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[0:00] Mo Brady: You're listening to The Ensemblist, the only podcast that shows you Broadway from the inside out. Welcome, I'm Mo Brady.

[0:20] Mo Brady: One of my favorite traditions in the Broadway community is the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. In a livestream hosted by Broadway Podcast Network, I got to speak to some of my friends in the theater industry who have also performed on the parade. Elliott Mattox from Equity One Podcast, Jessica Rush and Cara Cooper from Mama's Talkin' Loud, and Vasthy Mompoint from Vasthy's Friends. Here's our conversation.

[0:47] Cara Cooper: It's always so much fun because you get to see other casts there. That's my favorite part of anything, like the Tonys and the parade, is that you get to see, it's almost like a cafeteria, like a high school cafeteria. It's like, oh my god, there's that cast. It's so much fun. That's what I love about it.

[1:02] Mo Brady: Do you get to interact with the other casts when you're like behind the scenes? Or are you sort of like cordoned off into your own trailers or, I don't know, sections of the department store? I don't know where you go.

[1:12] Elliott Mattox: You can like choose your own adventure.

[1:14] Cara Cooper: Totally. Yeah, I guess that's one thing that changed is that the first time I just stayed with the cast because I didn't know anybody. But as the years went by, it was just like everybody would just be walking on, like Hadestown was walking under our bus. I remember everyone was just like all in each other's business.

[1:27] Vasthy Mompoint: Yeah, and then when you're doing the performances, they're back to back to back to back. So like I remember waiting to go out for Donna Summer and then like you cross, you know, My Fair Lady came in and singing like my friend Laura, you know, it's like, oh my god, hi. And then people are like crossing by that's, you know, and all the different looks and costumes.

[1:47] Mo Brady: Do you get to watch each other? Is the rehearsal all at the same time? Like they have like an hour, one night after a show and it just goes back to back to back to back like the shows?

[1:59] Elliott Mattox: You got you have a different time slots. It's usually the night before. They have two different nights. Because like Eric has done the parade. My husband's on the parade like three or four times. And so I know that like, sometimes you're doing it the night before Thanksgiving, sometimes you're doing it the day or two before. So I think they rehearse like two shows after. Yeah, two shows after their shows two separate nights.

[2:23] Vasthy Mompoint: And then that morning, you do a rehearsal slash pre tape in case something goes wrong.

[2:30] Cara Cooper: So at 8am. Right? Isn't it at eight before the parade starts at nine? So like you go and you do the numbers, like they record it and they record it.

[2:43] Elliott Mattox: I didn't know that. Okay. I wonder if they've ever had to use that footage.

[2:45] Vasthy Mompoint: I wonder. It might be like the Tonys where they like use it in like the promos. They make you rehearse the night before the parade. Sometimes where you do in between shows, right?

[2:58] Cara Cooper: Maybe the day before is like your night shows. It's all different. I remember like we rehearsed like the same night as Ain't Too Proud. And it was like, I feel like we didn't have a show. Like it was like a day where we were dark or something that it was late late that night. You know, we all kind of met at the corner at the front entrance of Macy's. And then they like, you know, get us through security and we all kind of go and do our rehearsal and leave. I think so I think it's different for every show. Everyone was rehearsing at a different time.

[3:27] Jessica Rush: All right. Have you guys ever done a show after the parade?

[3:36] Elliott Mattox: No. No. Have you?

[3:43] Jessica Rush: Waitress. Waitress did a parade in the morning and then they had an evening show.

[3:49] Mo Brady: I want to know about the morning of because this is like infamously an early morning for theater people. What is the earliest time each of you had to set your alarm in order to be on the parade?

[3:56] Cara Cooper: I think like four or five for me. It's just hard because we're used to going to bed like later and it's like you have to like go to bed and you're like still wearing your makeup and you take it off and you're like, I'm going to be putting this on again in four hours.

[4:08] Vasthy Mompoint: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's different. It's it staggers because like the first show that's performing has to be there the earliest and has to be ready. So like I think like one year I had to set my alarm for 430, but the next year was like 515 because we were performing last or whatever. So we didn't our call time wasn't as early. And it's the same with the day of the Tonys. Like, you know, you do a full camera run rehearsal of the Tony Awards the morning of the Tonys. And so everyone early. And so it's the same kind of thing like a 430 or if you're ever lucky enough to be on the Today Show, you know, that's a really they're very similar. They're all like 430. Wake up.

[4:46] Jessica Rush: Yeah. 430.

[4:46] Cara Cooper: Yeah. That's what I love it because Times Square is empty. It's always like so cool.

[4:52] Jessica Rush: Yeah. I when I came from Jersey, I remember I had to set it extra early. I was only in Hoboken, but just like that extra bit. And I'm like, I mean, now I'd be like, can I have a car, please? But I was like, I'm gonna take a bath and I'm gonna go, you know, so I yeah, when you first started, you're like, um, can I have the same rights as everybody to anyone?

[5:17] Vasthy Mompoint: Yeah. To anyone who like is listening who like some days in a Broadway show for the first time and gets to do the parade and whatever. Ask company management for a cab.

[5:28] Jessica Rush: Yeah. And Lisa reimbursement until everyone until everyone else and then they're like, okay, we'll reimburse your cab fare in the morning. Yeah, just do it our numbers on man.

[5:38] Elliott Mattox: Okay, so they don't offer cabs. But then if enough of you badger company management, I will say our management offered they said out front, take a take an Uber, take a cab, give us the receipt, we'll reimburse you. Not all companies are made the same. So if if it's difficult, then be difficult.

[6:01] Cara Cooper: Honestly, though, it's just about asking, you know, like, sometimes they don't even think about it. Just like you just have to ask and then they're like, sure.

[6:08] Mo Brady: Okay, so you're waking up at between like four and 530. What time are you arriving at Macy's? And do you just like knock at the front door of Macy's and say like, I'm here to perform for you? Like what happens when you get there at the theater?

[6:23] Vasthy Mompoint: Oh, you go to the theater first.

[6:25] Jessica Rush: You go to complete hair, makeup, wigs, costumes, everything at the theater.

[6:31] Elliott Mattox: You don't do that like in a in a van or anything. No. Oh, no, it's just that's that's how it is for most TV performances that you'll see like the Tonys and any any morning show. I think I actually maybe got dressed at the Today Show. Generally, you get dressed at the theater and then you are bused in herds to to Macy's.

[6:55] Cara Cooper: And then there's like a there's like one trailer for like the one from Beetlejuice. It's really glamorous, you guys.

[7:04] Elliott Mattox: One. And it always starts off, everybody walks in cranky and then everyone gets makeup on. Everyone gets excited. Then everyone's excited on the bus. Then you do the rehearsal and then everybody drops down and then you do the performance and you're like, ah, and then we leave and then we all have and then and then we go home and then you get a train like Thanksgiving dinner.

[7:22] Vasthy Mompoint: Yeah. And you have all the text messages from everyone. I saw you and everyone's sending you videos. It's so great. I love it.

[7:29] Jessica Rush: Then you're on a high and you can't fall asleep again.

[7:33] Vasthy Mompoint: Oh, no, you can't. Oh, yeah, you can. It's the best nap after Thanksgiving parade nap is a good nap.

[7:40] Mo Brady: So wait, they have a they have a trailer, but then you're also in the store. Like, how does that work?

[7:48] Cara Cooper: This is different that like I don't know if you remember, Vasti, but back in the day, but back in the day, you were in a separate trailer. Every show had their own trailer outside and you weren't in Macy's at all. You just went from your trailer when you were waiting to.

[8:03] Vasthy Mompoint: Oh, because we were in our own trailers. We have our own trailers. And when it's time, like when two shows ahead is are up, you know, when they're performing, we go into Macy's and we're waiting there to.

[8:14] Jessica Rush: Yeah. When it was on Broadway, you never stepped foot in Macy's.

[8:17] Vasthy Mompoint: Wow. Ever.

[8:18] Cara Cooper: But then once they moved it to 34th Street, then like you hang out Macy's, which is really fun because it's a not freezing or whatever the weather is doing and you get to see your friends, you know, and it's and it's like empty Macy's. Like, yeah, it's like it's great for Christmas. And you're like doing photos. I mean, truly, it's like very fun.

[8:35] Elliott Mattox: Where are you putting your phone? Because everyone's taking pictures in Macy's.

[8:40] Jessica Rush: So and then you're taking your thing right before you go on. They take your coats and whatever you're, you know, holding on to keep warm and they take your phone for you, which is lovely.

[8:50] Vasthy Mompoint: Okay, so it's you sort of from the production. It's you, your dressers and stage management, I assume, that are all kind of.

[8:57] Elliott Mattox: Right. Yeah, one stage manager. And like usually, though, like, I mean, Sergio was with us for the summer. Donna Summer, you know, and a choreographer was there. Yeah, Alex. I mean, Tim, Alex Timbers and Connor Gallagher, our entire creative team, our producers were like with us in Macy's like everyone was. And again, you know, I talked about how like Beetlejuice people from Beetlejuice were like overly excited about Beetlejuice, like from inside the building, like we all were like, oh, we love it. So they were all like excited to be there. But like they were just kind of walking around and talking to people. It was like a it really was like our kind of family Thanksgiving, everyone together.

[9:36] Mo Brady: Yeah. All right. Just one final question before we wrap up. I'd love to hear your favorite memory of performing on the parade. It could have been maybe something you've already said, but it could have been from rehearsal or something. Somebody told you afterwards watching the actual performance itself before the performance, something that is just lives warm in your heart.

[10:00] Vasthy Mompoint: Mine was watching all of the people from Not New York watch two girls kiss on the parade lot two years ago. It was fantastic.

[10:10] Jessica Rush: You mean sort of the Internet response to the prom?

[10:13] Vasthy Mompoint: Like for the work, because I honestly didn't even think about it because it just seemed normal to me. And it wasn't until like none of us did, like even the cast. And we're like, oh, they're going to kiss on national television. The first lesbian kiss at a Macy's or at the parade ever. And just people people will go watch the rehearsal. So people are standing in Macy's. They're standing all over watching the rehearsal. And when they did that, the faces, I was like, this is going to be the best Thanksgiving of my life. It was great.

[10:42] Vasthy Mompoint: It was so great. A lot of like, you know, kids from all over the country who are feeling like there's no one like them got to watch two girls kiss on the Macy's Day Parade. It was pretty great.

[10:52] Jessica Rush: Yeah, it's a family affair and that it happens and then it happens early in the day.

[10:57] Mo Brady: And yeah, just you have a favorite memory.

[11:00] Elliott Mattox: If I take away the fact that obviously just getting to do it at all is like the best memory. I mean, the first time, but coming home and walking into the apartment and Elliot, my daughter saying, I saw you on TV, Mom, you know, or see me on TV. You know, she hasn't she has now seen a Broadway show that I was in. But like at the time, she hadn't. And our kids only know so much of what we do because, you know, they're small still. And so for her to, you know, for me to walk in the door of the apartment and it smelled delicious and my parents were cooking, you know, and she was so excited to have seen me. So that was fun.

[11:38] Jessica Rush: And you were like, I love you. I'm going to go take a nap and I'll see you, Kara.

[11:43] Vasthy Mompoint: You know, it's funny. It just I was going to say something so similar. So on brand for us, I guess, but I you know, I haven't performed on the parade since I've had children, but us watching. I was in the prom at the point that prom performed on the parade, but I wasn't in the parade for a performance and my daughter watched it. And my daughter is autistic. And so her reaction to things is a little bit different. And the build in the music came and I have it. I actually posted on Instagram, but the build in the music came. She started jumping and then she just couldn't contain herself and like the joy exploded off of her. So watching her watch the parade is a huge memory for me, even though it because it brought me back to me watching the parade, you know, and what that felt like for me. I guess it wasn't me performing, but watching my kid watch it.

[12:29] Elliott Mattox: Top that, Elliot.

[12:31] Elliott Mattox: I can't. I mean, the thing that sticks in my mind is like the community aspect. Like, you know, performing it is amazing. Rehearsing all the getting to do this bucket list thing. But like there are these special moments, like Basti said, where we're like all together getting to like be outside. And like Leslie Kritzer is doing some rap on her Instagram. And like Hades, the cast members from Hadestown come by and she's like Amber Gray, and then she like throws her into her rap. I don't know. It's just like it felt so joyous having everyone together. And that's what I'm missing most right now is that kind of like joyful community that we all have, like whether we're seeing each other like between shows that dig in or we're on the parade together, like really having that special moment. So those are the moments that I will always take with me from any of these experiences.

[13:35] Mo Brady: Special thanks to Cara Cooper, Elliott Mattox, Vasthy Mompoint, and Jessica Rush for sharing their stories with us today. The Ensemblist was produced today by Jackson Klein and me, Mo Brady. There are two great ways you can be helping the Ensemblist right now. One is by leaving us a rating and review on Apple podcasts. And the second is by becoming a Patreon member at patreon.com slash the Ensemblist. Please follow the Ensemblist wherever you listen to podcasts on Spotify, Apple podcasts or at BPM.com. The Home of Broadway Podcast Network. You can also follow us on Instagram. Thanks for listening. Until next time.