This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Eli Tokash: Hello everyone and welcome or welcome back to Take A Bow Podcast.

[0:06] Sydney Lucas: I'm Sydney Lucas.

[0:08] Eli Tokash: And I'm Eli Tokash. And today we have Salisha Thomas on.

[0:14] Sydney Lucas: And if you don't know Salisha Thomas, she is a Disney princess. She is a pageant queen. She is a Broadway star. She's literally the brightest human that I've ever met. And I'm so thankful to have her on for our Thanksgiving episode.

[0:31] Eli Tokash: Happy Thanksgiving, by the way, everyone.

[0:34] Sydney Lucas: Yes, so this is very exciting. And um we talk about Disney. She worked at Disney and she worked on Beautiful on Broadway, and she's worked with me and Trevor. And she just has a bunch of incredible stories of her journey and how she made it to where she is today. So we hope you enjoy.

[1:31] Eli Tokash: From like someone that I've worked with. And she has been going from job to job in the last five years because she is so talented. And we can't wait to share this one with you guys because I know you guys can't see her because she has like the most contagious smile, but you will hear it through her voice. So, everyone, this is Salisha Thomas.

[1:52] Salisha Thomas: Eli.

[1:56] Eli Tokash: I love you.

[1:57] Salisha Thomas: Oh my god, I'm so excited. I freaking miss you so much.

[2:01] Eli Tokash: I know I miss you too. But I'm so happy we're doing this right now.

[2:05] Salisha Thomas: You miss me too.

[2:09] Eli Tokash: Yes, I miss you. Um, oh my god, Salisha, there's so many things that we want to talk about with you, and I realize that I've never asked you any of these, so I'm so excited.

[2:19] Salisha Thomas: Oh, hi Sydney, by the way.

[2:23] Sydney Lucas: Welcome.

[2:24] Salisha Thomas: Thank you.

[2:25] Sydney Lucas: Thank you, girl.

[2:27] Salisha Thomas: So, Salisha, you got your start working at Disney, and you were performing as Tiana singing at Disney Parks. I mean, like, that's nuts. Lately, like, we've actually had a few guests that have done the same thing, just like with other characters and stuff, and like it's been like a trend, but we want to hear from you like, what did you learn from like being a princess, first of all, and what is the day in the life of being a princess?

[2:54] Salisha Thomas: Oh my gosh, well, it was so much fun. It was literally my dream freaking job. I'm like every day in college, I wanted to work at Disneyland, and I auditioned for that freaking park so many times, and I got cut from Princess Tiana seven times, and so for this audition, I was like, I almost didn't even go because I'm like, they know who I am. I know they know who I am because I did work at the park doing something else, and um, it never worked out. And for that one, I was the last one seen because I had class that day, so I was late to the audition. Last one seen for the day. By the time they saw me, um, they asked for a four-bar cut.

[3:32] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[3:33] Salisha Thomas: Oh a four-bar cut. It was it started with a 32-bar cut, and then there were so many people that they asked for a four-bar cut. So I had a solid four-bar cut that I could hold out the notes, you know, like being dramatic. I held out and I didn't know the rest of the song. And they cut they didn't cut me off, and I made up the words to the rest of the song. And then I got a callback. And then um, it's from the downtown where the folks up broke. Oh down the the as at the beginning when they said along and I just held out all those notes, but I didn't actually know the song.

[4:14] Salisha Thomas: Work. I um I got a call back the next day, and then I and then I got the show, and I it was so much fun. And automatically I was like, okay, Salisha, just because you're like literally a princess, do not act like a princess because nobody has time for that. Um, you know, I'm like trying to dress myself as much as I can. They're like, girl, bye. Um but honestly, oh gosh, going to work was like, I cannot wait for the next show. Like, just like oh waiting, like the we had so many breaks. We had five shows a day, and everything else for the eight hours. The show was like 23 minutes. So everything else, we were just like watching football, watching Disney movies, hanging out, and I just couldn't wait.

The most valuable lesson I learned from working at Disneyland, I would say, is that by our fifth show, sometimes we would be tired. It's like a long freaking day. And they taught us, they're like, you guys, just so you know, even though it's your fifth show for the day, it might be somebody's first show that they're seeing at Disneyland. And they might have paid a lot of they might have been saving for a year or more to bring their family here. And so you guys need to bring the magic as much for the fifth show as you do for the first show. And I've never forgotten that. And that's why on Broadway, I'm like, we only do one a day. Let's freaking do this thing. Like bottles to the wall, all out energy, because it's only one a day. Like, let's do this. And obviously, you guys both know eight times a week is a lot. Um, it's a lot, but in the back of my mind, I'm like, well, at least it's what's eight times five.

[6:01] Sydney Lucas: Exactly.

[6:02] Salisha Thomas: So that is my biggest lesson is always keeping every show fresh because you never know who you're influencing or impacting in the audience.

[6:12] Eli Tokash: Yeah, especially like in a character like Tiana, like that's that was really cool. I love that.

[6:19] Sydney Lucas: So like was five the most you would do in a day?

[6:23] Salisha Thomas: Oh no, when I worked over at California Adventure, we had eight shows a day. I did some Yeah, it I was in a show called Five and Dime. So the amount of shows the normal Broadway actor does in a week, you did in a day.

[6:37] Eli Tokash: Uh yeah, and the show in f uh in Five and Dime was a longer show, and I was the only vocalist. So it was way more singing.

[6:48] Salisha Thomas: Yeah, and more shows. I was like, this is way more work. But like, I'm the star, let's do this thing.

[6:56] Eli Tokash: And then when you got to Broadway, you're like, man, I'm a pro with this.

[7:01] Salisha Thomas: Oh my god. I can't. Like, let's let's do it. It's too good. It's so fun. So we gotta talk about how you how basically you um are originally from California, but you moved to New York City.

[7:18] Salisha Thomas: Yeah. And you moved to New York City because while you were in New York City, a homeless man told you to move to New York City.

[7:26] Eli Tokash: And then a literal week later, was it? You were casting the first National Tour, Beautiful the Carol King musical?

[7:32] Salisha Thomas: Not far from that, yeah, Sydney. I was visiting New York and I just like needed a break from Disney. So I went out to New York for I was like 30 days sleeping on my friend's couch for 30 days. I paid my half of the rent, but I still was there. And Disney didn't know I was out there. And yeah, while I was exploring, like everything was brand new. And I was exploring everything. And my goal was every day just go get lost and then use your GPS to get home later. I fell in love. Like the first day that I got to New York, it was like Disneyland on crack. It was a whole city of the same energy that I got from Disney.

[8:04] Sydney Lucas: It's pretty magical.

[8:10] Salisha Thomas: Yeah. It's pretty freaking magical. And I was waiting for the train. Um a homeless man sat down next to me.

[8:19] Salisha Thomas: Yeah. And his eyes twinkled. He looked straight into my eyes, and I looked straight into his, and he's like, I don't know who you are, but you need to move here and you need to do it now. And I remember my whole body was covered in goosebumps, and I was like, that's really all I needed to hear. I know that the packaging is not what I expected, but um, I'm going to think about this for the next couple hours, and I did. And that night I put my notice in for Disneyland. And it was it was a two-week's notice. I literally booked a round trip ticket to California, back to New York, and I was back in the city two weeks later. And I'd sold everything except for my car. Um so my parents just kept my car.

Um, but I got rid of my apartment, my boyfriend, all like clothes that didn't fit in two suitcases. And the week I got back to New York, I heard about a show called Beautiful. And I didn't know that they were in the final week of casting. They've been casting it for months. And my friend Deshaun, who was in Motown at the time, was in final callbacks for Beautiful, and I saw Motown that night, like one of the first nights that I was back in New York. And he was like, I'm in, I'm in callbacks for Beautiful. You could be in that. You should ask your agents about that, like tonight. And I did, and they said they probably couldn't get me in. And the next day they sent me all the sides and said, You have one more day until your audition, don't mess it up.

And I went, yeah, and I watched the show that night and loved it. Fell in love. Even I was I decided even if I don't get in this show, this is my new favorite show. I love it. I truly I was in the back of the balcony, and it was just I mean, everybody, even the audience says this after the show, and it's so dumb, but I'm saying the same thing. They're like, it really was beautiful. Like it really, it really is.

[10:14] Salisha Thomas: And um, I went in for the audition the next day, and I felt good about it. And that was my first night busing tables in a restaurant. I'm like, oh my gosh, like last week I was a literal princess, and now I'm the garbage woman. What the heck, man? And like, truly, and and when I finished my um my restaurant shift, which I was not good at, by the way, I looked at my phone for the first time. It for the whole night. My phone was totally blown up. My text, my calls, my voicemail was full, my emails, my agents, and the casting office in New York was trying to get a hold of me saying, You have a final callback. Can you go back tomorrow?

[10:56] Salisha Thomas: Oh, like nine hours later, when I saw, like, I'm like, oh, yes, yes, yes. And I went back and after the weekend, my I told my agents, I was like, it felt good about it. And they said, Great, we just got word, they're going in between you and one other girl. Uh, we should know more right after the weekend. So all weekend I was like, Wow. And literally, the show was in my life for the next five years.

[11:25] Eli Tokash: Wow. All I have to say about that is that man was a spirit guide or something.

[11:33] Salisha Thomas: Yeah.

[11:33] Eli Tokash: Oh, I feel like he was totally an angel. I honestly do. Like, and I've met other angels in New York, and it's so cool, like their entrance into my life, and then how they leave. It's like, you literally just came to drop this message to me, and now you're gone. Like, literally, when I after that homeless man told me, you need to move here, you need to do it now. I the train was pulling into this into the station while he was saying, like, right after he said that, I got on the train. He did not get on. As the doors were shutting, I'm looking at him through the glass doors, and he's literally mouthing the words, good luck.

[12:10] Salisha Thomas: Oh my god.

[12:11] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[12:12] Salisha Thomas: I know yes, yes, yes. I'm like, who are you? Full body chills.

[12:18] Eli Tokash: Oh my gosh.

[12:20] Salisha Thomas: Right? Like, that's I couldn't have made that up. I'm like, I think that I am talented. I think I am cute, but I am like not that the bomb, and I am not that gorgeous. You know what I'm saying? Like that to me was that was God's timing. That was something that had not like, do you know what I mean? Like, that was just a higher power, I think, at work.

[12:42] Eli Tokash: Something, something divine happened there.

[12:46] Salisha Thomas: Yeah. Wait, was Beautiful the first Broadway show you ever saw?

[12:51] Salisha Thomas: No, because I I was in New York a couple weeks prior, and I was seeing everything, Eli. I saw everything. So when I auditioned for Beautiful, you know, all those black girls, honey, they were all in the shows that I had just seen.

[13:05] Eli Tokash: Oh.

[13:05] Salisha Thomas: And I'm like, I just staged toward you and you and you and you. And now I'm auditioning next to you. What am I doing here?

[13:17] Eli Tokash: Oh my god. That's crazy. I hate that too. Like, you always like when you are at an audition and like you have like the other people that are auditioning, you're always like, oh my god, and you get psyched out and you like make up stories in their head about the other people.

[13:31] Salisha Thomas: Yeah, yeah.

[13:33] Sydney Lucas: And PS, also one of the shows that I'd seen before then. My I'm like, my timing might be off, but I don't think it was. Pippin.

[13:42] Salisha Thomas: Shut up. That's guess who signed my playbill? Uh-uh. Baby Eli Tokash. Years before I officially worked with you. Oh my god. And Carly Hughes, who I didn't know who she was, who originated the track that I ended up doing on tour and Broadway. She was the leading player. Oh my god. I loved her. Yeah, I love her and I love you. I'm like crazy. Yeah, you were the kid in the show. And you know it's also so I was thinking about this while you were um uh saying this is we probably wouldn't be talking right now if it weren't for that man yeah right because I wasn't gonna move to New York right then yeah that's crazy I was like waiting for all my ducks to be in a row to be ready for everything to be perfect for my contract to be up with Disney for my lease to be up with my apartment for people to give me permission and tell me that it was a smart move to leave everything in California and go to New York that was like when is that ever gonna happen?

Never it's never gonna be the perfect time and if he didn't tell me you need to do this now there's no way I would have done it right then there's no way and the relationships that I've made probably for like listening to him and being like hey yeah this is the time great yeah let's do it like taking it as like a sign dang yeah I yeah I mean it was scary it's easier to talk about it in hindsight because it's like sure yes I did the right thing yeah right people were scared for me yeah they were like you're what yeah sure yeah craziness okay so then you're on tour right with beautiful on Broadway just you know just casually going from state to state and sure enough you are like crowned Miss California or whatever.

[15:42] Eli Tokash: So like what is that? Like you're on tour then you're crowned Miss California like how do you do that while you're on tour?

[15:50] Salisha Thomas: So here's the thing. I really first of all, I'm very like workaholic. Love, love, love anything theater. I'm literally a theater kid who ended up in a show. So I'm like, oh my gosh, everything is so cool. Okay. Well, finally, when I was like, okay, I can do this show in my sleep. All right. I don't have to be so anal about every little thing. I was like, I'm running a pageant. Oh my god. I took a week off and went to DC to run for Miss World America. And I'm like, oh my gosh, this is so much fun. Get our makeup done every day at 5 a.m. That part was not fun. And just be glamorous and like be a girl. I love, love, love that. I just love it. And you know, it was Miss World America is a very renowned pageant in the world.

Here in America, no one really cares because every year America sends a model to represent the United States. And so that year, it was the second year that they had held a pageant here in the States. And so because it was like new to us, um, it was like a different, it was a different setup. And they had um girls come as delegates, national delegates to the national pageant. And um, so there were multiple girls from like the same state. And and so how it worked was it if you score the highest out of the girls from your state, then you will win your state title. And and that is how I ended up winning for Miss California. And so I I I had lost the the Miss World of America pageant, but I still had so much fun, and I came back to tour and then got a phone call saying, Hey, you're you scored the highest from the girls from California. You are Miss California. Oh my god. I'm like, this is awesome.

[17:45] Eli Tokash: What does that mean to you?

[17:48] Salisha Thomas: Well, it's something like I have done pageants for so long, and my mom hated when I did pageants because she was she would if I if ever I lost, she would take it way harder than I did. Because I loved it. I'm like in the Miss America system, even when you lose, you get scholarship money. Period. I'm like, wait, you mean if I get first runner up, I get all almost all the things that the winner gets except the responsibility. Oh do this. I just yeah, like I made so many friends. I made so much money for college. I had so much fun and would always like whenever I did a pageant, I would be in the best shape of my life. I would know what was going on in the world because you can't live under a rock or else you won't survive the interviews.

And um, and so to like I I won Miss Fullerton way back when, and that was such a fun experience, and I loved it. Um, but that was the only title I'd won. I'd run in so many pageants, just like I'd auditioned for Disney a million times. So winning Miss California was like, this is so cool. It's so awesome, especially since it's the most beautiful crown I'd ever seen. And while I was they knew I was on tour and they were okay with that. When I was going through California, I spoke at so many schools up and down the state, where whatever city we were in. And when I was in other states, I would meet up with my sister queens, Miss Colorado. I'm like, hey girl, I'm in town, let's do a photo op. Or in Maryland, like, hey, I'm here. Let's hang out. Like, it was the perfect setup.

[19:25] Eli Tokash: And all of this while on tour.

[19:28] Salisha Thomas: Yeah, literally, you're just on vacation for a week and go, hey, I'm gonna sign up for the world's pageant. What? Girl, so now you're like a pageant baby, and then you won win Miss California, and then you're a Broadway star. Like, what? What a life. And you were a Disney princess. Like, come on. Oh, you're just thriving. I love you, Eli.

[19:52] Eli Tokash: I love you too. Oh my god, it's too good.

[19:56] Salisha Thomas: So after touring the nation, you did a little show in Chicago called Trevor the Musical with Eli Tokash. And um, I mean, what an incredible musical, what an impactful musical.

[20:13] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[20:14] Salisha Thomas: Um, and and you had you, what was it like embodying the true legend, Diana Ross?

[20:22] Salisha Thomas: Um, intimidating. And I didn't realize how intimidating it was gonna be. Diana Ross's fans are like truly fanatics, and uh they like people who love her, like like people love the Super Bowl, like people love the Tony Awards. I'm one of those people. There are people who love Diana Ross like that, and who have been to over 200 of her concerts, and you know, and so when those fans were in the audience, I'm like, girl, you better step it up, honey. Especially since they saw the show multiple times. It was, it was, it was like, I've never been in that kind of a position, um portraying a role of an iconic person like that before, so it was absolutely a learning experience and but also fun because I love gowns. I love a look, honey. And that was kind of what the show was, you know. Um yeah, and we ended up seeing her in concert while the show was going on.

[21:32] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[21:33] Salisha Thomas: Sorry, continue. This is the craziest story. So a like a small group of us, three of us, uh went to Hammond, Indiana to see Diana Ross perform live, and I did everything I could to meet her. Literally, I like talked to my people. I was like, can my people talk to her people? Everything. I like reached out to the VIP. I tried to tweet her, I did everything. And when we got to the venue, I was like, hi, I'm Salisha Thomas. I wrote in there, like, oh, we know who you are. We tried, we tried for her to meet you. And it's it's gonna be a no. I was like, oh man, that's okay. Honestly, I'm just glad that she's alive and thriving, that I can see her in real life while I'm alive and and portraying her.

And so I'm sitting in the back of the theater, not with my friends, and um, because they had gotten their tickets way beforehand, and I just got the cheapest ticket I could. While I'm watching the show, I just got this very uncontrollable urge and nudge to get up and get closer. And I am a rule follower. I'm like, this is my seat. I paid for the seat, I need to stay in the seat. And everything in me was like, pick up your things and go. I'm like, okay. And so eventually I picked up all my things and I was like, excuse me, excuse me, trying to get out to the aisle. No idea what I was gonna do. And there was a crowd of people way at the front, but I was like in the back, back, back of the house.

And I found my way going up to where the crowd was. The craziest thing, the crowd started to split. I did not like move anybody. I did not force my way. It was like every step that I took, people just moved out of my way. Not on purpose. They didn't even know I was there. It was just like the actual C parted just organically. And the next thing I knew, I was at the lip of the stage. I'm like, how did I get here? Oh my gosh. I'm literally in the front row, like standing at the stage, and nobody, I didn't force my way here. And then security came out and was like, everybody go back to your seats. Well, there were two seats right in the second row on the aisle. And I slid right in. I was like, it's okay if somebody tells me to move, I'll go back to my seat.

Nobody did. The next thing I know, I'm back in the aisle dancing at the lip of the stage. And Diana Ross, the real Diana Ross, looks down at me from the stage and says, Do you want to come up here and dance with me?

[22:55] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[22:55] Salisha Thomas: And I was like, oh my god. Yes! Yes! There were no stairs to get to the stage. A bouncer comes out from stage right and literally lifts me up. I give him all my dead weight. He lifts me up onto the stage. I get I get my bearings and I stand up and I just remember looking over to my left, and here is this freaking goddess. Oh my god. I'm standing next to her on the stage, and her eyes are literally as they're just so big. They're so big. They're so they're the biggest eyes I've ever seen. So much hair, so much material. And she's like, come on, girl, dance. And I'm like, and I start, I start to dance, but I look out to the audience, like, can you believe oh my god, what's happening? And she starts laughing.

She's like, dance, girl, dance. And so I'm literally dancing with Diana Ross, and then she hugs me. And she says, How are you gonna get off the stage? And I was like, I don't know. And then a bouncer catches me from the ground. And that was little did she know that you were embodying her in another show.

[25:35] Eli Tokash: Like that's crazy.

[25:36] Salisha Thomas: I know. My dad was like, Did you give her a pamphlet? No. No, I did not have time to tell her about my my show. Oh my gosh. That's so funny. Once again, that's that's something divine happened there. Truly, truly. Like the nudge honestly, the the um uh correlation between the homeless man and that time at Diana Ross is the nudge. If I would have ignored the nudge, it would have left me restless. Right. It would have I know that I would not have had any peace. I would have had more anxiety, ignoring it. Good on you for following that. Cause honestly, that takes an insane amount of bravery. Seriously. You know, I'm just like like, I'm trying to figure out okay, what are these mo like what are these feelings and what else?

What other opportunities are out there that maybe doesn't make sense, but that I'm feeling a nudge to do. And so I'm like learning, because there are times when I'm like, is that the voice? And then it's totally off. And I'm learning, like learning to distinguish between, okay, when I get this, like when my stomach turns like this, that means this. When I get goosebumps, that means this. When I feel heat in my body, that means this. Like it's such a weird thing, because it's not like people don't really talk about that. You know, like, oh, that yeah, that like it's so kind of woo-woo and kind of weird. But I'm like, there is something to that.

[27:13] Eli Tokash: Hey, it has served you right thus far.

[27:16] Salisha Thomas: Yeah. Yeah. I'm like, God, teach me your voice so that I know every single time.

[27:23] Salisha Thomas: And there have been some kind of some things that I'm like, I don't know if this is the best move for me. Everyone is telling me don't do this, but my gut says I have to do this. And so if my gut, if that feeling tells me to do it, I'm just like, yep. Well, yeah. Let's see where this leads me. Seriously. It'll be an adventure. Truly. It's seriously, like everything happens for a reason, you know, like, and if you don't like listen to that, you can miss out on like a whole opportunity. It's crazy. Miss out. Yes. Yeah, absolutely. And then like there's people, like I was talking to Sydney earlier, and we were like, could you imagine if some homeless person came up to you and said, you need to move to New York?

I would laugh. Like I was, and and like you took it and were like running with it. Like, it's incredible. Like, I would I would have missed out on that opportunity. I think it's easy to like you're not wrong for that. It's like the you know, it's logically what I did was completely illogical. And but I really do feel like you know, and even if it's not God that you believe in, if it's something else or you call it something else, whatever, like I do believe that the universe I for me it's the Holy Spirit, but like the they're always trying to com it's trying to communicate with us in whatever way it can get to you. That is there are signs. I I don't think they're just there for me. I think there are signs set out for everybody, and it's do you listen to it or not?

I believe that 100%. Yeah. But like it's up to you to we a lot of times it's easier to choose the safer path, but then you end up with a whole lot of man, I should have, or what would have happened if but you at least have a what the position that you're in is it was like you feel safe, you know, and as humans, we kind of want that security. It's it's scary to take risks because you don't ever know if you're gonna fall on your face or not. True. Jeez. Yeah, it's like a very personal. However, yeah, you miss 100% of the shots you don't take. That's right. Wow.

[29:41] Eli Tokash: Um, okay, so during Trevor. Okay, Salisha, we have we have way too many good times during Trevor. Um, but there is one time in particular that I will never forget. Um the day you found out that you would be making your Broadway debut. Salisha, I've never seen someone more happier than like you. Like you legit like pulled me aside and were like, I have to tell somebody. And you like were just I mean, you the glow. You were literally as soon as you walked into the room, I was like, something's up, something's up. And you pulled me aside, and I was like, shut up. And seeing you so happy, I knew I had to like be there for your Broadway debut. And so I came and I watched in the audience, but I want to hear from your perspective what it was like to just be opening and performing on the Sondheim Theater.

[30:44] Salisha Thomas: Oh my gosh, like literally, this is the best day of my life. Okay, so the day that I found out, Eli, we were in tech rehearsal and I got a text. I found out in a text. I I looked at my phone and said, Yes, I yes. Um, I my agent, it I didn't have his number. Don't ask me why I did not have his number. And he texted me, he's like, if you want it, it's yours earlier. And then when I looked over at my phone and said, um, offer coming on Monday. Congrats. I was like, oh my gosh. And then I had to go on stage and do the end of act one. I'm like, when I made my Broadway debut, it was it was overwhelming in all the best ways. I had so many flowers backstage. I I'm like in the I'm I'm in the ensemble, okay.

My little dressing station was full. That my my neighbor in the dressing station was like, you can put some of your flowers on mine. I had, yeah, I'm like, I had I think 19 bouquets on like my little yes, or yes, yeah, had a whole garden. I had an entire botanical garden. Um my mom, yes. Um, on my first day, the girls had written, Chris Roberts in particular had written on my mirror, welcome to Broadway, Salisha. Um, and that I just felt so welcomed. Yeah, it felt like this is a day that I have waited for and have prayed about and hoped for for so long since I saw my first Broadway show, Wicked, 12 years ago. And here it is, and I felt the love. And right before I went out on stage, I was so close to breaking down in tears because I just was like, We did it.

We did it. Like my parents are out there. I'm like, you guys did this too. Like, and you were there, Mark Woods was there, Mark Bruni was there, which is like he had directed us. As the flowers, like, yeah, like just feeling the support, and also like Mark being there. I was like, oh my gosh, our our director from Trevor, like that's so nice, but also he directed this show. So, like, also Salisha, like, don't mess this up. Like, do you know? Um, I just felt so much love, and I wanted to break down in tears. And I was like, Salisha, you cannot cry right now because you're about to make a Broadway debut in five, six, seven, night. Like, and yes, I the hair person backstage, she made it a point.

She pulled me aside. She was like, I tell all the new girls this. Make sure that you live in the moment tonight. Because it's gonna go by so fast. So really try to take in every moment so that you can remember this. And I'm so glad she said that because I first of all, I did live in the moment, and I like, even though I can't really articulate how I was feeling because it was just so overwhelming. I just think about it, I'm covered in chills thinking about it, and I get so excited that I can't even really describe it. I just have always loved Broadway. It's like the my favorite thing in the whole world. And now I'm in a show that is my favorite show.

[34:17] Eli Tokash: Yeah, yeah, and it was like another full circle moment, you know, like just like the fact that you did it on tour and now you're doing it on Broadway and like making your Broadway debut in it. Like that's it's just crazy. And it did not matter whether or not you were in the ensemble or you were the leading lady, but every time you were on that stage, you were getting no like uh applause or some kind of yell from somebody. I'll never forget that. Every time you came out, someone was cheering.

[34:46] Salisha Thomas: Oh my gosh, it was so cool. And you know what? Like, I it made me feel like so. When I left tour, I loved tour. I did not leave the Beautiful tour because I didn't like it. I left because I was like, you know what? I really want to give New York a chance, even though I don't have anything lined up. I really want to give New York a chance. And the day that I decided that, I got a call asking if I would play Diana Ross in Trevor. And I was like, okay. Cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool. And so the timing just worked out. Even in terms of like Trevor to Broadway, we closed Trevor on a Sunday. I moved to New York on Monday. I had rehearsals Tuesday, Wednesday, and made my Broadway debut on Thursday. Just whoa. The timing was just so perfect.

[35:36] Eli Tokash: Oh my god. You literally like haven't stopped. You've just been going and going, and it's incredible.

[35:44] Salisha Thomas: Q 2020 pandemic. Yes.

[35:51] Eli Tokash: Oh yeah, something like that.

[35:53] Salisha Thomas: I'm like, oh my gosh, what is this unemployment feeling? Well, here we are.

[35:57] Eli Tokash: Right. You were you were in rehearsals for Once Upon a One More Time, the Britney Spears musical when the pandemic happened, right?

[35:58] Salisha Thomas: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And honestly, it was so cool. It was so much fun. And oh Eli, I have details, but I'm like, I'm not sure if we should, if I should say them all on here, but I I can. Um on the I'm like, you can edit this out if you want. But like on the day that um I got the offer for Britney, I'd also gotten the offer for Trevor. Right. And you did tell the guy. Yeah, I was like, oh shoot. But honestly, I didn't know that they were going to cast me. It seemed like they were like about to recast everybody. So I was like, my heart will go on. And I tried to move on emotionally so that like if they recast me, I would still be okay. And so I was I'd fallen in love through the audition process for the Britney Spears musical.

And when it was offered, I was like, oh yes, even though I was I'm I was cast as a swing in in Brittany in Once Upon a One More Time and our cast we got so close in the 11 days we had 11 days of rehearsal before Broadway shut down. Yeah and you know what half of my cast was sick during rehearsal oh my god they could have COVID oh my god could have when the two weeks after we all got laid off people were chiming into our group chat saying like hey guys uh can't taste can't smell oh hey guys can't breathe like all of the things like one by one one by one people were saying that they had it or they had a a positive uh test result I was like within the two weeks so I was quarantining in New York City thinking who's next just kind of waiting to waiting to die no no I was by myself and there was nobody who I was quarantining with no one no one to be like you're you're okay you're okay every time I looked at my Facebook it was like um people who had it and the hospitals had turned them away because you guys know the New York City hospitals were full at maximum capacity people were being turned away so I was like even if I had it I'm gonna die in my apartment by myself I was so scared I was so scared I was so scared but I never got it and I'm like thank you God so much. Thank you, God, so my much. Because I was with everybody.

[38:31] Eli Tokash: Right.

[38:36] Salisha Thomas: We were we started every rehearsal with hugs, group hugs. We everybody hugged everybody. We were eating together in close proximity. We were hanging out. Like, I it was truly a miracle that I did not get it.

[38:51] Eli Tokash: Wow.

[38:52] Salisha Thomas: Wow. And speaking of quarantine, pretty much during quarantine, like me and Eli, you created your own podcast called Black Hair in the Big Leagues, and you have seven episodes out.

[39:04] Eli Tokash: What's seven like?

[39:06] Salisha Thomas: Oh my gosh, Sydney. I it's so much fun. I love it so much. Earlier this year, I I wrote a blog and I was like, I'm writing a Broadway musical. I might start a podcast. Okay. I wrote like a whole stanza of a half of a song. And I was like, I'm not starting no podcast. I'm about to be sitting up on this couch, Netflix and chilling. And fast forward, I woke, I was like, something happened, and I was like, I need a change of pace. I need a change of my energy. I need to refocus my energy. I was like, you know what? I'm gonna start a podcast. I I had a friend who had interviewed me on her podcast, and I was like, I was like, girl, I'm so proud of you. How did you do this? And she walked me through everything.

I was like, oh, so now I know how to do it. Now I just need an idea. And I like literally that night, I had a dream, and I woke up in the middle of the night. I was like, it's called Black Hair and the Big Leagues. That's it. And my God. And I wrote that down, and the next day I was like, all right, I made a list of all my friends, black friends on Broadway. Who I'm like, we can talk about hair all day because that's what we were doing in the dressing room. We can talk about hair all night, all day. And here's here's another thing. When black people talk about hair, we are not just talking about hair. We are talking about how we're showing up in the world, in the industry, on and off the stage.

There is a lot that we've not addressed in the Broadway community because it wasn't a part of the conversation before George Floyd died and was murdered. And so here we go. And so um that it's talking about hair, it's like a a way for it's a fun thing to listen to, but it's also like obviously if you're black and or have any kind of textured hair, it's like, oh my goodness, you can learn a lot from it. But also if you're not black, you're gonna learn a lot about Broadway. And or you're you're also gonna hear black stories without anybody trying to shove it down your throat.

[41:10] Salisha Thomas: Because that's not what we're trying to do. I've listened to all seven episodes and I am absolutely obsessed. Like, literally, I can't stop listening because it's true, like it's not like if you're black, you don't it you're like not the only one that should be listening to this. Like white people need to like educate themselves, and you like the way you just like guide your podcast talking about Broadway and talking about hair and then talking about like black excellence and the black experience, like it's incredible. Like you just do it so well, and it's not forced like you said. It's so good.

[41:45] Eli Tokash: Thank you.

[41:46] Salisha Thomas: Yes, oh my gosh, that means so much to me. And it's like literally it does, it really does. Like when I started making it and sitting down with my friends, I just kind of figured like only like black girls like me would listen to it. And I'm always so surprised when people who don't look like me write and tell me that they've been listening and what they think. I'm like, what? Wait, what? What? Like, it's I I wrote a blog a while ago about like how to grow your hair. And the white girls came out of the woodworks being like, oh my gosh, I love step seven and step 10. So I tried yada. I was like, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. What? I just wasn't expecting. I don't know, but I'm so glad that it works.

Yes, you know, for it doesn't have to just be people who look like me. And so um I've had a lot of fun working on that. So much fun. And you know what I love about it the most? I'm able to gather people who um who I've looked up to, whether it's a curl crush or people who I've just always wanted to meet. Cause I've recorded about 50 episodes as of today.

[42:58] Salisha Thomas: Oh my God. Yeah, I just like my calendar keeps getting filled up. And I'm like, all right, well, might as well knock it out. Maybe this will be my last week. This will be the end of season one. This will be the end of season one. And then three more people will be like, oh, can I be on? Or so I'm like, yeah.

[43:16] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[43:17] Salisha Thomas: Yeah, sure. I and and so I when I'm talking to these people, I have the opportunity to ask them everything that I've been wondering, but has been kind of like, you don't ask another person this or whatever. Now it's like I'm not just asking on my behalf. I'm asking on behalf of other people who don't know what to do with their hair, or even if it's in the industry, like I just, oh, I'm releasing my episode with Crystal and Lloyd tomorrow. And one of the things I asked her, oh, she's fabulous. She um one of the things I asked her was like, Well, what do you do about headshots? Because I'm trying to figure out like she always has her twists in that I've seen, and now she's rocking an afro, and she's rocked so many different looks, and she's able to break down like how she works as a black woman not having to have 20 different headshots. Like I can ask the things that I don't know.

[44:11] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[44:11] Salisha Thomas: Or, you know, and just get the answers in a way where the person I'm asking is not offended at all. Like, I mean, that's why your podcast is so important.

[44:22] Eli Tokash: Exactly.

[44:23] Salisha Thomas: Because it's like not talked about enough. And that's like the fact that you're able to get that like advice is just incredible for yourself and for others.

[44:32] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[44:33] Salisha Thomas: But like also, um, for Kristaline Lloyd, is that as in like tomorrow's in like Thanksgiving?

[44:40] Eli Tokash: Thanksgiving.

[44:41] Salisha Thomas: Thanksgiving. So it's out today when maybe you may be listening to this. We both have the same release day.

[44:48] Eli Tokash: Oh yeah.

[44:48] Salisha Thomas: Thursday buddies. I was gonna pick Tuesday, you guys, but then the election.

[44:53] Eli Tokash: No, we're honored.

[44:55] Salisha Thomas: We're honored to have the same release day as you. If you're coming, if you're listening to this episode first, immediately go over to her podcast.

[45:04] Eli Tokash: Oh, thank you.

[45:05] Salisha Thomas: Yeah, it's it's gonna be a two-part um episode because two parts.

[45:10] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[45:12] Salisha Thomas: And she's really just so lovely. I just texted her today. I was like, because I didn't know her before the I didn't know her before we interviewed. So it's so cool to like meet people who I'm like, I've all I've always admired you. And now, thank you for coming on my show. Let's be friends. Like her voice is so welcoming and kind, and even editing her episode, I'm just like, dang, she's so likable. You know, she just really is, and yeah, yeah.

[45:42] Eli Tokash: Do you have a do you have a dream guest that that hasn't been on your podcast yet?

[45:46] Salisha Thomas: Oh, absolutely. Audrey McDonald.

[45:49] Eli Tokash: Audrey McDonald.

[45:50] Salisha Thomas: Oh, of course. I mean you literally have had some of the coolest guests ever. Like the fact that you had like our interviewed Todd Hall and like Crystal and Lloyd, like, you're killing it. Like, so literally anyone who's interested in like learning about just like black hair, Broadway, anything, like go check that out because it's also got a lot of love for Broadway.

[46:18] Eli Tokash: There's a lot of love.

[46:19] Salisha Thomas: Like, I um I haven't released um Todricks episode yet, or Alex Newell hit his episode. Is one of my favorite ones. And I and also I I asked the questions that I'm like, I'm wondering, what are your pronouns? Like, how do you want to? How are you like because sometimes and I'm so glad he broke it down? He's like, you can call me she, you can call me he, you can call me they. Like, these are the things that I've wanted to know in real life, and being able to ask you like straight up, how do you prefer and to hear it from the mouth, you from your mouth? And um, his episode or her episode or their episode is truly one of my favorites. Just so fun and just so he's open about a lot of things, and it's uh Oh my god. I'm excited! It's just fun, it's like finally something to be excited about while we're waiting for Broadway to come back.

[47:09] Eli Tokash: Totally.

[47:09] Salisha Thomas: I love Alex Newell. Did blogging ever have like a did blogging ever impact your like love? Like basically, like when you were blogging, were you like, oh, I should do like an audio version of this?

[47:24] Eli Tokash: Of my blog?

[47:25] Salisha Thomas: No, yeah, because like, well, like, not like of your blog, but like just like your storytelling and everything. Did that have like any inspiration for starting the podcast?

[47:36] Eli Tokash: No, I didn't even think about it.

[47:38] Salisha Thomas: I was like, uh I like to write. The podcast was truly like, well, there's nothing else to do.

[47:50] Eli Tokash: And now you're busy every day, right?

[47:52] Salisha Thomas: And now I'm so busy, and I love it because it feels like such a like it feels like I'm a part of the community. Like, since we've all been separate for so long because of this pandemic, it feels like I'm having a coffee date with another, just like we're doing right now with the three of us. It feels like connecting with other people in the business, and obviously it's more than just business. Like, I love you so much, Eli, and all the things, and and Sydney, you're so lovely, and it just feels like it feels like the community isn't so far away when we have these conversations, and that is really what motivated me. Like, I interviewed a friend or a cousin, and then I did the whole next week of interviews. I'm like, this actually feels really good, even if I don't share the episodes, it's healing for me.

[48:45] Eli Tokash: Yeah, so that is really like my biggest motivator.

[48:49] Salisha Thomas: Yeah. And she's with Broadway Podcast Network, so like oh yeah, thank you, Eli, for being like, I can reach out to my network opening. I literally was like, what's a network?

[49:07] Eli Tokash: Oh my gosh.

[49:07] Salisha Thomas: Right. Yes, oh my god. Anything for you. I love you. This is a joy. I'm so happy you have a podcast because I'm literally your voice, like just listening to you, like I could do it all day. I I just could. Truly. I love you. And you know, I think one day I'll like uh open it up to where it's or maybe have different facets so it's not just Black Hair in the Big Leagues, because there are so many people who I do want to talk to or bring on, and I'm like, well, it's a very specific title, so I feel like I have to have a certain type of person on right now, but I would like to open that up and but I'm not sure how to do that yet and what it is, and it has to still be something that is um specific enough for like just for it to matter, and so I'm still trying to work that out. I'm like season two, what's that gonna look like?

[50:00] Eli Tokash: You need to like I mean, not gonna like tell you what to do, but like just a suggestion, like just like I want to hear like more your stories, like there's stuff that I want to. I'm like, oh my god, wait, I'm kind of curious about that about her experience.

[50:17] Salisha Thomas: Really?

[50:18] Eli Tokash: Yeah, yeah, because you I mean, like, look at this. Like, your life is like incredible, and like I don't know. I was just like, I want to hear more from Silicia.

[50:29] Salisha Thomas: Oh my goodness. I I kind of feel like when I talk about myself, it's like who cares? Salisha shut up. Like that's truly how I feel. And the the one of the reasons why I love having my own podcast is like it gives me an opportunity to ask a question and get out of the way. Like, Selicia, do not make this about you. Like, listen. Like, like I'm really practicing like my active listening and not like it's about somebody else, and I and I like I do have a lot of stories, but it's nice when I'm preparing for an episode to just be daydreaming about the person I'm about to interview and to not be thinking about my own problems or my own stories, but to be thinking about somebody else and what's gonna make them like blossom in my interview with them. Like that is so gratifying to me.

[51:22] Eli Tokash: You know what? I think that is that is the main thing I've learned from having this podcast is I'm getting so much better at like active listening. Because I always used to, I don't know if anyone else is like this, but I always used to like if someone was talking to me, my mind would literally be on the five different conversations around me of people I don't know. And I just I it was so hard for me to like focus and pay attention, be present, listen, you know, act active, actively listening. And something that this podcast has taught me so much is is honestly that's so it's kind of peaceful. It's it's it's kind of I don't know, it's it's gratifying being able to just sit here and listen. And to listen because you can't zone out, you can't be thinking about your groceries. Because if something is said, you want to be able to ask a follow-up question that you didn't easily write down.

[52:16] Salisha Thomas: Exactly.

[52:16] Eli Tokash: You know, like the most important thing in in an interview is like being present. You don't even have to have all the perfect questions, you just have to be present.

[52:24] Salisha Thomas: That's what I'm learning.

[52:25] Eli Tokash: It's like, oh yeah, same thing for Broadway.

[52:28] Salisha Thomas: Yeah.

[52:28] Eli Tokash: You don't have to worry about the next scene or if you know the lines for the next whatever. You have to be present in the moment, or else it won't matter to anybody.

[52:37] Salisha Thomas: Right.

[52:37] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[52:39] Salisha Thomas: It won't work.

[52:39] Eli Tokash: 100%.

[52:39] Salisha Thomas: It so I'm like, honey, we're growing. We're growing and learning in this pandemic.

[52:46] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[52:48] Salisha Thomas: I love you. So to wrap all of this up, we have one final question for you. And that is if you had a chance to speak with your younger self before all of this happened, before you moved to New York, before you started working professionally, before, you know, before you were a princess, what would you say?

[53:10] Salisha Thomas: If I had a chance to speak to my younger self, I would say, whenever, and this was advice that was actually given to me, and it's what I use now. Whenever faced with a fork in the road, you're gonna end up wherever you're meant to end up. So choose the path that sparks the most joy.

[53:31] Eli Tokash: Wow.

[53:32] Salisha Thomas: Wherever you're destined to be or or do, like it's gonna happen. It's going it's going to happen. You might as well choose the the direction that is gonna make you the happiest in that moment.

[53:45] Eli Tokash: Yeah, that's what I think.

[53:47] Salisha Thomas: Wonderful advice.

[53:49] Eli Tokash: Oh, you're such a joy. We love you so much. What the heck? I love thank you so much for coming on. You have the most beautiful soul. It's been such a pleasure talking to you.

[54:03] Salisha Thomas: I've had so much fun talking with you guys too. You guys are awesome.

[54:07] Eli Tokash: You guys are awesome.

[54:09] Salisha Thomas: You're awesome.

[54:10] Eli Tokash: Yes, oh my god. Thank you for giving us so much to talk about because your life is incredible.

[54:16] Salisha Thomas: I love you.

[54:17] Eli Tokash: I love you too. This is so cool. Thanks for asking me. You texted me like two days ago, Eli. I was like, yes, I've been telling everybody this week. I was like, nope, busy, busy. It's Thanksgiving week, y'all. Like, nope. Nope. Nope. I've never said no so many times. And you text me. I was like, all I said was yes in all caps.

[54:37] Eli Tokash: I know. You're the best. I I felt so bad. I was like, we're never gonna get a guest. Because we had a guest like last we like reached out to one and then like they never got back to us on like when they could do it.

[54:49] Eli Tokash: And we were like, and then like thank god you saved our lives, and we have a guest for this week, and we are so thankful for you and like having you on.

[55:01] Salisha Thomas: It's been I mean, I mean, it's been a long time overdue because I wanted to have you on for a long time.

[55:06] Eli Tokash: Yeah, this is so cool.

[55:07] Salisha Thomas: And I would have done it yesterday, but it was my dad's birthday, so I was like, Oh, hello to your dad.

[55:12] Eli Tokash: I know I love him.

[55:13] Salisha Thomas: He's so sweet.

[55:15] Eli Tokash: The balloons you got him were so cute, and just him on camera.

[55:20] Salisha Thomas: The balloons and him on camera, it's too good.

[55:23] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[55:24] Salisha Thomas: I showed him, he was like, I look like an old man.

[55:28] Eli Tokash: Like, no, you don't, Dad.

[55:31] Salisha Thomas: I love your family, they're so funny.

[55:34] Eli Tokash: Thank you.

[55:36] Eli Tokash: Thank you both so much. Take a bow, Salisha Thomas.

[55:41] Salisha Thomas: Oh, oh my gosh.

[55:43] Eli Tokash: She's the best. I mean, that was a lot we covered, and I mean, all of it was just I don't know about you all, but I definitely enjoyed that episode.

[55:53] Salisha Thomas: Her essence is just so contagious.

[55:57] Eli Tokash: Uh she's one of the most positive, always smiling and always grateful. Like, like just it's and it's just the way she is and the way she carries herself, it's so contagious.

[56:09] Salisha Thomas: And I was super excited to have her on, especially during our Thanksgiving episode.

[56:14] Eli Tokash: Because yeah, I mean, yeah, you saw how thankful she was and all of that. So I was just like, yeah, I knew it was a good guest.

[56:23] Salisha Thomas: Her essence truly is contagious. Like all it takes is a minute of talking to her or listening to her, and you just can't help but feel like I don't know, positive.

[56:33] Eli Tokash: You can't help but smile.

[56:35] Salisha Thomas: Yeah, and and you like as soon as you like talk to her, you're like, oh my god, we're best friends. Like, literally from the second she says hi.

[56:44] Eli Tokash: She's just like, it's just so Hi, we're best friends now.

[56:47] Salisha Thomas: Yeah, she's she's the best, and we're very thankful that we had her on. And she talked about like so many great things, and her podcast is just uh awesome.

[56:58] Eli Tokash: So please Oh, yeah. If go check it out right now.

[57:01] Salisha Thomas: Yeah, seriously, you don't even have to finish our episode if you don't want to go check out.

[57:05] Eli Tokash: No, you can leave right now and go check out our podcast. It's called Black Hair in the Big Leagues, and yes, it is part of the Broadway Podcast Network, so she's definitely podcast family.

[57:15] Salisha Thomas: And so yeah, we were just super excited to hear her journey because it's a pretty special one and a very unique one.

[57:24] Eli Tokash: So special.

[57:25] Salisha Thomas: Yeah, and it's crazy how many full circle moments she had in her journey, just uh And it's crazy how many moments where she was like put like she said, like there was a fork in the road.

[57:39] Eli Tokash: And she had to go between you know her head and what other people were telling her, what she thought was logical or illogical, and then on the other side, what her heart was telling her to do and what her gut was telling her to do, and how every time she followed her gut, truly magical things blossomed from that.

[57:56] Salisha Thomas: Yeah, it was almost as if she was rewarded for like doing that and like kind of think about it.

[58:03] Eli Tokash: Yeah. Uh it was yeah, I'm just fascinated by her, and I was so excited to just ask her a bunch of questions that I was genuinely curious about, and I hoped you all listening uh enjoyed it and thought the same.

[58:17] Salisha Thomas: Yeah.

[58:19] Eli Tokash: So um Sydney has a word for us today, uh, for today's uh what is it? Like today's like lingo entertainment episode.

[58:32] Sydney Lucas: I don't know.

[58:34] Eli Tokash: Yeah. It's just entertainment business lingo that you may or may not know.

[58:39] Sydney Lucas: Yes. So being that it is Thanksgiving, uh, and Thanksgiving, you know, one of the things it's known for is food. Um, and because Eli and I are hungry, um I thought that today's lingo should be something called crafty.

[58:58] Eli Tokash: Now, if you don't know what crafty is, crafty is basically um it's the pla it's not it's normally used in TV and film um situations, it's normally used like on set. Um, but crafty is literally the place where people go to get snacks.

[59:14] Sydney Lucas: It's it's normally in my experience, it's always been like this table full of food, like full of snacks of all sorts, and it honestly is my happy place on set.

[59:27] Eli Tokash: Yeah, so I mean, you may have heard it as crafty, you may have heard of it as craft services, and just because I mean, you're on set for a long time in like 10 hour days, uh even more. Um, so they always will provide a full course meal, and it's always the best food.

[59:48] Sydney Lucas: It's so good. And they'll just have like snacks throughout the day, even when like the dinner is not like ready, like the main course, I guess you could say. Um, so yeah, so that's today's lingo, and you may have heard it, but we definitely wanted to do that one as it is Thanksgiving, and we're just thinking about having turkey.

[1:00:10] Eli Tokash: Uh well, and for the vegetarians out there, like stuffing and mashed potatoes, those are all great things, too.

[1:00:18] Sydney Lucas: Oh my gosh. I can't wait to I'm hungry now.

[1:00:21] Eli Tokash: Me too. Um it's it's funny. Eli and I, when we were prepping for this podcast, we always like the day of, we always like to touch base and go through our questions, make sure they're in the order that we want them.

[1:00:37] Sydney Lucas: Um, and we just, you know, get all our ducks in a row. Um, and we're also getting ready at the same time.

[1:00:44] Eli Tokash: And um Eli was singing Blank Space by Taylor Swift.

[1:00:50] Sydney Lucas: As one does.

[1:00:51] Eli Tokash: As one does. Um, and that song, it I think it came out in 2014, and it was such a throwback.

[1:01:01] Sydney Lucas: It was just such an insane throwback, because I remember listening to that all the time doing Fun Home.

[1:01:07] Eli Tokash: And every time I hear like Shake It Off or Blank Space, or even A Christmas Story like music, even Hamilton, I'll literally I'll just go back to like Fun Home and how magical that experience was.

[1:01:21] Sydney Lucas: And it reminded me of so you know how whenever you hear a sound or you smell something, or even if you taste something, it just takes you back to a time.

[1:01:33] Eli Tokash: Well, every year when the Tony Awards uh puts out its nominations, all of the nominees go to a luncheon that the Tony Awards basically, I guess, like makes happen. They it's it's the Tony Awards luncheon.

[1:01:49] Sydney Lucas: And there you get to receive all of your you get to receive like a plaque that says you're nominated for a Tony.

[1:01:59] Eli Tokash: Well, this specific place has had such a specific smell. It was kind of like a woody smell, but it was just so specific.

[1:02:12] Sydney Lucas: And I just I I remember it. I didn't say anything about it, but I remember the smell.

[1:02:17] Eli Tokash: Well, years later, like three years later, I'm walking down the street with my mom, who was there the day the luncheon happened. So she was a you know, she smelled the smell.

[1:02:29] Sydney Lucas: And we were walking down the street, and all of a sudden, I smelled that smell.

[1:02:35] Eli Tokash: And I went, it smells like the Tony Awards.

[1:02:39] Sydney Lucas: And she looks at me and she goes, Oh my gosh, you're right.

[1:02:43] Eli Tokash: And we both realized that we associated the Tony Awards with that one smell.

[1:02:49] Sydney Lucas: So literally, and we've we've smelt it um a couple times since then, and every time we smell it, we'll be like, smells like the Tony Awards.

[1:02:58] Eli Tokash: Uh uh. And and so uh I just I just thought that was interesting. I I the Tony Awards has a smell.

[1:03:05] Sydney Lucas: I'm not sure if anyone else has been to the Tony Awards or a Tony Awards luncheon. I'm curious to know if you know what smell I'm talking about.

[1:03:12] Eli Tokash: Yeah, I mean, yeah, I we thought it was fun because like we realized, you know, there's always something that we associate a past event with.

[1:03:22] Sydney Lucas: And just like just when you said, you know, listening to Hamilton, like I'll never forget just like every day at Finding Neverland.

[1:03:30] Eli Tokash: That was basically like our pre-show ritual was like rapping Hamilton.

[1:03:34] Sydney Lucas: And it would just like get us so like pumped up and ready to go for the show.

[1:03:38] Eli Tokash: And it it just like so much fun, and like it's interesting that like when we hear that word, that's where our brain goes to.

[1:03:46] Sydney Lucas: Um yeah, so it's fun. It's also interesting.

[1:03:49] Eli Tokash: It's also interesting because A Christmas Story specifically, my dad sometimes normal I think normally it was my mom, but whenever my dad would come and pick me up for lunch on a two-show day, he would come and I was obsessed with like either for lunch I would have sushi, pret, or just salad.

[1:04:09] Sydney Lucas: And weirdly enough, I don't know why, but on the days that we had that on the days that we got just salad, which is such a wonderful salad place.

[1:04:19] Eli Tokash: Now I'm craving it, um, we would always go to go to like sit in our car and listen to A Christmas Story.

[1:04:27] Sydney Lucas: So now every single time I eat Just Salad, I think of A Christmas Story and want to play A Christmas Story, and every single time I listen to A Christmas Story, I want Just Salad.

[1:04:38] Eli Tokash: Wow.

[1:04:39] Sydney Lucas: I know.

[1:04:39] Eli Tokash: That's funny.

[1:04:41] Sydney Lucas: Um, but yeah, so yeah. I guess I uh before we like wrap it up, I just wanna say, you know, Thanksgiving. Sid, I'm thankful for you.

[1:04:52] Eli Tokash: I'm thankful for all of you listening to this and just like thankful for just the podcast in general.

[1:04:59] Sydney Lucas: And I'm just so excited that I don't know, it's the holiday spirit, and I've been in a good mood lately. College apps are done, and it's

[1:05:05] Eli Tokash: Oh, and before we go, uh, can you give an update?

[1:05:10] Sydney Lucas: Yes, yes. Your health, your COVID situation.

[1:05:13] Eli Tokash: Yes. Um I'm out of quarantine, I'm COVID negative, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[1:05:14] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, yeah.

[1:05:19] Eli Tokash: Um thank goodness, because I mean I still haven't gone out anywhere and I don't know, it's just been like it's just been such an odd time.

[1:05:28] Sydney Lucas: And I'm just um, you know, I'm just thankful that I'm done and I d nothing too serious happened.

[1:05:35] Eli Tokash: Um my family, uh my grandparents and them, they're all getting better as well.

[1:05:40] Sydney Lucas: So I'm very thankful and very thankful for my family's health because it could have been a lot worse because this is so scary.

[1:05:48] Eli Tokash: Um, yeah, so I just wanted to say like another thing I'm thankful for is Coca-Cola.

[1:05:54] Sydney Lucas: No, I I I don't know. Not sponsored.

[1:05:57] Eli Tokash: Not a sponsored ad read. Um I don't know. I'm just like rambling right now. I just can't wait for turkey and coke and well, not cocaine though.

[1:06:06] Sydney Lucas: Oh my god.

[1:06:08] Eli Tokash: Coca-Cola and um yeah, just all the good eats tomorrow.

[1:06:13] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, same.

[1:06:15] Eli Tokash: And yeah, um, I'm thankful for being healthy. I'm thankful for my family.

[1:06:21] Sydney Lucas: I'm thankful for my stuffed horse over here.

[1:06:25] Eli Tokash: I'm thankful for the podcast. I'm thankful for today and uh Salisha, who is such a wonderful guest.

[1:06:33] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, I'm just I don't I don't I'm thankful, man. There's lots to be thankful for.

[1:06:37] Eli Tokash: Lots to be thankful for, yeah.

[1:06:39] Sydney Lucas: Yeah.

[1:06:40] Eli Tokash: So thank you all for listening to another episode.

[1:06:45] Sydney Lucas: Oh, we're thankful for you.

[1:06:46] Eli Tokash: Oh my gosh. Don't worry, I already covered it.

[1:06:49] Sydney Lucas: Oh my gosh. But I but I should have, because we're so thankful for our listeners.

[1:06:54] Eli Tokash: Definitely.

[1:06:56] Sydney Lucas: So yeah.

[1:06:57] Eli Tokash: Thank you for listening to episode 27 of Take A Bow.

[1:07:02] Sydney Lucas: I know this is crazy.

[1:07:04] Eli Tokash: We love this, and we hope you guys are enjoying it as much as we are.

[1:07:08] Sydney Lucas: And don't forget to check out Black Hair in the Big Leagues.

[1:07:16] Eli Tokash: Sick beat him, alright? For our curtain call, we wanted to give a few special thank yous to Nikki Torsha and Corm McCullinon for our amazing music, Giselle Bustos for designing our logo, and Tessie Tokash and Sidney Lucas for editing our episodes.

[1:07:30] Sydney Lucas: Feel free to subscribe and leave a review on whatever platform you are currently listening to us from.

[1:07:36] Eli Tokash: This podcast wouldn't be possible without the help of Dory Berenstein, Alan Seals, Brittany Bigelow, and Katie Rosen at the Broadway Podcast Network.

[1:07:45] Sydney Lucas: As well as our top patrons, Henry Friedman, Brian Thompson, PCC, and Patrick McNamara.

[1:07:50] Eli Tokash: Speaking of, if you enjoyed this week's episode of Take A Bow, go check us out on Patreon at Patreon.com slash T A B and become a patron today.

[1:07:59] Sydney Lucas: Through our Patreon, you will form a relationship with us and get an inside look on what goes into this podcast.

[1:08:06] Eli Tokash: To learn more about this podcast, visit bpn.fm forward slash take a bow and follow us on Instagram at takeabout podcast, where you can contact us with any feedback, suggestions, or questions, and keep up with all things Take A Bow.

[1:08:19] Sydney Lucas: See you next week.

[1:08:20] Eli Tokash: Bye everyone.