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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. I'm Robert Peterpaul and I'm so glad you're here.

[0:35] Robert Peterpaul: Hello friends, this is Robert Peterpaul from the Art of Kindness Podcast. We are here at opening night of Harmony on Broadway! Harmonize with that. We're gonna have a great time and talk to all the stars. Stay tuned.

[0:47] Sierra Boggess: Hi, I'm so excited. Nice to meet you. I'm such a big fan. I'm like, we can keep warm. Are we good? I'm Sierra Boggess. I am excited to be here because I'm originating the role of Mary in this very long-awaited Broadway show. I'm so excited for you all.

[1:04] Sierra Boggess: I mean it must be surreal to be here, especially at this time telling this story.

[1:08] Sierra Boggess: Exactly right. I'm saying I'm honored to be telling this, but I'm also really disappointed that it's so relevant today. It's like, really? But I think this should be required viewing for people so that it's like maybe their hearts and minds will be changed. I don't know. It's like, how can this be, you know, they're playing. How can this be happening again? But I really am so honored to be part of telling this story.

[1:33] Robert Peterpaul: I'm so grateful you are telling this story, and you know, when we look at the story with humor and heart at the center of it, it's all tangled up in kindness, and to me, kindness is the way forward for humanity, I think. Do you have a kindness tip, something tangible that you would love for listeners to do in their daily lives just to make the world a little bit better on their own front?

[1:51] Sierra Boggess: It's so good that you said that. I was close with Wayne Dyer before he passed away and he's the most special person. The most special he changed my life, all his philosophy and everything. And he gave me a shirt that says be kind with a period. And I was able to ask him a lot of questions about things going on in my life and that is exactly what he told me of things that I was like oh he's gonna say this and you're righteous and you're angry because of this and he was like lead from kindness and start with love and he said no matter the question love is the answer. So where can you where can we show up in our lives and be loving in the face of when we want to maybe react a different type of way where can you show up with love?

[2:31] Sierra Boggess: I love that so much I love that you said that it's World Kindness Day too today.

[2:34] Robert Peterpaul: So it's perfect.

[2:35] Sierra Boggess: Oh that's perfect. Wow there are no accidents in this life alright I know right I agree. And there's scientific research that shows kindness is sort of the way forward on multiple you know fronts I want to let you go but my last question is thinking of the harmonist do you have a favorite corny joke you could share to kind of keep things yeah I do.

[2:53] Sierra Boggess: What did the fish say when he ran into the rock?

[2:55] Robert Peterpaul: What?

[2:56] Sierra Boggess: Damn! From Ariel herself come on! All my jokes have fish in them I love that. That's kind of fishy honestly but that wasn't that good. Thank you so much. I hope you have a great night thank you you too.

[3:06] Allison Semmes: Hello my name is Allison Semmes I'm playing Josephine Baker in Harmony and I'm so excited to be here just to not only be portraying this amazing iconic woman but to tell this story at this time it's everything for me.

[3:24] Allison Semmes: Well I was saying to Sierra you know kindness, heart, all of these beautiful things that are in this show are sort of the way forward and it's applicable unfortunately to now in so many ways. Since our podcast focuses on kindness, do you have a kindness tip or something tangible you could share with listeners that you think if we each did could make the world a bit better just in our own small way?

[3:44] Allison Semmes: Yeah, you know, I'm really just a proponent of the golden rule. You know, let's treat each other how we want to be treated, you know. And like I really believe that everyone, we all have hearts, you know, we all innately have beautiful souls, and sometimes we get distracted with other things, with ego, but when we just pause, tap into our breath, and tap into the reason why we are here, find that gratitude and the life that is in our bodies, then we can share that.

[4:16] Allison Semmes: I don't know. As it sounds.

[4:17] Robert Peterpaul: That's beautiful.

[4:18] Allison Semmes: It sounds kind of floaty.

[4:20] Robert Peterpaul: No, I actually started to like drift away and meditate when you're saying that.

[4:22] Allison Semmes: Yeah, no. Really? Because and that meditation really is everything because the world can be chaotic and disharmonious and loud and blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. You know, but when we tap into that silence, even if it's just for a breath, you know, that kind of gives us space to be kind, to remember kindness.

[4:38] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. And as we're recentering, I'm wondering for you to keep things kind of light and fun in honor of the harmonists, bringing you back down to earth for a bit. Do you have a cheesy joke you could share with us? A favorite corny joke you have up in the files in your brain?

[4:51] Allison Semmes: A cheesy joke. Um I don't know. Well, this is so horrible, but one of my favorite lines in the show is, "Woo, I wanna live in that bathroom."

[5:01] Robert Peterpaul: Why? Is it a nice bathroom?

[5:03] Allison Semmes: I you know, I don't know, it's just such a random line. Like, how why does this even why is this even in the show? But it's it I think of it a lot. Bathrooms are fun. Listen, you read in there, you can do it in there, you shower.

[5:15] Robert Peterpaul: Well, I hope you have the best time tonight. It was so lovely to meet you. Thank you.

[5:18] Julie Benko: Hi, my name is Julie Benko, and I am so excited to be here tonight at the opening of Harmony on Broadway.

[5:24] Robert Peterpaul: Oh, I mean, you must be sort of out of body. I imagine this is surreal with the wild ride you've had so far in your career.

[5:30] Julie Benko: It's been a wild two years. I actually just realized my funny girl callback was two years ago almost exactly.

[5:37] Robert Peterpaul: Wow.

[5:38] Julie Benko: You know, to think that, you know, it's in the last two years, I've had this really just journey of surprise after surprise after surprise to now get to originate my first role in a new show on Broadway. I really wouldn't have believed you two years ago.

[5:54] Robert Peterpaul: I'm so happy for you. Just such a big fan. You know, looking at the full circle moment, today's also World Kindness Day.

[6:00] Julie Benko: Happy World Kindness Day.

[6:02] Robert Peterpaul: This is the art of kindness.

[6:03] Julie Benko: Oh yes, there was a schmackeries thing. That was us.

[6:05] Robert Peterpaul: Yes, I couldn't go.

[6:08] Julie Benko: I understand you had a lot going on. We had some harmony represent. And you know, uh Matt Mucha.

[6:13] Robert Peterpaul: Oh yeah.

[6:13] Julie Benko: Matt, my friend, Allison was gonna come. We had a bunch of really fun people stop by. But looking at tonight, you know, this show is such heart and kindness at the center, and I think that's sort of the way forward in these times. Do you have like a tangible kindness tip or something you would want listeners out there to do on their own every day just to make the world a bit brighter?

[6:31] Julie Benko: Well, I always think, I mean, my therapist gave me a great tool, which is just to make a every day just three things you're grateful for, just write them down. And they can they sh the smaller the better, really. So I think if you look for little moments of happiness and gratitude and then you suddenly find them everywhere. And if you're in that headspace, then you're much less likely to lash out at people or take, you know, take things away maybe they didn't intend to.

[7:00] Robert Peterpaul: I love that. Well, to end on sort of a lighter note, since you know we have the harmonists here in honor of them. I would love to know, do you have a cheesy dad joke or a funny corny joke in your roster that you can share with us?

[7:11] Julie Benko: Sure. I've okay. So what is the diff uh what's the difference between popcorn and pea soup?

[7:20] Robert Peterpaul: I don't know what the taste is.

[7:22] Julie Benko: Anyone can pop corn.

[7:24] Robert Peterpaul: Ah, that was popping. I love that. Thank you so much. Congratulations. It was great to finally meet you.