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[0:00] Eli Tokash: Hi everyone and welcome to episode 61 of Take A Bow Podcast.

[0:05] Eli Tokash: I'm your host, Eli Tokash, and we have another very great interview today.

[0:11] Eli Tokash: An exciting episode, especially for me.

[0:13] Eli Tokash: I've been wanting to talk about a musical that is very dear to my heart, which is beginning their performances on October 25th.

[0:22] Eli Tokash: So that's very exciting.

[0:24] Eli Tokash: I cannot wait to see the show.

[0:25] Eli Tokash: I'm so glad that it's coming to New York.

[0:28] Eli Tokash: Um I cannot wait for more people to hear and uh be able to witness this beautiful story and this magical magical musical that is Trevor.

[0:39] Eli Tokash: And today we have our first ever guest who's going to be in Trevor the Musical when it does appear off Broadway.

[0:46] Eli Tokash: And that guest is Luke Mannikus, who is also someone who is very dear to me because he is kind of the one who just showed me the ropes of Broadway and figuring everything out.

[0:58] Eli Tokash: He was a pro already at the young age of 11 or 12, whatever age we were at the time.

[1:04] Eli Tokash: And uh yeah, he was just showing me around, and we talk a little bit about it in the episode, so I won't talk too much about it now.

[1:10] Eli Tokash: Needless to say, I'm very excited for this episode and very excited for you all to listen to it.

[1:14] Eli Tokash: Um he's been in Pippin, he was in Priscilla Queen of the Desert, he was in Matilda, he was and now he's gonna be in Trevor the Musical, and he's currently at the University of Michigan.

[1:25] Eli Tokash: So he's doing all kinds of great things.

[1:27] Eli Tokash: He's a great, great performer, uh, great person, and uh very excited for this episode.

[1:33] Eli Tokash: But before we turn it over to the episode itself in the interview portion, let's talk about some news, shall we?

[1:39] Eli Tokash: There's a lot of great things happening in the theater world.

[1:41] Eli Tokash: I want to start out this segment by congratulating Bryson Battle and Elena Holder, who are the 2021 Jimmy Award winners.

[1:49] Eli Tokash: That was, I don't know if anybody watched it, but what a beautiful event that was.

[1:54] Eli Tokash: And they totally were able to pull it off, even in this virtual setting.

[1:58] Eli Tokash: It's unfortunate that the young performers weren't able to do it on a Broadway stage, which is kind of like the wow factor behind the whole Jimmy Awards itself and just being on a Broadway stage for the first time, and nonetheless performing in one of the biggest houses on Broadway.

[2:14] Eli Tokash: I talk about it in an upcoming episode that's gonna be coming out next week with a Jimmy Award finalist.

[2:21] Eli Tokash: And he also explains how these kids also were able to do it on a stage, but nonetheless, after watching that wonderful event, I know a lot of them will be up on that stage soon enough.

[2:31] Eli Tokash: So uh everyone was amazing.

[2:33] Eli Tokash: Congratulations to Bryson and Elena for winning, and uh congratulations to all the performers and finalists because just to even get there is a huge, huge honor.

[2:43] Eli Tokash: So congratulations to everyone and Bryson and Elena.

[2:46] Eli Tokash: If you're listening, I'm sending out my congratulations.

[2:49] Eli Tokash: And uh, you guys are phenomenal, insanely talented.

[2:53] Eli Tokash: Uh, just your voices are just like unbelievable.

[2:56] Eli Tokash: I love it.

[2:57] Eli Tokash: It's just so good, and uh, I was so happy that they were able to pull it off in this virtual world that we're doing for the second time uh in back to back years, which is so bizarre.

[3:08] Eli Tokash: But hopefully next year we'll be able to do it in person and on a Broadway stage.

[3:12] Eli Tokash: So very exciting stuff.

[3:13] Eli Tokash: I don't know if anybody has been following this Andrew Lloyd Weber saga out in the UK and the West E.

[3:21] Eli Tokash: Um, he is like doing a production of Cinderella.

[3:25] Eli Tokash: I've talked about it before on the podcast in this segment uh in a previous episode, and um, he's doing a production of Cinderella out in the West End, but their opening night got like cancelled due to COVID protocol and go COVID precautions, and um after that, like shortly after that, I believe, if not the same day, uh, he had come out and said that they will not no longer be opening the show in the West End.

[3:58] Eli Tokash: And he made the decision that uh after their opening night was canceled that he he was like, alright, we're canceling the whole production.

[4:06] Eli Tokash: I don't know what exactly happened.

[4:08] Eli Tokash: I don't know if someone in the cast got COVID and that kind of affected it.

[4:11] Eli Tokash: I don't know.

[4:12] Eli Tokash: I don't know.

[4:12] Eli Tokash: It's kind of all still coming out slowly, and uh I'll keep you all posted, but uh it's very interesting just to just to see that like you know, you're opening a show and the day of opening it gets cancelled and you've worked so hard on it, and now all of a sudden you're gonna cancel the whole production.

[4:29] Eli Tokash: I don't know.

[4:30] Eli Tokash: It's uh it's unfortunate uh for of course Andrew Lloyd Weber himself, and of course, everyone who uh was a part of the show, the cast, the creative team, the producers, everyone, just everyone.

[4:41] Eli Tokash: It uh it's very unfortunate, and uh hopefully something is able to come out of it, uh something good, of course.

[4:48] Eli Tokash: Uh maybe it reopens at a later date, maybe it comes to the States, maybe it goes somewhere else, I don't know.

[4:55] Eli Tokash: Uh, but hopefully something does come of it because I think uh I don't know, like a ver another version of Cinderella I think is kind of intriguing to me.

[5:02] Eli Tokash: And of course, Andrew Lloyd Weber's version, of course, is also very interesting because Andrew Lloyd Weber is one of the all time greatest musical theater writers uh of yeah.

[5:14] Eli Tokash: One of the and of course, because Andrew Lloyd Weber is one of the all-time greatest composers and lyricists of our time.

[5:22] Eli Tokash: So uh it's gonna be interesting to see what uh what comes of it.

[5:30] Eli Tokash: Another thing that uh I found very interesting and kind of surprising, but like when I saw it, I was like, oh, like not really surprising.

[5:39] Eli Tokash: I don't know.

[5:40] Eli Tokash: It was like a weird thing.

[5:41] Eli Tokash: But uh Jarvin Hansen's own Jordan Fisher is going to be appearing on tomorrow's episode of High School Musical The Musical The Series.

[5:49] Eli Tokash: So that show will now feature three Evan Hansons in Andrew Barth Feldman in Roman Banks and Jordan Fisher.

[5:59] Eli Tokash: I mean, who's next?

[6:01] Eli Tokash: What do we think?

[6:02] Eli Tokash: I okay, it's probably like okay, who who do we have left?

[6:06] Eli Tokash: Ben, Taylor, Noah.

[6:08] Eli Tokash: Um, I feel like I'm missing a couple, and of course, like the tour at Evans and every all of the other Evans out there in the world.

[6:16] Eli Tokash: There's a lot of productions going on.

[6:18] Eli Tokash: Um, but I don't know.

[6:20] Eli Tokash: Like, this is just an interesting topic, and I don't know.

[6:24] Eli Tokash: I feel like this they're kind of just like making a running joke of it.

[6:28] Eli Tokash: Maybe it's season two and they're just gonna stop after season two.

[6:33] Eli Tokash: Maybe it's just the fact that they didn't even plan on doing Evan Hansons, and Jordan Fisher just happened to be an Evan Hansen, but he's also has that Disney background, so they brought him on.

[6:43] Eli Tokash: I don't know.

[6:44] Eli Tokash: But like if I had to guess who the next Evan would be, I don't feel like it would be Ben.

[6:49] Eli Tokash: I mean, unless unless he like played himself and was like, oh, like I'm scouting someone for like my new music thing, and like that's how like Nene or uh Ricky graduates.

[7:02] Eli Tokash: I don't know.

[7:02] Eli Tokash: Um, but I feel like it would be like Taylor low key.

[7:05] Eli Tokash: Like, I don't know.

[7:07] Eli Tokash: I feel like Taylor could totally be someone who's young enough looking to still play an uh high school kid or uh a sibling of some sort.

[7:16] Eli Tokash: I don't know.

[7:17] Eli Tokash: It would just be very interesting.

[7:18] Eli Tokash: I don't know if they're gonna be like planning on seeing the next Evan Hansen, but I think it'd be fine if they just continued with the theme going on, especially because like it seems like I don't know if they're gonna continue this north high, uh, east high drama bit, but um it is interesting, so I'm I'm not I wouldn't be surprised if they do.

[7:37] Eli Tokash: So that would mean Andrew Barth Feldman and Roman Banks would be brought back for season three, so who knows?

[7:42] Eli Tokash: Maybe they will keep up with the trend.

[7:43] Eli Tokash: I don't know.

[7:44] Eli Tokash: I thought it was interesting.

[7:45] Eli Tokash: I'm just so excited to see Jordan Fisher in this high school musical the musical the series, and I hope to god he sings, but I don't think he will be.

[7:53] Eli Tokash: Uh we'll see.

[7:54] Eli Tokash: Who knows?

[7:55] Eli Tokash: Um let's see what else is going on.

[7:57] Eli Tokash: So Billy Porter, he is going to be making his directorial debut in a new feature film starring Renee Elise Goldsbury.

[8:05] Eli Tokash: I mean, it's only a matter of time at this point that Billy Porter directs a musical.

[8:11] Eli Tokash: I think it's very possible maybe it's uh unpopular opinion.

[8:14] Eli Tokash: I would love to see it.

[8:16] Eli Tokash: Um he is literally taking over the entertainment industry single-handedly.

[8:20] Eli Tokash: He is so freaking talented, he's been able to uh conquer it all.

[8:25] Eli Tokash: Like, he's been able to do pose, kinky boots.

[8:28] Eli Tokash: Um now he's going to be making his directorial debut, like I said, in a new feature film called What If?

[8:34] Eli Tokash: And that's gonna be starring Renee Lee Goldsberry.

[8:36] Eli Tokash: Another fun thing coming out is something called Edge of the World, written by Ethan Slater and Nick Blemeyer, and they're also starring in it with Lily Cooper and Norbert Leo Butts.

[8:46] Eli Tokash: Come on.

[8:47] Eli Tokash: Come on, Ethan Slater, Lily Cooper, Norbert Leo Butts, and Nick Blameyer.

[8:52] Eli Tokash: Come on.

[8:53] Eli Tokash: This is just a wonderful cast, and I'm so excited.

[8:55] Eli Tokash: It's literally four people, and it's one of the like it's literally the best for singers in Broadway.

[9:02] Eli Tokash: Like it and just it's just I'm so excited.

[9:05] Eli Tokash: I literally can't.

[9:06] Eli Tokash: I actually just got off of doing an interview with uh remote in the cast.

[9:14] Eli Tokash: So uh the we were able to talk a little bit about that, and that's gonna be coming out very soon because their soundtrack is coming out very soon.

[9:22] Eli Tokash: It's coming out Friday, August 6th.

[9:25] Eli Tokash: So I will be releasing that episode on Thursday, August 5th.

[9:29] Eli Tokash: That's gonna be with some uh people in that wonderful cast, and I'm so excited to listen to this soundtrack that Ethan and Nick have written because it it's gonna be amazing.

[9:39] Eli Tokash: I was reading all about it and just the synopsis of the whole thing and what they want to do with it and the process that they took throughout the whole thing, uh, the topics that they're gonna be dealing with, uh everything is just so so moving and something that you all should be very excited about.

[9:55] Eli Tokash: It's gonna be on all music platforms.

[9:58] Eli Tokash: You can listen to it anywhere you listen to music.

[10:00] Eli Tokash: You can also listen to it on Broadway Records, uh, but also Spotify and Apple Music, which seem to be the more popular streaming services, I guess, for music, um, but also everywhere else.

[10:11] Eli Tokash: So stay tuned on that.

[10:12] Eli Tokash: It's called Edge of the World, and it's going to be amazing.

[10:15] Eli Tokash: So, with that being said, that will wrap up this week's news segment, and we will actually be doing the drama dictionary segment later after this interview.

[10:25] Eli Tokash: So, with that being said, Luke Mannikus, curtain up.

[10:49] Eli Tokash: This week we have a three-time Broadway show veteran before this is all before he was even at the age of 13.

[10:57] Eli Tokash: Um he is currently a student at the University of Michigan, majoring in musical theater, and he is making his off-Broadway debut in Trevor the Musical.

[11:08] Eli Tokash: So welcome to the Take A Bow Podcast, Luke Mannikus.

[11:12] Luke Mannikus: Hey, thank you so much for having me.

[11:15] Luke Mannikus: Hey!

[11:15] Luke Mannikus: Oh my god, I'm so excited.

[11:18] Luke Mannikus: We this has been like long overdue because we're gonna get into it, but like you were the first like kid, like someone who was my age that like I looked up to, and we're gonna talk about why in a second.

[11:30] Luke Mannikus: Um but before we do that, oh my god, stop, Luke, you're the coolest.

[11:34] Luke Mannikus: Um so before we get to that, I usually like to start our episodes off in asking our guests who how they got into theater and performing, and I know you've always been a dancer, so I know there's gonna be like a two-parter, so like how well how did you get into dance, but then what introduced you to like musical theater?

[11:53] Luke Mannikus: Yeah, yeah.

[11:54] Luke Mannikus: Well, it's it's kind of funny.

[11:57] Luke Mannikus: Um my brother and my sister always danced, and so by the time I could walk, my parents just signed me up immediately because it was just kind of inevitable.

[12:09] Luke Mannikus: Um, and I loved it.

[12:11] Luke Mannikus: Like I I loved going to dance and I loved performing and all that.

[12:17] Luke Mannikus: So my mom asked me if I wanted to audition for a local community theater production of Scrooge.

[12:25] Luke Mannikus: Um so I said yes, and I sang Scooby-Doo and I didn't know the words.

[12:32] Luke Mannikus: Um Wait, where was this?

[12:34] Eli Tokash: Where was this?

[12:36] Luke Mannikus: Um in a in uh the town next to me, Lakewood, New Jersey.

[12:39] Luke Mannikus: Um just like a local community theater, yeah.

[12:43] Luke Mannikus: And I did that for three years and I was ensemble, and then the third year I was tiny Tim.

[12:49] Luke Mannikus: And that's when I sort of got a grasp for you know theater and how I liked it, and I but I was always a dancer first, like dance was always my my passion.

[13:00] Luke Mannikus: Um it came to a point where people were just telling my mom, like, oh you should try to get him like started in the city, and um my mom was like, ha yeah, no, but we'll try it.

[13:14] Luke Mannikus: Um so she looked up like agents and managers, and um we found Nancy Carson.

[13:21] Luke Mannikus: We contacted her, sent her a video of me dancing, and at that time was like peak Billy Elliott time.

[13:29] Luke Mannikus: Um so I was going into this industry thinking like if I ever do anything, it'll be Billy Elliott.

[13:37] Luke Mannikus: Um But that that's not how it worked.

[13:42] Luke Mannikus: Um I it was like one of my first or second auditions, I don't even know, and I booked Priscilla Queen of the Desert.

[13:51] Luke Mannikus: Yes, which was insane because I didn't I I still like I still can't believe like how insane this like opportunity was and I just didn't I didn't even know what Broadway was.

[14:05] Luke Mannikus: And which so in hindsight I like regret a little bit because it's like I didn't realize how good I had it at the time. To just be at such a young age, but yeah.

[14:17] Luke Mannikus: Yeah, you totally hit the nail on the head. It's exactly what I've been going through now. Um it's just a process that you go through and you don't realize like you don't even realize like what you're doing. Like you don't even realize that like you're on Broadway and like how cool it is, you know, until like you're like 18 going through puberty and you're like, wait, what? Like, yeah, how does this work?

[14:39] Eli Tokash: Um, no, yeah, completely understandable. Um, how so how did so you were a dancer, right? And you've been doing competitive dancing and you still do it, right?

[14:49] Luke Mannikus: Well, uh, I think my time on the competitive dance stage has retired, unfortunately.

[14:57] Eli Tokash: Okay.

[14:57] Luke Mannikus: But yeah, up until March of 2020, I was a competitive dancer.

[15:03] Eli Tokash: Oh my god, did COVID end your career?

[15:06] Luke Mannikus: Actually, I was fortunate enough. I did get to have my final dance competition in August. Uh, 'cause they had outside competitions, and so I did get to compete one last time, which was Oh, and you knew it was like your last one.

[15:24] Luke Mannikus: Yeah, yeah. It was really special for me because it was my favorite solo I ever did. This is my last solo. You know, it was so much fun.

[15:34] Eli Tokash: Yeah, it's a great way to go out, you know.

[15:37] Luke Mannikus: Yeah, yeah. That's awesome. That's awesome. So so okay, so you've been a dancer. Like, how do you believe so now that you've you're looking back on all of this and you've been a dancer and you've been in three Broadway shows and everything like that. How do you feel like dance is kind of like the staple of like musical theater and like preparing you to do eight shows a week and all of that?

[15:59] Luke Mannikus: Yeah. Um I that's a great question. Um well it's funny because I barely danced while I was working in that like five year span and um right or six or I don't even know. And when I stopped working I went back to dance and like it was so like it's just my favorite thing to do. It helps me like remove stress and and all that, you know, it just feel all my emotions through dance. But um something I also realized was like I can't have dance without theater and I can't have theater without dance. Like for me they need to They go hand in hand.

[16:45] Luke Mannikus: Yeah, they need to work together. Um so but I think the importance of dance in theater is like, you know, even just in blocking and like acting movement, just all of all of these things work together in theater. And like I don't know. It's really interesting because you could take a show like Dear Evan Hansen for example and they're not necessarily like dancing um but there's there's still choreography and and it's still like a beautiful masterpiece.

[17:23] Eli Tokash: Exactly.

[17:24] Luke Mannikus: So I think dance is inevitable in theater.

[17:27] Eli Tokash: R exactly. And same with like plays like even when there's like no music, like the block you don't understand like what it lifting your arm at a certain point could do, you know, like just for your acting and for everything and just the storytelling in general. Um you're totally right. Movement and dance and everything, they all coincide and they like all complement one another.

[17:49] Luke Mannikus: And uh I think that's like the beauty of musical theater is like everything just like blends perfectly.

[17:55] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[17:55] Luke Mannikus: Um and you have and it's all very different at the same time.

[17:59] Eli Tokash: Mm-hmm.

[17:59] Luke Mannikus: Yeah, because I think the movement can carry out the emotion or like Exactly they carry each other out, if that makes any sense.

[18:09] Eli Tokash: Totally. Okay, so now you're doing so now let's talk about Priscilla Queen of the Desert. So before we talk about your little Broadway debut that you had, not a big deal at nine years old. Um you got to do like the like beginning process of it in Toronto, right?

[18:29] Luke Mannikus: Yeah.

[18:30] Luke Mannikus: So how cool was first of all, I'm really jealous that you went to Toronto because that is a place that is on my bucket list. But also, like, so like how long was the reading, how does like that or was it a reading or a workshop? Like how does that all work and talk about like the beginning process of that show?

[18:47] Luke Mannikus: Yeah, so I'm not sure. I'm I don't even know if there was a reading because um Priscilla started in Australia and then it went to the West End. Um Right and then it came to North America.

[19:01] Luke Mannikus: Okay. And their out-of-town tryout in North America was in Toronto. That's where I got it. That's where I joined the cast. And honestly, it was just like insane. Because for me, I just saw it as like, oh cool, I'm just doing like a fun show in another country, and I didn't realize like I was being a part of this like creation in a way.

[19:32] Luke Mannikus: Um and so after Toronto, when we went to um Broadway, everything changed, and I didn't I didn't completely understand why, or not everything, but a lot of things changed. Um and then I s right then and there like learned the importance of an out-of-town tryout and how they really can like steer what's gonna happen in the Broadway production and like see what works and what doesn't.

[20:04] Eli Tokash: And you were what, like eight in I was eight in Toronto and I turned nine in Toronto and then I was nine on Broadway and then I turned ten on Broadway. So that was cool.

[20:17] Eli Tokash: Oh my god. That's so cool.

[20:19] Luke Mannikus: And at the time, like I know we've talked about like not maybe knowing the importance of like what you were doing and how cool it was to be on Broadway, but it's also like the shows that you've been in, like literally all three of them, but like in particular Priscilla, um, it has such an impactful message to the show. Um and I do I mean, do you as a nine-year-old like do you grasp that? Like, do you know kind of what you're doing like on the stage?

[20:47] Luke Mannikus: No, no, I can't because it's it's so funny because I like you know, when you're nine, you're just a very like literal person. So I remember I would go to school and I'd be like, Oh yeah, I'm in a show with drag queens, and my teachers were like, Oh, cool. And then like, you know, there are there's words in the show that aren't um I pleasant to hear. Kid friendly for me. For me, I was like, oh, they're just words. Like I didn't understand the severity of them.

[21:20] Luke Mannikus: Um, and in hindsight, like the message of Priscilla was just beautiful and it's so important, and I'm very glad I could have been a part of being able to tell that story and bring that story to people that needed to hear it. Um I wish I just I wish I could have understood it more.

[21:45] Eli Tokash: I don't know, it makes sense.

[21:47] Luke Mannikus: No, yeah, it totally makes sense. I mean, like you don't get it at nine, like it's hard, it's hard to grasp, and then you looking back on it, you're like, wow, that was like really something cool to be a part of. Like, same, like I w I was 13, 14 when I did Trevor, and I still like it didn't really hit to like afterwards of how much of an impact that story has.

[22:10] Luke Mannikus: Like you just realize it more when you're out of it too.

[22:13] Luke Mannikus: Like you're just so focused on, you know, learning it and doing what you need to do every night. You kind of don't you kind of get lost in that and you kind of don't realize what you're doing, you know.

[22:24] Eli Tokash: Um, so Priscilla brought you so many cool like opportunities, including one of the uh you got to perform on the Macy's Day Parade. Um let's talk about that day because I have also done that and it's like a whirlwind of a day. What time did you have to wake up? Did you have a show? Like, tell me like that day. Well if you remember.

[22:46] Luke Mannikus: What's I actually remember it very well. Um good. And what's really fun about it was at the time they were having like kids' vlog, um their like experience. Um and so that year I was chosen as like the kid vlogger for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day grade.

[23:09] Luke Mannikus: And I have no idea if you can find it on YouTube still. I don't think you can because I think it's like blocked in this country now. But um there it was really fun because I had my mom got me a fedora and I had like a little thing that said press. Um so my mom just like followed me around all the rehearsals with a camera, and then the day of um I had to stay at like a friend's apartment because we we don't live in the city, we live an hour and a half outside of the city in New Jersey.

[23:44] Eli Tokash: Oh god.

[23:44] Luke Mannikus: So um it we would have had to wake up at like 2 a.m. and my mom was like, This is not happening. So we stayed at a friend's apartment in the city, um, and we got up at like I don't even know, it was still dark out. Um and it was freezing, it was really cold, but I got to be in a kangaroo suit and show the world my smiling face, and I I wish I could do that again.

[24:12] Eli Tokash: Right, right. And then did you have to do a show that night?

[24:16] Luke Mannikus: Uh I don't know.

[24:21] Eli Tokash: I don't you don't know.

[24:23] Luke Mannikus: Okay. I don't think so. I think we had the day off.

[24:27] Eli Tokash: Oh, that's that's wonderful.

[24:29] Luke Mannikus: Usually, like, well, obviously, like Thanksgiving's always on a Thursday, so like you usually have like a show on Thursdays, right? It's not a Monday or anything. So I when I experienced it, you like you literally wake up at like 4 a.m. Like literally, like you said, it's dark and it's freezing because it's the m late November and it's craziness.

[24:50] Luke Mannikus: Like it's liter because you have to you can't even go like to the parade. You have to go to your theater first, and then you have to like get into costume. There's just so many things that go into it. And then, of course, was that the first time that you were in a recording studio, like because you have to lip sync?

[25:06] Luke Mannikus: Um, I well or did you not like really sing?

[25:12] Luke Mannikus: I didn't really sing any of the ensemble parts of that show. Um so no, I don't that wasn't my first time in the recording studio was for the cast album for Priscilla.

[25:24] Eli Tokash: For Priscilla, okay. How was that? What is that like, how cool is that?

[25:29] Luke Mannikus: That was really cool. I had a cold, so it's oh no. I remember I was a little upset. Um, but I don't think you could they're long days, but yeah, I can cold and I got to sing with Will Swenson, which was just so fun.

[25:47] Luke Mannikus: Cause I I still see him, even though I haven't spoken to him in years, I still see him as like a father figure in my life, just because he was for a significant amount of time, especially when you're growing up, you change so much in like the two years that you work together. So um, that was really fun. I really did enjoy doing the cast album.

[26:08] Eli Tokash: Let's talk about that because that cast in like Will Swenson, you had also had Kiala Settle, and you had like all of these amazing people, like not only in Priscilla, but like how how um, especially in as a kid, and like you said, you're changing and everything, like how impactful was it to like have adults surrounding you that like while you were growing up and the impact that people had in your lives?

[26:33] Luke Mannikus: It was really inspiring. Um Yeah and and motivating because it's kinda like I had twenty different parents, you know, like just all these people were just like sharing their wisdom or just like joking with me. They never saw me as like you are a little boy. Like it was it was very much like I felt like an adult, um, even though I had a guardian and um it was it was a really fun experience.

[27:06] Luke Mannikus: What was really fun was um my dressing room, uh me and Ashton's dressing room was right next to uh Ellen Marie Marsh's dressing room and so and she's a mom, so she was really fun and like always like joking around with us, which was 'cause I mean, you know Ellen, she's a she's the funniest person I met. Like she's so funny.

[27:30] Luke Mannikus: Um so that was really fun 'cause I got to just listen to Ellen sing and joke around.

[27:30] Eli Tokash: Right. Right. It totally like takes away from the aspect 'cause like you say, like when you reflect on it and you're like an eighteen year old and you're like, Wow, my parents really handed me off to strangers when I was like eight years old.

[27:53] Luke Mannikus: Like, how? But it totally like you're right, like you have you create this new family and like that you just like you don't even know and it doesn't even register that you're like, Where's my mom? Where's my siblings? Where is this? Because you're like, Oh, these are this is my family for the time being.

[28:11] Luke Mannikus: Yeah, yeah. And I felt I felt so safe with them, you know? It was like the best environment to I think have my first professional credit, you know.

[28:22] Eli Tokash: Yeah, that's so cool.

[28:24] Luke Mannikus: Oh my god. Wait, so let's talk about Matilda because you also like did uh did recording and stuff for that because you're in the original Broadway cast. Woo woot. Um you literally you've done it all. Um so you're you're in Matilda, right? And you were you're covering what is it, three roles?

[28:45] Luke Mannikus: Um so on Broadway I did I covered Eric and Nigel and I understudied Bruce, but I yeah, I never learned any of the Bruce stuff, so I don't I don't think that counts. On tour I covered all four boys, yeah.

[29:02] Eli Tokash: All four boys.

[29:03] Luke Mannikus: Oh my god. So tell me talk to me about what that's like doing multiple roles, you know, kind of keeping track of them and doing that every night.

[29:14] Luke Mannikus: Um well it was slight it was easy for the first it's cause mm, well, I don't know how to explain it. It was fun. It was a fun little challenge. Um always a new experience every night. It was fun to be surrounded by 15 other kids.

[29:33] Luke Mannikus: Um I I I think what was easy was they were very very sh not strict, but they stressed the importance of like note taking and and organization and discipline.

[29:48] Eli Tokash: Sure.

[29:48] Luke Mannikus: Um and so at 11 years old, I was able to just like take notes and be very observant and and and look at other people's notes and be like, okay, I should apply that to my own um performance.

[30:05] Luke Mannikus: So when I did the Broadway shows um when I did the Broadway show I only had to know the two parts and it's just like I learned it. I there it was just I learned them simultaneously and w I never really saw it as a challenge.

[30:22] Luke Mannikus: Um and then that was really beneficial for me when I when I did the tour because I had already known two of the parts so I only had to learn two more.

[30:34] Luke Mannikus: Um so it was like it was fun. It was a nice little challenge.

[30:38] Eli Tokash: So was the tour and like Broadway like very similar as far as the tracks and everything?

[30:44] Luke Mannikus: I'd say so yeah. I'd say they tried to as much things similar as they could. I mean obviously there were subtle differences like the desks didn't go into the floor they came on and off yeah I mean I'd say that they were all very similar nothing to what I can recall.

[31:02] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[31:03] Eli Tokash: Right. Well that's great. So okay but I I mean okay touring and Broadway in the same show is so cool. Um and then so did you go on for Bruce when you were on tour?

[31:15] Luke Mannikus: Yeah so so ooh that was loud I'm sorry. Um yes I went on I got one show per track I covered a week except for Eric because um I was a little too old for Eric anyway but got it that track was like dual covered.

[31:35] Luke Mannikus: So um the girl swing covered Eric and then I also covered Eric. Um and so she always went on as Eric, and I think I only went on as Eric three times on tour, but I went on as Bruce, Nigel and Tommy at least once a week, which was so fun, because then I got three like guaranteed shows a week.

[31:55] Eli Tokash: Did you get any guaranteed shows on Broadway?

[31:57] Luke Mannikus: Yeah, yeah.

[31:58] Luke Mannikus: So I got one show as Nigel and one show as Eric on Broadway.

[32:01] Eli Tokash: Okay, and then when you went on tour, you were like they they said you were a little too old for Eric.

[32:07] Luke Mannikus: So they I the funny story about Tour was I think I was a little too old for the tour as well. Um but I got a call and it was like, hey, we need a boy to be the swing on tour. Would you like to do it?

[32:23] Luke Mannikus: Yeah. I mean I had to they had to like see me and make sure I I could still like sing.

[32:29] Eli Tokash: Right.

[32:30] Luke Mannikus: Because I was thirteen, so the voice change was coming up at any moment. Um and so then I like went, I had a little like audition kind of thing.

[32:42] Luke Mannikus: Um except it was with the same creative team that I had always worked with, and they were like, Okay, you're still good. You can you can do the tour.

[32:50] Eli Tokash: Um I love that.

[32:53] Luke Mannikus: Yeah, it was fun. Plus you get to go see like so many cool like cities and states, and like you get to like tour around the country, and you're just not like it's not like it's different from doing it on Broadway s still.

[33:06] Luke Mannikus: I don't know. Yeah, I lived in LA for seven weeks, which is like really cool, so cool.

[33:13] Eli Tokash: I love that.

[33:14] Luke Mannikus: And like w it brings you to like would you have gone to LA otherwise? Like, no, I haven't been to LA since.

[33:21] Luke Mannikus: Exactly. So it like gives you an excuse to like see the world while you're like working and like performing and doing what you love. Like that's yeah, there's nothing better than touring.

[33:30] Eli Tokash: Um so then you you're on the Tony awards for Matilda.

[33:39] Luke Mannikus: Okay, like how how cool what is it to like perform at the Tony's, first of all. I think I cried. I I think I cried. I don't really remember.

[33:48] Luke Mannikus: Um, but that was really cool, especially since I was a swing, so I didn't expect that they would like want us to be on the Tonies.

[33:56] Luke Mannikus: Um they made it a point that we could all like be on it and and I'm really grateful for that because it was so much fun.

[34:05] Eli Tokash: Well, it was so cool because you you know, you have like you have swings and you have four Matildas and like you have like all of these things going and I'm sure that was very difficult for like the whole creative team when it came to stuff like that and when it came to like the cast recording and stuff like that, but that's so cool that they were able to literally incorporate everyone into the show because really the show wouldn't be happening without all of you guys.

[34:29] Luke Mannikus: So like you need each of you. So it was so cool to like be able to do that, and I I couldn't imagine.

[34:36] Eli Tokash: So like t take me through your like day of the Tonies.

[34:39] Luke Mannikus: I don't I'm s to be honest, I don't remember Is it blocked? I wish I could remember better.

[34:44] Luke Mannikus: Um no, I don't think it's necessarily blocked. I was just it was a long day.

[34:50] Luke Mannikus: I Yeah. Actually, I think I vaguely do remember. I do remember I did do a show. I think I I think it was are the Tonies on a Sunday?

[35:00] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[35:01] Luke Mannikus: So yeah, I did do the Sunday matinee that week. Um and I I had a friend come see the show, so I left the little like alleyway that the kids left because we we didn't exit through the stage door.

[35:13] Luke Mannikus: I said hi to my friend, and then I think I had like a half hour break before we had to go to um Radio City.

[35:23] Luke Mannikus: And then it was just like you know, we had been rehearsing, so it was kind of just like, okay, now apply everything you learned in these rehearsal rooms onto the stage and have fun.

[35:37] Luke Mannikus: By the way, there are so many people watching from their homes right now kind of thing.

[35:42] Eli Tokash: Like Yeah.

[35:43] Luke Mannikus: It's just fun.

[35:44] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[35:45] Eli Tokash: Tell me okay, so the Schubert is a very big theater, right? Like it's it's huge. Compared to like the music box where Pippin is, you know, it's huge.

[35:53] Luke Mannikus: Um, but Radio City is bigger.

[35:58] Luke Mannikus: Like So what was that? What was that? Just like not even like as far as this stage, 'cause the stage is probably bigger too, but like just being on that stage and seeing like double the people in Radio City.

[36:10] Luke Mannikus: It was really cool. I think I was trying to count the balconies while I was doing the little revolting chapter and dance.

[36:18] Eli Tokash: Right.

[36:18] Luke Mannikus: Um because I was like, is that three? Is that four? Oh wait, I have to fight someone right now.

[36:26] Eli Tokash: Right.

[36:26] Luke Mannikus: So that was funny.

[36:28] Eli Tokash: Oh, that's awesome.

[36:29] Eli Tokash: I love that so much.

[36:31] Eli Tokash: Okay, so y you're doing so many cool things and I mean you do I mean the coolest performances, like the Tony's the Macy's Day parade, like all of these, and then you have two under two Broadway shows under your belt, and then you get a third, and that's Pippin, and that's where we met.

[36:51] Luke Mannikus: Um, and literally, like, as I said, you were like the first one who like I looked up to because that was my first Broadway show, and I was taking over for you, and I knew like I don't know.

[37:04] Luke Mannikus: I just like this is the guy who I need to like come in and be like, and like this is who I have to model my show after and everything.

[37:13] Luke Mannikus: Like, I don't know. It was just like you were like a big brother for me for like that three week period of learning the show, and literally you were literally taking me around the theater, showing me like uh the candy lady in the uh the house manager, and like you were showing me like all the cool things about the theater and our dressing room and like what to do, and then even outside the theater, you would take the time and you would introduce me to the kids at the Broadway park.

[37:40] Luke Mannikus: I didn't even know it was a thing. Like, you did like so many cool things that you probably don't even realize, but it's definitely something that I always remember.

[37:47] Luke Mannikus: Um, so thank you for that, first of all, and uh and second of all, how was Pippin for you? Because it's just such a unique show with the circus and the makeup and the wig and all of that compared to all these shows that you've done.

[38:01] Luke Mannikus: Well, first off, that means a lot to me. I always saw you as I think there was a long time where I was like, Yeah, Eli Tokash is my best friend.

[38:10] Eli Tokash: Right.

[38:11] Luke Mannikus: I would like introduce you as my best friend to so many people for the longest time.

[38:16] Luke Mannikus: I really enjoyed those the time that I spent with you.

[38:19] Luke Mannikus: Um in fact, I still have that little like magnet you gave me.

[38:23] Eli Tokash: Stop!

[38:23] Luke Mannikus: Oh my god, that's so that's so cute.

[38:26] Luke Mannikus: And what's funny about this magnet is it's good friends are like stars, and then you went and did Finding Neverlands.

[38:34] Eli Tokash: Right.

[38:35] Luke Mannikus: Oh god.

[38:36] Luke Mannikus: Is all stars and stuff.

[38:37] Eli Tokash: So Right.

[38:39] Luke Mannikus: Oh my god. That's so cute. Thank you for bringing that on.

[38:42] Eli Tokash: That's so cute.

[38:43] Luke Mannikus: Oh yeah, I was like, I'm gonna bring this up at some point.

[38:47] Luke Mannikus: That's awesome. But yeah, Pippin was a totally new experience for me.

[38:53] Luke Mannikus: Um there was so much freedom for us.

[38:56] Luke Mannikus: Um I felt really independent in that show.

[39:00] Luke Mannikus: Um sort of just like I went from from working with my dota a cast of sixteen kids.

[39:09] Eli Tokash: Right.

[39:10] Luke Mannikus: Um you know, just sharing the role with Ashton, which was very familiar with me because we had worked together in Priscilla.

[39:18] Luke Mannikus: Um, so that was really fun.

[39:20] Luke Mannikus: Uh just to get to like have this new like I am an adult now in the theater, and this role actually has a significant part in the show, you know.

[39:32] Luke Mannikus: It's it's different going from like uh swing to like an actual part that has lines and sings and right I'd say is you know, Theo is a pretty important part of the story, so that was really cool because I never felt like I was like, Wow, this is a principal role and I'm on Broadway.

[39:51] Eli Tokash: Right.

[39:52] Luke Mannikus: That was like your aha moment, you know.

[39:54] Luke Mannikus: Like I was like, oh my god, I have made it.

[39:58] Luke Mannikus: And I also hadn't joined a cast like midway through the process yet.

[40:03] Luke Mannikus: So that was a really cool experience and a really scary experience, because I was like, Oh, you want me to walk on a ball? Ha that's impossible.

[40:15] Eli Tokash: Right.

[40:16] Luke Mannikus: So that was fun though. Walking on the ball is a skill that like I'm so grateful to have learned because who how many people can say they can walk on a ball and like did it on a Broadway stage, you know?

[40:29] Eli Tokash: Exactly.

[40:30] Eli Tokash: Sounds pretty cool.

[40:31] Eli Tokash: Do you still like do you feel like you could still do it?

[40:35] Luke Mannikus: I don't know.

[40:37] Luke Mannikus: I feel like I need those shoes.

[40:38] Luke Mannikus: Like those fancy shoes that we had.

[40:40] Luke Mannikus: And then maybe sure.

[40:42] Luke Mannikus: Like the rubber bottoms or whatever.

[40:44] Luke Mannikus: Like this they literally were like circus shoes or whatever.

[40:48] Luke Mannikus: Custom imported shoes.

[40:50] Luke Mannikus: Yeah.

[40:51] Luke Mannikus: Somewhere special.

[40:53] Luke Mannikus: Um I I just I loved Pippin so much.

[40:56] Luke Mannikus: It's still it's my favorite musical.

[40:58] Luke Mannikus: It's my favorite show I've done.

[40:59] Luke Mannikus: Like I'll say it a million times. Pippin's my dream role.

[41:04] Eli Tokash: Oh, really?

[41:05] Luke Mannikus: Mm-hmm.

[41:06] Eli Tokash: Oh.

[41:07] Luke Mannikus: I love that.

[41:08] Luke Mannikus: Have you like is I don't know, like, I feel like schools are doing that now.

[41:13] Luke Mannikus: Like, is that like a thing you could do for like Michigan or like I mean, who knows?

[41:19] Luke Mannikus: Maybe Diane's gonna revive it again.

[41:21] Eli Tokash: I don't know.

[41:21] Luke Mannikus: Who knows?

[41:23] Luke Mannikus: Um I don't know. We'll have to see.

[41:27] Luke Mannikus: You know, if it's the thing about dreamrolls for me is like I never expect to do any shows.

[41:34] Luke Mannikus: Um, as much as I'd love to do Pippin, I would also love to do whatever's written in the future for me. If anything is, you know. Um, which I hope there is. But yeah. So as much as I want to do Pippin, I would completely be happy if I never did it again, just because whatever happens, happens, and I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason.

[42:00] Eli Tokash: Totally. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

[42:03] Luke Mannikus: Um, but that being said, I would it's good to put it out there. So happy to do it anytime ever again. I wouldn't be asking. So who's ever listening to this? If you're a producer, revive Pippin, Manichas is gonna be Pippin. I'll be the king, I'll be the old guy. No, I'm just kidding. Um, but yeah, I seriously, that's I love that. I I don't know, dream roles are I don't know. They're they're so cool. I love them. I have like so many dream roles that I'm just like at this point I don't care, but like same with you where I'm like, I don't know, like I kind of like want to be the person that like or like not the person, but like the actor who is able to share a story so well, and people are like, oh, that's my dream role, you know. Like I want to have that impact too.

[42:55] Eli Tokash: Um, but yeah, totally understandable. Um what you were saying, by the way, is like introducing me as your best friend. Like, first of all, well, thank you. And second of all, um, literally, like, I don't think like a lot of people like understood it from like my perspective because like I was literally coming here, I wasn't in school yet during rehearsal, like I didn't know anyone, and like I knew like two people, because I did the Mary Poppins tour, and like Alexa Nijak was going into Matilda, and maybe Nikki Torcia was in Kinky Boots at the time.

[43:29] Luke Mannikus: Um, I don't know. But so like I only knew like a handful of people from a Christian story Matilda and Mary Poppins, which were the only two like professional shows that I did, and you were like I knew you for two weeks, and we were like inseparable for like those two weeks, and like you were so fast, so yeah.

[43:49] Eli Tokash: Yeah, and like you were able to just allow me to come into your friend group and like do all of these things for me that like even me myself at the time, like I was like, Oh, I don't understand, but like looking back on it, I'm like, how do I know you? Like, how did we like meet? And it's always like, Oh, Luke, Luke Mannikus introduced us.

[44:09] Luke Mannikus: That's right.

[44:10] Eli Tokash: Like, yeah, like I still have those moments like with the moros and stuff. Like, I'm like, how did we meet? And Madeline was like, Oh, well, like I was in Matilda with Luke, and I was like, Oh, of course, that makes sense. So, like funny, it's all it all comes back to Luke Mannikus, you know, like it really does. Um, but yeah, seriously, so I'm thank you for everything, like, because I literally didn't know anyone. I have no friends coming to New York and not from here.

[44:38] Luke Mannikus: Um, and then you were able to like let me in so easily.

[44:42] Eli Tokash: So you made the transition uh effortless, as they say.

[44:47] Luke Mannikus: Yeah, that really means a lot to me to hear. Just I don't know, it's just sweet that you like also remember this, you know.

[44:55] Eli Tokash: Oh my god. You were so young, I w I wouldn't expect you to.

[44:59] Luke Mannikus: So yeah, well, I mean, like it was literally like the most terrifying time for me coming, like I know no one coming from to a new state. I'm from West Virginia where it's like a small town, and then coming to like this, and there's lights everywhere and people walking on the street, like that's just not a thing, you know? Like, it's not what happens, and like learning the subway station and everything, like it was all very like whoa, like it was like a shock to me, and like just to know I had someone there.

[45:33] Eli Tokash: Yeah, and it's like it's just a total culture shock, and then just to like know from day one that like you have someone is just it helps, you know. Like, I had my dad who was living with me, but he was in the same boat and trying to figure everything out. Plus the more like finances and apartments and all of these things that he had. So like it was really just like me for some of it. And then of course, you were able to just like be there for me.

[46:03] Luke Mannikus: And like whenever I had questions, I would be like, Luke, where's Luke? And then finally, you came back to Pippin and we were actually able to do the show together.

[46:13] Eli Tokash: That's still one of my favorite memories because Ashton went on vacation.

[46:17] Luke Mannikus: And that was so cool.

[46:19] Eli Tokash: That was I remember making a post. It was a mere selfie, and I was like, I'll be back in Pippin for one week starting this date to this date.

[46:28] Luke Mannikus: Yes.

[46:29] Eli Tokash: Oh my god. And we had so much fun that week.

[46:33] Luke Mannikus: We did.

[46:34] Eli Tokash: That week, like I totally understand what you meant about like the freedom and everything. Thomas to huge shout out to Thomas Bradfield. Cause he literally like let us like he just trusted us, you know, like and he was not the type of Wrangler who was gonna be like, no, you can't do this. He was always gonna be like, you can do this, but like be smart about it.

[46:54] Luke Mannikus: And like he like really like taught us how to how to do it, like how to like be careful and like he wasn't gonna shadow us 24-7. He would be around if we needed him, you know.

[47:05] Eli Tokash: Like, yeah, it was it was like he was awesome to have, especially in that show where there's a million things to learn with if and all kinds of new people from France and Russia and all these places, like to like learn from and to like talk to and hear stories. It was just like it was just an incredible production to be a part of, especially as your first show.

[47:30] Luke Mannikus: Um it just opens you to so much. But yeah, it was so cool. And uh so let's talk about this full circle moment that we're having here. So now you were in you were in rehearsals for Trevor when COVID shut down, right?

[47:48] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[47:49] Luke Mannikus: So where were you in rehearsals first off?

[47:54] Eli Tokash: Like how far in were you guys?

[47:56] Luke Mannikus: I think we were two weeks, um we were gonna go to the theater in two weeks. So we had two more weeks of rehearsal, and then we were gonna move into the theater.

[48:07] Eli Tokash: So what's your role in the show?

[48:09] Luke Mannikus: So um funny story. Luke my name is Luke.

[48:16] Eli Tokash: Stop it!

[48:18] Luke Mannikus: Oh my god, I didn't know that that's the role that you were playing.

[48:22] Eli Tokash: Yeah, yeah.

[48:23] Luke Mannikus: Well, also I mean, I'm old. It totally makes sense.

[48:26] Eli Tokash: It all makes sense now.

[48:30] Luke Mannikus: So you so when I was in the show, it was a kid named Justin. Uh uh, and he was doing it, and like he's not a kid because he was 18, he was like already an adult, and we were like looking up to him and everything.

[48:47] Eli Tokash: But it totally makes sense because he was the dancer, you know, like he was the kid dancer.

[48:52] Luke Mannikus: So it makes sense that you're the kid dancer of like Trevor, you know.

[48:57] Eli Tokash: Thanks.

[48:58] Luke Mannikus: Yeah, of course. Well, what's really funny is your Lindsay, Carly Meyer. Shout out to Charlie Meyer.

[49:04] Eli Tokash: Oh my god, it's a good one.

[49:07] Luke Mannikus: Um there's so many full circle moments. And I love her so much. So it's just like who would have thought that I don't know. I also think about Trevor is like I didn't think I would work again until after college.

[49:23] Eli Tokash: Um I had I had this time of my life that I was like, no theater, no film.

[49:33] Luke Mannikus: Like I want to be a kid again.

[49:35] Eli Tokash: Um and it was the worst year of my life because I didn't realize that like theater was literally what kept me going, you know.

[49:45] Luke Mannikus: Um and and that year was like the first time that I was like, okay, I actually need to like make a career out of this. Like I can't just give up on it.

[49:54] Eli Tokash: Um I don't know, it's all I've ever known.

[49:58] Luke Mannikus: Right.

[49:58] Eli Tokash: So when I did Trevor, I was like, thank you, because I could finally get a chance to perform again.

[50:06] Luke Mannikus: Um and so I was willing to do anything to make that work.

[50:10] Eli Tokash: Um so I would go to school in the morning at 6 a.m.

[50:14] Luke Mannikus: Oh my god, and then go to the first few periods and then leave school early, hop on a bus, uh go to the city, uh, and then rehearse all day and then come home, go to sleep and do it all again.

[50:29] Eli Tokash: Um that's crazy.

[50:35] Luke Mannikus: And now I do want to talk to you about like performing as an adult. Like, you know, like all you know is like being a kid. Like, do you notice anything changes, how you approach rehearsals, how you approach the story, how you approach everything really.

[50:50] Eli Tokash: Yeah, um, I think I'm so much more present, like, in the moment, because you know, not to be cheesy, but I've realized that you know things like go by fast, and if you don't salvage every moment, you start to regret it.

[51:11] Luke Mannikus: And I don't like living with regret. So I just in Trevor I tried to enjoy like every single moment, not let it go to waste, and and I'm very appreciative of that because it was also cool being like the oldest of the the children, quote unquote, because um I don't know, I just like worked with all these people that I felt were the same age as me because they were all so professional.

[51:43] Eli Tokash: Right.

[51:44] Luke Mannikus: And you always hear when you're a child actor, like, oh you're so mature, you're so professional, but you don't understand it until you are in their shoes and like working with other children that you're like, you are so mature, you are so professional. So that was full circle for me.

[52:01] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[52:01] Luke Mannikus: Yeah, and it's also like, you know, now you are of an age where you can understand this story and this what you are being like what you are doing on a stage and what you're trying to make audience feel and the emotions that just go into it all and like really understand this everything, you know, like it just and to d to have that be like this is your first show.

[52:28] Eli Tokash: I I don't know how people listening how familiar they are with the story, but it is about the Trevor Project, and it it there's this short film called Trevor, um, and it's kinda like based off of that, and uh they're turning it into a musical, and it's about this I guess I guess teenager would you say pre-teen?

[52:52] Luke Mannikus: Pre-teen teenager, yeah.

[52:54] Eli Tokash: Pre-teen boy, yeah, eight like eighth grade, right?

[52:57] Luke Mannikus: Like seventh, eighth grade.

[52:58] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[52:59] Luke Mannikus: Um, so middle school kid, and he's finding out that, you know, he's in love with this other man, the jock of the school, Pinky.

[53:10] Eli Tokash: So that's kind of ironic that this jock of the school is named Pinky.

[53:14] Luke Mannikus: Um, so that so that's kind of what the story's about.

[53:19] Eli Tokash: And then of course, like not being accepting uh the people around him not quite being accepting of him and tend to bully him and you know, go through unpleasant days where he tries to c uh ultimately commit suicide and it doesn't work, and he's ends up in a hospital and he meets this doctor or this nurse um who kind of gives him a new positive outlook of life.

[53:50] Luke Mannikus: And um, so that's and he's in love with Diana Ross and like loves shows and theater and totally like everything, so it's just like totally not what the rest of the people around him are doing. They're all into basketball and cheerleading and whatnot.

[54:08] Eli Tokash: So that's what this story is about, and it's very, very impactful, and it's literally gonna make you feel every emotion. You're gonna be crying from laughter and sadness.

[54:19] Luke Mannikus: Um, so Luke, are you going to be do you know if you're gonna be able to do it when it reopens?

[54:25] Eli Tokash: I I don't know what my future with Trevor looks like um but I will say whether I'm in it or not I'm just happy this story's gonna be told right I think that's the most important thing.

[54:25] Luke Mannikus: Yeah do you have anything to add on the story by the way like you can it's a really emotional show and I wanna I want to shout you out Eli because I don't know how you handled that um and and like it's just really intense and it definitely does test your emotional like limits.

[55:00] Eli Tokash: You know what I mean?

[55:01] Luke Mannikus: Like I just I think it's amazing that you anyone that plays that role of Trevor is like so just powerful because they have this ability to act and not only act but like it feel and experience and this empathy that like is really challenging and really probably like is exhausting emotionally but but you power through and you get through it and it's just it's really cool and everyone that plays that role is insanely talented.

[55:33] Luke Mannikus: I don't know how, yeah, it's well I mean bottom line when it comes down to it's just like, you know, you love to be on stage, you know, like anyone like that. If I would have seen Trevor, you know, I would have been like wow that's my dream role, like that's a role that you're like wow that you're just like so like when I was actually like 13, 14 doing that show and I was able to understand it and kind of understand the story and just the fact that like you did not leave the stage, even though it was vocally exhausting and emotionally, like you knew the importance of it, and you knew like you just wanted to be on that stage, and you like afterwards you're hearing these stories from people who were at the show, and you're like, That's why, like, that's why I have to do it again tomorrow, you know?

Like, there's just so many things that keeps you going, and you know, like literally once you're on the stage, you just want to be on the stage, like it doesn't matter. It in like that's just that it that's just how you do it, and you run on adrenaline, and uh it's definitely it's uh amazing, and I can't wait to see Hudson is in it if he does open the show when it comes back. Um because he's so talented, so talented, and all of you guys, like huge shout out to everyone, like Mark who uh goes to school with me, Mark Aguirre, um, Yale, I've met a couple times, uh, Ava Briglia, Isabella Russo, um, there's a bunch of people, just everyone in the show is so talented, and to be in that show, like it's it's a lot, and it's so so exciting, and I can't wait for it to come back on bro uh off Broadway when COVID wait when Broadway reopens, yeah. When COVID reopens, oh my god, that would be a mess.

[57:27] Eli Tokash: No, thank you. Yeah, no, no, no, not another year of this. So before I let you go, how would this work? So would you have to, like, if Trevor did approach you, right? And they were like, Oh, we do want you to come back and reopen the show with us and everything, so how what would you do with Michigan?

[57:46] Luke Mannikus: I don't know. I guess I'd have to see. Like, could you take like a uh gap year semester kind of thing? Uh I don't know, like, I don't Yeah, I or could you do like I mean we just did a year and a half virtually kind of like could you do that? Like I don't know. I think it's definitely an option. Um we'll see I don't know I have to I have to talk to so many people about it you know and and try to get their advice on it. It's it's definitely like a I'm in a pickle a little bit um yeah but it's a good one to be in like the you can't lose. I'm so lucky that this is like the choices that I have to make.

[58:33] Eli Tokash: Yeah. So we'll see we'll see what happens.

[58:36] Luke Mannikus: Yeah. Well there's so many great things going on in Luke Mannikus's life and there's so many cool things to share and I'm so glad that you were able to share it all today with us. Uh thank you for coming on it was so good to catch up with you and see you again for having me.

[58:53] Eli Tokash: Yes of course um literally we have to see each other soon okay yes me you Madeline we're gonna have like a a a great uh little field trip day I don't know whatever I'll come to you you can come wherever I don't know uh but yes we definitely have to hang out soon it's been way too long this interview has been long overdue um and literally I can't thank you enough good luck in school break legs if Trevor call if you're able to do Trevor either way you're gonna be amazing and it's gonna it's all gonna work out the way it's supposed to and everything happens for a reason.

[59:26] Luke Mannikus: So yeah.

[59:28] Eli Tokash: Thank you so much.

[59:30] Luke Mannikus: Of course, of course.

[59:31] Eli Tokash: Take about Luke Mannikus. I don't know about you all, but I had a blast talking to someone uh who's kind of my age and kind of gone through similar uh productions and kind of similar journeys as as I have. And uh just talking about like us being 12 years old and being on Broadway and kind of looking back on that now that we're 18 and we realize that you know this is something that is a career and something that you need, like it's it's more serious now, and we were kind of just doing it for fun back then, and we kind of didn't realize what we were doing. And so just talking to someone who really looked at it the same way that I did was something really cool for me.

[1:00:10] Eli Tokash: And uh I hope that you all kind of enjoyed that fun little conversation that we had about that and uh also about everything else. And I was like I said earlier, just talking about Trevor again and talking about Pippin again is I don't know, Pippin is literally unlike anything else. I don't know if you guys saw it, but it was one in physical like tricks and everything like that, but also like who I was as a performer and as an actor and uh as a person and all of these wonderful things. It taught me so much. We mentioned a lot, uh, you know, Luke and I's relationship and just being able to be backstage and not have someone who was um kind of isolating the kids from the adults and whatnot, and they kind of encouraged the whole kids to do adults relationship as long as the adults were okay with it, and uh it was just it was such an amazing show to have your Broadway debut on and uh to listen to him talk about it and have those same opinions as I had. Uh, just solidified my point of view and just how special that was.

[1:01:16] Eli Tokash: And of course, like I said, talking about Trevor, and I'm just so excited to see it when it comes off Broadway. I'm gonna be seeing it within the first couple weeks of it being off Broadway, so I'm so excited for that. And uh yeah, it's gonna be it's gonna be amazing. And I don't know if anyone has seen videos from Chicago's version of Trevor, but it's it's a show that you don't want to miss for sure. I would love to get a director or producer on of Trevor and uh talk about the um difficulties in finding kids and being able to sustain that because I know like now they're gonna have to recast some of the show because you know they are kids and they grow and they change and they do all these things, and they had this wonderful cast that they were in rehearsals with, and now that COVID uh hit and people are going to college and people are doing all these things, they have to they have to adjust, and uh they're gonna be dealing with that for for quite some time as long as they're gonna be on as long as they're gonna be running.

Right now, tickets are selling through April, and uh it's it's later on in April though, so you have time if you're not quite comfortable yet, and you want to come after the New Year's or whatever to New York to see this wonderful show that you are honest to god, you don't want to miss. And uh talking to him about Trevor and talking to him about the story of Trevor and how much it means to him and everyone else, and just to be in that room and everything, it's it's so special, and you're gonna leave the theater just uh in tears, but also just uplifted and hopeful and encouraged. Please go see Trevor the Musical when it is off Broadway. I'm the biggest fan of Trevor the Musical and forever will be not in the show or in the show. I will still be a forever fan, and uh could not be thankful for more thankful for my time in that beautiful show playing Trevor.

[1:03:17] Eli Tokash: And um yeah, I I just can't wait to see it again and have that musical and those songs and everything else back into my life. I think it's uh something very important. And just everything Luke had to say about you know being a young kid performing and what it was like and being in you know the Macy's parade and doing all of these things, the Tony Awards and doing out of town things in Toronto for Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, all of these things was just really cool to hear about from a young person's perspective. I don't know if it was for you guys. I mean, obviously now he's 18 and whatnot, but when he was doing it, he was 11. So we haven't had those stories in a while. So just to hear those stories again from a young person, and uh I know we've talked about it a lot with adults and everything, but as a kid it's a very different experience, I believe. And um, it was just good to hear those again. So I hope you all enjoyed this episode. Go check out Luke.

[1:04:11] Eli Tokash: Oh, and I'm so sorry I'm not used to this, but we're gonna do the drama dictionary before we wrap it up. This week's drama dictionary word of the week is going to be Drummold Please Crossover. And what a crossover is, is it's the portion of the stage that's like behind the stage, so no one really sees it. As an audience member, it's like you don't even know that it's there is a space behind the stage. I mean, like you think it's it's just a wall because that's kind of what they have there. But in actuality, they have kind of like a um exaggerated wing, I guess you could say, and uh, you know, like those little off stage m uh where you're kind of waiting to get onto the stage or or be seen by the audience because you're kinda on the stage already, um, and you're just waiting for your entrance just to like if you step a foot, you're literally on the stage.

So yeah, it's one of those longer ones that is literally the entire length of the stage, and that's how like if you have to exit the stage on one end, uh say like stage left, but then your next cue that you have to go on for is on stage right, and then you're like, Oh shoot, how do I get over there without going on the stage and without being seen? And that's what the crossover is used for.

[1:05:30] Eli Tokash: So it's it's literally a crossover to the other side of the stage. Um and some theaters are actually too small to have crossovers, so they have to do it like you have to like go up the stairs or you have to go down the stairs and you have to do it on another floor, and it just takes double the time. So it's it's craziness, but uh some theaters have it, and I've been lucky enough to work in two theaters that have had it, and uh Finding Everland was one that I d I had to use it a lot. That crossover was pivotal for uh especially Jack's performance. Uh Peter, not so much. Peters was kind of easy and was he was able to do all that stuff on stage and uh be in the right place for the next queue. So that was great.

[1:06:15] Eli Tokash: And um of course Trevor, Trevor, that's kind of why I brought this up. Trevor, you I don't know if it's gonna be like this still, but when I did Trevor in Chicago, literally did not leave the stage, okay. I left it once and it was to cross over because I had to change and make an entrance on the other side of the stage. Um, it was insane because while you're crossing over, you're literally changing, and you're like running to place, and you're like throwing shirts and pants and whatever. It's just madness what people do uh it uh during a performance when they're off stage. Like I said many times on this podcast, it's literally a sh another show backstage. So uh that's what a crossover is pivotal in a lot of performances, and some of the theaters that don't have it, it's like even harder.

And you may notice like if a main character isn't on a sh on the stage for a long time, and uh they appear on the other side of the stage next entrance. It could be because they had to delay it for a crossover.

[1:07:18] Eli Tokash: Like in Finding Neverland, we actually had to like have little bits added to delay some of the parts that so that people could get dressed, or people could cross over and do all these crazy things because too many people were using the crossover at once, and it was gonna be dangerous, so we had to keep delaying and make the scenes longer or add a little bit or something. It's just wild what goes into it, and that's what uh solidifies the show, and that's what you see, and you don't even realize, you know, it's just crazy. So uh that's what a crossover is, and that wraps up this week's episode. Thank you all so much for listening to episode 61 of Take a Bow.

[1:07:56] Eli Tokash: And I hope you'll join us next week for an incredible episode with a Jimmy Award finalist. He's currently in Jagging Little Pill. I don't know if I just gave it away. I didn't say the name, so maybe not. Um, and uh it's it's a great, great one, and he has a very exciting announcement also that he makes on the podcast. So stay tuned next week, next Thursday. I hope to see you all there, and until then, bye everyone.

[1:08:21] Eli Tokash: Have a great week. For this episode's curtain call, I would like to recognize a few people who also deserve to take a bow. This podcast would not be possible without the help from Dory Berenstein, Brittany Bigelow, Katie Rosen, Alan Seals, and the team at the Broadway Podcast Network. Next in line to Take a Bow is Tessie Tokash, who edits the audio and all the visuals for this podcast. A special thanks to patrons Brian Thompson, Pat McNamara, the listeners at PCC, as well as all the other patrons for their continued support. If you're interested in becoming a patron, go to patreon.com slash TAB.

[1:08:55] Eli Tokash: And if you enjoyed this week's episode, don't forget to subscribe on the platform that you're currently listening to this on. Also, feel free to give us a follow on Instagram at TakeA Bow Podcast. Take a Bow's logo is designed by Giselle Bustos, and the music is by Nikki Torsha and Cormac Collinon. Bye everyone. Hope to see you next week.