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[0:00] Eli Tokash: Hello everyone and welcome to episode 98 of Take A Bow. I'm your host, Eli Tokash, and we have another exciting episode for you folks today. I actually think it's maybe one of the most informative episodes that Take A Bow has ever had, actually. It's with a great, great friend of mine, another child performer, Skye Alyssa Friedman, who joins the show. Skye is currently working on two shows, so you'll be seeing a lot of Skye Alyssa Friedman around the Broadway news circle, all of that stuff. She's coming on. She was also in Annie when she was a kid. So we have a great episode, but we talk about things that we haven't talked about here before. And really the most important part was probably how to self-tape and talking about the art of self-taping and how to audition in general in this self-taping world that we're now in. So great conversation coming to you folks.

[0:58] Eli Tokash: So to start our little Broadway news, Broadway recap kind of thing, I wanted to mention something special that's happening very soon in the Broadway world. On April 18th at 9:30 at the Green Room 42, Take A Bow is going live. That's right. We're doing the first ever podcast cabaret. I'm calling it Take A Bow Live Pod Beret, the 100th episode celebration, and it's gonna be amazing. We have an incredible lineup. We have Presley Ryan, we have JJ Neiman, we have Max Von Essen, we have Anthony Rosenthal, and we have Sierra Renee. All incredible people. We also have Charlie Alterman as our music director. So we have a bunch of former Take A Bow guests. We actually have all former Take A Bow guests.

I wanted to keep it in the podcast family. All of them are coming back to do a live show where they will be singing, where they will be talking to me, chatting with the audience, all of the great stuff. If you come, you'll be able to meet all of us. We hope that we see you there. It's at the Green Room 42 on April 18th with an incredible stellar lineup singing incredible songs and just gonna have a night of celebration and it's gonna be a blast. So go get your tickets now. All tickets come with a ten dollar food and beverage voucher, and all the tickets are less than a rush ticket that you would go to see a Broadway show, even though you're getting the Broadway talent that I just listed. So I hope that you all will come.

I hope to see some familiar faces there and some new faces. So check out the Green Room 42 website, search up Take A Bow Live, or go to their events on April 18th and go buy your ticket right now. They have tickets as low as five dollars available. So go check it out. You won't regret it.

[2:46] Eli Tokash: Moving on. Let's talk about some Broadway news, shall we? My Broadway little recap for this past week. I was fortunate enough to see two shows this past week since the last episode. I saw both SUFS and I saw MJ once again because I'm obsessed and I can't stay away. SUFS was amazing. SUFS is at the Public Theater, all female cast. Unfortunately, their first performance opened to the public actually got canceled due to COVID because there was an outbreak in the cast. The lead, Shayna Tab, who also wrote it and stars in it and everything, she is part of the group that got COVID, so very unfortunate for them. There were a couple other shows that actually got COVID, but we'll get into that. But SUFS itself was I thought was really good.

The story was fascinating. It's literally just a history lesson. Like it's like Hamilton, but more focused around the history of it all and not so much about the characters and the art and the development of that and everything like that. So I think it's gonna appeal to a certain audience. I loved it. I think that it was great that they had some Broadway folks in it. Jen Kalella, Philip Passoo, Nikki M. James, wonderful, wonderful talent on the stage. It's following Hamilton's footsteps as far as like history. It's at the Public Theater, which is where Hamilton started before it went to Broadway. I will not be shocked if we end up seeing this show on Broadway. I thought it was really good. So it's about women's suffrage and about Alice Paul, who really led the way for the women's suffrage movement. So it's a great storyline and it's a great thing to really learn about. So go check that out if you're interested. It's currently at the Public Theater.

[4:28] Eli Tokash: Then I saw MJ, and you all know how I feel about MJ. MJ is by far my favorite musical of this season. It's hard because it's right there. It's like I always forget that Six is also part of this season because I saw Six before the pandemic. So they're kind of neck and neck, but I thought MJ was amazing. If Miles Frost doesn't win best actor, it's just, it's just so amazing. The performers are ridiculous. And his music, Michael Jackson's music, is just, it's insane to think about how many songs he made that were just massive hits and that still are hits in this day and age, even 30 years later, you know. It's kind of crazy to think about. But seriously, it's amazing. The performers are amazing.

Miles Frost, Tavon Lamont, Old Sample is incredible. All the Michaels, honestly, I know the little Michaels alternate. It was great to see Antoine and Devin back in the show. I hadn't met Antoine before, so it was cool to see him after seeing the show and watching him perform. So that was great, and Devin is great as always. Just a great time. It's truly a concert. It's interesting because the two shows that I have as best musical this season are both concerts, basically, with MJ and then Six. Obviously, Six is more original and it's got original score and everything like that, but it has that concert kind of style and feel to it where it's kind of non-stop. It never bores you. It's like it keeps you entertained the entire time. It's awesome.

[6:11] Eli Tokash: So exciting news happening this week is Beetlejuice is opening tomorrow. If you're listening to this on Thursday, that is. If you're listening to this Thursday, the day that this comes out, Beetlejuice is opening tomorrow, Friday, April 8th. And I'm going to be able to do some press for it on opening night. I cannot wait to bring that all to you. Follow us on social media on Take A Bow Podcast on Instagram and TikTok. And then, of course, follow us on Patreon where we will be doing a full vlog of it all. So exciting content coming to you all this week. I don't know if it's gonna be a full episode. I'm not sure how much content I'm gonna be able to grab there. But stay tuned for that and follow along on socials because we will definitely be posting there.

Stay tuned for that. I'm very excited. A lot of the Broadway community is very excited to have the show back on Broadway. Speaking of opening nights, happy opening to Take Me Out in Paradise Square that had their openings this past week. Very exciting stuff. I heard Take Me Out is wonderful and beautiful and all the things. It's gonna make you laugh, cry, all the things. So I'm excited to see that one. And then of course, Paradise Square, which I've heard is, I've actually heard mixed reviews about it, but majority of the great stuff, like people have either absolutely loved it and gone on and on, and then people were just like, it was good. It was like it was okay. So I haven't heard anyone didn't like it, but I've also heard that one's a bit of an emotional roller coaster.

So great stuff. As long as it's making an impact on people's lives, that's what musical theater and art is all about. So check those ones out if you are interested. I'm excited to see both of those, and hopefully I get to see them soon.

[7:54] Eli Tokash: Taking it down to a bit of a sad place here, SUFS, which I mentioned, had to cancel its first performance as well as A Strange Loop. They had to cancel their first performance, their first preview, that is, due to COVID. A Strange Loop is opening back up on April 11th, so it'll make its first preview on April 11th, and then SUFS will actually continue with the understudy of the leads. But they had to cancel the performance to get a couple days of rehearsal in and everything like that. Another show that had to cancel due to COVID was Macbeth, but it wasn't their first show. They had been having a few shows, so they had to cancel performances, unfortunately. Matthew Broderick will actually be missing a few performances of Plaza Suite due to COVID illnesses as well.

Sarah Jessica Parker has tested negative. I know they're husband and wife, but I guess he's the only one with it right now, so she's still in the show. I'm not sure exactly who's going on for him. It kind of hasn't been mentioned much. Hopefully it's Aaron Dilly, who was my mom in A Christmas Story. But I'm excited, I'm interested to see how that would work. But I do know that she's the standby for both of them. So maybe it's her and then, or maybe it's like an understudy. I'm not a hundred percent sure, and I haven't seen it on anywhere, so I don't want to be the source to tell you the wrong information.

[9:20] Eli Tokash: So we'll bring it back up and we'll bring it more positive before we turn it over to the episode. The Broadway League has announced that mask policies are still gonna be in place through April, and I imagine that it will continue to extend. But right now they're extending it through the month of April, and then they will be re-evaluating after that. But I think it should just continue. I mean, why not? Why risk anything? We'll see what they do on that, and I'll obviously keep you all updated. I know that mask policies in New York in general are kind of being more lenient, and you don't need them so much in restaurants and everything like that. But you still do need them to go to a theater, so keep that in mind if you're traveling or if you are just in New York and are about to see a show, bring your mask. Remember.

[10:11] Eli Tokash: HBO announced that Spring Awakening, those you've known documentary, will be debuting on HBO and HBO Max on May 3rd. Early birthday present for me. Very exciting stuff. I cannot wait for this. The original Broadway cast kind of came back together, filmed this documentary. I cannot wait for it. Honest to God. It's featuring Jonathan Groff, Lea Michele, Lily Cooper, all of those people that were in the original cast. So it's very exciting. HBO or HBO Max, which is the streaming platform. So go check that out. And the last bit of news that I'll leave you all with today is that Doubtfire will be reopening with a new child cast. Unfortunately, I believe the original Broadway cast of kids have now become too tall, their voices have changed, all of that stuff.

One is working on a new project. So unfortunately, for the original Broadway cast, their run was cut short. But excited for this new wave of kids for the show. They will be reopening with the show. However, the original Broadway cast kids, Avery Sell and Jake Ryan Flynn will be on the cast recording that you all will hear when it comes out because they just recorded one. So that is coming. So keep an eye out for that. And when you go see Doubtfire, if you have a ticket for when it reopens, just know that there's gonna be a new cast. So yeah.

[11:35] Eli Tokash: Alright, that wraps up this week's Broadway little recap, I guess we could call it, because it wasn't just news. But I want to turn it over to the drama dictionary section because there's a couple things in this episode that are said, and I just want to make sure that everyone knows what's going on. So Skye mentions a house, or our house or the house. I can't remember if I've actually done this word before. If I have, I apologize. And this is just a little reminder. If I have not, well, I'm glad I'm gonna be doing it now.

[12:08] Eli Tokash: So a house is what the um I guess the performers, but I guess the audience can call it too, is the portion of the theater where uh all of the seats are. So where the audience sits is technically called the house. So we have like front of house, which is like the lobby, we have the house, which is where the seats are, and then we have like mezzanine, all that stuff. So we have front of house, house, back of house. And um, they're all essentially the same thing. They're just saying it's basically the entire theater except backstage and the stage itself. So the house is really where you all sit, and hopefully, that little um definition or uh example, I guess, or the picture that I've put in will help you understand what we talk about right now. Let's throw it over to Skye Alyssa Friedman.

[13:00] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Curtain up.

[13:18] Eli Tokash: So this week we are joined by a Broadway baby who made her Broadway debut in Annie when she was just 11 years old. Uh she just recently finished a run at the Atlantic Theater in the off-Broadway, uh, pre-Broadway, I guess you can call it, run of Kimberly Akimbo, which is transferring to Broadway. And not only is she transferring with it, and will be in another Broadway show just later this year, but she's also currently in rehearsal for an off-Broadway show called Lucky Star. So she's doing all the things plus going to college. This is so exciting. Everyone, welcome to Take a Bow, Skye Alyssa Friedman.

[13:55] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Hi, so excited to be here today.

[13:57] Eli Tokash: Oh my god, this is long overdue.

[13:59] Skye Alyssa Friedman: I know.

[14:00] Eli Tokash: Um, she made me wait uh so that she was able to talk about all of the incredible things that she's uh been working on it just literally in the past six months. Like literally COVID ended and it kind of opened back up. Uh it's amazing. So we're gonna get all into it in a bit. Uh but I usually like to start my episodes in asking people how they got started in the industry, like what inspired them to tell stories and perform and all of that fun stuff.

[14:30] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Yeah, I don't even really know that there was a moment where I was like, oh, this is what I have to do. I was just I was always so drawn to it. Um I did my first production in preschool. It was Mary Poppins, and I played Mary Poppins.

[14:43] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[14:45] Skye Alyssa Friedman: You're very Mary Poppins like, I guess.

[14:48] Eli Tokash: Yeah, I can see it.

[14:50] Skye Alyssa Friedman: I can see it. And then I I used to watch like all the Shirley Temple movies all the time. I looked like her as a kid. I was so inspired by her. I was like, she is so cool. I want to do that. Um, and then there's this story that I don't even remember, but I've been told it a few times. I was walking out of kindergarten with my mom, and I just turned to her and I was like, Mom, I'm gonna be on Broadway. And she was like, Oh what? Where did this even come from? Um I don't even know how I knew what Broadway was at that age, but I think it just it was always like a part of me.

[15:23] Eli Tokash: It's so interesting too, because it's not like you grew up in in New York.

[15:27] Skye Alyssa Friedman: No, I didn't, and none of my parents, like uh nobody in my family's in the business. Um, so I don't I don't even really know, but it was just that's what I wanted to do.

[15:36] Eli Tokash: That's wild. I love the Shirley Temple reference because we just had a guest on Brittany Mack, who's one of the queens in Six. Uh, and she said that that was one of her inspirations.

[15:46] Skye Alyssa Friedman: I loved her, and you know, I've curly hair now, and when I was a kid, my hair was curly and super short. So I I there's a picture of me like holding up one of her movies, and I literally look identical.

[15:57] Eli Tokash: Oh my god, I love that.

[15:59] Skye Alyssa Friedman: So here we are. So you are telling your mom that you want to be on Broadway.

[16:05] Eli Tokash: And then what happened? Did you just continue to did you like fly out to New York to audition? And then all of a sudden you're making your Broadway debut, or like how'd that go?

[16:15] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Um, so basically I started training, I started taking classes at the local uh conservatory. It was it's the Malt Street Theater Conservatory. Um and I I I started taking classes there. I I was really getting into it. I did my first professional show at age nine at the Malts. It was Sound of Music, and I played Gretel. Um around that same time, I did a workshop with an agent, and I thought it was just like, oh, you're gonna learn a little. That's it. Um, but she called my mom the next day and she's like, Oh, I want to represent Skye. And my mom was like, Wait, what? And my parents were a little apprehensive because you know it's hard, it's it's a big commitment, it's a lot of money, and so they were like, let's mm-I don't know.

So the agent was like, All right, just take a month, think about it, get back to me, learn a little bit more. So in that month, I managed to convince my parents, and um we we did agree to be represented by her, and then I started flying up to uh New York and auditioning and and yeah, yeah, rest is history, I guess.

[17:21] Skye Alyssa Friedman: And then and then Annie on Broadway came along.

[17:23] Eli Tokash: Annie on Broadway came along.

[17:25] Skye Alyssa Friedman: I um, you know, it's funny, I it had been a few years at that point, and it was getting to be a lot, and like I said, it's a lot of money, it's a lot of uh time, commitment. So we were kind of like, all right, I think we're maybe gonna take a break for a little bit. So when we first got the audition for Annie, we were like, No, I'm sorry, we can't do it. Um, but it just so happened that two other shows were auditioning that same around the same time. So we were like, oh, we can do we can do a few, so let's just fly up, give it one more shot. Um, because I'm from Florida, so we had to fly every time I went to audition. Um what's funny is I didn't even end up auditioning for the other two shows. I think something happened. Um but I auditioned for Annie. We got back on the plane. As we boarded the plane, they were like, oh, we want her for the callback.

[18:12] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Um Chris were like on the plane when we get the email.

[18:16] Eli Tokash: Wait, did you already like were you in the air?

[18:19] Skye Alyssa Friedman: We were we were like boarded, but but the funny thing is is that we were like, oh, she can't come to the callback because she has a science fair.

[18:29] Eli Tokash: I can't.

[18:32] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Oh my god.

[18:41] Skye Alyssa Friedman: So they were like, okay. A science fair.

[18:45] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[18:47] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Yeah. Like, what is that? All right. Um, okay.

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

[18:53] Skye Alyssa Friedman: So they were like, all right, we'll push her to the final callback. So I did come back up for that, and then 45 minutes after that final callback, I got the call.

[19:01] Eli Tokash: Wow.

[19:01] Skye Alyssa Friedman: So they just that was just two auditions for Annie. They just like streamlined you then.

[19:07] Eli Tokash: Because I think the like final callback was like multiple days.

[19:10] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Wow. Like cuts in between. But yeah, it was it was not a super long process like a lot of other shows were that I had, yeah.

[19:18] Eli Tokash: That's insane.

[19:19] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Yeah, it was so uh so then you end up moving to New York, 11 years old, and you're being you're a swing on Broadway.

[19:26] Eli Tokash: So you were swinging Annie.

[19:27] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Yeah. Talk to me about swing life and talk to me at like the young age of 11. Like, because I know you just did it for Kimberly, but don't touch on that yet.

[19:36] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Yeah. Yeah. So I was a standby. I covered Annie, Duffy, July, Pepper, and Tessie. So I covered five orphans when I was 11. I know I look back on that and I'm like, how was that possible? Why did I do that? Because as an adult now, I would be like, oh, that's a little scary. Like I can handle it, but a little scary.

[19:55] Eli Tokash: Sure.

[19:56] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Um, but I think at that age, there's just like a lack of inhibition and fear, and you're just so excited to be a part of it all, and you're just truly trying to live your best life.

[20:07] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[20:07] Skye Alyssa Friedman: And I think I was just like so open and and excited that it was it was I I don't want to say easy because standby swings under cities are that is not an easy job. Um, but I think I was just so happy and grateful to be there, and I I loved it so much. And I think, yeah, being a standby is is very difficult. Covering five roles is very difficult. I think I had to learn a lot about organization at that age and responsibility. I had everything was color-coded, so I remember like Annie was red and Duffy was green, and I had all my track sheets, and um I we had an amazing dance captain who really who really taught me how to how to do that, um, how to be a standby. Um, but you know, when you're when you're covering so many roles, you you have to know all the different lines, obviously, but also the harmonies, the choreography, the different staging. So it's quite a lot. It's a fun, it's a fun challenge, and it keeps things interesting, and you get you get a nice fun adrenaline rush always when you find out you're going on last minute.

[21:09] Eli Tokash: Go on in the middle of a show before.

[21:11] Skye Alyssa Friedman: You did?

[21:12] Skye Alyssa Friedman: I did, yeah.

[21:13] Eli Tokash: Okay, so talk to me about that because that's something that isn't always talked about, especially on a podcast, because it's just such a unique experience. So, like when you are literally backstage chilling, maybe watching some Netflix. I don't know if there was Netflix at the time, but um what are you doing?

[21:29] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Yeah, so I think yeah, I was sitting backstage. I was I was totally chilling. I think I was in like a like I remember being in this like cute little dress. I had like little earrings in, like some looking like an orphan. And all of a sudden they're like, Skye, you're you're you're going on stage, you need to be there, like the next number. So it was insane. All these people started rushing around me. They were like throwing off my earrings, they were like throwing my hair in braids. I had to go on as Duffy, so they were trying to Duffy had to wear this green hat and had her hair like entirely tucked up in it. So they're like trying to get that done. They're like throwing it into clothes. The funny thing about what happened with this is because it was so quick and and spur of the moment, and I like ran on stage for little girls.

Um, the role that I was playing in that one, Duffy, it's hard to it's hard to explain without like a visual aid, but she had to get up on the table and kind of like roll over her back so like her legs were up.

[22:24] Eli Tokash: Uh-huh.

[22:24] Skye Alyssa Friedman: And we realized in that moment when I was on stage as I rolled back that we forgot my bloomers.

[22:30] Eli Tokash: Yep.

[22:30] Skye Alyssa Friedman: So um wardrobe were watching in the wings, and they're like, oh my god. Um I like realized, so I was like trying to like hold my dress up as soon as I saw that I didn't have the bloomers on. And as soon as I ran off stage, you're like, oh my god, we're so sorry. We will never do that again. Like, always bloomers first.

[22:52] Eli Tokash: Yes.

[22:53] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Insane.

[22:54] Eli Tokash: But oh my word, I can't imagine. Just at least, oh, I I don't even know the positive in that story. But hey, you made your cue, and that's all that matters.

[23:06] Skye Alyssa Friedman: The show was gone.

[23:07] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[23:08] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Um, that's insane. That's literally like the summary of swing life.

[23:13] Eli Tokash: Like stories like that. It's just it's crazy.

[23:14] Skye Alyssa Friedman: It's uh it's a honestly, it's like an art of its own in in this industry.

[23:20] Eli Tokash: I absolutely agree with that. It is an art and it's an incredibly hard job, and I and I'm excited that um it's getting a little bit more recognition recently. People are starting to understand it a little bit more.

[23:34] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Um I just yeah, just had to take a pandemic, you know.

[23:36] Eli Tokash: Yeah, it just had to take a pandemic.

[23:38] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Unbelievable. But I I do think that you know they're the they're the backbone of the show, and I and I really think it's important that the general public and all of us start to really understand and recognize uh what what swings and under cities and covers do um and how they play into a show.

[23:57] Eli Tokash: Absolutely. Talk to me uh kind of about moving to New York because like I there's a lot of people our age listening to this, but there are also like parents and stuff who like their kids are interested and they'll like seek advice and stuff. So from like your mom's point of view, like when you're 11 years old, like did your was your mom with you?

[24:24] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Yeah, so as I said, I'm from Florida, that's where me and my family lived. I'm an only child, so it was just my parents and I. Um, she went into literal shock after we got this call. It was crazy. Once we flew back home, she would we had to, I had two weeks to move up to New York, so not a lot of time. So she was like on the computer all day, every day, just trying to find apartment, like place to live. She like was just like eating popcorn, like she was not stopping for dinner.

[24:52] Eli Tokash: Right.

[24:52] Skye Alyssa Friedman: And we did find a place. I actually ended up living right above the Glasshouse Tavern, which a lot of people know. So I was like a block from the theater, middle of Times Square, living the dream. Yes. Um, my mom, my mom came up and she lived with me. My dad stayed in Florida, and then like once a month or so he would fly up to visit. Um, yeah, it's definitely a sacrifice, and thank you to my parents who made all this happen because genuinely you can't do anything without that support. Um, so that was amazing. But yeah, she uprooted her whole life and we moved to the city, and my dad stayed back to work, and yeah. Insane.

[25:31] Eli Tokash: So your mom, did your mom have to quit her job, or like was she able to work?

[25:35] Skye Alyssa Friedman: She wasn't she wasn't working at that time. Um, because I was I was also homeschooled and I was she she wasn't able to work at that moment, so she didn't have to quit, but yeah, she still had to change her whole reroute, yeah, exactly.

[25:50] Eli Tokash: Yeah, it's so funny because that's how we met. Like we lived on the same block, just a couple avenues away.

[25:57] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Right.

[25:57] Eli Tokash: Um, and doing it while you were in Annie and just still it randomly in the city.

[26:04] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Yeah, I was I was an orphan in Annie. Um, I actually played Annie. I don't know what you're talking about.

[26:09] Eli Tokash: Right.

[26:09] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Um, anyways, um talk to me about like being a kid on Broadway, because not only are you a swing at 11 years old and all of this craziness is happening. Um, but you know, it's interesting because what you're doing now is similar to what you were doing when you were in Annie, however, you're technically an adult. So, like in Annie, we had child wranglers and tutors and stuff like that.

[26:37] Eli Tokash: We, as if I was in it.

[26:39] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Um, yeah, exactly. Um, but so but now you're doing that with you're doing two shows plus college and everything. So, like, talk to me about the similarities and the differences between like what you're doing, what you did in Annie as a kid, and now like what you're doing right now as a teen.

[27:00] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Yeah, no, that's it's a good question. It's actually something I've been thinking a lot about because um, Kimberly Akimbo at Atlantic was my first show as an adult, and I was just trying to notice the differences between working as a kid and as a adult.

[27:02] Eli Tokash: Which are we adults?

[27:17] Skye Alyssa Friedman: You know, it's debatable.

[27:17] Eli Tokash: Okay, okay.

[27:21] Skye Alyssa Friedman: But I think what's interesting as a kid is I think you're so blissfully unaware in a way of what you're doing and everything that you're doing. Like, you know that you have to be mature and responsible and professional, and that's and I feel like all kid actors are because just the way that we grow up and the people that were around and working with adults, but I still think that we're unaware of like the actuality and the insanity of what we're doing, like doing school, being a swing, covering five roles, being doing eight shows a week for thousands of people. Um, but I think as an adult, I was like, oh, I'm I am so aware now of all this pressure and responsibility and what I need to what I need to be doing.

[28:06] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Um, so it's more it's it's more pressure in a way, but it's also more freeing in a way, I think, to be an adult because you're fully independent. You don't have you don't have a rank where being like okay. So I think I think you learn and your your perspective shifts. And also, you know, I I've loved working with adults since I was a kid. I think most of us do. I mainly grew up around adults. Like I said, I was only a child, I was homeschooled. Um, so I've always felt comfortable with adults, and it's it's interesting how adults interact with kids and then now being among the adults.

[28:43] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Um, but I I think that I always I always loved that and and seeing different perspectives and life experiences, and like that's one of my favorite parts of working in theater.

[28:57] Eli Tokash: So is the biggest difference for you then more of like as a kid, you're more not robotic, but in a way where you're just kind of being told and guided this is what's happening this time, blah blah blah. And now as an as an adult, uh you are figuring it all out on your own and kind of making your own schedule and taking charge.

[29:16] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Yeah, I think so. It's it's more independence, it's more taking initiative on your own. Um, it's it's hard to articulate. I I think that we do that as kids too, but I think that now I'm fully aware of everything on my plate, if that makes sure any sense.

[29:32] Eli Tokash: Yeah, that makes sense because like as kids we're kind of like blinded by it and we're kind of innocent, you know.

[29:38] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Like it's just you know, this is normal for us.

[29:41] Eli Tokash: Yeah, yeah, it's normal.

[29:42] Skye Alyssa Friedman: And now as an adult, I'm like, maybe this isn't normal exactly.

[29:47] Eli Tokash: Exactly.

[29:48] Skye Alyssa Friedman: I don't want to do anything else.

[29:50] Eli Tokash: Right.

[29:51] Skye Alyssa Friedman: So now here we are, you're in adulthood and you're doing you're currently. Let's talk about what you're currently doing. You're currently in rehearsal for Lucky Star.

[29:56] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Yes.

[30:00] Eli Tokash: Talk to me about Lucky Star. Talk to me about what the show is about, what the show is and where that when that's opening, where it's gonna be, all that fun stuff.

[30:08] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Yeah, so I'm currently in rehearsals for an off-Broadway play called The Lucky Star by Karen Hartman and Strict If I know Himmelstein. Um, it's at 59 East 59, and we uh our first preview is April 26th.

[30:23] Eli Tokash: So come on check us.

[30:25] Skye Alyssa Friedman: An opening is when?

[30:27] Eli Tokash: May 5th, your birthday.

[30:28] Skye Alyssa Friedman: What?

[30:30] Eli Tokash: Amazing.

[30:31] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Just had to plug that one real quick.

[30:33] Eli Tokash: Uh go ahead, continue.

[30:36] Skye Alyssa Friedman: It's it's this beautiful and heartbreaking and invigorating play. It's it's different than pretty much anything I've worked on before. It's a true story. Um, it's based on um the the Hollanders and so so Richard Hollander found this box of letters, and they contain letters from his family from when they were in World War II and living in Poland, and they couldn't escape.

[31:08] Skye Alyssa Friedman: So it's during the Holocaust they're Jews. Um, it's really beautiful because you get to see their experiences and their family life, and then it also ties Act Two really ties into the present and how how our past, like our our family's past and our own past, um, informs our present.

[31:29] Skye Alyssa Friedman: And what's really interesting is like I said, it's true, and all of the words that I speak pretty much are all these letters that were actually written, and like there's this courtroom scene, it's the actual court transcripts.

[31:41] Eli Tokash: Wow.

[31:41] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Um, which which blows my mind.

[31:44] Eli Tokash: Is that the scene where you have the Polish accent?

[31:47] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Yeah, the courtroom scene. Uh yes.

[31:49] Eli Tokash: Oh my god, amazing.

[31:50] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Because I have to do a Polish accent in one scene.

[31:53] Eli Tokash: Yes.

[31:54] Skye Alyssa Friedman: And it's actually really good.

[31:55] Eli Tokash: So is that with a dialect coach?

[31:58] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Yeah, I've had one session with a dialect coach so far. Um, I'm hoping I think I get another one, which would be which would be awesome. But I I enjoy trying to learn dialects and working on that. So that's been really fun. But I had never done a Polish accent before.

[32:13] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Um, it's not a super super usual one in a lot of auditions I get. So um that's been a that's been a cool experience. I play two parts in the show. I play uh Genka, who's the older teenage daughter in in the family living in Poland, and then I also play the younger version of a Polish immigrant Arnold who comes to escapes to America.

[32:38] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Um, but he has to undergo lots of immigration hearings, etc. Cause the US was not very open to immigrants at that time.

[32:46] Eli Tokash: So right. Well, at that time, at the time okay.

[32:51] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Um moving on now.

[32:53] Eli Tokash: But so going back to the family, the role with your family, Genka, uh, you're actually the older sister to a former Take A Bow guest, Alexa Nijak.

[33:05] Skye Alyssa Friedman: So uh that's fun. I just had to mention that really quickly.

[33:10] Eli Tokash: Oh my god, she's the best. You both are I love that you both are in this show together.

[33:14] Skye Alyssa Friedman: It's making me so happy.

[33:16] Eli Tokash: Um, and then the whole dialect thing, it's interesting because I often think that that's a bit overlooked. Um, as actors, I I guess people expect since we are performers and actors, that we just like know these things, and like especially like most of the shows that I've done have all been British accents, but like so it's just like people think that I just know how to speak like that, but they don't know that it takes like hours of preparation of like getting it down to getting it so comfortable that it seems like we just know how to do it, right?

[33:48] Skye Alyssa Friedman: And working with coaches and everything like that.

[33:51] Eli Tokash: So I don't know. I want to hear your experience in working with the dialect coach and figuring out with Poland, or even if you pick stuff up off of YouTube, because that's a popular thing.

[34:00] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Yeah, yeah. No, when I got the audition and I saw that that scene was in a Polish accent, I was like, hmm, okay. So I was like, I'm gonna try to do the accent. So I did end up going on YouTube and I listened to like this like six minute video or something of somebody just like how to do a Polish accent.

[34:17] Eli Tokash: Right.

[34:17] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Um and was it perfect? Not at all. But it you know, it was a hint, it was a suggestion of what it could be. I also listened to um somebody from Poland speaking English so that I could hear an authentic, authentic Polish dialect.

[34:32] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Um and I just kind of was like, all right, I'm just gonna I'm just gonna go for it and use it in my audition. And I did, and and they were it was funny because they asked me in the audition, they were like, Oh, did you work with someone on the Polish dialect? That was really impressive.

[34:47] Eli Tokash: Wow.

[34:47] Skye Alyssa Friedman: And I was like, uh no, I I didn't, but uh thank you.

[34:51] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Um just a natural.

[34:55] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Um so now working with someone having had that one lesson, it's it's so helpful, but it's also like retraining your entire brain on the tiniest of sounds.

[35:07] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Like I've been trying to work so hard on these different R sounds and and how different vowels and consonants changed. There's so much minute work that goes into it that you wouldn't think of as an audience member.

[35:18] Skye Alyssa Friedman: And then wrestling with this already somewhat difficult court transcript of lots of uh places and trying to make that clear and the story clear while also using this dialect, it's it's a lot. I think it's a really fun challenge though.

[35:33] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Um, and like I said, I I do like working on dialects, so I've been having a good time with it, but it's definitely tricky.

[35:40] Eli Tokash: Yeah, for sure. And uh it's interesting that like, you know, should oftentimes when you get auditions for shows and you see they have accents and you have you see they have stage directions and all these things, it's as an actor you're kind of you evaluate it and you're like, oh my god, like what exactly should I incorporate into the audition? Like what do they actually want? Do they want this accent or are they gonna learn are they gonna like teach me later? Do they want me to do this stage direction?

[36:05] Skye Alyssa Friedman: So good for you for making a choice.

[36:08] Skye Alyssa Friedman: And like I feel like for people listening that are like going in for accents, like if you feel like if you do some research and you you are doing the work for your character and everything like that, definitely like go out there and try it.

[36:20] Skye Alyssa Friedman: And if it sounds like pretty close and you feel like you're comfortable with it, then do it. But if it's like something that's gonna make you nervous or it's just throw you off or something, don't do it. Right. I think it's always good to make a bold choice and such, but I think it's also important to make an informed choice based off of yourself and the character, because you don't want to go in there and do something wildly off base. So knowing yourself and your abilities and what your strengths are, making a decision based off of that.

[36:50] Eli Tokash: Absolutely.

[36:51] Skye Alyssa Friedman: And it takes a lot of time and effort to evaluate that and figuring out what you're good at, how good you are, and it's hard because you usually have like 48 hours probably to prepare for an audition. So it's like it's understandable if you can't. Yeah, this timing was actually crazy because we can go into more of it in a bit, but I had just found out I had just gotten my booster shot that was and then I had just found out that I had to go on for Teresa that night.

[37:17] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[37:18] Skye Alyssa Friedman: And then I got this audition. I was like, wait, wait, can you give me too much? I said no, wait, hold on. Yeah, it was very, you know, I didn't have a lot of time and I didn't have a lot of time to work on the accent, so it was kind of a choice where I was just like, you know what? I think this is a choice that I will make and I think it will work and I'm gonna go for it. But yeah, it's not like I had a ton of time to work on it.

[37:43] Eli Tokash: Yeah, I love it. So now you're, you just finished a run at the Atlantic Theater Company where it was the pre-Broadway run of Kimberly Akimbo and now it's transferring to Broadway. But talk to me about your experience with Atlantic Theater and doing the show there, because it was crazy when you said that you had got it. You were like, oh, but I don't know if I'm going on because you were swing again and you went on a ton. Talk to me about that experience and playing both roles in the show and everything.

[38:15] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Yeah, God, I love this show so much, and I just everybody involved in it. This show holds such a special place in my heart. So obviously, like I said, it was the first show that I did as an adult in the city. It's also such a beautiful little house. Yeah, so Kimberly Akimbo is a musical. The book is by David Lindsay-Abaire, the book and lyrics, and the music is by Janine Tesori. Both the most wonderful people. And being in this development of the musical at Atlantic, I was able to work with them a lot and see them work, which genuinely was one of the best learning experiences of my life. But anyway, so yes, I was an understudy, I covered Delia and Teresa. I, you know, it was a short, not a short run, but you know, it's not a Broadway run until I guess.

[39:10] Eli Tokash: Yeah, it was a limited run.

[39:11] Skye Alyssa Friedman: It was a limited run. So I was like, I'm probably not gonna go on. And I thought that going in, but I still was like, I absolutely it is my job, and I of course want to be sure that I'm ready to go on if I ever need to. So I was very proactive about trying to learn everything and make sure I was there all the time and watching. And the other thing, I'm going on a little bit of a tangent here, but the other thing with Kimberly too is that there was ice skating in it.

[39:37] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[39:38] Skye Alyssa Friedman: That was one of my questions.

[39:42] Eli Tokash: All right. We can go into that in a bit.

[39:44] Skye Alyssa Friedman: But no, go for it.

[39:46] Eli Tokash: All right, all right.

[39:47] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Yeah, so we did, so there's an ice skating number in Kimberly Akimbo. I, you know, I had ice skated before, like casually, like maybe once every few years, but it's not like I was good at ice skating. So that was another additional layer for Kimberly. We, I don't know if I could go into the like how the magic is made, but we do use real ice skates. So that was a lot of practice and trying to figure out 'cause, you know, and because I covered two people, they both did different tricks in the show. So trying to learn the spins and the arabesque and whatever. But we had skate call every day, which I was able to start going to and that was helpful. But yeah, never in a million years did I think I would be trying to learn ice skating for a musical theater show. It blows my mind.

[40:47] Eli Tokash: I'm obsessed with that number.

[40:49] Skye Alyssa Friedman: I love it. Literally my cast, I saw the show with Zach, my brother, and we were obsessed. Like that came out and it's funny because it's not like there's ice on the stage where you have like a little part. It's just like it's literally the stage and you're literally ice skating.

[41:06] Eli Tokash: And yeah, it was funny as a lot.

[41:08] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Go ahead.

[41:08] Eli Tokash: Yeah, a lot of people think that the ice skates were like little roller blades with wheels. And that's why people kept coming up to me after the show and asking, and I'm like, no, these are real ice skates with blades, and we just are able to, because of the material the stage is made of, we're able to skate on it.

[41:25] Eli Tokash: Right. It's fascinating.

[41:27] Skye Alyssa Friedman: And it's funny. I was on a podcast this past week called Broadway Time, and they asked me what movie I would want to see into a musical, and I said Miracle on Ice 'cause I thought it could never be done, but then I saw Kimberly Akimbo and I was like, my life was changed and it can happen. I promise you can ice skate on stage. It was so funny. I gave Kimberly a little shout out. So it was hilarious. I was like, I absolutely love that. It also helps that that song is like one of my favorite songs. It's so good. I'm always singing it with Gaia. Anytime I see her, I'm like, uh oh.

[42:09] Eli Tokash: It's so good.

[42:10] Skye Alyssa Friedman: For those of you who didn't get to see the show, it's an amazing score. Obviously, it was written by Janine Tesori. So what more do you need to say? What ended up happening with Kimberly? I didn't think I was gonna go on. I covered these two roles. But obviously we are in still a pandemic. Don't know if you've heard of it. Anyway, so round seven. Actually, so all of a sudden I got this text from our stage manager, and they were like, you know, the person you cover has tested positive, and you're going on for Delia tonight.

[42:56] Eli Tokash: I hadn't rehearsed in any of my costumes, I hadn't had a put in. You know, we called like a one hour emergency rehearsal beforehand, and that was kind of my put in moment that wasn't a good one.

[43:10] Skye Alyssa Friedman: You had one hour to put in.

[43:12] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[43:13] Skye Alyssa Friedman: What? Yeah, that's insane. One hour.

[43:15] Eli Tokash: Yeah, it's crazy.

[43:19] Skye Alyssa Friedman: I mean, I had been, we had a few understudy rehearsals before then. So it wasn't like I hadn't been rehearsed at all. It's just that I hadn't had like a put in or anything.

[43:28] Eli Tokash: Got it.

[43:29] Skye Alyssa Friedman: But um, so I did that. The cast was so wonderful and so supportive and just so encouraging and kind. Everybody in that show is genuinely such an amazing person, both the creative team and the cast. They are all such special people. And because of COVID, I ended up having to be on for 10 days for that role. So what's nice about that is that you really can get into a rhythm and you can start to explore and play around and relax more, which is a beautiful gift. Obviously, I was so devastated for the person that I was covering because of course it sucks to be out with COVID, nobody wants that. So the other, yeah, being an understudy is hard because a lot of the times it's like a hard thing to balance with.

I feel like really bad for the personnel, but then it's also like this is a great chance to perform and share the story. And um, yeah, and so then I was like, I finished my Delia run. I thought it was my last show. We did this like, you know, big thing at the end, like this group hug, like we're like, yay, Skye's last show, and blah blah blah. And I was like, all right, like thank you all. This has been amazing.

[44:46] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Then I forget the timing. It was like a week later. I decided to, I had been putting off the booster shot only because I was worried about having to go on and having side effects because I had like I was really sick after the other vaccine shots, but totally worth it. Get your vaccine. Not saying that. Anyway, so I had been putting it off just for that reason. But I was like, you know what? I'm just I'm gonna get my booster shot on this day. And so the timing of this is unreal and so comedic almost. I get the booster shot actually two minutes after. I'm sitting in the waiting room at the hospital. Actually, two minutes later, I get a text from our stage manager and our co-wist officer, and they're like, um, you are going on tonight for Teresa.

And I'm just like, no, I'm not. Okay, great. Thank you so much. Starting with like downing water, and I was like taking like Tylenol and like I was like, I can't, I can't get as sick as I did. Like, I need to go on tonight. So again, we had this like emergency rehearsal. I hadn't worn any of my Teresa costumes, we didn't do a Teresa put in. Again, everybody was just so wonderful. And we ended up, you know, making it happen. I think it all worked out. What's crazy is that because it was such a short run and I had to go on for 10 days for each character, I ended up doing Bonnie Milligan and I were like talking about it and we figured it out, and I ended up doing about a quarter of the run, which is crazy.

[46:29] Eli Tokash: Amazing.

[46:30] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Yeah, which is really wild, and something that I certainly never expected. So but I'm so grateful for that experience and those people, and I'm just, it's so surreal to me that I get to do this show again and be back on Broadway now with this, and I just really, I'm so grateful.

[46:52] Eli Tokash: Yeah, I can't wait to see the show on Broadway. I'm so excited. I'm like a fangirl of my own show.

[46:58] Skye Alyssa Friedman: I know, it's great so much. Listen, it was getting so much buzz at the end of its run that like people were really seeing it and recognizing it and how beautiful it was and how great of a story it was, and I'm glad that it's being shown on a bigger stage, you know.

[47:13] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Me too, honestly.

[47:15] Eli Tokash: Yeah, well not just for my own sake. I just I love it.

[47:18] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Right. So it's interesting because I know that, you know, you were 11 years old, and here we are when you were doing Annie. But I mean, was there anything a lot of time has passed, but was there anything that you were kind of able to like look back on from Annie that kind of helped you be a swing for Kimberly?

[47:39] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Yeah, I think again, those track sheets are so helpful. So basically for me, a track sheet is a document for each role that I cover. So I had one for Julia, one for Teresa. And it basically has all of the entrances and exits, like which side you come from and where it has cue lines, it has certain moments that I just need to pay extra attention to, like, oh pick up the glue trap, like for this character. So certain things that I would need to know. And it's just, it's like this bare bones sheet that's really basically I can throw have it on the wings and like get a quick glance at it and have all the information that I need to have. And they're so helpful and that's something that I learned from Annie was having something like that for each character.

[48:27] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Also, the color coding is very helpful.

[48:30] Eli Tokash: Um, you know, once again, Delia was green and Teresa was blue, and just for some reason, I'm able to visualize my script more in that and just like putting myself into that. I'm like, okay, I'm green, green today. Um, it's interesting because, uh, aren't you for Lucky Star, aren't you color coordinating your two different characters?

[48:48] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Oh yeah, I do. I do.

[48:49] Eli Tokash: It's so it's interesting that you've like carried that on.

[48:52] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Yeah, it's just I think it solidified in me at a young age.

[48:56] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[48:56] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Because somebody had taught me that trick with Annie and now I just I still carry it with me and it helps me separate them and I don't know, it works for my brain. Um, I know a lot of swings do that. Um, it's just it's definitely a helpful technique.

[49:12] Eli Tokash: Yeah, for sure. So I guess this will be the last question because I don't want to pat myself on the back, but I did get you the role of Kimberly Akimbo because I did teletape with you.

[49:13] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Um, wait what'd you say?

[49:13] Eli Tokash: I said so true, so true. I know it's the only reason you need to be back on Broadway again.

[49:13] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Uh, no absolutely not it was all you I promise.

[49:13] Eli Tokash: Uh, but oh my god I love, I mean because I mean you and I have an interesting relationship because like we live like a block away from each other.

[49:13] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Yeah, we're basically roommates.

[49:13] Eli Tokash: Literally, we're basically roommates and um, you know, we obviously need a second hand in self-tapes so we do a lot of self-tapes together. So we do talk to me about self-taping and doing auditions at home in this coronavirus world kind of thing. Um, and what are some tips that and like your favorite tips I guess that you could share with people listening and trying to self-tape and all that?

[49:13] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Yeah, I think most actors that I know have a love-hate relationship with self-tapes. Absolutely. And I think that a lot of us really miss in-person auditions especially for theater. It's different for TV and film, but for theater I definitely have craved wanting to be in the room. I do think the good thing about self-tapes is that it does make theater a little bit more accessible in a lot of different ways for a lot of different people to audition. Um, but it's I kind of miss the energy, the energy of the room and being able to receive live feedback and such.

[50:46] Eli Tokash: I think okay, tips for tips for self-tapes.

[50:49] Skye Alyssa Friedman: I think one nice thing about self-tapes is that you don't have the same amount of pressure that you have going into an audition room because you're able to do it on your own time, you're able to take breaks in between, you're able to um, there's a certain comfort there that can really allow you to do your best work. Um, I think and you can do it as many times as you can.

[51:07] Eli Tokash: You can do it as many times as you can do until like you feel confident with it.

[51:13] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Right, until you feel good. That right there is a blessing and a curse.

[51:17] Eli Tokash: That's because, oh my god, that's very true, especially with you.

[51:22] Skye Alyssa Friedman: You know what? Um, it's great, it's great. You're dedicated.

[51:27] Eli Tokash: It's just you know, the perfectionist in me.

[51:29] Skye Alyssa Friedman: But um, the one thing I do love about being able to walk into an audition room is you do it once, you give it your all, and then you're done and you walk out and you can go on with your day. With self-tapes, like I said, it's a blessing and a curse. Because what's great is that you can redo it until you have a product that you're happy with and then you feel good about submitting. But the curse of that is that you can get in this loop of like, oh wait, let me just fix this one more thing. Or wait, let me just try this again.

[51:52] Eli Tokash: Which, as we know, I like to do.

[51:59] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Um, so I think a tip that I also need to start following is set a limit for yourself. Do like three takes for each side or song and then move on.

[52:13] Eli Tokash: Um, because after three takes, I honestly don't think it's gonna make that much of a difference whether you book the role or not.

[52:22] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Um, but yeah, and I think it's really if you're able to, having somebody there who you're comfortable with is really important.

[52:32] Eli Tokash: And what's great is being able to have somebody in person. Obviously, we all have done a lot of self-tapes using another person on FaceTime or some other method. Um, but I do think it's helpful to have a person to actually connect to and talk with.

[52:47] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Um, just yeah, real human connection.

[52:51] Eli Tokash: Um, yeah, I don't know if you have any other tips.

[52:56] Skye Alyssa Friedman: I mean, not really. I mean, you kind of hit it. It's interesting because everyone has their own different ways and kind of their own strategies and all of that.

[53:06] Eli Tokash: So I mean our strategies are more so like you have a strategy where it's like, let me watch it, let me make sure it's good.

[53:13] Skye Alyssa Friedman: I treat it as more of a traditional audition where I'm just like, oh, you know, if I did it and I feel confident, that's fine. I'm submitting it, I don't need to watch it.

[53:22] Eli Tokash: Right.

[53:23] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Um, I don't I don't like to watch myself, so um, I don't feel but if I don't feel confident in the performance that I gave from just performing it, then I will do it again.

[53:34] Eli Tokash: Um, it's not so much how it translates to the video, which is interesting because that could be a blessing and a curse, you know.

[53:42] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Um, because although if we're auditioning for theater, especially, like people aren't gonna be seeing it on a video, however, this is your audition and this is how the people are seeing you right now, so you need to make sure that that looks good on video.

[53:55] Eli Tokash: So it's very interesting and just finding the balance.

[53:57] Skye Alyssa Friedman: But I think some good to use.

[53:57] Eli Tokash: Yeah, and I just want to put out there, you know, the whole self-taping thing, a lot of people put a lot of stress into like environment and clothing and everything like that.

[54:12] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Um, I think it's great to have a plain wall that you're auditioning on.

[54:17] Eli Tokash: I think with lighting, all you need to do is use a simple ring light.

[54:21] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Um, and that's about it, really.

[54:24] Skye Alyssa Friedman: If you can use the natural lighting too, like if you can find a time during the day, I know for kids it's hard because we're at school during the day, but if you can find a time during the day to get some natural lighting too, that looks great on video.

[54:36] Eli Tokash: Um, and then of course, like just recording on your phone is good enough.

[54:41] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Like I know like when we go into an audition room, they have like a little legit camera.

[54:46] Eli Tokash: Um, but you know, I think the most important thing is just like, yeah, being able to be seen and being able to be heard, and that's really all you need.

[54:54] Skye Alyssa Friedman: And as long as you're not like you just said, not a distracting background and decent lighting and decent sound, and you're good to go.

[55:00] Eli Tokash: Totally.

[55:00] Skye Alyssa Friedman: And I hate to say it, but it's like almost like filming a self-tape is just like filming like a TikTok or something.

[55:08] Eli Tokash: Like nowadays, like as long as that's like I mean, obviously in your TikTok, you may be featuring your messy room or something like that.

[55:16] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Um, so don't do that in a self-tape.

[55:19] Eli Tokash: But otherwise, it's a it's pretty much the same setup.

[55:22] Skye Alyssa Friedman: So those are my tips, and I thought it was good to talk to you with you about that since we do so much together.

[55:28] Eli Tokash: Together, yeah, for sure.

[55:29] Skye Alyssa Friedman: And the uh we also both go to um Pace together, which is yes, we do cool.

[55:35] Eli Tokash: Um, I'm wearing my I'm repping these right now.

[55:40] Skye Alyssa Friedman: You are you are, yeah.

[55:42] Eli Tokash: With all these shows.

[55:42] Skye Alyssa Friedman: What were you saying with all these?

[55:42] Eli Tokash: I'm still trying to pursue my BFA in acting at Pace.

[55:53] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Um, so that's the other component of my life right now.

[55:58] Eli Tokash: Right.

[55:58] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Busy, busy, busy girl.

[56:00] Eli Tokash: Two Broadway shows, uh, two shows right now off Broadway and Broadway, getting her BFA, all the things, swinging and doing two shows, uh, two characters eight shows a week in Lucky Star.

[56:14] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Craziness.

[56:15] Eli Tokash: It's just yeah, your brain is great and uh, um great thing to say.

[56:22] Skye Alyssa Friedman: But uh yeah, seriously, everyone go see Lucky Star.

[56:26] Eli Tokash: It's opening May 5th at 59 East 59th, and then Kimberly Akimbo is making its Broadway debut on uh first preview start October 12th, the day after my birthday.

[56:37] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Yeah.

[56:38] Eli Tokash: Mm-hmm.

[56:39] Skye Alyssa Friedman: So everyone go check those out.

[56:40] Eli Tokash: I'm sure the next time that you'll be on this podcast will be on the red carpet of opening night of Kimberly.

[56:46] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Hopefully.

[56:47] Eli Tokash: Um, so good stuff.

[56:49] Skye Alyssa Friedman: I'm excited for the show.

[56:50] Eli Tokash: Yay. Thank you so much for having me, Eli.

[56:53] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Oh my god, thank you for coming on the podcast.

[56:56] Eli Tokash: It was so fun to have you on.

[56:58] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Long overdue.

[56:59] Eli Tokash: Yes, yes, I know.

[57:01] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Take a bow, Skye Alyssa Friedman.

[57:04] Eli Tokash: That was so much fun.

[57:05] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Long overdue for sure.

[57:07] Eli Tokash: Uh, I'm glad she was able to come on the podcast. We got her at a great time because we are going to be seeing a lot of Skye in the near future on Broadway, both in Kimberly Akimbo and off Broadway at Lucky Star.

[57:19] Skye Alyssa Friedman: And who knows what the future holds.

[57:21] Eli Tokash: I just know that we'll be seeing her for a long time coming.

[57:25] Skye Alyssa Friedman: I'm very excited.

[57:26] Eli Tokash: Um, Skye, thanks for coming on.

[57:28] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Thanks for sharing your story.

[57:29] Eli Tokash: Thanks for providing so many wonderful tips for the people at home.

[57:33] Skye Alyssa Friedman: I loved how we were able to talk about the parenting um kind of thing with child actors and performers when they moved from out of state.

[57:42] Eli Tokash: Uh, I know my parents and family went through a similar thing.

[57:45] Skye Alyssa Friedman: My dad literally quit his job.

[57:47] Eli Tokash: That's why I asked her if her mom quit hers.

[57:49] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Uh, my dad quit his job for me to come out here and perform.

[57:54] Eli Tokash: Um, and we figured it out up here and figured out a way that we could uh like Skye said, it was expensive, so we had to pay the bills some way.

[58:03] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Um, and uh yeah, shout out to all the parents of kids on Broadway and child performers in general.

[58:11] Eli Tokash: Um, literally, any time that you see a child performing, just know that they are not doing it themselves.

[58:17] Skye Alyssa Friedman: They have a whole support system, they have a whole family who is supporting them and making it work and figuring out the best way to do it.

[58:25] Eli Tokash: Um, and also like protecting their kid.

[58:28] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Like, it's just incredible what parents have to do in order to allow their child to perform.

[58:33] Eli Tokash: So just thank you again to especially my family and all of the families who are making it work for them and their kids.

[58:42] Skye Alyssa Friedman: It's just incredible.

[58:43] Eli Tokash: Uh, people don't always realize it, but it's real, and we're not all from New York, and we're not all used to this lifestyle.

[58:53] Skye Alyssa Friedman: We are totally blinded and are just figuring it out and flying by the seat of our pants.

[58:58] Eli Tokash: So great stuff, great stories. Glad we were able to touch upon all of it and hope the self-taping advice was helpful for all of you.

[59:07] Skye Alyssa Friedman: And uh, yeah, that's all I have for you folks for this week's episode of Take A Bow.

[59:12] Eli Tokash: I hope you enjoyed this week's episode.

[59:14] Skye Alyssa Friedman: As always, follow us along on social media at Take A Bow Podcast.

[59:18] Eli Tokash: Stay tuned for incredible Beetlejuice content this week, and I hope to see you next week because we have actually it's gonna be a really, really fun episode next week.

[59:27] Skye Alyssa Friedman: And then we're gonna have our hundredth episode celebration at the Green Room 42, where I hope I see you all there.

[59:33] Eli Tokash: Bye, everyone. Have a great week.

[59:35] Skye Alyssa Friedman: For this episode's curtain call, I would like to recognize a few people who also deserve to take a bow.

[59:41] Eli Tokash: This podcast would not be possible without the help from Dory Berenstein, Brittany Bigelow, Katie Rosen, Alan Seales, and the team at the Broadway Podcast Network.

[59:49] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Next in line to Take a Bow is Tessie Tokash, who edits the audio and all the visuals for this podcast.

[59:54] Eli Tokash: A special thanks to patrons Brian Thompson, Pat McNamara, the listeners at PCC, as well as all the other patrons for their continued support.

[1:00:03] Skye Alyssa Friedman: If you're interested in becoming a patron, go to Patreon.com slash TAB.

[1:00:09] Eli Tokash: And if you enjoyed this week's episode, don't forget to subscribe on the platform that you're currently listening to this on.

[1:00:14] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Also, feel free to give us a follow on Instagram at Take A Bow Podcast.

[1:00:19] Eli Tokash: Take A Bow's logo is designed by Giselle Bustos, and the music is by Nikki Torsha and Cormac Collinon.

[1:00:26] Skye Alyssa Friedman: Bye everyone.

[1:00:27] Eli Tokash: Hope to see you next week.