This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Eli Tokash: Hey everyone, and welcome to episode 28 of Take A Bow Podcast.

[0:05] Sydney Lucas: I'm Sydney Lucas.

[0:06] Eli Tokash: And today we have one of the big sisters of Broadway, um, who has always just like handled her just. I mean, she was in a show and she was balancing a bunch of other things in school and all of that, and she always like reached out to other Broadway kids and made sure that they were okay and they were happy and comfortable. She's literally the best.

[0:31] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, literally.

[0:34] Eli Tokash: And she has like the just caring and everything like that. So we were excited to bring her on. And she was in Violet the Musical. And if you don't know by now, it's Emerson Steele. Um so yeah, and we got to talk about so many things. She's literally performed in some of the biggest theaters ever. Um there was stuff that we didn't even get to talk about, like her solo shows, and uh she does a lot of cabarets and stuff like that, so we wanted to ask about that, and she's at NYU, so we didn't get to talk too much about that. Um, so but the stuff that we did cover, we were very excited and we're excited to share with all of you.

[1:18] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, so Emerson Steele, curtain up today.

[1:45] Eli Tokash: We have a guest who has accomplished so much at such a young age. She has worked with some of the coolest people in the business. She made her Broadway debut in Violet the Musical and uh was a girl from Georgia, shout out to Georgia, um, who took New York like a pro. So let's get ready to take a bow with Emerson Steele.

[2:05] Emerson Steele: Woo! Thank you for coming on.

[2:07] Eli Tokash: Thank you guys for having me.

[2:11] Emerson Steele: Oh my gosh, I've listened to so many of these, and so I'm so excited.

[2:15] Eli Tokash: Yeah, Emerson Emerson, you're a Georgia Peach.

[2:18] Emerson Steele: I'm a Georgia Peach.

[2:20] Eli Tokash: I know I always forget this for some reason. And it's just the connections you and I have are so bizarre.

[2:27] Emerson Steele: So weird.

[2:29] Eli Tokash: We were just talking about it before. We are from Georgia. We're Georgia natives. We made our debuts in shows that Janine Tesori composed.

[2:37] Emerson Steele: Yep.

[2:38] Eli Tokash: And so much more honestly. I was like literally going through like a list, but it's so weird. Hey!

[2:44] Emerson Steele: I love it though.

[2:45] Eli Tokash: We're twins.

[2:48] Emerson Steele: I guess Janine just like really was like, I just want that Georgia girl feel.

[2:54] Eli Tokash: Oh, so true. She ended up with us. Um anyway, Emerson, it's no secret that you've had quite the career at such a young age. Um, but let's take it back all the way to the beginning. When did you first know you wanted to perform?

[3:14] Emerson Steele: Oh, so I was I got a bit of a late start. I tried just about everything soccer, tennis, um, gymnastics, and I quit just about everything after a year. Um, especially tennis. And uh my my mom's a singer and an actor, but for some reason it it didn't click with either of us that that would be something I would want to do. Um, and I saw my neighbor in a dance recital, and I was like, oh, like maybe I'll try that. And so I started dancing, and eventually the singing and acting came in. But when I was nine on a whim, I auditioned for Annie at the Fox Theater um in Georgia, which is where a bunch of different uh touring productions come in. And at the time they just wanted an orphan ensemble to be in a few of the numbers, and I auditioned for that and had no idea what I was doing.

Um, but I ended up booking it, and I when I tell you guys, I thought I had booked a Broadway show. I did not understand anything. I thought all theater was Broadway, and so to me it's kind of always felt like it. Uh, but I will say the first time I was on that stage, I was like, yeah, this is it. I'm doing this forever, done. So yeah, nine years old, such a late start. Um people are like, I was four, and I'm like, Yeah, excuse me.

[4:36] Eli Tokash: That's the time I started too at nine. And it's so funny because I actually have a really uh like a question that I wanted to ask you about the Fox. So that's really cool. I didn't realize that that was like your first where you first like where you performed first professionally, I guess. Um that's so cool because it's literally like a bigger house than any Broadway house. Like Yeah, I've never I the only bigger house I've performed to, which like I wanted to throw up because I was just like, holy cow, um, was Radio City. Everything else, I'm like, oh, it's it's like it's a small theater.

[5:13] Emerson Steele: I know that's that's crazy. I know. After performing at the Fox, you had to come to Broadway and be like, I got this.

[5:21] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[5:23] Emerson Steele: That's awesome. Um, so that you made it to Broadway. Um and then you made your Broadway debut in Violet the Musical, starring Sutton Foster. So, like, what was it like to be in that show? And like, what is your favorite like memory from the show or like your Broadway debut story? Like, I just want to hear about it.

[5:42] Emerson Steele: Okay, so I'll start a little bit just with my audition story because it's it's very uh kind of crazy how it all unfolded. Um I was in New York uh doing a workshop with Broadway Artists Alliance to try and find an agent. Um and uh I did that workshop and my friend who was doing it with me was like, Hey, are you auditioning for Violet? And I was like, what the heck is that? Um and she was like, It's the show, they're doing like a one-night only concert at Encore City Center. It's starring Sutton Foster. And I had been in callbacks for Annie, I had auditioned for Matilda, and everything I auditioned for, they were like, You're too tall, you're too tall. I was five foot two, I couldn't play a kid on Broadway.

Um my mom was like, Sutton is like five foot ten, she's tall. So like you could actually be the younger version of her. And she was like, You guys kinda look alike. Um and so she encouraged me to go audition, and I auditioned, I ended up a few callbacks later, booking it. Um, didn't get the agent at uh Broadway Artist Alliance, but uh did get the show.

[6:52] Eli Tokash: There you go.

[6:55] Emerson Steele: So I did the show and uh it was an incredible experience. It was one night only. I was in New York for two weeks, but it was just uh I mean it was the I was like this is the peak of my career. Uh it was amazing. And then I went back home to Georgia, and people were like, uh, are like is Violet gonna go to Broadway? And I was like, what? Like, what are you talking about? And I thought nothing of it. The thought did not cross my mind. And then about four months later, my parents got a call from an agency I ended up signing with. Um, and they were like, Hey, uh, we we need to know Emerson's height. We can't tell you why, but we need you to measure her exact height. And so my mom measured me. I hadn't really grown much.

And then I went to TAP class, and I came back, and my dad was like, we're gonna have a talking uh when you get home because I had been sassy before Tap, and I was like, Oh, I'm in trouble, I'm in trouble. And I get home, and my parents are like, so when when do you think how old do you think you'll be when you make your Broadway debut? And I was like, I don't know, like maybe 22. When do you get out of college? Like around then. And my mom was like, Well, it's gonna be when you're 14. Uh, Violet's going to Broadway and they want you to go with it. And so out of the blue, like, I you guys, I didn't think this was real, honestly, until opening night. Like, not even previews, not rehearsals. I didn't think it was real until we opened. Because I was like, this has to be some joke. How did this just happen?

[8:34] Eli Tokash: Epic way to tell you.

[8:36] Emerson Steele: Yeah. Honestly. I know. I know. And my dad played a mean joke on me there. Uh I was sassy, so I did deserve to be in trouble. Um, but I ended up this album.

[8:50] Eli Tokash: You're sassy, and your I guess your punishment is Broadway.

[8:57] Emerson Steele: There you go, guys. If you ever want to get on Broadway, that's how you do it. Um yeah, so that's kind of the audition story, but the show itself, I mean, it was incredible. Everybody I worked with, I love working with adults. Um my whole life, I haven't worked with kids or like people my age all that much, and so it's always been like, hey, like I'm chilling with the cool kids. Uh and so that was one of the best parts was just developing those relationships with all the different wonderful adults on our cast. There seriously was not a bad egg. Everybody was amazing. Uh and I'm trying to think if there's a specific moment. Gosh, all of it was incredible. I I will say Alex Geminiani, who played my dad, he and I got so close, and he still to this day is like a second dad to me, and he's just incredible.

[9:55] Emerson Steele: Um, but I don't want to, you know, gaslight Charlie Pollock, who played uh who was in the ensemble but also covered the role of my father. But it was so fun because every time he would go on as my dad, he we play poker during the show, and we had the cards like set up to where it they would actually be um the runs of cards we were talking about throughout the song. So when I got a Royal Flush, it was a real Royal Flush. Every time Charlie went on, somehow I don't know how it happened, and I was the one dealing the cards, so it was on me, but for some reason, every time he and I went on together, I would mess up the cards and I wouldn't get a royal flush at the end. Uh and so I just remember us always looking at each other, like, nobody's gonna notice this, but like this, these are the wrong cards. And so that was just always funny.

[10:50] Eli Tokash: That's awesome.

[10:59] Emerson Steele: Yeah. Hey, I love those little like stories that like no one can know, but like you guys have it, and no one can notice. It's awesome.

[11:06] Emerson Steele: It's the best part of theater, honestly.

[11:09] Eli Tokash: Truly, truly. Okay, so back to back to being a Georgia girl, a Georgia native. Um, we want to know what was it like moving from Georgia to a city like New York? Because you had to temporarily leave like your home and your friends and your family. What was that adjustment like?

[11:30] Emerson Steele: I mean, from the beginning, it was a little bit weird because I couldn't tell anybody that I that the show was going to Broadway and that I was going with it. And even when it was announced and Sutton was announced, and Joshua and Colin and all the like lead leads, I still wasn't announced. Um the day before I left. We we were able to tell my teachers, and I was able to tell my best friend, and that was about it. And the day before I left, they finally announced it. So I didn't really get to say goodbye to too many people. Um it was a limited run from the beginning, so I knew I was gonna be back in six months, but it was crazy to just kind of be like, okay, I'm leaving now, and when I get back, we're all gonna be in high school, and I it was a little nerve-wracking, I will say, especially the coming back part.

But um for sure, I hadn't experienced the city quite a bit with just going up for a few auditions, and then when I did the articles uh run, which was two weeks, but I still like got to see the city, so it wasn't complete shell shock. Uh honestly, going to college for some reason and moving to the city then was way more like, what is this than moving for Violet? And I think it was just because I was so excited. And also when you're younger, you're so carefree. You don't really think about those things.

[12:57] Emerson Steele: But it was really hard on my family, and my family made huge sacrifices. My brother like didn't have my mom there for a few months, and my dad had to like completely parent my brother on top of owning his own business, and my mom had to be in New York and just kind of sit around while I was in rehearsals. So it was wonderful for me, but it was definitely tough on my family, and I still am so appreciative that they were able to make that happen.

[13:25] Eli Tokash: It's interesting how when you're a kid in the business, uh a lot of times you you just kind of go along for the ride and you don't really like think about like all the logistics and all the all that kind of stuff. Cause your parents someone else does that. You're like, like your mom, your parents are like, hey, we're you're gonna sing at this thing, and you're like, oh okay. Like you've been asked to sing. Or or we're we're hey, get you you should get ready now. We're gonna go to your show. Like you just kind of you're like, okay.

[13:55] Emerson Steele: Yeah, you don't really think about it. And then the older you get, you realize, oh my gosh, this is so much to think about.

[14:03] Eli Tokash: Yes.

[14:03] Emerson Steele: I have to figure out when to wake up, when to get there. I have to figure out all these things.

[14:08] Eli Tokash: It's stressful.

[14:09] Emerson Steele: When to eat, when to eat. Oh my god. There's so many things.

[14:14] Emerson Steele: Yeah, I honestly really miss having my mom there. Uh, she was always kind of like, let me do my thing and stayed in the background and was like, you know, like you're a kid on Broadway, but you're gonna like kind of handle this as an adult.

[14:39] Emerson Steele: I'm like, and so now I always like call her before or whatever. It's it's super it's it's an interesting difference. And I think um, what was I gonna say? Even more so now, like I'll look back and I'm like, I don't have too many memories, like specific memories of that because as a kid you're just like you don't think to take it all in, you just do it. And now it's like there's so much more that happens up here uh in your brain that doesn't happen when you're younger.

[15:11] Eli Tokash: So true.

[15:13] Emerson Steele: And that actually brings up um another question. Um you won a Theater World Award for your work in Violet, and this is so special because you can only win a Theater World Award once in your life on your debut performance, and you did. Did you fully take that in? Like what did what did that mean to you?

[15:33] Emerson Steele: I will say that is one of the top moments and highlights from that because the Tony nominations had come out, and I wasn't expecting to get a nomination or anything. Um, but I was like so excited for my cast, and I didn't even know there were any other outside opportunities other than you know, the typical Tony's the um oh there I mean there's other award shows that I'm forgetting but um and so my agents called me and they were like Emerson got nominated for something really special and or she won something really special and I woke up like that morning and my mom told me and I was like what and I started doing all this research of all the people who have won Theater World Awards in the past and how you know the last kid to win a theater world award was Billy Elliott and uh just all these different facts about it and how long the Theater World Awards have been going on and happening and I was like whoa, this is like this is really really special.

And then I saw the award and it's very heavy and shiny and like crystal and Sydney knows it's like a giant just block of glass. And they're wonderful, it's glorious. It's glorious, like you feel like you won a Grammy or an Oscar or something because it's so big. And it is kind of of that honor. Uh and so it was so cool, and everybody in the Theater World Award community was just so welcoming, and I still like get a birthday wish every year from them, and I'm still in touch with a lot of the people um who kind of put on the show, and so it's still I m it's currently in storage because we're moving, but I had it on my shelf and would look at it every day, and it was just a reminder that like this was a really special opportunity that I'm still just so lucky to have had, and the award show itself was so cool and the people I got to bring and it just it makes you feel really special, uh especially I think as a child actor to be recognized in that way.

[17:44] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[17:44] Emerson Steele: One of our one of our past guests, Michael Service, who um was my father in Funhome, um he he um he's won Tony's, but he said that like the Theater World Award was like one of the most special like experiences of his life.

[18:01] Emerson Steele: It really is, it's it's it's so just it's special and it's it's it's gratifying. It's it's just so cool, and especially like because you can only the fact that you can only win it once and then you did, right, and like the it the fact that like you have to be in a role you're originating and it has to be your Broadway debut and just all of that stuff. It's like the stars really have to align. Uh which is just it's so neat. And I did get to present um, I want to say in 2015 or 16, I can't remember. Um, for my friend uh Sarah, who is also from Georgia, and she did Tuck Everlasting, and I got to present for her so the theater homes.

[18:49] Eli Tokash: Yes, yes, yeah.

[18:50] Emerson Steele: Yeah, yeah.

[18:51] Eli Tokash: Oh my gosh, that's so cool.

[18:53] Emerson Steele: I did. I it and it was it was crazy to see both sides of it and like prepare a speech in that way.

[19:02] Eli Tokash: Yeah, versus like I just totally is winged the right word.

[19:06] Emerson Steele: Winged my speech.

[19:08] Eli Tokash: Um you winged it.

[19:10] Emerson Steele: I did because I prepared something and I was like, I don't know. Uh for for my own, like my acceptance speech.

[19:17] Eli Tokash: Oh, my eye winged, not for Sarah's.

[19:20] Emerson Steele: I like planned that all out. But for mine, I think I just went up and blabbered. I don't know.

[19:24] Eli Tokash: I think I was like, listen to Eddie, and I'm so happy.

[19:28] Emerson Steele: You've talked You talked about like not soaking everything in at like a young age, but like, did you like all of these things are happening and you're like literally 14, like every day is like a new thing. Like nothing, like, did you realize that like wow, I'm really cool. Like, look at me.

[19:47] Emerson Steele: I don't think I thought about that at all. I think so. I don't think I thought about that at all. I think so. I loved Matilda at the time. I still love the show. It's like not even a guilty pleasure because it's such a good show.

[19:56] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[19:56] Emerson Steele: Um, and I loved the book and the movie growing up. And so I would always look at all the Matilda kids, like when we'd go to the park and stuff, and I'd be like, They're so cool. Oh my god. I was like, they have to go to it a call two hours before their show so they can warm up. I show up like exactly at my call, throw on my costume and go on stage. So I just was always like looking at the people around me, like, whoa.

[20:19] Eli Tokash: Oh yeah.

[20:21] Emerson Steele: That's so funny because at the park everyone is like looking at you. Like you were like the only one.

[20:24] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[20:29] Emerson Steele: That's so funny. I always remember it was like you, me, Gayton, and like a few of the people who were closer in age to me, and we'd be like on the side, Mitchell Sink, and we'd be like, Yeah, yeah, we're like the older ones. But we'd still be like on the swings and going down the slide.

[20:49] Eli Tokash: Oh my god. We would be like the oldest ones would always be like the loudest and like the most rambunctious. And it's so funny because like I'll never forget like my first time. Luke Manicus brought me over because he was in Pippin at the time and he wasn't Matilda. So like he was like showing me like what to do and like introducing me to everyone. But I'll never forget that like you were like the first person that introduced themselves to me. And I was like, This is so cool. Like, and I was like, she's like everyone's big sister because like she's super tall, she's like older, and like I was like, wow, everyone's like looking up to her, she's pretty cool. I was like, and then she introduced her to me. I was like, wow.

[21:32] Emerson Steele: Oh wow, that was still like the park still to this day. Like, I can't if I like have the choice between walking down 42nd or 43rd or 44th, I always choose 43rd. Just because of that was some of the most special times would be connecting with other kids who are doing the same thing and kind of taking on that big sister role of like I mean, when I I still remember uh Mia Sinclair Jeanesse, who's like one of my she is my little sister, and I've they're really good family friends, but she and Gayton and I would would always just have like pep talks and like big sister, little sister, little brother talks, and uh it it was just so great. I loved going there.

[22:15] Eli Tokash: It's funny because like that Broadway park is like a child performer's childhood, you know, like especially like you and I, like I'm not from New York, and so like when when you move to a new city, like you're like, oh my god, like who do I have? Like I need to meet friends and everything like that, but like having that park that's and then you like meet everyone, like that's just like one of the coolest things, and everyone's just so welcoming, and then you create these relationships that literally last forever. So it was just like that that park, that block, I will never like forget. And I always get like memories just walking past it, it. It's the best.

[22:52] Emerson Steele: Same here. Yeah, I I mean I credit it to like everybody who I've met who I'm friends with, pretty much. I met at that park.

[23:01] Eli Tokash: Yeah, right. You know what we should do? You know what would be so cool? We should take everyone from who was a child actor from the year like 2012 to 2016 or 17. And we should all just have a reunion at the park.

[23:13] Emerson Steele: Yes. Yes, I would love that.

[23:16] Eli Tokash: That would be super totally make that happen.

[23:21] Emerson Steele: That I feel like that could we could easily make that happen.

[23:24] Eli Tokash: That would be amazing.

[23:25] Emerson Steele: Yeah, we should document it. Because honestly, there hasn't been one like Broadway kid who hasn't mentioned that park being like a huge part of their childhood.

[23:34] Eli Tokash: Oh my gosh. Yeah. I mean, even my friends who are a lot older than me, who have been who were on Broadway in like 2006 and stuff. That's like that was their park.

[23:44] Emerson Steele: Yeah. So wow. That would be it's happening when COVID's over, because you know, when exactly. For those of you who don't know, you can go back to our episode with Jeremy V, but it's this park that's on where is it? What's the address?

[23:58] Eli Tokash: 43rd Street.

[24:06] Emerson Steele: It's just it's the Broadway park.

[24:09] Eli Tokash: Yeah. Um, okay. Uh another question, and I want to hear all about this. Uh you performed in the 68th Annual Tony Awards.

[24:19] Emerson Steele: Um, alongside your cast, and I just want to know everything about it. I want to know how you were feeling. I want to know what the day was like. How did everything go down?

[24:29] Emerson Steele: So, woke up at like 4:30 a.m. Best part. Met my Wrangler, Felicia, who's the best, uh, at the theater. Uh, because so the those who were our entire cast performed in the Tony Awards performance um in some aspect of it, but uh a few of us who were the leads were in the opening number as well, so we had to go extra early. So we went and we worked on the opening, met Hugh Jackman, uh we'll say Sutton definitely fangirled harder than me. I love that they're starring on Broadway together now because she I'll never forget her turning to me and Joshua and Colin and being like, you guys, he's so charismatic.

[25:28] Eli Tokash: Stop this funny.

[25:30] Emerson Steele: He is so they're probably both living their best dreams right now because he gets to perform with Sutton and she'll get to perform with them. But it was the like I just loved everything about that. Uh so we rehearsed the opening, went back to the theater, then rehearsed the actual number, um, which it was all live vocals. I know they do like record just in case of like an emergency, but all of ours were live vocals. So for me, that was the most nerve wracking part. Uh, because the arrangement was a little bit different than what we do in our show, and they gave me like one of the notes that's higher up that Sutton actually sings on her um album that she has because she does a solo version of On My Way from Violet, and she was like, Oh, give the kid the high note. And so I had that, and so that was like the most nerve-wracking thing for me. But it was like, okay, now we have to go do a matinee. So we went back to the theater.

[26:31] Eli Tokash: Oh my gosh.

[26:33] Emerson Steele: Did a matinee of the show. I went and grabbed dinner with one of my friends from Georgia who had just moved to New York. Uh, because she uh was training with the New York City ballet at the time.

[26:46] Emerson Steele: Oh wow. And yeah, she's amazing. But I went grabbed dinner with her for like an hour, went back to the theater, went to the Tony's, did the opening number, and then the major feeling of needing to puke set in because I was like, I never have been that nervous in my life. But I think it's just the thought of being like, this is such a huge audience, and then on top of it, there's all the people watching back at home. And like, this is a one time only thing. You gotta get it right. Uh, and it went so well. Yes, it was awesome. Everybody killed it. I all of us had laryngitis running through our cast at the time.

[27:31] Eli Tokash: What?

[27:32] Emerson Steele: And like Rima, who was the gorgeous gospel singer in uh the number raised me up, which uh kind of went back to back with our number. She was out of the show for like two weeks before, just trying to heal so she could perform at the Tony's, and she blew it out of the water. She was incredible. But I just it I just remember being like the fact that performers can pull themselves together in this way for such an important moment is just mind blowing to me. And I I was fine, I didn't have laryngitis, so I was like, I have nothing to be worried about. I shouldn't have been so worried. But then we went and partied with the rest of the roundabout people. I met at the Cummins because uh uh cabaret was on Broadway at the time.

[28:19] Eli Tokash: Oh wow.

[28:20] Emerson Steele: And yeah, it was really fun. And then I was exhausted, and I'd like normally I like to close out a party, but I was ready to go to bed.

[28:27] Eli Tokash: Oh 100%.

[28:29] Emerson Steele: Oh my god. This is so funny hearing the whole like Sutton Foster Hugh Jackman story because I actually I did the greatest showman labs and like the readings for it. And she played charity and Hugh Jackman played P.T. Barnum. So like they were like an item in the readings. So her fangirling over her is just too funny. Um, that's inc that's insane. Wow. So they've like the music man is meant to happen because of all these little things.

[28:59] Emerson Steele: Whoa.

[29:00] Eli Tokash: Absolutely.

[29:01] Eli Tokash: So and then you like got to work with like Sutton Foster and Joshua Henry and like all these amazing people. Like, is there anything from like Violet or them that like you really took with you and that has kind of like transformed transferred over to like becoming an adult actor?

[29:21] Emerson Steele: I'll actually say it. So this actually came from our assistant choreographer Onika Phillips, who is one of the many loves of my life. She is just the most joyous, beautiful woman ever. And she told me this was on closing at our like little cast party afterwards. She came up to me and she was like, Emerson, you're gonna grow older and this business is gonna get tough, and there are gonna be a lot of things that are going to potentially harden you and make you not necessarily love it as much. And I just want you to know you have such a special childlike wonder and quality about you, and I want you to always keep in touch with that and remember what it felt like to be that kid. She was like, because it is so special, and if you can keep that and maintain that throughout your entire career, you will always like basically like you'll always be able to return to that, and you'll always be able to have that kind of in your back pocket for days that are harder.

And I've really taken that to heart, especially. I mean, I cannot tell you the amount of crappy auditions I've had. And especially like going through I gosh, my voice change was not nearly as difficult as what any guy goes through, but it there still is a vocal change when you're a girl. There is and it was really hard with auditions, and yeah, I screwed up so many of them. And then I would call my mom and cry, and then I would think of what Onika said and be like, okay, we're on to the next one, and keep that part of you that loved this and that was confident and that was excitable. And so that's really I've really taken that to heart. But I know Joshua and Sutton and everybody said a millions of good things, but that's the one I always think about.

[31:26] Eli Tokash: Um yeah, such wonderful advice. Yeah, I mean, listen it the it was just like everything's easier as a kid, you know, like and you like and then you're like an adult and you're like, wait, I actually have to do this to like make a living. I forgot. Like, I have to actually like pay things now, and it's like so much more stressful and I'm like, oh my god, this is too much.

[31:48] Emerson Steele: It's so true. I that's the biggest thing for me right now is like, okay, I gotta like figure out kind of a little like I'm working in marketing right now for a company and which is great. And it's like, cool, I can do this. Like this is solid and I do enjoy it, but I want to perform, but if I want to perform, I still gotta make money some other way in the low times.

[32:16] Eli Tokash: Yeah, definitely. Especially like in times like these, it's really hard.

[32:19] Emerson Steele: Oh gosh. Yeah. It's it's funny how you start out and you you do it like for fun. You're like, oh I wanna do this this would make me so happy. And then the older you get, you you realize like I don't you just r you just realize so much stuff, you're like, oh wow.

[32:38] Eli Tokash: I Yes. Well life is stressful. And it's also it's also like your brain takes over. I don't know if you guys experienced this, but like as a kid, you like we were saying, you don't think about it down to the point of like I'm not thinking about my technique when I sing, I'm not thinking about oh, did I just like do like was that acting moment weird? Like you just do it and it comes it's very natural, and then I think you get to a point, or at least I got to a point where all I am is in my head. And so now I'm working to like kind of backtrack and get out of that. Cause it is good to have the you know, the thoughts there of technique and acting moments and placement and stuff. But now it's like okay, let's untrain a little bit.

[33:31] Emerson Steele: Yeah.

[33:31] Eli Tokash: Yeah, you just get in your head.

[33:34] Emerson Steele: I totally get that. You know what I do for auditions, actually? I actually channel my child self to like try and take some of the stress out of it.

[33:43] Eli Tokash: Yeah, yeah. Oh, I love that. It's so hard too, because like the main thing about like acting is like, you know, be present, and like it's just so hard. Like, like now, especially like since my voice changed, it's kind of always like questioning myself, and like just like it's like a different look, and like there's like new people that I'm meeting at auditions, like it's not the same people, and like all of that, and so like I get in my head and then I can't be present. And it's like, what about what do I do? Like, so it's just it's tough.

[34:14] Emerson Steele: Yeah. You performed at literally some of the biggest stages like ever, like Broadway, Fabulous Fox, you know, Radio City. And then you were also able to perform in Parade at Lincoln Center. You worked with like Jeremy Jordan and like Josh Henry, who was in Violet, like Laura Benanti, like all of these people, and and then on top of that, Jason Robert Brown conducted it. Like, what was it like walking into that room and like how special was it to do such a beautiful show like Parade?

[34:45] Emerson Steele: Honestly, when I look back, that is probably the highlight of my career. I still I I when I auditioned for it, I had been like crying all day because I you know, I'm really sassy. And I'm back talking to my mom, and she was like, I'm not gonna record you. Like, you need to change your attitude before I record you. So we ended up recording, and I had like sobbed. I did the tape, I was like, This is horrible. And then I get a call. I'm at school, and my mom's like, we gotta go to New York. Um, you gotta call back. Jason wants to see you, and I was like, It's like Robert Brown, like the I'm okay. And I went to New York, they had me sing there. There were so many girls there, and I was like, Oh my gosh, like she's gonna get it, she's gonna get it.

Like, it's so so many of my friends, like, they're perfect for it. And I went in the room and I sang, I think I sang the song that Mary Fagan has to sing over 10 times, and I know it's because there's this one note in it that is very tricky for anybody, it is still tricky for me, and they wanted to see if I could do it, and the adrenaline and just the like the I can do itness in my mind. I did it every time. And 30 minutes later, we get a call from my agents that I booked it, and it was the craziest, most like instant gratification ever. And then I was like, Oh, I wonder who's gonna be in this, and first and foremost, they were like, Well, Joshua Henry, and I was like, amazing. So I gotta start putting it in my contract that every show I do I need to work with him.

He really is the most amazing person, and then just getting to listen to him is all I ever want to do. And then they were like, and Jeremy Jordan, and I was like, gosh, okay, cool. I'm gonna just look at him with heart eyes the entire time. Right. Great, and then they were like Laura Benanti, and I was like, Okay, come on, just like stop right there, just cut this out. I can't believe it. And then Allie Trim was in it, and that obviously for most kids, like she's such a role model. She was like the kid on Broadway, and so it just like all came together and was like, I just was mind blown the entire time. Walking in the room, I was I the feeling of like I don't deserve to be here was massive, but it was also like I'm so like I couldn't think that way.

I was just so honored to get to meet all these people um and work with them, and everybody was lovely. I've had the best experiences, like I've never had a bad experience working with anybody. Um, and Jason Robert Brown was awesome. My character, if you don't know, she's dead. So, and I like it was a very tragic death, so I don't mean to put that lightly, but he would call me Dead Steel throughout the entire rehearsal process. He'd be like, Dead Steel, come on, come on, your turn, and it was just like I was like, he has a nickname for me. It was the best, but I ended up getting this was the first experience I really got in my head about if I'm being honest, and it was when my voice started changing, and that note at the performance did not come out.

The note that I did 10 times in the audition room. And I just like to say that for like people who like even when you get the part, there is still the nervousness and the in-your headness of like actually doing it and actually making it happen. And it wasn't like the worst thing in the world, like it played it off, it was an emotional moment, but to me, I still think about that daily. And uh, but it everybody was so encouraging, and Laura helped me try and like figure out the best way to do it, and Jason helped so much, and I still just those people were it was amazing how they kind of rallied behind me.

[39:04] Eli Tokash: And then real quick tidbit. Um, I like to say that I saved Jeremy Jordan's life because he cut his hand on a shoe horn when he was putting his shoes on after the opening number, and he comes over, he was sitting by me because we sat kind of like off stage but on stage, and he comes over and he was like, I'm bleeding. And I was like, I'm getting you a band-aid. And so I like off stage and I was like, Jeremy needs a band-aid, and they came running with band-aids, and so I saved his life. Uh, no big deal.

[39:37] Emerson Steele: You're a hero.

[39:40] Eli Tokash: Yeah, I know.

[39:42] Emerson Steele: Yeah, I got him a band-aid. Um, but yeah, it was it was so cool, and it was crazy. It was a two-week like two-week experience, and there's so many little things there that I remember because it was just I mean, mind blowing the whole thing. You getting Jeremy Jordan a band-aid is the highlight of your career, no doubt.

[40:05] Emerson Steele: Yeah, no, I'm I peeked, I peeked there.

[40:08] Eli Tokash: Oh my gosh.

[40:12] Emerson Steele: Wait, I'm realizing how many connections Sydney and I have throughout this because you then the next year did um Secret Garden at Lincoln Garden at the Lincoln Center. It's so weird, dude. We're like so connected.

[40:29] Eli Tokash: That's so cool.

[40:30] Emerson Steele: Wow. I know. It it there's just it was in the what was the what was the name of it? What was the name of the the theater that you Manhattan Manhattan it was like MC, it was like MCC, but not MCC off Broadway.

[40:51] Eli Tokash: It was some sort of like Manhattan theater company.

[40:54] Emerson Steele: MTC, no. I don't know. But it was some theater company, and it was the same one. And my mom actually did a production of ragtime with them back in 2012 or something.

[41:05] Eli Tokash: Um yeah.

[41:08] Emerson Steele: That's crazy.

[41:09] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[41:10] Emerson Steele: Well, we're best friends now. Are you talking about Avery Fisher Hall?

[41:13] Eli Tokash: That's where it was at, but there is a certain theater company that puts on a concert production of um a different musical every year. And it's a one night only or not necessarily one night only, because some of them run for a little bit longer. Mine was one night, but um I think they did maybe one more after Secret Garden, and then I'm not sure what happened, but that place is massive.

[41:43] Emerson Steele: I know I couldn't even see the back of it.

[41:47] Eli Tokash: Uh-uh.

[41:48] Emerson Steele: No, it was just all I just I think I blacked out, honestly.

[41:52] Eli Tokash: Oh, of course.

[41:54] Emerson Steele: Yeah, it was just all dark and but also happiness and just the backstage was huge. I yeah, I would love to perform at Lincoln Center for the rest of my life if I could, because I was just like, I feel like royalty.

[42:09] Eli Tokash: Oh, it's just so magical.

[42:11] Emerson Steele: And I love that you brought up like things didn't like exactly go as planned because honestly, like that happens that that is normal, and and a lot of people will will you know get so hard on themselves for that. But it just happens. Like I remember when I was doing Secret Garden, and even though we had we were allowed to have binders, there was something about my the solo, like um uh what's it called? It's uh like I need a place where I can go the the like that the Mary solo.

[42:43] Eli Tokash: Yeah, I don't know why I I was just so nervous that I was gonna forget the the lines and I was just like down like in the binder for like most of the song just because I got in my head and I was like I would have forget everything and I had the safety of a binder, but honestly, like it's it's it's true that that um it's true that you can get in your head, and it's true that maybe things don't go as planned, but it's really really important to just like remember you're literally human.

[43:18] Emerson Steele: Right?

[43:19] Eli Tokash: Yeah, I always forget that one. I'm like, oh just like like I make mistakes on math problems in school.

[43:29] Emerson Steele: You're but I don't beat myself up about that, right? Sure, it's career versus school, but um it's like you've gotta think about it in that sense because you'll drive yourself mad, and I know I have like I'm just now getting back to a good place of confidence, and it's taking years. Um and so, and I think that's like a benefit of being a kid actor, but also like something that's a con, and it's hard to when you have this experience to not be like, why am I not the way I was when I was younger?

[44:06] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[44:06] Emerson Steele: So to wrap it up, what do you want to do going forward? Like if you could like look forward and you see your future, what would it be like?

[44:17] Emerson Steele: Wow. Oh so many things. Um I'm like they're like everything at once. I am a person where like if I'm not doing three things at once, I will go crazy. But also if I'm doing three things at once, I'll go crazy. So it so it's like, you know, there's that. But um I would say my ultimate dream eventually is uh well, okay. I have two ultimate dreams. One is to own a theater company that works with uh kids and adolescents and adults with autism. Uh because when I was younger, I mean, I love Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. I'm also like a psych major, and then my minor is in child and adolescence psychology. Um, and so I've learned a lot, and it's crazy how a having a script can help people so much with their day-to-day lives.

And uh people who are on the autism spectrum, uh having that really helps them, and then also having that theatrical experience gives them uh a reason to feel like you know, they can do this too, and they can like there is really just no difference there. Um, but I think there's a correlation between uh the day-to-day life and then the performance aspect that like really goes hand in hand and can help anybody with social skills um but especially those where it's not necessarily uh innate in their chemical makeup uh so I would love to do that um that's the ultimate goal when I like have money one day and can own a nonprofit uh but I'd also love to have a fashion line I love fashion and clothes and uh it's one of my favorite things in the world. I already have a name for it which uh is oh jumpsuits and combat boots because those are my favorite things.

[46:23] Eli Tokash: Oh wow I love that I love that so much.

[46:27] Emerson Steele: We'll see but you know to get there who knows I want to perform I would love to do some TV and film work. Um I'm really happy in front of uh a camera now and I feel almost like more secure with that than I do like on a stage interestingly enough um and then I'm also loving my marketing job and I would love to do that. I want to own my own business. I have so many different ideas. So I'm just ready to do all of that and I'm like also want to have a family one day. So I think I think we can do all the things in the world we just have to have the motivation and like maybe like sacrifice some sleep uh but there's no reason why we can't try at least to achieve every different thing we want to do.

[47:15] Eli Tokash: I mean, I if you if you made a fashion line, 100% would buy it because we get we get on the call this morning and she comes up looking like a lit literal model and she's like I just threw this on. It's like the only thing in my closet, you know. And I we're Cindy and I are in like hats and a t shirts and she's looking all dolled up. I love it. I wish I could look at good in a hat, you guys.

[47:41] Emerson Steele: You both look awesome and hats.

[47:43] Eli Tokash: Not my thing. Like cancel it off.

[47:46] Emerson Steele: I'm sure you can.

[47:48] Eli Tokash: I don't think so.

[47:50] Emerson Steele: But oh thank you guys. Well, well, thank you so much for coming on. Um you've had such such an amazing career, and you just have so many cool stories, and I'm so excited to see where your future leads you.

[48:08] Emerson Steele: Thank you guys so much. I you're two of my favorite people. I'm older by a few years, but like truly, I think you both are amazing, and think you have the world at your feet.

[48:19] Eli Tokash: So thank you.

[48:21] Sydney Lucas: You too.

[48:21] Eli Tokash: That's so nice. Thank you.

[48:24] Sydney Lucas: Okay. Bye.

[48:25] Emerson Steele: Thank you.

[48:29] Eli Tokash: Take a bow Emerson Steele.

[48:32] Sydney Lucas: Woo-woo!

[48:34] Eli Tokash: She is just resplendent.

[48:37] Sydney Lucas: She is so sweet.

[48:39] Eli Tokash: Big words.

[48:40] Sydney Lucas: She is so sweet and kind and just I love I love everything she talked about. And I love um how she talked about staying present and also not beating yourself up. And she talked, you know, she was real about about, you know, what it's what it's like to to, you know, go from being a child actor to a teen actor to an adult actor. I just I just love Emerson and I loved this podcast.

[49:09] Sydney Lucas: Definitely. I mean, one of the things that was just literally anyone could relate to that I love that she talked about with us was just having confidence. And like literally now, like somewhat like you struggle with that. Like everyone, like when you're not a kid, like you don't really think about that stuff. So like now when you have to think about that, it's not like it's hard to like get that back and get to where you were when you were like a kid.

[49:38] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[49:38] Sydney Lucas: Um, so that really really stuck with me. And I loved what Sutton Foster said to her about the business and stuff like that. That was really interesting. Um, and you know, oh go ahead.

[49:49] Eli Tokash: It's also really nice to you know, have someone to relate to. Because a lot of the stuff we talked about is stuff that I've felt before in the past that I thought I was just like alone in. And to to do this podcast and to hear that there are that you know, a lot of people have had similar experiences. It's it's like validating. You're like, oh whoa, I'm not alone in this.

[50:14] Sydney Lucas: Right. I know because oftentimes you're like, what am I doing wrong? Like, what's why is it me? And then like you hear these stories and you're like, wait, it's not just me. Like it's it's okay that like I'm feeling this way, or you know, I'm cracking, and like my voice is taking a long time to get back to where it was and have that confidence and stuff like that. So it's just like it's just really something that we just want to raise awareness about, and we hope that you guys are like enjoying this. So we wanted to thank Emerson for coming on and just sharing her stories and her experience, and just thank her for being so real. Like, she really just showed like the struggles, but she was also like, you know, I'm thankful for all these opportunities because it's like all of this also fun and everything, but she also did it in a very real way.

[51:05] Eli Tokash: So we were just thankful for having her on and being candid with us. So yay. Um do you want to talk about this segment?

[51:16] Sydney Lucas: Okay, so now is time for our entertainment lingo of the week. Um, so today we actually have a word that has multiple meanings. Um, Eli and I can actually think of three meanings, but I'm I'm sure in the entertainment business there's more of them. Honestly. Um and today's word is track. And you you definitely heard the word before, it's not an uncommon word, but it does have a lot of it does have a lot of meanings when it comes to um the entertainment business.

[51:49] Eli Tokash: Yeah, I know we've definitely said it a lot um on this podcast, just the word track, and maybe for instance, like for an example, when we have swings on or something like that, they'll say, Oh, well, I covered multiple tracks. So that's like the um just like a layout basically of your performance that day. So when swings they have to cover like seven different people, and every person has their own track because they all stand in different places and they all do different movements and stuff like that. So each um actor on stage has a different quote unquote track. Uh so it's basically just what they do during the show.

[52:32] Sydney Lucas: Uh another meeting that we realized was a track that's in a stage.

[52:38] Eli Tokash: So yeah, I know.

[52:40] Sydney Lucas: It's like so that it's basically like a hole in the stage that you um place this metal thing on the a platform and then you stick the furniture or whatever else on that little platform where the metal's connected to underneath the stage and it'll move all the set pieces. Um like when you see movement in um in a show and it's not people like wheeling it on and off stage. It's definitely from a track and that works just mechanically under the stage and there's a stage manager um making all of those calls to the mechanics that are running it during the show.

[53:23] Eli Tokash: You are basically like oh they said this word go and then they'll hit a button and then the track will move and they'll move the different furniture and set pieces.

[53:33] Sydney Lucas: So we thought that was really cool.

[53:35] Eli Tokash: Yeah and and another one?

[53:37] Sydney Lucas: Yeah oh also another another um just going more into specifics about like the first definition of track the what what an actor does it's not it's not just actors. It's also like when we had Vanessa Brown on she talked about how the Wranglers have a specific track. And and you know the track can refer to also like what you do backstage. Like oh I have to cross to stage right or stage left backstage at this point. I have to go to this dressing room at this point in time to change and then I have to go to this specific entrance like all of that. Like every single thing an actor does or every single thing a backstage person does. Like like um uh the stage managers stage managers, the stage hands, the the people who make sure the props and all the furniture get on, all of the dressers, like they have tracks. They need to be in specific places at specific times.

[54:41] Eli Tokash: Definitely.

[54:42] Sydney Lucas: Um anyway, the third definition, um uh you've probably heard this before, but uh there's also a track as in like the accompaniment of a song or like the track of a song. So for example, um for for ring of keys specifically, um when I got asked to sing at Benefits and there wasn't going to be like a live piano player, I would have to get the track of my accompaniment from Fun Home. So I would I would sing to a pre-recorded track. Like um, I'm pretty sure I'm pretty sure for the Tony Awards, I was singing to a pre-recorded track. And that was also really nerve-wracking because that meant I needed to come in at the exact right time. Cause if I didn't, I wouldn't have anything to like bounce like I didn't have anyone following me. I was quite literally following the track. I did have a I did have a conductor um who I was looking at through a s through that like conductor screen in like the balcony. Um, but yeah, a track a track is in like just the track of a song.

[55:45] Eli Tokash: Yeah, it's like the instrumental part.

[55:48] Sydney Lucas: Yeah it's not like your lip syncing or anything like that. It's like uh instruments.

[55:53] Eli Tokash: It's the instrumentals, yeah.

[55:56] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, so that's our fun word of the week. It I mean, we thought it was pretty interesting that we were like, oh my god, that has like this meaning, and it also means that. And it also means that. So yeah, we were, and I'm sure, like, honestly, I'm sure there are more meanings that we're forgetting about.

[56:13] Eli Tokash: Um, so yeah, that's uh it's definitely a word that is very common and that's something we've definitely said on the podcast, and we'll continue to do so in the future.

[56:22] Sydney Lucas: Yeah. Well, um, thank you so much, Emerson, for coming on. This was such an amazing episode, and you're such uh such an incredible person. Um, and thank you everyone for listening. We hope you had a good week. Um, and we hope to see you next week.

[56:40] Eli Tokash: Yeah, we hope you enjoyed this episode.

[56:45] Sydney Lucas: Bye, everyone.

[56:49] Eli Tokash: Sick beat him, alright? For our curtain call, we wanted to give a few special thank yous to Nikki Torsha and Corm McCollinon for our amazing music, Giselle Bustos for designing our logo, and Tessie Tokash and Cidney Lucas for editing our episodes.

[57:04] Sydney Lucas: Feel free to subscribe and leave a review on whatever platform you are currently listening to us from.

[57:09] Eli Tokash: This podcast wouldn't be possible without the help of Dory Barenstein, Alan Seals, Brittany Bigelow, and Katie Rosen at the Broadway Podcast Network, as well as our top patrons Henry Friedman, Brian Thompson, PCC, and Patrick McNamara.

[57:24] Sydney Lucas: 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.

[57:33] Eli Tokash: Through our Patreon, you will form a relationship with us and get an inside look on what goes into this podcast.

[57:39] Sydney Lucas: To learn more about this podcast, visit BPN.fm forward slash takeabout and follow us on Instagram at takeA Bow Podcast, where you can contact us with any feedback, suggestions, or questions, and keep up with all things take a bow.

[57:53] Eli Tokash: See you next week.

[57:54] Sydney Lucas: Bye everyone.