This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Eli Tokash: Hello everyone and welcome to episode 77 of Take a Bow Podcast.

[0:05] Eli Tokash: I'm your host Eli Tokash, and this week, I know I say this a lot, but this week we really have an episode that is very, very dear to my heart and very, very close to me and my career, of course. And it's a big reason and why I started Take a Bow, and it's a big reason why I got into new facets of the entertainment industry, and that's all thanks to Trevor the Musical, which just opened literally hours ago.

[0:34] Eli Tokash: Literally, I'm just getting home, and it's 2:12 in the morning. But we are pushing out this episode for every one of you to listen to and enjoy, and we're taking a break from the Rainbow Lullaby, and we're pushing out some Trevor the Musical content, which you can now see at the Stage 42 theater. It just opened, and I'm not being biased. I know some of you know that Trevor is obviously a little part of my background and my career, but all bias aside, I saw this show two weeks ago. It was incomparable to the show that I saw tonight.

[1:13] Eli Tokash: It wasn't even the same show. This show that I saw tonight, or really yesterday, kind of, was just magical. And it reminded me a lot of the production that I did in Glencoe in Chicago, and that first night that I saw it, it didn't feel like that. But tonight there was something about it, it was so special. They really made some changes from then to now, from the first time I saw it and then today, that really pulled it all together and really made the show work, and you could just feel that magic once again.

[1:48] Eli Tokash: So everyone needs to rush to Stage 42 theater to see Trevor the Musical, and I think you're gonna want to see it even more after listening to these interviews. I got to talk with so many people involved in the show, both cast and creative, that I actually barely spoke to any of the people that were there to enjoy the show. I mean, there were incredible people there, like Jordan Fisher, Jesse Mueller, Jerry Mitchell, all of these incredible actors, Josh Lehman, and all of these incredible actors and performers and legends of the theater industry were there, and I didn't even get to talk to them because I was so enthralled and so focused on hearing from this creative team and this cast of this story of Trevor.

[1:58] Eli Tokash: Just because, you know, it once again, like I feel like this month has been a lot about the creation of a project, and you're gonna see that tonight or today with this episode, and it's really special. We talked to Josh Prince, the choreographer, we talked to Julianne Wick Davis, the writer and composer of Trevor the Musical, we talked to the stars of the show, Holden, Sammy, Alyssa, we talked to so many people, and I really think it's gonna be an episode that you don't want to miss. We also talked to Diego, who plays Jason, who has a pivotal role in this show. We talked to some great people, and we got some great insight on the show, on pandemic life in theater, on what it's like to be a kid in theater and representing teenagers and people that are the same age as the story being told. It's just, we have a lot of brilliant conversations in this episode, so I'm really excited for y'all to listen to that.

[3:43] Eli Tokash: But as always, before we turn it over to that, let's talk about some news, shall we? I know I mentioned last week, I know this is like turning into a Waitress-Trevor pro podcast, but I swear it's not, and I swear it's literally just out of the goodness of my heart and as a theater fan. I mentioned last week that Sierra Renee is going to be taking over as Jenna in Waitress, and I was just talking about how I wish Waitress would just stop making me want to go see the show so badly because more than I already want to every day, regardless.

[4:19] Eli Tokash: But on top of Sierra Renee, they added Joshua Henry to play Dr. Pomatter, and Tyrone Davis Jr. is stepping into the role of Ogie full-time, and I could not be more excited. Joshua Henry is an actual god. Like, he's a theater legend in my eyes, and his talent is unmatched. And I'm really interested and intrigued in seeing his portrayal of Dr. Pomatter in Waitress. The West Side Story trailer, there was a new West Side Story trailer dropped this week, and it looks insane. I cannot wait to see West Side Story, this movie. It's going to be so freaking good.

[5:01] Eli Tokash: For the month of December, I'm hoping to have a few people who are in the movies on the podcast, and I think it's gonna be a really, really cool thing to talk about and explore, and a really cool experience for everyone to see. I'm really excited for this to be a movie once again, but also looking forward to it being modernized, you know? Like, I know I don't always say that, especially with classics like West Side Story, but I really think that it's just still such a story that is so relatable, and I think seeing a modernized version of it could really do a lot for a lot of the audiences.

[5:38] Eli Tokash: And as always, I love seeing theater in a broader market, such as the film and TV industry. I really think that it's gonna benefit theater and all of these wonderful theater makers and performers in the movie. So I'm really excited for it. Huge shout out to Ariana DeBose and Julius Rubio, who are my great friends, and Tali Writer as well, who are my great friends who are in it, and I'm so excited for them. And hopefully they get on here and we can talk all about West Side Story.

[6:10] Eli Tokash: So that being said, let's see what else is going on. I, uh, Book of Mormon reopened on Broadway, and they took out, they wrote some of it, and then apparently added a bunch of new jokes to make up for the jokes that were taken out, or they rewrote some of the stuff that was in it previously, and they say it's fantastic. I've had a few friends go see it, and they were like, you know, oh, we miss those jokes or we miss this part that they took out, but the ending makes up for it. So, I mean, as someone who's never seen Book of Mormon, I can't really compare it to anything, but it just makes me even more excited to go see it and check it out.

[6:56] Eli Tokash: And I'm very excited. I'm a huge Book of Mormon fan. Like, I don't even know how to describe it. I'm so intrigued by the show because it's like one of the only shows that I haven't seen. So, if you have seen it, please message me and give me your thoughts on Book of Mormon because I want to hear about it. That's beside the point. So happy reopening to them. Happy opening to Trevor the Musical. I know I kind of said it earlier, but I didn't really say a happy opening, but happy opening. It's totally official now.

[7:28] Eli Tokash: I'm so, so proud of this show and so proud of this creative team, so proud of this cast. Huge shout out to Holden. He's doing eight shows a week. I mean, for anyone that's seen Trevor and knows about Trevor, he rarely leaves the stage, and he's playing this role eight times a week. And that's no easy feat. You know, I was doing it eight times a week through tech and previews, and then they fortunately had me down to doing it seven times, and then I was able to do it six times. So I was really able to get some rest during the show, and I hope he eventually gets to that point as well because it's definitely needed for a role like that. But huge shout-out to him. He's really carrying that show.

[8:20] Eli Tokash: The show's in great shape once again. I really think it's a show that should be on Broadway and will make it on Broadway. So I look forward to seeing that. And one last thing that happened this week that is really cool, and I just want to mention it really quickly. There was kind of a historic moment that went into a press version of the Broadway world. The MTA kind of revised their ad to take the subway to Broadway, and it was an ad that they did in like the 80s, and they revised it with the shows that are currently on Broadway today.

[8:59] Eli Tokash: And, you know, shows including Mrs. Doubtfire, Six, Moulin Rouge, Dear Evan Hansen, Waitress, Phantom of the Opera. And it's funny because Chicago and Phantom were part of that original advertisement for it. So I really think it's great to see that, and once again, just seeing Broadway in such a big market and reaching more people. I mean, almost every New Yorker uses the MTA, and seeing Broadway being talked about on the MTA and focused on in the MTA and having posters on it in the MTA only helps everyone involved in the theater community, and hopefully it encourages a lot of people to go see theater.

[9:45] Eli Tokash: And I'm just so excited. Broadway's back, and it's official, and it's really, really truly back. So I'm gonna turn it over to the interviews from tonight's opening night and opening night party. But before I do that, I have a drama dictionary word of the week, and that's this week's drama dictionary word of the week is actually two words, and it's called Cold Reading, or a cold read. Something inspired me to do that for this week's episode when I was at Trevor tonight, and it was actually a part of these interviews where, you know, every day, especially during tech and previews and all these things, the show's constantly changing.

[10:30] Eli Tokash: And oftentimes in rehearsals, the cast cold reads the scripts and is either doing a read-through to make sure that it makes sense for the writers, or they're getting the script for the first time and they're putting it on their feet for the first time all at the same time. And that's called a cold read. It's when an actor is playing or auditioning for a role without ever having the script beforehand. So all of the words are completely, it's like having no preparation for it, and you're just going into it blind, and that's what a cold read is.

[11:07] Eli Tokash: So if you ever go into an audition, and it happens often actually, you go into an audition, and you read the sides that you've prepared, or you just prepare a song or something like that, and then all of a sudden they're like, "Hey, do you mind if we ask you to read this for us really quickly?" And then you're like, "Oh, sure." And that's exactly what a cold read is. It's common for both auditions, it's common for projects. And yeah, I just thought of it tonight, and I was like, "That's a really special thing that more people should know about," and it kind of inspired me in having these interviews. So hopefully you all learned a little bit about more theater lingo and about what a cold read is, and now without further ado, we have to throw it over to Trevor's opening night.

[11:59] Eli Tokash: So opening night of Trevor the Musical at the Stage 42 theater, curtain up! My gosh.

[12:23] Josh Prince: Oh my god! We are here with Broadway's Josh Prince. Are you kidding me? This is the only person I'm here to talk to tonight. You're the only person I'm here to talk to.

[12:30] Josh Prince: Oh, absolutely not. Oh, it's an honor and a privilege to be talking to you, my friend. It's so good to see you again. I'm so happy to be here revisiting this show.

[12:41] Eli Tokash: I love that you're here revisiting this show.

[12:41] Josh Prince: Literally, me too. But I want to talk to you about this whole journey.

[12:47] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[12:48] Josh Prince: You know, it felt like forever that we were just kind of waiting and seeing what theater Trevor would go into here in New York. And then they found it and then it shut down, and it's just been a whirlwind. What has this process been like?

[13:00] Josh Prince: My gosh, it's been a roller coaster ride for sure, but you know, I've never ever doubted that this show would make it to New York. I just never doubted it. The producers are so determined and so behind the show, and of course our director Mark Bruni is such a champion of this story and was never gonna rest until this opened, and our writers who are brilliant just kept working on the show for years and years through the pandemic. You know, they didn't give up, no one gave up on this show.

[13:27] Eli Tokash: Right.

[13:27] Josh Prince: No one gave up on the show, and that made me feel like no matter what, you know, through thick and thin, we're gonna get here. And here we are.

[13:38] Eli Tokash: Yeah, I know, and it's so exciting. How long have you been working on this?

[13:41] Josh Prince: I was just thinking about that today. I think it's five years now.

[13:44] Eli Tokash: Five years.

[13:45] Josh Prince: Yeah, I think I was hired five years ago. I have lost track of time.

[13:49] Eli Tokash: Well, listen, I came and saw this during previews.

[13:53] Josh Prince: Yes.

[13:53] Eli Tokash: And all I said to Josie at intermission was Josh Prince came to play because there is some choreography that was just not in there. And what kind of like what was the change? Like, what was that for you?

[14:09] Josh Prince: I know. Well, you know, we really wanted to deepen the work. We were just wanted to continue to deepen the work. When we were in Glencoe, you know, we as you well know, because of you, I mean we were really helping, you were helping figure out what the show actually even was at its bones, you know. And so we kind of built that house in Glencoe. We built the framework in Glencoe, and then we redesigned some of the inner, you know, the inner rooms, so to speak. And we zhuzged the furniture a bit here, and we changed a little bit of a layout there. So we really took what we had and we just wanted to continue to deepen it. And in my department for dance, that just meant expanding on some ideas and really living in them, living in them a little bit more specifically, a little bit more fantastically.

[14:55] Eli Tokash: Right.

[14:55] Josh Prince: And so that's where we took it, and I was encouraged to take it there by Mark and our producers, and you know, as a choreographer, you need to be encouraged to go there, you know. So it's a joyful moment.

[15:12] Eli Tokash: Oh my god. I mean.

[15:13] Josh Prince: And I've given them some really hard stuff to do.

[15:15] Eli Tokash: Yes!

[15:15] Josh Prince: Oh my god, I saw it and like you still got the hat. Like even the pop that you give them aren't helping. You know, it's all the obstacles that you're throwing at them. And they never stop, and it's constant. I'm excited for you to see it again because we've even made changes since then. We did not give up on the show. We really, really kept deepening the work and tightening the screws.

[15:38] Eli Tokash: Well, I think it's evident when you see the show, truly. You can just tell how much work has gone into it.

[15:42] Josh Prince: Yeah, it's brilliant. That means so much coming from you.

[15:44] Eli Tokash: Oh my god, for sure.

[15:45] Josh Prince: Oh my god. Are you just were you just glad, like, oh god, I don't have to do that hat and cane thing?

[15:49] Eli Tokash: You know, I was. I was a little relieved. I was like, I wonder if they added this because they knew I just couldn't do it.

[15:55] Josh Prince: Never. No way, Jose. No, you could you did everything. Oh my god. You were no, it was amazing.

[16:02] Eli Tokash: But I have to ask you, like, so I mean, you're famous, okay? You've done Shrek in the musical. If you can you're my best friend. Broadway's Josh Prince here. Um, so I mean, this is a new experience for you, kind of working with an all kids cast almost.

[16:19] Josh Prince: Right.

[16:19] Eli Tokash: So what has that experience been like? Has that like been different? Or is it the same?

[16:23] Josh Prince: It's diff. No, it's definitely different. I mean the principles of it are the same. But honestly, it's a different type of challenge, but it's the same principle. When the people I work with look good, look their best, I know we've found the truth of them of the movement. Sometimes we go through like 10, 15, 20 versions of one move just to find out exactly what resonates with them, and that's frankly what I do with everyone I work with, or try to do with everyone I work with. Sometimes it comes on the first try, sometimes it comes on the 20th try, but you still never give up until you find that one really truthful, honest gesture or movement phrase or bit of choreography. So it's the same in that respect.

It is different in that they are sponges. Like you know, kids are sponges, they can forget things quickly and relearn things quickly. I am old now, and I'm like, wow, I can't even remember what I ate for breakfast. But you really remember very distinctly all these things that are thrown at you. And also, but it is some training and some coaching, you know. So they've never even, some of them have never danced on stage before ever.

[17:31] Eli Tokash: Oh yeah.

[17:33] Josh Prince: Well, thank you. And that's thanks to their hard work and their effort and their heart and their spirit. They are filled with joy. Coming to work, I will say, with kids every day, is joyful. Oh, and after a global pandemic when everything was shut down, to come back into a space where these children, what I say children, but young adults, really are so desirous to be there every second of the day to connect with each other, in masks, you know, doing the work, connecting with each other, was a dream come true, honestly. I mean it was life affirming. It was really life affirming.

[18:09] Eli Tokash: Yeah, I mean it's so exciting. And now I've been asking this question to everyone and then I'll let you go.

[18:14] Josh Prince: Yeah no enjoy your night I don't want to go for it.

[18:16] Eli Tokash: Come on my guy I can stick it.

[18:18] Josh Prince: All right. I will no talk to me because there's like shows like you know like Mean Girls and other Jagged Little Pill. You know these places are taking places in school.

[18:27] Eli Tokash: Yes.

[18:30] Josh Prince: And they're being played by adults.

[18:31] Eli Tokash: Yes.

[18:31] Josh Prince: So talk to me about like Trevor and why it's so pivotal for kids to play it and to share that message.

[18:38] Josh Prince: It's a great question and I really think that Trevor the musical exists in a really unique spot in the landscape of musical theater because precisely because of what you're saying it is a story a coming of age story told through the eyes of a person and kids who are actually this age. And so to be able to see yourself on stage which is why I think we go to the theater to see ourselves reflected back at us when we see a young person actually struggling through a time in life that they are actually in it more successfully brings us as an audience back to that time in truth, right? We are not looking at something that is being approached. We are actually looking at someone who is there in that space and time but they are now also taking them back to 1981, which they were, of course, not here for.

So that the two things together to tell this story, you know, with these children, a coming of age, gay love story, really, and a self-love story has never existed in the landscape of Broadway shows that I'm aware of. I'm no Broadway historian, but I can think of none where this type of storytelling exists.

[19:47] Eli Tokash: No doubt.

[19:53] Josh Prince: I really do believe that Trevor is like a revolution for Broadway, you know.

[19:57] Eli Tokash: Thank you. I do.

[19:58] Josh Prince: Yeah, I mean it's so special. And that's not any bias or anything, you know.

[20:02] Eli Tokash: No, I agree.

[20:03] Josh Prince: I agree. I think it occupies such a unique place.

[20:07] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[20:07] Josh Prince: And such a necessary place. It's not just a unique show, it's a necessary show. This show can speak to people who feel othered, it will speak to people and help them feel seen and heard and validated, and that their future is one filled with love and filled with friendship. And that you know, they can get through troubled times and they will find companionship and love and self-respect and a future for themselves. And that's what it's all about, and what's better than that?

[20:35] Eli Tokash: Yeah, absolutely. You know, that's what theater, you know, is for to engender that kind of empathy.

[20:39] Josh Prince: Oh, for sure.

[20:40] Eli Tokash: So well, thank you so much for talking about.

[20:42] Josh Prince: Oh my god, oh my god, yes, of course. Oh my god, you're the best. Happy opening. Enjoy yourself. We're here because of you.

[20:52] Josh Prince: Thank you.

[20:53] Eli Tokash: Okay, so we're here at the opening night of Trevor the Musical. I'm here with Take A Bow, my podcast. I'm here with Julianne Wick Davis, the writer of Trevor the Musical.

[21:04] Julianne Wick Davis: Come on.

[21:05] Eli Tokash: Okay, this process has been insane and a huge whirlwind. Talk to me from your perspective.

[21:10] Julianne Wick Davis: Yeah, it has been insane and a whirlwind. And then again, not.

[21:16] Eli Tokash: Yes.

[21:17] Julianne Wick Davis: You know, because of how like after Chicago, you were part of the show that it took time, and then we got started up again, and then we were stopped, and then we were back in it again. It has but it's just been incredible and exciting, and that we continue to be able to tell the story is really thrilling.

[21:43] Eli Tokash: Well, talk to me. I mean, there's been a lot of rewrites since Chicago.

[21:48] Julianne Wick Davis: Yeah.

[21:48] Eli Tokash: And even since the pre-pandemic when you guys were in rehearsals, you changed.

[21:53] Julianne Wick Davis: Yeah.

[21:54] Eli Tokash: Like what kind of goes into those rewrites? Like, how does that work when you're just like, oh, I don't think this fits?

[22:00] Julianne Wick Davis: Like, you know, it's not so much that we don't think something fits, it's more of like how can we make this better? How can we tell the story so that it has the clarity that we want it, you know, to tell and make sure we're hitting all the points that we're not that yeah, that we are that we're just doing the story justice is the most important thing to us.

[22:26] Julianne Wick Davis: So that's not always something that you learn until you get in front of audiences, right? And then once you do that, which you know we did in the first production of the piece, we learned so much, and then we did more writing before going into pre-pandemic. And then coming out of the pandemic, the world was changing so much too, and then we started to think about so what are the things that we need to pay attention to to make sure that we are telling the story in the right way, that we're honoring the source material, but we're also honoring the world right now.

[23:02] Eli Tokash: Yes.

[23:03] Julianne Wick Davis: And now you've added two songs too.

[23:05] Eli Tokash: So what and and I think it's interesting because when when it happened, like I never realized that it needed a song there, but like when it happened, it was like that needed to be there.

[23:17] Julianne Wick Davis: Like you know, I love your perspective because you know very well the track of this character and understanding like what they would need to express in a certain moment.

[23:28] Julianne Wick Davis: So yeah, this you're talking about my imagination. But also Pinky's new song, like they gave some clarity there on the walk home. I know, and understanding like that Pinky is not a horrible human, right? But he is kind of caught up in the pressure of like what everyone else is feeling at that time, but being able to see it or hear it from Pinky's perspective, I think was really important to us.

[23:54] Julianne Wick Davis: And then also to kind of deepen the relationship between the two of them.

[23:59] Eli Tokash: I really think it does like it's truly a big difference.

[24:03] Julianne Wick Davis: Yeah. And then the song My Imagination at the End, as you all know, like we wrote so many songs in Chicago, and then you know, writing more songs when we got to this place and trying to figure out like what how do we how do we honor this moment and what this character is feeling?

[24:26] Eli Tokash: Right.

[24:26] Julianne Wick Davis: And again, we just wrote and wrote and wrote until we feel like we finally landed on something that was gonna resonate.

[24:44] Josh Prince: Yeah, literally until Trevor opened in Chicago.

[24:48] Julianne Wick Davis: Yeah.

[24:49] Josh Prince: And I just have to say that I was so thrilled to see that that was still in the show. So like I don't know, like just going through that process with you is just like it it's so fascinating to watch you guys and to see the the test that we've gone through.

[25:05] Julianne Wick Davis: It was so many different songs and it was so many different versions of wrong, but it it didn't change, and what was that like for you?

[25:13] Josh Prince: Yeah, I again I just think it's so important your perspective and looking at this because you were part of that process of us finding like what is this moment, and we kept thinking we need to hear from this character right before this really tragic moment.

[25:30] Julianne Wick Davis: Yes, and then we realized oh wait, we need to actually hear from this character when when he is working through the idea that there is hope.

[25:40] Josh Prince: Yeah, you know, and so we actually had put away wrong for a while.

[25:47] Julianne Wick Davis: Yeah, we had put away wrong for a while and was trying to find the song that happens after the hospital.

[25:53] Josh Prince: Got it.

[25:54] Julianne Wick Davis: And and then we and then we uh we realized, oh wait, actually, we still need to have that emotional connection with Trevor before this really devastating moment.

[26:08] Josh Prince: So that's kind of how we ended up there with it, but uh it it was kind of the beautiful uh marriage of these two moments that we knew were important, yeah, and being able to honor both of them.

[26:23] Julianne Wick Davis: Well, that's so brilliant, so beautiful. I'm so happy. Oh my god, it's here, it's here, we're in New York. We're doing Trevor.

[26:31] Josh Prince: Tower.

[26:32] Julianne Wick Davis: I'm so excited. I love you so much. I'm so I'm so glad to be able to talk to you and see you and that you're a part of this journey for us.

[26:40] Josh Prince: Yes, I I I want to be a part of it forever. Uh this show is so dear to my heart. So I I really appreciate everything that has led up to this moment from you guys, and you guys have taught me so much, and I'm just so happy to continue to be involved in it. So thank you. You guys mean a lot to me. So enjoy your night. Happy opening.

[26:59] Julianne Wick Davis: Thank you. And I can't wait to see where this goes.

[27:02] Josh Prince: Thank you. Can I give you anything?

[27:03] Julianne Wick Davis: Of course. It's so good to see you. Ready?

[27:06] Josh Prince: Enjoy. We'll see you soon.

[27:07] Julianne Wick Davis: Yes. You look great. I love this outfit. You're rocking it.

[27:11] Josh Prince: Thank you very much. Well, okay. So do you have a second? Or do you need to go?

[27:14] Julianne Wick Davis: Okay, I have a second. So talk to me because there's a lot of shows, you know, that have come out lately, and it's no secret that like they take place in high school and whatnot.

[27:21] Josh Prince: Exactly.

[27:21] Julianne Wick Davis: But they're playing played by adults.

[27:23] Josh Prince: Yes.

[27:24] Julianne Wick Davis: And I as a child actor, you know, like you're you're you're kind of have the same mindset, you know. So what is it like to for a show that you're gonna see being played by their people their own age?

[27:36] Shahadi Wright Joseph: I am actually very glad that this is happening because I have made those complaints you know in the past about adults playing children. I sometimes I just I don't resonate with it because me as a child, it just never feels very authentic. So I I'm very happy that we're having children play children. So, you know, we're we're getting back to the roots.

[27:54] Josh Prince: I love it.

[27:54] Shahadi Wright Joseph: Yeah, and I mean you're killing it. By the way, tell us your name.

[27:58] Josh Prince: You as well.

[27:58] Shahadi Wright Joseph: I'm Shahadi Ray Joseph. I'm very good. Um, no, but um you're you've been killing it. I mean, you're all over. You're you after School of Rock, you went on to TV and film, and you're just like continuously working. Like, what has it been like when it shut down, and you know, like you were kind of in this like shut down space.

[28:17] Josh Prince: No, it was it was quite um, it was such an interesting feeling, and I don't even know how to describe it, but it it felt as if, you know, you know, uh when everything kind of stopped, it it felt like I couldn't even move. Like, you know, it was all a part of my daily routine, and everything just felt so like constricted for me, you know. Um, but I I mean a lot of it was was was meant for me because I mean I needed to take a break. You know, mental health comes first, and you know, I make sure that I'm always like as safe as possible when I when it comes to being on set and not working too long of hours, so I'm actually quite glad that I did have a little bit of time off. But now that everything's mostly back, coming back to normal. I I'm very excited to get back to work and get back on set.

[28:58] Josh Prince: Well, that's awesome.

[28:59] Shahadi Wright Joseph: Yeah. And then I heard that you were this is your first show back.

[29:03] Josh Prince: Yes, it is.

[29:04] Shahadi Wright Joseph: So I mean, how excited are you to be in a theater against?

[29:06] Josh Prince: I am so excited. I'm more excited because I mean, like our mutual friend Diego, I can't wait to see him. Come on. Um, so I I think that it's just such an honor. It's so weird. I saw the show in previews.

[29:17] Josh Prince: Yeah.

[29:18] Shahadi Wright Joseph: Amazing. Um but it's so weird to see Diego being mean.

[29:22] Josh Prince: I know.

[29:22] Shahadi Wright Joseph: But he kills it. I'm so excited. And it just shows you like how great of an expert. And he's such a sweet, yeah, he's such a sweetheart. So I'm very excited to see how he embodies this role.

[29:31] Josh Prince: Yeah, huge shout out to Diego.

[29:33] Shahadi Wright Joseph: Absolutely. Alright, well, go enjoy it. Can I get a photo with you before we go?

[29:37] Josh Prince: No, absolutely not.

[29:38] Shahadi Wright Joseph: Yeah.

[29:39] Josh Prince: Alright, ready?

[29:39] Shahadi Wright Joseph: Yeah, I'm ready.

[29:40] Josh Prince: Okay. Alright, everyone. We are here at the Trevor After Party, and I'm here with Diego Lucano.

[29:46] Diego Lucano: Woohoo, hello, I'm Diego Lucano.

[29:49] Josh Prince: Yes, and he plays Jason in Trevor the Musical.

[29:51] Diego Lucano: Yes.

[29:52] Josh Prince: Uh, which is a role that you don't typically play. So, like, talk to me. Obviously, Jason's the bully.

[29:57] Diego Lucano: Yes.

[30:00] Josh Prince: And he's kind of a jerk, you know. Like, that's just so like not who you are. It's not the typical roles that you play. Talk to me about your experience and finding something, some truth to Jason.

[30:12] Diego Lucano: For sure. Yeah, well, thank you for interviewing me. Yeah. And um, let's see. Well, for sure, um, it is really difficult to play a mean guy, especially because most of the time people see me as not intimidating.

[30:25] Josh Prince: No.

[30:26] Diego Lucano: Not at all. Um, and um, and but but basically I I have to to just like search deep down and just like find my angry place, I guess, you know, or like just the the the place where I I feel I feel like most discomfort, you know, and this actually comes from the exact opposite places that Jason would find discomfort from, you know. And um, and so I just find that and I have to embrace that. Now, character-wise, and finding the the humanity in Jason, you know, um ba there there's a lot of people that that don't that don't accept uh others for who they are, and it it it truly isn't the right thing, but there are people like that, you know, and it's it's my job to portray that ignorance and and in society as a whole, you know, and that character. And um, you know, I just try to to take all of that ignorance that you see on TV, you know, especially in the last two years, you know. And um I try to to to to embrace all of that in that character every single night.

[31:34] Josh Prince: Wow, so you've done a lot of character prep for this.

[31:36] Diego Lucano: For sure. This is this is one of my m this is one of the the roles that I that I most had to prep for, despite the fact that, you know, like the the appearance might not be as as as present you know I mean make up for it.

[31:48] Josh Prince: Yes, for sure. No, it's uh every single role that you do needs to needs to be important to you.

[31:55] Diego Lucano: Sure.

[31:55] Josh Prince: And um and needs to have a purpose.

[31:57] Diego Lucano: Well listen I've said it to you before this character is perhaps one of the most underrated characters in the whole show because if you're not on your game every night and you're not like to to the level where you need to be the show doesn't work. You know you really set the bar for the events that happen in the show and to Trevor.

[32:18] Diego Lucano: Yeah no it's it's a very it's a very crazy role to try to to try to tackle you know it's very delicate.

[32:24] Josh Prince: Right. And I'm I'm glad that you enjoy my per I mean it's incredible. You blow me away especially 'cause like knowing you it's like how? Like how do you how can he do this role and then you do it so so beautifully.

[32:36] Diego Lucano: Thank you.

[32:36] Josh Prince: And and it's weird to say beautifully since beautiful beautifully awful.

[32:41] Diego Lucano: Yes beautifully awful but you do it perfectly seriously. And then your voice it's incredible. So what does it feel like to to be back on stage? I mean you're you're a Broadway veteran. I mean we're talking to the school of rock star. You know so like what's it feel like to be back on br uh back uh in New York and on stage again and in Trevor telling the story.

[33:01] Diego Lucano: Mind boggling for sure. No it's it's so weird um when I go to a performing arts the same one that you went to the same performing arts school. Um but like we the most that I would do is I would do these like Zoom performances, you know, talking with somebody through a screen and uh trying to stage everything yourself.

[33:22] Josh Prince: And you kinda have to be your own producer and um and it's nice to to just like first of all the it's just nice to have other people take care of that for you, you know, because otherwise you're going to have to like set everything up yourself.

[33:37] Diego Lucano: And working with such a big crew and such a big cast is really it's it's just such a uh a motivating experience, you know, and a motivating environment as well.

[33:49] Josh Prince: And that's something that you miss when you're isolated for for sure and like doing self-tapes every single day.

[33:57] Diego Lucano: Yeah. Um because one of the most beautiful parts about Life Theater is just the people, yeah, you know, and the the people that you surround yourself with to work on these projects.

[34:09] Josh Prince: I love my cast, and you know, I'm I'm just so grateful and thankful that we are able to be back.

[34:16] Diego Lucano: Yes, yes. What is the rehearsal process been like? Like you have to wear masks, like how does it all work?

[34:21] Diego Lucano: Masks all the time, for sure. Um and um and basically throughout the very first um actually no.

[34:31] Josh Prince: Uh we've been rehearsing the show for about a month and a half, maybe probably two months.

[34:36] Diego Lucano: Now that I think of it. But but every time that we are not like performing, yeah, we are always wearing our masks.

[34:46] Josh Prince: And when we're learning this stuff, so like for the first like three or four weeks, we did not take off our masks at all.

[34:52] Diego Lucano: We are trying to be very careful and safe, uh, because we really love this show and we don't want anything to happen to it.

[34:59] Josh Prince: Right. You know, we want to try to keep our our bubble nice and and and tight and unpuffable as possible.

[35:05] Diego Lucano: Of course. Well, thank you so much for taking your time. I'm gonna let you go enjoy your party.

[35:09] Diego Lucano: Oh, this is all about you tonight.

[35:11] Josh Prince: Uh no, no, no, no, no, no.

[35:13] Diego Lucano: Yes.

[35:14] Josh Prince: Oh, oh yes. Diego Lucano, the musical.

[35:16] Diego Lucano: Yes.

[35:16] Josh Prince: Yes. It's all about you.

[35:18] Diego Lucano: Oh, for sure. Um no, but truly, amazing job tonight.

[35:21] Josh Prince: Thank you. Really happy for you. Congratulations. You killed it.

[35:24] Diego Lucano: Thank you so much, Eli. I'm so glad that you came.

[35:27] Josh Prince: Oh my god, thank you for continuing this legacy and telling this beautiful story that means a lot to me, and I know it means a lot to other people too. So I'm really happy for you.

[35:33] Diego Lucano: Thank you so much.

[35:36] Josh Prince: Of course. Thank you for having me on.

[35:38] Josh Prince: Yeah. Okay, we are live at the Trevor After Party, after Trevor the Musical is the opening night, and I'm here with the stars of the show, Holden Hagelberger, who played Holden Hagelberger.

[35:50] Holden Hagelberger: Hagelberg.

[35:51] Josh Prince: Say it.

[35:51] Holden Hagelberger: Holden Hagelberger and I play Trevor Nelson.

[35:54] Sammy Dell: And I played Pinky.

[35:56] Alyssa Emily: And I play Kathy.

[35:58] Josh Prince: Oh my gosh. And you guys were all so fantastic. What does tonight mean for you? Like to you.

[36:04] Holden Hagelberger: It means it means the world. That's all that's all I can say. It's just it means the world to me.

[36:11] Sammy Dell: It's it's my New York debut, so just like Holden, it's it's a dream come true.

[36:16] Alyssa Emily: Yeah, it's just like the two of them said, it's everything to be doing this.

[36:21] Josh Prince: Yeah, and you Alyssa, you and Sammy, were you guys in school of rock together?

[36:26] Alyssa Emily: Yeah, we toured for I think like eight months together.

[36:29] Sammy Dell: Yeah, a long time.

[36:30] Alyssa Emily: Oh my god. So it's like a full circle moment here with Trevor.

[36:34] Josh Prince: Um so talk to me about the this whole process of Trevor and how um, you know, obviously we're living through a pandemic. You guys are going to rehearsals every day, and you guys are having to wear masks and to go to tutoring and wear masks. So like I don't know, like what are like the difficulties with that? Like, what is just like a day in the life for you guys?

[36:55] Sammy Dell: Do you who wants to start with sure sorry so there are there's benefits and and there's pros and cons to wearing masks always um safety is obviously one but it is difficult especially when we're singing and and dancing like it's especially dancing.

[37:15] Holden Hagelberger: When we, um, during the rehearsals, we'd have to be doing it some most of the time with masks on, and obviously doing that at show tempo is very hard. And you know, it was really hard because with the mask, it's just like you don't get as much air as you can, so we're like taking really deep breaths.

[37:34] Alyssa Emily: But yeah, those are like he said, the pros are definitely safety because we gotta keep everyone safe, and the cons are that it does affect singing and dancing.

[37:45] Eli Tokash: Right. Hard to breathe, right? I mean, so, um, talk to me about what Trevor means to each of you. Not only like Trevor, like you obviously can answer from the character, but also just like the story of the musical as a whole.

[38:07] Diego Lucano: You want to start? Um, yeah, I think Trevor means to me, um, well, I can relate to Trevor a lot on a personal level because obviously I'm very committed to theater and the arts. Um, and I feel like everybody honestly has a little bit of Trevor inside of them. So I think just that part of me, that artistic part of me, just, um, it struck a chord with the story. It struck a chord with me a lot because of that, and I don't, I just think it's great.

[38:36] Sammy Dell: I honestly, I feel, I almost feel like Trevor and I are almost the same person because I went through the same thing as him. I was manipulated by a ton of people. Like, I was manipulated by one of my, I was manipulated by the person that made me the happiest, and that same person also made me my lowest. So I feel like I can really relate to Trevor and just his story. And, um, speaking of a story, um, it's a very great lesson, and y'all should definitely come and see the show.

[39:05] Holden Hagelberger: Yes.

[39:06] Alyssa Emily: Yeah, it's so, I just report it when it first came to New York, and just being able to see it in its like rawest form and then coming back and seeing it now, it's like a totally new thing.

[39:20] Diego Lucano: Right. But it's, it's incredible, and like living through a story that I've lived through is like, it's just, it's so much fun, and it's a show that I think everyone needs to hear.

[39:35] Alyssa Emily: Absolutely. And I mean, you guys, you three are really the ones that carry the show. You know, like Kathy, Trevor, Pinky.

[39:43] Holden Hagelberger: Trevor for sure.

[39:45] Eli Tokash: I mean, it is called Trevor, but, um, and it's all of your guys's New York City debut, right? So like that's pretty huge. Like that's good on you guys, and you guys are just like pulling the reins every night. Like talk to me about what tonight kind of meant to you, like just making that debut officially to opening night. Talk about the crowd. Talk about the energy that was going on in the room.

[40:07] Sammy Dell: The energy was amazing tonight. But most of all, I think other than the audience, like I feel like just performing with the best people I think I've ever met. Um, I don't know, they're so supportive, and I just love all of them, and I am just so happy to do eight shows a week with them because, like I said, they're so supportive and they are so sweet, and I'm just so happy to be able to perform with people like them.

[40:39] Alyssa Emily: So yeah. I mean, I was a part of the cast two years ago, um, in 2020. So I've literally been waiting for this day for like forever. So it felt like all through quarantine, just hoping that it would come back. Um, and now that it has, it just feels so special to be a part of it again. Um, and to get to share like the message with the world and like Holden said, with everybody else, um, in this cast because everybody is so amazing. Um, so yeah, it was just really amazing.

[41:08] Eli Tokash: Well, what was that like, like during that pandemic where it was just a pause? Like, was there all any like a question, like a fear of like what is the show even opening? Like, will you be in it? Like, what was that like for you?

[41:21] Sammy Dell: Um, well originally it was just a hiatus. That’s the word that our director used, um, when he told us during rehearsals, and then we thought, okay, it's just gonna be a month, then a month turned into two months, then three months, and then 18 months. Um, and I just kept like holding on to hope that it would come back really, really soon. Um, and then it just never did. Um, but then as it went on, like even though nothing was happening, we kept getting like more and more news about what would be coming soon. Um, and just, you know, hoping and praying with all my heart that it would actually come back, um, and that I would get to be a part of it again, and luckily it did actually work out that way.

[41:59] Holden Hagelberger: Yeah, and here we are today.

[42:01] Eli Tokash: Yeah, so, um, talk to me, like obviously, like there was a production of Trevor before, but you guys are really kind of the monumental cast in this production, and you guys are really what's the blueprint for what's next. So like talk to me about like what it's like to be like kind of originating roles, you know, and like figuring out and finding new things every show.

[42:27] Alyssa Emily: It's really, it's really cool, yeah. Especially being here for like rehearsal processes and stuff like that. Like I am putting stuff into the show. It's been a pleasure.

[42:41] Diego Lucano: Talent, talent, and children?

[42:43] Eli Tokash: Yeah, great show you guys. I'm Sean.

[42:45] Sammy Dell: Do you even know? You don't know?

[42:48] Diego Lucano: Yeah, it was. I met you many times with your dad.

[42:51] Sammy Dell: Oh my god, no way. I used to date.

[42:53] Diego Lucano: Come on, we'll talk about this.

[42:57] Alyssa Emily: I run the sound.

[43:00] Eli Tokash: Come on, I'm so sorry. I hardly ever back, so you guys are like, I only know this conclusion, like I tried to play basketball and you showed me.

[43:09] Sammy Dell: I showed you how terrible I am at basketball.

[43:11] Diego Lucano: Well, it's very, oh my god. Wait, speaking of basketball, stop.

[43:16] Alyssa Emily: I have to.

[43:17] Holden Hagelberger: Great show.

[43:18] Eli Tokash: Listen, it happens.

[43:20] Alyssa Emily: It's live theater.

[43:23] Eli Tokash: Yeah, okay. Like, you guys played it off perfectly.

[43:27] Sammy Dell: The first night, too.

[43:28] Diego Lucano: The first night I've missed.

[43:30] Alyssa Emily: No, opening night is the first night I missed.

[43:32] Diego Lucano: Listen, the pressure was on. The pressure was there.

[43:41] Eli Tokash: You know I'm already coming to you next.

[43:44] Sammy Dell: I'm a my Uber.

[43:45] Alyssa Emily: No, cancel it.

[43:48] Diego Lucano: I have three minutes left to get to it.

[43:50] Alyssa Emily: Telisa.

[43:51] Holden Hagelberger: We're doing exclusive.

[43:53] Alyssa Emily: I love you.

[43:57] Eli Tokash: Okay. Talk to me about the basketball.

[43:59] Holden Hagelberger: Oh my gosh. So tonight was the first night I missed it out of our 15 previews.

[44:03] Alyssa Emily: Okay.

[44:04] Holden Hagelberger: Um, I'm frustrated.

[44:06] Alyssa Emily: Okay.

[44:06] Holden Hagelberger: But you know, I miss it once in a million, so I had to miss it once.

[44:10] Alyssa Emily: Right. You had to get it out of your system.

[44:12] Holden Hagelberger: Yeah.

[44:13] Alyssa Emily: And you guys played it off beautifully. I mean, because it really is a team effort because you both have to play it off.

[44:19] Diego Lucano: I don't know if you saw the night. I don't think you did. But it was my second preview.

[44:24] Alyssa Emily: Uh huh.

[44:24] Diego Lucano: And, um, I was doing the cane dance, and as I'm hitting the cane, the cane just splits in half.

[44:30] Alyssa Emily: Oh, I didn't see that, but I heard it now.

[44:33] Diego Lucano: Yeah, it just splits in half. And something just possessed me to just go, keep on going. So I'm just screaming, keep going, keep on going. And it was hilarious because the audiences started cheering, and I was like, yeah, okay. Like it was crazy. It was like I was like, okay, like what is coming on?

[44:49] Alyssa Emily: Yeah.

[44:49] Holden Hagelberger: I mean, that's the beauty of live theater, are we right? I mean, that's what, uh, Mark Bruni told us. He was like, um, just so you know what, it's live theater. Stuff is bound to happen, but like it don't be yourself up over it if something happens. It's live theater.

[45:03] Alyssa Emily: Oh yeah.

[45:11] Holden Hagelberger: Yeah, it is. It's really crazy. Like, like it's such a, it's such a fun thing. Like, like the show is different every night.

[45:21] Diego Lucano: Right.

[45:21] Alyssa Emily: And won't you agree?

[45:23] Holden Hagelberger: Oh yeah.

[45:24] Diego Lucano: Yeah, the show is different every night. So it's like, it's totally crazy.

[45:29] Alyssa Emily: Yeah.

[45:30] Holden Hagelberger: The first couple of previews, I would get so nervous, I like forgot, like on the invited dress rehearsal, I was singing the opening number, and right as I got to the second lyric, I just forgot it.

[45:39] Alyssa Emily: Yeah.

[45:40] Holden Hagelberger: And I just stood on stage like for a couple seconds.

[45:44] Diego Lucano: That'll happen.

[45:45] Alyssa Emily: It's okay.

[45:47] Holden Hagelberger: And you get through it, right? And the show goes on.

[45:51] Alyssa Emily: I actually, that was actually probably one of the best ever run-throughs, even though I forgot it. I just let it go, and that was actually one of my best, like one of my favorite, like opening night performances.

[46:02] Alyssa Emily: So that's awesome.

[46:04] Eli Tokash: Well, you mentioned Mark Bruni, and you mentioned this insanely cr uh, like talented creative team. You know, um, it's not every day that you get to work with creative teams for shows in general. Um, so what is it like to be able to be in a room with them every day and learn from them and get that feedback from them?

[46:24] Sammy Dell: I think it's, I think it's surreal because, um, like Mark Bruni, for example, I've been watching, like I've just been like following him, and he's also been one of my big role models, and I'm just so happy that I get to work with him.

[46:39] Alyssa Emily: Yeah.

[46:39] Sammy Dell: And he's a really fun, like he's so fun to work with.

[46:39] Holden Hagelberger: Right.

[46:39] Sammy Dell: He's so fun to work with. Like he's really fun to work with.

[46:49] Diego Lucano: Yeah, yeah.

[46:50] Sammy Dell: This is my first time like doing an original musical. Um, like all the other stuff I've been before, like the script has been set in stone. Um, so I think for me, the craziest part was like being in the room with the writers as they were like actively changing things, like based on how it played, and we were kind of like a tool for their writing too, which was, um, really incredible to kind of like see their whole process in time. Like, um, I've like on one of the shows, um, I think it was the second week of previews, um, I had walked in and they had changed a ton of stuff, and they were like, Oh, you have a new part in the finale and a new monologue, and I was like, this is crazy.

[47:30] Holden Hagelberger: But you know, we had to do it, and somehow I got it memorized and ready.

[47:34] Alyssa Emily: That same day?

[47:35] Holden Hagelberger: That same day. Not the next two days, not the next day. That same day in like two hours, I had to memorize all that.

[47:42] Sammy Dell: And I did it. I somehow, I somehow did it. I did it.

[47:45] Alyssa Emily: Yeah, I had my first change like three days ago.

[47:49] Holden Hagelberger: My first one.

[47:50] Alyssa Emily: He's never had a change ever since three days ago.

[47:52] Diego Lucano: He's never changed.

[47:53] Sammy Dell: You've done it perfectly every time.

[47:55] Diego Lucano: No, no, no, they just haven't changed.

[47:58] Sammy Dell: I'm written perfectly.

[47:59] Diego Lucano: Thank you, Dan Collins.

[48:01] Alyssa Emily: Right.

[48:02] Holden Hagelberger: I want to talk about this one-two number. Because I think it's one of the most iconic numbers in the show. Like last, I want to say on Monday, yeah, it was Monday. On Monday, I was taking the cane down and putting my hat on my head.

[48:16] Sammy Dell: Yeah.

[48:21] Holden Hagelberger: And when I was doing it, the hat fell off. And it messed up my performance because that's all I would think about. That's all I would think about. And it messed up my performance. Like, I was not paying attention, and I learned from that.

[48:33] Diego Lucano: So, and it's also just I feel like whenever you're dancing, go full out, but it's also you have to contain your movements. Because I guess my problem was that I wasn't containing everything, and I wasn't controlling like my dance moves, so I was kind of just like doing everything. Like, I was like rushing. So that was my problem that I got through it.

[48:52] Alyssa Emily: Yeah, it's one-two is a tricky number.

[48:55] Holden Hagelberger: It's rough.

[48:57] Diego Lucano: I don't have a lot of dance experience.

[48:58] Sammy Dell: Not Josh Prince.

[49:00] Holden Hagelberger: What's wrong with it?

[49:02] Diego Lucano: Like the best choreographer, period. Like, he's literally so good.

[49:04] Sammy Dell: Just Shrek the Musical.

[49:07] Diego Lucano: Yes, Shrek. He literally choreographed Sutton Foster. Like, how could, oh my god, I love this.

[49:14] Sammy Dell: How much better do you have to get? Like, he's literally so good. And just see Miller too.

[49:18] Sammy Dell: And just a Miller.

[49:20] Alyssa Emily: This is true.

[49:21] Sammy Dell: Yeah, but it's just a doozy of a number, and like it you it's about having fun but staying focused.

[49:30] Holden Hagelberger: Like with normal dance, like ain't no mountain.

[49:33] Sammy Dell: Yeah.

[49:33] Holden Hagelberger: You like you can you can zone out and do those numbers.

[49:37] Sammy Dell: Not zone out, but like they get in your body so you don't have to think about it.

[49:41] Alyssa Emily: If you stop thinking about one-two, that cane is going into the pit.

[49:44] Holden Hagelberger: Right.

[49:44] Sammy Dell: Or off stage or it's gonna break.

[49:46] Alyssa Emily: There's he's he's really right.

[49:48] Sammy Dell: Like, like the other numbers, it's in your body.

[49:51] Holden Hagelberger: Like, and also you're not holding props, so you can just do whatever because it's in your body.

[49:56] Alyssa Emily: But with this, with a one-two, you don't know what's gonna happen.

[49:59] Sammy Dell: So that's why you have to stay focused, and that's why you have to yeah, like what do you said?

[50:03] Holden Hagelberger: You said to stay focused, because if you're not that cane is going somewhere that's not in the dance.

[50:09] Alyssa Emily: Like, yeah, it's also like you guys gotta look out for each other.

[50:12] Sammy Dell: Like, if something goes wrong, y'all are getting hurt.

[50:15] Holden Hagelberger: I guess what I would say is, oh no, you wanna go?

[50:18] Alyssa Emily: Sorry.

[50:20] Sammy Dell: Okay.

[50:21] Alyssa Emily: Um, but uh I guess one of the main things is that what I learned from the cane breaking, you can still be focused, but just keep going.

[50:21] Holden Hagelberger: Right.

[50:21] Sammy Dell: Keep going.

[50:31] Alyssa Emily: It's it's almost like what Trevor says. On with the show, keep going.

[50:34] Sammy Dell: Keep on going with the show.

[50:36] Alyssa Emily: So yeah.

[50:37] Eli Tokash: Well, thank you guys so much. I do have one last question, and it's for you.

[50:41] Sammy Dell: And it may be a tough question.

[50:43] Alyssa Emily: Okay.

[50:43] Sammy Dell: Oh boy.

[50:44] Eli Tokash: But there's a a pivotal part in this show. And it's kind of the turning point for Trevor. And there's this big uh part where you write him a note, and you have to say, um you kind of have to be mean and like just express your concern that you've had with him that he's been acting strange around you and whatever.

[51:08] Sammy Dell: So uh and then you of course say a slur.

[51:12] Eli Tokash: And I just want to know, like so that wasn't in the version that I was uh that I had done. It was a different word, it was uh it was a fairy, and um I just want to hear from you like how is that like doing it in front of an audience full of people.

[51:31] Holden Hagelberger: It's it's hard.

[51:32] Sammy Dell: Yeah, it's really hard.

[51:34] Holden Hagelberger: I I've been saying Pinky goes to like one of the favorite characters, and then in a split second, he you hate him.

[51:40] Sammy Dell: Yeah.

[51:41] Holden Hagelberger: Like it's he's it's it's but it's not about Pinky saying it.

[51:48] Sammy Dell: It's about how Trevor reacts to it.

[51:51] Holden Hagelberger: Um a little while ago there was a there was a um a version where Jason also said the slur.

[51:57] Sammy Dell: Um the first time Pinky says it, it sends Trevor on this emotional spiral.

[52:02] Holden Hagelberger: The second time it says it, Trevor stands up for himself, and he's stronger after his experience.

[52:09] Sammy Dell: Right.

[52:10] Holden Hagelberger: And I that's what I focus on.

[52:14] Sammy Dell: I try not to focus on the other aspects of it.

[52:17] Holden Hagelberger: Because at the end of the day, it's a story, and no, right.

[52:21] Sammy Dell: I'm just glad I'm telling it.

[52:23] Holden Hagelberger: It needs to be heard.

[52:24] Sammy Dell: It needs to be heard.

[52:25] Holden Hagelberger: Exactly.

[52:26] Sammy Dell: It advances the story a lot.

[52:27] Holden Hagelberger: So it's like I mean, obviously, you have to say it.

[52:31] Sammy Dell: You know, like it's not we don't look at you as like, oh my god, Sammy Dell is the worst person in the entire world.

[52:37] Holden Hagelberger: No, we don't look at it like that.

[52:38] Sammy Dell: But the way that you are able to do it and the way that you deliver it, it just makes it so strong, and it makes it so effective in what makes the show so special because that's such a pivotal role.

[52:50] Holden Hagelberger: Oh my gosh.

[52:51] Sammy Dell: Yeah, it's huge props to you.

[52:53] Holden Hagelberger: Thank you so much.

[52:55] Sammy Dell: So yeah. It's this is this is not including the question at all, because that was his question to answer, but this is like a little add-on.

[53:03] Holden Hagelberger: It's so funny, and it's it's hard to hear him say that Sammy is not like his character.

[53:10] Sammy Dell: Like he would never say that.

[53:11] Holden Hagelberger: Like he's too sweet.

[53:12] Sammy Dell: So hearing him say that, it's like hearing him say that that's one of the main like it just it it just I don't know, it like it just it's weird because I know he would never say that.

[53:24] Holden Hagelberger: So hearing him say that it's hard.

[53:25] Sammy Dell: Like it's like wow.

[53:27] Holden Hagelberger: Like it's like it hits different.

[53:30] Sammy Dell: Yeah, exactly.

[53:30] Holden Hagelberger: It hits differently.

[53:32] Sammy Dell: Holden is too good of an actor.

[53:33] Holden Hagelberger: Yeah.

[53:34] Sammy Dell: Like Holden gets into his character, and there's a certain moment when he turns around, he's reading the no, and I'm kind of like a subconscious thing, like I'm just in the back of his mind.

[53:44] Holden Hagelberger: Sure.

[53:45] Sammy Dell: Um he turns around, and like two nights ago, he looks at me, tears in his eyes.

[53:54] Holden Hagelberger: I I literally lost it.

[53:56] Sammy Dell: I literally lost it.

[53:57] Holden Hagelberger: Like I had to pull myself together.

[53:59] Sammy Dell: It it was it's it's incredible.

[54:02] Holden Hagelberger: It's incredible to be.

[54:03] Sammy Dell: You were amazing, Holden is always you melts everybody's heart.

[54:07] Holden Hagelberger: Thank you.

[54:10] Sammy Dell: Yes. You you can tell.

[54:12] Holden Hagelberger: I mean, yeah, it it you both of you.

[54:14] Sammy Dell: I mean, that part is you know, like he said, it can't be effective without both the delivery and the response.

[54:21] Holden Hagelberger: So you guys do it beautifully.

[54:23] Sammy Dell: It's actually and a huge props to you too.

[54:26] Holden Hagelberger: Trevor's a hard character to find because there's certain points where he's positive, and then there's certain points where he's doubting himself, and it's a very hard character to find personally.

[54:37] Sammy Dell: And not only that, it's also a very hard character to get out of because you know you've just gone through all of that.

[54:44] Holden Hagelberger: How do you expect to get out of that character?

[54:46] Sammy Dell: It actually takes me a while to like when I get home. Like, I actually have to like not talk to anyone for a couple minutes to just get out of my character.

[54:57] Holden Hagelberger: Like, it takes a lot to get out of my character.

[54:59] Sammy Dell: So it takes a lot. And also, I just want to thank y'all again, um, Sammy, uh, Alyssa, the whole cast, for also just being so supportive, and I just want to thank y'all so much.

[55:11] Alyssa Emily: Of course.

[55:13] Sammy Dell: You can see the mutual love both on and off the stage.

[55:18] Eli Tokash: You guys are incredible. Congratulations on a successful opening night. I can't wait to see where this show goes. And I hope to see you guys go along with it and uh go along the journey with the show. So, congratulations. The show is doing amazing. So, go see it at stage 42.

[55:37] Alyssa Emily: Yes.

[55:37] Eli Tokash: Thank you guys for doing this.

[55:39] Sammy Dell: Of course.

[55:39] Eli Tokash: And there you have it, folks. Take about Trevor the musical. I am so so grateful and lucky to be a some small piece in this incredible production. Um, this current production, of course, um, and being a part of this Trevor family and legacy means the world to me. Um, I I'm this show means so much to me, and I hope every one of you who is listening to this right now gets the chance and go seize Trevor the musical at stage 42 because I promise you you won't regret it.

[56:14] Eli Tokash: This story is unbelievable. It's unmatched, it's unlike any Broadway show that you've ever seen, which is so bizarre. Um, truly, because there should be more shows like this. Um, but I'm so grateful that this is the first one. And you know, the beautiful thing about tonight was that all of my favorite conversations actually came from uh people that I didn't expect to have those conversations with, and uh they were oftentimes conversations about the show, they were oftentimes conversations about their story and their history and how they relate to Trevor.

[56:48] Eli Tokash: And it's so interesting. And Alyssa hits the uh hits the nail on the head in in the interview that I had with the three stars of the show in saying that there's a bit of Trevor in every single one of us. So no matter if you're straight or you're part of the LGBTQ community, no matter your race, no matter your ethnicity, no matter your background, no matter what it is, somehow you can relate to this show, and um this show is so special and it should be so special to everyone that goes to see it. Um there's not a dry eye in the audience every night. Uh the work that Dan Collins and Julianne Wick Davis has done is absolutely incredible. Mark Bruni, Josh Prince are remarkable. The producing team, Mark Woods, Josie Bray, John Ambrino, and all the writers theater staff and everyone who has been involved in this project to to get it where it is today is should be so proud.

[57:43] Eli Tokash: And I just want to send another huge congratulations to them uh because they deserve it. And uh, you know, this is this show has gone through um it's been blood, sweat, and tears for for some people ten years. Uh for me personally, about five, and um it's just I I'm so proud of this show and I'm I'm so lucky. But like I said, some of my favorite conversations came from people that uh were off the record because I just didn't expect to have those conversations and take them to where it led.

[58:16] Eli Tokash: And I was able to talk to Celeste, who was literally the original ever writer of Trevor and like the Trevor uh short film and the project and everything involved with Trevor. He is the Trevor and um to to see him there tonight again and uh to talk to him. It was just it was a really special day, and um I I just wish I I I literally like walked around with like a a microphone just like attached to me um because there were some incredible conversations that I had and literally life-changing conversations in a lot of ways. Um so I'm really excited um for the show. I was so grateful to to be there tonight and and be a part of this wonderful mo mo mo monumental night for for the show and this production, and um yeah, I I I just can't say enough good things about it.

[59:06] Eli Tokash: So I hope you go check out Trevor the Musical at stage 42 theater. Uh I promise you you won't forget regret it and uh or forget it, honestly. Um and huge shout out to the cast once again. I mean, they're putting in their blood, sweat and tears, uh, eight shows a week, and they've been doing it through tech, and they've been through it through a pandemic. So they've really been sweating because they have the mask on and everything throughout rehearsals, and it's just it's incredible. Uh what uh what live theater does to to the soul and uh just the work that gets put into it.

[59:39] Eli Tokash: So um huge shout out to everyone involved. But yeah, that's my that's my Trevor Rant, and uh I hope you all enjoyed this wonderful opening night and this wonderful episode that I was able to have. And I hope you all learned a little bit more about the project and are more excited to go see the show. Um and I hope that this episode makes you want to go see the show. And uh I just hope you enjoyed the episode. And if you did, please come back next Thursday.

[1:00:04] Eli Tokash: Uh obviously these episodes drop every Thursday, and uh I have new episodes every week. Take a bow podcast, just search it up on the same place that you're looking at it now. You can search it up on the website, takeaboutpod.com.

[1:00:17] Eli Tokash: Um, and follow us on social media and do all the great stuff that uh that have uh helped me get to 77 episodes. I can't believe it.

[1:00:26] Eli Tokash: And um, yeah, it it's gonna be great, and we have a lot of great, great, great, great stuff in the in the works and in the pipeline. So stay tuned, and I hope to see you all next week. Bye everyone. Have a great week and stay safe.

[1:00:41] Eli Tokash: For this episode's current call, I would like to recognize a few people who also deserve to take a bow. This podcast would not be possible without the help from Dory Berenstein, Brittany Bigelow, Katie Rosen, Alan Seals, and the team at the Broadway Podcast Network.

[1:00:55] Eli Tokash: Next in line to take the bow is Tessie Tokash, who edits the audio and all the visuals for this podcast. A special thanks to patrons Brian Thompson, Pat McNamara, the listeners at PCC, as well as all the other patrons for their continued support.

[1:01:09] Eli Tokash: If you're interested in becoming a patron, go to Patreon.com slash T A B. And if you enjoyed this week's episode, don't forget to subscribe on the platform that you're currently listening to this on.

[1:01:21] Eli Tokash: Also, feel free to give us a follow on Instagram at TakeA Bow Podcast. Take a Bow's logo is designed by Giselle Bustos, and the music is by Nikki Torsha and Cormac Collinon.

[1:01:32] Eli Tokash: Bye everyone. Hope to see you next week.