. And then the show, of course, everyone knows the show, and it's just such a beautiful show that I can't say enough about. And then I also saw Cats, the Jellicle Ball. Holy shoesies. I loved Cats so much, and I hate cats. I don't care. I don't even say that a lot, especially on like these shows, on like a podcast and everything where I'm just like broadcasting. But you know, I'm not a Cats fan. And a lot of people that know me know that I'm not a Cats fan. I am now a Cats fan. I am on the Cats train. I cannot wait to talk all things Cats. I am fully on board. I can't wait and want to go back to the Jellicle Ball so bad. Okay, so PAC-NYC is doing Cats the Jellicle Ball.

And it's this reimagined version of the iconic Andrew Lloyd Webber's work of Cats. But this Cats actually makes sense. And they actually make a story out of it. And it's not just about Cats. It is just about Cats still, but it's not. And it makes sense. And it's so delightful. And it's so entertaining and fun and like, gay. And like, I mean that in the best way possible. Because it's so delightful. And it's nothing like over the top too. Because I was there with some friends. And they were like, oh, you know, like, I don't know if I want this to be a whole drag show type version of Cats. And it like, was that but it wasn't. And it was in the perfect amount, you know, if that makes any sense at all.

Because yes, they made it, you know, this show and this flashy show. But they also did a really good job of coming back to the story and making sure that they were still telling the story. And it was like, obviously the audiences were eating up the whole like, let me, you know, Vogue and like, let me do, let's just like be like, let's make this a club, you know, and like, let's be gay. And like, let's do, you know, all kind of sexy and like, crazy stuff. And it's just it's so brilliantly done the way that it's done. And then the way that they pull it back into the story and the way that they then use such a entertaining and beautiful and different, frankly, type of medium of art, which drag is compared to musical theater, yet they do and kind of proved in the show that they can coexist.

And they did it so brilliantly that, you know, I'm just a huge fan of the show. And I can't wait to go back and bring my family and bring more friends. Shout out to Pac for, you know, inviting us and bringing us along. It was so, so wonderful. Okay, moving on. Gotta keep going. Because this is I could talk about it for weeks. And I that was too much. But we've got to get into actual news. Anyways, real news, real news. Okay. Oh, Mary opened here on Broadway. Oh, Mary is one of the hottest shows that's being talked about right now on Broadway. I cannot wait to see the show. Obviously, it's a story about Mary Todd Lincoln. It's just getting all the buzz and all of your favorite celebrities are going and I can't wait to hopefully see it.

I totally dropped the ball on the whole opening night. I kind of forgot that like show there is no break, you know, anymore in this industry. And, you know, after the Tony's, you know, shows open two weeks after the Tony's nowadays. It's great, but totally was like, Oh, there's no shows opening anytime soon. I so wish I would have been here at the opening night and covering that. Because it's such a show that I want to see. And it's a show that is revolutionary. Truly, I know I like to say use that term. But it is and it's just, it's got all the buzz right now. And everyone wants to see it. And, you know, I can't wait.

[13:04] Eli Tokash: Can't wait to see it, and hopefully I do soon. But congratulations to everyone over there and opening here on Broadway. We got some exciting news from My Favorite Musical, and by saying that, hopefully everyone listening knows what that is, because that means you actually listen and pay attention when I talk on this show. Waitress is coming to PBS, which is super exciting. So for anyone who is not already subscribed to Max, where they can currently watch it on, you will be able to watch it on PBS. Great performances, very, very soon. Speaking of streaming shows, everyone's favorite musical theater show besides Glee, Smash is now streaming on Peacock ahead of its Broadway bow, which is super exciting.

It's exciting for me because I have not actually seen Smash every episode all the way through. I'm very excited to actually sit down, binge it properly. I can't wait to see it, and I want to make sure that I watch the series before I see the show on Broadway. Carolee, oh my God, Carolee Carmelo is going out on tour with Kimberly Akimbo, playing the titular role of Kimberly Akimbo. This is such beautiful casting. And now, like, I wish this show would've stayed long enough for New York audiences and, like, Broadway to see and witness Carolee Carmelo as Kimberly Akimbo. That would've been just so beautiful, and the casting is so perfect for this. I really just, I have no words, and I'm so excited about all of this.

I really hope that I get to see her do this show and do this character, because everything she does is just gold, and she's, you know, you all know her, you all love her if you listen to this. Obviously, with my grandma on Finding Neverland, obviously a Take A Bow family member. We'll have to try to get her back on before going out on tour, or like, while she's on tour. But I just can't wait to talk to her about Kimberly Akimbo and hear her journey. I'm so excited for her. Um, oh, sad news, the West Bank Cafe, also known as the Laurie Beechman Theater, which is the host of many cabarets, most notably Broadway Sessions. I'm sure many of you know what that is. But if not, it's a very, it's a famous cabaret venue that is in the basement of a restaurant on 9th Avenue and 42nd Street.

I've done many cabarets there, and it's so sad to see this go. But, you know, we still have a little bit more time. Apparently, it's closing down in August, but they haven't really released an official date. They kinda just said August slash next month, as they posted it just a couple days ago, that they would be closing down, which is super sad. So go enjoy it before you cannot anymore. Maybe Happy Ending, very interesting stuff. So the show that's coming to Broadway with Helen J. Shen and Darren Criss was originally announced to begin previews at the Belasco Theater in September, and it was gonna open in October. Now, they're starting performances slash previews on October 16th, and their opening night is now gonna be November 12th.

Apparently, there's some supply chain issues where they just couldn't get shipments of their set in. I don't know if it's New York in time for the opening. I don't even know if it's in time for opening or just for tech and rehearsals and all of that madness as they mount a whole Broadway show. So this is super sad. It delayed a whole month. Maybe this could be a good thing, as its opening now is set more for the holidays, with Thanksgiving and then Christmas slowly around the corner. I don't know. And I'm trying to look at it in a positive way. Obviously, very sad that it had to be delayed. Hopefully, it'll still last as long as they were hoping. And hopefully, it's not like, oh, Darren's got another show or like Helen's got another show and they gotta close or I don't know if it is a limited run or not.

I don't know. I have to look at that. But hopefully, it just continues to go on and it still has great success. So maybe Happy Ending will be delayed one month, but still, hopefully, it will go very strong. Phantom, oh yeah, Phantom may come off-Broadway. That was crazy. I saw a rumor, but like on Playbill. So I was like, that's gotta be a credible rumor, right? But they did say that there are talks that it could come to off-Broadway. I don't know. It was a very interesting and kind of not like Playbill article. But I saw it and I have to talk about it. I mean, Phantom of the Opera being off-Broadway kind of sounds crazy to me. Obviously, the off-Broadway house is literally the only difference between off-Broadway and Broadway are the amount of seats in a theater, as well as because it has less seats in the theater, it's most likely a smaller space.

Therefore, smaller backstage, smaller stage in general. I don't know how you can do Phantom of the Opera in a small space off-Broadway. It'll be very interesting to see if it happens. I don't know why they wouldn't just come to Broadway. Obviously, everyone knows the show. It has a fan base. It knows it can be successful. I don't get it. I thought that was very odd, but also very intriguing. Who knows? That's definitely something to keep our eye out on. There you have it. That's our news segment for this week. That was a little bit of a crazy amount of news. I apologize. I wanted to go through it quick because we have a longer episode today. But all very exciting and important things. I literally didn't even say all of it.

So I wanted to make sure that I hit all of those. With that being said, that's all the news I have for you folks this week. I think that now is a perfect time, as always, to send it over to our fabulous guest this week. So without further ado, let's send it over to Blake Roman. Blake Roman, curtain up. This week's guest is a Broadway and Off-Broadway star, a voice acting king and a songwriting extraordinaire. You know our guest as Chopin in Harmony on and off Broadway, as Angel Dust in the iconic Amazon Prime's Has Been Hotel, and so much more. This you-mish grad has also released singles on SoundCloud, which include some of my favorite songs, such as Love Do You Like a Religion and Mary Beth. It is my pleasure to welcome to Take a Bow, Blake Roman. Hi, Blake. How's it going?

[20:44] Blake Roman: Hey, thank you for the spiel.

[20:49] Eli Tokash: Oh my God. I love to hype people up to like-

[20:54] Blake Roman: Mission successful.

[20:57] Eli Tokash: Thanks, man. Hey, what can I say? You're just, you're really cool. Like you've done a lot of really cool stuff. But, you know, just, I like to usually like start at the beginning and like, I named all of this incredible stuff that you've done. Like, how did we get here? Like, how did this whole thing start? What inspired you to want to get into this? Is this something that kind of like, like you fell into? Like, did you ever want to be on Broadway? Like, what was the story here, Blake Roman?

[21:28] Blake Roman: I mean, look, in terms of, in terms of like voiceover, you know, I played a lot of video games growing up and that was kind of where that came from. Like playing these video games and seeing, googling the voice actors, you know, behind the characters that I loved was just like such a cool and like oddly mysterious venture for me as a child. I'm like, my God, who are they? Da, da, da, da, da, you know? And the whole, the layers to it too. I mean, just like, it seemed like so much fun. So, I mean, that was always like a facet for me that I really wanted to dive into. I've been songwriting since I was, you know, in middle school and like, I had a family friend give me my first guitar and I remember being like, yeah, all right, I'll play with it.

And then I was like, oh my God, wait, this is like, this is how I want to express myself. This is how I want to, you know. And then acting was also just something that, you know, I started doing musical theater in fifth grade and I've just, I kind of, the weird thing though is that I've never once in my life felt like, this is the direction I want to go. I've never been like, musical theater is my thing. I want to be, you know, like I'm on Broadway or I'm gonna die. Like, you know, it's that I really just want to do as much as I can within the entertainment industry. I like the flexibility of crossing over mediums and I love each of like the facets of the industry like so, so much that it's like, I couldn't just pick one.

No, like I love musical theater and I also love voice acting. And I have, I do have, it's funny, I do have a lot of people come up to me and are like, so like, when did you decide to stop doing Broadway and start doing voice acting? I was like, it doesn't really, you know, it doesn't really have to work like that, you know. There's a lot of crossovers. So I think that that's kind of, you know, where it started was I just, I just did, I followed my interests in whatever cast, you know, they were. It kind of led me into a little bit of a moment when I was trying to choose what I wanted to go to college for because I was like, so non-committal to any specific direction. And then I ended up going musical theater because it seemed like the good midpoint between a lot of my interests, you know?

[24:05] Eli Tokash: Yeah. Yeah, it's nice that it does, you know, acting, singing, dancing, like everything.

[24:10] Blake Roman: Yeah, yeah. Bit of a catch all, yeah.

[24:13] Eli Tokash: Yeah, and you obviously do well, do it all so well that, you know, you went to one of the most prestigious schools in the country for musical theater. The program at University of Michigan is top notch. So like, what was that whole thing like? And, you know, eventually moving away from your family and deciding to go to UMich, obviously like you grew up on a farm in PA, right? Like it was kind of, was there a lot of like art out there? Was it always in your room? And then you're kind of get to Michigan and you're like, wow, I'm like surrounded by it. Or was it kind of, you were always, go for it.

[24:54] Blake Roman: No, no, it was the complete opposite. I mean, it was that I was not surrounded by it. I was the only person in my school that really like that went out for musical theater at the time. And I, and there was really just like, you know, I felt like I had missed the boat so many times in terms of like what I should have done in order to prepare for this career path, you know. And there was a performing arts school, you know, that high school that I could have gone to, but because I hadn't really figured out that it was something I wanted to do until later in high school, you know, it's like, you can't really transfer. And so I was at this, I was at this high school that would rather spend like $2.6 million on a new football turf for their football team that can't do shit for, you know, instead of giving money to the arts, like any money at all at the time. I don't know if they've changed their tune, but, you know, so there was just like nothing in that capacity other than like, albeit there was a theater program that really helped me get started.

[26:09] Blake Roman: I was like, okay, let me at least do what I can and go and do community theater, which really was what opened everything up for me at the Erie Playhouse. It was just the community that I found there and the group of people that I was like, wow, wow, wow. We all really like this. We all really like theater and we're doing it for free because we love it so much, you know? And that was like just kind of a very big moment for me that actually propelled me into doing college auditions and everything. But, you know, I didn't actually get into any schools the first time around. I mean, I auditioned for like a voice major at Berkeley, a college of music in Boston, and they accepted me. But then I didn't get into anywhere like for musical theater.

And I was like, ah, hmm, I'm going to defer and I'm going to actually like, I'm not going to actually like do this thing because I just wasn't committed. Took a gap year, auditioned for like 10 schools and ended up getting into Michigan and a couple others. And then, you know, it ended up working out, but it very much was like, I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that I had a little bit of an imposter syndrome, not having like, you know, I didn't know what the heck the Jimmy awards were or like any of the, you know, like, like I didn't even go to like States with my choir or anything. Like there were all of these things that it seemed like theater kids who were going out for theater had on their resume already before they even auditioned for schools that I just, I'm like, well, I have, you know, I don't, I like to sing, you know, like, but I mean, even when I got to Michigan, I was pretty aware that like the only shows I really knew were the shows that I would have been in.

I didn't really know, you know, I'm sitting in like empty history and everybody's like, oh yes, well, this season is that, that, that, that, that, that. I was like, yeah, I didn't, I don't really know. I like what I'm doing, but I just don't know. Yeah, truly. I know. Like, it's so bad. I know nothing about Broadway until like I moved to New York. Like we were just, I mean, we live far away, but like fairly in the same like region land from each other. And so, or like, I guess where we're from. So like we were like totally secluded, at least my, in my, you know, my experience. But like I did know, so like we would travel when I grew up to Pittsburgh and do the Pittsburgh CLO. That's where like, I kind of, you, so you're familiar with that, right?

[29:05] Eli Tokash: I'm familiar with Pittsburgh CLO. I auditioned once when I was in school, we like took a road trip down and auditioned for, for once the musical when they, when they were doing that one, which is still hilarious to me that we literally drove like five hours to audition and then be like, cool. Peace out, Girl Scout.

[29:31] Blake Roman: For what? 10 minutes? For like five minutes. Like it's crazy. I'm like, what were we doing? I feel that same, the same way about the Muni too. But we were just, you know, that's, that's being in college, baby. It's just trying, trying so hard.

[29:47] Eli Tokash: Right. No, but that's awesome. So, uh, that, that it's crazy, you know, and then just like being in the world and surrounded by all these people, it's that imposter syndrome again, where it's like these people are way smarter than me. They're way more prepared than me. You know, like all of that starts to creep inside your head, but hey, keep doing your thing. And, uh, you know, here you are on Broadway.

[30:15] Blake Roman: It's silly, right? Like we, we do hold ourselves to the comparison. Mindset is so impossible to get away from in this industry. And, um, but like really, really, that was another thing about like getting out of college. That was so wonderful is because when you're in college, everything's so strategic and tactical. And I'm literally, I literally, like I left freshman year feeling like I had multiple personality disorder because I was constantly thinking to myself, like, what is the best way for me to purport myself? And what is the, what is the most successful way for me to, to be a person, to succeed in this career, to succeed in life and with friends, you know, like all of this, Holy shit, like pressure, pressure, pressure.

And, and so much of it was like me thinking how I should be rather than actually discovering how I am and being okay with that and letting that be what sets me apart from other people, you know, just the innate individuality that you hold as a human being. And, and that's something that very much so I, I, until I graduated from college, it was, it was kind of hard getting over or getting to that point.

[31:29] Eli Tokash: That's so real. Like I thought when I was a kid, you know, like I was, I knew exactly who I was. I wanted, I knew what I wanted to do. Like, I was going to like, it was going to have no like, uh, obstacles get in my way. Like, you know, it was just like, and then freshman year of high school, it was like, I, I like don't even know if I've ever like had a conversation, Eli to Eli, you know, like it's always like, have I ever actually spoken to myself?

[32:20] Blake Roman: Right. You know, like who, who the hell am I? Like I spent my whole life, you know, being like a character, you know, like we're like trying to be a character and find characters, you know? And I was, I never like, was like, wait, who's this kid? Cause people were asking about me. I was like, hell if I know, you know?

[32:31] Eli Tokash: I know. I know. I totally get what you mean. Freshman year of college is, is, is no joke.

[32:35] Blake Roman: Um, but you made it out and you crushed it.

[32:39] Eli Tokash: And you made it, you made it, we survived, um, somehow, some way. Um, and, uh, you know, you made your Broadway debut this past season in a historical show, a show that was trying to come to Broadway for decades, 30 years. Crazy. Yes. Yes. Wild.

[32:53] Blake Roman: So like wild. And the fact that it was a part of this season, um, and this was a, such a pivotal time to tell that story, um, you know, to be a part of that and to finally be the originating that production on Broadway, what did that kind of mean to you? And you can kind of just talk from even off Broadway and just finding out who Chopin was and, and eventually being able to just tell the stories with these five other great harmonists.

[33:35] Blake Roman: Yeah. Yeah. Well, I mean, the first thing that struck me about the process was just how, how wonderful of a team we had right from the get go, you know, um, the six of us that were the harmonists, they, they kept us, you know, they, we were at the first workshop of this iteration, um, before off Broadway and they kept us all the way through, you know, the six of us through Broadway because they, they understood the necessity of the cohesiveness of the group. And also it was just such a wealth of, of material that we all had to learn and really get, um, enmeshed with each other and synchronized, you know, and there was a, it was, it was a lot of work. And then, um, it just made sense that it's like, okay, cool.

Like this is our team now. Like this is the group that we have to have. It actually behooves the story and the, the quality of the production for the six of us to have history over the course of, you know, two years of the two years of us doing, um, two or more actually, like of, of, um, workshops and off Broadway and more workshops and then Broadway. So, you know, obviously that's nothing in comparison to how long Bruce and Barry have been attacked, have been trying to make the project happen. But yeah, so I mean like our, our group, our cast, the creatives was the first thing that hit me where I was like, huh, like I hope this is how all Broadway is, is, is, you know, or, you know, like where, where there's just, it's such, there's such heart behind the project.

And so I think we were very, uh, you know, hearing stories from other people. I'm like, I think we were very lucky, um, in, in the mix of people we had in that cast and in that, um, creative team. But, uh, beyond that too, I mean, the, the facet of the show that like was so interesting to me was playing somebody who actually existed at one point in time. And what is the, what, where's the line that I want to ride between Chopin, the, the actual person that lives and then my interpretation of the character in this script. Right. I mean, it's the same thing that, that Bruce, the book writer and lyricist, you know, like, that he had to kind of surmount that, that obstacle of being like, okay, I can't get, I can't tell like the biographical story of these men in two hours, you know, or two or more hours.

Like, like I literally have to, um, find a way to distill it in, in, in a fictional capacity that still retains, you know, as much nonfiction elements as possible. And so that for all six of us guys, from an acting standpoint became, um, a very important objective to discover as much about these men who very much like are, are not mainstream fiction. Like are, are not mainstream known about, you know, we, looking up different sources, documentaries, um, books and interviews to get an understanding of like, what are these people's energy? Um, What made their, the mix of their energy is like so iconic that they blew up in the way that they did at this time. Um, and so, you know, it's, it was a, it was a really cool process of just like digging through biographical information and then making creative choices based off of that.

You know, you don't always get the, um, luxury of having source material to, to base a character out of. And, um, and it was really cool to, to do that. But, you know, there's also, there's also picking the moments in which, okay, you know, to serve the story, to serve this theme or, you know, the cohesiveness of, of my character, I think I'm going to have to make an executive decision as to like, this is how Blake is playing Chopin rather than this is how Chopin was Chopin, you know, or Irwin Boats, you know, was his actual name, but you know, this is how Irwin Boats, you know, would have been it, it, um, there it's just riding that line between fiction and nonfiction and then trying to do the story as a creative thing justice, but then also do the, uh, the lives of these guys, uh, justice and their story justice.

[38:34] Eli Tokash: Absolutely. And like you talking about, you know, finding that balance between Blake, Blake Chopin and Chopin, like, what was that? How, how did you kind of navigate that? Have you ever done that before? Or like, are you having conversations with Warren or are you having conversations with the Harmonist? Is it a combination of all of those things? Or is it you kind of literally finding it as you go or either at home, like practicing your lines, whatever, what is that?

[39:03] Blake Roman: It is everything and all of the above, right? Like you pull from as many places as you possibly can for, for inspiration.

[39:13] Blake Roman: And you rely on, you know, especially in a show that has such a, relies on the dynamic of those six guys. Like, yes, we were going back and forth, the six of us being like, what is Chopin and Bobby's relationship? What is Rabbi and Lesh's relationship, right? And how does that inform this scene so that we can give as much background or subtext, you know, to the audience as possible, so that they can, in some way, in some semblance of a way, see how nuanced the, these relationships were over the course of these men's lives. So it was, it was, it was cool. It was a whole, whole, you know, combined effort.

[40:13] Eli Tokash: Well, I'm curious to know, like, that, okay, like, no matter like, who you are, or like, what you've done, I just feel like, you know, walking into rehearsals, first day, you got Barry Manilow, Bruce Hussman, you have Lauren Carlyle, then you have Chip Zia, Sierra Boggess, like, you know, like, it's just everyone from literally both sides of the team, just like, top notch, like, just absolute stars. Like, what, what was that like? And like, at what point, like, were you ever nervous? And like, at what point do you kind of like, say like, okay, I'm here, I'm here for a reason. Let's collaborate. Let's do what I know how to do. Or is it kind of like that first day, you're like, Oh, my God, pinching myself, you know, type of thing?

[41:02] Blake Roman: I think it very much is a process of being letting yourself be starstruck, right? Yeah. And then, and understanding that any imposter syndrome that you might feel is natural, and letting that be okay. And so like, you know, first day, sure, it was very much like, ah, I'm like, overthinking things I'm saying things I'm doing ways in which I'm presenting myself, you know, falling back all into those old, old habits in college. And, and then the job just keeps going, you know, and you keep going back into the rehearsal room every day with the same people that sure, you maybe like, had a poster on your wall of, you know, when you were growing up, or that your mom, you know, is obsessed with growing up as well.

And but then you keep coming back, and you keep coming back, and you realize that thinking in that way, and the imposter syndrome is going to corrode your ability to actually do the job. And in fact, maybe at the bottom of all of this, we are just no matter what level we're performing at, just people collaborating, working to make a story that we hope will be meaningful to somebody. And, and hopefully make us some money. You know what I mean? Like, I it's, it's like, this is a job that we all do. And this is our profession. And it's nice to be starstruck. But, but it also has to get to a point where you're like, okay, cool. They're a person like me, every single one of us put our pants on, you know, one leg at a time this morning and came to rehearsal and there's no need for me to ostracize myself or make myself feel different from anybody else when, quite frankly, we're all performing on the same level, you know?

[43:16] Eli Tokash: Yeah, I love that. So yeah, yeah. It's sick. It happens a lot in our industry, too, too. Because like, I feel like, you know, we grow up, it's kind of like we were talking about, I don't know if it was during this, or like before we were talking. And it's like that comparison. You know, it's like, oh, you know, they've worked with this person, this person, and like, Julie, he's played opposite, she's played opposite of this guy. So maybe if I do something like that, it'll, you know, the chemistry will come more. Like, you know, there's all these things. A million ways to get up in your head.

[43:50] Blake Roman: Right. And so that kind of reminder of just, you know, like, hey, at the end of the day, we brush our teeth this morning, we're all looking at this script, maybe for the first time, or like, you know, on the actual first day, we're all trying to figure out what this story is, you know, like, we're all starting at square one today, you know, that's, that's great piece of advice. So, you know, I'm curious, you know, even outside of the show, right? Obviously, still within Harmony, what was one of the coolest, like, experiences that that gave you? Because, as you kind of mentioned, my mom is a huge fan of Barry Manilow. We were at Radio City the night that you guys performed with Barry.

[44:35] Blake Roman: Oh, really? That's awesome. Yeah. Yeah, it was. It was awesome. Yes. A crazy night. I mean, talk about like, awesome stuff that happened surrounding the whole show. I mean, that, that was really in a pan. Like, it was it was really, it was really wild. I've never been, I, I, I don't think I've ever been in a space like Radio City, where I walk out on stage, and the whole place like, how do I put this? Okay, you know, when you when you walk out on a dock, or you're out on a boat on the ocean, and like, it's just, it's, it just feels like totally like wide open, like, like, absolutely, like, literally, I don't know why that that's how Radio City made me feel. It was just it felt like I was underwater, or I felt like there was just this huge, you know, immense thing in front of me.

I don't know, there's just, there's something about being inside a building, and there being that much space in front of you. And a whole other thing being up on stage, and looking out at 6000 people, I think is how many how many people like that's crazy. I, I had the same like surreal feeling at Michigan when we go to like the big house for football games, you know, that is a stadium that seats 111,000 people, which is which is more than you know, even is in the Erie County area where I grew up, right. So it's, it's like, it was it was one of those feelings where it was just like, wow, okay, it took the breath completely out of me, I need to just give myself a second. And we're gonna do the number, you know.

[46:31] Eli Tokash: Right. It's wild. And that was like the first. I think it was in between off Broadway and Broadway, right? Because I think you guys were announcing, you know, like, we're going to Broadway with that.

[46:43] Blake Roman: Yes. So you, you had already known him, but like, you kind of were just doing a sneak peek of the show, like, is that kind of like, weird it to just like, do it like out of sequence? Or do you kind of just like, you know, where you are in the show, you just did it off Broadway. And so like, here, well, let's just go out and do it. Or is it maybe there were changes? I don't know. Like, what?

[47:07] Blake Roman: I mean, there definitely, there definitely were changes. So we, we did the the opening, like, song for a lot of like, different press events. I mean, we did it on the Today Show. We did it at Curtain Up. We did it at Radio City. We, you know, we did it a lot of different places. And each of those places had variation on the choreography. Some of the variation we like, especially at Radio City, we, we, Warren had choreographed the whole thing. We had had like a week and a half, two weeks to like, just make sure we all felt good about it because we were all you know, movers. I mean, don't get me wrong. Like, there are some, some people in amongst the six of us that are dancers in comparison to people like me who is a mover with a lowercase m. Like I, but, but we're all generally like, according to Warren, there was, there was a moment actually for the rehearsal for Radio City, where we went in there.

And we started getting, you know, our, our, our footing, you know, the choreography under our feet. And, and he was like, and the one and oh, good Lord, I forgot you all can't dance. And we were like, all right. Yeah, yeah, you're right. We're gonna do our best, Warren. It was so silly. And it, you know, that's another dynamic that is so interesting to me. Warren, you know, Warren Carlyle being such a prolific choreographer and working with, used to working with like such freaking talented dancers. And then us six guys, you know, like walking in there, like, like being like, hello, please move us around the stage. Tell us what to do. You know, it's hilarious. But, but yeah, so he choreographed like a whole thing for Radio City. And then we got there, we did the sound check. And then there was an executive decision that was made to change like the choreography the night before.

[49:16] Blake Roman: Yeah, yeah. To make it a little bit more like, you know, concert, I guess concert, like, I forget what the reason, what the reasoning was. But regardless, we were we all had like many panic attacks. Yeah, right. But, but that was, oh, there was also Carnegie Hall, too, that we danced that, you know, we did the opening number at and then Stars in the Night as well. So all of those had different variations of the core of choreography for it, because we were in different spaces. You know, each space didn't really, maybe did let six guys walk around and have a lot of space or some just really didn't. So we had to alter things for it.

[50:05] Eli Tokash: Yeah, I feel like those like concert press, you know, whatever performances are more nerve wracking than like doing the actual show itself.

[50:13] Blake Roman: Yes, I don't know why. But correct. And probably because of the variations that you have to do or like the cuts, maybe you have to do like a condensed version. Well, I had that with like my original music, I get a hell of a lot more anxious. When I am lit, it's literally just me singing a song. Really? I mean, especially there's layers on top of it of like, oh, well, this is my song. And this is something I wrote. So like, you know, that's another thing that like kind of can add to anxiety on top of it. But but there is something about being able to perform within the context of a story, where I am a character, and I'm a character singing the story rather than Hi, I'm Blake, and I'm singing a song from Harmony or Hi, I'm Blake, and I'm singing a song that is, you know, that is from like, like that I wrote or something, you know, like, you can kind of it is it is different, right?

[51:18] Eli Tokash: Yeah, there's a bit of there's a bit of distance, I guess, in terms, you know, you have the fourth wall goes up. Whereas when you're doing a concert or something like that's that doesn't exist, at least in most concerts.

[51:32] Blake Roman: Yeah. I love this. I love these conversations. I could literally talk about it forever. I'm a nerd. By the way, really great Warren Carlyle impression because he was my choreographer in a Christmas story.

[51:47] Eli Tokash: Oh, true.

[51:48] Blake Roman: Like you said, Warren, I will stand in place and toe touch, you know, like step touch, you know, you know what, you know what I got? I what I got from I got a bunch of Warren isms. I didn't even try that you just just picked up that pick them up. But he he he like goes like this when he's just trying to feel like his heart space and stuff. And, and there's like a bunch of like q&as online that are like for has been that I've just been like answering and I'm like, um, like like rubbing

[52:18] Blake Roman: My fucking like heart and you know and and and people are always like oh I love that like when he does that like that's so nice I'm like well that's Warren Garlisle. It also, you know, what it also makes me think of, have you seen the uh the video of Pedro Pascal um on like the red carpet with um how what's her name, what's her name plays Ellie in The Last of Us? Um oh god, okay okay okay yeah but no no no you're good baby I'm sorry um but uh he was like he was like posing with his hand over his like heart or like solar plexus type area and she was like she she like imitated him and and and was kind of like making fun of him and he was like you know why I do that right and she was like well why and he was like because that's where my anxiety is and so I'm trying to like I'm trying to like hold myself and and like and I remember like that's kind of like how I feel like when whenever I do anything like that too now um but uh he he also from day one was like um he was like Blakey Blakey everyone in the cast started calling me Blakey and I was like all right well you know I'm fine with this here we go.

[53:35] Eli Tokash: Yeah exactly. Were you kind of like the little brother almost?

[53:41] Blake Roman: I mean sure yeah I mean I can understand that being the case maybe you know like like I don't know I enjoy it I enjoy any nickname I can I can get because I I feel like I my name doesn't really like lend itself toward like nicknames all that much so I'm like yeah call me whatever you want like totally. It's so funny because like anything that Warren says I feel like like like you said oh I forgot you guys can't do like that like if anyone else said that like my feelings would be hurt but like sure him saying it like it's actually like cute that he said that like it was like you don't take it personally.

[54:18] Blake Roman: I mean that's the thing though like in in general in this industry it's like you can't really take anything personally like like right you know um and if you do you're gonna have a bad time.

[54:28] Eli Tokash: Real yeah right it just oh yeah it'll get you um for sure. Let's talk about Hazbin because I literally like I was late to the train um I I'm so mad that I was late to the train um but I'm glad.

[54:47] Blake Roman: Yes and I'm I'm mad at you too how dare how dare you be so honestly though like waiting for it like what um it's so good I don't think you're late came out this year you're not late to the train.

[55:02] Eli Tokash: Okay fair enough okay fair enough yeah that makes me feel a little better um but I still okay anyways I'm mad at myself and so I watched it and I was like blown away and I wasn't like completely hooked until that episode four you know or I don't even know what episode it was but it was Angel Dust like we finally find out like who this guy really is and it became much more than like this hell world that like y'all are in and it became yeah so serious and I was like oh yes like the drama.

[55:40] Blake Roman: Yes yeah I know well I I think it it takes a couple episodes you know for them because Viv has created such a broad expansive world that has such a variety of characters in it too and there needs to be time taken to really for for people to just even get a snapshot of what it is before you go that deep you know.

[56:10] Eli Tokash: Right um and uh and yeah I mean it it's uh it's it's a really I think they knocked it out of the ballpark with season one I'm really excited for season two too.

[56:22] Blake Roman: The way that it's crafted is so brilliant because like you said you know you have to introduce everything you have to set everything up in order for it to be as impactful as it was you know like the way that it just all came together and then the way that it was wrapped up it's like cool we go down this route we go down this route we go down this route like you know like there's so many going on in this world that like you just can't get enough um and it's well done.

[56:53] Eli Tokash: But I listen I I gotta talk to you about this because voice acting no joke right it's completely different ballgame and so I like obviously like they can't see you they they only hear your voice and you have to literally portray every emotion that you need to feel through your voice um so like what is that like because especially like with voice acting like you could be in a secluded booth by yourself some people are now starting to do it at home like were you at home um like just take me through all of your recording process and kind of sure was this your first time doing voice acting like tell me about it like I I love it.

[57:31] Blake Roman: Yeah yeah it's um you know it's it's kind of funny saying like oh it's a whole different ball game it's like not in a way I think one thing I love about about experiencing like working in different mediums or like you know TV to stage stage to voiceover voiceover to you know whatever else like even my songwriting too like there is across all creative mediums some type of crossover in some capacity in ways in which every facet in in forms and reflects on other facets you know I mean it's it's kind of like you watch a movie and you're seeing so many different creative uh mediums come together to put on a story and all work together like so this is all to say like you know voiceover didn't feel out of the norm at all um in fact it felt a lot like theater it felt a lot like a midway between theater and television right because we're going in to this studio where it's our job contrary to theater where you know you're you're working on a performance of a character over the course of many months that then you will stick to when the show opens um in in TV and film and voiceover you go you read you do an ABC take of of each line for a script that you got the night before two nights before um and you're you're giving like an A take that is you know adheres to the script a B take that has maybe a little bit of like your own take and inflection wise and everything and different type of variation and then a third take that gives you know more variation after that like you're there to give them as much options as possible because in television and film the the cutting room floor like the editor it's the editing is yeah is what the what the heart of that medium is so as an actor the best thing that you can do is give variation and so that was very TV and film to me um and then but then there was another facet of it where I'm realizing okay my voice is all I have to give this character how do I make that how do I make as as profound as an impact as I possibly can with just that one mode of communication they can't see my body they can't see you know anything else that I'm doing and um and very quickly I realized oh okay just because they can't see it doesn't mean that my physicality is not translating through my voice you know I mean how you sound how you speak when you are hunched over is very different from how you speak when you're standing really you know like upright or or or doing you know anything like um and if there's like you have to do efforts a lot you know what they call efforts in the script of drinking water or or you know like chopping something up and if yeah it is it is pretty like easy to tell when somebody's doing that and not actually doing the movement of chopping something up or you know and and but this is all to say like physicality is so important to voiceover is what I found out and that to me I'm like oh I feel like a theater actor is especially predisposed to voiceover because we're very good at being in our bodies and and using that to help transmit you know what what needs to be transmitted through your voice so yeah it was it was a bit of a blend and I liked it.

[1:01:36] Eli Tokash: I love that I love that you say that because I I I think like I've always said like Broadway performers are like the perfect voice actors you know just like vocalizing on Broadway the TV and film you know you have a camera in your face so you don't have to give as much right but with like a voiceover room it's the TV film vibe where it's like we do scene at a time or line by line whatever you need to like you know get the take uh but you also need to act a little bigger as you would like in performing for the back row of the balcony you know.

[1:02:11] Blake Roman: Sure Broadway theater yeah so it's interesting to hear you kind of say that like in a sense it's just those two put together right.

[1:02:23] Eli Tokash: Yeah no it makes total sense um so like with the whole voice acting right and you finding this who Angel Dust is right what how he talks all of that the voice incredible icon okay it's just so freaking good all of it like everyone Alex Brightman everyone y'all are performing y'all are giving um yeah I love it um so like for you what is that finding Angel are you just out loud saying lines until you like are that's the one like or is it kind of like you saw the character the drawing of it and were like oh he would sound like this you know like what what is that for you?

[1:03:09] Blake Roman: Well once again it's it's a multitude of things right like um yeah I mean and very much a lot of the things that you just said too um I I had done like a sort of Brooklyn accent when I was playing like Crutchy in Newsies yes and so and so like you know that sat like down here and and and kind of just a lower register I wasn't doing much and um and then I looked at like the rendering of the character and it was like okay Brooklyn accent but then okay here's here's the actual like what the character looks like oh he's kind of lanky he's a little slinky he's kind of like you know like he's though I would imagine I I remember the first thing I realized is like the way I think he moves is is a lot more you know um he has a sense of flow to him and so that made me want to make the voice like like a lot more I don't know maybe sultry um but then he also very much like right from the get-go I was like okay but I need to heighten the pitch of this so that it's not like down here it's like up here you know and and then maybe like you know it's it's kind of you know there's like a slinky vibe to him and and and and something that like has such kind of like ease to it and um and playfulness too is is like was so important um so it was it was cool because the the audition that I did for Angel was all very funny lines it was all very like like haha oh my god this guy is ridiculous and and hilarious and I love him and and um and that's what I came to like understand his voice and his character as before we started recording and for the first couple you know episodes and then we got to you know episode three episode four and I started to see because we get all these scripts sequentially we don't we don't receive everything uh at the at the start um we record we get the script for one we record one.

[1:05:23] Blake Roman: And so then it wasn't until I got three and four that I was like, oh, wow. Oh, so how does he sound when he's not performing for people? How does he sound when it's Anthony as opposed to Angel Dust, right? Like there are, I started to see, oh, he is living kind of two, in two separate worlds, both very valid worlds, but two separate worlds in personality wise. So how does, you know, how do things change when that happens? And so there is in the same sense, like pitch wise that I remember thinking, okay, I need to be deliberate about when he kind of comes down a little bit out of that performance mode that he locks into. So yeah, really, really interesting, like cool stuff that I've always, I've always really enjoyed.

And I mean, I love, I love doing different voices. It was, this is my first voiceover gig. And I mean, what a hell of a hell of a first voiceover gig to get into. But other than that, like, I've just always enjoyed doing impressions of people throughout my life. And, and, and making up voices. So the fact that I get to voice Angel, and then also like the Egg Boys, two totally different, you know, sides of the spectrum is, is like, is really great. I love it.

[1:06:52] Blake Roman: It's awesome. It's so like, there's obviously, there's obviously like, a huge fan following for this show. And that's like, why I was like, I can't believe I was on this train sooner, because like, everyone was talking about it. And I was like, what a cartoon with Broadway actors? I was slacking. And so yeah, like, then this whole thing came out. And like, now it's a hit. And you, I see fan art that you are reposting all the time and all that. Like, is it weird to like, kind of be known as like a cartoon right now? Like, like, because people are drawing Blake in a seated position next to cast members, but y'all are the cartoons? Like, what is that whole thing like? Is that weird?

[1:07:48] Blake Roman: It is. I mean, it's, it's, it's silly. I love it. I, that's the biggest thing is, is like, I really enjoy that there is such a, an interest and a pairing of like, us to our characters. I think it's, I think it's fun. And I think it's also a really cool way for us all to like, keep, keep the story alive and like, keep our interest in the show alive when there's, you know, no new content, right? Like in between seasons. And, and obviously like, we're going out on conventions and stuff. And so, which have been just the most wonderful experiences because we all recorded in isolation. We all were alone. Albeit, you know, with the creative team on, on the, on the other end, helping us record, but we didn't like record, I didn't record my lines.

And then Keith, you know, was in the room with me recording my lines, his lines as well. We all did it in isolation. And so therefore we hadn't really like formed personal relationships with each other. And so suddenly going to these conventions, it's these, these friendships that are just like starting to bloom and bloom and bloom. And I'm, I've had a wonderful moment that I think the fans have too, like realizing, Oh my God, I like these people actually like each other. And then I'm at these conventions being like, Oh my God, I really like these people. You know, like, I love the people I'm in this cast with. And yeah, and it's, it's, it's been really great that people are as excited about those friendships as I'm excited, you know.

So it's been, it's been a funny time, obviously with like the, it's not something I ever, I ever like really fathomed that, that I would post a picture and then somebody would draw my, you know, like the character I'm voicing in as that picture as me. I think obviously there's a, there's a point that this all gets to right where like, it's a, it's a bit of a breaking point where, you know, not conflating are the actor with the actual characters. Right. Like, and that really only is in, in terms of like characters like Joelle Perez's character, like Valentino, who is, who is a pretty abusive and controversial figure. And when people are like coming up to his table and being like, Oh, Oh, I hate you.

Ah, you know? And he's like, well, it's not me. So, you know, actually that's, that's the character. I didn't know if you knew that. But you know, it makes me think of like Lena Headley in Game of Thrones playing Cersei Lannister, getting death threats. I mean, obviously it's nothing that, that, that drastic, but there is a very real like thing that happens when, when we consume content that we, we really love and we identify with and are so interested in. And then, you know, it's hard not to, it's hard for that, the introduction of somebody's face and, and, and being, being in a character and then coming to the, your brain kind of rewiring and coming to the conclusion like, Oh, Oh, they, okay. But they are a person and they aren't necessarily that character at all, you know? So it's, that's, it's all been just interesting. It's been, it's been, it's been a really interesting time.

[1:11:33] Eli Tokash: Yeah. But like, in a sense, like them coming up to you and being like, Oh, I hate you. Like, okay. That's a compliment. That means you're doing a good job.

[1:11:42] Blake Roman: Hey, let's go.

[1:11:45] Blake Roman: Like they're supposed to hate you. Like you're crushing it. Like, good job. Keep going.

[1:11:49] Eli Tokash: Yeah. I mean, good point. Good point.

[1:11:53] Blake Roman: It's so weird, but like low key, like you have to like rewire your brain a little bit.

[1:11:58] Eli Tokash: Yeah. A little bit, a little bit.

[1:12:00] Blake Roman: Yeah. But, but like you mentioned, I mean, the show deals with some difficult conversations and some difficult themes, you know, and especially with your character, you know, you're a porn star and then you also like sold your soul to like a devil and like all of these things are going on and you've got a lot going on up here and you've got a lot going on in here. Like, you know, so how, like putting yourself in that kind of mindset has to be like challenging, right? Like, and like, how do you kind of do that in a, in a healthy manner and make sure that like you can escape that place before it like really starts like affecting you?

[1:12:44] Blake Roman: For sure. I mean, I think the first place that I turned to all in all, you know, even though I don't have the specific experience that Angel has, I look for places in my life in which I have felt similar to how he's feeling and in certain scenes, you know, I mean, the sense of like, like I, I do definitely in terms of like his relationship with Val, like he signed his life away. He in, and he's, he's on contract with Val. He's regretting it. He wants to get out of it. But then again, he did, he feels like he did this to himself. And so, and, and, you know, so is he really worthy of getting out of it? It, you know, it's like, that is an experience that like, I feel like I've had loads of times where I'm like, oh shit, well, I got myself into this.

And I just have to like grin and bear it. And you know, if I would have been smarter, this wouldn't have happened. So like, maybe I just deserve what, what, what's happening to me. And that's a very real point that we get to like, it's a, it's a, it's a tough place. I mean, even when, you know, you have people telling me that, telling you that you deserve something better. I think there's definitely been relationships that I've been into my life, whether that's friendships or romantic, where it's very much like you accept the love that you think you deserve. And, and that's a lesson that I think a lot of us learn over the course of our lives and very much a lesson that Angel is still in the process of learning within the context of the show.

So that was like the first thing where I was like, okay, okay, what, what moments of my life have I, I know, I know that I've experienced a, a disparate type of situation where, you know, I'm, I, I think I'm not worthy of like a better situation. Okay, cool. You know, and, and then just, I think, so, so going through things like that in terms of the character, trying to relate empathetically as much as possible to his situation. And knowing that I am, I am not Angel. My experience, my life experience is not Angel's experience and Angel's experience is not my life experience. Chopin's life experience is not my life experience. But what I can do is try to find as many parallels as I possibly can instead of telling myself, you know, like, like, oh, well, I haven't experienced this type of abuse.

So therefore I shouldn't, you know, I don't know how to play this character. You know what I mean? Like, like there are as many ways as that I can educate myself and empathize, even if I can't sympathize. They're talking to people who have had that experience, ways that, you know, they have tried to process the situation. So like, I mean, just as many ways as possible. And so that was really the first thing. Secondly, was being able to perform within the studio in an environment that, and this is a, this is a part of the process that I have less control over, but being able to be in an environment in which I feel comfortable to be able to record stuff like this or, or, or anything. And that was something that the creative team did an absolutely wonderful job, especially in episode four, where we could just take our time with it.

And we could, we could really just, you know, do the story as much service as possible, and Angel as much of a service as possible. But yeah, I mean, I, which I'm just, I'm very thankful to the whole team for like, being being so supportive and everything. And also just for like telling the story in general. I think I think a huge part from the get go is understanding that understanding people's capacity to connect with material when that they see on TV and, and how important it is that you know, you tell a story as as authentically and sensitively as possible, so that it can be as helpful, right to people as as it can.

[1:17:31] Eli Tokash: Yeah, so I love that. Yeah, yeah, that was so well said, you're brilliant. And like the way you are, no, seriously, like, and the way that you like, approach these characters is, is just fascinating to hear about. So I appreciate you sharing all this. I want to leave it on a little bit of a lighter topic. And, you know, do a couple more questions, and then I'll let you go. Have you watched the show? Like, do you, are you someone that can like, listen to your voice? Or kind of like, Oh, I don't, I don't really want to like, what's that?

[1:18:00] Blake Roman: Yeah, I can. I mean, I've definitely I've definitely watched season one. I, and it's kind of weird, because I listened to it. And I'm like, I had a hot second of being like, Oh, do I you know, am I going to judge this? Am I am I going to feel weird about this? Right? It doesn't really matter how I feel. Like, I came to that conclusion, like,

[1:18:27] Blake Roman: Even before I did Hazbin Hotel, it's like, you know, nobody really cares how you feel. Like, nobody's thinking like, I don't, that sounds bad, sure, but in the context of acting, it doesn't matter. Like, I did the job and now it's up to everyone else. You know, it's the same thing when you make a song. The song is mine as I'm making it, and it's an act of, you know, communion between me and the song. It's mine, I own it, and then I get it done and I put it out, and it ceases to be mine. You know, now it is for everybody else to project onto and attach themselves to and reflect their own lived experience onto. And, you know, that's the same way when you're acting. When you put a performance on television, on voiceover, on Broadway, it becomes, you do what you can to make the performance truthful to you and what you want to put into it, but then when it's out there, anything that anybody thinks about your performance has everything to do with them and nothing to do with you.

You know, yeah, and that's not to say that, you know, like you shouldn't be worthy of praise or anything, but to a certain extent, it's like praise or bad critiques or, you know, bad reviews, they don't really, they're about everybody else, they're not about you. It's a tricky thing in this industry because we are our worst critics by far, but at the end of the day, it is a collaboration, and we are in a room with insanely more talented people and more knowledgeable people. You know, we are in the hands of good people, and at some point, we have to trust them and be like, you know, they wouldn't, especially with a TV show, like you give them all these takes, they would take the best one. You know, you're kind of putting yourselves, you hope.

[1:21:00] Eli Tokash: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[1:21:01] Blake Roman: I mean, you may not think it's the best, but for the story and for the overall piece, like that's what they think is most serviceable, so like, I have to trust that. Understanding the limitations of your vocation, like it is, this is my little corner. I can only control so much within this corner, and then it's up to everybody else. And TV is like a huge, I mean, my God, like the Capricorn in me wants to have control over everything. Doing stuff like TV, doing stuff like voiceover is where I literally have to just be like, okay, here's some variations, here you go, bye. You know, it's terrifying because it's totally not up to me. It's real, and it's always, it's the worst when it's like, oh, but I could do it better, and they're like, nope, that's the one. And I'm like, that's all right, okay, okay, fine, fine, yeah, I guess I'll just trust you.

[1:22:01] Eli Tokash: Yeah, right.

[1:22:02] Blake Roman: Well, I'm curious to know, I have one last question for you, and I'll let you go. Besides Angel Dust, who is your favorite character in Hazbin Hotel and why?

[1:22:18] Blake Roman: Nifty. It's definitely, I know, no, like, we also get the questions like these at conventions.

[1:22:25] Eli Tokash: Oh really?

[1:22:26] Blake Roman: Oh shoot, yeah, okay. Oh man, I thought that was, no, it is, it's so good. It's so good, Eli. I, um, it has to be Nifty. She is chaos, she is absolute chaos. Also, I just, I love Kamiko so much, like she's so freaking funny. And every time Nifty is on the screen, I'm just, I'm laughing my ass off because I never, the whole season, I'm like, I never knew what she was gonna, what was gonna come out of her mouth next, like at all. So that one's a big one. I just, I love the character. And let me also say, like at conventions, anybody who cosplays Nifty, like watch out because there's something about the chaotic energy that she inhabits that anybody who cosplays her, it gives them full permission to just be balls to the walls crazy.

I love it. And I love the Amazon Prime, like while I'm watching, like I just tap the screen and it's like, oh my God, wait, that's Kamiko. Oh my God, wait, wait, it's great that it does that. It's my favorite thing. It was so wild. I remember like sitting down and watching like when it premiered with a bunch of friends and we paused it and everyone was like, that's you, that's you. I was like, there you go, you are on the screen.

[1:24:04] Eli Tokash: I can't see my face on the screen.

[1:24:05] Blake Roman: Yeah, yeah, exactly. It's awesome. Well, hey, listen, like I said, these fans are no joke, so I'm sure they'll eat this up, and I appreciate your time. Alex Brightman seems to just make cult fanbase after cult fanbase.

[1:24:18] Eli Tokash: Dude, I mean, he's prolific. It's crazy.

[1:24:20] Blake Roman: Any chance I get to do a convention with him is always really, really wonderful. I mean, it's just, I bet it's vulgar.

[1:24:26] Eli Tokash: It's such a good group.

[1:24:27] Blake Roman: It's such a good group. Yeah, I love it. We're having fun. We're having a great time.

[1:24:32] Eli Tokash: It looks like an absolute blast, and you know, it just gives more and more people a reason to fall in love with you guys and the show and your characters. So, shout out to you guys, and I can't thank you enough for sharing all of this great stuff. I know we went super long, so I don't want to take any more of your day, but you obviously have so much to take a bow for. So, thanks again for sharing all this great insight into your career.

[1:25:03] Blake Roman: Thank you so much, Eli. Thanks for having me. I've had a really fun time.

[1:25:09] Eli Tokash: Oh my God, of course. Thanks for doing this.

[1:25:11] Blake Roman: Take a bow, Blake Roman.

[1:25:13] Eli Tokash: Oh my gosh, those stories were awesome. And honestly, okay, obviously Harmony was very fun, and I loved hearing all of his stories, and I have a relationship with Harmony as I saw them at the Barry Manilow concert, and then I saw them at, I did their opening night. And so I always enjoy talking about Harmony, and obviously that's how we met. And then now I was just so excited to talk to him about Hazbin Hotel, and I know that it's not a Broadway thing, and so like I apologize if I lost some of you there because maybe you want more strictly Broadway, or hopefully you Broadway fans have adapted and have attached to this cult that is the Hazbin Hotel fanbase because I was so excited to talk about Hazbin Hotel.

And so to do that with him, it was a blast, and he was really open to talk about everything and just his process behind it because that role is no joke, and it's so impressive what he does just by himself in a microphone, you know? And he does two roles, so he does the little eggs that are seen around the show that are like random, but also a pretty decent role, and then of course he's Angel Dust, which is like one of the biggest roles of the show. And that's not, it's a pretty heavy role, and they deal with some serious issues. So I can't, it takes a different beast as someone who has done, you know, voiceovers and voice acting and TV shows and stuff like that. It just, it takes a different type of skill, and the fact that he's able to do it in such a brilliant way was so interesting to learn about and the way that he found his voice.

You know, he really took us on that journey of, you know, adding this element and then this element, and then he literally ended up talking like he does in the show. It was just absolutely brilliant how he was able to just kind of go into it. So shout out to Blake, and thank you for being so open and just taking us through all of that. It was just an absolute blast. And hopefully everyone, if you haven't already, should absolutely be seeing Hazbin Hotel on Amazon Prime. Obviously, hopefully most of you are Prime members because it seems like nowadays everyone shops on Amazon. So if you have a Prime membership, you do get Hazbin Hotel on Prime Video, and it's just a great asset. And the fun thing about Prime Video, I will say it again, I absolutely love the fact that while they're on the screen, you know who's in the scene basically, but like whose voice is in the scene because you can't see their faces, obviously, because it's an animated show.

So that was by far my favorite part because I was just like listening and watching the show, and I was like, that sounds like Jeremy Jordan, that sounds like Christian Borle, that sounds like Blake Roman, that sounds like Erica Henningsen, you know, like all, Lily Cooper, you know, like they have everybody under the sun, Jessica Vosk. And so it's so fun to just, you know, literally tap the screen if you're watching it on the phone or scrolling over your little mouse pad if you're watching on the computer, and you're just like, oh my God, wait, that's iconic. That's exactly who those people are. So everyone go check out Hazbin Hotel. Obviously, I would tell you to go see Harmony, but it's not on Broadway right now, unfortunately, but still a great run nonetheless and an important story to be told.

So we can't thank Blake enough for coming on here and just taking us through his journey with all of that, and we can't wait to continue to root Blake on in the rest of his journey because, you know, his career is just getting started. So we can't wait to have Blake back and talk to him more about what he's up to. So that's all I have for this week. Again, I will remind everyone, please, please come join us at BroadwayCon this Saturday at five o'clock, January, oh, January, we're in July, sweetheart, July 27th. And we will be at BroadwayCon live recording Take A Bow, so hopefully y'all will be in the episode, and y'all will obviously get some free stuff and get to meet Annabelle Fonye, which is super exciting. So thank you again so much for listening. Please come back next week, and we will have an incredible live episode for all of you. Until then, bye everyone, have a great week.

[1:30:13] Eli Tokash: For this episode's curtain call, I would like to recognize a few people who also deserve to take a bow. This podcast would not be possible without the help from Dory Berenstein, Alan Seales, Kimberly Garris, and the team at the Broadway Podcast Network. Next in line to take a bow are our fabulous editors, Jessica Warren, who edits the audio of the podcast that you just listened to, and Tessie Tokash, who edits the videos and visuals for this podcast. And how about a bow for our executive producer, Chris Griner? And our final bow, our extra special thanks to the patrons, Brian Thompson, Pat McNamara, the listeners of PCC, as well as all of the other patrons for their continued support. If you're interested in becoming a patron, go to patreon.com/tab.

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