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[0:00] Eli Tokash: Hello everyone and welcome to episode 70 of Take A Bow. I'm your host, Eli Tokash, and we have another incredible episode for everyone listening today. This episode is actually very exciting for me because we have someone who is making their Broadway debut as soon as the pandemic opens up. And he's been a dear friend of mine for six years now. We did the Finding Neverland tour together, and now he's making his Broadway debut in Doubtfire. He joins the episode today to talk about the steps that Broadway and the Broadway producers are currently taking in order to create a safer environment for people of color and also a more inclusive, diverse Broadway that we deserve. So we have great stories for this week's episode. There's lots to learn, there's lots to talk about, and I was extremely thankful and happy with the stories that Calvin was willing to tell. But before we turn it over to that, let's talk about some Broadway news.

[1:10] Eli Tokash: Y'all, this past weekend, Broadway had an event called Curtain Up, and I was there all three days. It was Friday through Sunday in Times Square. Everyone was performing on Sunday. It was incredible. I went with Max von Essen. On Friday and Saturday, I was hanging out with the Broadway Podcast Network as well as Sunday, but I wasn't doing too much on Sunday. But it was awesome. It was so much fun, and you just know Broadway's back when they're doing a bunch of events live in Times Square with Broadway stars. Got to meet Joe Iconis, Joshua Henry. And on top of that, guess how many shows are on Broadway right now? I'll give you a second so that you can think about it. There are 10 Broadway shows on Broadway right now.

So happy opening to all the new shows that opened on Tuesday. So happy opening to Come From Away, Six, Lackawanna Blues, David Byrne's American Utopia, and Disney's Aladdin. So those opened on Tuesday. Some are in previews, some just went straight into opening. Congratulations to everyone on resuming performances.

[2:40] Eli Tokash: And speaking of all these fun events that's going on, the Broadway Flea Market is next week, October 3rd, Sunday, October 3rd, that is. Come on. This Sunday is the Tony Awards. And I'm very excited because I mean this Tony Awards, I've heard a lot about it. You know, I've heard that it's been a time, to say the least, to figuring this all out. There's a lot of financial issues and everything. But nonetheless, it's the Tony Awards. I'm still looking forward to it. There is a bright spot in the Tonys this year, and that is that it's being hosted by Audra McDonald and Leslie Odom Jr. And that actually marks the first time the award will be hosted by a Black person since 2008. That's about 15 years since the Tony Awards has been hosted by a person of color, and it's also the first time ever that it's being hosted by a Black pair.

So we have had pairs host the Tony Awards, that's been a trend as of late. This is the first time ever that it's going to be hosted by a Black pair of hosts. So it's very exciting. There's lots to look forward to, in my opinion. We'll get some Broadway back in our lives on TV, so that's exciting.

[4:50] Eli Tokash: Dear Evan Hansen, the movie comes out tomorrow as well. I'm excited. I know it's getting huge backlash. I've heard it's not good. I've heard that it's unrealistic with these older people playing students. I don't care. I'm excited for it. And I really think that these bad reviews are actually kind of good press for the movie because these bad reviews have actually made me more interested in seeing it. I don't know if that's just me or if that's like anyone else, but because they're getting bad reviews, I'm kind of like, oh well now I have to see it. Now I have to see what they're talking about. Now I have to experience it for myself and form my own opinion around it. So I don't know. Lots to talk about here with the Dear Evan Hansen movie, but I'm gonna go see it and I'm gonna talk to you all about it hopefully next week.

I don't know if that is gonna be too short of notice for like everyone to see it, and I don't want to like spoil it, but I think I'm gonna do it. So I think it's just worth talking about it, and it's just so fun.

[5:55] Eli Tokash: Um anyways, we'll move on. Steven Sondheim is writing a brand new musical. Yes, that's right. Steven Sondheim is writing a brand new musical. Okay, I'll say it again. Steven Sondheim, okay. Even at 91 years young, he has announced that he is still up to his antics, and he's writing a brand new musical. And I don't know, like Sondheim, you know, his songs are just so elaborate and so in the best way possible, it's very difficult, you know, just to play, to perform, to act, to do everything. And it just blows me away that he's still cracking the old whip. And I'm excited. I think it's gonna be amazing. We will hear more about it. Not much has been released on it. There was just rumors around it, and he confirmed it.

Steven Sondheim, I mean, that's literally one of the greatest composers of all time. I think that's fair enough to say, right? Steven Sondheim is perhaps my favorite composer of all time, as well as I'm sure many of you listening. And so yeah, I think it's gonna be great, and I'm excited to see Company, which is his musical on Broadway, and the work that he's done with that to make it different for this revival and how it's being gender bent. I've talked about it a lot. I think it's just really cool. Steven Sondheim, yeah, that's right. Icon.

[7:30] Eli Tokash: Um anyways, the company of Waitress on Broadway gathered on their stage to commemorate a mayoral proclamation declaring Friday, September 17th, Nick Cordero Day. And they named it September 17th because that is his birthday. So they proclaimed it Nick Cordero Day in New York City, and Del Castillo of the NYC mayor's office of media and entertainment presented the proclamation with Waitress and celebrated on the stage with them just to honor Nick Cordero and his legacy, both on Broadway, what he's done in the community, what he's done for New York and everything. It's just, I, his story lives on, and I think it's really, really cool to see. And yeah, that was really special. Just to see everything that Waitress has done the past couple weeks in reopening on Broadway for this short amount of time and what they've done to continue his legacy. And I know he's smiling up on all of their shoulders. So it's really, really cool to see.

[8:44] Eli Tokash: All right. Well, I've talked enough, and I want to get it over to the interview, so let's do it. Let's talk to Calvin and we're gonna talk about some incredible topics that I'm also going to elaborate on after this episode, after the interview portion. So stick around to hear more and kind of more of what he told me off the record, like afterwards as we just dove into conversation and got lost in it. Um and yeah, we're gonna talk more about it and I'll elaborate some more on it. So Calvin Cooper, curtain up! So on today's episode, we have a very exciting guest for me because we literally haven't seen each other in how long?

[9:46] Eli Tokash: Five years?

[9:46] Calvin Cooper: Five years.

[9:47] Eli Tokash: Come on, this is insane. Um we met way back in the Finding Neverland era and we did the tour together, and now he's a Broadway star making his Broadway debut in Mrs. Doubtfire. I mean, this guy can not only sing, he can not only act, he can not only dance, he can also like crochet and knit, and he made me these hats. Come on, on travel days and everything. So I'm so excited to have my big brother here, Calvin Cooper.

[10:15] Calvin Cooper: Yo, yo, yo!

[10:20] Eli Tokash: Oh my god. Sorry for your room, it begins.

[10:23] Calvin Cooper: It begins.

[10:24] Eli Tokash: Um this is gonna be an iconic episode. So I'm so excited. Thank you for being here. We're doing this in-person. It's my own, it's only my second in-person interview, and I'm just I love these. These are so exciting for me. Um, but I like to start all of my episodes with the same question. That kind of like starts at the beginning of each person's journey throughout this incredible industry. I'm like, I can't do the mom.

[10:52] Calvin Cooper: No, no, no, no.

[10:52] Eli Tokash: More about what got you into theater. Now I know you're not the craziest theater guy, but like what kind of, why are you here? Why are we in this industry right now?

[11:05] Calvin Cooper: Uh well I can tell you I love it. I can tell you I love it. Um I got started, it was like, um it all led me to because I was performing no matter what. I'm one of those kids who was dancing, like I danced at the house. I loved music. Music, no matter what it was, like, but um, yeah, I started when I was 16. Uh, but before that, I was a cheerleader. And when I was because I went to the boys and girls club, which is I had to do everything my sisters did because I was the youngest. And my mom had two jobs, single parent home. Shout out to Sharon Cooper. Yes, uh Tamisha and Latanya. Nicholas, Desayah, Aiden. Um, but um, but no, yeah, uh, we were at the boys and girls club, and my sisters were the cheerleaders on the cheerleading team, and so then one day after the coach was watching me just do, I mean I'm obsessed with my family, so I did everything my sisters did a jump, I was trying to do it.

Like and they asked me if I wanted to join the cadets, and so then I did, and then as I kept going with it when I got to high school, um, that's when one of my sisters' friends named Tyrone Cooper. What's up, Tyrone Cooper? And no, we're not related.

[12:15] Eli Tokash: Really?

[12:15] Calvin Cooper: Two Cooper, but not related.

[12:17] Eli Tokash: What?

[12:18] Calvin Cooper: Um, but he uh one day we were because my sister was doing color guard and Tyrone was doing color guard, and so one day I saw him like do a jump or whatever, and he was like, Can you do this? And I did it, and it just so happened that Dr. Mary Ann Laverty, shout out to my first teacher. Uh she was like walking by the windows. It felt like very much like uh like hot lunch. Imagine, but without all that singing and dancing in Fame. Like she just walked by and saw me do the jump, and she literally came to the door and was like, come with me, grabbed my hand, and because it's a public school, but it had a magnet program, so it was an arts high school. So if you weren't zoned for it, you were only going to it for the arts.

And it had a twin school that was like communication, so it was kind of one of those artsy schools. But my grandma and we were living with our grandma at the time, so it was just like this is the high school I'm going to, and she grabbed me, signed me up for dance. Uh, and so I was the only person in the dance department who wasn't part of the magnet program.

[13:20] Eli Tokash: Wow.

[13:21] Calvin Cooper: It felt very much like I'm like when you watch Fame one day, yeah, it's very much like I'm like Leroy from Fame, like just rolling up from the street, just being like, Oh, I what is this called? Okay, I could do it. Cause I pick up anything that's like hand-eye coordination, I'm on it, or especially anything that's like competitive. Like I just I'm a quick study. I'm like a chameleon.

[13:40] Eli Tokash: Oh my god, that's a perfect, that's actually like probably the best way to describe yourself.

[13:48] Calvin Cooper: Yeah, that's actually just I adapt.

[13:54] Calvin Cooper: Like, no, seriously, like I saw you in rehearsal and like you know, like we were always together, and you were just like, Yep. And that's the thing, like that I admired that about you, and I really learned a lot from you. Like, I already done this show, and like I was like admiring like people like you up on that stage, kind of like figuring out the show on tour, and everything that was asked of you, you didn't say one thing, you just said yes.

[14:19] Eli Tokash: Yeah, because we'll try.

[14:20] Calvin Cooper: Yeah. I mean, the only time that I'll say no is after I've tried. And been like, Yeah, I'll yes and the hell out of anything. Like, you what is it? Let's go for it. Like, cause I mean, I'd rather I rather show you it doesn't work than don't try to tell you, oh, and just say no. Like, nah. I mean, within reason.

[14:36] Eli Tokash: Right.

[14:36] Calvin Cooper: Within re I mean, but I mean, it's like when me and Michael said, We're here to play first.

[14:42] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[14:43] Calvin Cooper: So that's why I was I wasn't embarrassed. I was like, you know what I mean? But yeah, that's just always been my mentality. It's like, yeah, let's just go for it. Let's why not? Right. And how many times are we gonna get this opportunity?

[14:53] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[14:54] Calvin Cooper: I don't take nothing for granted. I was like, oh, you want to see me do it? Watch. Like just going for it. Oh, I can't get out of like but you know what I mean? It's just like you, yeah, I just go for it. That's just always been the mentality. That's how I got here.

[15:09] Eli Tokash: Yeah. I know. Literally, one thing we talked about this already, like one thing just led to another. Now, I mean, you and I are both kind of like optimists, and we always say like everything happens for a reason. We've always kind of been on that same page with everything. Um, but I I know like I know in this industry that like it can be tricky uh mentally uh to kind of just wait and play that game and uh kind of wait your turn, but now I mean you're you're finally making your Broadway debut. Like, was there any point in even like when you were about to make your Broadway debut and then it shut down on you? Like, was there any like moments that you were just like, you know, maybe this isn't it for me, or were you always kind of really I no?

[15:59] Calvin Cooper: Let me tell you this. Let me tell you, okay. How I got here is because everything is on the same extreme to me. Yeah. You know what I mean? Like the difference between regional theater, cruise ships, off Broadway, Broadway, is nothing. It's whatever you put into it. It's magical where you go. And the thing about when the pandemic hit, it I just I'm blessed that I have all these talents that I just pivoted. I was just like, because here's the thing. I always say yes, and I give myself permission to start again. I give my permission to change my mind. But the one thing that I'm certain is that I'm meant to produce. I meant to use my Ashay, my magic, like, and I produce. I'm an I'm an artist. I'm an artist.

So it wasn't that it was like, oh, Broadway stops, so I'm done. No, it was more like, mmm, you know those things that it's like, oh, if I have more time, well, then I say, Well, I got time. I have full faith it's coming back. I have full faith. We already saw in the history. If the if a pandemic hit a hundred years ago, a hundred years ago, literally, the 20s, like, and that I was like, it's gonna happen again. You even see it in apocalyptic movies, post-apocalyptic moves, they come back in some way, some it's that's what it is. That's the beauty of um, but this this is where it is. We are in the th uh the entertainment field. The word field, honey, it's vast. So I might not have been performing, but no matter what, I'm in this theater field that is vast, and I can now explore more because no matter what, being it's like uh Michaela Cole said in her speech, uh being visible these days is equated to success.

Well, I've been successful without being on the Broadway stage, right? So whether I'm seen there or not, I'm still successful. So therefore, it's like if I'm asking for a blessing, then am I preparing for it as well? You have to be prepared for what you're asking for. So this pause to me, I equated it no different from the nine years it took me to get there. Yeah. That I'm just like, oh okay, one more year. I mean, we were three days in, and that's why it's like I told everybody I said, there's not a day that I stay past my welcome in any show. If I can't go to the theater and smile, it's like literally part of like finding Everland, like seeing the blue floor. I'd be like, I mean, I can't help it.

I can't, and I don't want to. And so I but that's the thing. It's like, so before I had that job when I wasn't doing anything, that's what it's like. It was like being in the pandemic. It's like I'm still working, I'm still grinding, I'm still sharpening my tools, you know. So I viewed it like that now. That's just how I am. So I didn't feel like I fully lost me. I just was like, oh, okay, put this down. Next, next part, this whole field. So but that's just like I said, I'm just blessed to have that mindset and just let's have these gifts. So the divine didn't give me all these gifts to just be sitting here doing nothing with it.

[19:06] Eli Tokash: So no, I I I love what you just said about um you've been able to be successful without being on a Broadway stage. Because I literally said on this podcast about two weeks ago, that I think it's interesting how Broadway is the only type of theater that we really like look up to, you know, and when we think of theater, we immediately think of Broadway. Because like Broadway is just theater in New York.

[19:33] Calvin Cooper: Yeah. You know, I call it regional theater.

[19:35] Eli Tokash: Right.

[19:35] Calvin Cooper: It pisses some people off, and I love it. I'm like, Broadway's just regional theater. It's not that I take it for granted, it's just that if you some people see it as the pinnacle, some people really think that our job is nothing. Yeah. Some people like even during the pandemic when they're watching nothing but the arts, they're like, take money from the arts. So I was like, so when I say Broadway is just regional theater, I like to say it like that because to some people, they treat regional theater like when I go, then that shows me what kind of actor you are, what kind of artist you are. If you think that that is so beneath you, then stop. Right. But if you look at like, have you ever been in the Muni?

[20:13] Eli Tokash: Me?

[20:13] Calvin Cooper: Yeah.

[20:14] Eli Tokash: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[20:14] Calvin Cooper: Woo, baby. That's a that's Broadway too. Like everywhere I that got more seats than Broadway has. Period! Period. Thank you. I was like, you know, and is but it's not like a comparison, but it's just like everywhere I'm going, it's it's people say to dance at the Met is major. People say to dance at Radio City is major. People say to dance off Broadway is made, and that's the thing. So I just be like, look, at the end of the day, I'm just blessed to be able to possess these, you know, credits from these beautiful places because they're all I'm there learning. I'm learning it's you know what I mean? Because also look at how the industry the industry has changed because back then it was like Cheeta Rivera and them doing the tour, the road on the bus.

Mm-hmm. Cheetah Rivera and them and then getting to Broadway in break old school, like when the Rockets only had one cast, and they were everywhere. You know what I mean? And and now that we are blessed to have our economy span the way it has, and it's grown the way, but it's just like it's I don't dumb it down. Like there was that show on Broadway called Shuffle Along, and they talked about their journey to get to Broadway, and they did the I forgot it was the Graveyard Shuffle, I think is the number. Um shout out to Chipple. Well, Cranberry. But um that's Aaron Moore and Alicia Lundgren. But um, no, it's like they talked about the journey to get to Broadway, and I was like, Yeah, you had to do that.

And so it gets us out of the oh, I I only did the second national tour, and uh you have a chance to touch someone's heart, right? You have a chance to perform, you have a chance to show your gifts. It is as grand as you want it to be. Right, you know what I mean? It's like I tell people when we get to when we talk about like equity and stuff, and and like uh, you know, coming up in this when you mentioned the game. I got through this because I didn't play the game, and I purposely didn't. That was my game because I listened to the veterans to the pro fights who were you know talking about their journey, and so I learned what not to do, what not to sacrifice because they said it's not worth this, and so I was like, got you, we're not gonna do that.

And you know, it's just I know that my journey's different. So if everyone is sticking to the same type of formula and the odds are not in anyone's favor, then stop it. Right. So it's like that. So yeah, New York just happens to be the region the theater is in, period.

[22:43] Eli Tokash: Exactly.

[22:44] Calvin Cooper: No, I agree with you a hundred percent. I was I literally brought this up like two weeks ago, so it's hilarious that you're not saying it like two episodes later, you know. Like I'm like, thank God. Yeah, no, seriously, because like I wanted someone to speak on it because I didn't want to be the only one. Nah, because yeah, I literally I just I humble myself because I have been blessed. Like it it was one of the things I didn't hear my because I don't I don't like when I do bios, I don't list my credits. I don't because it's because people are already gonna look you up, right? And then uh and people already seen your resume and all that kind of stuff. So it's like when you and I kind of do it like as a fan.

It's like when I'm going as a fan, I'm like, I know what you know you've been in. I'm a fan of so I want to see a part, so I give my thanks, I bring my people with me. So they're like, you've got 40 words. I'm like Calvin Cooper likes to thank but I just list names, like, because it's my chance to give back and know that we got there. My credits will be there. It'll I'll continue. It's there, you know what I mean. And people that need to know your credits know yeah, so that's how I and that's just my I'm just like that theater hippie. You know what I mean? I try to, yeah, I try to just I'm in the field, but that doesn't mean I'm ups. It's like you know, there's a healthy balance.

[24:01] Eli Tokash: Yeah, so my goal is to touch everywhere that is major because I wanted to experience what makes it so prestigious.

[24:10] Calvin Cooper: Yes, wow. Okay, you just dropped the mic. You said oh whoa. You said period. Period.

[24:22] Eli Tokash: Um, so okay, I mean, it's I don't know. I don't even know where to take this right now. I mean, talk about like your experiences on a cruise ship. Talk about you know the tour of Neverland, because then I really want to get in to what's going on today. Work. Um, okay, so I started cruise ships in 2008. I quit college. I was going to Virginia Commonwealth University. Um for uh it was it's one major, but it's it's two, it's dance and choreography. Okay, it's two separate tracks. So you have your dance, like getting into your your ballet levels and your modern dance levels, but then you have choreography track where you're doing like improv dance composition, choreographing, in that it's one uh major, but it is hard.

And I and I uh when I tell y'all I'm fresh off the streets, I started dancing at 16. So when I graduated, I was 17. I got into college, it was my third year of dancing. I graduated I auditioned on my second year of dancing. It was the grace of the divine that was like, Yes, you are ready. Like I can't literally shout out to Sandra Balastrachi because um she made me take uh ballet class on my level and the level above. Cause she said I had uh because she saw it, crazy, but then she uh gave me this tape to watch and it was episodes, and I watched Desmond Richardson and it was like, holy mackerel. So then she's like, We gotta get you into college and stuff like that, and cause you gotta continue to dance if you want to dance, and then she handed me off to Sandra Balastrachi.

Uh I was in her dance studio while I was going to high school, so then now I was taking her class in three, like it was full on. I worked at McDonald's to pay for it. Because my mom she was like, if you want to dance, you gotta you gotta you gotta pay for it, you gotta work for it. Because she had two jobs and she was a single parent, and my grades were up. She said, as long as I didn't miss school, I could go to dance class. Didn't matter if I was paying for it. Like, so when I tell you, it was like the hustle was there. Then got to college.

[26:21] Calvin Cooper: Because my mom always told me, she goes, "You, when I turned 18, she said, 'You're a grown man now. Your choice, your consequences. I'm always here for you.'" So when I got into college, I was the first to get into college. It was huge. And so then when I decided to quit, my mom was like, "Well, it's time to go." So when we like, "You want to? Let's go." Like you, because she just knew that my mom let me do everything I wanted to try as long as my grades were up. Um, and so yeah, it was my third year dancing, uh, and I was my freshman year. Then my sophomore year, I auditioned because shout out to Casey Johnson. I love coming into the mic to spit these names. Um, he, he, uh, I was working at Busch Gardens theme park in Williamsburg, and uh, and he, uh, oh, I have a crazy story because yeah, you want to get into today's time.

Uh, I was working at Busch Gardens, no, uh, in Washington DC. No, no, no, in Williamsburg, Virginia, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Uh, and for um, and so it was stacked in my cast, uh, or in the season, I should say. Uh, hopefully you know these names. If not, you'll get to know these names. Chip Abbott was there, hired that season. Uh, Richard Yoder was there, hired that season. You'll know this one, Jeremy Jordan was in my cast. Okay. And when I got discovered by Casey Johnson, Jeremy Jordan was on vocal rest. Uh, and I mean, like I told Jeremy, I was like, "You're gonna go to Broadway" because he was singing "Unchained Melody."

[27:45] Calvin Cooper: He sang through the show, but he sang "Unchained Melody." And I mean, I didn't know much about Broadway, but I was like, "You're going to Broadway." Right. And uh, but yeah, and we were singing "YMCA." Uh-huh. And uh, he was the policeman, and I was the all-leather, and uh, what happened was Casey and like a group of these men, so you know, it's like early morning, 10 in the morning, so it's got that awkward like heat in the summer, so it's like dewy and wet, but hot, and we knew that the talent scouts were sitting out in the audience because you know when you just like peek and see who's out there. And when you see like, well, first of all, they were these four flaming men, and I was already like, yep, we're gonna perform to them because they're gonna be the ones that's gonna get us hype in the morning.

Because also there's like eight people in the audience because the park just opened. So here we are, and Jeremy's doing his thing, but he's not singing the song. So I'm like, "Young man, there's no need to feel down." Like I'm doing and I'm serving all of it. I go down the audience, I slide, then Casey goes, uh, there's not because we did a little talk back, and Casey was like, "Oh, you should come and audition for Stiletto Entertainment." And I was like, "Okay, cool." And so entertainment happened to be holding the audition at my dance studio. So when I was like showing up, I was like, "Oh yeah," like, but then my favorite is that Casey Johnson to me is my Debbie Allen, uh, my Paula Kelly, uh like he is everything.

Uh and uh so I like showed up to the audition, he was like, "Great, you're here," and then he was like, "Did you bring your music?" And I was like, "Music, what for?" And he goes, uh, "Because you sing." I said, "Nah, I'm just a dancer." He goes, "Uh uh. Oh, you're just a dancer? Okay," and he literally walked away from me. So I go in, I just dance. I booked. I booked, but I told him I was like, "No, no, no, I'm gonna graduate in 2008 from Virginia Commonwealth University." Child, I quit that yeah, that fall, I was like, "I'm out." So I did my first contract in March.

[29:51] Eli Tokash: How was mom with that?

[29:53] Calvin Cooper: Uh, my mom was fine. Like I said, it's I was paying for college. Like it was because I mean that's the thing. It was like, if you want it, go get it. Like, go get it. I'm not stopping you. She was helping me with what and however she could.

[30:07] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[30:08] Calvin Cooper: But I was making my way downtown, walking fast. So yeah, like my mom literally is it's it's yeah, it's my life. And she's like, "Go for it." I mean, it's not as long as I ain't trying to like rob no bankers. She ain't raised me to be that fool. But um, but yeah, and so then I get on a cruise ship and I do cruise ships for about on and off for 12 years. And in that time, and I was blessed to do Radio City for four years. Um, I did two years on the tour and uh two years in New York. And I have this thing that my friend B-R-A-V-I-T-A, Miss Brevida Threat. She would always ask me every year, uh, what are my three goals? And she, me and her went to high school together. So I was I went to VCU because Bravito went to VCU.

Like I auditioned, like I joined the hip hop company that Brevita was a part of because I was like, "This is my big sister." Like, and uh, she's the dance captain in Lion King, that's right. Oh my god, shout out to Bravita, yeah, what's up? But anyway, um, but yeah, and so she always would ask, like, what are my three goals? So going into a gig, a job, um, I always set goals because that's why I never overstay my welcome. When you come in with a goal-oriented mind and you reach the goals, then you know it's you can leave. You can because you you said something, you know.

[31:25] Eli Tokash: That's a great mindset.

[31:26] Calvin Cooper: Um, and so I booked Radio City. I was like, "I need to book Radio City." I said my third year, I need to get to New York, and like I always say, I want to be the first or the last of something, just to be a part of a like a legacy that's somewhere where I can really be like, "I was there when it was last," or "I was there to you know what I mean." And so um it happened. I booked the tour, I did the arena tour first, and then the next year I did um what it uh dorm in Boston, so North Carolina in um Boston, Massachusetts, and so then that's when I booked the Radio City proper, and I was in gold, and so in gold, you're the evening cast. So I was the last cast to do "Shine." That was when they were in those like do you did you ever see Radio City when they at the finale used to look like they were the shimmering trees?

Yes, that's called "Shine," my favorite. Shout out to Linda Haberman, um Legend Haberman is what me and my best friend Michael would call her. Um but it's when they would look like that Christmas tree, that's "Shine." So I was the last cast to do "Shine" on the Radio City stage, and then um one of my goals was the blessing to help build this the spring show that ended up getting canceled. Um but when Linda Haberman called me and well, they they the people they invited me to build that with her. I was like, "Yo my god, hand picked by Linda Haberman." I've made like because as I'm in this business, I've just been learning names, right? Like, you know what I mean? Like I didn't know who Linda was because I'm not a musical theater person, but out of respect when I booked the gigs, like you know, you look up people after I get to know them.

I never looked them up before. I go into a room as green as Alpha Book, okay. And so that's the way to be like them to get to know me, yeah. Because I'm like, if if I'm in the room and you're in the room, I'm assuming we're both great, right? Period, you know.

[33:13] Eli Tokash: That's a great perspective.

[33:14] Calvin Cooper: So um, so then after I got to do the workshop of that spring show, because it wasn't gonna come out for uh I think of like another year or something, then I got to build their current finale, which is "Snow." I got to, I was part of the blue cast that last my last year, and so we were the first to open that season, so we opened "Snow," and it was it was so amazing. So I was like, "It's time to go." And I left. Uh, because then uh I went to an audition for "Kiss Me Kate," and I was Hortensio. So my first theater gig, I got my equity card. It was like, I know it was one of those, like, nah, like when I tell you, I literally gagged. I got like my agency gags. Like, I mean, because I was auditioning for things and it just wasn't taking at first, but I was because I was barely here, because like I said, I did cruise ships for 12 years, right?

So in between, like, imagine like me trying to audition for first it was go on cruise ships. I had those stacked. Then it was Radio City and Cruise Ship. Radio City, then cruise ship. Then in 2010, uh, that's when I booked New York.

[34:23] Eli Tokash: Wow.

[34:23] Calvin Cooper: Excuse me. Um, and I did the season 11 and 12. Uh, because I remember I did two years on the on the road. So when I moved to New York, yeah, then that's when I start to audition for because I was like, "What's Broadway? Let's go." But meanwhile, I still like heard of certain musicals and stuff, but it was still wasn't like Broadway wasn't something I was taught and learned like the way that most of these kids be like Jack Cole and but I'm like, "What?" But um, but anyway, so yeah, I I get to New York and then it's that uphill battle of I'm still doing cruise ships, but then I'm here. But then yeah, when I booked "Kiss Me Kate," um, and I got Hortensio, and I looked that up, and like that was the first, like, this is where this is where it started to take off.

I was like, "Okay, do your research now." And like learning that "Kiss Me Kate" was the first musical to win Best Musical. It was the first time it was a category. And so I was like, "Oh, that is so cool with Brian Stokes, you know, Stokes Mitchell and all that stuff." I was like, "Oh my god." Like it was one of those, I was like, "Okay, in the late Great Mare Maisie," I was like, "All right, you know," um, so it's one of those things that I was like, "Okay, we're in here."

[35:34] Eli Tokash: That's amazing.

[35:35] Calvin Cooper: Because that's just how I am. Like I said, I start to get somewhere and then I start to learn. And so then from there, uh, after I do uh "Kiss Me Kate," then I booked the first cast of "Cats." Literally, as I booked "Kiss Me Kate," the next week, I was um I got a call that I booked "Cats." Wow. And so for the first cast of "Cats" for World Caribbean, "Cats" was one of the first four musicals I saw um via DVD or um or like recording somehow somehow.

[36:08] Eli Tokash: Really?

[36:09] Calvin Cooper: Um like a bootleg. Why was I scared? Why didn't uh cat first of all because it was shown to me by two of my best friends, um shout out to Adam Jordan, Adam Wagner, Adam Jordan, and Tempest Edwards. Um Tempest Bell, they were uh they had the DVD. And uh, and they were there. Oh, also Tyrone Cooper was there, artist says name though. Um, but they showed me this DVD, and I just thought it was amazing because also you need to know that in high school when I had um my first gig, I mean my first show was Dracula, it was like a dance version of Dracula, and uh my best friends will tell you to this day the first time that I put on a full body unit. Because the first thing I did was be water, I was water, my very first theater thing.

[37:09] Eli Tokash: That's better than like tree number three.

[37:11] Calvin Cooper: Right. I was water, and my friends chased me around the auditorium because I felt I was like, "I feel naked. I feel free. I've never taken this off."

[37:21] Eli Tokash: Yeah, and you're not surprised.

[37:22] Calvin Cooper: I that was me. Like mine. But for real, chasing me. So anyway, um, and so uh going from that, like they showed me "Cats" that year, and I was like, "What is this?" And I just thought it was beautiful, and I loved the makeup and stuff. So now you know what's crazy? Did I just spit? I'm so excited. I spit a bubble. Um I have an original face. I have an original makeup plot for Rug, which is the really useful group uh for their because uh Miss Karin Dawson. Um your face is gagged. I know my when I tell you, I that's why I never take anything for granted. Yeah, like car uh Karin Dawson, um uh she is the makeup uh designer of the faces and things like that of the classic faces that you see, not the first set uh when when "Cats" first started, but of the main on the DVDs and the main faces that you would see, and uh like she did the makeup for the labyrinth. Have you seen that?

[38:19] Eli Tokash: I haven't.

[38:20] Calvin Cooper: Have you seen uh "300"? Like, this is spot off.

[38:23] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[38:24] Calvin Cooper: She did makeup for that. Her son's in that, but in the but when I met her, uh, we're in rehearsals for Royal Caribbean, and we're doing the show, and what they would do is uh take you out. They would do the math of like what sections they were gonna teach because you had to learn how to do your makeup. That is the tradition of "Cats." And so uh, and what she would do was ask you, "Are you right-handed or left-handed?" So if you were right-handed, she would do the right side of your face. So that way you could just mirror with your strong hand. And so I have the pictures in my phone. I'll show you one day. I'll show you after this. My face uh is the only face that had my skin showing because I was their first black Play-Doh McAfany.

[39:02] Eli Tokash: Oh, that's really cool.

[39:03] Calvin Cooper: And so she wanted to show my skin. So if you look at "Cats," everybody's face is covered. Like top to bottom. My face, um, it was the outside for the most part and down my neck, and then my skin was showing here, and my skin was showing here. That's really cool. I oh, I cried. Like I cried. I cried. She sat with me outside because I told first I freaked out because I was like, "I know who you are." Right. You know, like I I broke down. I was so excited because doing a show that I wanted to do so bad. Then I got picked to be their dance captain company manager. Oh my god. It was one of the that's how Trent the late great Trent Armand Kindle uh became my mentor, uh, because he was on old Deuteronomy.

[39:45] Eli Tokash: Wow.

[39:45] Calvin Cooper: Um, and and like I was saying, like "Children of Eden" was another musical that I listened to, and so like we connected on that. Have you ever heard of "Bat Boy" the musical?

[39:56] Eli Tokash: I have.

[39:56] Calvin Cooper: That's him going, "Sleep little Ruthie baby." That's I miss him so much. Um that's Trent.

[40:05] Eli Tokash: That's amazing.

[40:05] Calvin Cooper: Um, hush baby. That's him. Um, and so uh, but yeah, so then getting blessed to do that, and then from "Cats," um, then that's when there was like my my hit it and quit, like trying my best to make it through the city, and then uh from there I booked uh the Met. I got to die. I no, yeah, I booked the Met from there. Nope, excuse me, go back. I gotta go back one. No, I was right. We're we're there, we're on track. I booked the Met. I do the Met. Uh I got to do "La Traviata" with Lauren Lataro yet again, uh, which was beautiful because she hadn't seen me after a while. Cause right after I did "Kiss Me Kate," now I remember I did "Cats." So I went back on a cruise ship.

[40:46] Eli Tokash: Right.

[40:46] Calvin Cooper: So um and so then I go, not only do I go back on the cruise ship, but then I get off the cruise ship and I also go back to Busch Gardens. Oh I went back to Busch Gardens because my sister was pregnant with with uh her second child and I missed the first child. So I was like, "I'm going to make it." Well, I auditioned for Radio City that year, and he was born at my when I was doing my callbacks. And I was like, he was like, "I tried to wait." I was like, "Nah." But I booked. Right. So but and then I go back, yeah, I did I went back to uh Radio City one last time. That's where like all of this is happening.

[41:27] Calvin Cooper: So to get me to then on my last cruise ship, I go back to a cruise ship after the Met and um because I built this, I helped be a part of this company.

[41:35] Calvin Cooper: It was RWS, and they built step one.

[41:38] Calvin Cooper: So it was a blessing to be the first of that too, with one of my favorite directors, John Sharon. Shout out to John Sharon, um, because I met him at Stolero Entertainment. Um from there, I literally like manifested my friends will tell you, I was like, okay, I want to do Broadway, because now that I got a taste of New York, like what's the next thing I want to do? And I was like, okay, I want to learn my lines and earn my spot. I love to, I love to say that because I mean it. So then I was like, okay, what are these equity houses people talk about? So I started naming it. I was like, I want to book the Muni, I want to book the paper mill, I want to book a gum quit. I wanna, you know, I was just like going in.

Um, and then I got um there was my first direct book, but I booked the Muni because Lauren texts like somehow, somehow in the middle of the water. We were in the Atlantic Ocean, and a text message came on my phone, and it's expensive on the but a text message came while you're on a cruise. While I'm on a cruise ship performing, and it's Lauren saying, um, you're doing guys and dolls. Uh yeah, you're doing guys and dolls, the Muni these dates. It happened to be like it was something like 10 days after I was getting off the cruise ship. It was like lined itself up. Are you kidding? So then um I booked the Muni. Is in the world. Yeah, it's crazy. It's so crazy. I booked the Muni, and it was the most glorious 19 days of my life.

Is it 19? 11 days? It's 19 days. Yeah, because you have eight days, no, 11 days rehearsal and eight days of performances. It's 19 days. You have 19 days to put up a show. Oh yeah, 19 days. Um, and uh, so I'm doing guys and dolls, and then that's when Lauren came to me, and that's when uh because one of my friends could tell you because we were all in we were all uh in the room audition. I mean, auditioning, rehearsing, and then we had like a 10 minute break, and she like uh called my name to come to to come over to her, and I like you know, lean in and she was like, you know, I have this project that I really think you would be grateful to audition for, you know, but uh. And that's when she was like, It's Mrs. Dowfire.

Really? I mean, this is in the room. So I'm literally like, drop. Because I mean, like I said, she's always calling me her Broadway bound baby. Right. And so I was like, okay. And I and she was like, are you going on a cruise ship? No, you're not. Because I had one set up for after. Yeah. Right. I had one set up for after. So then, yeah, then we finish the meeting. I go to New York. I audition. And when I told you I had those two fillings, it was my first time auditioning in Telsea. Stop it. So I recorded me going up the escalator. I have the video. And I recorded the door. And I did the dun dun dun on the door. And I go in and I book. As you said. And I book. And now here we are today. Wait, so it was Finding Neverland before or after the meeting.

Oh shoot, I totally skipped Finding Neverland. Uh Finding Neverland happened in between after the cruise ships. It was after my last cruise ship. It was 2013. I was working in uh the end of uh hospitality doing bars job, bar job after. Then it got to like two years in. It was like, yeah, 2015, 2016, 2016, because we did it 2017, 2018. I have no idea. Yeah, I was like, I think it was 2016, 2017. So yeah, it was like 2015. I was working in Montauk. Oh, working in Montauk, and then um I auditioned for Finding Neverland, and I got cut first round, right? What? I know, right? No, this is my favorite story. This is not a good one. And you didn't even tell it. Come on. So I got cut first round. And so then I'm now like just doing what I do.

And now I'm working at Bear Burger. I work at Bear Burger for 10 months. 46th and 9th Bear Burger. So I'm in the theater district. So I'm seeing everyone. I have I have pictures with so many stars. Like I have this picture with Caroline Carmelo that I lost my mind. I couldn't serve her. I freaked out. What? Really? I had to send my friend over to the bar. Just like it's not Carolie Carmelo. I mean, she rides a motorcycle just. I know. No. And so she's sitting at the bar, and I was just like and I literally sent my friend over. Because she was like, who's that? I don't know. She wasn't a she wasn't a theater person. And she why do you like Carolee Carmelo? Do you know that woman? Oh, okay. Can you even try?

Okay. I respect that. Uh, because my friend Megan Farley and Christina Rhodes would sing, because I didn't know who she was until I was doing my last cruise ship in 2013. Well, my last cruise ship with Holland America's still entertainment, 2013. And um, and they they told me about uh the Rolling Red Heels. What's that musical? Uh Leo, do it alone, Leo Parade. I'd never heard of it. Yeah. And so they were singing it one time at the table. They was like, not a crumb, not a clue. And I used to be like, what? What is this? And they would do it with justice every time. Oh my gosh. The next time you talk to Megan, you need to go. Do you need to get her to sing it? It's so good. But um, shout out to the dinner party party.

But um, but uh we they would sing it, and so I got obsessed with it, and then I just I was obsessed with her voice, the way she's the the color of it. And so when she was at the the bar, I was like, oh but anyway, so then I'm working at this bar. I mean, I'm working at this restaurant, and my my buddy, my Vita Boem, um of the Manhattan Boems, that's Tuong Fu. I know you don't know that. Um, but uh it's Fred Ogard. And uh Wait, wait. Yeah, Fred, Fred. Yeah. But I was saying you don't know the movie. Oh, okay. Fred, because I met Fred years ago. So when I was doing cruise ships, this is how my life works. This is why it's important to just be yourself. I okay, I just want to paint a picture really quick.

Fred was actually on this podcast. So for everyone listening, you know who Fred, you know who he's talking about. He was the one who was in Move on Rouge, he was in Neverland, he was in all kinds of things. Okay, now that I've got a picture for you, continue. So Fred is my Vita Boem. I'm his Noxima Jackson, and uh we met on top of a rooftop party at the Standard Hotel. It was a mutual friend, uh Claire Padilla. Shout out to Thug Missus, that's what I call her. Um but uh I go to this party and I meet that's this party changed my life. I met some of my non-romantic soulmates there. I met the late great Michael MacArthur, he was the first protege of the Fossi Burden Legacy. Um Fosse Estate. Um he passed away last year.

Um it's been a year, it's been a year. That's crazy. It's only been a year. Um but um but yeah, I meet him, I meet Fred, and Fred saw I walked by, and Fred goes, okay, Noxie. And I went, Okay, Vita. And that's how we like so then now shoot to I'm working at Bear Burger, and we would, you know, always say, Hey, what's up, whatever, whatever. Like when he booked kinky boots, we were at the same time. I was like, You got this, sis. Yeah. And he booked. Um, but uh he comes in, and this this is literally Kisman. I was downstairs crying because I loved, I I love to work and I love, I love, I get connected to people. Uh you see me, you see how I am. Yeah. Uh now imagine me being at a restaurant, singing and dancing just behind, like, you want a burger?

Okay, like just doing my thing. Right. And I was downstairs quitting, uh, putting in my two weeks because I didn't get a promotion, thank God. Um, and I was crying because I didn't want to quit that job. And Fred was blowing up my phone. And, you know, I was done and I looked at it and I like put it down because I'm like, and I can't believe that I'm gonna put it in two weeks, like going in. And then I like come upstairs, and my eyes are as red as the as this microphone. I was about to say something inappropriate, child. But um, and when I tell you, we are like if I you need to watch to Wang Fu. Thanks for everything, Julie New Moore. You will watch it. Um, and I come upstairs and he was like, Calvin, why aren't you?

Oh my god, Noxie, because he sees my face. And I was like, Vita, I just put in my two weeks, like I can't do this anymore. And he was like, Do you want to go on tour? Oh, that's he was like, Why don't you check your phone? And I was like, and then my friend Liz, shout out to Liz, Liz Marie. She was like, his shift is covered, and I auditioned uh the next day again at uh the next day at like 10:30 that morning, and uh, and I just remember Fred being like, Don't mess this up. And I went, I won't. He goes, and that's why you're in the room. And it's me and another person. It's just me and two people, one girl and one other guy. And it was some of the most like intense but scary, but fun. Cause I mean, they if everyone treated us with respect, but it was just I was like, oh, like one of us is getting a job.

Like okay, my first time auditioning for like this like tour, and it's being like, oh wow. Cause also I didn't really know that first national tours were kind of like a thing. So excuse me. And so yeah, I was just like, oh my god, I could book this. And then I booked, and that's how I got into Finding Neverland. Uh, because Fred led me into it by going, come back, come. That's believable. Yeah. And he was like, here we are. And that's that's like that's my journey. So then uh, if you go back in order, I do Find A Neverland, get done with Final Neverland. I do that's when I start doing I do the Muni, then we get into step one to Doubtfire. Yeah. And here we are today. Here we are today. And here we are today.

Oh my god. That was like the longest saga, but now you know my entire life. I know. I feel like connected now. I'm I'm like more connected. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's great. Yeah, yeah. It's great. So today. Today today, we're we're here. You're a Broadway star. You're making your Broadway debut. As you should. Um, and so okay, correct me. Is it Mrs. Doubtfire or is it Doubtfire? It's Mrs. Doubtfire. It's Mrs. Doubtfire. I I use yeah, I usually say Dowfire just because yeah, we don't it's like you know, it's like being familiar, like with her. Right, you know what I mean? So we're not like Mrs. Doubtfire, Mrs. Delfire, Doubtfire. Doubtfire. Yeah. I feel like there was Mrs. Doubtfire. Okay. I I didn't know.

Like, I feel like there was like a weird point in the pandemic where that was like a huge like it's just like it's because it just it's one of those things. It since it is a name, it's like you know, you just copy a body. I feel like that's what it is, because in a way it's also like kind of symbolic. Like we're familiar with the movie. We're familiar with Robert Wills playing the character work. So it's Doubtfire. Doubtfire. Yeah. Okay. Amazing. Um, and you just started rehearsal this week. Day two Monday. This is day two. Um what is what is happening? How is I know we've talked, how is Broadway changing before we get into it, the rehearsals conversation. It I will say how blessed I am to be in this company because they are putting their action.

They're they're putting in the action, they're putting their words to action. Um we have these labs that we've done, these these talks, these things to talk about. Like Kevin said to us, our producer Kevin McCollum, um, he he says, us getting together, it's about the family. And we were all like, yeah, and he was like, not the family as in the Hillard family, but us. So when we come back, we come back because you know, first thing first, we we lost the great, the great Doreen Montalvo. Um, and that is real and it hurts, and it's crazy. Like, I met Doreen, Miss Doreen, I call her Mimi Doreen. Um, well, we all call her Mimi Doreen because um she was she this she was this extra maternal spirit, uh this this energy.

So um and the story behind that there's a deeper story behind it that I'm not gonna say because it'll just gonna cry. But I met Doreen at the Muni. And what happened was I was listening to a theater podcast. Cause I told you, as I've been in the field, I started to learn. So there was this theater broadcast podcast, I forgot what it's called. It's probably called the theater. It's like backstage or backstory or something I've done. Not take about. I feel so I'm just kidding. Because it was before take a bow was existing. It was before it existed. No pot no theater podcast existed for me. But Doreen was uh the first podcast I listened to, and it was talking about her, and it was because oh, because yeah, and it was um it was not talking about her, it was talking about the the making of In the Heights.

Oh wow. And that was Doreen's uh Broadway debut, and she was OBC. And so listening to her voice, Doreen has this like tone the way that she just the tone of her voice, like it was so soothing. And uh so then when I booked the Muni and I see her name on the list, I go over to her and I was like, I am such a fan of you. You're like your story, because her story you need, I'm gonna make sure you get the invertage the the podcast information so you can hear the story, you can listen to her talk about it.

[55:31] Calvin Cooper: Um, but what was great is that, um, I mean her, like we synced up now. Out of those 19 days, she was there for a week because she had to leave because now, as y'all see now, she was in In the Heights, and then she, I think I want to say she also is in West Side Story.

[55:48] Right.

[55:49] Calvin Cooper: Um, but she had to go film. And so me and her can I, and I was like, one day we're gonna work together again. So then when I showed up to rehearsal for Doubtfire, she and I literally screamed because I mean, again, you know, she only knew me for a week at that time, but I was such a fan, and I was, you know what I mean. But she literally, when she saw, she goes, and I was like, IT! It's like we screamed, and so that's my Mimi Doreen. And so it's like we started with processing that because also one thing about my show is that, you know, my, and I mean my show, as in like, you know, your pre-show rituals and all, my show started and ended with Dory.

[56:31] And so now I'm back, and just like we are rediscovering the piece, I'm rediscovering your show. I'm rediscovering the show and building a new relationship with her spirit in mind now. And now, and one of the things that is, uh, crazy is that there was an adjustment that I will say because of the role she played in it at first, they made a change for one of my roles, and now I'm that character's nephew, so it feels like, it feels like I'm like, ah, I call her Mimi because that's my meme.

[57:08] Right.

[57:09] Calvin Cooper: So it feels very, yeah. I know she's with us, she's with me. She lets me know when she shows up. Um, but it's lovely. So it's been, so tomorrow is the first day we actually dance.

[57:22] Wow.

[57:22] Calvin Cooper: Mm-hmm. And I mean, like they meant that they're here for us. They, uh, we've been talking about everything that's happened from George Floyd to how what sped our personal traumas. Um, we talk about white supremacy and we name it. We name it, and especially, you know, to be in a room that's predominantly of, uh, the people of the non-majority, the global, the global minority group.

[57:52] It's like I'm trying to find how they were describing it's so fierce, but because it's white supremacy, it's a whiteness that's taught, and so it made me look at how to approach it as well, how to change my language to get to what I need to get to and not trigger right in a way, and it's just fire.

[58:11] So that's what we're all here, it's making the room fully inclusive and they mean it, and to be in the room with the producers like, and then to hear it's his like third one. And I was like, he's not joking. So he's been doing with this, you said with all of his shows.

[58:27] Yeah, with his shows he started, yeah, he started. I know that what I heard them say this is his third one, so I assume he's gonna continue to go with the rest of his companies because, yeah, he did it with six, they said, and I only hope that, you know, this continues for all of his shows in the future, not just like now since it's like relevant, I guess you, I can, I will tell you this, I if I speak candidly under the old language, I don't really trust a lot of white people when they say something because American democracy is that whiteness hypocrisy.

[58:27] Um, and so when I tell you you have to be in the room, he's in the room, you know what I mean? And there's no faking it, there's no faking it because you're now we're, you're because that's the thing, it's like back then, you know, a producer was never really around, like they were ominously like walking around, but like to be in these kind of, he's in the room, yeah, the whole time, yeah, the whole time he's participating amazing the whole time.

[59:31] Not in the room standing, sitting at a table.

[59:33] Right.

[59:34] Calvin Cooper: No, no, no, no, no. He's in the room. And he, and it's, and that's what is. And the thing about it too is that we're responsible too. It's not just the people, it's not the people behind the table that are trying to put the system in play too.

[59:49] No, we are.

[59:50] Right.

[59:50] Calvin Cooper: We're also responsible. So now we are all doing the work.

[59:55] Wow.

[59:56] Eli Tokash: Good for you guys.

[59:57] Calvin Cooper: Yeah. First of all, like good sign.

[1:00:01] Eli Tokash: Good sign for Broadway.

[1:00:02] Calvin Cooper: Right. Hopefully that's not the only shows that are doing.

[1:00:05] Eli Tokash: Well, I'll say this.

[1:00:06] Calvin Cooper: Well, look, even to not to interrupt you, but it doesn't matter if that's the only show that's doing it. It's like this as a people, then if he's the one doing that work, then we only follow behind him then.

[1:00:16] Calvin Cooper: And we continue it on.

[1:00:17] Right.

[1:00:18] Calvin Cooper: We put our time and effort there and then we continue to build new. So that's what this is all about. Because I mean, again, uh, before you even say like too much about it's us, it is, it literally is us. Power to the people.

[1:00:23] It literally is us.

[1:00:32] Calvin Cooper: We vote the next people in today. We go put our money in these shows. We do that. We have that power. And it's, yeah, it is. It's going to be that way. There is no, there's no more of even they calling out, all they call us out. They're like, or call us in is what they called it.

[1:00:49] It's, it's the, yeah, I'm not going to force myself if I'm sick, I'm going to go home.

[1:00:55] Calvin Cooper: And a stage manager and the production team, all in, they're not gonna do the oh well blah blah blah, called out and blah blah blah, called out. It's no more of this, the show must go on no matter what.

[1:01:06] No, yeah, no, if we are done, be done right now, and it's okay. Heal yourself, you know. That was one of the things that I said when I was going into the process of work, uh, the workshops and stuff. I don't injure myself, I will not.

[1:01:23] And I and when I say I will not, I will not. There is nothing that you can make me do. That's the other thing about how I am as a person. And I don't go in there like, oh, you can't make, no, no, no. It's just I go, Woo, that looks unsafe. Will you try that? No.

[1:01:41] And I don't fear I'm going to lose. I'm already in the system, the system we have to be in order for us to actually achieve it. We're not waiting. You don't wait, no the time is now.

[1:01:52] And so that's what that means. With him in the room, that's what that is. And you know what I mean? Like for the first time, I actually know my producers and them names.

[1:02:01] Right.

[1:02:01] Calvin Cooper: You know, usually I'd be like, Who? Who is this walking backstage to everybody like, oh, do you know I don't know who that is?

[1:02:07] Right.

[1:02:08] Calvin Cooper: Does he know who I am? Like, you know what I mean? But no, it's, it's so, we are literally a family.

[1:02:13] Wow.

[1:02:14] Calvin Cooper: Their faces are seen, their voices are being heard. Everybody is now in charge of keeping us honest.

[1:02:20] So it's the way it should be.

[1:02:22] Period.

[1:02:23] Eli Tokash: That's good.

[1:02:25] Calvin Cooper: Um, tell me how you feel.

[1:02:27] Eli Tokash: I mean, you kinda alluded to this to me earlier.

[1:02:32] Eli Tokash: Um, kind of, and you kind of alluded to it now, but like just you feeling more comfortable to speak up for yourself and for your castmates, like you were talking about the kids and whatnot earlier.

[1:02:44] Calvin Cooper: Yeah, I will, I am known everybody will know how I feel.

[1:02:48] Yeah.

[1:02:49] Calvin Cooper: I wear my emotions on my sleeves. No, what is it?

[1:02:52] Yeah.

[1:02:52] Calvin Cooper: Yeah. No, it's I wear my heart on my sleeves for my emotions on my face.

[1:02:57] Mm-hmm.

[1:02:58] Calvin Cooper: You will know how I feel. Like, whether I say it or not, I am an honest person. I am open. And it didn't matter who's in the room, how many in the room, I have gone through trials and tribulations being a purp, uh, a purple, uh, person of the global majority since I've been black.

[1:03:16] That's the thing. I've been in trials and tribulations since I've been black.

[1:03:21] And um, I will always speak my truth. My mom was always like, if you have to hide it, you shouldn't be doing it in the first place.

[1:03:28] Right.

[1:03:29] Calvin Cooper: So if anything makes me feel something and I need to then, then you're not supposed to then stop, right?

[1:03:35] So yeah, I mean, I've worked in institutions for like a month sometimes. And I don't care in the sense of what are they gonna say after, no, I don't look back, I look forward.

[1:03:47] Mm-hmm.

[1:03:48] Calvin Cooper: You know, and I also tell folks because I don't subscribe to that Broadway game that everyone, I said, if there was only one director in the world, then there would only be one choreographer then and one with the way that their logic is about how to get to Broadway.

[1:04:03] I'm like, no. Tomorrow's dancer is tomorrow's casting agent, which is tomorrow's director, which is tomorrow's playwright, which is to, it's all possible.

[1:04:13] Right.

[1:04:13] Calvin Cooper: It literally is happening in front of us. We tell stories of how it happens, but people forget like they don't know, and I go, No, because you're subscribing to this culture that you say, excuse me, you don't want to be about, then stop.

[1:04:27] Mm-hmm.

[1:04:28] Calvin Cooper: And I never was that person. That's why I am a non-musical theater, musical theater person.

[1:04:34] Right.

[1:04:34] Calvin Cooper: Because when I hear of musicals or plays, um, you know, like I get obsessed or I don't. You know what I mean? It's like that. It's like either I like this music or I don't.

[1:04:47] So when I got into theater, I told you I listened to these pro fights talk about, oh, I had to give up six years of my choreography, and these people don't choreograph.

[1:04:57] Uh, if they don't choreograph, I don't dance for them then.

[1:04:59] Right.

[1:05:00] Calvin Cooper: Period. Like, and I even learned that during our process. Like, you can't be like, they took my choreography. No, they didn't. You gave it.

[1:05:08] Right.

[1:05:11] Calvin Cooper: You gave it. That's just the truth. And when we're actually holding ourselves accountable, that's how we change it.

[1:05:20] So again, I've got an amazing resume, but it's not because I played some game. They know exactly who they hired.

[1:05:28] Period.

[1:05:29] Calvin Cooper: Wow. But I, like I said, I know respect. I'm not up in there, like, you see me in rehearsals, I do my job, and I still have fun.

[1:05:36] I only play when I know what's going on.

[1:05:39] I do not, I know theater etiquette.

[1:05:41] Yeah.

[1:05:41] Calvin Cooper: You know what I mean? I mean, my drag name is decorum.

[1:05:45] Right.

[1:05:45] Calvin Cooper: There will be decorum. Like taste levels.

[1:05:49] Okay.

[1:05:50] Calvin Cooper: But that's what it is. And so not my little milky spitty mouth.

[1:05:54] It's why you don't drink soda.

[1:05:55] Calvin Cooper: But I got, yeah, so it's like that. That it's, they're in the room. Believe it.

[1:06:00] I don't even put a butt and I hope no, it is.

[1:06:03] Calvin Cooper: It is happening. It's happening. I mean, with Slave Play and with, uh, Passover and all of that that's happening, yeah, it's happening.

[1:06:05] Yeah, it's happening.

[1:06:13] Calvin Cooper: Believe it.

[1:06:14] Yeah, we subscribe to it. We need to be more open to it.

[1:06:18] We need to, you want to see diversity, diversify your life, right?

[1:06:22] Period.

[1:06:23] Calvin Cooper: Literally do that. Like, you know what I mean? Like I tell folks, it's like, like, especially like after what's going on with the Emmys, I'm like, yeah, I'm tired. Who are these committees that are doing the voting?

[1:06:32] What do they look like?

[1:06:33] Like, what do they look like?

[1:06:34] Calvin Cooper: Like, you know what I mean? So, and then also, what do you subscribe to be the pinnacle? Because again, an Emmy may not be the top for you.

[1:06:42] Right.

[1:06:42] Calvin Cooper: They may, you're like, you know what I mean? It could be, so that's how wide it is. That's how vast it is.

[1:06:49] So I get in where I fit in, and I'm not bothered if I don't.

[1:06:53] Wow.

[1:06:54] Eli Tokash: It's hard.

[1:06:55] Calvin Cooper: Yeah.

[1:06:56] Calvin Cooper: It's a, it's a, it's hard.

[1:06:59] But truly, you learn how to stay thankful and take, don't take it for granted and just be thankful.

[1:07:06] Period.

[1:07:07] Calvin Cooper: So it's happening. I wouldn't be a part of this project if it wasn't.

[1:07:10] That's good.

[1:07:11] Eli Tokash: I appreciate that.

[1:07:13] Calvin Cooper: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[1:07:13] Eli Tokash: And it's cool, like, you know, I don't know. Like, there's always been this like thing in on Broadway where it's just like the producers have power, and it's like you coming out here, like and talking about no, like we're the ones that have the power.

[1:07:28] Calvin Cooper: Like, we have the power.

[1:07:29] That's we share power, but we definitely have the power.

[1:07:31] Because it's like this.

[1:07:32] Calvin Cooper: This is why I tell people.

[1:07:34] I don't need a job.

[1:07:37] Right.

[1:07:37] Calvin Cooper: I don't. And I never go in going, I need this job.

[1:07:41] No, I had a job before this one, I'll have one after this one.

[1:07:45] I have faith in my talent. Now, I tell students when I teach, here's how power comes into play.

[1:07:53] First, the people put up, you know, the money for a show, they get a playwright, they get all that.

[1:07:59] So they got this power. They hold auditions.

[1:08:02] It is up to you to decide if you want to go in.

[1:08:04] So you start to let your power grow.

[1:08:07] You show up, you kill it.

[1:08:09] They offer you a contract.

[1:08:11] Now you have the power.

[1:08:13] They gave you this power to say, I will do this if I choose, but I agree to this.

[1:08:19] So not only now are you agreeing to it, you have equal power because if they breach your contract, you have every right to stop.

[1:08:19] You have every right to stop and call them out.

[1:08:28] Period.

[1:08:29] Calvin Cooper: I do not show up if I don't have a contract, I don't work.

[1:08:32] Right.

[1:08:32] Calvin Cooper: I'm so tired of listening to the old way and how many people be like, and I did a show.

[1:08:38] That's you, child.

[1:08:39] No, not me.

[1:08:40] Right.

[1:08:41] Calvin Cooper: That's not me, because I'm not gonna let that be the precedent.

[1:08:44] I'm not gonna set that standard.

[1:08:45] I'm not, no.

[1:08:46] I will go up to a rehearsal and start signing that contract, then we start rehearsing, yeah, good.

[1:08:51] That contract better be there by lunch.

[1:08:54] Otherwise, I won't be coming back.

[1:08:56] Like, because I want security.

[1:08:58] I earned it, I deserve it.

[1:08:59] Y'all are a part of the same union, or you can't work, you know what I mean?

[1:09:02] It's like we are the, we are in control then when you think of that.

[1:09:06] So it's like that.

[1:09:07] Calvin Cooper: Yeah, like when you sign that contract, now you're both agreeing.

[1:09:11] Right.

[1:09:11] Calvin Cooper: Because they can't have the vision without you.

[1:09:14] Mm-hmm.

[1:09:15] Calvin Cooper: They can't have the vision without you.

[1:09:17] Now that's yes, everyone's replaceable, duh, but it's more like that.

[1:09:21] Calvin Cooper: It's like they picked you for a reason. They picked me for a reason. So I don't come in with doubt. I come in with a growth mindset, and I'm excited for it. But I also understand that we share things. They can't tell a story the way I can tell a story. We need each other. Yeah. Period. Period. I love it. And way to hold them accountable because way to hold myself accountable. Right. Yeah. Period. Um, I'm obsessed with this. Um, tapes available. So right. Um, life coach, come on. Um, but okay. What was the okay? Obviously, we literally just came out of an 18 month. Like just waiting, period. Did you know that you were gonna be coming back to the show? The whole time. The whole time. The whole time.

You knew, or you kind of manifested. No, we knew. You knew. Yeah, we had that security from Kevin. Oh wow. He 'cause like even though we didn't we necessarily didn't know like the full logistics of everything, but he said, when we're back, I want all of you back. If you choose to come back. Because what has happened, it happened to us. It's not because of us. Mm-hmm. So when I tell you I listened to what they say, I was like, work. My producer said it. But then also we had our uh Zoom that uh Miss Jin Gambitese would host and stuff. Uh it was like every three weeks and or third Friday. It was something like that. It was it was so great. It was like every third Friday or something. Um, but it we had like we were always in correspondence.

So it was never doubt. Even with the producers and everyone. It was never doubt. Wow. Mm-hmm. That's awesome that you guys would do that. That's how come I was telling a lot of people during the pandemic, they're like, We're so sorry. I was like, Do you see me sad? Right. I was like, Oh no, no, no, no, no. I'm happy, baby. But I also had three days in that show. You can't take them back in three shows. I was like, haha. So even if we didn't come back, I'm like, guess who did it? Me. It's still on the resume. In previews. Like. But no, that's just my mentality of what is success. Right. You say what success is to you. You don't compare. I don't compare nothing. I'm always inspired by or I don't care. So it's hard, is but it's a true practice. It's for real though. Cause I mean, what are we competing for? Nothing. Amen. Period.

[1:11:55] Calvin Cooper: Um okay, so what are you like uh the obviously this is in rehearsal, so like, and three audiences have fully seen the show. Um, but like, what are you as an artist and as even as an audience member, like, what are you most excited for people to come to this show and take away from it after this whole pandemic? Well, being that we haven't dived into the new and updated. Literally, tomorrow's when I tell you they said we are coming back. Not the show first. We are so tomorrow's the first time using and looking at a scene, like they had rewrites then? Huh? They had rewrites. There's some rewrites. Well, of course there's some rewrites. I mean you guys were still in preview. They were, yeah. Oh, the that's how I also knew we were coming.

The writers were like, oh, we're working on paid. Like they we it was just part of our we just knew. We were still working. We were still working. Um But uh I look forward just to that uh that whole sense of family, that whole sense of oneself, forgiveness. Um, you know you're going to be entertained because it's fire. Like even though I still don't know this fully new script yet, but it's fire. The show's the show is fire. Um, but yeah, they're gonna just take away that sense of peace. Yeah. They can get away they they can get through anything as long as they are with their family that they choose to be with. Like that's what I'm most excited for, just to like just to see that family play out on stage.

You know, there is a uh uh somebody did record uh an old number from our Seattle out of town trial. That's on YouTube. What? It is on YouTube. There's an old version of our tap section. Okay, so this tap section, let's talk about it. You're like famous. It's on TikTok. You're like famous. You're like famous for this tap video. Like right. Oh my god, it's literally on TikTok, it's on Broadway Road, it's everywhere. I'm like tap now because of the show. I when I tell folks, I'm like, can I tap? I can tap, but I don't say I tap because I don't want y'all thinking I'm like Savion Glover. Right. You know what I mean? I I can't even get through half the tap. Well, it's like I can. I can get through anything, but it's like I'm not one who would just go into like 42nd Street and be like, yeah.

Nope. Right. That's not me. But um, but yeah, it was literally taught to us. And my favorite thing about the if you you want to hear like this story, like, okay, so tech. Um, we were in Seattle, and uh, you know, in previews, you know, you're trying out things. You're in rehearsal in the daytime doing shows at night. And so they we had a tap section already, uh, but they were trying to like spice it up, give it this like ba ba voom, find that Broadway tap magic, like that was supposed to like oh yeah, you know what I mean? Like there was just the way it's supposed to like click, and we had 10 days to learn this tap and one day to put it on stage. Uh no, thank you. Meanwhile, we're doing the old tap version at night.

And at the and I'm talking about they sent it to we was in the studio, and we learned it, and we're tapping. I have the video, and they sent it to us, and I mean in between break times at home. Oh yeah, ta-da-da-da-ta-ba-ta- and like learning the new thing. And then we had the one day where we went, all right. Jerry was in uh Jerry Zach's our director was in the audience and he watched, and we do it, and he gives it the A-OK to go on, and then it was in. But literally, we had a one day to take it. And when I tell you, I live for that because I was like, this is Broadway back. This is what they're talking about. I was like, ha, we're gonna do it. I was like, I tap now. On Broadway. Like I literally, yeah.

So it's like my friend Justin Prescott, one of the original members. Uh he's he's not in our show anymore. Uh he's moved forward because he's bomb. Um, but uh, yeah he I remember he would tap and do videos for me. Like he would break it down, I would record his feet because it was coming fast. Like, but it was still also supportive. Like everybody was like, Yeah, we got this. Like, that's awesome. Everybody was like, Let's get it. And when I'm telling, yeah, we were on stage and I was like, oh shoot. Like, you know, oh my god. But you can look it up on YouTube. It's called Easy Peasy. Um, so you know, I see the original, and I see Erica Mansfield like Erica Forever, and I'm like, come on, this is everything so much.

Oh my god, she's the best. I literally is. Love her. Um, yeah, I need to have her on too, because we've been in like everything. Period. Literally, I think. And you'll probably get the gypsy rose for your guys' show too. Probably. Like, oh no, the legacy. Oh, yes. Excuse me. The legacy bro. It's okay. That's the thing. See, but that's what we talk about. It's like it's okay to make a mistake, right? It's okay, and it's okay to correct it. It's okay to learn. Like, because that's where we we need to stop doing the shaming. Because when your intention, I always tell folks, you I can hear intention. Come on. If your intention is not meant to disrespect, then good. Like, but we have to also do the work in ourselves so that way I'm not like, oh, you said no. It's more like, I was like, uh legacy robe.

Right. You know, it's the legacy. You got my back. Period. Yeah, come on. This is a family, a company. We got it. My dream is to wear that robe one day. Right. Literally, when I found out what it was, I was like, Cheetah Rivera. I want to be like them. And I was like, there's a what? Now named the legacy rope. I was like, what is it? Like when I tell you, I started to learn, like, I was like, I want to be a part of this. Uh, it's so it's such a beautiful like field to be in.

[1:17:45] Calvin Cooper: Yeah. Watch me frolic. I love it. There's so many great like gems of Broadway that like people don't even like realize. Yeah, but when you find them like a precious gem, it's worth it. Yes. Come on, go. That's just because I'm as high as a kite. I feel like I'm in a therapy session right now. Like Welcome. I'm just like looking at life in a whole new way. I'm here for it. I'm here for it. Well, it's good. You know, it's like I said, it's if we want to change the system, we gotta change our mindset. Mm-hmm. We gotta change our mindset. We can't go into a new system with old minds, mindsets, processes, old systems, old habits. You want a new result, you need a new equation. Right. And half the time it's us.

We are the ones first. Stop waiting on someone else, do it. Mm-hmm. That's what it is. So it sounds simple because that's how simple it can be if people will mind their business and do what they're supposed to be just doing. Like, just be it. Be that. Yes. Be it. So welcome to the fold. Yes, thank you. I'll see you on Broadway next year. I know. I wish. I feel like I'm part of the Mrs. Java Fire family now. Like I feel like I've sat in on the EID. What is it called? EI Uh EDI lab. EDI. Equity, Diversion, Inclusion. Is that right? I think that's what that is. Don't get me lying. I need to look it up. Cause I want to say they could be that, but I'm also high. So no, after like, look, when I tell you after all of that, I it's I was like, I need something that's gonna help relax my body.

It was one of the hardest things. Cause I don't take You said you were crying all day. Yeah, crying all day. Like that the like they literally made the space a place for healing. They literally did it. And they mean it. And it's past today. It's past it's what we're bringing into the room, period. And so I was like, oh yeah, it's great. I just been crying, just releasing, getting healed in places I didn't think I needed.

[1:20:01] Calvin Cooper: Yeah. We all need a nice little cry every once in a while, too. So when a nice little cry. Watch them come home videos from the army stuff. Oh what? I'll be feeling so good after. Wait, you do that on purpose just to cry? If I ever need my soul to cry. If I cause if you ever start to feel because sometimes I just like I'll be like, I feel emotionally congested. I feel like I'm like, when is the last time I cried? I feel like my body needs to cry. Because sometimes I'll just be walking around being like, I'm not sad, but I just feel the energy is sad. I need to release. And so I might as well cry happy. That's another thing we gotta change. Like that whole like mindset around like crying is such a negative, and it's like, oh, what's wrong?

Like, oh, why are you crying? Like, that's not good. You should smile. Like, cry, let it out. Yeah, that's healthy, you know. Yeah, yeah. Like, there are so many stereotypes and like terrible like mindsets. Okay, wow. I'm really feeling this therapy session right now. Um, yeah, because it's real, you know? Mm-hmm. It's real. It is so real. I mean, it's all part of the hustle. Like, it's I'm not hustling in this kind of game. I'm hustling to just authentically be me. Yeah. And and to be in spaces I feel welcomed and to always be a welcome in space. I know I'm not for everybody, and I don't know everybody ain't for me. But I'm just and then I don't I don't BS myself. I love when I say I don't waste my time. People say that people say that sentence and don't hear it. I don't waste my time. Right. Period.

[1:21:32] Calvin Cooper: And I think that's a perfect way to end the night. I mean, yeah. It was pretty good. I mean, just everything that you said, I mean, just to recap, this is uh this is a lot, you know. You talked about your whole life story, which was like major respect. Okay, like anyone, but it's real because like and it's relatable because like in this industry, it's just like you just gotta keep grinding. Period. And it doesn't stop. Yeah. And so you are the living I'm saying this. It the grind doesn't stop, but how you just have to pay attention to how much time you're putting in the grind. It's okay to sit down. Right. It's okay to rest because if you are I call it selfishly selfless, you need to know your boundary before you can go and give to somebody else, go and give into an institution, go and give into your job and you're a craft.

You have to know what you have to do that work to find your boundary, and it can change. It changes often. You know, but that's the thing. So yeah, like that grind works, but what game are you playing? I always tell people, I play games I win. Yeah. That's it. And so you pay attention, you listen, and and then you make your moves from there. It's like I got this song called The Hustle that's gonna come out. Yes. Yeah, because I rap now. Check me out one day. I ain't even gonna try to put a date out yet because I'm working on it though. But it's a song called The Hustle, and it's just about just what it is. It's it is what it is. And you subscribe to what you choose to subscribe to subscribe to. So if you don't like it, unsubscribe. Right. That's your power. I love when I say simple. It's simple. When if you ever hear me say, I bet I won't, it's done.

[1:23:13] Calvin Cooper: And people know I'm like, I bet I won't.

[1:23:15] Eli Tokash: Right.

[1:23:17] Calvin Cooper: Don't even ask me a second time.

[1:23:18] Eli Tokash: But that's what it is.

[1:23:19] Calvin Cooper: It's like that. I hold myself. If I feel like I'm somewhere sour, I leave.

[1:23:24] Eli Tokash: I have two legs.

[1:23:25] Calvin Cooper: Watch me leave. No one can make me go to work.

[1:23:29] Eli Tokash: Right. Remember that.

[1:23:31] Calvin Cooper: So this has been a AOL first listen.

[1:23:35] Eli Tokash: You don't even know what that is.

[1:23:36] Calvin Cooper: You too.

[1:23:37] Eli Tokash: I only know ALL references.

[1:23:39] Calvin Cooper: I don't really I've never experienced AOL.

[1:23:42] Eli Tokash: Oh, yeah.

[1:23:43] Calvin Cooper: I mean, what because you're 15 years younger than me.

[1:23:46] Eli Tokash: Oh my God.

[1:23:48] Calvin Cooper: That's not.

[1:23:49] Eli Tokash: No.

[1:23:50] Calvin Cooper: Not 15.

[1:23:51] Eli Tokash: Is it 15?

[1:23:52] Calvin Cooper: I feel like it's less.

[1:23:54] Eli Tokash: Wait.

[1:23:54] Calvin Cooper: I'm 18.

[1:23:55] Eli Tokash: You're 30.

[1:23:56] Calvin Cooper: Oh, it is less.

[1:23:59] Eli Tokash: I'm not 30.

[1:24:00] Calvin Cooper: It is more. I'm 35.

[1:24:02] Eli Tokash: You said wait.

[1:24:04] Calvin Cooper: I met you when I was 30.

[1:24:06] Eli Tokash: Thank you.

[1:24:07] Calvin Cooper: It's because I smoke weed, drink water, and mind my business.

[1:24:10] Eli Tokash: Period.

[1:24:11] Calvin Cooper: I don't know. Period.

[1:24:13] Eli Tokash: Okay.

[1:24:14] Calvin Cooper: Um, but no, uh, yeah, I'm 35. I just turned 35. My birthday is July 24th, so I turned it over to summer.

[1:24:23] Eli Tokash: Love that for you.

[1:24:24] Calvin Cooper: Um and you're a Broadway star. So like things are working, things are working out, you know.

[1:24:30] Eli Tokash: 35 Broadway star.

[1:24:32] Calvin Cooper: Um doing all the things, just like being the nicest person, getting rewarded in every way that he should.

[1:24:39] Eli Tokash: Thank you.

[1:24:40] Calvin Cooper: No, thank you.

[1:24:42] Eli Tokash: And thank you for doing this today.

[1:24:44] Calvin Cooper: Thank you for allowing to to talk to uh thank you for talking to me and everyone else who is listening and kind of telling them and giving them an inside scoop of what's going on and how the future of Broadway is going to progress in the way it needs to be uh moving forward.

[1:25:02] Eli Tokash: And you set that example, you not only with what's going on at Doubtfire, but also with what you've said and what you've said that needs to change.

[1:25:12] Calvin Cooper: This is so like I'm like, okay, thank you.

[1:25:15] Eli Tokash: Okay, I know. Like, do you even realize what you've said today? Like, literally, this is everything.

[1:25:20] Calvin Cooper: It's life.

[1:25:21] Eli Tokash: It's just life.

[1:25:21] Calvin Cooper: It is life.

[1:25:22] Eli Tokash: It's just life.

[1:25:23] Calvin Cooper: And isn't it incredible how powerful it can be?

[1:25:26] Eli Tokash: Period.

[1:25:26] Calvin Cooper: Some people use dark magic.

[1:25:28] Eli Tokash: I use I use light magic.

[1:25:29] Calvin Cooper: Uh uh, there's no need.

[1:25:30] Eli Tokash: There's no need for that.

[1:25:31] Calvin Cooper: Because what's what's going on?

[1:25:32] Eli Tokash: Well, I mean, it's something there's balance.

[1:25:34] Calvin Cooper: There's always gonna be balance, baby.

[1:25:36] Eli Tokash: Right.

[1:25:37] Calvin Cooper: If there's gonna be salt, there's gonna be pepper.

[1:25:41] Eli Tokash: I'm that person.

[1:25:42] Calvin Cooper: Yep.

[1:25:43] Eli Tokash: I love it.

[1:25:44] Calvin Cooper: And it's what makes you you, and it was making you successful.

[1:25:48] Eli Tokash: So thank you.

[1:25:49] Calvin Cooper: That's all that matters, yeah.

[1:25:51] Eli Tokash: Um, well, thank you.

[1:25:52] Calvin Cooper: Thank you for doing this.

[1:25:53] Eli Tokash: Uh, you're a dream.

[1:25:56] Calvin Cooper: This is like the universal.

[1:26:00] Eli Tokash: Um, no, this has been long overdue, Calvin.

[1:26:02] Calvin Cooper: Thank you.

[1:26:03] Eli Tokash: And I appreciate you also fitting this in at 10:45 at night when you're rehearsing for your Broadway debut.

[1:26:12] Calvin Cooper: We gotta be there at like 8.

[1:26:14] Eli Tokash: 8:30 for some of the COVID protocols.

[1:26:17] Calvin Cooper: So I'll be up at 6 trying to get like tomorrow.

[1:26:20] Eli Tokash: I'm I will be getting up at 6 because I'm gonna have to dance, so I'm gonna need to do a little stretch tonight.

[1:26:26] Calvin Cooper: Yeah, stretch tomorrow morning.

[1:26:28] Eli Tokash: I know.

[1:26:29] Calvin Cooper: I could literally talk all night, but I gotta test you at midnight.

[1:26:32] Eli Tokash: So my god, I gotta do it. Get off the phone.

[1:26:34] Calvin Cooper: I mean, get off.

[1:26:36] Eli Tokash: Uh no, no, no, it's okay.

[1:26:39] Calvin Cooper: Um, but no, I can't thank you enough for just being here and just talking to me again.

[1:26:43] Eli Tokash: It was so good to catch up with you.

[1:26:45] Calvin Cooper: Um, yeah, and that's that's what we have this week.

[1:26:48] Eli Tokash: This was amazing, so good.

[1:26:50] Calvin Cooper: I hope everyone enjoyed it.

[1:26:51] Eli Tokash: Who's listening?

[1:26:52] Calvin Cooper: Uh, because this is Calvin Cooper. How can they follow you?

[1:26:54] Eli Tokash: How can they look out for hustle and all your new songs?

[1:26:58] Calvin Cooper: Oh, well, well, follow me on Instagram.

[1:27:01] Calvin Cooper: Uh, it is at Calvin Cooper, C-A-L-V-I-N-L-M-O-N-T-C-O-O-P-E-R.

[1:27:09] Eli Tokash: Yeah, it's Lamont with uh is you it's actually an L apostrophe, but you can't put an apostrophe in your handle.

[1:27:14] Calvin Cooper: Um you can find me on Facebook, Calmont Cooper.

[1:27:18] Eli Tokash: Um, you can find me on Snapchat, Calvin Cooper.

[1:27:21] Calvin Cooper: You can find me on Twitter, Scooby Cooper.

[1:27:21] Eli Tokash: Scooby Cooper.

[1:27:26] Calvin Cooper: I love it.

[1:27:27] Eli Tokash: So, but yeah, y'all can find me and then follow my Instagram, and you will see all my handles on on my main page because I also do drag.

[1:27:33] Calvin Cooper: There's the day.

[1:27:35] Eli Tokash: But you follow me, you'll get all my stuff.

[1:27:37] Calvin Cooper: Alright.

[1:27:38] Eli Tokash: Well, thank you so much.

[1:27:39] Calvin Cooper: Thank you.

[1:27:40] Eli Tokash: You're the best.

[1:27:41] Calvin Cooper: Take a bow, Calvin Cooper.

[1:27:44] Eli Tokash: Oh my God. There were so many good things that were discussed here.

[1:27:48] Calvin Cooper: Uh, not even like half of my things that I wanted to talk about were discussed, but I love what we discussed.

[1:27:55] Eli Tokash: So Calvin was explaining to me that throughout the pandemic, obviously he talked to to you all about this as well.

[1:28:01] Calvin Cooper: Um they had Zooms, you know, every like third Fridays.

[1:28:05] Eli Tokash: Uh um, and uh they were just discussing life, you know, and just like becoming that family.

[1:28:12] Calvin Cooper: They were keeping in touch with everyone, uh, they were doing all those things.

[1:28:15] Eli Tokash: And uh I think that's really special.

[1:28:18] Calvin Cooper: And with that being said, uh, they always said that we are coming back, and we are including each and every one of you.

[1:28:28] Eli Tokash: Well, when they were getting ready to open back up, there were talks about recasting some of the kids because they were getting tall, their voices changed, whatnot.

[1:28:38] Calvin Cooper: And the actors, the performers in the cast actually spoke up the adults and said, You're not doing this.

[1:28:47] Eli Tokash: Like, we you have said this whole time that we are all coming back as one.

[1:28:51] Calvin Cooper: We have already lost a castmate, and we don't want to lose anymore.

[1:28:56] Eli Tokash: That we don't have to lose, you know, because some of them went on to different projects and whatnot, but we are not just kicking one of our own out.

[1:29:06] Calvin Cooper: And I and they they listened.

[1:29:10] Eli Tokash: They and they were heard, and um and now they are returning all the kids.

[1:29:17] Calvin Cooper: And I just think that that that's really special, and I think that that's something that uh everyone should um learn from as and like he mentioned the actors do have a power too you know it's not just the producers and it's not just uh the directors and whatnot but you are the one putting in the work you are the one going out there night after night performing and laying it all out there for one another and for every audience is that's and for every audience that steps foot into that theater.

[1:29:50] Eli Tokash: Um so I thought it was really really special what he was saying um to me even on the side but also while he was talking on the record um it was just so special and he was talking about um a a bunch of other situations that uh they just all feel connected and as if they have a voice and they are willing to speak up because they know they will be heard and if they're not heard they will they uh expect uh a explanation and they are just hearing each other out and I think that that's really important to have that relationship with your theaters because like he said you know there are productions where it's like I don't even know who my producer is and I've never met my producer before and whatnot.

[1:30:36] Calvin Cooper: So it's really really cool to see to hear and see that uh Kevin McCollum shout out to him and everything that he's doing with all of his shows right now on Broadway.

[1:30:47] Eli Tokash: Um I just think it's really special.

[1:30:50] Calvin Cooper: So I think it's something that we can all learn from not only continue what he is doing but we can also expand on what he's doing and do it even better and to a further extent and I think that uh this is just the start and I think that it's just gonna get better from here and creating a better Broadway for everyone involved because if the actors are happy the audience is gonna see it and they're gonna be happy and they're gonna be leaving the show enjoying it even more than they already did.

[1:31:20] Eli Tokash: Um and of course it's just gonna create a healthier environment for uh the directors and the producers and everything like that.

[1:31:27] Calvin Cooper: And it's also gonna be creating those conversations and not like conversations as in like, oh when we say those conversations were like a deep conversation about like political stances and whatnot and race and ethnic groups and whatever.

[1:31:43] Eli Tokash: No, it's communication period.

[1:31:46] Calvin Cooper: You know, it's something that communication is the key to all relationships and it's the key to success and it's the key to a lot of things.

[1:31:54] Eli Tokash: And if you can't have a conversation, then it's just not gonna be successful and it's not gonna be special and it's not gonna be what everyone else wants it to be.

[1:32:04] Calvin Cooper: Um so I just think it's really special what's happening um right now at over at Doubtfire and I can't thank Calvin enough for taking his time out of his schedule.

[1:32:14] Eli Tokash: Um you know he's doing nine to six rehearsals right now.

[1:32:18] Calvin Cooper: Uh it's his third it's his fourth day today as you guys are listening to it.

[1:32:23] Eli Tokash: Um so I really really thank Calvin for doing this and I I think that the timing is perfect just to to have those conversations and to bring to light what is happening uh at all of these uh shows right now as they look back because before it was just like oh on Broadway time is money and we cannot waste any time.

[1:32:46] Calvin Cooper: But yet they're they were two days into rehearsal and they didn't do anything but sit and have conversations and sit and have these diversity and inclusion meetings.

[1:32:59] Eli Tokash: Um so it's just very, very, very cool um and very, very special what they're doing over at Doubtfire.

[1:33:05] Calvin Cooper: And I'm so excited for Calvin to be doing what he's doing.

[1:33:09] Eli Tokash: Cause like I said, like I love too what he what he mentioned.

[1:33:13] Calvin Cooper: Um, because I was gonna say that you know, he deserves to be on Broadway and everything, but this also raised the the thing that I mentioned a couple weeks ago and saying, you know, Broadway is essentially a regional theater, it's just glamorized by the media because these larger corporations have these relationships with the media and these large larger corporations that are um in New York are helping out Broadway and they are the ones producing it, so Broadway is able to have more money.

[1:33:43] Eli Tokash: And so, like I said, sure the shows may be different as far as they have some incredible, incredible sets, um, and incredible costumes and everything like that.

[1:33:55] Calvin Cooper: But the talent, it's all the same.

[1:33:58] Eli Tokash: All of these people start in regional theaters, you know, and so um I just think it's really special, and uh, but Broadway, of course, is Broadway, and it's gonna be continue to be glamorized because of how uh the budget is, and uh as actors, we appreciate Broadway as because the budget is what it is, and so they're getting paid a little more to be on Broadway instead of a regional theater and whatnot.

[1:34:25] Calvin Cooper: Um, but all in all, I'm very excited for him to be in Doubtfire.

[1:34:25] Eli Tokash: I'm very excited for him to be performing in a regional theater in New York, as he would put it.

[1:34:34] Calvin Cooper: Um, so very exciting stuff for him.

[1:34:37] Eli Tokash: And uh yeah, I I hope that you I don't know, I kinda I kind of was quiet there at the end, and I didn't have that enthusiasm that I've been having.

[1:34:46] Calvin Cooper: Um, but I think it was cause for those serious conversations.

[1:34:50] Eli Tokash: So um I think it needed to be this episode was really um healthy for me and healthy for uh I think a lot of people listening to it going into this new Broadway that we are all witnessing uh at the moment, and uh I just look forward to seeing all of these shows and seeing how closer and comfortable and healthier everyone is.

[1:35:16] Calvin Cooper: Um I just think it's really special.

[1:35:18] Eli Tokash: So thank you, Calvin, for sharing your stories with everyone, and thank you for sharing the stories that you've shared with me and keeping me in the loop with all kinds of different things, and hopefully I'll be able to share soon enough.

[1:35:30] Calvin Cooper: Um, but it's it's really cool, and I really think it made for a great episode.

[1:35:35] Eli Tokash: So thank you again, Calvin, and thank you for everyone at home listening to this right now.

[1:35:40] Calvin Cooper: Um yeah, I just think uh this was an episode that we needed to happen, and I think it's a great way to kick off our next series of Broadway and our next series of guests, because they are gonna be it's gonna be a fun ride, and it's gonna be a good uh group of guests here coming up.

[1:35:58] Eli Tokash: So I'm very excited for it, and uh yeah, I hope to see you all next week with uh our next guest.

[1:36:04] Calvin Cooper: So uh thank you everyone for listening again and have a great week.

[1:36:08] Eli Tokash: For this episode's curtain call, I would like to recognize a few people who also deserve to take a vow.

[1:36:14] Calvin Cooper: 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.

[1:36:22] Eli Tokash: Next in line to take A Bow is Tessie Tokash, who edits the audio and all the visuals for this podcast.

[1:36:27] Calvin Cooper: A special thanks to patrons Brian Thompson, Pat McNamara, the listeners at PCC, as well as all the other patrons for their continued support.

[1:36:36] Eli Tokash: If you're interested in becoming a patron, go to patreon.com slash TAB.

[1:36:42] Calvin Cooper: And if you enjoyed this week's episode, don't forget to subscribe on the platform that you're currently listening to this on.

[1:36:47] Eli Tokash: Also, feel free to give us a follow on Instagram at Take A Bow Podcast.

[1:36:52] Calvin Cooper: Take a Bow's logo is designed by Giselle Bustos, and the music is by Nikki Torsha and Cormac Collinon.

[1:36:59] Eli Tokash: Bye everyone. Hope to see you next week.