This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Eli Tokash: Hello everyone and welcome to episode 73 of Take A Bow.

[0:04] Eli Tokash: I'm your host Eli Tokash, and this week we have another very exciting episode.

[0:09] Eli Tokash: We have a very exciting episode with a very good friend of mine.

[0:14] Eli Tokash: He and I have known each other for the past like seven years, I want to say.

[0:19] Eli Tokash: Regardless, he's another child actor, which seems to be the preferred guests on these shows.

[0:29] Eli Tokash: And now he's killing it in the TV land as he plays Eli Stabler in Law and Order Organized Crime.

[0:37] Eli Tokash: So exciting stuff here.

[0:39] Eli Tokash: If you don't know already, it's Nicky Torchia, who has been a very requested guest on this show.

[0:47] Eli Tokash: For those of you who may not know Nicky Torchia, he also does the music, this wonderful music for Take A Bow.

[0:57] Eli Tokash: That you all hear in between these little intros and the interview, which is kind of my favorite part of the episodes, honestly.

[1:06] Eli Tokash: I love that little beat.

[1:07] Eli Tokash: Anyways, let's dive right in.

[1:09] Eli Tokash: Because we have a great episode coming up, and he talks about so many great things and we reminisce on a lot of really, really fun memories.

[1:16] Eli Tokash: It gives an informative kind of type interview and conversation, but a lot of it too is also just like reminiscing and kind of giving everyone a peek behind the curtain of what it was like when we did a show together.

[1:32] Eli Tokash: We talked a lot about kind of memories and how it all worked, and we focused a lot on A Christmas Story, which was the show that we did together.

[1:40] Eli Tokash: So that's coming right up, but first I have to talk about some of the amazing things that I've seen this past couple weeks.

[1:48] Eli Tokash: Okay, so I dropped the ball and did not talk about Dear Evan Hansen last week when I promised that I would, and I just want to say that I apologize in advance because literally I stopped and I submitted the audio and I was like, oh my god, I didn't talk about Dear Evan Hansen and like have been waiting.

[2:09] Eli Tokash: So now's my chance to do so.

[2:11] Eli Tokash: Everyone, buckle up.

[2:13] Eli Tokash: Dear Evan Hansen was absolutely incredible.

[2:17] Eli Tokash: Okay.

[2:17] Eli Tokash: I don't care what anybody else says.

[2:19] Eli Tokash: I don't care who's gonna judge me for saying that I really enjoyed the movie.

[2:25] Eli Tokash: You know, if you saw Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway and you saw Ben Platt in Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway, you're not gonna have a problem with seeing Dear Evan Hansen the movie, okay?

[2:38] Eli Tokash: Like for us theater people that are going to see it, which are the people who are going to see it because that is the audience of Dear Evan Hansen, we're gonna love it.

[2:49] Eli Tokash: Okay, it's like the movie critics and the movie buffs who don't like movie musicals and who are really like by the book and the film industry and blah blah blah.

[3:00] Eli Tokash: All these unwritten rules that are kind of like come up with by critics.

[3:05] Eli Tokash: I don't know, it's just like it's madness, and I feel like this movie deserves more positive feedback and a more positive response because I think it was done very, very well.

[3:18] Eli Tokash: I thought Ben Platt was incredible, arguably a better performance than the musical.

[3:24] Eli Tokash: I appreciated how they kind of toned a lot down because it was more for movies, but they didn't, but in a way that it helped the story, you know?

[3:36] Eli Tokash: It didn't hurt the story because they took stuff out, they took out four songs and they added two.

[3:41] Eli Tokash: I did miss "Disappear" a lot.

[3:43] Eli Tokash: I would have loved to have heard Colton Ryan, who played Jared, sing.

[3:51] Eli Tokash: But they gave him another song, which was really beautiful, that is not in the musical.

[3:56] Eli Tokash: So maybe I guess that was like the cancellation.

[3:59] Eli Tokash: "Anybody Have a Map" was cut, "To Break in a Glove" was cut, although there were references to it.

[4:07] Eli Tokash: And then there was one other cut.

[4:11] Eli Tokash: Oh, "Good For You" was cut.

[4:14] Eli Tokash: I thought that was interesting because I kind of liked what that did for the story.

[4:20] Eli Tokash: But they did give Alana a song and that was kind of like her only main song in the show, so they gave her her own song, so maybe that was a cancellation, and they obviously like Jared has his moment in "Sincerely Me" and the Mom has her moment in "So Big So Small."

[4:42] Eli Tokash: So I guess they kind of just got rid of "Anybody Have a Map" and "To Break in a Glove" and they just nixed it, and then the rest kind of remade up for it, I guess, and kind of just switched things up.

[4:56] Eli Tokash: Either way, I thought both of them were fantastic.

[5:00] Eli Tokash: I mean, I will say I'm attached to the Broadway music.

[5:04] Eli Tokash: However, I found this music to be incredible.

[5:07] Eli Tokash: I'm actually really addicted to "Anonymous," which is the new song that Alana has.

[5:14] Eli Tokash: And I would love to have heard Crystal and Lord Lloyd sing this song because I think it would have been amazing.

[5:21] Eli Tokash: But nonetheless, it was still amazing.

[5:24] Eli Tokash: The score was incredible, the acting was incredible, it was toned down, they made Jared gay.

[5:29] Eli Tokash: They had all of these little changes that kind of just like progressed the story and kind of made sense.

[5:39] Eli Tokash: And then of course, you know, you're sitting down and you're in the theater, right?

[5:44] Eli Tokash: And you're like, oh my god, this is like word for word, the musical.

[5:51] Eli Tokash: And then five minutes in when you forget that Evan Hansen is played by Ben Platt, who's like actually like 29 and not 18, it kind of just slips out of your mind, people, as soon as you see it, I promise.

[6:06] Eli Tokash: Anyways, that was another dig.

[6:08] Eli Tokash: I'm sorry.

[6:09] Eli Tokash: I will be less passive.

[6:12] Eli Tokash: Oh shoot, where was I going with that?

[6:15] Eli Tokash: I was saying that when you're like five minutes in and then you're like, wait, no, it's actually not gonna be a word-for-word reiteration of the musical.

[6:27] Eli Tokash: And so I really enjoyed it.

[6:29] Eli Tokash: I loved everyone's performances.

[6:32] Eli Tokash: I don't know, it's just like it was so different yet so similar all at the same time.

[6:38] Eli Tokash: And you know, like you see it like the first way you see it is always the way that you're gonna remember it.

[6:45] Eli Tokash: So like the whole time I was just like envisioning it with like the people on Broadway and stuff like that.

[6:51] Eli Tokash: I don't know, that's just me.

[6:52] Eli Tokash: But I thought nonetheless, incredible.

[6:55] Eli Tokash: It's gonna a hundred percent win some award.

[6:59] Eli Tokash: Pasek and Paul did an incredible job with the arrangements for the new movie, and their small changes that they made.

[7:09] Eli Tokash: Ben Platt arguably a better performance than he had in his Tony Award-winning performance in the musical.

[7:17] Eli Tokash: And yeah, I mean I can't say enough good things about it.

[7:22] Eli Tokash: I've literally tried to recommend it to everyone who has said it's bad.

[7:26] Eli Tokash: And I've kind of fought them on it because I don't think it's true, and I don't think it was bad, and people just listen to the critics, and so I'm trying to be my own critic and encouraging other people to go see this freaking movie because I thought it was so good.

[7:42] Eli Tokash: Next topic.

[7:44] Eli Tokash: Let's see what else I saw.

[7:46] Eli Tokash: Is This A Room?

[7:47] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[7:48] Eli Tokash: Okay.

[7:49] Eli Tokash: Is This A Room? is currently playing, and it literally just opened on Monday.

[7:57] Eli Tokash: So happy opening.

[7:58] Eli Tokash: Is This A Room?

[7:59] Eli Tokash: Yes, round of applause, yes.

[8:00] Eli Tokash: This show was absolutely incredible.

[8:05] Eli Tokash: Now, I've said on here before that I am not as into plays as I am musicals.

[8:11] Eli Tokash: Okay, and I'm gonna explain that in the next show that I saw.

[8:15] Eli Tokash: So, I saw Is This A Room?

[8:18] Eli Tokash: And usually during plays, I kind of get lost, you know, midway through, and I'm just like, all right, when's there a song gonna break out?

[8:28] Eli Tokash: So that like I get some energy or whatnot.

[8:31] Eli Tokash: But in this freaking play, that was never the case.

[8:36] Eli Tokash: Okay.

[8:37] Eli Tokash: This play was absolutely incredible.

[8:40] Eli Tokash: This is the interrogation between the FBI and Reality Winner, who was, I don't know, some of you may know, some of you may not, but I'm gonna explain it.

[8:50] Eli Tokash: She kind of had a lead that the 2016 election kind of got interfered with with the Russian government and there were some sketchy things going on within the 2016 election she was trying to leak it to news sources, and then the FBI got a hold of this information that she was trying to leak this story and was trying to report it to news sources and whatnot.

[9:33] Eli Tokash: So she is questioned, the FBI gets it and basically stopped it from getting to the news source and they interfere and they just block that message going through.

[9:33] Eli Tokash: Fascinating stuff, absolutely like crazy that this even happens and like the FBI reads all of that and it's just like it's insane what goes on in this government.

[10:09] Eli Tokash: I'm in microeconomics and I'm just like I'm just so fascinated by all of this.

[10:14] Eli Tokash: And this show really does that for you, and I'm really getting into that here in college.

[10:14] Eli Tokash: So this was a great time for me to see the show.

[10:16] Eli Tokash: So Emily Davis actually made her Broadway debut in this show.

[10:22] Eli Tokash: And she plays Reality Winner, so she's like the main girl, these all of these actors barely leave the stage.

[10:31] Eli Tokash: She does not at all.

[10:34] Eli Tokash: She's on the stage every second.

[10:37] Eli Tokash: And then the FBI agents are pretty much on the stage the entire time as well.

[10:41] Eli Tokash: It is absolutely fascinating.

[10:44] Eli Tokash: It leaves you thinking, it leaves you like, what is my life?

[10:51] Eli Tokash: It literally leaves you with so many thoughts and so many questions.

[10:55] Eli Tokash: And like literally, I like the whole time it's just like whoa.

[11:01] Eli Tokash: Like the next sentence is like it just gets crazier and crazier, and just the fact that like I was watching the show and I was like, Eli, this is a real conversation that actually happened.

[11:16] Eli Tokash: Like, I feel like it made it just that much better and that much like mind boggling inside of my head.

[11:25] Eli Tokash: Now I saw it in previews.

[11:27] Eli Tokash: It was a couple weeks ago, actually, and I just like haven't mentioned it because it just slipped my mind.

[11:34] Eli Tokash: And we've had the Broadway Flea Market and the Tonys and everything.

[11:38] Eli Tokash: It was just madness.

[11:39] Eli Tokash: And it was actually in between the Tony and Broadway Flea Market.

[11:43] Eli Tokash: So it was just a week or two ago.

[11:45] Eli Tokash: Kid you not, I like I said, not always the biggest fan of plays.

[11:51] Eli Tokash: Absolutely loved this play.

[11:53] Eli Tokash: I will 100% be back.

[11:55] Eli Tokash: I literally like this is a show that I would go see again, and I don't do that often with like any type of shows on Broadway.

[12:02] Eli Tokash: So huge shout out to Is This A Room?

[12:05] Eli Tokash: I really hope it does well and gets the press and ticket sales that it deserves.

[12:10] Eli Tokash: Dory Berenstein, who's a part of the Broadway Podcast Network, is actually one of the producers on it.

[12:15] Eli Tokash: So like huge shout out to her for making this happen and making this come to Broadway and tell this story that even though it's a real story and it's something that's been recorded, she was in jail and everything like that.

[12:26] Eli Tokash: I still like didn't know about it.

[12:30] Eli Tokash: Like, I still wasn't aware of this case and everything.

[12:34] Eli Tokash: And interestingly enough, she was in jail indefinitely throughout the Trump administration, and the second that the Biden administration came in, they kind of released her and they are just monitoring her now.

[12:51] Eli Tokash: So I also thought that was interesting.

[12:53] Eli Tokash: They threw her in jail just to basically ensure that they wouldn't leak anything else.

[13:00] Eli Tokash: Or I don't know.

[13:01] Eli Tokash: I don't know what the thought process was, but I thought it was interesting that she got put in in 2016 and then got out in 2020, which is like right when Biden took over.

[13:14] Eli Tokash: So I was like, hmm, interesting.

[13:17] Eli Tokash: Wild stuff, wild stuff, great story, great show.

[13:21] Eli Tokash: Uh we'll definitely highly recommend Is This A Room. Now for my favorite, uh, that I've been talking about for weeks on this show, uh, on this podcast, Waitress the Musical. Everyone, I saw Waitress the Musical again, and I could not be happier. I literally just got home from it, and I'm literally recording it right now when I came home, and um it's 11:40 p.m. right now, and I am talking about all of my incredible show endeavors, but Waitress, I saw Waitress again, and I'm so happy. Um, I could not be happier. I saw it with Sara Bareilles. Apparently, she was out last night, so I was freaking out. Um, I was like, oh my god, please make her in it. Please make her in it. But I was like, she only has like four shows left.

How can she not do it? She did it. Uh, insane. Okay, so lots to talk about here. So this show, like this, it's just absolutely incredible. I've seen this show like seven times now. I think this was like my sixth or seventh time seeing it, and I like it more and more every time. And I also like am like, oh, did they change that every time? Now, that could be because they actually did change stuff because it was like off-Broadway and it just like reopened, and technically this is like a revival. Um, so they can change things, but I was like, I don't know, like I was kind of questioning it. Anyways, not important. So now for the best part of the whole show tonight. Um, I don't know if anybody, uh, if all of you have seen the show, some of you may.

Um, for those of you who have seen the show and you understand the context of It Only Takes A Taste. Um, incredible. Okay, so Drew Gelling walks on stage for the scene. His mic doesn't work. And everyone, everyone like kind of picks up on it, but no one's like having a big deal about it. So, anyways, we're sitting there and we're just like admiring the fact that Drew Gelling is giving his best 1800s theater performance where he's just projecting his talking voice to the back row of the mezzanine, and it's just like giving, and he's just giving it all, and he's killing it. Um, and Sara Bareilles is totally getting a kick out of it, and both of them are, and they're kind of having fun with it.

That's like how funny this is. Um, but the audience still wasn't like they didn't want to like make it awkward or anything, so they were just like kind of going along with it. So then in the middle of the scene, like right before the song comes on, Drew Gelling's like, "Hey Jenna," which is Sara Bareilles' role. Um, do you mind if we switch seats? So the reason that they did that, no one picked up on it except me and my friend Alexa Nijak, who went to the show with me. Um, everyone thought it was part of the bit and part of like the scene, but it was actually because the entire time Sara Bareilles would like talk and like do her thing, and when it was Drew's turn to talk, which is Dr. Pomatter, um, and they kind of have like this relationship in a way, and so every time like Drew had to talk, Sara would kind of like turn her head to where the mic would like pick up his voice in like some capacity.

Um, and it was like hilarious. So Drew obviously picked up on this and was like, "Oh, do you mind if we switch seats?" Basically saying so you don't have to keep turning your head and blah blah blah. It was incredible because they kind of like had this like awkward laugh in it, and it like the audience was laughing, but no one understood like why. And then it still like kind of working, kind of not, because it's like this weird dynamic in this in the in the scene where they can't really be like super close together yet. Uh, they're kind of like standoffish, but she's trying to help him out. It's hilarious. Okay, and then the music starts, but their scene is still going, and Drew like picks up his cue late because they had to finish the scene, so he starts like mid-song, and then Sara Bareilles is just like cracking up on stage, and all of a sudden she goes, "Wait, start it over."

And the audience goes like freaking nuts. And the audience is loving life right now. And she was like, "You all," like she like turns to the audience, like, "You all understand what's happening right now, right? You we're just trying to share a mic, blah blah blah. Like, sorry," like literally, like has a conversation with the audience, and like in between like the setup for the for the song, and it's just like absolutely hilarious. Um, so they start the song over, and it's just still like not working out, and now everyone's like caught on to the fact that there is no microphone for Drew Gelling when he's supposed to have a microphone and they're kind of sharing it, obviously, because she kind of announced it.

Um, and so like everyone's enjoying this bit, even though it's still not working. So then eventually, and then eventually one of the ensemble members comes on and gives Drew Gelling a handheld mic, like a mic that you would like perform with, not like a like not like your typical show microphone. And so he's doing the he like incorporates the microphone into the show, like he so he gives him the mic, right? The ensemble member, they give him the mic, and um he he goes to singing it. That doesn't work, and he's like, "Is this a joke?" Like, literally, like flat out said, "What is happening?" Like, like he said something. I can't remember exactly. Anyways. Um, so I don't want to be misquoted, but he was like totally like adding a bit to it, and it was just it was the best performance of It Only Takes A Taste that I've ever seen in Waitress, and the audience was loving life.

It was literally like the talk of everything. Every like Drew Gelling's performance tonight was absolutely incredible. That's another thing I want to talk about. Sara Bareilles, Christopher Fitzgerald, and Drew Gelling. I don't mean this in the I'm I I'm only saying this to compliment their performances in the show, but I truly don't think anybody can perform their roles better than Sara Bareilles plays Jenna, Christopher Fitzgerald plays Ogie, and Drew Gelling plays Dr. Pomatter. Now I know a lot of them, all three of them have had the most time in those roles and with the show. Uh, Christopher Fitzgerald's been with it since it opened, same with Drew Gelling, and obviously Sara Bareilles, like since it was a thought because she wrote it.

Um, so it's kind of hard to beat that, and um the way that they are with their characters, like they are the character, like it just it it's insane. Like, and and then their dynamics together. Drew and Sara's dynamic together is just absolutely incredible. Christopher Fitzgerald literally like has standing ovation to every show because he's just absolutely hilarious. It's incredible, anyways. That's enough about Waitress. Um, Drew, they're just all so good. I had a blast. I literally, this is the magic of live theater. Because you go and you're like, "Oh, I'm seeing Waitress for the seventh time." Meanwhile, it's like I saw Waitress for the seventh time, and something that's never happened before happened tonight.

And so, like, that's the beauty of live theater because you just never know what's gonna happen, and it's a different show every night, and the audience was absolutely going bonkers because it was like her it's part of her last week of doing the show. Um, just incredible stuff. So, uh, huge, huge thank you, um, just to Waitress and Sara Bareilles and everyone, uh, who made that happen tonight. And uh, yeah, it was it was it was incredible. Uh, it was so funny. Sorry, I I I'm getting over it. So, um, moving on. The actual like bit of news that I want to talk about is that Waitress is having a scheduling change actually. So starting November 1st, uh, they will primarily have Wednesdays off, and they will which is usually like a two show day.

So now they have two shows available, and those two shows are going one to Saturday night and one to Monday. So, uh, they will be doing two shows Saturday, two shows Sunday, and then a Monday evening performance, which is gonna be something very exciting um for everyone in the Broadway community, especially for those who work in the community because they will actually be able to go see the show. Um, both and they will have two options both on Sunday night and Monday night. Um, and that's very exciting for s when you work in the industry, and it also is great for ticket sales because it's like, "Oh, what show is gonna be on on Monday? Oh, there's like three, and it's Waitress is one of them.

Let me go uh check out Waitress." So it it's it very good stuff, very exciting for stuff for Waitress, great for um great for like the show itself, and uh I think that's gonna be really great moving forward for the whole community. I think that um I know Wednesday is kind of weird to have like a day off uh as someone who works in the industry, but um I think it's gonna be great because then they can go see the shows on Monday, the other shows can go see your show. Um audiences will now have more options to go see a show on Monday. Um I just think it's great for everyone involved. So just a little note there, nothing uh too major, but I thought uh, you know, once you're in it, you're like you understand and whatnot.

So, uh, but huge congrats. I know I said it last week. Huge congrats to Chicken and Biscuits, Lots of a Colored Man, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical. Um, Is This A Room? Um, and then there were a couple others that opened. Everyone had wildly successful open uh successful openings, uh, which is so exciting. I love seeing all this new uh art thriving literally right now, and uh Chicken and Biscuits I heard is just absolutely incredible. So I can't wait to go see that. Anyways, you've heard me talk long enough on this intro. I'm gonna turn it over to Nicky Torchia, and then I'm gonna do a drama dictionary in the outro. So stay tuned, everyone. But right now, let's turn it over to Nicky Torchia.

[24:13] Eli Tokash: This week we have a highly anticipated show with a highly anticipated guest. Uh, you may know him from Kinky Boots, The King and I, A Christmas Story, or Elf the Musical, or you may watch him every Thursday as Eli Stabler in Law and Order: Organized Crime, and you listen to his music every Thursday when you listen to Take A Bow. So everyone, welcome to the show, Nicky Torchia. Thanks for being here, Nicky.

[24:39] Nicky Torchia: Thanks for having me, man.

[24:39] Eli Tokash: How are you?

[24:40] Nicky Torchia: That was a wonderful introduction.

[24:42] Eli Tokash: Oh my god. Did you like that?

[24:43] Nicky Torchia: They're watching you every Thursday.

[24:45] Eli Tokash: They're watching me.

[24:46] Nicky Torchia: They're stalking me. I'm being hovered over. No, thank you. I thanks for having me. I oh my god. I feel like I want to say thank you for having me. We are currently in your home doing this. Um say thank you.

[24:57] Nicky Torchia: No, no, it's been I feel like we've been talking about me coming on here for a while.

[25:03] Eli Tokash: I know.

[25:03] Nicky Torchia: Yeah.

[25:04] Eli Tokash: You're just like a star though. You're like a TV star, and you're like so busy.

[25:08] Nicky Torchia: No, I mean I may be busy, but I'm not a star.

[25:12] Nicky Torchia: But I appreciate the thought.

[25:15] Eli Tokash: You're getting there, you're getting there. We're all getting there, right?

[25:18] Nicky Torchia: Um, so the way I usually like to start out these episodes and whatnot is kind of asking everyone like what got them inspired and whatnot to start doing what they're doing now.

[25:30] Nicky Torchia: Yeah, um, so my parents were both musicians. My dad was a sax player and a clarinet player, and my mom was a pianist. They met in music theory class, so very romantic musician story. Um, my mom was a director in the middle school, the local middle school back where I grew up outside of Pennsylvania as a part of her music teaching job. And I was always uh on in the theater as a kid. Um painting the sets, you know, the black boxes painting all black as a toddler and all those stuff. So I was in the environment a lot, and one day I guess I just wanted to do productions of my own. Yeah, it was maybe was probably very stubborn of me to say, like, I want to do my own things now, mom. I don't want to be with you. But one thing led to another, and you know, now I'm doing it.

[26:28] Eli Tokash: Now you're doing it.

[26:28] Nicky Torchia: So yeah.

[26:29] Eli Tokash: Was it always like theater, or was like TV and film ever a thought?

[26:33] Nicky Torchia: TV and film kind of came later.

[26:40] Nicky Torchia: Um, so yeah, it was pretty much always theater and musicals, and you know, singing was always my strong suit. I was never a great actor. I could sing pretty well, but so that was the thing that kind of led me to the shows that I did, I think. But I had to develop as an actor later. After, as you know, the voice change and the growth spurt. So yeah, I think it was always kind of theater.

[27:13] Eli Tokash: Okay. And then like, I know you obviously play a lot of instruments, you have songs your own, you create music all the time. Like, was that always in there with theater, or like that came later too?

[27:23] Nicky Torchia: I think that came later during that period that I wasn't able to do Broadway anymore because of, you know, age and finding other artistic avenues to kind of branch out in and do. And you know, my parents both being musicians, it's very easy for me to pick up an instrument and to learn quickly because my parents are knowledgeable in that. Um, so you know, I'm mainly a bass player, but you know, so my parents were able to kind of push me along at school. So it was it's easy. Luck, I mean, I'm lucky to have parents who weren't musicians, so but yeah.

[28:01] Eli Tokash: You were also a very tall kid. Like I always said, like you were always one of the tallest ones in A Christmas Story and everything. Like you were just very tall as a kid, and like I don't know, like it wasn't all like always age, I feel like, you know, because it's just like Broadway's like so like every little detail counts on you. It's crazy.

[28:20] Nicky Torchia: When I did Kinky Boots, I was the vacation swing. And I ended up and I was going to be renewed for another six months, but I was four six and a half and not four six. So I didn't continue. So that's that's that's you know so tough.

[28:40] Eli Tokash: Yeah, it goes to show you kind of um how the how the industry works at that age, but you know right.

[28:47] Nicky Torchia: I know, and it's things that like people don't even think about, you know, like how what and how much goes into all of it. Um so you started obviously doing regional theater in Philly, right?

[28:58] Nicky Torchia: Yeah, which is where you're from, until you booked A Christmas Story.

[29:02] Eli Tokash: Yeah, with you?

[29:03] Nicky Torchia: With me, yeah, you poor soul. Um and uh so like what was that hop like from going from like regional theater to now you're performing in Madison Square Garden with five thousand people?

[29:15] Nicky Torchia: Yeah, alongside you, alongside me two times a week.

[29:19] Eli Tokash: Yeah, so you eight times, right?

[29:22] Nicky Torchia: Um I I don't think I understood that until I got older.

[29:27] Eli Tokash: Right.

[29:28] Nicky Torchia: I don't know about you, um, but it was just we always had such a great time as a group of kids, right? That it was just playing make believe on stage with each other, and it was never about the it's weird, and I don't want to say it was never about the performance because I think we all love to to to put ourselves out there, but a lot of it was just about each other.

[29:52] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[29:53] Nicky Torchia: That's how I felt. A lot of it was the stage was our playground, you know. You know?

[29:57] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[29:58] Nicky Torchia: Like we in rehearsals and whatnot, like we would go to Union Square and whatnot. Like, you know, like in between tutoring and rehearsals and whatnot. But like then we would like play on the playground there and we would get like our sports fix, whether it was basketball or just like running up like this giant globe or whatever it was, like, and then we could go to the theater and kind of get our creative fix, you know, and it would just like another form of playground that we would just have. Even like backstage, like we wouldn't stop, like we would play like I have arrived and continue to just like play, you know.

[30:30] Eli Tokash: I forgot about I have arrived. Oh my god, really? I remember when I think the thing I missed most about the show.

[30:38] Nicky Torchia: Uh-huh.

[30:38] Eli Tokash: Now that you said that, I rem I think I missed that game the most.

[30:42] Nicky Torchia: Yeah.

[30:42] Eli Tokash: I remember not really missing the performance, but you know, hearing our Wrangler, John Mara, talk about everybody in Matilda continuing to play I Have Arrived.

[30:55] Nicky Torchia: Right.

[30:55] Eli Tokash: That was what I was jealous about. I was like, I don't get to play I Have Arrived anymore.

[30:59] Nicky Torchia: Oh my god, it wasn't like I'm not in the show, it's ended, we close. It was I can't play I have arrived.

[31:06] Eli Tokash: Right.

[31:06] Nicky Torchia: You know, that was definitely a highlight. Like, even like you know, like even Lucas, Gabby, and I who weren't on every night would like come over and like when we weren't performing and still like come to play with you guys just because it was like too much fun.

[31:19] Eli Tokash: I don't remember the game, I don't remember how to play it.

[31:21] Nicky Torchia: Really?

[31:22] Eli Tokash: Oh my god, you make like a 20-30 second skit, and at some point in the skit you have to say I have arrived. And you have to just that was it?

[31:30] Nicky Torchia: Yeah, and you have to just make an environment of something, and it was different every night, and everyone came up with different like reasons to say I have arrived for however many performances we had in your Christmas story. It was so much fun.

[31:44] Eli Tokash: I remember us being like playing it together, but I don't remember that like what we were doing or the context of that.

[31:52] Nicky Torchia: Wasn't it like in between right before we would go on for Somewhere Hovering Over Indiana?

[31:58] Eli Tokash: Dude, I don't know.

[32:01] Nicky Torchia: That's okay.

[32:03] Eli Tokash: Maybe.

[32:04] Nicky Torchia: Yeah, so but like I but also like going back to the whole like sports things with Madison Square Garden, I mean like that's just like another aspect for you and I that we kind of experienced and even Luke Spring. Um we like literally when we were off stage or like at intermission, we would just like be back playing Madden on Xbox or something, you know?

[32:23] Nicky Torchia: We play uh NHL.

[32:25] Eli Tokash: Yeah, NHL, all of those. Like we would just like, but like for us being in Madison Square Garden, we were like, oh my god, can you believe this?

[32:32] Nicky Torchia: So like there were like two aspects to us like performing there.

[32:36] Eli Tokash: It was cool.

[32:36] Nicky Torchia: That's that's funny. I don't I don't even think I thought about that.

[32:39] Eli Tokash: Really?

[32:40] Nicky Torchia: No, until I because I wasn't living in New York at that time.

[32:45] Nicky Torchia: I was still living in Pennsylvania. If I performed at what I guess I forget what it was back then, but the old Philly stadium. I think it's Citizens Bank Park now, but I think it maybe was still Citizens Bank Park then. But when I moved to New York and I understood the significance of Madison Square Garden and following the Knicks and I mean I follow my Philly teams more than I do my New York teams, but then I was like, oh that's cool, we we performed there. We were there, you know.

[33:13] Eli Tokash: Um, but I don't think I had that realization until later.

[33:18] Nicky Torchia: Interesting.

[33:19] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[33:19] Nicky Torchia: That's okay. But like I know like I I'm making you like remember all of these things.

[33:24] Eli Tokash: Oh, I love it. What was your favorite like memory that you remember?

[33:29] Nicky Torchia: From Christmas.

[33:32] Eli Tokash: Oh god.

[33:33] Nicky Torchia: Oh god. I don't I don't even I don't know. I honestly I think it's I think I said it is just our time backstage and everybody having fun and the tutoring sessions and all those things were probably my favorite memories from the show.

[33:52] Nicky Torchia: I have to say those tutoring sessions, there's nothing better than doing school at in like a theater setting or like even like an onset setting, and we'll definitely talk more about that when we talk about Law and Order. Because I know you just recently had your last one. So I definitely want to get into that with you. Um but like you know, you this is like your first like tour. This is your first like kind of major show with A Christmas Story and everything.

[34:18] Eli Tokash: So like what was that like? I mean, this is like a new process for you, and we're touring from city to city, and we're going to school, like not in our regular schools, like you know, like when you're in at home doing shows, you can go to school during the day at your regular school and whatnot, or like go online or whatever.

[34:35] Nicky Torchia: Um, but like what was just how was this adjustment period for you?

[34:41] Nicky Torchia: I think it kind of became normal. I don't really remember what it was like at first. I think I was just having so much fun that whatever adjustment that I had kind of just It wasn't even a thought. It wasn't even a thought. Um, you know, because I did A Christmas Story was first, and then I kind of went to every other project like right away.

[35:04] Nicky Torchia: Right, you know, maybe a month or two in the in the middle, and if it was a month or two, I was doing regional and not, you know, I'm so it was kind of like this one long four-year or I guess maybe three, five, whatever, how many years of just kind of this roller coaster high ride of just this like this thrill, and you're on a you're on a high for that long. And uh it definitely made the early teenage years harder because you're used to performing all the time and getting that constant uh recognition, or something about you know, people standing and applauding for you every night when you don't have it. It's like, you know, what are you gonna do?

[35:49] Eli Tokash: There's a piece of you missing, yeah.

[35:53] Nicky Torchia: You know, it's it's very metaphorical, and but it's true, it's really true.

[35:57] Eli Tokash: Yeah. Well, talk to me, like, okay. So, as I mentioned, maybe I didn't mention, but you did play Schwartz in A Christmas Story. So obviously, when I say that, I have to ask the question that everyone's been waiting for. What was it like to get your tongue stuck to the pole every night?

[36:15] Nicky Torchia: Did it what uh wait? You mean the triple dog dare?

[36:20] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[36:21] Nicky Torchia: Oh, um, yeah, because Michael would get his tongue stuck, right?

[36:25] Nicky Torchia: Okay, he got his tongue stuck. Um that's a fun that was a fun scene. That was really fun.

[36:30] Nicky Torchia: Yeah, I think. Um, yeah, that was a super fun one. I remember we we did something before that scene where I would definitely often forget my lines in that part.

[36:43] Eli Tokash: Uh huh.

[36:43] Nicky Torchia: Um, I don't remember we we were definitely doing something. I remember like me and Alexa uh Negiac um being back on that side of the wing and talking with you or somebody and then having to quickly run on stage and me being very flustered of like what scene in my hand.

[37:01] Eli Tokash: Right.

[37:02] Nicky Torchia: Um but that was a fun one.

[37:03] Eli Tokash: Yeah, that's a classic scene.

[37:05] Nicky Torchia: It's a classic scene.

[37:06] Eli Tokash: Yeah, it was good. Did I did I ever tell you the story about you said me playing Schwartz that I wasn't gonna play Schwartz originally?

[37:12] Nicky Torchia: No.

[37:13] Eli Tokash: Did I tell you that story?

[37:14] Nicky Torchia: Well I was cast as swing.

[37:18] Nicky Torchia: Oh.

[37:19] Eli Tokash: And then the the guy who was gonna play Schwartz, who I'll tell you off um recording, because I don't know if you would want me to say this, but he was catching Schwartz and he was in another show on Broadway. And so they wouldn't let him out of his contract. So they asked me if I would like to play Schwartz. I was like, sure.

[37:37] Nicky Torchia: Yeah, that's awesome.

[37:40] Eli Tokash: And and it wasn't at the time I said yes because I was nervous about learning all those tracks.

[37:47] Nicky Torchia: Sure.

[37:47] Eli Tokash: Especially because I was younger. Uh so when I had the opportunity just to play one role, I was like, yes.

[37:54] Nicky Torchia: Yeah.

[37:55] Eli Tokash: Um, so yeah.

[37:56] Nicky Torchia: That's awesome. I didn't realize that.

[37:58] Eli Tokash: Yeah. Maybe I did, and I just like it was a while ago.

[38:01] Nicky Torchia: Yeah. Wow, that's crazy. Look at you.

[38:03] Eli Tokash: You already got a promotion before you even started.

[38:06] Nicky Torchia: Look at that.

[38:07] Nicky Torchia: Um a situational promotion, but yeah.

[38:10] Eli Tokash: I guess a promotion nonetheless.

[38:12] Nicky Torchia: Do you remember how that worked? Like the whole like pole in like getting your getting his tongue stuck, you know?

[38:18] Nicky Torchia: It was a fake tongue.

[38:19] Eli Tokash: It was a fake tongue?

[38:20] Nicky Torchia: Yeah. I couldn't remember. He just kind of clenched on it with his front teeth.

[38:25] Eli Tokash: Okay.

[38:28] Nicky Torchia: Yeah, one of the adults would hand it to him behind the pole, I think. And then he would just clench it, and then somehow it got stuck.

[38:32] Eli Tokash: Somehow it got stuck.

[38:39] Nicky Torchia: Interesting.

[38:39] Eli Tokash: I know, I was like trying to remember it, and I was like, you know what? It was definitely a fake tongue that would stretch really far.

[38:45] Nicky Torchia: Yeah.

[38:46] Eli Tokash: So that it was the cartoonish kind of effect. But yeah, plus like for the people in the back of the 5000 theater that could see like see what's happening, yeah.

[38:55] Nicky Torchia: Yeah, so oh, interesting.

[38:57] Eli Tokash: Well, there you have it. Love theater magic. Um, so then you made your Broadway debut in Kinky Boots, which you alluded to a little bit earlier, the vacation swing.

[39:06] Nicky Torchia: Um, talk to me about your experience there. What was it like to like finally do some theater in New York? But I mean, like you already did it in a Christmas movie, but like it was great.

[39:15] Nicky Torchia: Um, that's still one of my favorite memories.

[39:17] Nicky Torchia: Yeah. Because I guess technically that was my Broadway debut.

[39:20] Eli Tokash: Sure.

[39:20] Nicky Torchia: Even though our Madison Square Garden thing was probably, but technically, Kinky Boots was my Broadway debut, so that was a very fun night and experience.

[39:33] Nicky Torchia: Um the story of getting Kinky Boots was also frantic. It it this theme will probably come up as we talk about the things that I've been in, as every time the audition process has been so frantic.

[39:47] Nicky Torchia: Like the more frantic it is, the more chance I have of getting it for some reason. Great A Christmas Story, I did you know 13 callbacks, right? 12 or however many it was.

[39:58] Nicky Torchia: And Kinky Boots, I was taking the New Jersey Transit from Pennsylvania, and our train got stuck in Secaucus.

[40:08] Eli Tokash: Shut up.

[40:09] Nicky Torchia: Yeah, the last stop. And so I ended up being like two hours late for my audition.

[40:17] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[40:17] Nicky Torchia: And so when I showed up, it was the casting director's lunch break. So I said, "Can I come in?" And she said, "Sure. We're eating lunch, but if you don't mind, you know." So I just was in during their lunch break. People are on their phones, people are eating their salads.

[40:33] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[40:34] Nicky Torchia: You know, I did probably like, I don't know, 16 bars, eight bars of my song. And they cut me off and said, "Thanks." And I was like, "Oh my god. That was so embarrassing." They cut me off in the start of my song.

[40:49] Eli Tokash: Sure.

[40:50] Nicky Torchia: And they told me to leave, and I had to go on their lunch break and I ruined it. I mean, right? The train got stuck.

[40:55] Eli Tokash: Right.

[40:56] Nicky Torchia: And on the way back, on the train back, I got a call from my agent and said, "They want you to start like in two days."

[41:03] Eli Tokash: What?

[41:04] Nicky Torchia: Yeah. And I learned the show. I mean, the kid role in that show was not a lot, but I learned the show on Tuesday afternoon, and then we did the show Tuesday night.

[41:16] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[41:17] Nicky Torchia: Yeah. So frantic and crazy, but you know, that seems to be how it works out.

[41:25] Eli Tokash: That's insane.

[41:26] Nicky Torchia: Yeah.

[41:26] Eli Tokash: That's such a cool story, though.

[41:28] Nicky Torchia: Yeah. I hate that. I feel like that's been a trend with me too. Not as far as like frantically and whatnot, but like I always feel like the auditions that I didn't do really well in, like I feel like I could have done better, or the ones that I actually like happen to get, it's really bizarre.

[41:43] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[41:43] Nicky Torchia: Or a lot of things that I got, you know, something was stressing me out that day, or there was some silly drama at my elementary school, or—

[41:53] Eli Tokash: Sure.

[41:53] Nicky Torchia: And I think weirdly it gets you out of your head. If you have some, especially as young actors, I feel like a lot of them where I at least I know I did this, was kind of plan out your scene very rehearsed.

[42:07] Eli Tokash: For sure.

[42:07] Nicky Torchia: Like a very rehearsed way. And you know, if you don't do it to the, you know, exactly how you planned it, it kind of throws you off.

[42:16] Eli Tokash: Right.

[42:17] Nicky Torchia: But if you're out of your head and you're not even thinking about it, and you just kind of do the scene how it naturally feels in the moment, that's so much better than however you just would rehearse it by yourself in your room because whatever the reader is giving you is obviously different than how what your voice in your head is saying, right, you know. So I think that it was good that they were all frantic because if I was worried about something else, I didn't have the energy to be concerned about what I was gonna do in the audition and just did it.

[42:47] Eli Tokash: Right.

[42:47] Nicky Torchia: Yeah, no, absolutely. I agree. Well, that's good. So I always say, like, you know, they don't necessarily like consider A Christmas Story Broadway, but I feel like it was, and it was like good preparation for Broadway.

[43:02] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[43:02] Nicky Torchia: I mean, we were in New York, we got to meet like all the people. Like I said earlier, like we got in the habit of doing school park show, you know, like that whole thing. Did you feel that way like for Kinky Boots? Like, did you feel like there was a lot of similarities, or was there like another adjustment period?

[43:16] Nicky Torchia: It was very similar, if not the same, just a different show.

[43:21] Eli Tokash: Right.

[43:22] Nicky Torchia: Same crowd I was hanging out with, the same people, the same parks, the same—

[43:27] Eli Tokash: Yeah, yeah.

[43:28] Nicky Torchia: It was like the second show, it wasn't the first.

[43:32] Eli Tokash: Totally.

[43:33] Nicky Torchia: And it was cool too, because like that whole season, it really seemed like literally everyone in A Christmas Story was like doing Matilda, fighting Pippin or like one of the shows, you know, Lion King, like something. Um, and so like it really felt like we were all in the same show together without being backstage with one another.

[43:52] Eli Tokash: Right.

[43:52] Nicky Torchia: You know, it was just a cool time to be on Broadway.

[43:55] Eli Tokash: It was a very cool time. I'm not sure if it's like that anymore.

[43:58] Nicky Torchia: Yeah, I don't, there's not many kids shows.

[44:01] Eli Tokash: There's not a lot of kid shows.

[44:03] Nicky Torchia: And yeah, I think we all just kinda got lucky.

[44:08] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[44:08] Nicky Torchia: For that, that we were born and to happen like that with that whatever five-year span or six-year span.

[44:14] Eli Tokash: Totally.

[44:14] Nicky Torchia: I think it was happening before us though, but yeah.

[44:18] Eli Tokash: Yeah, it started before us, but I feel like it like grew, you know, like Kinky Boots opened in 2015. So like it was all started in that area where it's continuing to grow. And like it was cool because like even like the community was like still so strong that like Violet with Emerson Steele, like she would come over to the park, like even though it wasn't open anymore, like everyone was just still like coming over. School of Rock then opened, right?

[44:44] Nicky Torchia: And like, you know, like it was just like it just kept getting bigger every like month, it seemed.

[44:49] Eli Tokash: Yeah, yeah.

[44:50] Nicky Torchia: Um, it was really cool. Um, so then you went on to do Elf the Musical.

[44:55] Eli Tokash: Right.

[44:56] Nicky Torchia: And you played Michael Hobbs. Come on, what a character. What a show.

[45:00] Eli Tokash: Oh my god, I can't imagine.

[45:02] Nicky Torchia: Okay. I did you ever do Michael?

[45:04] Eli Tokash: No.

[45:05] Nicky Torchia: Okay. I didn't. But you seem to have like a knack for these holiday shows.

[45:10] Eli Tokash: I know.

[45:11] Nicky Torchia: I know. What is it? Is it your like a charming face around the holidays? It warms everyone.

[45:17] Eli Tokash: Yeah, what I think it was was what I was saying earlier, is they didn't those shows were very music driven. And having that in my family and being that singing was my strongest thing. The big belty, you know, um cliche Christmas stuff, which I think was, you know, up my alley. Um, and you know, I had the chubby cheeks and the bangs and the whole spectacle.

[45:48] Nicky Torchia: Oh my gosh. So I think it was just yeah, whatever type cast or thing that was, it seemed to really work for me.

[45:57] Eli Tokash: Yeah. I don't know why. Do you still like listen? Cause like I know like everyone when they see like Elf the Musical, everyone's like so curious right away, like what kind of songs are in Elf the Musical because it's just like not it's great music, yeah.

[46:11] Nicky Torchia: It's great music.

[46:12] Eli Tokash: Yeah, I love the Buddy the Elf song, like that's like your big one, right?

[46:16] Nicky Torchia: Yeah, yeah.

[46:17] Eli Tokash: Um the yes, that one, and then the big one for Michael is the uh I don't know the name of the song, but the without a doubt there is a Santa Claus.

[46:28] Nicky Torchia: Oh okay. Um that's a really big one when Michael first sees Santa. You know. Um and that was um a great that was great. That was um an opportunity to do a bigger role in a show because A Christmas Story was uh the ensemble with all of us. Kinky Boots was, you know, a very small part of the beginning and at the end kind of of an appearance, but Elf was a you know, you have scenes by yourself and you have other songs by yourself, and it was a good stepping stone in terms of um roles, yeah.

[47:11] Eli Tokash: Totally, especially because King and I was a pretty nice role.

[47:15] Nicky Torchia: Yeah, yeah, yeah. King and I was was, yeah.

[47:17] Eli Tokash: Talk to me about it. Go ahead, go into it.

[47:21] Nicky Torchia: Um King and I. Yeah, that was, I think that was the perfect show for me to leave off on. Especially because I was going into TV and film because that was almost like a play. It was almost like a, it wasn't like a typical musical I felt. I think it being Lincoln Center and being a very high regarded place. And, you know, Bart Scheer, our director, he's just I mean, brilliant. And he is, you know, he really works with um, he really tries to have the actor come out, and he loves dra—I mean, it's a very dramatic show. I mean, if you've seen King and I, it's like a really intense, like heavy subjects. So I think that really helped me moving forward into TV and film because it was a dramatic role.

It was some singing, but it was very acting-based. And it that was an adjustment. I had a lot of rehearsals throughout my entire run. I was doing rehearsals before the night shows. Like every week. Probably doing, you know, three or four rehearsals every week during the whole time.

[48:40] Eli Tokash: Wow.

[48:40] Nicky Torchia: Yeah.

[48:41] Eli Tokash: That's crazy.

[48:41] Nicky Torchia: Just sharpening on the scenes, going over with Bart. I worked a lot with Bart's wife. She was amazing. And we would just meet together at the theater, and we would go up on the stage. Obviously, we would turn the lights on and go on the stage, and we would just work on it.

[48:58] Eli Tokash: Just like you and her.

[48:59] Nicky Torchia: Yeah. That's awesome. And we did that for a long time. So that was a lot of training. And definitely kind of gave me a new perspective of acting moving into the other stuff that I'm doing now. So I'm really glad that I got to do that. Because again, I keep saying it, but it gave me a new perspective.

[49:20] Eli Tokash: Totally. It really opened your acting chops, you know.

[49:23] Nicky Torchia: Yeah, well, I think it started the idea of being an actor. You know, I even remember in the first rehearsals because really quickly, a story of how I went from Elf to King and I.

[49:38] Eli Tokash: Oh yeah.

[49:39] Nicky Torchia: Because I we were in Dallas, an Elf. And I had sent in a tape earlier in the tour, but we had just closed in Dallas for we were in Dallas for like maybe a week. And we f—I flew on a red eye to New York City.

[49:57] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[49:58] Nicky Torchia: On our travel day, and did the audition in the afternoon, and then took a red eye that night to Atlanta, our next stop, and then did the show. So and then I got King and I, and we closed in Ohio on a Sunday. We traveled back to New York Monday, Equity Day Off.

[50:18] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[50:18] Nicky Torchia: And then Tuesday started rehearsals for King and I.

[50:21] Eli Tokash: Jesus.

[50:22] Nicky Torchia: So it was like one year of just fluid shows. Um so I remember in the rehearsal process with Bart of you know, me just having these weird tendencies that would not be an English boy from the 1800s.

[50:38] Eli Tokash: Oh sure.

[50:39] Nicky Torchia: You know, having my hands in my pockets, speaking a certain way, yeah. My accent. We worked a lot on the accent about you know, having the British accent that was specific to this time period and where I was born in what city and all that stuff. So it was really detailed based and really great for me to move into a more dramatic um acting stuff.

[51:02] Eli Tokash: That's so interesting because I know you played Michael Banks in Mary Poppins too.

[51:06] Nicky Torchia: Right.

[51:07] Eli Tokash: But obviously, like there was a difference between that and—

[51:07] Nicky Torchia: Oh for sure.

[51:11] Eli Tokash: Oh interesting. That was treated, I guess, in the rehearsal process as every other musical, but I guess I can relate King and I.

[51:20] Nicky Torchia: King and I was more similar to me to the stuff I do now on TV and film.

[51:27] Eli Tokash: Sure.

[51:27] Nicky Torchia: In terms of rehearsal process and the way Bart approached everything.

[51:31] Eli Tokash: Sure.

[51:32] Nicky Torchia: Than all my other stage performances were.

[51:35] Eli Tokash: Interesting.

[51:36] Nicky Torchia: Yeah. I like that though.

[51:37] Eli Tokash: That's cool.

[51:38] Nicky Torchia: Yeah, it was really great. Everything it seems like led you up to the next.

[51:43] Nicky Torchia: I just feel like I got so lucky with how everything's whole journey is really cool.

[51:47] Eli Tokash: I know. I feel like I got really lucky.

[51:50] Nicky Torchia: Yeah.

[51:50] Eli Tokash: Yeah. That's awesome. And now talk to me too. Like, I mean, you've been in shows with a lot of kids, and then you've been in shows where there's like only two kids, you know. Like King and I was another like heavy kid show. You know, that's a lot of kids. Um, do you I mean, like, is that something that you enjoy where there's a bunch of people that you're your age and whatnot, or do you kind of enjoy building the relationships with adults too?

[52:13] Nicky Torchia: Well, that's funny you say that because I've always felt like, and I guess you can talk about this too, is that we had to we had to be friends with the adults.

[52:23] Eli Tokash: Right.

[52:24] Nicky Torchia: So we had to learn how to get along with the adults.

[52:26] Eli Tokash: Sure.

[52:27] Nicky Torchia: And obviously, kids usually don't get along with adults because it's different ways of thinking. So um I always felt like, hmm. I wouldn't say I preferred lots of kids or no kids. Obviously, I had the two experiences, you know, Elf being just me and the other boy Harper, who was um opposite me who would transition.

[52:51] Eli Tokash: I think I went to your Elf fitting.

[52:54] Nicky Torchia: Are you serious?

[52:55] Eli Tokash: Yeah. Wasn't it across the street from Second Stage?

[52:59] Nicky Torchia: Maybe. It could have been. Well, I'll have to ask your mom. I don't know. I just feel like maybe I was staying with you guys that weekend. And then you—I don't know. That was just a weird thing. Because then I met Harper, and then you guys came to Finding Neverland.

[53:11] Nicky Torchia: Yeah, like I have a photo. We won't put—we won't maybe you can put on your Patreon, but uh I have a photo of us, or I took a selfie of you sleeping.

[53:22] Nicky Torchia: Oh my god, stop it. And you were very mad at me, I think when I did it. It's terrifying. I probably was sucking my thumb, was I? Okay, good. Um, but yes, you were you definitely did go to my outfitting now that you say that. Yeah, oh my god, that's so funny. Okay, continue because then I threw you off. Um we were talking about kids and like you were comparing Harper and you, yeah. Yeah, I don't think I prefer either one, but I feel like I had to get along with adults very well. Right. The kids in King and I, we were kind of separated. Me and um but Benell, um Fambrini, you know Benell. Yeah, uh, we were just an addressing room by ourselves because we were the quote unquote older boys, and then there were the girls, and then there were the younger boys, and so we were just by ourselves and most of my scenes were not with the other kids, were with the adults.

Right. And I spent a lot of time with the Wranglers and with the adult ensemble, and that was in King and I and Elf as well, because it was only one of their kid, so me and Harper would just spend a lot of time with the adults. So I feel like even though I was in shows with a lot of us, I felt like I got along with the adults better. Better almost, yeah. Or that was just how I had to be. It was a situational, you know.

[54:46] Eli Tokash: Yeah. I think too, like, you know, when you're a kid in the industry and like you have all of these adults around you, and they've like I don't know, like you know, it's a normal thing for a kid to look up to an adult. And so like when you're like going to rehearsal with them and you're seeing them and you're like, wow, you're really good. Like, as kids, we like we don't know we're good, you know. Like, and like still, like, even as like a person, you don't even like know how like I don't know, you don't know how to evaluate yourself, but like you can like so easily evaluate someone else, especially someone who's older than you.

[55:17] Nicky Torchia: Definitely, or like that you look up to. So, like, I totally agree with that. Like, I feel like even in like the Christmas story rehearsals, you know, like we would always go up to Erin Dilly and be like, your scene where you're just like so sad and you're like gonna cry, and you're like having this like midlife crisis, it's just like so good every time, and she's like, Thank you so much. Yeah, I reached out to her recently actually because she works at pace. Oh my god, right. Um, which is I'm looking to go to. Right. So um we're gonna FaceTime in the next few days. Oh good, yeah. So that's all she's wonderful, yeah. She's so sweet. And I just talked to John Bolton on this the a couple of like ago, yeah.

Awesome. Yeah, I love John Bolton. He's hilarious. What a riot. He was like out in his like ski cabin, like his like winter cabin up in New York, upstate New York and whatnot. He has two dogs now from the guy, Bill Berlone, who like had to bump his hounds. Yeah, he is like the dogs he adopted from him. You know, like it's yeah, it's really cool. So like everyone, he was saying like how just like connected a Christmas story has still been in his life, you know. It's really cool.

[56:31] Eli Tokash: That's awesome. That that family was really cool in Christmas story. I know we keep alluding to it, but yeah, we're great. Um so let's talk about some law and order stuff, shall we?

[56:41] Nicky Torchia: Okay, yeah, I mean, this is what you're doing right now. Uh you're currently on Law and Order Organized Crime. Uh y'all are in season two, yeah, so you guys are going strong, which is great to see. Hopefully, and we don't have a visual, but Eli is sitting in the Law and Order chair at the moment. I know. I'm very cool. I feel very cool right now. I feel like I'm on set in a way, you know. I have like headphones and I got my computer. I'm like, wow. I'm like doing edits on the next episode. That's coming out Thursday. Um or today, because you guys will be listening to this on Thursday. Um so yeah, it's so cool to see you up on TV. I don't know. It's always cool to see your friends on TV and be able to watch them work. I love your character and the dynamic with you and your dad, Elliot Stayler, played by Christopher Maloney Maloney. Is that right? Um, what is it like like working with him and kind of just like being on set and everything?

[57:37] Nicky Torchia: Chris is great. I mean, he's really amazing. Um, he's so committed. Yeah. And we have a great fan base, and a lot of people love to show up to our sets. No way. And you know, getting to watch his professionalism with everybody and taking pictures with everybody and FaceTiming all their friends on their phones and selfies. And he's so, you know, loving and his work is so brilliant. I mean, he's there's been a few times where we've been doing scenes, and I'll just find myself like watching him from an audience perspective, and then um I have to go, oh wait, no, we're okay, no no no, I'm we're in the scene together, like I have to get back, but you know, because he's so captivating, which is you know, and he's obviously been doing this for a long time, so you know, it's just a ta uh since he's been doing it for a long time, I think that's a testimony to how great he is because he's yeah, he's extremely talented. He's really great, yeah.

[58:42] Eli Tokash: Yeah, and it's cool because like seeing you guys on the screen together, it's wild how like similar your features are. He has very distinct features and you match them perfectly.

[58:54] Nicky Torchia: Yeah, I know. That's great. Yeah, I mean happy that worked out. That makes sense, right? I mean, that's why you're probably casted. Um, but that's so cool. What is it like to work on set? Like, because you guys are currently filming season two, so like what is it filming in these COVID kind of times?

[59:13] Nicky Torchia: Oh man, it was crazy, especially season one. Yeah. Because it was one of the first NBC productions to to start up, or one of the first, I guess, productions anywhere to start up. We began maybe January. Really? Of last year. Oh my god. So and it was still it was getting a little bit better then, but uh not really. So, you know, acting with masks and rehearsals, the challenge, and you know, as you know from on set. Oh, we also have to mention forever at some point. Oh my god, yeah. Um anyway. So as you know, on set, you know, the group lunches, the table reads, uh all that stuff. That stuff doesn't exist anymore. You know, I think that it's everyone separated. I mean, you get your lunch delivered to you in your own dressing room, and that's it.

You know, you're very social distanced, and you know, it's it was definitely challenging and odd, but it's getting better. Luckily, some restrictions are lifting up, you know, when we are whenever we do outside scenes, we don't have to wear masks, and that's really great. Um, I won't give too much away, but is this coming on next Thursday? Yeah. Okay. So I guess the episode tonight there is an outside scene that I am in. That's all I will say. Um that was the first time I got to see a lot of our crew's face. Oh, really? Yeah, because we're always inside. Interesting. And we've done a few outside other outside scenes, but we just were given permission to not wear masks outside very recently. Right. So we get that was the first outside scene that I was a part of that I could see everybody's face. I was like, oh my god. I know, it's like meeting you for the first time. Who are you? Yeah.

[1:01:14] Nicky Torchia: So, um it it it's been weird. Yeah, it's been weird. Do you have to like okay, are the I'm sure I won't assume, but I'm sure everyone has to be vaccinated, right? Um, do you guys do like daily like testings?

[01:01:28] Nicky Torchia: Yeah, we get tested 48 hours before we're on set. Okay. And then we used to have a rapid before we enter any NBC facility, but we don't have to wrap it anymore. Oh, okay. So it's just the PCR 48 hours before, and then a quarantine before you go on set. So good stuff. Yeah. And now and you've been like just cranking it out with like school and filming and everything. Like and and as I alluded to earlier, you just recently had a birthday and you're 18, and so you don't have to do tutoring on set.

[01:02:06] Nicky Torchia: Right. Um talk to me first about tutoring on set, and then we're gonna talk about what it's like to not have a tutor on set and how to still keep up with schoolwork.

[01:02:14] Nicky Torchia: Yeah. Tutoring on set is great. Yeah. It's really it's kind of too great. It is it's kind of you know, uh it's it can be very easy to get work done. Yeah. The tutors have are very generous. Um and it's always fun, especially when you have other kids. It's funny. My tutor, her name is Nancy, love Nancy. She Free Law and Order. Yeah. Okay. She was tutoring other kids in other projects at the same time as me because we were tutoring over Zoom. So she was able to tutor a lot of kids and all these other shows. Oh my god, and like a breakout. Oh my god. All in one Zoom room, and we would all go to breakout rooms, and she would just visit everybody. That's awesome. Um, I guess it wasn't it's not the same as being in the same room with everybody. But um, you know, it's tutoring is I think I have developed liking one-on-one teaching because of tutoring on set. We're spoiled. Yeah, very spoiled. Yeah, for sure.

[01:03:23] Nicky Torchia: And uh, like you said, it it does motivate you too. Like, you know, you have three hours of school like a day that you're technically like required to do, right? Right. And so, like, or like you bank it and you like kind of take it away from your bank, but you're like, oh shoot, I only have like this chunk of time to like complete this, this, this. So it does like motivate you. So there's like pros and cons, but like you said, yeah, there's pros about you definitely get work done. Yeah, it was very hard for me now to do uh, you know, like some type of algebra assignment during we're switching, you know, camera angles. We have to I have to like go do five minutes of tutoring. I know. And that's very hard for me to remain focused because of the you know, my my method and everything.

Um, so that was very hard. But you do get a lot of work done, and that's good. Totally. Um now talk to me what it was like to like well, what it is like, not was like, um, to like not have a tutor and kind of when you're on set, like when do you or do you like do you have this system now where you're like still figuring out like you get your work done before you go to set, or do you do it on set?

[01:04:32] Nicky Torchia: I just kind of do my work like I wasn't on set, just kind of here in my room whenever I have the time. Sure. I'm not taking a lot of classes this year. Oh, okay, that's good. It's very easy for me to get my work done this year. Senior year, baby. I know. I mean, college applications are a whole nother thing, but so I don't I'm not taking a lot of classes, so it's easy for me to get my my work done. You poor child. Yeah, you poor child. I just realized that you're doing school, you're doing college applications, and you're filming a TV show. Oh my god. No, no, no. It's it's it's a great it's busy, but it's a great business. Uh-huh. Um it's a very great problem to have. Yeah. I would I'd rather be busy than not busy.

So totally. Um so yeah, I kind of just do my work whenever, and not having a tutor on set hasn't been an issue yet for me getting my work done. Right. Um, you know, I'm not there every day, so it's you know, I have I I have some time. I do. I'm probably there, you know, once a week or oh well that's good. Once every week and a half or something like that, you know.

[01:05:41] Eli Tokash: Yeah, and I appreciate you fitting me into your little Oh no, it's fun. I today's today is is a very light day for me. So good. It was great. I'm glad it worked out. Okay, so let's move on to this fan question.

[01:05:53] Nicky Torchia: Oh I'm so excited. Okay, so uh one of the patrons of Take About, Diana Damore, uh sent in a question well uh uh she sent in both a comment and a question, and both read them in the comment, read me a comment first. Yeah, I definitely want to read them both. So she said, I'm a big fan of the Law and Order saga, especially SVU. I've watched OC, I'm assuming that's organized crime, as well. And whenever I see Nikki, I think of Take About. It's awesome that he's gonna be a podcast, uh he's gonna be on the podcast as a guest. And then the question is my question very sweet of her, by the way. Um, my question for him is oh wait, my questions for him are what is it like working on a T uh working on TV versus working on stage?

[1:06:43] Eli Tokash: And do you prefer one over the other?

[1:06:46] Nicky Torchia: So you answer that one. That's a really awesome question. It's a different craft. Yeah. It's a different thing. It's totally different. Um obviously the you know, the literal differences of you have a camera in front of you and you get to see it's much closer as you would be, you know, if you're sitting in the back row of a theater, or if you have, you know, a square box that's like just your face.

[1:07:20] Eli Tokash: Right.

[1:07:20] Nicky Torchia: It's a very different method of expressing. If I am trying to express to the back row, like we always talk about, you know, that I would look like to make our tongues bigger. Right. I would I would make I would look like an insane person on camera if I acted. So it would look like I was I don't know, insane. So it's a whole different technique, it's a whole different style. Um in a show you get to do it every night once. In camera, you get to do it a lot, but it's that day.

[1:07:58] Eli Tokash: Right.

[1:07:59] Nicky Torchia: So, you know, you have to maintain if it you're doing it a very emotional thing, it's not like you can just work yourself up through it throughout the play and then have a moment. You have to keep getting back to that same moment over and over and over again. Right. Um, and that's an aspect, I mean, that's part that's the job. Um, and it's just a different thing. I don't know if I have a preference.

[1:08:24] Eli Tokash: I I guess my preference, um no, I don't have a preference.

[1:08:29] Nicky Torchia: Yeah.

[1:08:30] Eli Tokash: Yeah. Interesting.

[1:08:31] Nicky Torchia: I have a preference.

[1:08:33] Eli Tokash: What's your preference?

[1:08:34] Nicky Torchia: Mine's theater.

[1:08:35] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[1:08:35] Nicky Torchia: But solely because I love the fact of a live audience. And I've always said that like if I was on like a TV show, or if like if I was living my best fantasy like on friends or like something that like I could be on a TV set with a live audience, I feel like it would just be like so much better. Cause I just I love that immediate feedback that audiences give.

[1:08:59] Nicky Torchia: Yes, that's another thing. You do not know how you're doing.

[1:09:01] Eli Tokash: Yeah, and you're really hard to know.

[1:09:04] Nicky Torchia: Like I know, literally. And I'm always like, what can I do better? Like, what am I doing? Cause like, you know, like when you do the scene so many times in one day, it it you start to question, you're like, oh, did I do something wrong that we have to do it again?

[1:09:18] Eli Tokash: Of course.

[1:09:19] Nicky Torchia: Or like, you know, like there's always that thing um in the back of your head and whatnot. And the other thing too about TV, I I I love both. I've always said that I love both. And but I do like that immediate response from audiences. Um, but with TV, it it's hard too, because like you said, you jump around and it's not like like literally you can be doing two or three different episodes in a day. You know, like so like you're like, what part am I doing? What is this episode as a whole? What is my character arc in this episode?

[1:09:53] Eli Tokash: You know, well, yeah, we don't shoot things in order.

[1:09:56] Nicky Torchia: No. I think that's people a lot of a lot of times people think that it's in order. Or I don't know why, but people think that. Um, and I guess if you don't know, then how how would you know?

[1:10:06] Eli Tokash: No, exactly.

[1:10:07] Nicky Torchia: So yeah, um, it's it can be challenging to shoot something that's at the end of an episode when we have to remember the past.

[1:10:18] Eli Tokash: Right that in you.

[1:10:19] Nicky Torchia: And then I think that's that's fine doing an ending. If if you're doing an ending first and and the beginning last, the first part of that of doing the ending first is fine because it's just like any other scene. You just have a background in your head.

[1:10:32] Eli Tokash: But when you're doing the beginning after you've done the last, trying to block out what you've done like yesterday, yeah, and say that that doesn't exist anymore, that's more challenging.

[1:10:44] Nicky Torchia: Yeah.

[1:10:45] Eli Tokash: Um knowing that result while you're doing it.

[1:10:47] Nicky Torchia: Yeah, I mean that's and but and that's also for any kind of performance, you know.

[1:10:52] Eli Tokash: Right.

[1:10:52] Nicky Torchia: Um that's and that's being in the moment.

[1:10:54] Eli Tokash: Yes.

[1:10:55] Nicky Torchia: Yeah.

[1:10:55] Eli Tokash: Acting is tough, man.

[1:10:57] Nicky Torchia: Acting is tough.

[1:10:58] Eli Tokash: Okay, here's the other question.

[1:10:59] Nicky Torchia: Oh, I kinda I oh I kind of took it away from her, but we're gonna do it anyways. Um my other question is what is it like working with Chris Maloney and Mariska Hargitay?

[1:11:13] Nicky Torchia: Yes. Um, um, but wait, there's also more. Um, and not only being part of this iconic franchise, but also being a part of a new series, uh, that is adding something new to a franchise that has been around for over 20 years.

[1:11:30] Eli Tokash: Yes.

[1:11:31] Nicky Torchia: So I will start with uh Mariska and Chris are wonderful. I have the great pleasure of acting with both of them often. Hopefully, I'm not gonna spoil it. I'm not gonna say anything besides that. Hopefully that already wasn't a spoiler, but I get to uh act with them often, and uh you know, a lot of my scenes are with the two of them, and then also my grandma on the show played by Ellen Burstyn. Ellen is yeah, I mean my job is extremely easy when I get to work with any of those three people.

[1:12:09] Eli Tokash: Right.

[1:12:10] Nicky Torchia: Because, you know, I mean, Ellen, you know, she's won best actress, she's amazing, and uh they're so great, and I was so surprised, especially in my first day upset in season one. Um, if anybody knows the show, my first scene that I ever filmed was my mother's funeral scene, um, which was a bit nerve-wracking my first day on set and having to like cry over my mother's death.

[1:12:37] Nicky Torchia: Um, and that was also the first scene they did in the entire um series. Well that was the first scene that we that they ever did.

[1:12:45] Eli Tokash: So um, but I and Mariska and Chris were both in that, and I was so surprised and so happy to see their commitment because like you said, the series has been on for 20 plus years.

[1:13:01] Nicky Torchia: And well, the original Law and Order, it may be is is it 30? I don't know.

[1:13:05] Eli Tokash: A long very long time.

[1:13:07] Nicky Torchia: Uh decade. Not decades, right?

[1:13:09] Eli Tokash: Decades.

[1:13:10] Nicky Torchia: Yeah, decades.

[1:13:11] Eli Tokash: That's just words.

[1:13:13] Nicky Torchia: So um, you know, their commitment is like it's day one for them. You know, there's they care so much and we're there to work, and it's and that's it. You know, it's just about the work, and it's just about an exploration of these characters in these situations and how they would act and how they would do.

[1:13:35] Eli Tokash: And it's not about anything else besides let's just explore this script that we're given.

[1:13:41] Nicky Torchia: Right. And it's kind of uh uh a great thing.

[1:13:44] Eli Tokash: And it and then and they're great um yeah that's my answer to that.

[1:13:44] Nicky Torchia: That's your answer to that and do you want to touch a little bit on just like being a part of the Law and Order franchise and kind of like what that means to you were you a big Law and Order fan like already?

[1:13:44] Nicky Torchia: I definitely yeah for sure I mean I watched the SVU and the original one I mean it's on T on TV all the time.

[1:14:09] Eli Tokash: Right.

[1:14:09] Nicky Torchia: We could probably turn on TV right now and it'd probably be a rerun somewhere and so definitely I I definitely would watch the the show um and I'm very honored to be a part of it now.

[1:14:22] Eli Tokash: Yeah um and it's really really great it's really great.

[1:14:26] Nicky Torchia: Yeah it's it's really great um I love the show um I watched a bunch of episodes like within the past like two days to like be like kind of know what to talk about.

[1:14:38] Eli Tokash: But no it's awesome I love seeing you up there and like you said like everyone is kind just you can tell very very dedicated to to their craft to the work that they're doing.

[1:14:48] Nicky Torchia: Yeah um and just like every I mean in to be in that franchise it's uh it's like iconic like you know like everyone knows the Law and Order franchise at some point so uh it's the best of the best and uh you're a part of that so yeah that's yeah really wonderful.

[1:14:48] Nicky Torchia: Yeah um you said you wanted to talk about forever I think we should mention it.

[1:14:48] Eli Tokash: Okay well we were both for for people listening there's uh there was a show called forever on ABC.

[1:15:17] Nicky Torchia: Oh my god.

[1:15:17] Eli Tokash: And Nicky was on it for a while.

[1:15:22] Nicky Torchia: Right?

[1:15:22] Eli Tokash: Well, well, I mean, we only did one season but okay yeah that's true.

[1:15:22] Nicky Torchia: That's true.

[1:15:27] Eli Tokash: I was on it a lot.

[1:15:29] Nicky Torchia: Was it eight episodes?

[1:15:31] Eli Tokash: Uh the season was I think 12, and I was on about seven or eight.

[1:15:37] Nicky Torchia: Okay.

[1:15:37] Eli Tokash: Um so around that.

[1:15:39] Nicky Torchia: And I just did one.

[1:15:40] Eli Tokash: And we had no idea, by the way, no, that either of us were on the show at the time.

[1:15:46] Nicky Torchia: Um because we didn't get to work with each other.

[1:15:49] Eli Tokash: No, no, no, no. I think that I don't even think were you even in the episode that I was in.

[1:15:54] Nicky Torchia: Maybe.

[1:15:55] Eli Tokash: I don't know.

[1:15:56] Nicky Torchia: I don't remember.

[1:15:57] Eli Tokash: It was a long time ago.

[1:15:58] Nicky Torchia: It was 2016. The I worked with Caleb on the episode.

[1:16:03] Eli Tokash: Um, you know, Stranger Things.

[1:16:06] Nicky Torchia: Um so yeah, so I that was the only kid I I got to work with for um that episode.

[1:16:15] Eli Tokash: I never saw you.

[1:16:16] Nicky Torchia: Yeah.

[1:16:17] Eli Tokash: We didn't see each other and I I was walk obviously like I watched the show, like we were I was in it, you know.

[1:16:23] Nicky Torchia: So I was watching it and I was like, Nikki?

[1:16:27] Eli Tokash: And like I remember like texting you and being like, You're in forever.

[1:16:31] Nicky Torchia: Yeah, yeah.

[1:16:31] Eli Tokash: You're like, yeah, I am. I was like, oh my god, what that's so cool.

[1:16:36] Nicky Torchia: Um, but yeah, it was just a cool like moment. I feel like that always happens, you know, like even like random things throughout, like it's always like, well, like everything is so connected, it's just it's incredible to like see your friends like doing the same project as you without even knowing it.

[1:16:50] Nicky Torchia: I know, especially in that world, you know.

[1:16:52] Eli Tokash: Yeah, yeah.

[1:16:53] Nicky Torchia: It's so funny. We had um uh on the premiere of SVU and organized an OC um that we had a few weeks ago.

[1:17:02] Eli Tokash: Uh there was a girl who I went to school with who was in the SVU episode before me.

[1:17:07] Nicky Torchia: Oh my god.

[1:17:08] Eli Tokash: Um, and so it was funny. I I sent her an Instagram message and I was like, so good to see you on the show, and she's like, are you on the show?

[1:17:10] Nicky Torchia: Oh my god.

[1:17:10] Eli Tokash: And I was like what like wait another 30 minutes.

[1:17:20] Nicky Torchia: Right.

[1:17:21] Eli Tokash: And then you'll see me.

[1:17:22] Nicky Torchia: Yeah.

[1:17:23] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[1:17:24] Nicky Torchia: That's hilarious.

[1:17:24] Eli Tokash: Um yeah we won't obviously choose SVU and I was OC, but it was just funny to to see that.

[1:17:28] Nicky Torchia: So I know it's it's it's it's funny how that all everybody's connected.

[1:17:33] Eli Tokash: Yeah, for real.

[1:17:34] Nicky Torchia: Um well I would be remiss not to talk about the take a vow music that you so generously made.

[1:17:42] Eli Tokash: Uh do you have do you have do you have seasons on here?

[1:17:44] Nicky Torchia: Do you have C We I've thought about it, but I've never taken a break so I've never done seasons.

[1:17:50] Eli Tokash: Well next time you have a season I'll we'll do I'll make you an a new thing.

[1:17:55] Nicky Torchia: A new theme?

[1:17:56] Eli Tokash: Yeah yeah if you want or if it or if it's if it's a thing now then I won't but it or maybe uh wait what did you had your hundredth hundredth episode?

[1:18:04] Nicky Torchia: No I'm you're gonna be 73.

[1:18:08] Eli Tokash: Okay.

[1:18:09] Nicky Torchia: So maybe for your hundred that would be we'll have a little rewrite moment.

[1:18:14] Eli Tokash: Or or just uh a hundredth episode special.

[1:18:17] Nicky Torchia: Oh okay.

[1:18:19] Eli Tokash: I'm down I love it.

[1:18:20] Nicky Torchia: You know it really has like become a thing. Like Sydney and I would always and even I still do it like we would start like our little episodes and then we would have it like so the way that they do it is like it they open every episode with like you're listening to the Broadway podcast network.

[1:18:40] Nicky Torchia: Yeah yeah and they have like the network that we're with like has their own like little intro. So we just do that and then we will start talking immediately after their intro.

[1:18:50] Eli Tokash: And then when we introduce the guests, so like I said, like we play the music, and then it'll go into this week we have Nikki Torchia on the podcast.

[1:18:59] Nicky Torchia: Um, but every time we like sing along with it, and like now it's like in everybody's head.

[1:19:06] Eli Tokash: It's it's catchy.

[1:19:07] Nicky Torchia: That's great. I'm glad you literally did like 10 versions of that for us.

[1:19:12] Eli Tokash: We were really picky on that.

[1:19:13] Nicky Torchia: No, you should I I'm glad you were picking on it because you got what you wanted. I feel like that's always a um a weird pet peeve of mine.

[1:19:22] Nicky Torchia: Really? People because it's funny, anytime anybody watches any of my work or anything like that? Obviously, the the phrase everybody always says is you're so great.

[1:19:34] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[1:19:34] Nicky Torchia: And I'm always like, Really? That was the best performance you've ever seen in your life?

[1:19:39] Eli Tokash: Right.

[1:19:40] Nicky Torchia: It's like, no, it was not. So that was a nice answer, but what did you think about it? Because I genuinely want feedback on it because you know, I want to grow and I want to get better.

[1:19:52] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[1:19:53] Nicky Torchia: And so I appreciate when people are picky and give harsh feedback because you know, I'd rather you do that than just be like it's great and then not use it or say it's great and then hate it and then be stuck with it.

[1:20:06] Nicky Torchia: Right. You know, so yeah, that's great.

[1:20:09] Eli Tokash: Yeah, I mean, we are you like especially me, like I usually am like more of like the oh, that was great, like so cool, like better than anything I could do, like you know, like and then like, but you sent us like three or four like really cool and very different options where we were like, wait, what if like this part sounded like the other part from the other track? And so like then you like were combining it was just really cool to see like everything that you were doing. Like you were did you just like how does that work? Like, did you do it? Did you play the instruments? Did you do it?

[1:20:43] Nicky Torchia: I think I played them? I don't remember honestly. I'll have to find the original file of where it is on my computer and break it down and remember what I did.

[1:20:52] Eli Tokash: Yeah. But yeah, I played it, but and then you do music of your own. Like you have a song called Specialty.

[1:21:00] Nicky Torchia: Well, yeah, it's literally one of my favorite like literally I remember like you were writing it and you were like sending me versions of it.

[1:21:07] Eli Tokash: Yeah, and you were like, or like swipe up on my story if you want to like listen to my song before I release it. And I was like, This is so good.

[1:21:15] Nicky Torchia: Like that was a fun one. I mean, there's you know that the show's moving in second season and and I feel a little bit more settled.

[1:21:26] Eli Tokash: Right.

[1:21:27] Nicky Torchia: I may put I have a lot of other songs that are done that I just never put out.

[1:21:31] Eli Tokash: Really?

[1:21:32] Nicky Torchia: And once we cut the audio, I'll maybe if you want to play some.

[1:21:36] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[1:21:37] Nicky Torchia: But there's a lot of them that I made after that. Maybe two or not a lot, two or three.

[1:21:42] Eli Tokash: Okay.

[1:21:43] Nicky Torchia: That are done. And I just wasn't perfect for me.

[1:21:47] Eli Tokash: So I had done small edits for a long time and then kind of just gave up on it.

[1:21:53] Nicky Torchia: So I need to this year maybe I'll revisit. It's always been a dream of mine to get a music project together.

[1:22:00] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[1:22:01] Nicky Torchia: Um PP or something.

[1:22:03] Eli Tokash: Oh, okay.

[1:22:04] Nicky Torchia: Yeah. I mean, it would be cool.

[1:22:06] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[1:22:07] Nicky Torchia: It would have to be great.

[1:22:09] Eli Tokash: Because I okay.

[1:22:10] Nicky Torchia: I would have to like really spend a lot of time on it because I never want to put anything out there that's not my best.

[1:22:17] Eli Tokash: Um for anything so sure um, yeah.

[1:22:21] Nicky Torchia: It w it but maybe we'll see.

[1:22:23] Eli Tokash: We'll see if I we'll see.

[1:22:25] Nicky Torchia: Do you like the music stuff?

[1:22:26] Eli Tokash: I love it.

[1:22:27] Nicky Torchia: Yeah, I love it. I mean, I love doing that. I love writing I love any kind of artistic avenue that I can put out there it's it's something about that that is I guess somewhere inside me that needs needs that whatever it is so it exercises the same muscles as acting does for me and you know I love it yeah yeah and tells your story you know like not a character yes well although I do think a lot of what I show through my character on especially on this show is a lot of me or versions of myself or stuff that it's always interesting um you know feeling comfortable doing that or or or gives you a way to express yourself in a way that you wouldn't be comfortable expressing yourself as well.

[1:23:12] Nicky Torchia: So it's very therapeutic actually but yes expressing myself literally yeah yeah that's awesome.

[1:23:21] Eli Tokash: Well Nikki I mean that's kind of everything I have today yeah thank you so much for doing this and thank you for welcoming into your home we have some candles he like had like a whole setup for me I'm very into candles and incense and I'm um I do a lot of meditation and stuff so anytime you come over we we'll we'll light some candles and in celebration.

[1:23:42] Nicky Torchia: Yes and meditate.

[1:23:43] Eli Tokash: I like that I'm getting into that oh yeah for sure yeah absolutely well I mean honestly I mean we've been friends for for so long now and I I I just appreciate everything that you know you've done for me especially in this podcast. You know like even like everyone listening, they all know who you are. You know, we talk about you all the time.

[1:24:01] Nicky Torchia: So I'm glad we are finally able to do this.

[1:24:05] Eli Tokash: Um yeah, definitely, definitely over what is it? Um, definitely um a long way overdue.

[1:24:09] Nicky Torchia: Way overdue.

[1:24:14] Eli Tokash: Yeah, long time.

[1:24:15] Nicky Torchia: Yeah, this is definitely yeah.

[1:24:17] Eli Tokash: But anyways, thank you for doing this. I can't thank you enough. And thank you for sharing all your stories with you.

[1:24:22] Nicky Torchia: Of course, man. Thank you for having me.

[1:24:23] Eli Tokash: Yeah, I really appreciate you letting me come on here.

[1:24:26] Nicky Torchia: Oh my god, we have we love it.

[1:24:27] Eli Tokash: So uh for everyone listening, where can they uh they can where can they find you and where can they follow you and keep up going?

[1:24:34] Nicky Torchia: Pretty much the only social media I have is Instagram.

[1:24:37] Eli Tokash: Okay.

[1:24:38] Nicky Torchia: My name Nikki Torsa.

[1:24:40] Eli Tokash: Amazing.

[1:24:40] Nicky Torchia: That's my handle.

[1:24:41] Eli Tokash: And then TORSHA T-O-R-C-H-I-A.

[1:24:46] Nicky Torchia: Perfect.

[1:24:47] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[1:24:47] Nicky Torchia: Nailed it.

[1:24:48] Eli Tokash: Just in case and Nikki with a Y.

[1:24:50] Nicky Torchia: Nikki with a Y.

[1:24:52] Eli Tokash: And uh Thursdays on NBC at 10 o'clock.

[1:24:56] Nicky Torchia: Good stuff.

[1:24:57] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[1:24:57] Nicky Torchia: Law and order, organized crime.

[1:24:59] Eli Tokash: Good stuff.

[1:25:00] Nicky Torchia: Thank you all. Appreciate it.

[1:25:01] Eli Tokash: Take about Nikki Torcha.

[1:25:04] Nicky Torchia: Oh my gosh. Literally, all of these incredible things that he's brought up. It was wonderful to talk to him about the dynamics of kind of like going from not doing a tutor on set, not like kind of being like a kid, and then in the next day you're an adult, technically, and just how set changes and life changes on set.

[1:25:22] Eli Tokash: Um and kind of the just everything changes.

[1:25:25] Nicky Torchia: Um people don't really think about the the difference of a day.

[1:25:29] Eli Tokash: Um, and it's kind of it's really fascinating um to me.

[1:25:33] Nicky Torchia: Uh, I appreciate Nikki for coming on, joining us as always with our guests.

[1:25:38] Eli Tokash: Um, I enjoyed talking to him about Christmas story.

[1:25:41] Nicky Torchia: I enjoyed talking to him about the take about music, which is always exciting for me.

[1:25:46] Eli Tokash: Um and I loved his ideas for a hundred episodes.

[1:25:50] Nicky Torchia: Uh I love his idea for the a hundredth episode uh new music change up.

[1:25:56] Eli Tokash: So I'm very excited for that.

[1:25:57] Nicky Torchia: Uh we're gonna see how that how that goes and what may come of that, which is uh to me very exciting.

[1:26:04] Eli Tokash: When he said that, I was like, oh my god.

[1:26:06] Nicky Torchia: So everyone stay tuned on that.

[1:26:08] Eli Tokash: A hundred episodes is gonna be uh one to check out.

[1:26:12] Nicky Torchia: And uh just everything he's doing right now.

[1:26:15] Eli Tokash: I mean, just the way that he's been able to uh transition himself to uh a mindset where it was kind of just like theater to doing both TV and film and music.

[1:26:26] Nicky Torchia: Um it's just it's fascinating stuff, and it's just crazy to see how um performers and everyone in this industry kind of has to adjust in so many ways.

[1:26:36] Eli Tokash: Um just by their age, by their height, by their look, whatever it may be.

[1:26:40] Nicky Torchia: Uh there's so many things that goes into to being a performer in this industry and an artist in this industry.

[1:26:46] Eli Tokash: Um it's really it's really incredible.

[1:26:49] Nicky Torchia: And I I loved uh highlighting Nikki's journey and story uh surrounding that, and it's just uh it's just another piece of evidence that uh it's not easy to be a child actor and kind of predict uh transition into just the teen world and uh you really have to get lucky and uh be talented, of course, but uh you it a lot of it is is luck too, and uh you're at the right place in the right time and you look like the right person, and uh Nikki's been able to do that, and he's been wildly successful, and it's just so so exciting.

[1:27:22] Eli Tokash: I love when uh you can see people that you know succeed.

[1:27:26] Nicky Torchia: Uh Diana Damore, thank you so much for uh sending in your question.

[1:27:31] Eli Tokash: He was very, very excited about it.

[1:27:33] Nicky Torchia: Uh, for everyone else uh who's a patron of Take A Bow.

[1:27:37] Eli Tokash: Continue to send in those questions because guests love that and they love hearing from you and not just this kid uh over here on the mic who kind of just asked questions that uh sometimes are repetitive and uh but it always gives a new answer so that's why I continue to do it.

[1:27:57] Nicky Torchia: Um but there was so much more we could have talked about with Nikki.

[1:28:00] Eli Tokash: Um I'm just really grateful that uh he came on to to share what it was like.

[1:28:05] Nicky Torchia: I mean obviously Calvin just talked about the the COVID um protocols backstage in a show and now Nikki got to talk a little bit about that on um and then Nikki talked about that what it was like to be on set.

[1:28:19] Eli Tokash: Uh he kind of alluded to to many different things about his character moving forward.

[1:28:24] Nicky Torchia: Um he talked about uh of course his experience in a crystal story with me it was really cool to to relive those memories and uh to talk about King and I and his relationship with Bart Scher and how that kind of influenced his route and kind of made him the performer that he is today.

[1:28:41] Eli Tokash: It's just incredible.

[1:28:42] Nicky Torchia: It was just really good stuff and uh I hope that you are our you were all able to to learn and kind of um pick up on things you know like a lot of this stuff is like hidden stuff that uh they kind of just share stories but there's so much to pick up from them.

[1:28:56] Eli Tokash: Just like something as small as you know being able to be at King and I and pick up so many things from Bart Sheer's wife who helped Nicky be the actor that he is today and kind of uh be confident as an actor.

[1:29:11] Nicky Torchia: And uh that's just something that like you don't even think of and every opportunity of whoever you're working with, you can always learn from them and it can always shape your craft and whatever you're doing.

[1:29:23] Eli Tokash: Um and you can always pick up things and take things and and every every person who comes into your life influences you in some way.

[1:29:32] Nicky Torchia: So uh I think that was a huge message there.

[1:29:35] Eli Tokash: Um and I just really appreciated him uh being so open.

[1:29:38] Nicky Torchia: Uh so I really think this is a great episode.

[1:29:40] Eli Tokash: Thank you all for listening.

[1:29:41] Nicky Torchia: Uh I'm actually gonna do a drama dictionary before I leave, so st stay with me here.

[1:29:46] Eli Tokash: Uh this week we talked to uh to Nikki about Elf the musical and how it's just when you think of elf and you're like, oh, how is that a musical? Is it gonna be Christmas carols? What is it gonna be?

[1:29:58] Nicky Torchia: And it actually has this incredible score.

[1:30:01] Eli Tokash: But what is a score?

[1:30:03] Nicky Torchia: A score, isn't that like a a goal? Isn't that like a sports term?

[1:30:08] Eli Tokash: No, okay.

[1:30:09] Nicky Torchia: And you wanna know something?

[1:30:11] Eli Tokash: I know I'm like waitress heavy on this show, but waitress is one of those scores that's just like a non-skip for me.

[1:30:20] Nicky Torchia: And I think it's one of those scores that uh doesn't have a bad song.

[1:30:26] Eli Tokash: So I'm kinda giving you some context here to maybe figure it out on yourself.

[1:30:31] Nicky Torchia: But if you haven't figured it out yourself yet, a score is what they call all of the just the music in the show.

[1:30:39] Eli Tokash: So all of the music and all the sheet music and everything, all of that is called a score.

[1:30:43] Nicky Torchia: So when you go and you're like, oh, that's a cast recording, and it's like, oh, well that's the score of the show, you know, like that's the music in the show.

[1:30:51] Eli Tokash: Um it's called the score.

[1:30:53] Nicky Torchia: If you're in rehearsals for a musical or you're doing like a summer camp or you're doing a voice lesson or something, your music director or whoever's in charge is gonna be like, oh, flip to this song in your score.

[1:31:04] Eli Tokash: Or oh, flip to this page in your score.

[1:31:07] Nicky Torchia: Um, that's exactly what that means.

[1:31:09] Eli Tokash: Um, and so that it just means to go to your music section.

[1:31:13] Nicky Torchia: It's solely music, it's not anything to do with the script.

[1:31:16] Eli Tokash: Um, and it's just a completely different section.

[1:31:19] Nicky Torchia: So, um, that's what the score is.

[1:31:21] Eli Tokash: It is not uh it is a sports term, but not in this situation, and uh that's this week's drama dictionary award of the week.

[1:31:30] Nicky Torchia: So that's all I have for this week.

[1:31:32] Eli Tokash: This is episode 73, which is one of my favorite numbers.

[1:31:35] Nicky Torchia: Um, and uh yeah, that's all I have for you all this week.

[1:31:38] Eli Tokash: I appreciate you all for listening.

[1:31:40] Nicky Torchia: I appreciate you all for coming back.

[1:31:42] Eli Tokash: Um, and welcome to all the new listeners.

[1:31:45] Nicky Torchia: And uh yeah, I it was a great week, and I can't wait to continue consuming some of that Broadway content and Broadway shows that uh I've been fortunate enough to go see.

[1:31:54] Eli Tokash: So um I will obviously keep you guys all updated uh and give you my thoughts and opinions.

[1:32:01] Nicky Torchia: Um just because I like to share them.

[1:32:03] Eli Tokash: I'm not sure if uh how you guys like to how you all react to them, but uh that's okay.

[1:32:10] Nicky Torchia: It's like a therapy session for me to talk about Broadway.

[1:32:12] Eli Tokash: So thank you all, and um uh I will see you all next week.

[1:32:18] Nicky Torchia: Bye everyone.

[1:32:19] Eli Tokash: For this episode's curtain call, I would like to recognize a few people who also deserve to take a vow.

[1:32:24] Nicky Torchia: 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.

[1:32:33] Eli Tokash: Next in line to take the bow is Tessie Tokash, who edits the audio and all the visuals for this podcast.

[1:32:38] Nicky Torchia: A special thanks to patrons Brian Thompson, Pat McNamara, the listeners at PCC, as well as all the other patrons for their continued support.

[1:32:47] Eli Tokash: If you're interested in becoming a patron, go to Patreon.com/slash T A B.

[1:32:53] Nicky Torchia: And if you enjoyed this week's episode, don't forget to subscribe on the platform that you're currently listening to this on.

[1:32:58] Eli Tokash: Also, feel free to give us a follow on Instagram at TakeA Bow Podcast.

[1:33:03] Nicky Torchia: Take a Bow's logo is designed by Giselle Bustos and the music is by Nikki Torsha and Cormac Collinov.

[1:33:10] Eli Tokash: Bye everyone.

[1:33:11] Nicky Torchia: Hope to see you next week.