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[0:20] Sydney Lucas: Hey everyone and welcome or welcome back to Take A Bow Podcast.

[0:24] Eli Tokash: I'm Eli Tokash. This is such a special episode.

[0:31] Sydney Lucas: You guys, just a quick reminder, this is Sydney's last episode for some time. So we wanted to use this episode to address some of the things that we have yet to talk about on the podcast.

[0:44] Eli Tokash: So we have no guest today. It's just Sydney and I talking about some events that we've done. We're gonna give some audition tips and just talk about some special performances and award shows, ceremonies, and all of that fun stuff.

[0:58] Sydney Lucas: So this is a special episode, and at the end, we're all gonna send a happy trails to Sydney and we'll sing happy trails together.

[1:06] Eli Tokash: Yeah, we'll see where this episode goes.

[1:09] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, like Eli said, at a young age, we were able to experience a lot of really cool stuff, and you know, now with the podcast, we get a chance to talk about that, and being that this is my last episode as weekly co-host. Remember, if you listen to last episode, you'll know this, but this doesn't mean goodbye forever. Don't be surprised if you see me or if you hear me in the future in future podcast episodes.

[1:30] Sydney Lucas: But yeah, so we wanted to use this specific episode to talk about experiences that we've had the opportunity to be a part of. Should we talk about award ceremonies first, maybe?

[1:40] Eli Tokash: Yeah, let's talk about award ceremonies.

[1:40] Sydney Lucas: Award ceremonies, I think they range for me from like laid back to really, you know, oh my gosh, what is going on? I can't believe I'm here.

[1:50] Eli Tokash: Couldn't agree more, and there's literally no in-between.

[1:54] Sydney Lucas: There's no in between. It's either one spectrum, like one end of the spectrum to the other.

[1:59] Eli Tokash: There's like literal no middle ground whatsoever.

[2:02] Sydney Lucas: Exactly, exactly. So when I was in the off-Broadway run of Fun Home when I was ten years old, there was a buzz around Fun Home, got nominated for a lot of things, and it won awards. It won off-Broadway awards such as Drama Desk Awards and Outer Critics Circle Awards and the director and Lisa and Janine and Sam and a bunch of cast members, you know, got nominated for a bunch of different off-Broadway awards that I actually didn't even know were a thing until I was a part of them.

[2:31] Sydney Lucas: I think one of the first awards I was ever nominated for was a Lucille Lortell Award, and that was the first, I don't know if it was the first award show I ever went to, but it was the first award show that I went to where I was nominated personally.

[2:43] Eli Tokash: Now what was that like? Sorry, I'm uh, I'm hopping in here. What is that like? Here you are at this award show, just, you know, being one of the nominated actresses that could possibly win an award tonight, and it's no big deal. You know, what is that?

[2:57] Sydney Lucas: It was really cool. Honestly, the main thing I didn't actually end up winning. I was completely okay with that though. But the main thing that I remember about that specific award show, I remember hanging out like Noah Hinsdale, who played my brother in that run of Fun Home, he was nominated as well for a Lucille Lortell.

[3:17] Eli Tokash: Oh no way.

[3:18] Sydney Lucas: Yeah. And so I think like Chris Fenneck, who was our music director, was there. I remembered I think Janine was there and a bunch of other people were there. So before the award show, we all went to this restaurant slash bar, but obviously we didn't sit at the bar, we sat at this massive table and we just kinda hung out there.

[3:39] Sydney Lucas: I remember getting my hair done. I remember curling my hair, and I remember having a conversation with someone about how this is so weird, but I remember someone being like, "You cut your hair," and I was like, "No, it's just curled." And so I don't know why I remember that conversation. But the main thing that I remember about that award show was the people, was hanging out with the people. And I remember sitting up with Noah in the audience and, you know, reading his speech that he had prepared. And honestly, if I took anything from that, it was that we were doing it together. We were all doing it as a family.

[4:15] Eli Tokash: I know. Honestly, this was the off-Broadway, it was such a blur. All of the award shows that we had to go to, you know, when we were off-Broadway, we probably went to a bunch more events than we did when we were on Broadway, or at least I did. It was insane.

[4:31] Sydney Lucas: It was constant.

[4:32] Eli Tokash: Well, it makes sense. I mean, you're a new show that's like trying to grow and trying to get your brand and name out there, so it makes sense because then you created all this buzz by the time you came to Broadway that everyone kinda knew what it was.

[4:46] Sydney Lucas: So, and that's kind of something that is common and isn't like it's not rare, I guess.

[4:51] Eli Tokash: Yeah, it was getting a lot of recognition, like, oh, what's this new show about?

[4:56] Sydney Lucas: Right. Cause Fun Home, you know, you don't necessarily get the whole meaning of the show by the name.

[5:02] Eli Tokash: Yeah, just by the name.

[5:04] Sydney Lucas: Exactly. And, you know, I also think the experience of being in a show that was getting that recognition is rare. Like, I don't think a lot of shows go through that, you know, from like just off-Broadway. Like everyone's like, "Ooh, what's this? Ooh, it's getting nominated for so many different things." I don't, a lot of people don't get to experience that, and I'm so grateful that I was able to.

[5:24] Sydney Lucas: I can talk about the Obi Awards. The Obi Awards are these awards that recognize off-Broadway, possibly off-off-Broadway as well, but I think mainly off-Broadway.

[5:31] Eli Tokash: Wait, what is off-off-Broadway?

[5:37] Sydney Lucas: I think it's, do you know how off-Broadway, it's just the number of seats? I think off-off-Broadway is even less seats than off-Broadway.

[5:46] Eli Tokash: Got it.

[5:46] Sydney Lucas: But like black box kind of thing.

[5:49] Eli Tokash: Yeah, I think so. Maybe I'm not quite sure actually.

[5:52] Sydney Lucas: Right. Um, we'll clarify later.

[5:55] Eli Tokash: We'll clarify.

[5:56] Sydney Lucas: But the Obi Awards, this was actually the first award that I ever won and I also happen to be the youngest person to ever win that award. I was ten when I won it and it was honestly, I didn't know this at the time, but my parents had already been informed that I was going to win.

[6:19] Eli Tokash: No, I didn't know this.

[6:21] Sydney Lucas: So I, stop, I know. And so on the Obi Awards, I was supposed to perform. So I performed my song "Ring of Keys." I went backstage, I changed back into my dress. It was a hot pink dress that actually I wore again for my sixth grade prom.

[6:37] Eli Tokash: Yes.

[6:37] Sydney Lucas: Yeah. So eighth, we didn't have prom in sixth grade.

[6:41] Eli Tokash: No, it was a sixth grade dance.

[6:42] Sydney Lucas: It was a sixth grade dance. Oh, the dance, yes. I'm sorry, maybe it wasn't a prom, but it was a dance.

[6:47] Eli Tokash: That's incredible.

[6:47] Sydney Lucas: So I wore, I just re-wore that dress for the sixth grade dance. Could you imagine just being an eleven-year-old girl saying I wore this dress to an award show that I actually won the award in, and now I'm showing up to a school dance in this dress?

[7:06] Sydney Lucas: And I dress.

[7:09] Sydney Lucas: I love that. You know what? It's so weird. A lot of something that people don't talk about is you're not really supposed to rewear dresses, apparently. And so when we were on, yeah, apparently we were going to like all these award shows and we were being told, "No, you have to have a different, completely different dress for every single one." And we had never experienced this. So we were just like, "Oh my gosh, what? We don't have a dress for this. We have to go get a dress."

[7:35] Eli Tokash: Oh my, and I had just an entire closet full of these dresses, and then I would wear all of them, and then we would be like, "What are we gonna do now? Like, what are we gonna do with these dresses?"

[7:45] Sydney Lucas: Luckily, I have a baby cousin who I pretty much, oh my god, that's amazing.

[7:52] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, I give me down. I, yeah, she pretty much has all of my award show dresses now.

[7:57] Eli Tokash: You have to keep them in the family, you can't just throw them out. I mean, those are kind of big deals.

[8:01] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, I know, and she's actually around the size where she's wearing them now, which is awesome. And so she'll, and so I'll see photos on Facebook of her wearing them, and I'm just like, oh my gosh.

[8:11] Eli Tokash: The Facebook, what is that?

[8:13] Sydney Lucas: The Facebook.

[8:16] Eli Tokash: Um, no, my aunt's Facebook. And so yeah, she gets all my dresses, but it was so weird how just in a blink of an eye, all of a sudden we had to have all these outfits that we were constantly just getting new dresses and new outfits and getting them tailored and all this kind of stuff. But anyway, for the Obi Awards, I performed "Ring of Keys." I went backstage and in order to go back into the audience, you kind of have to go to the red carpet first and then go into the audience.

[8:45] Sydney Lucas: After I performed and I got changed back into my dress, we went back to the red carpet and I took a few photos just on the red carpet. But my parents were, my parents and another person, they were rushing me to get back to my seat because apparently it was close to my category. I was like, "No, I'm just gonna stay here." And they were like, "No, we have to get back to the seat." Little did I know, like I said, they knew I was going to win.

[9:08] Sydney Lucas: And so we were sitting in our seats, and then the people called my name, they said I won, and I reacted normally. I was excited. But I will tell you what, I can tell. Oh my gosh, I know my mom so well. I can propel when she's lying about something. I know when she's not being truthful, and her reaction to me was just so, it wasn't, you know, it didn't seem genuine, mom.

[9:37] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[9:37] Sydney Lucas: And I went up there, we wrote, you know, my parents helped me write this speech, and I said this speech. It was my first ever award. I was super excited. Went to the red carpet, took some photos with my plaque, and then I went over to my mom and I was like, "What was that reaction about? What's going on?" And she eventually told me that they already knew, and I was so mad. I don't, I remember being like so mad. I was like, "No, I wanted this to be like all of us, like we're excited together." I obviously I'm not mad, I'm not actually mad anymore, but I remember being like not too pleased in the moment, but still super grateful.

[10:17] Eli Tokash: Yeah, the whole like fun part about award ceremonies is that you really have no clue what's gonna happen, and you want to share that with the others.

[10:24] Sydney Lucas: Exactly.

[10:26] Eli Tokash: So when others know what happens, it's not as fun, you know.

[10:26] Sydney Lucas: Like it m, in the fact that everyone knew, but I felt so stupid.

[10:33] Sydney Lucas: So I have to ask you a question now. Do you know if that is something that is common in award shows, or is that kind of just like for the, that specific?

[10:34] Eli Tokash: It depends for none of the other awards shows? I think new.

[10:47] Sydney Lucas: It first, I think someone at the public theater, I think told my parents. And we're just like, by the way, after her performance, you have to get back to your seat pretty quickly because she is gonna win, but don't tell her this.

[10:59] Eli Tokash: Oh, gotcha.

[11:00] Sydney Lucas: And so I think that's why my parents knew, so that, you know, we would all be in the right place at the right time. And I'm so, oh my gosh, I'm so grateful for my parents. It was honestly such a cool night, and I was so happy and so grateful. And I was like, oh my gosh, this is like my first ever award. And, you know, I got to experience the Drama Desk Awards.

[11:21] Sydney Lucas: Oh my gosh, I remember. I remember the Drama Desk Awards, I also performed. In most of these award shows, I had to perform "Ring of Keys." I performed "Ring of Keys." And I remember Laura Benanti was hosting the Drama Desk Awards the year that I got nominated. And I did my sound check, because you have to do a sound check before every, before the award show, and I'm pretty sure it's the day of you do your sound check the day of.

[11:46] Eli Tokash: Right.

[11:46] Sydney Lucas: And so I did my sound check, and then I was told that Laura Benanti wanted to see me in her dressing room. And so I went to Laura's dressing room and she was like, "Hey, after your performance, I'm gonna come on and I'm gonna do this thing, I'm gonna do this silly bit, and I want you to say this." I want you to say, it was something like, "Dignity, whatever happened to dignity?" or s or something like that. And she was like, "Just say that, okay?" And I was like, "Okay, got it." And she was like, "This is just, just, it's gonna be like a surprise, but just say that, trust me." And I was like, "Okay, that's awesome."

[12:20] Eli Tokash: Whatever you say, Laura.

[12:23] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, I was like, "Whatever you want, whatever you say." And I did the performance and she came on, I don't remember what the bit was, but I think she came on with this like funny costume or whatever. And I remember not quite understanding what my subtext was supposed to be. I remember being like, "What does this line mean?" But I never asked because I was just young and I didn't know to ask. But apparently I said it right, I said it the correct way, and we got a huge laugh, but I also didn't know what it meant.

[12:51] Eli Tokash: That's amazing.

[12:53] Sydney Lucas: But yeah, and so then I walked off stage. I didn't end up winning that year, but the next year, my brother Jake and I, we got to go back and we got to be the opening that year's Drama Desk Awards. And Laura Benanti was also, I'm pretty sure hosting this year.

[13:07] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[13:08] Sydney Lucas: And so we had to, I remember "Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder" was the opening of the year previously, of the year prior. And this year, my brother and I got to do this little skit that we made up just to tell everyone the whole rules. Like, remember, no flash photography. It was this funny skit that we made up and it was just you two?

[13:32] Eli Tokash: It was just us, it was just us.

[13:33] Sydney Lucas: Oh my gosh. And we got to like walk the red carpet, and I know it was so much fun. And then we did the opening to the Drama Desk Awards. And then there was the Drama League Awards, which I have to say was probably one of the coolest award shows I've ever been to. The Drama League Awards, there were, I can't tell you how many people were there. There were Denzel Washington, Sutton Foster, Neil Patrick Harris, Tyne Daly, Daniel Radcliffe, Kelly O'Hara, Adrian Lennox.

[14:11] Sydney Lucas: I remember sitting in a bunch of these chairs that they had in the green room, but they were all just kind of lined up and they had all of the nominees sitting in these chairs. I remember going up to Daniel Radcliffe and being like, "Oh my gosh, I'm such a huge fan," and he was actually like one of the nicest people in the entire world and has an incredible memory, actually. And he's very present. And then we go onto this stage, all of us, probably I don't know how many there are. There are probably fifty or more nominees. There was Jesse Tyler Ferguson there. Like I can't tell you how many incredible people there are, but we all go onto this stage, and on this stage, there are rows of tables and chairs, and they are all like an audience, the first row is a little bit below the second row, which is a little bit below the third row, and so you can see all of the different guests, and we all sit on our reserved spot on this long table.

And it's interesting because it's this massive, massive, massive room. It's like a ballroom, and the nominees are on the stage, but all of the attendees of the award show, such as, you know, my parents or the producers and directors of the shows that have actors nominated, they're all sitting in these circular tables all around this ballroom eating food. And on stage, we are also given food. And so for the majority of the show, it is us eating food in front of an audience. And I remember most of the time Michael Service and I were just whispering back and forth, being like, "How do we do this? Like, how do we we're eating in front of them? Do we are we supposed to be polite? Are we too much?

How are we supposed to eat? Like, we're eating in front of people." Like it's so you feel oddly vulnerable. You're like, "Am I is my mouth do I have something in my teeth?" And so we were just going back and forth trying to figure out what the proper etiquette was in this kind of situation. And there comes a point in the show where every single person is supposed to say some kind of acceptance speech before any winner is announced. By the way, we are all nominated technically against each other. Only one person can win. And so, like the fact that I was nominated alongside like Michael and like I said, Denzel Washington and freaking Tyne Daly and Neil Patrick Harris, it was so surreal. And I remember, like I said, my parents helped me write a speech for this thing, which we were all supposed to kind of say something.

It didn't have to be a speech, but I decided to make mine a short little speech. And I remember specifically part of my speech, I had met Sutton Foster before, but I had met her when I was like five. Long story short, she came to my kindergarten class and my kindergarten class, it's a whole other story, but a bunch of Broadway stars came to this specific kindergarten class and it was the thing that ignited my passion for acting. And I remember in my speech I said something like, "Sutton, I know you don't remember me, but I met you before," and I remember her having a facial expression of like, "Who is this kid?" And I think Neil Patrick Harris won that year, and it was just, I mean, this award show was just us eating, talking for a second, sitting back down and then eating.

And it was so much fun. And I remember afterwards, we the same exact day, we went to something that had to do with the Outer Critics Circle Awards, and Sutton Foster was there. And I remember being like, "Okay, so you know me now because I put you in my speech. Let me take your hand and let me just bring you along wherever I go." And she just kinda let me. She was just allowing me to drag her around this room talking to different people. She was the sweetest woman. And I actually got to go back the next year. I wasn't nominated, but Michael and Judy Kume were nominated for Drama League Awards. And what's cool about Drama League Awards is once you win it once, you can't win it ever again. But I got to be in the audience this time watching everyone eat on stage, and Stephen Boyer was the host, and at one point I remember he said he knew about Fun Home, and he knew in Fun Home there were three different Allisons, and he once said, "Where's the littlest lesbian?"

And he was referring to me because I in Fun Home I was a littlest lesbian, and I was sitting at my Fun Home table way far in the back of the room, and my Fun Home table basically forced me to stand on a chair and just wave to Stephen Boyer on stage who was asking for the littlest lesbian. And so that was fun. And yeah, there are other award shows. I wanna hear more about your stuff. I also at some point I should probably talk about the Theater World Awards because that probably was the coolest experience, one of the coolest experiences I've ever had. But I've talked enough about award shows for this.

[19:18] Eli Tokash: I mean, you can't leave us hanging like that. Or do you want to keep this? I feel like I've been talking for three centuries.

[19:27] Sydney Lucas: I know. I kinda thought like once we started, I was like, "Maybe we should do like you one ceremony for you, one ceremony for me, one ceremony for you." And now we're just like both gonna have a bunch of a big chunk of like talking about awards. I wanna hear more about your ceremonies and your experiences, and I'll talk about all that my other stuff later.

[19:50] Eli Tokash: Yeah. Okay, so the kids of Finding Neverland were asked to be a guest judge at the Jimmy Awards. And it was actually the year that Eva Noblazada won. And like that year, as soon as she won that, she went right into Miss Saigon. I guess the casting director was in the audience, and she was like, "Yep, that's her. We want her." And now she's been in that and she's been in Hades Town and she's just killing it. So that was one of the coolest experiences ever. Actually, fun fact, I just found the picture the other day because it was like this day, like six or five or six years ago. What I don't know, sometimes your phone does that. And in the picture were all the guest judges, and actually Michael's service was in the picture.

[20:40] Sydney Lucas: No way.

[20:41] Eli Tokash: So me, him, Shahadi, Shahadi was one of the guest judges. So all the Lion King kids, all the Finding Neverland kids, and then because it took place in the Minsk off, and then so it was me, Michael Servers, and there was one more person that I was like, "Oh my god, we've had them on too." Like, I was like, "I don't know, I have to go find a photo." So yeah, the kids were actually allowed to sit front row in the audience during the performances, and it was probably a bad idea, but it was totally worth it. As a kid, like that was the coolest thing ever because it's just like a bunch of kids looking up at adults. Because you know, we're like 10, 12, and these people are like college, high school.

So we're like kind of looking up to them. And then before and after, they're coming up to us being like, "Oh my god, like I love you, like I love your shows, like I look up to you." And we were like, "What? That's so cool." And um, so I don't know, it was a cool dynamic there. And then during the performance, it was fun because you know, we were able to meet a lot of the contestants beforehand, um, and then met the rest after, and they really like played with us during the show. And I don't know if you guys know it, like the Jimmy Awards, it's not an award ceremony for shows on Broadway and stuff like that. I think it's actually just high school students. It's just high school students who were nominated from their schools or programs or whatever it may be, across the country, and they come together and they do a performance from the show that they've been nominated from, and then they do like their dream roles and like complete opposites of them, and like they have like all kinds of different categories, and there's like four rounds, and each round obviously they go smaller and smaller.

So there's a group number, and then there's four singular rounds where everyone kind of has like a solo, and it's like this like three hour event, and it's super fun, and it just showcases so many people's talent that may not have gotten the opportunity to perform on a Broadway stage ever, and now they did, and they highlighted their talent, and now a lot of them have been on Broadway. Andrew Barth Feldman was a Jimmy Award winner, so just like Britney Rap. So they have a huge history of like big names that are now on Broadway and continue to work to share that with just the other kids that like I knew, like it was just the coolest thing ever, and it was actually funny because don't judge me, but I'm a huge like when I was younger. I mean, did you watch Disney Channel when you were younger?

[23:27] Eli Tokash: Of course.

[23:28] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, yeah, yeah. So at the time, one of the biggest shows on Disney Channel was Stuck in the Middle. Oh yes. And I met Jen Ortega. Because she was there. She wasn't performing, she was just like in the audience. And I thought it was like the coolest thing ever. Like I thought I was looking at a god and like a goddess, I guess. And she literally was the nicest person. I was fangirling over her, and then she was fangirling over me. And I was like, "Oh my god, you're on Disney Channel." But she was like, "You're on Broadway." And I was like, "Oh my god, you're like the coolest person." And I always thought she was like one of the prettiest girls ever, too. Like, I was obsessed with her. And she's the girl on you as well, like now, um, on Netflix.

So I met her, like, I just met so many cool people, and I was able to share that experience with so many Broadway celebrities, and I met so many cool people like Eva, and then also just working alongside like casting directors, like they were asking ten kids for their opinions about how the performance was going. And I was like, "Um, you literally do this as like your job, and you're asking like us." That's so cool. So we like we gave them our answers, and like we knew like right away. I think everyone in the audience knew like who was gonna win. I don't know if we had too much of an impact on their decision, but um our decision was ultimately what they ended up going with, so I thought it was pretty cool.

[25:10] Eli Tokash: Wow.

[25:11] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, so that was one of the coolest experiences ever just to be like a guest judge as like a 12-year-old. And it was just like fun to like that they asked us all to do that and just be a part of history, really, um, and just being a part of that award show. But also I was nominated for a Jeff Award, which is like a regional Tony Award, like so, you know, like Tonys are like for New York, and then like the Jeffs are for Chicago, and then LA has one, and like so all like the major theater towns have that award ceremonies and stuff. So I was nominated for a Jeff Award for my role in Trevor the Musical, and I'll never forget that day. Like, like you said, you know, I was like, "Oh, I gotta get like the coolest suit that I can find.

And like I gotta look so good, and I'm gonna walk the red carpet, and I'm gonna be with my entire cast and all the other nominees and everything like that." And actually, all the nominees, most of them, I don't know if all of them, but I know most of them were actually have all been on Broadway and they were doing these shows to hopefully get shows to Broadway. So we were all kind of in the same boat, and it was just really cool to be in the company with them, as well as just sharing the experience with your cast. I know you touched on it before but just sharing that experience with your family that you've been with and you've worked hard so hard with for such a long time, like it makes the world of a difference.

It really does and like obviously like their performances and their work and their rehearsal and everything impacts yours and impacts your performance and how you created this character. So really like without them I wouldn't have even been nominated. You know, so like it's just everyone impacts everyone, it's truly a team effort in any show. So just to like be able to experience that with them, it was as if we were all nominated. It really felt that way, um, and we were nominated for best show and that we were actually Trevor was the show that was a nominated for their the most awards that year. So that was really cool. Yeah, so it was a blast and like you said, you know, you meet up at a restaurant that's like super close to the theater and you kind of like hang out you grab some Shirley Temples, wink wink, um unless you like if you're a kid we had the Shirley Temple button.

It's literally the Shirley Temple is that a is that our universal experience do all kids in do Shirley that was my go to drink always I think it's that um that's like the fanciest kid drink. You know like and then there's also this thing called a Roy Roger which is like coke and grenadine so it's the same thing just not Sprite.

[28:01] Eli Tokash: Oh.

[28:02] Sydney Lucas: Yeah. So like those were like my go-to and I was like, "Oh yeah, I'm having a Shirley Temple or I'm having a Roy Roger."

[28:13] Sydney Lucas: Um, it's fantastic. It's so good. I'm a big Coke drinker. So really I don't yeah. Oh my god. I literally I'm obsessed. I want to be sponsored by Coke, but that's a whole nother story. Um I love how we all just both of us continue just go on tangents. Um so but it it really does like sharing that opportunity and experience with your cast and the people, like the writers, the director, like everyone who's like helped guide you, my family, like literally we had to split up again, you know. We finally all came to New York, and then we were split up because we had to go to Chicago, like it was like madness. So I mean, just to experience all of that, and I got to experience it with my grandpa who actually came along, and my great aunt, everyone who like during Trevor, I literally had a new parent every week because people could only take like a week off of work.

So it was like my grandpa my grandpa for two, my dad for like one, my mom for one, uh Tessie for like a month. She was able to come during the summer. Um, and then my auntie Lane and all of these people, my Bubba and Judju who listen every week, they were here for like a week or two. Uh it was so cool to be there and have that honor and to share it with literally everyone because literally everyone in my life was part of that journey. Like, was yeah, such a fun thing. It was a really cool experience. And like you said, it was actually the first um award ceremony that I've gone to that I've been nominated. Not my first award ceremony that I've attended, but the first one I was nominated for. So just like that was like a whole nother thing, and like the nerves and like but like fun and exciting and excitement and all of these things.

Um it's just like the coolest experience. So that's a little bit about my stories. But let's talk I want to hear, I want to get to your uh theater critic awards, and then I want to talk about some other fun things. Going back to Shirley Temple's for the Tony Awards, we had to go to a bunch of luncheons, which are the best. Honestly, I I love them, I love them, I love them, I love them. Anytime I would get an email being like, They're asking if you want to go to this luncheon, I would be like, Yes! Food, and they always had such good food. I loved it, I loved it so much. But for the for the Tony Awards luncheon, sorry, my point, my point in this is if you look up photos of me at luncheons, in most every luncheon, you will see me holding a Shirley Temple.

And I just found one. I looked one up and it's so cool to like experience it with like legit legends, like you know, yeah, and like people that you just like know, and you don't even like realize, you know, I'm so grateful and that I like know this person, like to think that you know, you know that you know Kelly O'Hara and like Michael Cerverus, and like with me with Matthew Morrison and Kelsey Grammar and like uh Hugh Jackman and all of these people, like it's just so hard to believe that like you don't realize because you're working with them, so they're just like another person, but like you reflect on it and you're like, Wow, like I shared this moment and like one of the mo most incredible moments in my life, a milestone in my life with a legend, like very true, yeah.

[31:33] Eli Tokash: Exactly. When we said Shirley Shirley Temple, I was I that photo actually came to my mind. I remember hanging out with Emily and Ruthie. We were just all talking. Yes, we were all in the same category. And I I think you can see Emily in the back in the photo that I just sent you. Yeah, and so we were I I remember just immediately every I saw everyone holding these drinks and I was like, oh, I gotta be holding a drink. And so I went to the bar, I was like, Can I please have a Shirley Temple? And it looks just like the color she has too. They're both red drinks. Exactly. Everyone was having these red drinks. I was like, what are you doing? I'm telling you right now, there's something in kids' brains that just think that they are on another level when they have a Shirley Temple in their hand.

I'm telling you. And it's it's a beautiful thing. So and every time I have a Shirley Temple, I'm brought back to those moments because I j I had one at every single at any time I could have a Shirley Temple, I had a Shirley Temple. Yeah, I I mean, I think we should all celebrate. Like, so when we all sing Happy Trails later, we all need to grab a Shirley Temple or Roy Roger. Yeah. And sing Happy Trails and Cheers. Yeah, when this whole when we're able to see each other safely again, we're going to sit down with a nice cold Shirley Temple. There you go. There you go. I hope everyone's craving it by the end of the episode. So do I. I'm already I already crave it. I want one. Okay, so talk to me about the the Theater World Award.

[33:09] Sydney Lucas: Yes, the Theater World Awards. I want to hear about it. So the Theater World You've left us in suspense. So the Theater World Awards are really cool because you can only get nominated for at least and I don't know if there are multiple different categories, but technically there it there aren't nominations. It's if they say you are nominated for it, you have already won it.

[33:34] Eli Tokash: Wait, what does that mean?

[33:34] Sydney Lucas: So the Theater World Awards, I don't know if there are multiple different categories, but my category was outstanding debut performance. And I don't know if it's for Broadway or off Broadway, but it it has to d I think it's for Broadway because um it has to do with your debut performance. And you can only get nominated on your debut performance. So you can only get nominated once. When the list goes out and it says everyone who's nominated, people aren't up against each other. Like they're any like Emily also, she was nominated, but she also won. We both everyone everyone who is quote unquote nominated has already won.

[34:12] Eli Tokash: Wins.

[34:13] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, that's awesome wins. That's so cool.

[34:15] Eli Tokash: Yeah, so there is no who's gonna win. It's we already know.

[34:19] Sydney Lucas: We're there those are the people these are the people that are gonna be getting the awards. If you're if their name is on there, then they're getting the award. You know what? I love that because oftentimes like award ceremonies can be tough on a lot of people.

[34:31] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[34:31] Sydney Lucas: Um, especially because it's like it sucks to like put it this way, but in a way it is a comparison like a comparison.

[34:38] Eli Tokash: Yep.

[34:38] Sydney Lucas: And uh comparison, excuse me. Um and so what is in that bottle, Eli?

[34:48] Eli Tokash: It's just water, I swear.

[34:51] Sydney Lucas: I wish there was a no just kidding.

[34:53] Eli Tokash: Yeah, 'cause oftentimes a comparison and I don't know, like it can affect a lot of people, you know. You don't know how things can go and like actors like the in the theater and arts community it there's uh high number of people that deal with mental h mental health problems.

[35:11] Sydney Lucas: And like I feel like those award ceremonies are kind of part of it because you know you have this like big league who's basically comparing the uh actors and then so like of course everyone else is gonna go on social media and do the same.

[35:28] Eli Tokash: Yeah you know like and it's and it's like sucks because I feel like the arts and theater in every like community should be super supportive you know supportive.

[35:37] Sydney Lucas: Yeah exactly and just like you know you were honored for this so like here you go like Yeah it's not like you didn't listen not like you lost anything.

[35:48] Eli Tokash: Right.

[35:48] Sydney Lucas: So like it was huge props to it it was you won it with the and there's no chance of losing.

[35:54] Eli Tokash: Right.

[35:55] Sydney Lucas: And I love that. So like huge props to the Theatre World Awards.

[35:58] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[35:59] Sydney Lucas: I think that's so cool.

[36:00] Eli Tokash: Yeah, I agree honestly. Um and Michael Ceres who who who was one of our past guests who played my dad in Fun Home he was also he also won that award.

[36:10] Sydney Lucas: Um and he told me that um it was one of the most meaningful awards he had ever received especially because you can only ever win it once in your life.

[36:21] Eli Tokash: And so it was interesting because the Theater World Awards they took place immediately one of our shows.

[36:32] Sydney Lucas: And so I loved the autograph line.

[36:36] Eli Tokash: Oh my gosh we called it the second act.

[36:37] Sydney Lucas: I loved going there and I would ninety nine percent of the time go to the autograph line there were only two times only two times I had ever done a performance and not gone to the autograph line.

[36:50] Eli Tokash: You know, finished a performance and not gone to the autograph line.

[36:53] Sydney Lucas: And the first time I ever did that was because after the performance, Michael, Emily, and I had to rush to our dressing rooms, put on our dresses, put on our suits, and get all glammed up, and within like ten minutes of ending the show, we had to be in a car on our way to the Theater World Awards to to accept our awards.

[37:16] Eli Tokash: And so I remember a after after the awards, Emily, Michael and I, we we we just bolted off the stage and my mom came back. Normally parents don't come backstage um often but my my mom came back to my dressing room and she helped me get into my dress and and helped me do my Is this after a night show?

[37:36] Sydney Lucas: Yes, this was after a night show.

[37:37] Eli Tokash: Oh my god so the award ceremony is at like eleven?

[37:40] Sydney Lucas: Yeah it's pretty late.

[37:42] Eli Tokash: Oh my God.

[37:43] Sydney Lucas: Yeah.

[37:44] Eli Tokash: And and so we all got ready as fast as humanly possible and we all got in a car and went to the Theater World Awards.

[37:52] Sydney Lucas: And that meant that I couldn't do the autograph line and I was so sad but I I remember I think I I told one of the security guards who was gonna be there. I remember I told them like please tell them I'm sending everyone at the autograph line my love and I'm sorry I couldn't make it yeah and then we went to the Theater World Awards.

[38:09] Eli Tokash: We had to immediately go backstage and wait in the wings because I I think we were our turn to accept our awards were n were very soon.

[38:18] Sydney Lucas: And so we did and it's on it it's this giant block of glass that has our names on it.

[38:24] Eli Tokash: Like engraved right engraved on it exactly and we had these speeches prepared um and Michael was a presenter and uh it was so cool and and so t uh touching.

[38:41] Sydney Lucas: Sydney actually showed me her award and it's actually one of the prettiest pieces of m like I don't even know what it is, but it's so beautiful.

[38:51] Eli Tokash: Oh, I remember when you came to my apartment, right?

[38:53] Sydney Lucas: Yeah.

[38:54] Eli Tokash: Yep.

[38:54] Sydney Lucas: I remember that.

[38:55] Eli Tokash: It's gorgeous.

[38:56] Sydney Lucas: It's one of the pretty prettiest awards I've ever seen.

[38:59] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[39:00] Sydney Lucas: The if anyone wants to know the other time that I couldn't do the autograph line, it's because I I don't remember what it was, but I ha I w I had to do this kind of topical cream on something, um, like on like my arm are like my arms and stuff and uh it like mid-show, my stomach I was in such excruciating pain, it was ridiculous.

[39:22] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[39:22] Sydney Lucas: I barely could stand up and immediately when I went off stage I I just curled up into a ball and just laid on the floor. I could not I I could not do it, but I was like, I'm finishing until the finale.

[39:37] Eli Tokash: And so that yeah, so there I I was hanging out with my f my friends literally just laying on the floor in agony and and then I did the finale, went off stage and I was like, I actually can't stand up straight, so I need to I need to I need my dad to to take me out the back way.

[39:53] Sydney Lucas: But I I think I also sent my love to the people in the autograph line.

[39:57] Eli Tokash: But I I genuinely couldn't I was physically shivering on my way home.

[40:01] Sydney Lucas: It wasn't hot, but uh that's how much pain I was in.

[40:03] Eli Tokash: I was shivering and I think it was because of the you know, the thing that I had to do.

[40:08] Sydney Lucas: The cream this medicated cream and so we didn't use that anymore.

[40:12] Eli Tokash: I was just gonna say hopefully it wasn't an option.

[40:14] Sydney Lucas: I know, and then and and like it wasn't it wasn't like I ingested it.

[40:18] Eli Tokash: It was you put it like on your skin.

[40:20] Sydney Lucas: Um but I uh it just had this most horrible reaction to it and it I was in so much pain. And and we figured it out and I never had that r reaction again.

[40:30] Eli Tokash: So another fun thing, uh we'll we'll we'll talk a little bit about special events.

[40:34] Sydney Lucas: Um we'll make it quick because we we've talked so much already about um fun ceremonies that we've attended. I just wanted to mention quickly a big event that um I always loved to perform in, and um I got the honor of performing it in twice was Broadway and Bryan Park.

[40:52] Eli Tokash: Obviously, so many people have heard about it because yeah, it's this huge you always get a huge crowd in the middle of Brian Park and you're literally just singing out in the open and it's such a fun it's such a fun uh event that they do.

[41:06] Sydney Lucas: So I think it's one of them also one of the most fun events that I've ever done because literally there's about eighteen shows I'd say that performed each day.

[41:19] Eli Tokash: And so that's like a b it's like a bunch of people.

[41:22] Sydney Lucas: I don't know. I I don't know how much, um, obviously because some shows will only send one person to like sing a solo.

[41:31] Eli Tokash: Um, but also like some people send over multiple people to do either like a duet or for Finding Neverland, we sang um we're all made of stars, and then the next year we did When Your Feet Don't Touch the Ground.

[41:42] Sydney Lucas: So that year we sent four people, and then the other year we sent two.

[41:47] Eli Tokash: So like it just varied.

[41:48] Sydney Lucas: But it was always so much fun, and there was like this trailer in the middle of Bryant Park for all of the actors to just like go and hang out until it was their turn, and you get to like meet all these amazing people during it, and I don't know, like it was always just a blast, and it was so much fun.

[42:07] Eli Tokash: And it's it's similar to like, you know, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade where um when we performed there, we were just kind of like they had a trailer sitting out for us when just to like not stand in the either blazing hot heat or the freezing cold.

[42:24] Eli Tokash: It was so much fun, and those events are always awesome because you're performing outside, so that's definitely something new, and it keeps it fun. You have a much bigger audience than you do in your theater. It's just out in the open, and everyone's coming together, and it’s a great representation of how the arts bring everyone together. Everyone's meeting new people and becoming friends just because they all love Broadway and wanted to see a show perform, like, and possibly meet the performer. It's always such a cool thing, those events that are outside and just take place out in the open that anyone can meet anyone, and it's just a great time. So that's a fun one. And then Sydney and I have a fun experience where we've both sung the national anthem at a sporting event.

[43:22] Sydney Lucas: Well, we have to keep it quick, so we'll glance over it. But Eli, do you want to talk a little bit about your experience?

[43:22] Eli Tokash: Sure.

[43:30] Sydney Lucas: Oh my gosh. So my brother and I actually, I'm glad I didn't do this alone because it was actually one of the most terrifying things I've ever done. But we got to perform the national anthem at two different Knicks games. The first time we performed, I think I was in the off-Broadway run of Fun Home. This was before Fun Home went to Broadway. Jake was in, I think Jake was in A Christmas Story.

[43:51] Eli Tokash: Yeah, Jake was in A Christmas Story at the time.

[43:54] Sydney Lucas: And the first time we ever did it, I was so nervous. My throat was just, I was like, "Oh, I need water, no, I don't need water, I know I need water, I don't need water." And I actually, Jake sang the harmony for that one, and I sang the lower harmony because Jake always had a higher voice than I did. It was just before his voice changed; he just had a higher voice than I did. And so we made this beautiful arrangement, and we sang it, and it went super well. Oh my gosh, it was so much fun. Then once we finished, we got to meet some of the players, and then we got cotton candy, and they had seats reserved for us, and we just enjoyed the show.

[44:42] Eli Tokash: And then the next time we did it was, well, yeah, just show, I totally get what you mean. I just loved it.

[44:48] Sydney Lucas: The game, the game.

[44:50] Eli Tokash: It totally is a show, let's be real.

[44:52] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, it is, it really is. And then the second time we did it was after Fun Home, after the Tony Awards, which the Tony Awards was the most terrifying thing of my life. So I feel like after the Tony Awards, nothing was really phasing me at that point because I had already been through that kind of level of fear. And so this time I was cool as a cucumber, and Jake was freaking the heck out.

[45:17] Eli Tokash: So we switched roles, and not only that, my voice was now higher than his because I had been singing on Broadway for so long, and in some songs in Fun Home, my singing part actually was raised higher. And his voice obviously was changing because he was a teenager. So now I was singing the high melody and he was singing the lower harmony, and then we did pretty much the same exact thing, and this time it was me calming him down, whereas the first time it was him calming me down. And then we met some of the players, grabbed our cotton candy, and enjoyed the game.

[45:51] Sydney Lucas: I love it. It was in Madison Square Garden, by the way. I don't know if it was, which Jake had already been in for A Christmas Story because you guys did Madison Square Garden.

[46:03] Eli Tokash: And so it was just so, it was literally home for him pretty much.

[46:06] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, I have to say, although we performed in Madison Square Garden, the theater and the arenas or rink, depending on what sport's playing, it takes place in the same place. But the theater is separate. So I've actually, although I've performed at Madison Square Garden, I've never performed in the arenas or rink, and that's always been a huge bucket list of mine. To honestly, like, sing the national anthem at any game. I've sung it at the Penguins game before, like in Pittsburgh, but to do that in New York, I hate to say it, but I would even put one of the jerseys on whoever I'm singing for, but whatever. That's a whole nother story. That's just me being a sport nerd.

[46:50] Eli Tokash: Sorry, I actually had the opportunity to, like, similar to you, but I sang it at MetLife Stadium, so that's where the Giants and the Jets play.

[47:00] Sydney Lucas: Oh, cool.

[47:01] Eli Tokash: Yeah, so okay, first of all, I'm gonna talk about the process and everything like that, but then I have to ask you a question that I, it's, I don't know. Well, I'll get there. Trust me. There's a really important question at the end of this, so just keep your ears, ears open.

[47:18] Sydney Lucas: Uh, ears, eyes open.

[47:20] Eli Tokash: Ears, eyes open. So, okay, this was probably one of the most nerve-wracking things ever for me. It was on a Saturday. It was one of the games that didn't fall on a Sunday because it was later in the season. And it was on a Saturday, and we had a two-show day.

[47:20] Sydney Lucas: Oh my gosh.

[47:41] Eli Tokash: And it was like so terrifying. Literally, it was in between shows that I had to go travel and be late for the next one, for like, be late to my call time for the next one.

[47:44] Sydney Lucas: In between shows?

[47:44] Eli Tokash: Yes.

[47:56] Sydney Lucas: Oh my gosh.

[47:57] Eli Tokash: No, it was the craziest thing ever. So literally during my matinee, all I can think about is performing the national anthem for the Giants for the New York freaking Giants at MetLife Stadium, where literally every A-list celebrity has performed in. And like, that's where they play the football games. Like, hello. Yes, it's on YouTube. Of course, there's a video of this.

[47:57] Sydney Lucas: Oh my gosh.

[48:23] Eli Tokash: But oh my god, I can't believe I just said that because that's so, oh my god. I don't know why I exposed myself like that. It's when I was super small, my voice was so high, it's ridiculous.

[48:34] Sydney Lucas: Anyways, you still do it.

[48:36] Eli Tokash: Thank you. Thank you. So literally during my matinee, all I can think about is singing the national anthem.

[48:36] Sydney Lucas: Yeah.

[48:42] Eli Tokash: And I probably had like three complete mishaps, like where I either sang the wrong words or I said the wrong line or missed a cue, and Chris picked it up or someone. I don't know. It was craziness because literally all I could think about was, "Oh my god, I have to sing the national anthem at the Giants game tonight," and literally after the show, I'm gonna have to change so fast so that I can get in my car and drive, like, and just book it. And they sent a driver. It was the first time I had a driver, not like on set for something. They sent a driver to my theater to pick me up and then go to the Giants game and then bring me back. So it was craziness.

[49:26] Sydney Lucas: So after the performance ended, I like sprinted and I was like, "I gotta go, I gotta go, I gotta go." And so I made it, and it was the coolest thing ever because I wanted to be there as early as I possibly could because I wanted to really soak it all in, and I knew that it wasn't something that was gonna happen every day. And so I got there, and the warmups were just starting, and they let me go on the field, and Odell Beckham Jr. was on the team at the time, and Eli Manning was still playing, and all these players, like Sterling Shepard, Victor Cruz, like they were still playing, and it was madness. So I was on Cloud Nine, all of these people were coming up to me, shaking my hand, "You're singing the national anthem, that's awesome," whatever. And it was literally one of the coolest experiences ever, and every player was so nice, and every player introduced themselves to me. I thought it was the coolest thing ever.

[50:24] Eli Tokash: And then they go back in the dressing room, and they get the field ready, and they have to get all their pads and their jersey and stuff on. So there's some time period, and they had a separate dressing room for me, and I thought, "Oh my god, I'm in a dressing room at MetLife Stadium, and you know, Beyoncé has been in this dressing room before, like, this is awesome," and all of these things. So I don't know, I really like just thinking about it like that just made me even more nervous, and just like I hyped it all up so much that I was so nervous.

[51:00] Sydney Lucas: So now time for the performance.

[51:03] Eli Tokash: And here's where my question comes in. Singing the national anthem is just such an honor, and so I think that was why I was so nervous, especially because my grandpa, my grandpa has, like, he was a veteran and he's fought in Vietnam and all of that. So I just wanted to do him justice, and he actually went with me. He was the person we took.

[51:24] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, so when I was singing, you hear this incredible echo. And it's unlike any other performance that I've ever done.

[51:34] Eli Tokash: Is that all? I didn't know if that was because I was outside or what it was. Is that kind of similar to what happened to you during the Knicks game?

[51:43] Sydney Lucas: Everyone was telling us, like, "Don't be alarmed if you hear an echo." And I thought it was gonna be way more of a problem than it actually was. I was terrified of the stuff.

[51:51] Eli Tokash: Oh, really?

[51:53] Sydney Lucas: I was like, "What are we, are we gonna be able to hear ourselves? Or is the echo gonna be distracting?" And everyone was like, "Don't worry, just we just need you to know." And that terrified me the most. I thought the echo was gonna be just debilitating.

[51:53] Eli Tokash: Right.

[52:09] Sydney Lucas: It wasn't actually. I don't even remember hearing an echo. I remember hearing like a slight echo, but it honestly came off as our voices soaring through the audience. That's literally just wasn't what it was for us.

[52:21] Eli Tokash: Maybe it's a thing like with outdoor arenas or something.

[52:28] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, well, the thing is that I had a sound check for it a couple days before, and with an empty arena, it really wasn't that bad. So I was like, "Oh, like, it's fine, like, whatever, no big deal." And then come time to the performance, they were like, "Oh, you're gonna need an earplug, and you're gonna need some headphones," and like all of these things.

[52:48] Eli Tokash: So I had them in while I was singing, and I was like, "What is this for?" And then sure enough, I was like, "Oh, I hear it," and honestly, you could totally hear it in my YouTube video. Like, now, ever since I never noticed it before, but you could totally notice for halftime performances or whatever it may be, like for a performance at sporting events, you can totally see an echo and hear it, and it's just really bizarre.

[52:48] Sydney Lucas: Interesting.

[53:20] Eli Tokash: Yeah, and I never noticed it until I experienced it. I will tell you what though, there's something different about theater fans and sports fans.

[53:20] Sydney Lucas: Absolutely.

[53:28] Eli Tokash: Performing in front of sports fans is completely different.

[53:28] Sydney Lucas: It gets you up over here.

[53:35] Eli Tokash: For real. And I love how the highest part in the song, they just start screaming, and I'm like, "Yes, oh my gosh, this is, I wish I had this instant gratification from theater," right?

[53:46] Sydney Lucas: So, like, it totally, you're totally right because I was so nervous, and then all of a sudden, like, people are singing along with me, and I'm like, "Yes, this is awesome!" Like, we're all singing this great song or whatever. Like, we're all just chilling and getting ready for the game.

[54:02] Eli Tokash: Like the super high note for Broadway, everyone's like, "Be quiet, you don't want to interrupt them."

[54:06] Sydney Lucas: Right, right, exactly. And it took so much pressure off. I feel that like everyone was just singing along, having fun with you because, like, no offense, it's also like the sports people, so like they're not like super good singers or whatever.

[54:20] Eli Tokash: Like, you know, like no one's really gonna judge you for how well you sing at a sporting event, unless you're like Beyoncé or Lady Gaga or whatever. Like, obviously, everyone's gonna watch that.

[54:28] Sydney Lucas: Anyway, that's beside the point. So after I was done singing the national anthem, I hopped back in my car, went back to my show, made it for the show, got there at the five-minute call. It was a mess.

[54:41] Eli Tokash: Yeah, it was craziness, but everything was okay. It's all good. It was such a rush. The adrenaline in me was going crazy. One of my best shows ever, not a big deal. Humble brag.

[54:41] Sydney Lucas: Like, yeah, like low-key. Adrenaline.

[54:57] Eli Tokash: But also I wasn't playing Peter, so that was good. Like, I played Peter in the matinee and then played Jack in the evening show. So like Jack's this really rambunctious and everything, so like it worked. I didn't have to be depressed after just singing the national anthem at a Giants game.

[55:09] Sydney Lucas: But I was so upset because, like, you know, like you said, like you sing at the national anthem and you hopefully stay and watch the game. And I wasn't able to be because I had to go to the show.

[55:20] Eli Tokash: So they were so nice, and they found a Sunday where they were performing at night, and I only had a three o'clock show. So then they invited me in, like, put me in a box and whatever. It was awesome, and it was just a great time. Really classy move by that organization. It was just so fun.

[55:38] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, it was the best.

[55:40] Eli Tokash: So, that being said, should we sing a little happy trails?

[55:45] Sydney Lucas: How does, wait? How does happy trails go? Because in every show that I've ever done, I've been pretty much the first one to leave.

[55:51] Eli Tokash: No, no, no, you don't sing happy trails.

[55:54] Sydney Lucas: Oh, well, I am the person getting, I shall sit back then and enjoy.

[55:59] Eli Tokash: Well, you can totally sing with me because I don't want to sing it by myself.

[56:02] Sydney Lucas: But what?

[56:05] Eli Tokash: Well, like literally, like technically, like in shows they don't really sing like the person who's being sent off, but this is, no, it's okay.

[56:15] Eli Tokash: What is the melody? I feel like so I'll I'll do it slowly so that everyone Okay, oh by the way, this is the word of the day. This is the word of the week. Drama Dictionary. Happy Trails. You sing this song. I'm gonna I I'll do it slowly so everyone can do it, and then we can do it for real, and send Sydney off by singing it for real with everyone. At everyone's last on it, whoever's last show it is in a show, on their last performance right before the show, or right before like half hour really, half hour call, you all get together and you sing happy trails, and it's just a way of celebrating them and their contributions to the show and what they've brought, and they're just celebrating the person who's leaving and celebrating a great run.

So everyone gets together, the cast, even like stage manager, wardrobe, like literally everyone, the whole company, they all get together and we set have a little send-off. Sometimes there's cake, cupcakes, cookies, some treats, you know, all of these things just to celebrate um who whoever may be leaving, and it could be multiple people.

[57:22] Sydney Lucas: Oh my gosh! Wait, happy trails is by Roy Rogers and Dale Evans.

[57:26] Eli Tokash: Yeah. Just like the Roy Roger, the drink. That's so what? Okay, here we go. Happy Trails to You until we meet again. Happy Trails to You keep smiling on till then. Happy Trails to you until we meet again. Okay. Oh, so redo so redo your Yeah. So it's a little song and it goes like this. Happy Trails to you until we meet again. Happy Trails to you. Keep smiling on till then. Happy trails to you. Until we meet again. And that's it.

[58:11] Sydney Lucas: Oh my gosh, Eli. Yeah, yeah.

[58:14] Eli Tokash: So it's a little fun. It's yeah, so there's it basically repeats itself and then like has like your all your variations of it that you could do. Um and you can just have fun with it. That's like the best part of the song. And it's a shortened version of the song Happy Trails by Roy Rogers and Shirley Temple. No, I'm just kidding. That's not just Roy Rogers. Um so yeah. So if we all wanna join together and sing a little happy trails to Sydney, and it's just like this fun little thing, and everyone's like clapping along, and we're celebrating because we although everyone's crying at the same time, we want to try to celebrate them in the best way possible, but we're gonna miss them so much. So uh it's just this fun little thing that it's the tradition that they do in the theater.

[59:00] Eli Tokash: So is it so it is a until we meet again? Is that it? Is it does it Until we meet again?

[59:00] Sydney Lucas: Until we meet again.

[59:13] Eli Tokash: Yeah, it's like a little scale. Until we meet again. Right. Which one is it again? Happy channels to you until we meet again. Meet again again. Oh my god. Uh until we meet again. Until we meet again. Yeah. Okay. And then obviously, obviously it's kinda little it's a little hard, but we'll do a little harmony because obviously I can't sing in your your octave. Um the whole company gets together, everyone does like seven part harmony, and it's this beautiful thing, and it's amazing.

[59:50] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Like everyone's doing like their own little thing, and we're all just like having a good time celebrating. So everyone at home, Cindy and I are gonna sing a little happy trails, and you can sing along with us and create whatever harmony you guys want. Should we should we do it?

[1:00:05] Eli Tokash: Yes, let's do it. Okay. I this feels like singing happy birthday to myself, but it's that same celebration mentality. We wanna celebrate you and all of your amazing work and time that you've put into producing and creating Take About podcast for all the listeners and for helping me out along the way. Uh you're the best. So shall we begin?

[1:00:31] Sydney Lucas: Yes. I'll sing the happy trails part. You sing all the other lines.

[1:00:35] Eli Tokash: Okay. Ready? Happy Trails to me. Until we meet again. Happy Trails to me. Keep smiling on till then. Happy trails to me. Until we meet again. Yes.

[1:00:57] Sydney Lucas: Yay! That was so fun. I hope you all sing along with us because we need to celebrate Sydney and we need to celebrate. Um what are we on? 36? 36 or something. Guys, what is happening? Um, it's the It's the 36th episode, you everyone. Oh my goodness.

[1:01:21] Eli Tokash: Oh my god. So thank you so much for all of your hard work the past 30 six plus weeks. And uh just giving everyone uh some entertainment and including myself. This has been extremely entertaining for me doing this with you.

[1:01:39] Sydney Lucas: Thank you, Eli. Thank you for for bringing me along for this. Thank you for all of your hard work. I've learned so much from this. And this is not goodbye, goodbye. So we don't have to That's a happy trails until we meet again. Until we meet again. Um but I I mean, I'm so excited to see where this podcast goes. I am g I am it's going to be its number one supporter.

[1:02:04] Eli Tokash: Thank you very much. And you're the best and uh and thank and uh this is someone we actually don't thank a you know, thank on this uh podcast a lot, but thank you, Tessie, who is our editor. You are incredible.

[1:02:22] Sydney Lucas: Oh my gosh, thank you, and thank you to the Broadway Podcast Network. I mean, this is this has been uh such a wonderful learning experience, and I'm excited to, you know, come back in the future sporadically and just just to watch this podcast grow and watch this fan base grow.

[1:02:39] Eli Tokash: And watch you, Eli, where wherever you take this podcast. I'm I'm so excited to see where it goes, and thank you so much for this adventure.

[1:02:47] Sydney Lucas: Oh my god, of course. You don't have to thank me. You're you know you're a part of my family and you're part of the take bow family always and forever. So just a huge thank you and helping with everything, literally. Like you just gr helping this podcast get to where it is today, and uh we definitely couldn't have done it without each other, so it definitely wouldn't be the same podcast. So thank you, and thanks to everyone who's continued to listen and allowed us to continue this.

[1:03:13] Eli Tokash: Yeah, I myself to all our listeners. Yeah, I'm I'm extremely excited to figure out this whole next phase of Take A Val. But it's gonna be it's gonna be fun, and we have a great lineup in February coming up. Celebrating Black History Month, as we all know it's in February. So I I'll be having all black guests to to highlight black stories and just how their with their shows that they've been in and their experience being black in the business and um just everything. So just wanting to raise their voices and let them be heard and share their stories and experience.

[1:03:54] Sydney Lucas: So we're very excited. It we have actors and producer uh and stage managers coming on. Um or I have that's yeah, I was about to I was listening to you say we and I'm gonna be able to do that. Oh my god. This is so easy. I don't I don't like that. I don't like that. Um that's gonna take a second to get used to.

[1:04:11] Eli Tokash: Um so yeah, so thank you all for listening. It's gonna be a great time. I also have some other guests in the in the work that'll happen after February, but they are recorded. I can't believe that. That's so bizarre. Um I I've actually recorded ahead for once. I I I don't know, that's just something that we hadn't done since the first week. Yet the ones for February aren't yet, so we'll we're figuring it all out.

[1:04:37] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, so we're very excited. I'm very excited to continue to grow this podcast and just to continue to stay connected with all of you listening. And it's gonna be it's gonna be a blast, and we're we're really excited to see where this takes us.

[1:04:52] Eli Tokash: And um, I'll definitely keep you all updated. I don't know, i I in somewhere down the line I may get another weekly co-host but uh for now I'll be taking over solely and I'm so excited. So yeah we'll w I'm excited yeah I don't know. And I can say this now because Eli's now a s a solo host. Everyone go to to the Take About Patreon and and become a patron. You this I mean the Patreon helps so much with continuing the podcast and especially you know now that that it's it's gonna be Eli riding solo at least for the indefinite uh future go to go to Patreon.

[1:05:32] Sydney Lucas: There are many different there are many different levels and it will do a lot in supporting this this podcast and in supporting Eli and um yeah I can I can s and and to sub and to support uh Tessie who is our who is our yes who is our uh wonderful editor and Eli's sister and so yeah I can say this because it's it's oh my gosh podcast now so go to Patreon you guys you're too much oh my gosh but seriously the Patreon is awesome it's a great way to like literally we're really trying to form a community now and like have this great um family I guess of take about I mean like we have we really do have a family on Patreon.

[1:06:16] Eli Tokash: Yeah and it's been so cool to see it grow and it's it's a great thing because you all who uh join and become supporters uh will not only be a part of our family and everything but also you'll be able to have like fun benefits that like not other many other people have and due to the wonderful support of our um patrons so far I actually have a few fun surprises coming up that Sydney you will absolutely be receiving as well as all the Patreons so we're very excited uh about about these these new fun things that literally without the patrons couldn't have been possible um so huge shout out to them and they're really really helping just this podcast continue to happen every year thank you to our patrons thank you to yeah just thank you so much.

[1:06:16] Sydney Lucas: Alright so let's wrap it up it's been it's been a pleasure it's been it's been a blast I mean this has been a year of our life this is crazy like it's been unreal I know um so thank you for sharing this experience with me uh and thank you to the listeners who have listened to take a bow so far um don't forget to like continue sharing it with people and like spreading the word you know um yeah and we're I'm excited that like to continue to do this and continue to give everyone a form of entertainment and Sydney you're the best and I hope I and I wish you the best of luck on all of your future endeavors as I'm sure all of the listeners do as well.

[1:07:53] Eli Tokash: Yeah Sydney I am I'm just so impressed by your drive and your dedication and I I'm just so excited to see where this podcast goes.

[1:08:02] Sydney Lucas: Well that literally means the world to me so thank you. Um but I do have to do one more thing before we go and it's something that I've been wanting to do for so long um I I don't know I don't know it's just fun to like say it for our guests. So, like I've always wanted to say it like for one of us. But Tony nominee, Sydney Lucas. Take your final bow.

[1:08:27] Eli Tokash: Oh my god. Not actually final bow, but seriously, take a bow, Sydney Lucas.

[1:08:31] Sydney Lucas: Eli Tokash, I think that you deserve to take a bow. Um my goodness for everything that you have done and are continuing to doing, uh continuing to do. Um, like just I I guess let's, you know, let's take a bow together.

[1:08:45] Eli Tokash: Of course, let's do it. Ready? We're bowing.

[1:08:48] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, we're bowing right now.

[1:08:52] Eli Tokash: Oh my gosh. Um, yeah, this has been a blast. Thank you so much, and thank you to our listeners. Peace. See you next week.

[1:09:04] Sydney Lucas: Sick beat him, alright? For our curtain call, we wanted to give a few special thank yous to Nikki Torsha and Cor McCollinon for our amazing music, Giselle Bustos for designing our logo, and Tessie Tokash and Sydney Lucas for editing our episodes.

[1:09:18] Eli Tokash: Feel free to subscribe and leave a review on whatever platform you are currently listening to us from. This podcast wouldn't be possible without the help of Dory Berenstein, Alan Seals, Brittany Bigelow, and Katie Rosen at the Broadway Podcast Network.

[1:09:33] Sydney Lucas: As well as our top patrons, Henry Friedman, Brian Thompson, PCC, and Patrick McNamara. 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.

[1:09:47] Eli Tokash: Through our Patreon, you will form a relationship with us and get an inside look on what goes into this podcast. To learn more about this podcast, visit bpn.fm forward slash take a bow and follow us on Instagram at take a bow podcast, where you can contact us with any feedback, suggestions, or questions, and keep up with all things take a bow.

[1:10:07] Sydney Lucas: See you next week. Bye everyone.