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[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.

[0:35] Robert Peterpaul: Hello, friends. I hope you're having a great day in your corner of the world. I've been in tech for a show I'm doing called Kinky Boots. I don't know if I've mentioned it on here enough. I fully know that I have mentioned it a bunch. But I say that to you because I'm sleepy. I'm gonna be real. I'm tired. We've been having long nights, and it's been so fun, and I feel really grateful to be working, especially doing something I love, and at the same time, I'm trying to get better about listening to my body and knowing when I need to rest.

[1:08] Robert Peterpaul: This is one of my days off this week, and yet I'm still doing work. I probably shouldn't be. But I will say I'm wrapped up in a cozy robe. It's basically a blanket with a sash because it's that kind of material. My mom got it for me. Shout out to Barb. Thank you. I love it. And tomorrow, our only other day off, I've decided that I'm gonna cover an event for AOK in the city. So I'm gonna be bringing you with me to a really cool award show. Stay tuned for that.

[1:35] Robert Peterpaul: But today, I just need to take a breath and chill. I'm gonna watch a movie later. Cassie's coming home. She was away on a bachelorette trip, and I'm so excited to see her. I'm gonna make us dinner, and then we'll cuddle up on the couch with our cats. Cuddle up on the couch with our cats. That's beautiful alliteration, I think, right there. And I am not going to feel guilty about it. My nanny always says, guilt is a useless emotion. Okay? And I'm gonna listen to that.

[2:03] Robert Peterpaul: The topic of self-kindness is extremely prevalent in today's episode, featuring Suffs Star. Talk about alliteration, Sufs Star, Sufs Star. It's kind of a tongue twister. The one and only Hannah Cruz.

[2:19] Robert Peterpaul: Hannah Cruz grew up not too far from where I'm recording right now in Connecticut. She waltzed off her high school graduation stage and right onto stages across the country, booking the National Tour of Legally Blonde. Legally Blonde. Why am I like this? From there, Hannah's star kept shining bright, and her bus kept on rolling as she went on to tour with Bullets Over Broadway and then play Eliza in the National Tour of Hamilton.

[2:51] Robert Peterpaul: More recently, Hannah starred in the off-Broadway shows Only Gold and The Connector. Hannah now makes her Broadway debut. Congratulations! In the powerful new musical, Suffs, which I had the privilege of seeing during its initial run at the public theater. From the mind of Shayna Taub, the show lets us look back so we can all march forward. The show just won Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Musical, Best Score, and Best Book, and has also been nominated for six Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

[4:04] Robert Peterpaul: March on over to Broadway to see Suffs as soon as you can. I feel so lucky to have had some time with Hannah and truly enjoyed our conversation. For some behind-the-scenes sneak peeks and more unhinged kind of fun, follow us on social media at Art of Kindness Pod and at Robert Peterpaul. We also have a YouTube page. If you'd be so generous, I would also love, I don't know why I'm kind of going semi-British, if you could please leave us a five-star review and share the show with your friends.

[4:46] Robert Peterpaul: As always, stay tuned after the interview for your kindness tip of the week with me. Now, without further ado, please welcome the kind Hannah Cruz.

[5:10] Hannah Cruz: Hi.

[5:11] Robert Peterpaul: Hello.

[5:12] Hannah Cruz: Hi.

[5:12] Robert Peterpaul: How are you?

[5:13] Hannah Cruz: I'm good. How are you?

[5:15] Robert Peterpaul: I'm good. Thanks for doing this.

[5:17] Hannah Cruz: I'm so excited to talk to you.

[5:19] Robert Peterpaul: Thanks for having me.

[5:20] Hannah Cruz: Of course.

[5:21] Robert Peterpaul: You look like you're in such like a peaceful place with the light behind you and the white shirt.

[5:26] Hannah Cruz: This is my favorite room. So yeah.

[5:28] Robert Peterpaul: Very sensible place.

[5:29] Hannah Cruz: Yeah.

[5:30] Robert Peterpaul: Well, we're gonna stay there today as we talk about kindness. But I just gotta say, I saw Suffs at the public, and then I recently got to see it on Broadway. And I'm so just blown away by the show. And of course, your talent, it is just such an important story. You don't need me to say that. I think everybody knows that by now. But I am honored to share a little slice of life with you right now. So thanks again.

[5:51] Hannah Cruz: Yes. Yes. Thank you for having me. I'm honored to be here.

[5:54] Robert Peterpaul: Well, to start, Hannah, I think a great place to unlock this conversation would be to get your definition of kindness if you have one.

[6:03] Hannah Cruz: Yeah, I've been thinking about this. I kindness, I think to me it my first thought about it is like putting the needs of others first or like doing something selflessly for someone else. But I also think it can be like a broader definition. I think it's just like a small thing of like I find New Yorkers to be very kind because it's like small things of like keeping the door open for someone or like a little smile on the street, or if someone is in distress, like helping them out.

[6:36] Hannah Cruz: Um so I don't even think it has to be like putting others above yourself. I think it's just about recognizing others around you and that you're not just like existing in this life as a singular thing. Yeah, I think it's that need to feel seen and then see others, which is another reason why you know we'll get into Suffs, but Suffs is so important. I mean, I think most of the audience leaves after seeing it for the first time thinking, I've never seen these people. These people are so integral to our history and they're just now sort of being seen, I guess, in a wider lens.

[7:09] Robert Peterpaul: But I love that definition. I think it's really spot on. Cause even though New Yorkers are always go, go, go, you know, if someone falls on the sidewalk, they're the first ones to stop and then you have 20 people surrounding one person, lifting them up, you know?

[7:20] Hannah Cruz: Always, always. I've never I've every time I've seen like someone fall in a crosswalk or on the subway, like there's always people there to help them. Always, no matter what.

[7:30] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. It's a really cool thing to see.

[7:33] Hannah Cruz: It's probably me that's always falling. I'm so clumsy.

[7:36] Robert Peterpaul: You're like, that's why I recognize you. You're at the bottom of the subway stairs leading out.

[7:41] Robert Peterpaul: Well, so wait, you grew up in Connecticut, right? Did I make that up?

[7:44] Hannah Cruz: Yes.

[7:44] Robert Peterpaul: Yes. Where? I'm in Connecticut right now.

[7:47] Hannah Cruz: Oh my gosh, I'm from Newtown.

[7:49] Robert Peterpaul: Oh, oh, of course. Okay. So I live in South Norwalk, which is not too far from the city. But I know a lot of people from Newtown.

[7:57] Hannah Cruz: Yeah, that's awesome. My goodness.

[8:00] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. Growing up in Connecticut, I guess, how do you feel like your relationship with kindness was? Do you think you learned kindness from your parents? Do you have any kind of early memory of kindness?

[8:10] Hannah Cruz: Yeah, I mean, my parents are both incredibly kind. I mean, that's what I think about like all the sacrifices that they would make to and also, you know, actually the thing that I think about is the way that they treated my friends and everyone who came into the house. Our house was like kind of a hub for me and my friends. And my parents like always made sure there was food. They were always super personable and like invested in my friends and their lives and our lives and made us feel like equals almost, which was very cool.

[8:43] Hannah Cruz: I've always felt like older than I am. So I always felt like kind of on an even keel with my parents.

[8:50] Robert Peterpaul: Um tweet. I feel that.

[8:52] Hannah Cruz: Yeah. But I mean I find Newtown to be in general like a very kind place. Especially with like everything it's gone through. Like the community like coming together and and just like treating each other with like a lot of empathy is has been like very paramount in that town specifically.

[9:13] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah that tragedy just sort of unspeakable but I do see I think there's playgrounds all over Connecticut now in honor of the kids of Newtown. I know there's one in Fairfield at least I've seen.

[9:24] Hannah Cruz: Yeah.

[9:24] Robert Peterpaul: And you're right. I mean the way the town really came together in the face of tragedy is just you know I don't even have the right words to touch on that. But I love that you were that person. I knew people like that growing up that had the hub, the house, the candy drawer, the food that we would raid the cabinets. Incredible I always wanted to live in one of those I mean I had a great childhood but I always wanted to live in one of those houses where you could just open a cabinet and it's like gushers and all this stuff just flies out.

[9:50] Hannah Cruz: And like I see that way more clearly now as an adult and knowing what it takes to like make the house be stocked in that way. Like so it just means even more now. I'm sure you see that with this Broadway schedule too which is one of the things I wanted to ask you about. It's like it's so much work just to be a person.

[10:04] Hannah Cruz: Yeah why can't we just be paid to be alive?

[10:08] Robert Peterpaul: I don't know I wish I wish I mean the Broadway schedule is so funny because you know you get one day off and it's the day you gotta get everything done. So it's like barely a day off. And so um it is really hard to be a person and do this eight times a week it's really tough. I've like kind of figured it out but it's still hard.

[10:29] Hannah Cruz: Oh god we can we can offline about your secrets because this is my one day off too. I'm about to start a tech, and I'm so happy to share part of it with you. And I appreciate you giving your time for this today. But it is sort of a it's like a double-edged sword because it's your dream and you're so happy. And then at the same time, it's also true that it's a lot.

[10:45] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. So I guess we're kind of right here. I want to dive right into Suffs and save the majority of our time for that. First of all, I heard you talking about your audition process, and it struck me just initially at the public because I think there were a lot of acts of kindness that got you into this show.

[11:01] Hannah Cruz: Oh yeah. I mean, I and he'll never let me forget it in the best way. But I would have never booked this job if not for my then boyfriend, my now fiancé. I would there's no I wouldn't have made it because there were so many travel hurdles along the way, flights getting cancelled, I stay in BC. It's like very hard. I was in a gunklet Maine at the time doing a show, and it's really hard to get from a gunklet to anywhere, uh, and especially to New York.

[11:30] Hannah Cruz: Um and then like my agents being on top of everything and like communicating and making sure everybody was safe. I didn't really have a lot of money, so my fiancé like helping me pay for all of this. And uh and then even when I got in the room, like how kind they were and like understanding of the day and the uh night that I had had and like welcoming me with open arms.

[11:57] Hannah Cruz: I think like if I had walked into like a cold room, which like a lot of these rooms can be kind of um uh sterile, uh, and if I had walked into a room like that, I don't think I would have done as well.

[12:10] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[12:10] Hannah Cruz: So it all kind of aligned because of a lot of people's acts of kindness.

[12:16] Robert Peterpaul: I love that.

[12:16] Hannah Cruz: Yeah, you're right, and not just cold temperature-wise, but I think as performers and artists, you know, we're really good at reading energies. And so when you walk into a room, I think you kind of automatically know, ah, let's I can do the best I can do, but this is probably not gonna go my way because they're done. They want to go to dinner. And the or vice versa, you know, if you're walking in there nervous, they can read that energy.

[12:36] Robert Peterpaul: So it's kind of an interesting parallel. And I'm glad with Suffs, you walked in there and really had this beautiful kind experience because unfortunately it does feel like it's rare, right? You know?

[12:45] Hannah Cruz: Yes, it does.

[12:46] Hannah Cruz: It does. And now, like I'm more aware of it because now I know what it can be. So, like, I really appreciate when you walk in a room and the director or whoever goes to like shake your hand or like stands to greet you. Cause I think it dissipates the tension and like the I sit over here and you stand there, and like I we're still like trying to create something together, hopefully.

[13:10] Hannah Cruz: So, like I like the breaking the wall of standing. So now when they don't, I'm like, hmm. But I try not to prejudge, but yeah.

[13:19] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, you're like, I'll lift you up, or if they're in a rolling chair, you just roam around. I don't know. I like to trip when I walk in, I like to break the tension that way.

[13:25] Hannah Cruz: It doesn't even that's good.

[13:26] Robert Peterpaul: No, yeah, it's not, it's actually not good. Uh I think you were doing Young Frankenstein? I think my friend Zach was he in that Zachary.

[13:34] Hannah Cruz: Oh, yeah.

[13:36] Robert Peterpaul: What's his last name?

[13:36] Hannah Cruz: Oper singer?

[13:37] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, James.

[13:38] Hannah Cruz: Yes, yes, yeah.

[13:40] Robert Peterpaul: I remember the monster.

[13:42] Hannah Cruz: Yes, yeah, he's the best. He's doing Hades Town now.

[13:45] Robert Peterpaul: He's so great.

[13:46] Hannah Cruz: In London, right?

[13:47] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, on the West End. I feel like I'll talk like this now in honor of him. He has such a deep voice. I can't get there. I need to warm up.

[13:53] Hannah Cruz: So you're in the show now at the psychonic theater, which is a dream for any actor to work the public. What were those early days of kind of putting this piece together like with Shayna and the rest of your brilliant company who when you go and see the show now on Broadway, just it feels like a family, you can feel the chemistry. There's such a magic there. So I wonder about those early days.

[14:14] Hannah Cruz: Yeah I mean I was uh I mean I guess Hamilton was like my first big show but Suffs was the first thing I was a part of.

[14:24] Hannah Cruz: Am I correct in saying this? I believe so. Suffs was the first Hamilton told yes. Okay. But Suffs was like the first original thing I had been a part of, um, and like creating it. But at the same time, Shayna has been developing Suffs for like 10 plus years, and a lot of people in that room had been with it for a while, like in workshops and readings and stuff. And at the public, it was entirely sung through. So I, the first couple of days were music rehearsals, and I remember being like, whoa, and also I was singing Alto for the first time in my life, so I was like very overwhelmed. Uh, can you play that so I can record the plunk track person? I was like, I'm not used to singing harmonies; I'm used to singing the melody, but okay.

Um, and also being in a room with like Nikki M. James and Jenn Colella and Pippa Sue at the time and, uh, Grace McLean, I was like very overwhelmed. And everyone also seemed to like know each other, and I'm quieter, um, at the start of processes. So, but it was nice. We slowly like all gained a rapport, especially like the core five of us in the, we call them the Scoobies on Broadway. But like, you know, Lucy, Ruja, Inez, Doris, and Alice. Um, we all like formed like a very tight coalition. And then it became like coming to work was just like hanging out with my friends. And it was really fun. It was really, really fun. And everyone was super, uh, inclusive, which was also very cool. I think you walk into any first day of rehearsal and like you get a vibe for how the contract's gonna be. And this one was like always like, oh, we're all gonna be pals. And that's a cool thing.

[16:18] Robert Peterpaul: That's so nice. Yeah. I wonder, do you feel like because it sounds sort of like you almost maybe had some kind of imposter syndrome feeling? I don't want to put that on you, but I think we all get that all the time, no matter who we are. How do you come out of that? Do you have sort of any mantra or anything that snaps you into being present and just thinking, okay, I deserve to be here. I'm gonna be okay.

[16:39] Hannah Cruz: Um, I don't know if I have a mantra. I kind of go through the same process every job. I'm getting better at like shortening it, but, uh, where I think like I can't, I don't want to, I can't do this. I don't want to do this. I'm bad. And then like it's either my director or my fiancé who brings me out of it. I need to be a bit better about self-regulating it. Um, but it's like a cycle for me. Like I'll be really down about who I am as an artist, and then I'll be super high up about it and probably have like a too inflated version of myself, and then I'll like level out. Um, and like for most actors I talk to, I feel like that's pretty normal. Especially when you do a show eight times a week or you're working on like one piece for a really long time, like you're inevitable, like out of eight shows a week, you might have like two really great shows or like two shows you like really want to do, and the rest are about like regulating what you have and what you can give.

And like, yeah, it's just doing eight shows a week is a really interesting beast, and it will make you like question a lot of yourself. A lot of yourself. It's interesting too, the stories we tell ourselves because you might have eight shows and think maybe you only nailed one or two, but the people seeing it think every show you nailed was so it's sort of interesting in that regard. I remember we had, not to drop this name into the chat, but we had Stephanie J. Block on here, and she said, I usually ask a question which I forgot to ask you. I should ask you right now about accepting compliments and how it's kind of tricky. And she was saying if I believe the compliments, then I have to also believe the other stuff, and it can sort of be that wild ride.

And I know for me, it's like I go through a similar process to you, and then the second someone says, oh, you nailed that scene, that was great, which I think the higher you go, the higher level up of a theater that you're working at, the compliments can kind of diminish because everyone's just doing their job, and we can forget to maybe say that was wonderful. But yeah, yeah, it's hard to rely on that. So I wonder, yeah, how are you with taking compliments?

[18:50] Hannah Cruz: I'm gonna come back to the circuitous question. Um, I'm getting better at it, I think for me, if I hear the same thing like over and over, it kind of like loses its meaning to me. And like, you look like Rachel Weisz. Do people tell you that all the time? I have actually gotten that before, and I will take that. Okay. I will accept that. I keep thinking that. I'm like, I'm just gonna voice that. I will accept that. But, um, if you just hear like, oh, you're great, you're so good all the time, I feel like it just kind of loses meaning to me. And then like I think, and then, well, if I see something that I, I try and not give compliments if I don't really mean them because I don't, I feel like I can tell when a compliment is like just like a platitude, like when we just say something because it's what we say next, rather than like having any like meaning behind it.

So I really try very hard to either give like very specific compliments or like very, like I was like moved to say something, um, because I don't like when they feel like platitudes, I think. So that's when I have, I have trouble accepting them.

[20:16] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, um, I feel that. But that's a, I mean, it's an interesting thing that, uh, Stephanie J. Block said because it's true. It's like reading reviews, right? Like if you, I've, it's not helpful either way, like if they're raves, then that could still change your show in the same way that if they're pans, then it's like, if you believe one, you have to believe the other. So it's tough to hold both things, and so like I have written down in my journal that like external validation is like a cherry on top, but it's not the point. Like, um, we're not doing this to be validated, even though as actors, uh, speaking for myself at least, validation is, um, I feel like, uh, essential to me, but I try, I really try and have like my own self-worth be enough.

[20:56] Hannah Cruz: Yeah, because it can't be all about that. Because like inevitably, like you look at the reviews for Into the Woods when Inside of the Woods came out, and like people, there's like this one clip of this guy like tearing it apart, and it's like now Into the Woods is like everyone's favorite musical, and it's a classic, and it's brilliant, and we know it's brilliant, but there's always the higher up you get and the more public facing you get, the more people are gonna have opinions about you. And in the age of the internet, it's really easy to have opinions.

[21:47] Robert Peterpaul: So you're so right. It's kind of none of our business what other people think about.

[21:53] Hannah Cruz: I was thinking about Hocus Pocus. It's like Hocus Pocus got, everybody hated it, and now everyone's obsessed with it, or at least I am, Halloween.

[22:00] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. Yeah.

[22:01] Hannah Cruz: Yeah. Coming to Broadway.

[22:02] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. They're producing it.

[22:03] Hannah Cruz: Oh my god, work.

[22:05] Robert Peterpaul: I know. Let's manifest that. So you're, what's interesting about your journey with Suffs is that when I saw you, you played, uh, Ruja. I don't want to butcher that, which was so fun. And I thought you were, I mean, that was the first time I'd ever seen you perform. And I was like two rows away. I remember we went that day and people were swinging on because there was like a COVID breakout on the press day or something, and it was held for like two hours or something wild. And so all everyone was like pent up backstage, I'm sure. And then the show, I, I was just blown away by the show. And then just go to Broadway, I didn't realize you changed roles. And so it was even more amazing to see you play like a totally opposite person in Inez. How is that transition for you? Because I can imagine when you're in a show and it's engraved. Although the Broadway versions, I will say, are very different.

[22:52] Hannah Cruz: Yeah. So it might not be totally, I don't know, tricky. It's funny because, uh, whenever we would do like the, uh, Instagram takeovers or the Ask Me Anything or whatever, like the question always got asked, like who else would you play? Would you want to play in a show? And my answer was always Inez. Um, because I feel like they're so similar, which is not something you would think initially when looking at them, but like I always feel like Inez and Ruja have one of the closest relationships in the group because they both hold the same beliefs and enjoy the same vices; they just come from very different backgrounds. Um, I at first I was like hesitant about taking over Inez because I really loved playing Ruja so much.

I felt like it like let me do something so different than what I usually am cast to do, and I really enjoyed that. Um, and like it took me, it took me, it was just I felt like she was like a very deep part of me, but now I actually can't imagine going back. So, um, it's interesting. It took me a minute to find Inez, and I'm really grateful I had, we did a workshop right after the public in the December of that same year, and then we did a reading of this past June before Broadway, and I played Inez in both, and so I got a chance to like sit with her a little bit before Broadway, and I'm really grateful for that time because sometimes it just takes me a minute to find somebody. And, um, I really can't imagine like playing anyone else now, so it's funny how that happens, but, um, I also, I think I'm very, uh, fortunate to be able to have seen this show from two very different perspectives.

Um, and like get to do all the prison stuff and get to do like, because like if I miss anything about playing Ruja, it's the prison stuff. I loved doing the prison. It's so fun. So intense. And like a lot of physical acting, which I really enjoy doing. But I've kind of put some of that in Inez, so that's, that's, I still get that satisfaction. Um, but Inez is like really layered, and we get to see a lot of these layers in this new version, and that is like very fulfilling as an actor to do every night. So I like, I'm very happy with the way that it turned out.

[25:17] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. You're not to keep complimenting you, but you're so good as Inez. I mean, you were, you were great at the public as well. And my wife wanted me to tell you that you were her favorite. I don't know if I should cut that out because everyone's wonderful.

[25:27] Hannah Cruz: Oh, that's, but she was like so, yeah, you're, you're so fabulous in this role. And I, I know on my friend Alana's podcast, shout out Little Known Facts, everybody listen.

[25:37] Hannah Cruz: Yes.

[25:37] Robert Peterpaul: You mentioned reading, uh, Inez's bio and gleaming so much knowledge there. I wonder if you could kind of distill, this might be a big question, the greatest lesson you took away from researching her and reading her biography. Maybe it changes each night. I'm sure you're learning something different, but what kind of sticks out to you there?

[25:54] Hannah Cruz: Yeah, I, it's interesting because I think I was playing this without knowing it, and then reading it confirmed it for me, which was like kind of a trippy thing. Um, but to me, Inez always seemed, especially like as we get later in Act one, she was like when she was public facing, she was like nothing could shake her. She was like very staunch and confident and stood tall, but like behind closed doors, she was like very depressed and held like a lot of, um, dichotomies in her head of like, am I only successful in this movement because I'm beautiful? Do, are they actually listening to what I'm saying? She would go to a lot of these like shirtwaist factory protests, and they would ask, they would like forcefully and not very kindly ask her to leave because they were like, you're gonna distract from what we're actually trying to do, and like your bourgeoisie like almost cancels out what you're trying to do here.

Um, so she like fought against that a lot. And then Lee, uh, our director was like, I know I hadn't seen before like Bethy Inez-ness of it all was a mask until, um, we watched you do it. And I, and I feel that like that really ties into like my real life. Um, because like as an actor and as a like a public facing person, you have to, it's a lot of times like put on a show and put on a face, even if like things in your personal life are, or in your just, just in your being, or like if you're tired or if like things aren't going your way, or you don't feel like super confident that they, it's, it's all about like putting on a mask to like get through the world. And, um, and I, the thing about Inez that like the backstage work that I do for her is, um, is just as important because she, she had a lot, she would get like she got like a lot of bad news a lot, and she had to just like put on her face and march forward and be the face of the movement.

Um, and it's an interesting thing to act, having all those secrets and all those things that she really never told anybody, not, and, and not Alice, and we put it in the show that she, she, I mean, she doesn't really tell Alice, but she does tell Alice she needs a break, um, which is like very hard for her to say. But I was rereading some sections of the biography yesterday, actually, and I came across the section that I, for I had forgotten about, but it made me so sad.

[28:45] Hannah Cruz: But she really wanted children with her husband. His name is actually Eugen. We say Eugene in the show, but it was Eugen. And she proposed to him, right? Yes, she proposed to him, which wasn't really happening at that time either. No, she proposed to him, and they wanted children so badly, and they would write about it to each other because they were apart a lot, and they like had named them, they named them Peter and Eugena, like after him. Um, and she would talk about her dreams of like snuggling up with her children, and it's just so sad.

[29:13] Robert Peterpaul: That's so sad.

[29:22] Hannah Cruz: Um, so I think if you and it's funny because there's a couple Inez biographies, and the first one I read was just like snippets of her from the suffragist paper, and all of that is like her positive, and so it wasn't until I got into the other biography by Linda Loomson that I saw a lot of her private life, and so um it's just very, I mean, she I really I'm so happy that people are learning her name because I think she is one of the most fascinating women that I've ever read about.

[29:56] Robert Peterpaul: Fascinating like American women.

[29:59] Hannah Cruz: For her time, she was like beyond revolutionary. It's very cool. And I'm really glad people are like learning her name.

[30:08] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, I'm so glad too. I think first of all, the vulnerability of her really comes through. I mean, as the show progresses the way you play it. Like I definitely felt that. And I think it's interesting because she was fighting so much in her life. And then it's like the fights we choose versus the ones we don't choose. So she's battling all this, but then she's choosing to fight something else and put her energy into that because maybe it's distracting from the other things. It's such a weird kind of dichotomy of just how we're always fighting. But like if we don't choose to fight, then that's kind of what's heartbreaking.

[30:40] Hannah Cruz: Yeah. You know, I watched a little clip of her too, and like it kind of almost looks like you. You like you have like sort of a resemblance sometimes with when you see her on the horse.

[30:48] Robert Peterpaul: That's cool.

[30:49] Hannah Cruz: But I'm glad everyone's learning her name. I mean, I went with my aunt who is, you know, she just got elected in New Jersey.

[30:56] Robert Peterpaul: Amazing.

[30:56] Hannah Cruz: Yeah, she's an amazing person. I'm just shouting out my Aunt Louine now. But she didn't even know her name. She left and she's like, I didn't even know some of these names. And this is sort of what I studied, what I really dove into. So it's so important, you know. I don't want to have any spoilers here, but it's history. So anyone who hasn't seen SUFs yet, you've been warned. Maybe hit the 30 second thing if you don't want to hear this. But Inez does pass away, you know, fighting for the cause. I think at the age of 30, which is yeah, I I didn't even realize she was that young. There's so much courage involved in her story as we're talking about. And I wonder for you, we kind of touched on this, but where do you find the courage to kind of stand in what you believe?

Because it's really hard to be vulnerable. It's even sometimes hard just to post something on social media that's vulnerable and you're not even around anybody else. But I can't imagine. I mean, we live in a world with a lot of now, I'm just rambling, but a lot of protests that we've all been to, unfortunately, recently. So I think it's it's kind of relevant just to think about.

[31:55] Hannah Cruz: Yeah. I mean, I think being in SUFs and being with it for as long as I have I find that like in my life, I get a lot of my strength and my convictions from media because I've always since I was a kid. If I can see it modeled and I can see it done, then I know it can be done, and then I can do it. But for me, it's like learning through seeing. So being so involved with this piece and like learning about these women and living in this piece for as long as I have, that has become like a really foundational piece of this of the strength I feel in my own convictions and beliefs. Um the new finale keep marching. I've said this in like a lot of interviews, but it's it still stays true. Like my favorite line is the world can be changed.

We've done it before. Like we've seen this, you've seen this like very hard walk, hard fought fight to get women the right to vote. And so like you just saw it. So in seeing that, you can know that we can still create change and progress now. It's not like all hope is not lost, which it can really feel like that sometimes. But it's untrue because every generation has felt that way.

[33:30] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[33:31] Hannah Cruz: That like tragedy and and and trauma is is too much to overcome, but it's proved otherwise almost every single time.

[33:40] Robert Peterpaul: So you're right. And it's a weird time too, because I think we're oversaturated with all the issues of the world because of social media. We have access to so much that it's almost desensitized people in a weird way.

[33:51] Hannah Cruz: Yeah. Being able to go to a show and see this play out and then walk out of the theater and have resources. I mean, there's QR codes, there's things in the lobby you can scan and actually take action right as you're leaving, which I think is so brilliant as well.

[34:04] Robert Peterpaul: It is yeah, it's just it's phenomenal. I mean, the ending is so powerful. You do kind of just like float out of there feeling very empowered no matter who you are to do something.

[34:14] Hannah Cruz: Yeah. Good. So that's that's what we want. Ooh, almost kicked over my little ring light. Just give me I glow without a ring light. Uh speaking of courage, you know, I heard you I've heard you mention this in a couple interviews, but you do battle the stage jitters sometimes, as we all do. How how are you grappling those on Broadway? Have you kind of settled in? What's your advice there?

[34:34] Hannah Cruz: Yeah, I don't um it's funny. I was thinking about this recently. When I was doing The Connector off Broadway, almost every night, I was like, I'm so sad I missed that. I heard that was amazing.

[34:47] Robert Peterpaul: It was a good one.

[34:48] Hannah Cruz: It was a good one. But the cast album was coming out too. Um but I was really nervous. Almost not every night, but there's something about being in such an intimate space that and that set, there's like nowhere to hide, and you don't really ever exit. You're like always there. Um, and it's one act, so you just gotta kinda gotta be present the entire time. And there's also something about doing shows in New York, buzzy shows in New York, a lot of cool people come, and uh, you know, not every show is gonna be your best. And I also find that with singing, it's like which is like my frustration with singing, is uh you can't always like control what shape your voice is in, um, and therefore like control your sound as much as like you would want to, and it can feel really embarrassing when you have bad shows in New York because who knows who's in the audience and who's gonna remember that. Um but with SUFs, I the the for the most part the nerves have kind of gone away because I feel very comfortable in the show now.

[36:02] Hannah Cruz: I think I I actually uh oh god, it was one of the matinees this week. I think it was on Saturday. I like had a thought toward the end of the show. I was like, Oh my god, what if Patty LePone's here? And it was like at the end of the show, and I think I had seen it, she had been at Water for Elephants a couple of nights before, and so I was like, Oh, maybe she's seeing shows. What if she's here? Like, I don't know if today was like my Patty LePone show. Like, I wouldn't know if I was that good today, and then so the rest of the weekend I was like, I performed as if Patty LePone was in the audience. Um, that's kind of a good slogan to put on a t-shirt.

[36:40] Robert Peterpaul: Reform as a Patty LePone, isn't it?

[36:42] Hannah Cruz: Yes, and now I'm gonna try and keep that going. Um but it's funny. The Jen Colella and I actually talk about this a lot. Just like all the voices in your brain. If you're if you're tired, they're more pervasive that are like in your head while you're on stage. Um and the best shows for me is when those voices are completely silent, but that like inevitably they're gonna poke their way through. But I find that when I'm feeling uh those voices super loud or if I'm feeling super nervous, I just come back to like listening. And I find that when I start to listen more on stage, the voices quiet down. And I can like just if I allow myself to fully dive into the reality and the truth of the show, then like Hannah can go away. And that's those are the best times. Because that's when you're really doing the show.

[37:40] Robert Peterpaul: That's brilliant.

[37:41] Hannah Cruz: And sometimes it's hard yeah sometimes it's hard in musical theater to like really lose yourself because you have so much tech technical um ish to think about with like if the show's on a click and all that stuff it's it can be hard to lose yourself which is why musical theater frustrates me so much. Um because like all I want to do is lose myself in the piece. Yeah. Um but but in those like really rich moments when you get to that's those are the best.

[38:08] Robert Peterpaul: I know it's so funny right now being in tech it's like what's my motivation for rolling this this box on that they're gonna sit on later in the scene.

[38:16] Hannah Cruz: Yeah it's so it's so it's so silly but it does yeah it does help. And I think I mean one of the things I admire about you too is you are I mean your voice is phenomenal obviously but you're just such a storyteller and I think when you can kind of really click into that even those moments where we crack or whatever happens that you you didn't do when I when I've seen it, but if it happens, I guess I'll believe you. As long as you're telling the story, yeah, the audience doesn't necessarily notice that.

[38:42] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[38:43] Hannah Cruz: Yeah. I don't need to tell you that. I'm just I'm just saying it for any actors out there listening or performers. But you know, I'm sure nerves came in, especially speaking of celebrities. I mean Hillary Rodham Clinton is a producer. Can we talk about that? What was that like having her involved? I mean, did were there times where she's sitting there during tech? Sort of like what was her oh yeah, you're shaking your head, yes.

[39:01] Hannah Cruz: Oh yeah. I mean, we met her. I met her, we met her at the public. She came and hosted a night with Lynn, much as they did uh on Broadway. So I met her then and um and then like first day of rehearsal, she was there and then she was there at the Sits probe and then she was I I'm not sure if she came to tech, but Malala came to tech.

[39:22] Robert Peterpaul: Oh.

[39:23] Hannah Cruz: Um and just like sat out in the audience and watched. I always think it's funny when people come to tech. Um you're just watching like a like queue for like three hours. But um uh yeah, I um they're both very kind, very personable. I think once you see like how excited they are about the show, it's like you uh me personally, I lose like any self-consciousness about it because like we are the show. And that that's also like a great thing about doing an original piece is like your impression of the show or your expectations of the show are based on us, not based on like other people that you've seen or another cast recording you've heard. So like we are creating that for you. So like any we're creating your expectations. So there's no like living up to or like being good enough for, because we are the baseline. Um so I've never felt like nervous about them. I've I've always felt like excited to let them experience the show.

[40:30] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. That's really cool. Sometimes I'll do the opening nights, and I'm sad I couldn't go to this one because there's so many wonderful people involved.

[40:39] Hannah Cruz: Yeah. What other I guess idols have. Well, the word idol is kind of tricky, but people you look up to that have come to the show. What other folks have sort of like blown you away?

[40:49] Hannah Cruz: I mean, opening was kind of a blur for me, honestly. I didn't even know who was there until I saw like some of the red carpet photos. I was like, oh damn, and they were there. Um that's a black. Because I got to the opening.

[40:58] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, I got to the opening party kind of late. So like I didn't see everybody.

[41:01] Hannah Cruz: Um, no, I'm sorry. But I mean that would be a good one. I wish I tried. I did try. But we couldn't do it. I did cool. I mean, Lynn was there. Love Lynn. He's always super supportive, super hype, and super kind.

[41:16] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[41:17] Hannah Cruz: Um, Lisa McCarthy came back because Melissa had seen the show in previews, and then she came back to opening, and that was very cool. She was like so nice.

[41:24] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[41:26] Hannah Cruz: So nice. That's so cool. Um, Rachel Brosnahan was there and I got to talk to her, and that was very I've always really admired her.

[41:36] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, I always want to call them the Rachels, like her Rachel Sessman, and then someone I know Harley, but her name's not Rachel. I'm like, I wish they were there. The three of them are just such a power.

[41:44] Hannah Cruz: They're yeah, they're Rachel. She was I met her at the party and she was so kind, and she'd seen the show a lot. She's really good friends with Sussman. So she's seen it in like a lot of different iterations, and she was really kind. But like for the the party was like it was it was cool. It was like a great celebration because we never got to open at the public because uh our opening was shut down because of COVID. So we never got like a party. So that was really cool.

[42:11] Hannah Cruz: Um, and yeah, the the response. Oh, you know who came the other day who I was like shocked about was Ben Barreen.

[42:18] Robert Peterpaul: Oh and he was so kind.

[42:21] Hannah Cruz: Wow. And like I was like astonished to meet him. That was very cool.

[42:25] Robert Peterpaul: That's epic.

[42:26] Hannah Cruz: He came to this Tony nominated musical, I'll say. I don't think I've said that, dropping that in. How that's so exciting.

[42:31] Robert Peterpaul: That's incredible.

[42:32] Hannah Cruz: I know. I know. Very excited about that. I'm just happy that the show is getting like the recognition I think it deserves. We won the um outer critics for best musical today.

[42:44] Robert Peterpaul: Yes.

[42:44] Hannah Cruz: Oh my goodness, congratulations.

[42:46] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[42:46] Hannah Cruz: This is a good juju. I'm so happy it's here. I feel like for I mean, not just me, it doesn't even matter, but I've been like screaming about stuff since I saw it at the public. And I saw I did an event with Rachel and I was like, Is that's coming back? She's like, I hope so. Like Little Muppet, I've been working on this for like decades. Okay, like just I know I'm sending good vibes.

[43:04] Robert Peterpaul: So I'm so happy for all the success. You know, we kind of touched on how the Broadway schedule, it's no joke. And I've heard you're a fan of massages and physical therapy and these things. But how else do you kind of show yourself kindness as a performer besides talking to strange people on a Zoom on your off day?

[43:20] Hannah Cruz: You know what I've learned? Um, I'm really good at pushing myself. And there was one point where I was doing The Connector and Suffs at the same time. And I was also like going to the gym and lifting weights like six days a week. Wow. And um, my body started to like shut down. So um, I was basically told I like couldn't do that anymore. And so I've like learned to in the times since then, I've learned to like prioritize rest and like recovery, which has been very helpful to me. Um, because part of me wants to be the girl who can like get up at 7 a.m. and go to Pilates, but like literally today. So I have this aura ring that like tells me how I slept and tells me like my readiness for the day.

Wow. And I woke up this morning at 7:30, and it was like you did not sleep well, and your readiness is very low. Maybe rest today. And so like instead of going to Pilates, like I really wanted to, I went back to sleep. And nice. I'm really glad that I did because it's my day off and I want to rest. And I woke up and did like a quick yoga practice instead. And so it's just like about making choices that like it's it's you wanna be at least I want to be go go go and I wanna like excel and I want to like be that girl and I want to do the things, but like if you don't take a break, your body's gonna force you to, and I'd rather not be forced to. So it's just like making the decisions to um be nice to yourself.

[45:00] Robert Peterpaul: That's really smart. And you're I mean, you're excelling, you're a Broadway star. And I also at least I forget sometimes doing a show that is a workout. I mean, especially you literally have the one song where you're running up back, running up, yeah. And then you're probably running backstage on stairs and all that kind of stuff. That it's it's like "Love on Top," uh the Beyoncé song with all the key changes, because every new city is a key change with suicides, like just running back and forth in heels. And like I was waiting to hear you breathing or something, but you're just I that I don't know. Would you just drill that? But that like is a drill. That must have been hard to get in your body.

[45:38] Hannah Cruz: It's I try not to think about it. I try to just do it and make sure my quads are stretched, but um, yeah, it's it's a lot. It's a lot. I don't sweat easily, and I've never sweat more than I have in Suffs ever.

[45:57] Robert Peterpaul: So I feel that. I'm well, I'm doing Kinky Boots now, and we we're using the Broadway like treadmill things. And so I have I'm one of the people that's like flip on the treadmill, and I I don't like I don't even know how to walk. So I feel like it's that's that's gonna be my mantra. I'm just not gonna think about it. I've just been like flinging myself, you know.

[46:14] Hannah Cruz: Yeah, just don't think about it.

[46:15] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, I mean do it safely, but don't get too in your head.

[46:18] Hannah Cruz: But don't think, but just fling. Well, you know, speaking of like flinging yourself, running around, people are marching out of the show to have a cheesy transition, just feeling so inspired. Like I said, are there any stage door moments that really have touched your heart so far? Now that you're I mean, all especially like yesterday, because yesterday was Mother's Day. There was oh, there's always a lot of mothers and daughters or mothers and children, and um I think I've said this before, but one I came out of the stage door this week and there was like all these little girls, and they were like running up to get their playbill, and they were like, "Were you the one who died?" Like, yeah, yeah.

And she was like, "I liked it before you died." So I was like, "Oh, that's very nice, thank you." And then a bunch of little girls were backstage, and they were all like, they were like, "I'm Lucy, I'm Ruja." I mean, they were like making who they were in the show, and that was so cute. Wow. Um, so I love I just love kids, so I love whenever there's kids at the stage door, it just makes me really happy.

[47:19] Robert Peterpaul: Well, in addition to the power of it, it's also it is pretty epic to have a death on a Broadway stage as a performer. I mean, not to it's such a sad moment. You sort of were like Javier on Broadway now. Like I asked if I could jump off the bridge, they said no.

[47:32] Hannah Cruz: It looks like it.

[47:33] Robert Peterpaul: Okay. I asked. Well, because you fall straight down.

[47:37] Hannah Cruz: I fall, I fall on the bridge. I asked if I could jump off. They said no. But um well, maybe they can change it enough. Or like I thought maybe I'd like to fall through a trapdoor or something, but um I do remember the moment as you falling, but now that I think about it, you just fell. I think there's like a little padding in the middle. Now I'm I'm ruining the magic, but you probably just like fall straight down.

[47:57] Hannah Cruz: Yeah.

[47:58] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[47:59] Hannah Cruz: But that fall is like another thing, like I can't think too much about. Um, because I want it to look real, but I've had to calibrate uh making it look so real that like I'm actually hurting myself and then like making it look real in like a safe way.

[48:15] Robert Peterpaul: Well, it looked real to me. I like I literally thought you like flew off of it. I remembered it totally wrong.

[48:20] Hannah Cruz: Yeah.

[48:21] Robert Peterpaul: Don't think about it too much.

[48:22] Hannah Cruz: Yeah, I don't want you to ruminate on that. Well, before we sort of part ways, which is sad, I do have a surprise game. If you wouldn't mind playing, yeah.

[48:30] Robert Peterpaul: Everyone's beautiful in their own way. It's the compliments game on me.

[48:32] Hannah Cruz: Yay, okay.

[48:34] Robert Peterpaul: It's the compliment. Compliment. Yay.

[48:39] Hannah Cruz: Mump.

[48:41] Robert Peterpaul: It's called the compliment game. And basically I reached out to someone in your life, and I'll say it's on theme with the conversation for a compliment about you. And they shared a few sentences here, and then I'm gonna read it to you, and you can use yes or no questions to guess who said it.

[48:56] Hannah Cruz: Oh god, okay.

[48:58] Robert Peterpaul: And I really don't know anything, but I kept it on theme with Suffs just to make it easy because I'm sure there's a lot of people that love you.

[49:04] Hannah Cruz: Okay.

[49:05] Robert Peterpaul: Oh.

[49:06] Hannah Cruz: Yeah, and we'll say you get three guesses. I don't know. There's not really any rules, Hannah, but we'll we'll figure this out.

[49:11] Robert Peterpaul: Okay.

[49:12] Hannah Cruz: Okay.

[49:13] Robert Peterpaul: What I admire most about Hannah is the way she meets your eyes with presence and kindness. She looks into you, not just at you. Much like her character Inez Milholland is described in Suffs. She knows her smile is all that it takes.

[49:26] Hannah Cruz: Oh my god.

[49:34] Robert Peterpaul: Oh my god.

[49:36] Hannah Cruz: Okay.

[49:38] Robert Peterpaul: Hmm.

[49:38] Hannah Cruz: I do have a hint from the person too, if you need it.

[49:44] Robert Peterpaul: Is it Jenn Colella?

[49:46] Hannah Cruz: Yeah.

[49:46] Robert Peterpaul: Oh, you know that. Wait, what was the hint?

[49:50] Hannah Cruz: The hint I can offer is that Hannah and I have a moment off stage every night wherein we hold one another and eye gaze and tell each other how much we love and appreciate each other.

[50:01] Robert Peterpaul: Yes, it's Jenn. What a beacon of light. I've heard she is just such like a kind soul.

[50:07] Hannah Cruz: Oh my god. I mean, I saw some of the questions that you gave, like that you would maybe ask, and it was like who's someone that like demonstrates kindness, and it's Jenn Colella.

[50:14] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, tell me about Jenn. Because you were a fan of her before you signed on to this.

[50:18] Hannah Cruz: Of course. Oh my god. It all falls down and um uh me in the sky. I've listened to those more than anyone else. She is, I mean, Jenn is an institution, and she's also just like she is in a room. Like, I just gravitate toward her because like I feel like so safe with her, and like she's a friend who you can just like be silent with, which I love friends like that. Um, and just like be with them. And she's so supportive, and like I just admire the way she she navigates the business and her life, and I just Jenn is Jenn is like at the next level to me.

[50:59] Robert Peterpaul: Oh, yeah, she's such an icon. And clearly she loves you too.

[51:02] Hannah Cruz: She's so good in the show.

[51:04] Robert Peterpaul: She's incredible.

[51:05] Hannah Cruz: Yeah.

[51:06] Robert Peterpaul: Yes. Everyone is.

[51:07] Hannah Cruz: Everyone's amazing.

[51:09] Robert Peterpaul: Well, I think you're incredible. I know I'm I keep just complimenting you. And I really do genuinely mean everything I say. I'm not just trying to blow uh smoke up your suffragette sash.

[51:18] Hannah Cruz: But I I would love if we could end, which by the way, I feel like before I saw this show, the the one thing that would come to my mind when I would think of suffragists, suffragettes, and I I know we're not supposed to say suffragettes, we're supposed to say suffragists, is the scene of Mary Poppins. And I think of myself as like a strong ally. And so I'm like, if that's all I'm thinking of, what did we really know? Besides, we didn't.

[51:41] Robert Peterpaul: That's the thing.

[51:42] Hannah Cruz: It's not your fault.

[51:43] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[51:43] Hannah Cruz: It's not your fault.

[51:44] Hannah Cruz: Okay.

[51:45] Robert Peterpaul: I didn't know either.

[51:45] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[51:45] Hannah Cruz: Thank you.

[51:45] Robert Peterpaul: That's why I really wanted to bring you on here, just to get you to say not my fault.

[51:50] Hannah Cruz: It's not your fault.

[51:50] Robert Peterpaul: It's not your fault.

[51:52] Hannah Cruz: Well, I would love if we could end our time together by you sharing a tangible kindness tip, something you think people out there listening could do on their own front in their own life, just to make the world a bit better. And if you want to relate it to Suffs or women specifically, since that was kind of the theme of the chat, that makes it easier. Then that works as well.

[52:10] Hannah Cruz: I think a simple thing that I've tried to implement is that you know, when we see people, we pass them on the stairway. And I get that there's not always time, but when we we just say, "Hey, how you doing?" Like actually ask. Like, how are you? And then like if you're the one being asked, like be honest with your answer. Instead of like making it just like like kind of to bring it back to what I said at the beginning, like a thing we just say, like actually invest in the question. Cause um I think we all like need to be asked how we're doing genuinely.

[52:45] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[52:45] Hannah Cruz: So just like a small thing. Just like be very purposeful with questions.

[52:50] Robert Peterpaul: I love that. Because it's about seeing people too, which is kind of what we were saying at the top of the show. And you're so right. I mean, I I'm thinking right now when you say hi, how are you to someone? And then you're walking down the hall. By the time someone says, I'm good, how are you? You're both at the other end of the hall. And that's not really an interaction. That's just like an awkward. That's like a covering of awkwardness. Just hi, how are you? Like, I gotta go. So that's yeah, it's just what we say.

[53:12] Hannah Cruz: Yeah.

[53:12] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[53:12] Hannah Cruz: Yeah.

[53:13] Robert Peterpaul: And le I guess lean in and don't be afraid to say, I'm not, I'm not too great today. Cause that's also hard. It's hard not to just say good.

[53:18] Hannah Cruz: Wow.

[53:20] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. I love that. Also, speaking of seeing people, what you said before reminded me, I wanted to tell you. Have you heard of Gina Davis's foundation, her institute?

[53:29] Hannah Cruz: No.

[53:29] Robert Peterpaul: Institute for gender and media, I think is what it's called. But her slogan is see it, be it. So maybe I'll send I I work with them sometimes. I'd love to connect you if you're interested, because it's like such an incredible.

[53:42] Hannah Cruz: Yeah.

[53:42] Robert Peterpaul: I would love that.

[53:43] Hannah Cruz: Yes.

[53:43] Robert Peterpaul: And that struck me when you said that. I wanted to share that before we left. But thank you so much for your time. I am just so happy that we have Suffs on Broadway, not only to inspire and uplift people and teach people in a really fun way, go see the show, but also that performers like you are a part of it who are off stage also sort of spreading these important messages and fighting the good fight. So thanks for being a great role model and so talented and wonderful. And yeah, I just appreciate your time.

[54:10] Hannah Cruz: Thank you. I appreciate you very much. This was a great, great way to spend my day off.

[54:15] Robert Peterpaul: Oh. Honestly, truly. It was a great conversation. Thank you.

[54:18] Hannah Cruz: I appreciate that. I'll let you know when it comes out.

[54:20] Robert Peterpaul: Okay. And I hope you have a great rest of your day off.

[54:23] Hannah Cruz: And rest, listen to the ring.

[54:24] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[54:25] Hannah Cruz: Thank you.

[54:25] Robert Peterpaul: I will. I'm a listen to the ring.

[54:27] Hannah Cruz: Okay.

[54:27] Robert Peterpaul: It was great to meet you.

[54:29] Hannah Cruz: It was great to meet you, Robert.

[54:30] Robert Peterpaul: Bye.

[54:31] Hannah Cruz: Bye.

[54:39] Robert Peterpaul: And now it's time for your kindness tip of the week.

[54:46] Alrighty, pals. For your kindness tip of the week, I am turning to my friends at kindness.org. They recently shared a fact. Well, it was me because I run their social media. I recently shared a fact that says kindness can lower your blood pressure. Kindness is heart healthy. A study published in Health Psychology explored the connection between spending habits and well-being. Researchers found that participants with high blood pressure saw a surprising benefit when they spent money on others. Their blood pressure actually decreased. Woo! The positive effects were just as strong as those associated with exercise or medication. That's pretty mind-blowing, right? Kindness can lower your blood pressure.

So go treat a friend. It'll be a feel-good boost for the both of you. If you're curious to learn more, please go to kindness.org. The citation for that research, because I do want to credit the researchers, is on their social media page as well, their Instagram. It's by Willens, A. V. dot comma et al. 2016.

[56:00] Robert Peterpaul: Thank you. I also want to take just a second to wish my sister Julia a happy birthday. With all the running around of doing tech week and trying to plan for these episodes to release, I didn't have the time to really properly honor her in the last episode. I don't think I would ever have enough time to truly honor her. She is such an amazing sister. I am so fortunate to have her. And I just want to say, Jules, if you're listening, don't forget that I named you. I picked your name. And that means something. I did. I said, if they named her Julia, I was a child and I knew my mom was having a baby. There's some context for you. I said if they picked the name Julia, I would love and protect her forever.

And I stand by that, but she makes it really easy because she's very lovable and you just want all the good things for her. So thanks for all the wonderful joy and love you put out into the world, sis. I hope your birthday is wonderful and this next chapter of your life brings you everything that you want and more. Love you and love you all. Thank you for listening. And until next time, please remember everything is gonna be a-okay.