This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:06] Robert Peterpaul: Hello, beautiful people. Welcome to the Art of Kindness, where we have compassionate conversations with artists from all areas of the entertainment industry who are using their voice to spread joy and make this big spinning planet in the universe a better place to be.

[0:22] Robert Peterpaul: I'm Robert Peterpaul, and I'm so glad you're here. Oh my gosh, I just knocked a lamp over. It feels like it's been so long. I hope you've been well since we took this little hiatus. I am smack dab in the midst of rehearsing for Kinky Boots pretty much every day of the week, and I have not had a second to run to the microphone. Let me tell you, it's hard to run in those boots. I've missed you, and I'm pumped to be here and drop by with an episode that's bound to put a smile on your face, which is always my goal. Featuring my friend, a fellow Jersey boy, whoo, that was kind of clean. Jelani Remy.

[1:29] Robert Peterpaul: You can currently catch the talent lighting up Broadway’s in the blockbuster musical Back to the Future as Goldie Wilson and Marvin Berry. His number, "Gotta Start Somewhere," truly stops the show. I took my little brother Will, shout out Willie, hi, to see Back to the Future, and we had a blast. It's currently tearing up the Winter Garden Theater. Great Scott! Find out more information at the link in our bio. Stay tuned after the interview for your kindness tip of the week. And be sure to follow us on social media at Art of Kindness Pod and at Robert Peterpaul for more positive and unhinged fun. Now, without further ado, let's hop in the DeLorean and welcome the joyful Jelani Remy.

[2:34] Jelani Remy: It's you.

[2:35] Robert Peterpaul: Oh, there you are. Hello.

[2:37] Jelani Remy: Hi, good morning.

[2:38] Robert Peterpaul: Oh my gosh, I love that jacket.

[2:41] Jelani Remy: Thank you. Little color blocking situation.

[2:43] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[2:44] Jelani Remy: Color block is my favorite. They target me on Instagram for color block things all the time, and then I order them and I get it, and it's not what I thought.

[2:53] Robert Peterpaul: It bees like that sometimes.

[2:55] Jelani Remy: It does, right? How's it going? I'm so pumped to do this with you. Thanks for taking the time. I love that you were at the show last week.

[3:01] Robert Peterpaul: Oh my gosh. Was it two weeks ago or a week?

[3:04] Jelani Remy: It was Tuesday. It was the night that the lamp broke.

[3:08] Robert Peterpaul: I don't know if you heard about that because you weren't on stage.

[3:11] Jelani Remy: I heard all I listened to that. It's like my radio show. Because what happens on stage with those two is different every night.

[3:18] Robert Peterpaul: Okay.

[3:18] Jelani Remy: And so anything can and will happen. So the fact that the light broke and they cleaned it up during the scene, like it was amazing.

[3:27] Robert Peterpaul: It was amazing. That's like the beauty of the show. It's like it's custom. Each performance is a custom, you know.

[3:33] Jelani Remy: That's so cool.

[3:34] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, Roger was like, I know there's nothing more interesting than watching me clean up glass on stage.

[3:40] Jelani Remy: It was so good. And we just had the best time. I feel like I'm still in a high from seeing it, honestly. And you just that was the first time I think I've actually seen you on stage because we did that like concert together and then, you know, seeing the brief concert.

[3:53] Jelani Remy: Yeah, yeah.

[3:54] Robert Peterpaul: But like you are just pure sunshine on stage. You're so amazing. I was blown away. You stopped the show.

[4:00] Jelani Remy: Well, I mean, it's the design, right? But I do love what I get to do in this show. It's incredible. It's just like a message of positivity. I get to laugh, giggle, and just have like I feel like my numbers like it comes out of nowhere, but then it's like, okay, but it's like the perfect fit.

[4:18] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, it's incredible. And it's so needed, you know, at the time in the show. It just like puts a smile on everybody's faces. And I think it's one of the surprises in the show because it's not something people are gonna remember from the movie, you know?

[4:31] Jelani Remy: There's sort of this like Rocky Horror thing going on where people are responding to y'all because they love the film, but it's a more genuine, it's not like it's required. And so that's one of those moments that sort of takes you aback, and you're like, oh my gosh, what a nice and like getting to like build it was super fun. You're getting to see like what worked, what didn't, like what do you want to do here? Do you want to change the ending? Do you want to catch a broom? Like, what do you like? What do you want to do? Like a witch just flying out.

[4:58] Jelani Remy: Alpha.

[4:59] Robert Peterpaul: Ah yeah.

[5:01] Jelani Remy: It's literally the ending.

[5:02] Robert Peterpaul: That's literally the ending of as Alpha.

[5:05] Jelani Remy: It's so good. Well, I'm so pumped to get into Back to the Future. We're already there. But now that I've already kind of complimented you a bunch, the first question I always like to ask, and I really am genuine when I do that, is how are you at receiving compliments and love? You seem like you're pretty good at it, but I feel like it's part of kindness that's tricky.

[5:23] Jelani Remy: Oh, it is it is tricky because I think I'm getting better. I've gotten better at it, you know, because I'm normally like to reverse it. I sort of throw it back at you. But I've learned to accept it and be grateful to it, right? Because as we're all sharing and it's nice when someone takes the time to compliment. But it is, it's the receiving is always tricky because, you know, we're artists and we're in our heads and you know, you'd always like, oh well that, well thank you me, you're like I was sick tonight, no, no. Well I tell you, you know what helps when I started teaching a lot, I tell my students that like when you're in your audition, Delta charges extra for baggage, so don't bring yours in. You know what I mean?

[6:10] Robert Peterpaul: So I'm sorry I'm so sick today, I'm not feeling like they don't need to know that you just need to come and bring your best self.

[6:16] Jelani Remy: So yeah, maybe that sort of trickled into my mantra of the receiving the compliments and not saying like, oh I was under or this and that.

[6:16] Robert Peterpaul: That's so good. I'm gonna write that down and put it on a post-it and just like smack it on my forehead because I feel like I should probably change it to spirit because spirit charges a lot extra probably I feel honestly they all do now even you don't so we'll say the airlines charge extra for baggage so don't bring it into the room.

[6:40] Jelani Remy: That's so good. You should trademark that honestly for your coffee book table that you make one day or your rip off calendar.

[6:45] Robert Peterpaul: I love that okay yeah I think that's really fun. Well that said I got a lot of baggage so let me read you my dialogue. I think that's an important note too because especially for the actors and performers listening out there or anyone really you want to try your best to walk into each room as your best self. It's not always possible. But if you're coming in there with sort of a crutch, you don't want to crutch yourself. You don't want to dampen, to cheapen your worth, you know, to cheapen the 100%. Because they don't know, and they can be looking just for you with that cold, with that, you know, nervous. You know what I mean? They'd be looking just for you.

[7:19] Jelani Remy: So yeah, and you set the tone, you know, for the room.

[7:23] Robert Peterpaul: Right. And no, I think I heard a casting director say this recently. They have not not booked someone. I don't know if that's the correct English, because they cracked in the room or they sounded a little crackly or they know it's, you know, 10 a.m. They know it's an audition. So just they want you to win.

[7:36] Jelani Remy: They do want you to win.

[7:38] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. And I am so glad you're winning right now. You're having such a great moment. Bringing it back to you. We're gonna get into all that. Oh, he's dancing. Not everyone can see the baby. We'll have to share that video. As we use unlock the door to our conversation and talk about kindness and the arts, which I feel like you're so well suited to do because you are just this beacon of positivity and joy in our industry. What does kindness mean to you, my friend, if you don't define it?

[8:03] Jelani Remy: Kindness to me means sharing.

[8:06] Robert Peterpaul: What does that mean?

[8:07] Jelani Remy: Like that means like just giving freely with not necessarily wanting anything in return. But giving because you can and because it'll make somebody's life or day a little bit better. That's sort of what kindness means to me. And it doesn't have to be of giving us of something, it could just be a smile. It could just be a hello. Some of my best relationships have come from saying hello to somebody that I didn't know. You know, or kindness is also if I'm able to give somebody something that I think that they might enjoy.

[8:41] Jelani Remy: I love that. I just got into this kick of cotton candy grapes delivering them to stage doors because I love them so much. And I'm like, you know what? More people might like them. So I just like drop them off at a stage door and see. Have you ever had them?

[8:54] Robert Peterpaul: I've heard of them, but I've never had them.

[8:55] Jelani Remy: Are they life changing?

[8:56] Robert Peterpaul: Oh, mark my words, you will be receiving some.

[8:59] Jelani Remy: Oh sweet. No, but you know what? But it's also like sharing knowledge, I think, or experience or something like that's kindness by saying, hey, you know, I think that's what will make the world a better place, you know. And I've gotten an extreme amount of kindness from this community. So I do feel like I'm responsible for sharing it back.

[9:27] Robert Peterpaul: I love that so much. I love everything you're saying. I feel like one reason you're dropping all these gems is because you're a Jersey boy, and I know that because I'm a Jersey boy, and I didn't realize it from Jersey.

[9:37] Jelani Remy: What exit?

[9:38] Robert Peterpaul: Oh, it's a good question. I know my short part is 105.

[9:42] Jelani Remy: Oh, you're down there in the summers.

[9:44] Robert Peterpaul: I always knew 105 because everyone would ask, but where I grew up was Chatham.

[9:47] Jelani Remy: I forget what the exit is.

[9:48] Robert Peterpaul: Chatham.

[9:50] Jelani Remy: It's even short hills, yeah.

[9:51] Robert Peterpaul: Yes. What about you?

[9:52] Jelani Remy: I'm from Essex County. I'm from Cedar Grove.

[9:54] Robert Peterpaul: So next to Montclair.

[9:57] Jelani Remy: Oh yeah. I love Montclair. I did a show up there a while back, and then I lived in Maplewood for a hot second.

[10:03] Robert Peterpaul: A lot of people from a lot of people live around there.

[10:05] Jelani Remy: Yeah. Did you go to Montclair State University?

[10:08] Robert Peterpaul: That's right. Go back to the city.

[10:10] Jelani Remy: Yes.

[10:11] Robert Peterpaul: It's so beautiful there.

[10:12] Jelani Remy: Yeah, it's so pretty.

[10:13] Robert Peterpaul: So pretty. But I mean, my question, I guess was growing up in New Jersey, you know, what was your entry point into the arts? What how did you kind of get bitten by the bug?

[10:32] Jelani Remy: Wow, it was I was always in choir and band and did sports and all that, but I was when my choir teacher pushed me to do my first musical, which was Grease, and I played Doody, right?

[10:48] Robert Peterpaul: Thank you so much. I was gonna I was actually gonna say, but I didn't want to put it on you.

[10:52] Jelani Remy: Yeah, I played Doody and he had that one solo of "Those Magic Changes," and I was so nervous to rehearse the song and rehearse, rehearse, rehearse, and try and make it happen. And then we did it for our school assembly in front of all of our peers, and like people clapped and they screamed, and like I never felt like such a rush of joy and happiness. And it was then I felt like I had a passion and a purpose and wanted to get good at like what we just did, like of putting on a show and people come and see it, and we get to sort of transport them to our world for two hours and 45 minutes with an intermission. And it was that moment I wanted to do more shows and get more educated in this craft and make more friends while doing it.

So it was it was then and our community was we didn't really have a big theater program, it was super small, it's a public school, and I also had to maintain the sports too. So like I would sing the national anthem in my football uniform and then come down and play the game. And then I realized I can get out of conditioning by doing impersonations of the coaches. They pull me out and be Remy, Remy, do coach style, do him, do him. And so I was that that in itself was, you know, training.

[12:07] Jelani Remy: That's that's performance. That was that was embodying, you know the craft, if you will, at that age. And then I went to the Paper Mill Playhouse Summer Program.

[12:17] Robert Peterpaul: I wait, I did that too.

[12:19] Jelani Remy: You went to Paper Mill?

[12:21] Robert Peterpaul: Yes.

[12:22] Jelani Remy: What year did I do that?

[12:23] Robert Peterpaul: I did it in 1902.

[12:25] Jelani Remy: It was me and I was 1880, yep.

[12:30] Robert Peterpaul: Right. In the Gilded Age.

[12:32] Jelani Remy: You're right. But it was just like Professor X's school for the you know, for us theater kids. And I made friends for life there and also like really, really got a good understanding that this is what I wanted to do. So I was a Rising Star recipient for my performance in The Wiz.

[12:50] Jelani Remy: Oh wow.

[12:51] Robert Peterpaul: So that sort of put me into that also nominee for my role in Pippin.

[12:56] Jelani Remy: Okay. Drop it like it's hot.

[12:59] Robert Peterpaul: But you found your corner of the sky.

[13:02] Jelani Remy: I was the leading player.

[13:04] Robert Peterpaul: I was getting that vibe.

[13:06] Jelani Remy: You were? Yeah, leading player. That sort of like rocked my world into orbit of this wonderful sport of theater that we get to do. Wow. So yeah, that was my training. Then I went to Montclair State University for my college years and then started hopped on a tour.

[13:24] Robert Peterpaul: Look at you go. And now you've done so many amazing things since. I mean, I don't have enough time to make the DeLorean stop at all the incredible shows you've been a part of and all these wonderful things that you've done. But I would love to know if there's I'm sure there's many, but is there an act of kindness that kind of stands out to you as changing your trajectory here in the theater world?

[13:44] Jelani Remy: You mean like a specific person?

[13:46] Robert Peterpaul: Or like it could be a person, it could be something someone did for you.

[13:50] Jelani Remy: Oh my gosh. I mean, people have done so much for me. Like this community really does take care of each other. Like I have learned from some amazing great performers, like that just led with kindness, even still to this day. I see them still like just being their beautiful selves. Like even like Ariel Jacobs was my Gabriella in High School Musical on tour.

[14:11] Robert Peterpaul: Oh, I love her. We had her on here, she's amazing.

[14:13] Jelani Remy: And she's one of the kindest most beautiful souls you know. My best friends Travis Walschmitt, Tia Altine, like they were all on that tour with me and they're just so kind. Like people like Ellen Harvey, Denise Nolan, like they were my first professional experience and I got to work with these amazing performers and also like the team over at Disney was just incredible. They are incredible, you know, Jeff Calhoun was our director, you know, like Tom Schumacher, like just beautiful kind people that really are about the team and family. So yeah, that was a wonderful stepping stone into the theater, the professional theater world.

[15:05] Jelani Remy: Yeah, but going back, I think my parents, my parents are super kind people too. My parents would always give whatever they could, you know, to anyone who needed. I grew up with, you know, three brothers and a sister, so sharing was always important, you know? But I think my compassion and kindness—well, true story time—my compassion and kindness, I think, started for me way back when in preschool. Okay, and I remember this because my parents missed the cutoff for me to go to school, and the only class available open that I could get into for preschool was a special needs class.

[15:42] Robert Peterpaul: Okay.

[15:43] Jelani Remy: And so they said, "Well, yeah, he won't know. He'll be fine there." Do we need to get him into something, you know, while we have to work? So they put me in a special needs class. And I remember being able to help out and take care of others and, you know, like calm some kids down. Like, you know, just I remember just not something was—I remember Miss Amy and Miss Sharon, they were the teachers there. I remember them specifically. And I just remember being with them a lot, and it was just a different experience, but a wonderful experience, you know? And they didn't tell me this till much later.

[16:18] Robert Peterpaul: Wow.

[16:18] Jelani Remy: They didn't tell me that I had this experience, and I was actually helping out the kids and helping out the teacher, you know, just being in class. And yeah, that's what I thought it was. But they put me with people that I got to sort of work with. So I think that sort of helped and shaped.

[16:33] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, that's so cool. It does seem like, I guess tracking your journey, the way you perform is a sort of an act of service and it is giving. And maybe that's sort of where it came from.

[16:44] Jelani Remy: Maybe, but with this role specifically, Goldie, he definitely is that beacon of hope of the people, you know, of what you can be. And if you don't stop, and especially in the "You Gotta Start Somewhere" song, it's sort of like I start talking to George and getting him sort of revved up, and then I—it's in the town and talking to my wonderful castmates and those characters, and then I sort of flip my attention to the audience and I get to sort of like, "Now it's your turn." And it's such a wonderful message, especially with like what's going on right now, like just to give that glimmer of spark to these next generation of kids that get to see our show for the first time. You know, that's really cool. That's what I love most about this show is that it's a lot of kids' first Broadway’s experience.

[17:31] Robert Peterpaul: So it's fun to sort of like grab them and give them this like high energy, like in-your-face number that just brings me joy and sort of could spark, you know, spark someone to see themselves.

[17:44] Jelani Remy: Hmm.

[17:45] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, that's so true. And it is someone's first show, and it's always someone's last show. So what a beautiful message.

[17:52] Jelani Remy: Yeah, the director told us that once, and I think that just framing that is so powerful, especially your song. The message that it leaves people with. And the message of dreaming. There's a lot of beautiful messages in this show, so we love it.

[18:05] Jelani Remy: Absolutely. And it's like, it's someone's—like, how do you do the shows eight times a week and this and that? And that's exactly why. Because, like you said, somebody's seeing our show for the first time, or somebody's seeing it for the last time. So it's up to us to give them something to remember and take with them. And our show, yes, you know the movie, but the Broadway’s production, I think has a certain soul that is really just like powerful, meaningful, and important.

[18:32] Robert Peterpaul: I think so too. And we're already here, you know. Let's—I was gonna say getting back to Back to the Future, but we're here. You shine so bright in this show as Goldie slash Marvin. Well, you kind of just answered it, but would you say that's what it means for you to be a part of this? It's such a pop culture phenomenon. And now to bring this fresh take on it to Broadway’s, I can imagine it's sort of overwhelming and dreamy.

[18:55] Jelani Remy: I mean, it was—I'll say, I'll be honest, it was scary at first, you know, auditioning for it. Like, these are big shoes to fill. This is a big tall order. Like, what's it gonna be like? Is it gonna be me? Like, do you think like how? Like, yeah, me? Me? And so I was scared to audition for a long time. And then when I finally—it was like, okay, I kept listening to the song, and it's like, well, I can't sing this song if I don't believe it, so get your booty in that room. And I did, and it was filled with people that I've worked with before, you know, like Chris Bailey, I just worked with, he's a choreographer in an Hermes gig. John Rando, I'd heard of through the amazing, amazing, amazing Josh Burgas, who I did Smokey Joe's with, and some of our producers of the show were on Smokey Joe's. So I walked into this like family reunion, and I was like, "Hmm, oh, I can breathe. Yeah, let's do this," you know? So that was really awesome.

[19:49] Jelani Remy: But then building it, it was just like coming into the first day rehearsal was just so exciting. And then we got to rehearse, and the room that was set, like the tone that was set for this process was just like open and warm and exciting and funny and fun and best idea won, you know? And we got to play and imagine, and it's like the theater experience you always want, you know.

[20:16] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, that's exactly what I've heard from my friend Taylor, who's your associate director, I believe. And she was saying how it just had that flexibility in the room. And I think before she even started, John said, "Let's get dinner," and he just wanted to talk with her. It seemed like that was the tone—just play—and all the bits that are apparent in this show are just so much fun and feel so fresh to the audience. And I think that's a pivotal fresh ingredient, right? Because, yeah, you're not just like playing the movie.

[20:44] Jelani Remy: I mean, it's an incredibly fresh take. I was gonna ask you, did you feel like that was apparent in the rehearsal process? But you're sort of getting there anyway. I mean, I can imagine even that moment when you're like exiting the diner and you had done your song in the previous act, and then you start singing it again and you like look back through the window. I mean, it feels like these are choices that you're just making that were greenlit.

[21:05] Jelani Remy: I love that you clocked that. You know, that was a choice that came in like previews, and like I was just like playing around, and I was like, "What if I put my face in the window?" And Roger's like, "Yes, do that." Roger Bart was like, "Yes, you should, you should definitely do that." Definitely do that. Definitely do that. Definitely do that. It's so funny. It's so—it is so fun. And it makes me laugh. And like it's the process, you know? It's the evolution and getting to try. And like the show wasn't set yet, so we get to just play. And finding the little moments that like, you know, shine and like make you feel good, and sort of telling the truth of the character and like really giving it like the perfect bow.

[21:41] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[21:42] Jelani Remy: I love that you all have that because I've heard, you know, in some other instances where there's a really kind of intense, iconic IP, it's not always as flexible. So I think that's really, really cool.

[21:53] Jelani Remy: I think it's rare. We're lucky.

[21:54] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[21:55] Jelani Remy: Lucky. It is rare, but it adds so much to the show. I mean, there's a—there's a bits on bits. I'm still laughing at the Roger Bart moment where the scrim is down and the stairs are going up, and he's just walking back and forth, like, "What?" So good. You have to see it to know what I'm talking about, everybody out there, and I hope you will. We were talking about acts of kindness, but I wonder if there's an act of kindness from this process that stands out to you as maybe someone was the stars of the crew.

[22:21] Jelani Remy: Yeah, yes. And you just said it right before then. I think Roger Bart is an act of kindness. The way that he leads this company and just is who he is and what he's done, and there's not an ounce of ego. There's just this open, this beautiful—I'm so glad to have had this experience with someone like him. And I think what he does is this wonderful, like comedian, can be like vaudeville-like magic, and just getting to know him and watch how he works with others with kindness, you know, it's exactly what you'd wish for.

[23:01] Robert Peterpaul: That's so nice to hear. I love him.

[23:03] Jelani Remy: And he—I want to, and if he hears this, please continue to bring me Zebar's bread. It makes me so happy. He'll just deliver it and put it at my station because he knows I like the chocolate babka.

[23:13] Jelani Remy: Is it babka? Oh, it's the chocolate babka.

[23:16] Jelani Remy: Yeah, yeah.

[23:17] Jelani Remy: Yes. Um, Jewish blood, I grew up on that.

[23:21] Robert Peterpaul: Right.

[23:22] Jelani Remy: I liked it, or I had some, and he would—and like on a Sunday, he'll just drop it off, you know? Like a Sunday kind of love.

[23:28] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[23:28] Jelani Remy: Do you know what I mean? Like, ugh. It's so good. I will say I've been obsessed with the chocolate babka recently. Something turned me on to the cinnamon sugar. And I'll tell you, it's pretty damn good too. And if you pop that baby in the microwave for like 15 seconds.

[23:43] Jelani Remy: Oh, I make an Olympic sport. Not only do I pop it in the microwave, there's sometimes I've made it into French toast.

[23:49] Robert Peterpaul: Are you kidding?

[23:50] Jelani Remy: I actually have to leave. I'm not kidding. It's the little things in life. And that's also the act of kindness is being kind to yourself and taking the time to do that sort of stuff.

[23:58] Robert Peterpaul: Yes.

[23:59] Jelani Remy: That was my next question for you, actually. But before I get there, yeah, I was gonna ask you how you're showing yourself kindness. This is a perfect transition, but I do feel like I need to tell you as an act of service, I found this croissant bread recently. It's slices of bread, like a regular Thomas bread brand, but they're croissants, so it's the croissant material. I don't know how to describe it. If you spray that with like Pam or something and then put cinnamon sugar on it and fry it up and then put Nutella, I did it the other night. I blacked out. It was suddenly done.

[24:28] Jelani Remy: I don't know why you're trying to ruin my summer.

[24:31] Robert Peterpaul: No, I'm trying to bless you.

[24:33] Jelani Remy: I don't know why you're trying to ruin my summer.

[24:35] Robert Peterpaul: But um, thank you. I'll send you the recipe.

[24:37] Jelani Remy: Okay.

[24:38] Robert Peterpaul: I made it up. But I love this sort of like food act of kindness. How else do you sort of show yourself kindness during this wild run?

[24:45] Jelani Remy: I will go back. Cooking has definitely been an act of kindness for me because it's taking the time to make the recipe and like take the time to cook it. You know, we work so hard, and like it's easy to grab and go. But I found like if there's something therapeutic in cooking and following through with it, like I bought an air fryer. And it does like multiple things, like a rotisserie chicken, like what?

[25:09] Robert Peterpaul: Wow.

[25:10] Jelani Remy: You know, or like getting to bake something, or find these—now I'm getting targeted Instagram ads on recipes, you know. So that's exciting. My other favorite thing, and anybody who knows me knows me, I will always, always, always be at the reflexology place getting my feet rubbed. Just that little hour is mine and it's coveted, and it's something that I do all the time.

[25:34] Jelani Remy: So foot massages are my jam.

[25:36] Robert Peterpaul: I love that.

[25:37] Jelani Remy: I've been doing it for umpteen years, you know what I mean, for so long, and it's my little slice of happy.

[25:45] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[25:45] Jelani Remy: Well, you're inspiring me because I recently finally turned in a massage gift card someone gave me, and it happened to be on the day of the earthquake. So that was very on brand for me that I'm laying, you know, semi-naked on this table and then I'm shaking, and I thought my body was sort of just responding to the releasing.

[26:01] Jelani Remy: It was tectonic plates.

[26:01] Robert Peterpaul: Tectonic plates, turns out. But you're right, investing in that is so important because we sort of invest in all these other things, but we don't necessarily put the same weight on our bodies, our mental health, you know. It's like why is that sort of considered something else sometimes, you know, sort of like foo-foo or luxury? It's like, no, this is actually my body. It's the most important of all.

[26:25] Jelani Remy: Yeah, yeah, it is. And I've realized how important it is to just even if it's just an hour, just a time to just sit and be and do something for yourself is super important.

[26:36] Robert Peterpaul: Well, what also is important is having these joyful shows on Broadway’s. I think finally now the joy is getting its moment. You know, when we look at Netflix, the top movies are sort of these like joyful, just candy-like films, but there's also the heart at the core of it. So I looked back at one point during Back to the Future, and it was towards the end, and just to take in this theater of people smiling and so invested in the show, it's incredible to see. And you don't get that on Broadway’s all the time. How are you just feeling this response every night? I mean, what is it like to be up there and have that coming at you?

[27:12] Jelani Remy: Oh, it's such a joy. Like my favorite thing is to see like a father and son, like they're both wearing their Marty McFly puffer red vests, you know, and they're both sort of getting to relive this experience together again for the father. Like I know they've made their child watch this movie because they love it so much, and the son just fell in love with it. But to share this now theatrical experience is really cool. And I—yes, it's for the whole family, but there's something about seeing that that really warms my heart. That's really cool because it's like a bonding thing. It's really cool that they get to see this now on stage. Maybe because I'm—where I come from, boys didn't do theater, you know, so it's nice to be able to have a space where it's like, "Oh, oh, this is cool."

Or like now, like when the cool middle schoolers come and they're like, "Yo, that was fire." You know what I mean? That was fire. No cap. Like that show, the DeLorean, you know what I mean? They get to sort of have their natural reactions to theater.

[28:06] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[28:06] Jelani Remy: And they get to sort of see that theater is cool. And like it's not just for girls. It's an expression, it's an art form, and they enjoy it. It's really, really, really cool.

[28:20] Robert Peterpaul: I can imagine. Maybe it's because of where we came from in New Jersey. Shout out, Jersey. Not for the best reason at this point. But that we have that sort of feeling of theater not being necessarily cool, even though it is, and what's weird about you makes you wonderful. Because I mean, I took my little brother to this show. He actually wanted to see this, and he's not exactly a theater person. And by the end, he walked out of there and he said, "That was the best show I've ever seen. I had the best time. My whole family wants to come back now." He's telling everyone. He was like, "Can we get a mug?" We got a mug, we went to the gift shop. And then I saw the same thing. I saw a dad with his son both coming out wearing the vests, and people are, you know, taking pictures with sort of like the fake DeLorean guy that's—that parks out front. I don't know if you've seen.

[29:01] Jelani Remy: He's making a cling.

[29:04] Robert Peterpaul: He is. I mean, he's really smart, yeah.

[29:06] Jelani Remy: Yes, yes, and we embrace him. We love him, we love him.

[29:09] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, I love that. But I mean, it's just so special, and you're getting that group of people that doesn't always come to the theater to then by the end of the show say, "Wait, Broadway’s's incredible, you know, we gotta see more shows."

[29:21] Jelani Remy: Yeah, yeah, yeah. And like I said, like the—I’m loving that the schools, like the field trips get to come.

[29:26] Robert Peterpaul: I saw the civil war on a school field trip. Could you imagine if I got to see Back to the Future? Very different shows. Do you know what I mean? Very, very different. But to hear the kids be like, Let's go, you know, like they're excited about it. It's really something special. I'm so happy for y'all. I mean, it truly is. Everybody, please get in your cars and fly to go see this show if you can. You know, speaking of cars, I guess this is my most important question. Have you been in the DeLorean and did you get to take it for a ride? What's it like?

[29:53] Jelani Remy: It's nice. I have not yet, I guess I'll wait for my birthday, but um, plutonium does wonderful things, you know, and the fact that the car is able to do what it does. And like, I got to see the tech process of it all. And like, I'm a nerd, I'm a theater nerd. I love to like, it's really done so magically. And um, it was so fun to see our producers in every seat of the house just to get it just right, to get everything just right. And um, it's really, it was really cool to be part of that, to be part of like seeing it all. It's really wonderful. It's no magic. I mean, I've taken like a photo like inside, but like no, like not yet.

[30:33] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. Then you could, and you gotta sing the end of your song so it can be like a true alphabet moment when you're in the car, you know, up there and just stick the brain out.

[30:41] Jelani Remy: Yeah, I won't, I don't want to send a picture, take do it. I will peer pressure.

[30:48] Robert Peterpaul: I think no, they didn't just get it right. I mean, it's magic. You literally, even people that go to the theater all the time, you just leave not quite understanding how it was done. And I don't want to spoil things, but sort of like you start to think, oh, oh, that's really cool, but I know that there's that. And then something else happens, and you're like, wait, no, how? It's just, it's insane. And I'm obsessed with it.

[31:09] Jelani Remy: We thank you. And I would love really quickly to do a little surprise game that we prepared. It's not much of a game, it's called the compliment game. And basically, I reached out to someone in your life for a loving statement about you or a compliment.

[31:24] Robert Peterpaul: You did?

[31:25] Jelani Remy: Yes. And then you're, you just have to guess who said it.

[31:29] Robert Peterpaul: Wow.

[31:30] Jelani Remy: Yeah, and we'll say insert cheesy theme song. Everyone's beautiful in their own way. It's the compliments game on me. Yay, okay. It's the compliment. Compliment. Yay! Bump. We'll say that you get like three yes or no questions and three guesses. I don't know. People freak out if there's no rules, but there's not really any rules, and I don't know anything.

[31:52] Robert Peterpaul: Okay, this is a good one. Jelani has a special way of connecting with people quickly and genuinely. He's also very spontaneous. These two reasons are why he's gotten so far in his career. People want to do things for people like him.

[32:06] Jelani Remy: That's so sweet.

[32:13] Robert Peterpaul: Yes. I'm supposed to just guess who said that? Yeah, it's on theme for Back to the Future. And I do have a hint, but if you want to start guessing, I can try and help you get there.

[32:23] Jelani Remy: I'm gonna say, um. It's someone that works at Back to the Future.

[32:29] Robert Peterpaul: Yes.

[32:31] Jelani Remy: Is it Casey Likes?

[32:33] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, it is.

[32:35] Jelani Remy: Whoa! How did you do that? How did you blow that out?

[32:39] Robert Peterpaul: I just guessed. It's Marty McFly himself. I mean, what a gem of a human. Tell him I said.

[32:48] Jelani Remy: We have this butting joke, like whenever things go like a ride to go like down the James Eigelhart um, like the genie tube.

[32:55] Robert Peterpaul: Oh, yeah.

[32:58] Jelani Remy: It makes us laugh. He said you also have this thing about the tango Maureen. That was your hint. Because we did probably backwards recently. And that's how you button the number. We did like a little tango.

[33:10] Robert Peterpaul: Okay. Oh.

[33:12] Jelani Remy: Yeah, what a gem. What's it like working with him? And I know you love Roger too.

[33:16] Jelani Remy: I do.

[33:16] Robert Peterpaul: I was gonna get, I guess Casey because of the playbill that's right behind you, and he's in it.

[33:21] Jelani Remy: Oh, yeah, I try and put the playbills up in this, like I'm not gonna touch it because it'll fully collapse in this little song. But what's it like?

[33:29] Jelani Remy: It's wonderful. It's wonderful. It's a joy, and it's, we have such a fun time, you know. People love the show on stage, but backstage is also like unx, it's just, it's so much fun. We are having a good time every day, and it's really a joy, and especially seeing Casey like blossom into this like leading man, like he, and just what he's doing is just wonderful. It's just so fun to see. And we have a good time. Like we are having an excellent time at the theater.

[34:04] Robert Peterpaul: Oh, yes, and you could feel it. You could feel it coming off the stage. I would love to unpack that backstage joy. Are there, what's going on? Are there pranks? It's just good vibes.

[34:11] Jelani Remy: There are pranks. There are good vibes. There are lots of snacks. I mean, like the winter garden is just alive. Like we do, we have a wonderful cruise director, Billy, our dresser, and Caleb. They plan these wonderful like pub crawls even at the theater. Like, there's always a fun event that we get to just enjoy each other and enjoy each other's dressing rooms and bounce around and connect and become a family. Like the wardrobe room is the hub. Like they host these wonderful parties, and it's just a happy building. It's a really happy building. Even from like the doorman who takes these gorgeous photos and puts them up at the theater. Um, it's, there's just wonderful kind people all over.

[34:51] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. And it radiates.

[34:52] Jelani Remy: It does as an audience member.

[34:55] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, even it's contagious.

[34:58] Jelani Remy: It's sort of decorated to fit the show.

[35:00] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, it's contagious. Even like the out-of-time orchestra, I love to sit in the pit when I'm not on stage and just listen to the music, and like they're having so much fun down there putting on the music. They have all their inside jokes and moments in the show where they're doing their own choreography when they're playing their instruments, or like they have these little bits. Like it's really fun to see everybody who's so amazing, you know, make sure that they have so much fun and but connect with each other and play, and that's it.

[35:26] Jelani Remy: That's exactly right. Like, we're putting on a play.

[35:29] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, and everyone's in on it. This really embraces the word play, which I love. And you know, talking about connecting with the out-of-time orchestra, they literally throw you your broom, you have that connection with them, which is wonderful to see your golden broom.

[35:42] Jelani Remy: 18 pieces down there, 18.

[35:45] Robert Peterpaul: Sounds incredible.

[35:46] Jelani Remy: It's so cool. It's so incredible. Um, but to go down there and to hear like the score and like all the doots, like all like the fun, like nuggets that Alan Sylvestri, you know, put together, you know, it's really really cool. What a gift that it embraces the movie score.

[36:02] Robert Peterpaul: It's so magical the way it's meshed together.

[36:06] Jelani Remy: And you, it just, I mean, that music just gives you the goosebumps.

[36:09] Robert Peterpaul: I love it.

[36:10] Jelani Remy: Right. And I mean, I did mention pranks. Are you a prankster or a pranky? Do you feel like, or is it sort of 100% prankster?

[36:14] Jelani Remy: 100% prankster, okay, 100% prankster.

[36:19] Robert Peterpaul: Can you give us a prank? Because I want to have a prank show.

[36:22] Jelani Remy: I mean, that's can I give you a prank that I do at the theater? Yeah, what's like a favorite prank that you've pulled? I used to, I do like these things called Scare Cam, where like I'll be hiding somewhere and like I'll be recording and I scare somebody and like their wrist or their terror. I record. I know out loud it sounds weird, but like during the spooky season, it's all fun, and you know what I mean? Um, I'll slow-mo their reactions, and so like they would, you know what I mean? I get to sort of capture that.

[36:53] Robert Peterpaul: That's pretty fun.

[36:54] Jelani Remy: Um, that's really fun. I do think we would get into trouble. I don't know if you know, do you know John Tracy Egan? He's like an incredible Broadway’s guy. I recently did Jersey voice with him, and that's his go-to prank. So anytime someone would come around the corner, he would wait there. He wasn't even filming, it was really just for him. He would just pop out and he would have like a different mask or like a weird prop.

[37:15] Robert Peterpaul: Mm-hmm.

[37:16] Jelani Remy: I finally did get him back one time, but he was really good. He's so good at it that he'll like somehow make noises in areas like he'll be behind a curtain and follow you and then like smack something and then walk further. So like he really sets it up, and it's just, it's the best. I don't know why I, it's the best, it's the best.

[37:33] Robert Peterpaul: I also just love doing like character voices and just like when I get into them, my act two, my Marvin Berry when they're transforming me. I like when they put that mustache on, I become ugh, you know. How are you doing, bad girl? You are right, hey everybody, you know, and just like yeah, how you doing? You know, just like being funny, silly, like dumb backstage is just always, it's always a necessity.

[37:54] Jelani Remy: I think so too. I think we need more of that. And everyone should know on your podcast that we have a cardboard life-size cutout of Amber Artolino backstage that used to be moved to a different position ever almost every week. She was in a different spot of the theater, but now she just overlooks the stage.

[38:10] Robert Peterpaul: Um right, right. Why do we have that?

[38:14] Jelani Remy: Why don't we have it? That's amazing.

[38:17] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, as you should. Wait, now we're hearing spooky things, people overlooking the stage. Uh, have you seen ghosts? I don't know if the winter garden is famous for having Broadway’s ghosts. Is it haunted? Have I seen ghosts? I know that's such a weird random question.

[38:31] Jelani Remy: Well, I know there's a ghost light, but I if if we do oh okay, do you want to hear a weird story?

[38:39] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[38:39] Jelani Remy: So I was giving up, I was giving a backstage tour to a family I did not know, but I did know that they just recently lost um a relative, and they were coming to the show to lift their spirits. And so I was responsible for taking them backstage. So sure, absolutely. And so we came backstage, and I was like, Okay, everybody, jump in you on a picture on the winter garden stage. And they loved it, they were so appreciative. When I gathered them up for the photo, the lights in the house went out. And so they're all hugged up for a photo, and all of a sudden the lights go out behind them, and then they came back on and they had no idea. And I lost my breath. And I was like, Did you guys see that? And they're like, What? And for me, I felt like that was a relative, you know, being like that was it. And I told them about it, and they just started crying.

[39:30] Robert Peterpaul: Oh my goodness.

[39:31] Jelani Remy: I started crying. And like people on stage are like, What was that? You know, like that never happens. Like, why should that, why should that have happened?

[39:38] Robert Peterpaul: That's so and so um, the ghost was present that night and letting them know that they're okay and that they were with them.

[39:48] Jelani Remy: Like that's such a sweet ghost story. Because you hear the ones uh at the, you know, Belasco theater with the elevator going up, or you know, just a person in an old-timey outfit staring at you from the balcony. So I like that story because it's never, yeah, yeah. That was magical.

[40:04] Robert Peterpaul: It was, it was magical. Well, thank you all for bringing us that magic. I mean, I can't say enough great words about this show. It truly just will lift your spirits no matter if you're a spirit or a human.

[40:16] Jelani Remy: No matter the spirit, no matter the spirits, and uh yeah, I would love to just end our time together by you sharing a tangible kindness tip or wellness tip, something that you would like for listeners out there to do in their own corner every day, just to try and make the world a little brighter.

[40:31] Jelani Remy: Yeah, my friend Aaron Barnett told me she used to call me Leilani. And she said, Lelani, Leilani. You need to make sure as you're giving all yourself to everybody, make sure you save some for yourself. So that's something that I've taken with me to make sure you save a little bit for yourself and be kind to yourself.

[40:51] Robert Peterpaul: I love that. Because if you keep slicing the babka, there's gonna be none left when you go to when you wanna make it into French toast.

[40:59] Jelani Remy: Yes, I'm actually gonna do that. And I need to, I need to write down a reminder right now. That is sick. I love that. Thank you so much. I just think you're the best. And I am grateful that you're you because you're again bringing just so much joy to so many people.

[41:05] Jelani Remy: Thank you so much. And I'm gonna Venmo Casey Likes for being so nice. That was really sweet of him.

[41:17] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. I already venowed him, so don't let him, yeah, don't let him charge you too much.

[41:21] Jelani Remy: Okay, I won't.

[41:23] Robert Peterpaul: Great to see you.

[41:24] Jelani Remy: Well, thank you. It's good to see you too. My pleasure. Have a good rest of your day.

[41:27] Jelani Remy: You too. Bye.

[41:29] Robert Peterpaul: Bye.

[41:35] Robert Peterpaul: And now it's time for your kindness tip of the week. Jelani is such a gem. Honestly, friends, I am tired from rehearsals, and I have to edit this episode now. Well, I will have by the time you listen to this, hopefully. Well, you know. Hello, people of the future. Back to the future. Anyway, I'm gonna keep the kindness tip a little short and inspired by the show I'm currently working on, which is Kinky Boots. The lyrics to the grand finale of the show. Raise you up. Say, You can change the world when you change your mind. Just be who you wanna be. Now I'm gonna start dancing. Oh, almost knocked over a lamp again. It's not a lamp, actually, it's a ring light, full disclosure. If you're still here from the beginning and you recognize that callback, you'll understand I knocked over a ring light at the top of the show.

Anyway, just be who you want to be. And if someone out there is being who they wanna be, and that somehow makes you feel strange and you're not sure how to process that, you know, for whatever reason. Remember that you can change the world when you change your mind. It's actually amazing to change your mind. As I get older, I kind of love being wrong, and I kind of love when other perspectives can inform my own opinion. I hope this is making sense. I feel like I'm kind of just riffing here. But ultimately, I would love for you to be who you wanna be, because you're wonderful. And I would love for you to celebrate everyone's life and who they wanna be. And that's one of the great messages of Kinky Boots, and I feel so honored to be a part of it.

I also feel honored that you took the time out of your day to spend a little moment here in the sunshine with me, and I hope I'll be back soon. But honestly, it might be after the show opens, because this is a wild process. It's really fun. We have the Broadway’s treadmills coming in. We're gonna be running on those treadmills in one of the numbers, which, if you've seen the show, you'll understand what I'm talking about. If you haven't seen the show, you might say, Rob, why are you exercising on stage? And to that, I will say to you, I don't know. I'm contractually obligated to. Thank you for tuning in as always. And until next time, please remember, everything is gonna be A-okay.