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[0:00] Joshua Turchin: Hello and welcome back to the Early Night Show Virtual Edition or the Chronic Cabaret. My name is Joshua Turchin, and thanks so much for being with us today. Broadway's Jennifer Sánchez is here, along with the amazing Amanda Green, so please stick around. Welcome to the Early Night Show.

[0:24] Joshua Turchin: Well, it's December. The trees lit in New York City, and the holiday season has officially begun. It's definitely weird in MIC without the hustle and bustle of the holiday crowds. But with the cold weather, masks are actually quite nice and kind of like a warm hug from my face. Of course, it doesn't actually replace any hugs from actual people, but hopefully we can all just wear masks so that by spring, some normalcy may resume in the world. The one thing that hasn't changed at all is the tradition of Hallmark Christmas movies. What also hasn't changed much is the plot or the character types or even the actors. It's the only network where you can see an actor play almost identical characters with the same co-stars in movie after movie.

Then, of course, there is the mistletoe. That mistletoe seems to be the unsung hero and appears in almost every Hallmark holiday movie. So I thought you deserved some love. This is for you, Mistletoe, from my TikTok. You may not know who I am, but you probably see me. I'm the random mistletoe that you see in every Hallmark movie. Every time a couple looks up, it's time for them to kiss. Then I get put into a box and am alone until next Christmas. I really can't wait until we can all have actual holiday parties in person safely, and COVID is a thing of the past. The pandemic has definitely been a long and winding road, but hopefully we're almost at the end of the journey with it. Speaking of long and winding roads, here's "Long and Winding Road" by The Beatles.

[1:53] ♪ Musical number: "Long and Winding Road" — performed by Joshua Turchin ♪

[5:04] Joshua Turchin: I feel like that song's a metaphor for what we're going through right now in New York City. This long and winding road will always bring us back to the city we love, and it will be stronger than ever. I love that song so much, and I also love working with my first performer. Jennifer Sánchez is an incredible Broadway veteran, and I was so fortunate enough to work with her in both the sold-out drive-in concert of the Perfect Fit Musical, a socially distant concert, and at the live stream concert version of the Perfect Fit Musical on New World Stages last month. I'm so thrilled to welcome the amazing and talented Jennifer Sánchez to the Early Night Show. Hi Jen!

[5:44] Jennifer Sánchez: Hi Josh!

[5:45] Joshua Turchin: Hi, I'm so happy to have you on the Early Night Show.

[5:50] Jennifer Sánchez: Thank you so much for having me.

[5:52] Joshua Turchin: Of course, it was so amazing to have you sing the part of Peggy in the Perfect Fit live stream concert from New World Stages and at the drive-in concert at Sharon Playhouse. I know that you're so, so kind and amazing in real life. So how did you develop the character Peggy, who is like such a vindictive stage parent?

[6:12] Jennifer Sánchez: She's just, okay, so she's just misunderstood, in my humble opinion. And um, I don't know what it is. I tend to um be drawn to these strong personality types. I don't know, there's just so much to enjoy. And then, you know, you can be like nice in real life and then let it all out through Peggy. She's really a gift to me.

[6:37] Joshua Turchin: Well, in the part—no, I'm kidding, I have a real therapist too. Well, you are absolutely amazing. Like you are such a Broadway icon with such an incredible career on Broadway. I can imagine that the extended intermission is so heartbreaking for you.

[6:56] Jennifer Sánchez: And it's been really hard, yeah. But um, you know, connecting with people like you, doing these kinds of um concerts. I mean, your music and your show and you are so impressive, and just I'm not even gonna say for your age, I'm gonna say that your work is just incredible at for anybody's age, whoever wrote that. So I just think you're just such a talent and a gift. And um, you know, connecting with you and all of the people who are involved in the show and um making music, you know, um, and trying to find ways to stay inspired and kind.

[7:39] Joshua Turchin: Right. Of course, it's a hard time. So you know we can't like get on ourselves. If you have a day that you don't end up doing anything, you know, it's okay. Yes, but to like keep the memory of Broadway alive during this intermission. I would love to play a special Broadway game with you called Rapid Fire Broadway Memories. So I'll like say the name of a show that you were in, and you will share your favorite memory from each of them.

[8:04] Jennifer Sánchez: Oh my gosh, okay. I just want for the record for all the people out there. I was not prepped. All of this is off the cuff. So you're getting real, just a real genuine response right now.

[8:15] Joshua Turchin: So here we go.

[8:16] Jennifer Sánchez: Cool.

[8:17] Joshua Turchin: Here we uh 32 story.

[8:23] Jennifer Sánchez: West Side Story.

[8:24] Jennifer Sánchez: Uh, it was the most special magical Broadway debut a person could ever have. Um, the audition was the most magical because it was only 48 hours of my life. The audition and the callback and booking it. And um, that's how I got my equity card.

[8:43] Jennifer Sánchez: Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.

[8:46] Jennifer Sánchez: Um, Peppa, it's me again, my aren't you picking up the phone? It's like my brain is gonna matter, I'm talking to you. It was a 17-page pattern song called Model Behavior. If you're not familiar with the score, please get familiar. It's incredible. David Yazbek, some of my favorite work of his.

[9:03] Jennifer Sánchez: Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.

[9:05] Jennifer Sánchez: Uh, fly rehearsal. Um, I was always learning how to fly. Um, and when the stage manager asked me in my final callback if I was afraid of heights, I said, no, I'm not afraid of heights. I love heights. I am very afraid of heights. I did have to overcome that on my own in the sky when I went on for Arachne. I that's when I got over that. I will say it did not cure the fear. I am still afraid of heights.

[9:31] Jennifer Sánchez: Ghost: The Musical.

[9:33] Jennifer Sánchez: Oh, um, more and more. The most incredible, I mean, those were the most incredible special effects that have been on a Broadway stage. So I feel so like I wish it had had a longer life, but um, I met some of my one some of my best friends on that show.

[9:50] Joshua Turchin: On Your Feet.

[9:53] Jennifer Sánchez: Uh, again, oh, I met some of my best friends on that show too. Um, what's the best memory? I don't know. All that that cast is full of crazy, crazy people that I love, and I say that as the highest compliment. So I just remember laughing so much. I don't think I've ever laughed that much on a show.

[10:13] Joshua Turchin: Sunday in the Park with George.

[10:17] Jennifer Sánchez: Oh, Soprano Land, Jake Gyllenhaal, Annaleigh Ashford. How does it get better than that? I mean, that was a limited run, so we kind of really. Oh, my favorite part. I'll tell you my favorite thing. The orchestra's on stage. So every night I could just sneak to the back, and with my petticoats and my bustle and whatever, I would climb up to like the third stair, and whenever I wasn't on stage, I could just watch. They had like the seashells and the glass that they would play. It was just magical.

[10:53] Joshua Turchin: Wow.

[10:54] Jennifer Sánchez: Pretty Woman.

[10:56] Joshua Turchin: Okay, Pretty Woman.

[11:08] Jennifer Sánchez: Um, it was my first time really being a blonde in a show, and yes, they do have more fun.

[11:08] Joshua Turchin: The Rose Tattoo.

[11:08] Jennifer Sánchez: Oh, well, you know, I will say um, it was my first time uh singing and speaking in Italian in a show, and um my show daughter Isabella. Um, we would make up this, we would dance in the sand. It was not a musical, and it was not there was no dancing, but we choreographed like an entire number in the sand to the score. That was my favorite part with doing that dance with her during tech.

[11:37] Joshua Turchin: That sounds like so much fun, and finally, not a Broadway show yet, but The Perfect Fit.

[11:46] Jennifer Sánchez: Oh, um, okay. My favorite uh experience with that was being able to do it twice because I remember after the first time when we did it um in Sharon, I thought to myself, I wish I had another go, uh a little more time with this, so that we could spend some more time learning because that was such a short experience. So I was so glad that we actually got that experience and the full um experience of performing live and being back in a New York theater the first time since this whole pandemic has hit was um very, it meant a lot to me. And and and you and now which has led us to here.

[12:27] Joshua Turchin: So I know that you also offer private lessons and coaching. Can you tell our viewers and listeners about this?

[12:37] Jennifer Sánchez: Oh sure. Yeah, um so you know I'd always wanted to and I'd kind of done it off and on um when I was working, but uh you know the schedules get really busy, and of course I have a lot of time, so I think it's a really good time to study. So um if anybody would like to uh have voice lessons or acting lessons, um, you know, you can always reach me, DM me, no problems.

[13:05] Joshua Turchin: That's amazing. What about singing a song with me today?

[13:11] Jennifer Sánchez: Yes, we're singing a song, but I switched the song last minute, and you are the most flexible and talented human, and so you just went with me, and I even tied jingle bells to my seat so that we could uh have a little bit of that and uh feel festive and kind of embrace what this is, uh however you want to look at it.

[13:36] Joshua Turchin: Uh here we are, we're all stuck in our apartments a lot. So um, yeah, jingle bells help. If you can jingle, you should. I need to see Jingle Jingle. Have you seen that?

[13:48] Jennifer Sánchez: I have not.

[13:49] Joshua Turchin: Me neither. Okay, it's on the list. So, what song would you like to sing with me and what made you select that song?

[13:58] Jennifer Sánchez: Okay, I would like to sing Last Christmas with you because it's my favorite Christmas, it's my favorite holiday song. Um, even for those who don't celebrate Christmas, I love this song so much. It's got such a vibe. It's only four chords, but it feels like more. And um, the first time I heard it, I was in the car with my dad, and he was driving, and it came on, and he like turned it up and he sang it like out loud, the whole thing, like really into it, like tapping on the steering wheel. And I was just like, what is this magical song that my dad has to sing about giving his heart away last year? And so now he has to find someone new to give it to. And from then on, it's been my favorite holiday song.

[14:53] Joshua Turchin: Well, I am so so excited to sing with you. Here we go.

[14:57] ♪ Musical number: "Last Christmas" — performed by Joshua Turchin ♪

[16:42] Joshua Turchin: I will be into someone special.

[16:54] Joshua Turchin: That was amazing, Jen. I can't wait until we can hopefully work together in person one day soon. My next guest is an incredible performer who's been performing on stages since she was just six years old. She performed at Carnegie Hall twice and with the New York Pops as well. I'm so happy to welcome Amanda Green to the Early Night Show. Hi, Amanda!

[17:16] Amanda Green: Hi, nice to meet you.

[17:18] Joshua Turchin: Nice to meet you too. I'm so happy to have you on the Early Night Show.

[17:23] Amanda Green: Thank you. It's good to be here.

[17:25] Joshua Turchin: How has everything been in Park City?

[17:28] Amanda Green: Park City's good. We've already had our first really big snow of the year. Um, so it's pretty cold around here.

[17:35] Joshua Turchin: Yeah. Are you back in school or are you still in uh like school online?

[17:40] Amanda Green: Um we're doing hybrid learning, so I'm in one week and I'm out one week, and I'm with half my grade.

[17:45] Joshua Turchin: That's so cool.

[17:46] Amanda Green: Yeah.

[17:47] Joshua Turchin: How old were you when you first started performing?

[17:50] Amanda Green: Um, I was six years old. Um, and my first production was Grease. Um I was a little greaser and I like danced around and they had me be like in Grease Lightning, but I was also, you know, in beauty school dropouts, so I had a lot of little costume changes, you know.

[18:08] Joshua Turchin: I know that you performed at Carnegie Hall twice, and even sang with the New York Pops. Since we can't be on stage performing right now, is there a favorite memory that you have performing live?

[18:21] Amanda Green: Um, yeah, totally. I got to be in Cats the Musical, and um I I never like was really drawn to cats before I got to be in it, but I had to learn the jellicle ball dance all like 12 minutes of it. Um, and I think that that honestly it was probably the hardest dance I've ever had to learn, but it was probably my favorite moment of being on stage ever.

[18:47] Joshua Turchin: How have you been staying connected to the arts during this um long intermission?

[18:53] Amanda Green: Um I'm in a conservatory group at the University of Utah, and we do we put on performances for kids, we write our own shows. Um, I'm currently competing in the musical theater competitions of America with a small group of kids from the conservatory group. Um, so we're just trying to stay well-rounded and keeping our instruments moving and all that.

[19:17] Joshua Turchin: That's so cool. I know that you're actually a junior in high school right now. Do you plan to study like theater in college, or do you have any like dream programs or colleges?

[19:27] Amanda Green: Okay, so I wanna go to NYU. It's been my dream school since I think seventh grade. Um, and I toured it in freshman year. Like I I want to go to NYU. However, I'm more interested in studying law, but I want to keep um like I want to keep theater close to me, so I want to continue it through college, but I won't be majoring in it.

[19:49] Joshua Turchin: When Broadway does resume, do you have any dream parts or shows that you would love to be in one day?

[19:55] Amanda Green: Oh, yep. Um, I want to be leading player in Pippin. That's probably the biggest dream role of mine. Other than that, though, um, probably I would just like to be in Bye Bye Birdie again. I was in it once, and it was just the most fun I've ever had. So those are my top two.

[20:13] Joshua Turchin: Well, what about singing a song with me today?

[20:16] Amanda Green: That sounds great.

[20:17] Joshua Turchin: Cool. What song would you like to sing and why did you select that song?

[20:22] Amanda Green: Um, I want to sing Pretty Funny from Dogfight the Musical by Lindsay Mendez. She sings it. Um, well, it's not by her, but she sings it. And I just think it's one of the most beautiful and touching songs that's ever been produced in the history of Broadway. I think it's so heartfelt and very vulnerable, and I love her delivery and I wanted to sing it for you today.

[20:44] Joshua Turchin: So yeah. Well, I am so so excited to hear you sing the song.

[20:45] ♪ Musical number: "Pretty Funny" — performed by Amanda Green ♪

[25:37] Joshua Turchin: I really hope I'll be able to see you and work with you again soon. If you want to perform and sing along with me, make sure to check out my TikTok at Joshua Turchin and look for my piano videos. Record duet and use the hashtag Singma Josh, and you may get featured on the Early Night Show. Also, if you're a student whose show was cancelled, please send us a link to a video of you singing to early nightshowcasting at gmail.com, and you may get a chance to go on the show. 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.

Any bit helps. You can also find the Early Night Show on the Broadway Podcast Network wherever podcasts are found and videos of our episodes online on theearlynightshow.com. Thanks again to my guests, Jennifer Sánchez and Amanda Green. Make sure to check out Jennifer Sánchez's Instagram to find out more about taking lessons with her. 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 world. Stay healthy and wear a mask.