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[0:00] Mikayla Petrilla: Hey everyone and welcome back to Tea Time with Mikayla, the Broadway Podcast Network show where we pour the tea and get into the real stuff behind building a life in this industry. And today we're pouring into something a little darker. The kettle is on, the lights are low, and apparently someone's been drinking. I'm talking about Drunk Dracula, the delightfully chaotic, spooky season twist on the Drunk Shakespeare experience, where one actor takes five shots of something and attempts to lead an epic retelling of the iconic vampire story while the rest of the cast tries to keep the whole thing from descending into complete madness. I am joined by members of the Drunk Dracula company, including Howard, who takes on the role of Dracula, and Brandon, who serves as narrator and host.

We're talking about the art of keeping a performance alive when absolutely anything can happen, the balance between structure and spontaneity, and what it takes to be a generous team partner when your team partner might be a little less predictable than usual. Because underneath all of the drinking, the comedy, and the theatrical chaos, there's a real craft to this kind of performance. Listening, reacting, trusting your fellow actors, and committing fully to the moment. So grab your favorite beverage, keep an eye on your neck, and join us for a conversation with the people bringing Drunk Dracula to life. Welcome to Tea Time. This is Tea Time, and we have water, we have coffee, and we have you. So tell me your names and your roles in Drunk Dracula.

[1:34] Howard Hendrix Powell: Well, I'm Howard Hendricks Powell, and I'm playing Dracula in Drunk Dracula.

[1:38] Mikayla Petrilla: Yes, you are. Yes, you are. Title role.

[1:41] Brandon Salerno: I'm Brandon Salerno, and I'm the host of the show.

[1:43] Mikayla Petrilla: This is incredible. Great. So tell me a little bit about Drunk Dracula for audiences that may not know what this is.

[1:49] Brandon Salerno: Yeah, I can dive right into that. This is a show in which we do a classical text. That's like the whole theme of Drunk Shakespeare. It's like we like to do Shakespeare, we like to do hits that have been around for years. And then what makes them different is that one of us gets plastered while we do it. And we invite all different sorts of inspiration that the alcohol brings to change the story. So as much of it is like an homage to like a classic tale, we add so many improvised elements throughout the whole show.

[2:16] Mikayla Petrilla: Wonderful. And how do you get plastered? Which character or characters and what type of alcohol and how does that inform your story?

[2:28] Brandon Salerno: Well, every character drinks at some point in the week, we have a rotating basis, and we get to pick the alcohol that we're drinking that night. So we start off the night with shots during the host's welcome speech. We introduce a drunk actor, we bring out the shots, they drink with an audience member to show everyone that it is real. And throughout the show, there are a series of challenges. And those usually end with another shot. And that's how it all works.

[2:58] Howard Hendrix Powell: Amazing. Well, as a host, do you get to drink or are you surrounded?

[3:00] Brandon Salerno: Yes, thank God.

[3:01] Howard Hendrix Powell: So great.

[3:03] Brandon Salerno: Yes, yes.

[3:03] Mikayla Petrilla: Oh my God, yes. Well, what's your spirit of choice?

[3:07] Brandon Salerno: I do vodka.

[3:08] Mikayla Petrilla: Oh.

[3:09] Brandon Salerno: Yes.

[3:09] Mikayla Petrilla: That's like some like classic, like, get it done. Get it done.

[3:12] Brandon Salerno: Yes.

[3:12] Mikayla Petrilla: What about you?

[3:13] Howard Hendrix Powell: Tequila. Yeah, I started with mezcal when I first joined the company, I started doing mezcal. And that was a mistake. It was a big mistake.

[3:20] Mikayla Petrilla: Oh, it's smoky.

[3:22] Howard Hendrix Powell: Yeah, it was smoky. And I was I was cooked.

[3:25] Mikayla Petrilla: You? Yeah. Wow. Okay. So right off the bat, can you please tell me the most wild experience you've had while intoxicated performing?

[3:36] Howard Hendrix Powell: I have one.

[3:36] Brandon Salerno: Tell me.

[3:38] Howard Hendrix Powell: Do tell.

[3:39] Howard Hendrix Powell: So something that I discovered when we were doing drunk Romeo and Juliet, which is our main show throughout the year. So Dracula and Christmas Carol, which is coming up, those are our specialty shows for the holiday season.

[3:50] Brandon Salerno: Okay.

[3:50] Howard Hendrix Powell: But Romeo and Juliet is like our staple. And during that, during one of my drunk shows, I realized, you know, I'm the host of the show. And the story seems to be centering a lot on Juliet. You know, and why does she get to have that final moment? So when I was drunk one night, I swapped in as Juliet, I became the heroine of the story.

[4:14] Brandon Salerno: You tapped in?

[4:15] Howard Hendrix Powell: Yes.

[4:15] Brandon Salerno: You improv tapped in?

[4:16] Howard Hendrix Powell: Yes. And so I sort of, I guess I re-centered it to be about me. But I, that was just absolutely insane. And that first night discovering that and having that happen, I was like, oh my God, like, I've just totally rewritten the show.

[4:31] Brandon Salerno: Did Juliet become the host or did she just take a little time out?

[4:35] Howard Hendrix Powell: I gave her a five.

[4:36] Brandon Salerno: Okay. Thank you, five. Thank you, five. Now, did you die or did you decide to live?

[4:41] Howard Hendrix Powell: We lived that night.

[4:42] Brandon Salerno: We lived, honey.

[4:43] Howard Hendrix Powell: We lived.

[4:44] Brandon Salerno: I want my happy ending.

[4:45] Howard Hendrix Powell: Oh my, and did you get it? You're like Aunt Juliet, but less like Ponce.

[4:48] Brandon Salerno: We came very close.

[4:50] Howard Hendrix Powell: Brandon will do that. And, you know, a lot of the Romeos don't see it coming.

[4:54] Brandon Salerno: That's the thing is that when Brandon has these like big moments where he's swapping in as Juliet, the Romeos usually are not prepared for it in a good way, in a good way, in a good way. And people come to the show for that surprise because we don't know what's going to happen necessarily. And because the audience is so different, what's going on in pop culture is so different on the daily. Anything can change. Any impression during the night can change. Any ad libs can change based on what's going on. So we live for that surprise.

[5:21] Mikayla Petrilla: Yes, you do. What about you? What's your favorite?

[5:24] Howard Hendrix Powell: Well, I would say like most of my moments are like coming from sheer surprise at how willing the audience was able to get on board with things. So I joined the company last year to play Dracula and I had no idea how it would be received by the audience. Like I just kind of was like, all right, we'll see what this is. And towards the end of the run, there'd be moments where I would like extend my hand to an audience member to like hypnotize them or play around with them. And the way some of these people would throw themselves out of their seat as if they were actually being hypnotized in the moment was just the most entertaining for us on the stage and for the whole audience. It is just so fun to watch these people.

Their inhibitions melt away. They want to be in the show. They feel safe and comfortable to like go out there and get in the mix with you. It's so much fun. So I would say times it made me feel like I genuinely had super powers on the stage. It was so much fun.

[6:14] Mikayla Petrilla: Yes. Well, the power and the energy of like finding communion with your audience, but they want to play along in that way. Like, oh gosh, I miss Sleep No More so much. There is the fan community where it's like you wanted the one on ones. You wanted that interaction with the actors and being able to find those moments. Like I would just be responsible for improvising in a transatlantic accent for like three hours with Absinthe. And that was my favorite because you would never know what audience members you were going to get. They would push you. They would challenge you. They'd be like, you know, like we're not supposed to know what cell phones are. So you're like, oh, like what's that little tiny glowing box?

But anyway, that closed, I guess, a year and a half ago. And I think Drunk Shakespeare has been here for relatively the same amount of time, I would say. Like I feel like a lot of Sleep No More friends would go to Drunk Shakespeare to enjoy their night off and vice versa. I feel like you guys are doing all of that heavy lifting. You're able to engage with audiences and you're able to really make them feel like they're part of not just an experience, but like creating the story as you go, which is crazy. Like I feel like you need such great improv skills for that. So tell me, how did you learn? Are you experienced improvisers?

[7:31] Brandon Salerno: Well, I studied at UCB and I'm on a house team there now. And that was kind of the thing that helped me get folded into the company. I studied acting in college, but coming into this audition process, there were moments where the person auditioning was like, yeah, but can we just like, just, you'd have to do something here. You'd have to just make it your own here. And those moments were things that when I finally got into the cast, were things that kept me afloat with all of the pros that I was playing with. And it was just the ability to be like alive and responsive in the moment, because not only is one of your cast mates drunk, but I would say all like a hundred, over 120 people in the audience are also drunk. So it's like, you have to be able to handle a lot, a lot of stimulus, a lot of input and keep things moving in a timely manner. So it's just been, it's been a way to utilize that skill set that I never thought I would have to.

[8:24] Howard Hendrix Powell: Certainly. It's awesome.

[8:25] Mikayla Petrilla: And what about from a hosting perspective with comedy?

[8:27] Brandon Salerno: Well, my background is in clown. So here in New York City, the Pandemonium Studio with Chris Bayes, that's been my foundation and my entryway into this work. I'm also doing Commedia dell'Arte. So coming from, for the host track, typically I'm the one that gets told, okay, you're going to do a bunch of different characters tonight, like after the speech. So I'm doing impressions of different people in the, in the world today and in our media. And so I really rely on that training and that experience. The clown is totally 100% based on connection with the audience. So I like to think of our audiences. I think Wendy Williams actually said it best on her show that they are her co-hosts. And so I'd like to think of that with our show, that they are cast members with us as well. So you get to really be a part of the experience.

[9:18] Mikayla Petrilla: I love, I love that. And I love that you brought up Wendy. How you doing?

[9:22] Brandon Salerno: Yeah, how you doing?

[9:23] Howard Hendrix Powell: How you doing?

[9:24] Mikayla Petrilla: Mmm. What is your favorite impression as of late?

[9:28] Brandon Salerno: Mitch McConnell.

[9:29] Mikayla Petrilla: Okay.

[9:30] Brandon Salerno: Love Mitch McConnell.

[9:32] Mikayla Petrilla: Do you have an impression?

[9:34] Howard Hendrix Powell: Uh, I don't, I, uh, I pulled out of Jerry Seinfeld not too long ago.

[9:38] Mikayla Petrilla: Okay.

[9:39] Brandon Salerno: Yeah, but Brandon is really the king of the impressions and the Mitch McConnell is, it's not only like a vocal bit, it's also like a very physical impression that he does. It's pretty incredible.

[9:49] Mikayla Petrilla: Okay. Not to sound like jigsaw, but do you want to play a game?

[9:52] Brandon Salerno: Oh my God, let's do it.

[9:53] Mikayla Petrilla: And if we hate it, we'll cut it for the episode.

[9:55] Brandon Salerno: Okay.

[9:57] Mikayla Petrilla: We're going to pick a character and we're just going to do like a three line scene.

[10:02] Brandon Salerno: Okay.

[10:02] Howard Hendrix Powell: Favorite impression. You can go with Mitch or not.

[10:05] Brandon Salerno: Okay.

[10:07] Howard Hendrix Powell: I'm going to go with someone else. Okay.

[10:08] Brandon Salerno: Okay.

[10:09] Mikayla Petrilla: Okay.

[10:10] Howard Hendrix Powell: I'll start.

[10:13] Howard Hendrix Powell: Oh my God. I want a hot dog so bad.

[10:19] Brandon Salerno: Oh, Jennifer Coolidge should not go back to the hotel and White Lotus. Very bad things will happen there.

[10:29] Howard Hendrix Powell: But Tabby, Tabby, aren't you stuck with the mouth voice?

[10:36] Brandon Salerno: How do you know about White Lotus?

[10:38] Howard Hendrix Powell: I don't think that, I don't think that, Tabby.

[10:40] Brandon Salerno: But Tabby, you need a martini.

[10:46] Mikayla Petrilla: That was fun.

[10:47] Brandon Salerno: That was awesome.

[10:49] Howard Hendrix Powell: The way you dropped in, Brandon, did you see me?

[10:51] Brandon Salerno: When you started going like this, I was like.

[10:53] Howard Hendrix Powell: Oh my God, you saw that?

[10:54] Brandon Salerno: Oh my God, no, I saw it.

[10:55] Brandon Salerno: I was like, I'm locked in.

[10:55] Mikayla Petrilla: Also, hats off to the Coolidge.

[10:58] Howard Hendrix Powell: Yeah.

[10:59] Mikayla Petrilla: Okay. So I feel like impressions are interesting where for me, I need to like have a catchphrase to get into the impression.

[11:05] Brandon Salerno: Yes.

[11:06] Mikayla Petrilla: So even though it sounds a little like Owen Wilson, I have to be like, oh my God, to kind of get like that.

[11:14] Howard Hendrix Powell: For me, it's the, it's the physical thing.

[11:16] Brandon Salerno: Yeah.

[11:17] Howard Hendrix Powell: So like this with my hands, oh God, I can't wait to see that back. This is becoming like my ears, like Dobby. So like for me, it's like in here.

[11:26] Brandon Salerno: Yes.

[11:26] Howard Hendrix Powell: For Mitch, it's in the, it's in the.

[11:30] Brandon Salerno: The dissociated turtle stare.

[11:32] Howard Hendrix Powell: Like it's all, for me, it's like entryway into the body and then the voice.

[11:37] Brandon Salerno: Well, that's the comedia and the cloning, right? Just like finding the physical embodiment.

[11:41] Howard Hendrix Powell: 100%.

[11:42] Brandon Salerno: You got out easy, but that's because you're Dracula.

[11:46] Howard Hendrix Powell: Oh, your title role.

[11:47] Mikayla Petrilla: Okay. So like what makes Dracula such a wonderful show to take the drunk Shakespeare treatment?

[11:53] Howard Hendrix Powell: Oh, that's such a good question. I think what makes Dracula perfect for this sort of interpretation is like in Shakespeare, there is a level of understanding that the audience has, regardless of if they've read the plays or not, you know, the story of Romeo and Juliet. And in a very similar way, you're familiar with the beats of Dracula. You know, he sucks blood, you know, people are attracted to him. So you have like this baseline of what is that?

[12:22] Brandon Salerno: No, it's true.

[12:23] Howard Hendrix Powell: It's true. You know, there's, you know, it's just funny. You have to say it about him, but it's about you.

[12:27] Brandon Salerno: Oh, yeah, of course.

[12:31] Howard Hendrix Powell: Of course. Yes. Well, that's also in the zeitgeist is people know that. We should be doing Dobby instead of talking about me.

[12:40] Brandon Salerno: Go back to Dobby, instead of talking about my looks.

[12:43] Howard Hendrix Powell: I think we have a self-awareness. Both Dobby and Dracula are iconic characters.

[12:48] Brandon Salerno: And they're both snatched.

[12:49] Howard Hendrix Powell: And they're both snatched.

[12:51] Brandon Salerno: Come on.

[12:52] Howard Hendrix Powell: But I think people understand the beats. And so when you're there and you're inebriated, it's like, okay, I know what the story should be. I know what I should expect. So anytime we subvert it or change it, it's really palatable. That's like the nice thing about doing Romeo and Juliet. That's the nice thing about doing Dracula. And we're going to be doing Christmas Carol later on in the winter. And it's just a story that even if you don't know.

[13:16] Howard Hendrix Powell: You have the groundwork and the familiarity and the heartbeat of it. So much about improv and sketch that I learned, that we've all learned, is you need the structure so you can then break the structure. That juxtaposition is what makes it so funny and makes you be able to hide in the beat so much. I can only imagine how that plays. What's your favorite part of being Dracula?

[13:45] Howard Hendrix Powell: There's a really nice moment in our show about midway through where it's just Dracula alone on stage and he gets to bite different audience members and interact with them, and that has been always my favorite part of the show. It's so cool because you spend so much time building up anticipation of Dracula arriving to New York City. In the book, I think he's coming to England or London or whatever, but in our story, he's coming to New York and he's talking about New York the whole time and then he arrives and he's immediately addressing the audience, immediately trying to get people who are willing to join him in eternal life. By that point, people are a couple rounds in, sometimes I'm a few in, and it is just really fun.

[14:28] Brandon Salerno: Well, if anyone's seen Nosferatu, when he comes in with the plague rats, that's already New York, so they're set. They're ready. They are ready to be sucked dry, if you will. Is there a physical beat? Are you asking an audience member, just show me your jugular here?

[14:46] Howard Hendrix Powell: We have a little marker, a red marker, and that's how we bite the audience. That's like going to Claire's to get a piercing.

[14:53] Brandon Salerno: It's very similar. That's what I always say. It's like going to Claire's to get a piercing.

[14:57] Howard Hendrix Powell: As you should. Take that to the bank. You'll make no money from it, but it's great. How do you keep the story alive when the performance might take a completely different turn from one night to the next?

[15:08] Brandon Salerno: That's a great question. I think it really comes down to it's really not so much about keeping the story alive as much as it is about keeping the drunk joy alive in the show. So sometimes when we really get off the rails, it just turns into a celebration of that one actor that is at 1.6 shots deep into the show. So when we lose the plot, we just try and elevate the person that is doing the heavy lifting, which is drinking during the show.

[15:34] Howard Hendrix Powell: 100%. And not every scene necessarily might have the drunk actor in it. So those scenes are opportunity for the sober actors to keep the show on track and to really lock in, as we would say, especially in Romeo and Juliet. It's a tragedy in its original conception. And so there are some scenes in our show that we have kept that are sort of, we try to avoid touching because they are so emotional and so dramatic. And we let those moments really ride out as they were originally intended. And that's sort of a really nice balance our show has where we can get so crazy silly with markers biting people and things like that. But then we also really drop in and really lean on the text. And we all come from many different backgrounds. So we bring that talent to those scenes.

[16:25] Brandon Salerno: That makes sense. And I feel like that relies then a lot on you and the stage manager, although effectively the host is stage managing alongside the stage manager, like they're running the cues. And there must be an element of improvisation with running cues, right? Like, do you have lighting cues and things that can shift?

[16:42] Howard Hendrix Powell: Yeah. The booth is a lot of times they are like DJing what's happening at the moment. I mean, it is really incredible. I mean, the stuff that we're doing on stage has an element of challenge to it. But sometimes the way the stage management team is able to keep up with us and also like put out fires like during the show, it is like my hat is off to them. At the end of the show, we always are like, woof, we finished that one. You know, it is. It can be a lot. And our servers, our front of house staff, they're serving drinks during the show as it's happening. So we're like jumping in doing like the fight scene in Romeo and Juliet. And, you know, we have one of our servers holding 10 drinks on their tray. So we're also in constant like third eye to everything else that's going on around us to keep the show where it needs to be.

[17:27] Brandon Salerno: Right. Because usually when you're doing a show, I mean, I'm sure theater folks know, but we have written beats where it's like if you are if there is service, we know after this number is when the team can sneak in and get something done. But with this, you're always on your feet, which is why? But then that requires such a level of listening, which I think is so great for community building in the group of people that you're in. But then to hosting, I would presume, how do you wrap up a show when it gets off the rails? How do you get it back in to give that final butt in?

[17:58] Howard Hendrix Powell: So we have a system in our show called point of orders where basically that's where the drunk actor typically like says, stop the show. I'm going to change something in the show. And the host can use that same system to regain control. So if things get too off the rails or something like that, I'm able to jump on the mic and say point of order. And at that point, the audience is with us because they're now members of the Drunk Shakespeare Society. And we jump back on track from there.

[18:26] Brandon Salerno: Yes.

[18:26] Howard Hendrix Powell: Yeah. Brandon does a really good job at the top of the show kind of explaining the decorum for everyone in the house. Like this is the way it's going to run smoothly. Just like let us lead the ship. And if you guys follow these things, no one will be overboard. It's really nice.

[18:39] Brandon Salerno: How do you maintain? We answered this in some ways, but how do you maintain a connection to your craft when there's so many variables?

[18:48] Howard Hendrix Powell: I think it's going back to for me, at least when things might feel like they're going into crazy town. I think going back to the text and the original source material that we've learned. But also for me, if I just take even a split second and just connect, reconnect again with the audience, look right into an audience member's eyes, I feel like that grounds me. It's like I am with you. I'm not speaking at you. We're in a conversation altogether now sharing the story. And that helps me to stay on.

[19:22] Brandon Salerno: Yeah. Yeah. For me, it's about not trying to make stuff happen that's not happening. You know what I mean? Like not trying to manufacture anything. That's something I'm always constantly reminding myself. So like times when it is getting away from me are times when I'm like, oh, I feel like the show is so spontaneous. Let's generate. Let's do this. When in reality, to Brandon's point, a lot of it is about connecting with the audience and then just responding to what's the temperature of the room instead of trying to elevate it or change it.

[19:50] Howard Hendrix Powell: Right. And that being able to have that barometer of temperature checking at any given moment is such a valuable skill and something that's very hard to teach. I feel like you innately have to kind of be able to do that, which is great that you both can so well.

[20:03] Brandon Salerno: What is something about being Dracula that you are you perceiving this character differently? Is there anything that you discovered while playing Dracula that, you know, he didn't initially think of him this way?

[20:13] Howard Hendrix Powell: People are attracted to Dracula in a way that I did not know at all. I am a real goofball of a person. I don't carry myself that way at all. And then when I did the show last year, the way people responded to it, I like after opening night, I was like, oh, this is insane to me. Like, I'm a little hottie.

[20:36] Brandon Salerno: Yeah. I was like, oh, wow, I'm a little hottie. Kind of like a grandma, but in a good way. I realized how hot Dracula is when no one said host to me. That's what I realized.

[20:49] Howard Hendrix Powell: So it's nice. And I think it's like a cool environment for people to like come into a space where everything has like all these guardrails and we get to like seat the audience as they come into our space. It's kind of like a speakeasy, like a hidden little library that we escort them in and we get to touch base with every single audience member that is seated in our house. And so what's really cool about the show and we're joking about like the sensuality of it, but it cultivates an environment in which it's very safe and it's a safe place where people can be sexually excited or charged up in that way and know that like, oh, this is all pretend. We're all having a good time. And like you can tap into those parts of your personality that you might not normally feel safe to do.

And because we are so connected with the audience and we can see them, it's really easy to get a sense of who wants to play and who doesn't want to play. And the people who want to play usually make it very well known.

[21:42] Brandon Salerno: And also, if you're not a big drinker, it's still an incredibly fun experience. We have a selection of items on the menu that are non-alcoholic. We have snacks and you can still participate in all of the audience interaction moments. You don't have to drink to be at the show and you can still have an amazing time.

[22:00] Howard Hendrix Powell: Yeah, right. Well, there's so many wonderful sensory elements where whether or not you're letting your inhibitions be determined by alcohol, there's still so many other elements you can kind of let yourself. You could lose yourself into or just the joy of watching other people experience being vulnerable in a safe environment and whether that means being more sensual or being more silly. That in itself is such a treat, especially in New York City, especially in Midtown. What has been your most memorable, unexpected moment? And this can be of any drunk Shakespeare production.

[22:38] Brandon Salerno: A lot of the memorable ones for me have to do with when there's a bachelorette party and they're always dressed very like you can see because they have the matching outfits and stuff. If you can take a moment to connect with the bride-to-be, those moments are hysterical because first of all, they have eight or nine friends with them that are so ready for something to happen. They're pulling my arm as soon as it's just a, please, please pull her into the show, do something. We have these small moments where it's like I can dance with someone on stage and do things like that and getting to pick somebody like that and make their day even more special. Those are just always the most unexpected and high reward situation.

So those always make me really, really happy. Or someone's birthday, sorry to cut you off, but if it's someone's birthday and we get to pick who takes a shot with us, if we're getting drunk and you make someone's birthday a little more special, that's really nice too.

[23:34] Howard Hendrix Powell: I love that. I think the most unexpected moment probably was I had hit my 300th show and that night it was Romeo and Juliet and we did the finale song, We Found Love by Rihanna. The entire audience jumped up with me at the end of the show and everyone was dancing in the space and it just felt like a huge party that just came out of nowhere and it was such a celebratory experience and I think everyone, I mean I had a great time, but I think everyone had an amazing time that night.

[24:07] Brandon Salerno: We found love at Brandon's place. I love this. Well, how, as a host, how do you navigate your responsibility to this story while still having fun?

[24:18] Howard Hendrix Powell: Well, I think like we said earlier, going back to the original text, using our point of order system to get back on track if things go a little crazy is built into my track and that's always something that I'm thinking about, but also making sure that the audience feels, again, as we've said, as included as possible in the experience. I feel like the first five minutes of my speech are almost like the most important part of my job because that is getting everyone locked into what we're doing, bringing the energy up in the room and basically giving everyone the permission to have a good time. I think people walk into our space because it's not a traditional theater. It's built like a library and it really does feel like a secret society, which is very cool. I think people don't know what to expect and so that first five minutes of that speech, that's the moment too. That's the real invitation there.

[25:11] Brandon Salerno: How did you both find your way into the Drunk Shakespeare Society? Now, we talked about you've been with the show for a while. You've been with the show since last year, but what was the process like? Did you audition? Did you know folks and you were like, this is amazing? How did you find your way here?

[25:26] Howard Hendrix Powell: I saw it on Playbill.

[25:28] Brandon Salerno: Yes, you did. Playbill is the guiding light. I went to school for theater, but when I came here, I was like, I want to do improv sketch and I want to do short films, films, things like that were always where I was focusing my attention. I always say this, I always feel like you can manifest a play. If you want to do a play, you can be like, I want to do a play and then one of your friends will be like, hey, I'm doing a play. Can you do this? You can always manifest a play. I was in one of those moods, which would happen to me every four or five months where I'd be like, I want to do a play. I asked a friend, I was like, where do you find a play? They're like, go on Playbill. It was the first thing I saw and I immediately, the listing was for Drunk Romeo and Drunk Dracula, Drunk Romeo and Juliet and Drunk Dracula. I was like, okay, I want to do Drunk Romeo and Juliet. That sounds fun. Who cares about Dracula? I was like, I didn't know anything about it.

[26:20] Howard Hendrix Powell: So he says no.

[26:22] Brandon Salerno: I know, right? The tables have turned. I sent in a tape. I put on the classic Romeo and Juliet speech. I just threw it on tape really quick and I was just goofy and myself.

[26:32] Howard Hendrix Powell: Then they brought me in off the tape for an in-person audition, and I got there, and I was like, oh, okay, where are the Romeo sides? I'm excited to do Romeo. And they were like, you're not doing that. Here's Dracula. And when they handed me those sides, I was like, oh, I'm going to be Dracula for sure. I just knew it when you have a good feeling about it in your gut. So I just think it's so funny because Romeo, having done both parts, Romeo and Dracula are so different, whereas one is just so powerful, and the other one is so innocent. And to get to explore those two characters has been so much fun. But yeah, it's just really classic. Found a listing, went in, and I also wasn't putting any pressure on myself. I was like, I think I would be great at this. And I think they caught that sense too, and it was just a great fit.

[27:20] Michael Martinez: And that's incredible too, when you go in for a project, you're like, this is where I feel strong and excited. But then you are authentically yourself and casting sees something in you that you maybe didn't see in yourself. And they're like, wow, you can play this really powerful commanding character. Let's see it happen. And then being able to explore both sides of that through the company is incredible. Playbill is the reason for the season. I'll say it time and time again. I have found so many ways to be buoyant in this industry through playbill.com. Not mad. I just love you.

[27:54] Howard Hendrix Powell: I also saw it on Playbill. Was it Playbill? You know what? Cheers to Shakespeare on getting your stuff out to the right people in the right place. Yeah, I saw it on Playbill. And my friend Sally suggested, she actually sent it to me, and she was like, you should audition for this. And then that was specifically for Romeo and Juliet. And they had an instruction in the audition listing that was like, say the role you're submitting for in the subject line. And so it'd be like your name. I think I submitted for host and the nurse track. And my friend Eric was like, you should just put gay host, gay nurse. And I was like, oh my God, that's genius. I'm going to do that. So I did. When I got to the callback, David, our CEO, was running the session. And he said that he clicked on my email because of that. He was like, I think this guy's funny. And he clicked on that. So it all take your chances, folks. Do something a little crazy.

[28:59] Brandon Salerno: Yes, actually. I'm like, I need to see it. Yes, I did. There were two shows that I did get to do it. And it was great. I had an amazing time. And I will say, too, for the callback, we were focusing on Shakespeare in the callback, but I wrote my own host speech for the callback. I was like, OK, I'm going in like. I don't know how this works yet, but I'm going to go in and try, and I did like some audience interaction stuff with David, and it was a really great experience.

[29:29] Howard Hendrix Powell: Oh, I love that. Do you ever have an audition? I'm thinking because I like way back when John Shakespeare was doing like McBee, I went in for it and they were like, bring in your own monologue. And for some reason I brought in Tamora from Titus Andronicus, which is like, it made sense in my head. But then trying to do that in an audience interaction way, it was like, why did I do that? Like, do you ever have auditions where you're like, why? Why did I bring in this particular material? Or maybe it works really well and you didn't expect it to. I'm trying to think. Or just like did not. Well, throughout the show, Brandon mentioned earlier that there's like these check-ins, right? And the check-ins are essentially for the audience to see, is this person drunk enough or do they need to be more drunk?

And one of the check-ins, we have to do a classic Shakespearean monologue, like on the spot. And all of us have, we've been doing it for so long, we've explored with different monologues. And there are some that you're like, I'm going to do this heart-wrenching thing and I'm really going to get into it. And you'll practice it, you'll rehearse it, you'll rehearse it. And then after a few shots, you're like tickling the audience while you're doing it and finding all these moments. So it is a really interesting, interesting thing how the drinking will allow you to follow your foot in a way you might not normally do it. Like there's choices I've made doing some of these Shakespearean monologues that it's like, oh, never in a million years would I do that. Now that I've done it, what a fun way to approach such an interesting text that people interpret so many different ways.

[31:01] Brandon Salerno: I think one of the weirder audition choices I think I made once was, I was auditioning to play a teacher. And this was during COVID, the beginning.

[31:12] Howard Hendrix Powell: A gay teacher?

[31:14] Brandon Salerno: A non-specific teacher. And I did a Zoom background of a classroom. I don't know why I did that.

[31:24] Howard Hendrix Powell: I mean, you could. They were rolling out those backgrounds.

[31:27] Brandon Salerno: But it was like during the time where it was like, right at the beginning of COVID, we're like, we didn't really know how to work it. And so like, I'm going in and out of the Zoom thing. Like I was like, why did I do this?

[31:36] Howard Hendrix Powell: Was it glitching?

[31:38] Brandon Salerno: Yeah.

[31:38] Howard Hendrix Powell: Okay. So it was like your bedroom and then like class?

[31:40] Brandon Salerno: Yeah. I was like, I just look like a crazy person at this point. Yeah.

[31:44] Howard Hendrix Powell: That's fine. We've seen worse. We've done worse.

[31:48] Brandon Salerno: You've taken a lot of alcohol. How do you handle that physically speaking? Do you have electrolytes on standby? How do you recover for like a full show week? Now I know that only one actor is drunk per day, like properly drunk. So you probably have one night where it's like you're all in and then the other nights you like give your liver a little detox. How does this play?

[32:11] Howard Hendrix Powell: Well, our theater takes care of us very, very well. We have so many snacks. We have Gatorade. I think we have a subscription or something. We have so much there and they provide an Uber car ride home for us after the show.

[32:26] Brandon Salerno: That's so kind.

[32:27] Howard Hendrix Powell: Yeah. We're in really good shape backstage. We're set and ready to do it. Yeah. And not only do we feel taken care of by like upper management, but there is a little bit of a learning curve when it comes down to like how you're going to take care of your castmates too. So the way I remember like the first time I had to get drunk, the way all the other four cast members would just constantly check in on me. How are you doing? Because after a while, we've all been there and you kind of, sometimes you do need a moment to be like, am I good? Where am I at right now? And so you feel taken care of across the board, which is really nice. And one thing I asked for, I messaged my boss and was like, is there any, like, can you look into any like vitamins that I can take that like help with drinking?

And then a little less than two days later in my cubby at work, there's these like pills that you can take before you drink and then after you drink that help like replenish your vitamins and stuff like that. So it's just a little, it's the little things like that, that really make a difference and really help because it is, it is a lift. And for me too, I've cut back a little bit on the social drinking. So it's like my party night is my drunk Shakespeare night, you know.

[33:29] Brandon Salerno: Right. And that's something, do you feel like the folks in your life understand that at this point in your life that your, you know, other people's social days are your work days?

[33:39] Howard Hendrix Powell: Yeah.

[33:39] Brandon Salerno: So figuring out that balance.

[33:41] Howard Hendrix Powell: I say to folks, if you want to go out with me, come to my drunk show. We'll go out after that.

[33:45] Brandon Salerno: Perfect.

[33:46] Howard Hendrix Powell: Yes. So, so much of an acting career is about learning to trust yourself while being deeply responsive to the people around you. So what has this show taught you about that balance? And have you been able to take those lessons into other projects?

[34:04] Brandon Salerno: Yeah, for sure. I would say the thing that this show has taught me is that your stamina is everything, you know, stamina and the energy that you bring. So not only like how can you maintain yourself through such a long run because Drunk Shakespeare is open seven days a week, you know, and we can do like up to eight shows a week. It's really like it can be a lot. So learning how to check in with yourself and see where your stamina is at, but also learning that so much of it is how you enter the room. If you enter the room ready to party, everyone else is ready to party. If you, and I learned this the hard way, like I think the first time I was drinking, I genuinely was like a little nervous. And the way the audience was also like, oh, is he all right?

Is he okay with me? And then it was like, oh, the next time I did it, I was like, oh, wait, no, I got to take this like a champ. I got to like celebrate this moment. And the flip of the audience was just like such a huge thing for me to learn while doing the show. So whenever I'm like performing improv or doing anything, I really am now checking with myself a little bit more before the show. And then also say to myself, what is the energy I'm bringing? Because you might not be able to control the audience's energy, but you can totally control your own presence.

[35:19] Brandon Salerno: Yeah, I would say Howard hit the number one thing. Energy is everything. Your entrance is your first impression to the audience. And not even just your entrance when the show starts, but your entrance during the host speech. We have moments where actors speak, but even before that, your entrance when the audience walks into the space, you are on and your first connection with them will be what they take away from you. I would say that is like number one. And I would say a slight number two, but almost a tie for number one is play to the best of your abilities. This is something I learned in Clown, but it's something I see every day in the show, which is if the drunk actor point of orders me to do an impression of Dobby, it better be the best Dobby impression I've got to the highest degree.

If they point of order the actors to switch parts in the middle of their scene, those actors better know or at least look like they're trying to do the other role as best they can. Showing that commitment to the story that we're telling and the changes that are happening. If you buy in, the audience will buy in. And so I think those are the two guiding principles of our company.

[36:34] Howard Hendrix Powell: I love that. Have you ever had a moment where you've short-circuited during like trying to commit to something and your brain just doesn't work?

[36:44] Brandon Salerno: Literally just now. Yeah. Like I would say two shows ago, this is like, oh, so this is making me so happy that you asked this. I have a moment where I interact with the audience and there was an audience member who was dressed. How would you describe it, Brandon? Dressed like in a tuxedo kind of in a very like, not odd, very unique, very fun way to come dressed up to like a Victorian era show. And, you know, person next to him was in khakis and he was in like this like tuxedo escarp. And there's a moment where one of my cast members is hiding in the audience and that I'm supposed to go to the audience and be like, do you see this guy? Where is he at? You know, something like that. Small audience interaction moment.

And I go, I turn and the person who is, who I'm supposed to talk to is in this get up. And then they look at me and they say, Dracula, we have the same tailor and ridiculous voice. And the way it took me out, I just was my mouth was open wide. I couldn't believe it. And then my cast member, Gracie Lee Brown, she was the drunk actor that night. And there was a moment it was like, I would say like too much silence on the stage. And from across the house, she shouts, leave Charlie Chaplin alone. And the way the audience erupted, the way I erupted and the way it was just like a small moment of like taking care of your cast mates. And she's the one who's like plastered. But that moment. Oh, that's like leave Britney alone.

Yeah. But leave Charlie Chaplin alone. Oh my God. Yeah. So I would say leave Charlie Chaplin alone. It was my all time. One of my all time favorite moments on the stage. Oh my gosh. I was floundering and then somebody caught me and not only caught me, but elevated the moment and spoke to the truth of the moment that the audience was thinking.

[38:43] Howard Hendrix Powell: Yes. Oh, the power of cast mates. That's beautiful. Do you have like a list? And then I want to ask what yours is. Do you have a list of top quotes during your shows?

[38:50] Brandon Salerno: Top quotes like from just like things that happened? Yeah. Oh, I mean, that's more of like a we talk about it after and during. Oh, you mean like I would have like a running whiteboard of just like weirdest stuff that's happened to me. Oh, yeah. We have iconic moments across the board. Yeah. I would say one similar to that one. We had someone who looked like Mary Poppins. Oh, the night and and Gracie in vibes or or or fit or a bowl. Honestly, if she told me she was dressed up for Halloween as Mary Poppins, I would have believed her. It was it was a gorgeous outfit, but it was so in that world. And Gracie called her Mary Poppins at one point. And that got a big laugh. But then I come out as Renfield at one point in Dracula. And I'm in this like mental hospital or wherever in the story. And I started singing a spoonful of sugar.

[39:48] Brandon Salerno: Oh, now we're having a duet. And then, and I think I was drunk and then our, the sober actor in the scene then gets me back on track there.

[39:58] Howard Hendrix Powell: Yeah, that's beautiful. Those, those moments, like you can't script that. Those are so in the moment. They're so iconic. There was another one recently, you know, we had the Nor'easter recently and, uh, we have, uh, a scene in the show where there's a big storm and the lights are completely out and, uh, I'm on stage, like navigating it. And I called out the Nor'easter. I was like, and everyone just went nuts, but that's only something that could happen right after an actual Nor'easter, right? Where they, they recognize it. It's been on everyone's minds and then you're, you're calling it out. So there is a due diligence. Well, probably not an expectation, but helpful to be in the know of pop culture or weather events.

[40:40] Brandon Salerno: 100%.

[40:41] Howard Hendrix Powell: Yeah. And sometimes too, a lot of our audience is international. Like it's a lot of tourists too. So it is sometimes it's about finding the niche pop culture for a few people that you make a gag or say something, you know, like, I know only three people in the audience will get this and they're going to fall out of their seats. Those moments are fun, but then it's also clocking the things that it's like, what is on everyone's mind right now? And something like the Nor'easter is just such a perfect example of that. And it makes drunk Shakespeare something that makes it unique every night. Your experience versus someone else's experience are going to be two totally different things. Even though the script is basically the same, there are moments that we generate and create that you cannot replicate, even if you try to.

[41:24] Brandon Salerno: Yeah. I always tell people we have, we have a script and we have moments that need to be hit, but how we deliver them, how we set them up when we're the drunk actor is unique to each of us. We each bring our own unique flair or interpretation of the text when we're the drunk actor.

[41:41] Howard Hendrix Powell: Right. And that makes sense too, because so much of it, as we said, relies on the energy of the audience. So you can say the same exact line, but it's just going to hit different based off of who you're engaging with. And then the, the standup rules of like finding pockets of people to connect with during different points that makes so much sense where it's like, you're going to play towards the common lines that everybody is on the same page about knowing about the Nor'easter. But then, you know, you make a reference to, everyone should know Mary Poppins. I don't know, what wouldn't they know? Stephen Sondheim. I don't know. Patti LuPone. Everyone should know Patti LuPone. I'm sorry. I like, I need something like a little more detail. I mentioned Patti. Anytime the audience upsets me, I mentioned Patti. I'm like, I'm like, get off your phone. I'm like, get off your phone.

[42:26] Brandon Salerno: Yeah. Even though at our show, we want people on their phone.

[42:27] Howard Hendrix Powell: That is true. Get on your phone.

[42:30] Brandon Salerno: Um, tell me about Christmas Carol. So are you rehearsing this while you're actively performing Drunk Dracula? How is this going? Tell me everything that you're allowed to tell me.

[42:40] Howard Hendrix Powell: Yeah. So our schedule is we're performing in six to eight shows a week while also rehearsing for Christmas Carol. And so we are learning the show for the first time, the New York cast right now. And it will be the New York City off-Broadway debut of that show.

[42:56] Brandon Salerno: That is so exciting. Do you know, well, you know your roles. Can I know your roles? Are you allowed to say we could like bleep it out?

[43:02] Howard Hendrix Powell: Why don't you guess?

[43:03] Brandon Salerno: Oh my God. Could you guess? Who's Fezziwig?

[43:06] Howard Hendrix Powell: No one.

[43:07] Brandon Salerno: No one here. I just like saying that. Gracie.

[43:08] Howard Hendrix Powell: Check.

[43:12] Brandon Salerno: Tiny Tim.

[43:15] Howard Hendrix Powell: Let me go for the opposite of what I think you would be.

[43:17] Brandon Salerno: No, no, no, no, no.

[43:18] Howard Hendrix Powell: Belle.

[43:19] Brandon Salerno: My dream.

[43:20] Howard Hendrix Powell: I know, a gay Belle. Could you put that in a pitch or something? Great.

[43:23] Brandon Salerno: That's how I feel. If we gave you like some really cool grays, you could be like hot Scrooge.

[43:34] Howard Hendrix Powell: Okay. I am playing Ebeneezer Scrooge, but I want you to know from this point on, I will only be referring to it as hot Scrooge.

[43:43] Brandon Salerno: Yeah. Hot Scrooge.

[43:43] Howard Hendrix Powell: I'm saying like, I will only, I will make them change it in the script to hot Scrooge.

[43:48] Brandon Salerno: Yeah. I mean, you've like, you've hit the archetype of, of powerful, lonely, angry, looking for, I don't know, something. I'm curious if the audience will have that.

[44:01] Howard Hendrix Powell: I'm just curious if the audience will be attracted to Scrooge.

[44:04] Brandon Salerno: Well, are you going to make yourself unattractive or do you have a voice or are you yourself, are you grounded or are you like, people are calling the performance dropped in and grounded in a way that I've never touched in the past. People are saying that, wow, this is like transformative and honest.

[44:23] Howard Hendrix Powell: That's just like what I've heard.

[44:25] Brandon Salerno: I've heard whispers around it on, on Reddit threads here and there.

[44:29] Howard Hendrix Powell: Yeah. The Reddit is big.

[44:31] Brandon Salerno: A forward slash R hot Scrooges.

[44:34] Howard Hendrix Powell: Yeah, that's what, that's what I heard.

[44:37] Brandon Salerno: Now, I know that you're playing Belle, but what are you really playing?

[44:41] Howard Hendrix Powell: It's a dream role. Are you going to crotch it? Are you Marley and Marley?

[44:44] Brandon Salerno: No.

[44:44] Howard Hendrix Powell: So I'm actually, I'm actually the host again.

[44:49] Brandon Salerno: I know that gay host here I am.

[44:53] Howard Hendrix Powell: And I'm also the three ghosts.

[44:56] Brandon Salerno: Hosting ghost.

[44:58] Howard Hendrix Powell: Yeah.

[44:59] Brandon Salerno: Bust a rhyme.

[44:59] Howard Hendrix Powell: Yeah. So you're the three ghosts and the host ghost. Do you, are you grounded or are you going like spooky?

[45:06] Brandon Salerno: You know, people say I'm known for my subtlety.

[45:09] Howard Hendrix Powell: It's true.

[45:11] Brandon Salerno: I see.

[45:12] Howard Hendrix Powell: That's what people come to Trump.

[45:13] Brandon Salerno: Yeah. People are saying a lot. They want the realism. They want us to feel like they're being transported to a different era.

[45:21] Howard Hendrix Powell: That's what we're delivering.

[45:23] Brandon Salerno: And I see that. I hear that. There will be tears.

[45:25] Howard Hendrix Powell: There should be. Listen, I, when I saw the last Christmas Carol on Broadway, they like flew a full turkey through the audience on a fly onto the stage.

[45:36] Brandon Salerno: And I cried.

[45:37] Howard Hendrix Powell: I cried.

[45:38] Brandon Salerno: You will see a turkey.

[45:41] Howard Hendrix Powell: I won't say how or who it's turkey.

[45:46] Brandon Salerno: Lurky time.

[45:46] Howard Hendrix Powell: It's me. Surprise.

[45:48] Brandon Salerno: Yeah. I cameo.

[45:49] Howard Hendrix Powell: That'd be, yeah. Is that like the, the audience guest spot or like, instead of being like king or queen of the night, you get to be the turkey.

[45:55] Brandon Salerno: Yeah.

[45:56] Howard Hendrix Powell: Yeah. That would be awesome.

[45:58] Brandon Salerno: Well, actually to that point, the weird, there's this like, I won't say weird. There's this awesome device that we have in the show where once the show starts, the host auctions off royalty seats.

[46:10] Howard Hendrix Powell: So there are these like two seats on a throne in the middle of the audience that the audience members will bid real money to sit in. It'll be run like an actual auction. And then if you win the auction, if you, you know, post up for the highest amount of money you are then brought into the show for the entirety of the experience. People are constantly making references to you. You're the person who prompts the, uh, actor check-ins. You're the person who does that. You're the person who decides if the actor needs more alcohol or not. So in a way there is this moment where there is an audience cameo that's built into the show. And that's for all the drunk Shakespeare shows, Romeo and Juliet, Dracula and Christmas Carol.

And we just changed the person you are. So in Romeo and Juliet, you're a house Montague and a house Capulet and, uh, Dracula, you're our count and countess. And then in a Christmas Carol, what are you? It's like St. Santa and Mrs. Claus or an elf or an owl.

[47:08] Brandon Salerno: She wanted to be, but you also can purchase that experience in advance. So like, if you know, you want that experience and you want to go all out for birthday anniversary or even just a Friday night in New York, you can buy that in advance on the website and lock that in.

[47:28] Howard Hendrix Powell: I would refuse to lose it.

[47:31] Brandon Salerno: I would want to lock in an advance. I think that makes sense.

[47:35] Howard Hendrix Powell: Now, as far as alcoholic consumption during Christmas Carol, are we leaning into the seasonal bits or would that induce probably vomit? Like we're not chugging shots of eggnog, right?

[47:45] Brandon Salerno: Like imagine, yeah. Are you, are you?

[47:48] Howard Hendrix Powell: I'm going to stick to vodka.

[47:49] Brandon Salerno: Okay, fair. Vodka is the way. I won't give anything away, but there is a moment in the show in which we pay homage to, is that how you say it? Homage?

[47:57] Howard Hendrix Powell: Yeah.

[47:58] Brandon Salerno: Homage. We pay homage.

[48:00] Howard Hendrix Powell: I don't know.

[48:02] Brandon Salerno: Can you say that?

[48:03] Howard Hendrix Powell: Yeah. I feel the fancy.

[48:05] Brandon Salerno: I like homage.

[48:06] Howard Hendrix Powell: Elf.

[48:08] Brandon Salerno: The very famous scene in Elf where he has the spaghetti and the syrup. And I'll say no more than that, but we do a moment in which we really honor that classic piece of Christmas. But for the audience, they're going to be getting specialty cocktails that our front of house staff is amazing at, and they'll be preparing for the holiday season.

[48:25] Howard Hendrix Powell: I love this so much. Ah, the city is so wonderful during spooky season and holiday season. So the fact that you get to uplift everybody during this time is amazing. What do you wish people understood about making and creating this type of work?

[48:39] Brandon Salerno: That it's just as rewarding for us as it is for the audience. It really is. It's such a communal experience. And in New York City, people love to go out and drink and explore different bars. And if you are getting exhausted of that and you want something that shakes it up, drunk Shakespeare is a way to do it. I mean, it feels like now more than ever, we're like valuing time together. And drunk Shakespeare is that it is just like a communal experience. I don't know. It's not like a lot of stuff that's happening in New York, you know, it's cool. I think that it is a party and it's so much fun and it's so crazy and it's so wild, but we are also bringing some really unique artistic quality to these shows.

We all come from different backgrounds, improv clown. We have Shakespeare nerds. We're all bringing our own acting experience and talent. And so there are some really like amazingly performed scenes in these shows that are like, wow, like these actors, this stage crew, the front of house staff, they are incredible at their jobs. And it's just so wonderful that you can see that during the party.

[49:46] Howard Hendrix Powell: It's both at the same time.

[49:47] Brandon Salerno: Oh, my goodness. I love this. And where can people I'll link it in the show notes, but where can people follow your work as individuals and these shows?

[49:56] Howard Hendrix Powell: I got my favorite. Ah, give me the plug. Give me the deed.

[50:01] Brandon Salerno: So for drunk Shakespeare, it's drunkshakespeare.com, drunkdracula.com, drunkchristmas.com. Yes. And you can find us on the socials at drunkshakespeare, at drunkdracula, at drunkchristmascarol, and for myself at Brandon S. Actor like Brandon Sacktor.

[50:27] Howard Hendrix Powell: And I'm at Howard Hendrix Powell on all social media platforms. Easy. Done. Boom.

[50:34] Brandon Salerno: Okay. Let's do rapid fire.

[50:36] Howard Hendrix Powell: Yes.

[50:37] Brandon Salerno: Okay. How would you explain drunk Dracula to someone who has never experienced drunk Shakespeare?

[50:41] Howard Hendrix Powell: Hot.

[50:42] Brandon Salerno: Insane.

[50:43] Howard Hendrix Powell: Give me three words to describe drunk Dracula.

[50:45] Brandon Salerno: It is hot.

[50:48] Howard Hendrix Powell: Horror, comedy, drunk.

[50:50] Brandon Salerno: Horror, comedy, drunk. Funniest thing that's happened to you on stage that you can't plan.

[50:55] Howard Hendrix Powell: We kind of talked about this too.

[50:56] Brandon Salerno: I just like throwing it.

[50:57] Howard Hendrix Powell: Three words.

[50:58] Brandon Salerno: Wig falling off.

[51:00] Howard Hendrix Powell: Oh, my God.

[51:02] Brandon Salerno: Me be hot.

[51:05] Howard Hendrix Powell: Me be hot.

[51:06] Brandon Salerno: Improvise, break character or pretend nothing happened.

[51:09] Howard Hendrix Powell: Oh, improvise.

[51:11] Brandon Salerno: Improvise.

[51:11] Howard Hendrix Powell: Yeah, of course.

[51:13] Brandon Salerno: Never break character.

[51:14] Howard Hendrix Powell: Never break character.

[51:15] Brandon Salerno: No.

[51:15] Howard Hendrix Powell: What character?

[51:16] Brandon Salerno: What are you talking about?

[51:17] Howard Hendrix Powell: Character you'd least like to see after five shots.

[51:20] Brandon Salerno: Dobby.

[51:22] Howard Hendrix Powell: Mitch McConnell.

[51:24] Brandon Salerno: And scene. Thank you so much for coming on.

[51:27] Howard Hendrix Powell: You guys are great.

[51:29] Brandon Salerno: Oh, thanks for having us. This is so much fun.

[51:30] Howard Hendrix Powell: This is great.

[51:32] Brandon Salerno: Come support the show.

[51:33] Howard Hendrix Powell: Yay.

[51:34] Brandon Salerno: Bye.

[51:35] Howard Hendrix Powell: And that was our conversation about drunk Dracula and drunk Christmas Carol. I love a theatrical experience that reminds us just how much live performance depends on being present. You can rehearse the scene, know the story and prepare every beat, but once you're in front of an audience, you have to listen, adapt, trust your scene partners and stay willing to play. And honestly, there's something wonderfully theatrical about taking a story as iconic as Dracula and a Christmas Carol and turning it into a completely unpredictable night at the theater. So if you are in New York City and looking for something fun, ridiculous, and a little spooky or festive this season, drunk Dracula is playing at the Ruby Theater located at 35 West 39th Street through November 7th, 2026.

The show is for audiences 21 and older, of course. And if you can't catch drunk Dracula, please come catch a drunk Christmas Carol through January, 2027. As always, if you enjoyed this episode, follow Tea Time with Mikayla, that's me, on your favorite podcast platform. Leave us a rating or review and share this conversation with a friend who loves theater, a little chaos or both. Thank you for listening. Thank you for spilling with us. And remember the tea is not always gossip. Sometimes it's a little bit of theater magic, a lot of commitment and a vampire who may or may not be keeping it together. Uh, the kettle is still on. I'll see you next time.