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[0:03] Joshua Turchin: Hello and welcome back to the Early Night Show Virtual Edition or the Corona Cabaret.

[0:11] Joshua Turchin: My name is Joshua Turchin, and thanks so much for being with us today.

[0:14] Joshua Turchin: Has anyone invented some kind of like virtual haircut solution yet? It's like we're all stuck in the 1980s.

[0:20] Joshua Turchin: I now know what my dad's hair must have looked like when he was younger, and I am not digging the feathered hair look and the beginning of a mullet. It just kind of feels like we're going like back in time.

[0:31] Joshua Turchin: I just hope bell bottoms are not the next big thing. Of course, the 1960s gave way to some of the greatest singer songwriters of all time.

[0:39] Joshua Turchin: One of my favorites is Carol King. She's an incredible songwriter whose life and songs were turned into a Tony Award-winning musical called Beautiful. It is one of my favorite musicals.

[0:51] Joshua Turchin: This is beautiful from, well, beautiful.

[0:51] ♪ Musical number: "Beautiful" — performed by Joshua Turchin ♪

[3:14] Joshua Turchin: Even though it does feel a bit like the movie Groundhog Day, doing the same thing over and over again each day, Carol King reminds us to show the love in our hearts and to get up every morning with a smile on our face. We are all beautiful in our own way. Even the Princess in the Frog story tells us to look at the beauty within and to find the joy in the journey we take.

[3:36] Joshua Turchin: My next guest has had an amazing journey so far from starring in Broadway's School of Rock and has a movie coming out soon. Let's welcome Gianna Harris to the Early Night Show.

[3:47] Joshua Turchin: Hey Gianna, thank you so much for being here today. How have you been doing since quarantine?

[3:52] Gianna Harris: I've been doing good. Taking some time to myself, you know. Hope you're doing great.

[3:57] Joshua Turchin: Thank you. Has there been anything positive that has come out of being home for the past several weeks?

[4:03] Gianna Harris: Yes, I do believe just staying home to make sure that we're keeping my family safe and other people safe. That's definitely a positive. But also I've written some songs. Um, and I've read a couple books. So yeah.

[4:17] Joshua Turchin: Hey, I know that a lot of people take some online classes during this time. Um, have you found any classes that you're enjoying currently?

[4:25] Gianna Harris: I've done a couple dance classes, but I do want to talk about the Broadway Star Project. They're having um the callback challenge really soon.

[4:33] Joshua Turchin: And what is the callback challenge?

[4:36] Gianna Harris: Um, so basically, every um, I think it's Sunday, you have a class and they teach you how to go through the process of callbacks and auditions, and then they teach you how to prepare your song, prepare your acting, and stuff like that. And it's really, really fun. I'm so excited to do it.

[4:51] Joshua Turchin: That seems like a lot of fun. And I heard that you're now in a music group, right?

[4:56] Gianna Harris: Yes, I am in a girls' group. We're called Enjoy the Journey, and we are an R&B and soul group. And I'm so excited for the quarantine to be over so I can start working with them again.

[5:08] Joshua Turchin: That is so cool. You can do um Zoom calls.

[5:12] Gianna Harris: Yeah, we have, we have. It's so much fun.

[5:15] Joshua Turchin: Yeah, it seems like a lot of fun. Currently, because of quarantine, we're not able to leave our houses. So thank goodness for Zoom. But are there any places that you would like to go to after the quarantine is lifted?

[5:29] Gianna Harris: Um, I don't believe that there's like places, but I definitely want to go back to the city to hang out with all my friends. I really do miss my friends. We talk every night, but I can't wait to like be in person with them again.

[5:40] Joshua Turchin: I miss the city too and my friends, but I'm happy you're here and you guys sing a song for us.

[5:46] Gianna Harris: Yes, I am.

[5:47] Joshua Turchin: Hey, um, what song do you want to sing?

[5:49] Gianna Harris: Um, I'm gonna sing "Almost There" from The Princess and the Frog.

[5:53] Joshua Turchin: Oh, I love that song. What made you choose it?

[5:56] Gianna Harris: Um, it is one of my favorite songs. It's my favorite Disney movie, and I always wanted to be Tiana, so this is like my little chance too.

[5:58] Joshua Turchin: It's my favorite Disney movie too, and I think you would be incredible as Tiana. I think I'm ready whenever you are.

[6:10] Gianna Harris: Yeah.

[6:13] Gianna Harris: Here we go.

[6:16] Gianna Harris: Mama, I don't got time for dancing. That's just gonna have to wait a while.

[6:30] Gianna Harris: And it's an Amazon. This little town slowly down people taking the ease away.

[6:43] Gianna Harris: But I know exactly where I'm going in closer and closer every day in our stand.

[6:57] Gianna Harris: People down here think I'm crazy, but I don't care tries and tribulations. I've had my shame. There ain't nothing gonna start me now, cause I'm almost there.

[7:23] Gianna Harris: I remember Daily told me fairy tales can come true. You gotta make them happen. It all depends on you.

[7:36] Gianna Harris: So I walk real hard each and not every day that I showed it all my way. Just do it I do. Look out, boys. I'm coming through in almost there.

[7:54] Gianna Harris: Almost there. People gonna come in from everywhere and I'm almost there. I'm almost there.

[8:25] Gianna Harris: You know I've been my shame. But I've climbed the mountain, I've crossed the river, and I'm almost there.

[8:35] Joshua Turchin: I'm almost there. Thank you so much, Gianna, for letting us be a part of your journey.

[9:00] Gianna Harris: You can follow her on Instagram at the Gianna Harris.

[9:03] Gianna Harris: You know, I'm kind of enjoying this great pause. I mean, I can grow my hair out, play outside, play music whenever I want. I don't think I want to grow up. I want to grow up. I don't want my voice to change. In a year or two or three, my range will drop say we'll beginly um grow up and ever grow. Not me. Not I. What? Sorry. Oh, hey Alice. Hey, can I be in the episode? Sure. I just thought I'd finish the song. Okay. Well, I'm not going anywhere. I can't. Grow up. Interesting. One of our time. I will see it final. Boy, I'd like to see a try. Hey, I'm trying to be with my voice today. Grow up, never grow up, open never grow. Not me. You sure? Yeah, always gonna be so. That's key. Be yourself without just on to the low. If you want to stay yourself, prepared. No need to be scared. I did grow up. My voice didn't change. And it's so really cool. It's really better. It's different. I'm definitely things to do. I'm so excited. Like you're 6'2.

[11:02] Gianna Harris: Alice, hey! I'm so glad that you joined me for that song. How have you been doing since being quarantined?

[11:08] Ellis Gage: I have been doing alright. I mean, I think like most artists in this situation and this craziness, I'm just trying to stay as creative as I possibly can. You know, I think luckily, um, as was the theme in a previous early night show episode, like we're all in this together. So we're here um just sort of to support each other, to stimulate one another and what we're doing, how we're sort of keeping our instruments active. So I it it could be worse. It's not ideal, but I think that we're we're lucky to have each other.

[11:49] Gianna Harris: Although it's not ideal, has there been anything positive that's come out of being stuck in quarantine?

[11:57] Ellis Gage: Uh yes, absolutely. I have really gotten to just reconnect with a lot of family back home in Massachusetts because I when I've been here in in Manhattan just working and going, uh, it's it's something that sort of sort of flies over my head to to really just stay connected with people who aren't in my world right now, but now that that's sort of opened up, it's been really, really good to uh be able to talk with extended family and just really take a breather and and focus on that.

[12:36] Gianna Harris: Because you said that you're stuck right now in Manhattan, are there any places that you can't wait to go visit as soon as it's safe?

[12:44] Ellis Gage: Oof, you you you know I want to go back to the Disney st to the Disney store. Oh yeah. That'll that'll be interesting. Um I mean, obviously, obviously any theater and and performance scenes uh for work and and for entertainment and just for uh soul food, I guess. Um but really just freedom, freedom to take walks and just in enjoy the nature, enjoy the outside. I think it's definitely something that we take for granted in in the city in a space that's so industrialized. But we we have it. We we have it all here, and uh I can't wait to get back to that.

[13:29] Gianna Harris: Yeah, me too. I I know that you're grown up now, but um as you were saying, um, speaking of entertainment, you were a child's actor like me. What was it like kind of growing up in the business?

[13:43] Ellis Gage: I enjoyed every second, and when I found that there was a time that I wasn't, that was when I had to step back, talk uh with my parents and just really think about that. And like like it was a really good period of trial and error in terms of what do I like, what do I enjoy about this, um, what do I wish were different? And how can I how can I make this a part of my life in the future in a way that is sustainable and in a way that will keep me happy, keep me going. Um, but I I learned a lot about myself and I I think I owe a lot of that to just uh the incredible support I got from mentors and other people who had been around for much longer, who were just kind of there offering empathy and advice and support. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for them.

[14:47] Gianna Harris: Do you have any advice for kids who are now at the age where they're growing up?

[14:53] Ellis Gage: I do. It would fall in line with uh what I just said, really. Try everything, you know, see see what uh see what areas of the art and the and the craft you enjoy. Like I I didn't think I would uh ever try directing or writing, and and that's something that I was encouraged to do, like, you know, be be a part of this world and be a part of this art form in more ways than just one, you know. I I I mean you're the walking example of that. Like you you play the instruments, you're a composer, you perform, you know, and so I think I think that's something that a lot of people who are not not not even just kids, but anyone going into the entertainment world uh for the first time should really consider, you know, branch out, try all the things because you might have a lot more to offer than you think at the start.

[15:53] Gianna Harris: Thank you so so much, Alice, for joining me today.

[15:57] Ellis Gage: Yes, it was so nice to see you here on YouTube.

[16:01] Gianna Harris: Yes, miss you.

[16:02] Ellis Gage: I miss people.

[16:05] Gianna Harris: We'll see you soon.

[16:07] Ellis Gage: Absolutely. Have a good one.

[16:09] Gianna Harris: Thanks, you too! Thank you all so much for joining us at the Early Night Show Virtual Edition, Corona Cabaret. Thank you so much to my wonderfully talented guests, Gianna Harris and Ellis Gage, and to you, our audience, for being a part of the Early Night Show.

[16:24] Gianna Harris: If you're enjoying these virtual cabarets, please consider making a donation to the Actors Fund's Emergency Relief Fund at www.actorsfund.org to support people working in the entertainment industry who have suddenly found themselves out of work.

[16:39] Gianna Harris: Any bit helps. Also, if you are or know of a student whose show was canceled or postponed because of COVID 19, they have a chance to perform their canceled songs on our show. Just send an email to early nightshowcasting at gmail.com and include your name, social media handle, and a link to a video of you singing. We hope to show your talents off to the world.

[16:59] Gianna Harris: You can find the early night show wherever podcasts are found, and videos of our episodes on the early nightshow.com. And let's keep entertaining any artists who want to be virtual guests. Send me a direct message on my Instagram at Joshua Turchin. And let's keep making music to help the actors fund. Stay healthy and wash your hands.