This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:05] Robert Bannon: Are you ready? It's the Roundtable with me, Robert. Hello, round tablers. We have amazing, amazing guests today. I am so excited and honored to be here with the fabulous Drew and Lea Lachey. Welcome to the Roundtable.

[0:19] Drew Lachey: Thank you for having us.

[0:23] Robert Bannon: So this is very exciting. Is this the first time you have co-directed something together to be off Broadway?

[0:32] Lea Lachey: Well, yes.

[0:34] Drew Lachey: Yeah.

[0:35] Lea Lachey: So we've been working together since 1998.

[0:40] Drew Lachey: Yeah, we go way back.

[0:41] Lea Lachey: Um, what a good year.

[0:43] Drew Lachey: Yeah.

[0:44] Lea Lachey: It is a good year. So it's been something that we've figured out works well for us. You know, there's some married couples that, you know, if they work together, they would, you know, not stay married.

[0:56] Drew Lachey: Yeah.

[0:58] Lea Lachey: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. We're a good team.

[1:00] Drew Lachey: Yeah, so it works. And we've, I mean, we've been working on this for eight years. So we've established a system, right? Like we know what lane to stay in, where we need to kind of come together and be creative.

[1:14] Lea Lachey: So we wear a lot of hats for sure. Producing, creating, directing, choreographing, writing. But then I also think when you're creating something from the ground up, like you want your hands on it, you know what I mean? And all this. So it's a really, really exciting moment for us.

[1:35] Robert Bannon: Yes, no, this is wonderful. So it's called LABEL LESS, and it's now, just kind of explain it to everybody. It's inspired by an empathy exercise that you guys were doing in a theater class. So tell us about that.

[1:48] Drew Lachey: Yeah, so we used to run the music theater program at the school that we graduated from, the high school we graduated from, the School for Creative and Performing Arts in Cincinnati. So we, when we moved back to Cincinnati from LA, we started teaching there.

[2:01] Lea Lachey: Um, and we were just doing an acting exercise, you know, trying to get our high schoolers to be able to put themselves in somebody else's shoes, you know, to empathize. And so we asked them to all write down just a way that they weren't feeling seen. Just, you know, just we're gonna drop them in a hat, they were gonna pull them out, try and put themselves in their shoes. Just, you know, a way to try and break down that barrier.

[2:22] Drew Lachey: And as we went home that night to prep for the next day and the exercise, we spread them out on our kitchen counter, and we were just heartbroken and kind of shocked by, you know, some of the stories and some of the things that they were still struggling with or dealing with. Everything from being bullied to their uncle telling them that they didn't need to worry about going to college because they were just gonna need to take care of their man.

[2:47] Lea Lachey: Um, things like people not feeling comfortable to come out to their parents, you know, people having the police called on because they were the only Black neighbor family in the neighborhood. So, you know, we were just kind of took those stories and we were trying to figure out a way to try and give a voice to people who felt like they didn't have one. And that's how LABEL LESS was born.

[3:07] Drew Lachey: And with the permission of that first class, you know, we went in that next day and we said, is this something that you want to maybe dive into deeper? We were able to explore all these different sections of the show. So it's been a pretty incredible ride.

[3:24] Lea Lachey: Um, what started as, you know, we knew we wanted to tell these specific stories. We didn't have any original songs at the beginning. You know, we were pulling, yeah, we were like pulling songs that kind of fit into those sections in our eyes.

[3:38] Drew Lachey: Um, and now I think we've landed at such a beautiful place of mostly originals, but we also have the rights to "Born This Way" by Lady Gaga, "Where is the Love" by Black Eyed Peas, "Rise Up" by Andra Day. And the list goes on and on.

[3:53] Lea Lachey: So we've got those beautiful, I think, yeah, "A Change is Gonna Come" is in the show as well. Just a classic song. Um, we're so thrilled and excited and just happy to be here. Like to be in New York with this, and you know it's down.

[4:12] Drew Lachey: It's true. New York has this electricity and it has its charm and everything else, but there's just something about, because we do a lot of, you know, Broadway openings and things like that. And it's like there's nothing like that.

[4:28] Lea Lachey: Chewbacca, get down. Mommy's doing an interview.

[4:32] Drew Lachey: I love it, I love it, Chewbacca. Come on, Chewbacca. But it's really true, like, you know, you just see, and it's just, you know, I think you know, there's nothing about, as you know, Joe too. I love theater, I love music, you know, and concerts and things like that.

[4:46] Lea Lachey: But when you see something that is new, original, and that deals with so, so those topics, everything that you said are so important, especially to the young people out there. Besides people, you know, our age and our, you know, mid-30s and forties and whatnot, it's so important just to get out there and see something like that and to have those of that amazing music along with new music.

[5:07] Drew Lachey: I think the marriage is really fantastic.

[5:09] Lea Lachey: Yeah, we actually kind of melt together the two worlds that we know best, which is theater and the concert world.

[5:19] Drew Lachey: So, you know, our show feels different than like a traditional musical. The book is different, the way that the songs are arranged is different.

[5:26] Lea Lachey: Um, you know, so it definitely appeals to people who love theater but it also appeals to an audience who might not have as much experience going to theater and, you know, they love concerts.

[5:38] Drew Lachey: You know, so we're really excited about kind of bringing this different kind of take and flair to the stage here in New York. And also, you know, the fact that, you know, these stories are true.

[5:50] Lea Lachey: So every time that a new cast member comes into the show, we tell their story. It's not, you know, something from, oh, you know, back in 1985 this is what was going on. This is what's going on to Micah today. This is what's going on to Diana today, to Colton today, to Antonio today.

[6:07] Drew Lachey: And you know, it's so, you can't help but connect with the cast because they are up there burying their souls telling you what is going on in their life performing beautifully and giving such hope and bringing so much humility and humanity to the stage is really spectacular.

[6:24] Lea Lachey: And I have to brag on the cast like the cast I wanted to ask about them so please do, Lea, please do.

[6:24] Drew Lachey: The next generation, man, they're coming on strong. We have 10 returning cast members from last March, and then we have an additional eight that have joined the cast.

[6:24] Lea Lachey: Um, it is very interesting when you're doing a show like this and you're discussing some topics that have weight to them, the room, the rehearsal room, the dynamic is very different.

[6:56] Drew Lachey: And I believe that when you have the right people, which we do, that have opened their hearts up to take that ride, the audience is in store for something really inspiring and beautiful.

[7:10] Lea Lachey: Um, and just that exchange, you know, connection on the stage and then that connection with the audience, I think is really unique and really different.

[7:21] Drew Lachey: Um, I know I can say that I'm inspired every day as a creator to go into that room and be pushed by them too. Like you're elevating your own work because they're elevating theirs.

[7:34] Lea Lachey: Um, it's really great. We're very, we're very proud, very, very proud of it.

[7:39] Robert Bannon: And it's gotta make you both feel good to see what you've been working on for so long, and then to have these amazing performers come on and you're like, wow, we did that. Like this is what we did. And look how amazing it's going to be.

[7:50] Drew Lachey: And that's why I say I think it's so great because people want to see that. People want to, you know, like I said, everything going on, you know, all over and here, but it's so important to teach empathy.

[8:01] Lea Lachey: I think that's so not being out there right now, and just have a little, just a little bit and just kind of, as you said, Drew, put yourself in someone else's shoes and see how they feel, you know.

[8:10] Drew Lachey: And I think it's wonderful. And to put it to music as well. I think that's fantastic.

[8:14] Lea Lachey: Yeah, I think when we look at the show, we're like, all right, what are the things that, you know, make a great performance? What are the things that draw us to theater?

[8:23] Drew Lachey: You know, it's the stories, it's the music, it's the heart, you know, there's humor, hope. Um, you know, all these great elements that, you know, when we went and saw Hamilton or Chicago or Purple or any of these things.

[8:37] Lea Lachey: And your mind is blown as you're watching it.

[8:39] Drew Lachey: Yeah, these production moments mixed with the emotion and the heart. LABEL LESS has all of that, um, with, you know, some despair because these performers are really just giving everything they have to their truth and their story and the way that they form a community on stage.

[8:57] Lea Lachey: It really is just proof that the social experiment of empathy and listening and, you know, understanding, it works.

[9:05] Drew Lachey: Yeah, you know, if you just put yourself in someone else's shoes and you can build a community. Our cast, you know, it's 20 to 29, which is, you know, babies to us.

[9:14] Lea Lachey: Um, all over the globe, all different backgrounds, all different everything. It is, we say it all the time, like our cast is like a United Colors of Benetton ad.

[9:26] Drew Lachey: But we get that.

[9:29] Lea Lachey: Yes, they're like, huh? What? Well, it was this ad campaign with like this really diverse group of people, and yeah, um, they don't get it.

[9:39] Drew Lachey: So, uh, but yeah, our cast is a great cross-section of what the world has to offer.

[9:45] Lea Lachey: Yeah. Um, so if we're just able to like take a step back, slow down and listen, um, you know, it's a great, great way of showing it.

[9:53] Drew Lachey: I want to just share something going back to those scraps of paper.

[9:56] Lea Lachey: Yeah, we kept all of those and we actually pulled them out for the first time a couple weeks ago in Cincinnati. We did a huge event there with all of our supporters because the show was born in Cincinnati.

[10:09] Drew Lachey: Um, and it just happened today. So this is like so fitting. Our projection team has taken photos, so little Easter egg for anyone that's coming to see it.

[10:19] Lea Lachey: In our pre-show, they will be projected onto the floor. So if you look, I know, and that's cool.

[10:28] Drew Lachey: Yeah. So if you keep an eye out, you will be able to see some of those original notes, original handwritten, like, yeah, pretty cool.

[10:36] Robert Bannon: That's kind of giving chills, you know, like that's so yeah, from the beginning to now to this.

[10:42] Drew Lachey: Oh, that's so cool.

[10:43] Lea Lachey: Yeah, very cool.

[10:45] Drew Lachey: And that's also for us to prove that we're not lying about it.

[10:47] Lea Lachey: No, right.

[10:48] Drew Lachey: No, I get yes.

[10:49] Lea Lachey: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[10:50] Drew Lachey: There is that.

[10:52] Lea Lachey: There is that.

[10:53] Drew Lachey: Yeah, I mean, oh, that's so fantastic. I really, really love that.

[10:57] Robert Bannon: So just, I mean, and that that's so great, everybody. So it's June 10th through August 29th, right?

[11:02] Drew Lachey: At the Duke.

[11:03] Lea Lachey: Yeah, so our previous June 10th, our official opening is June 18th. We're at the Duke, um, right on 42nd Street.

[11:09] Drew Lachey: We're next door to Harry Potter.

[11:11] Lea Lachey: We're across the street from Aladdin. I mean, we are right in the heart of the world. We're right there.

[11:15] Robert Bannon: That is so great.

[11:17] Lea Lachey: Yeah.

[11:17] Robert Bannon: Oh, I'm totally. I'm my husband and I, we gotta check it out. That just sounds like super, super amazing and awesome. Even my cousin, she would really enjoy that also.

[11:25] Robert Bannon: Um, so I'd be remiss to not say uh I'm 48 years old, so I have been a fan of 98 Degrees forever and a day. My sister, who's a little younger, uh, she actually uh she is a well now a dean of student, she's been a teacher for a really long time.

[11:40] Lea Lachey: She has seen you more than I have.

[11:43] Robert Bannon: We she saw you in Vegas, she saw you uh at the uh because we're in Jersey, uh the Garden State Arts Center, PNC, you know.

[11:50] Drew Lachey: Yep, yep, myself.

[11:52] Robert Bannon: Yep, a million times she's seen you, and then I also saw you because I'm a New Kids fan, I've seen you with New Kids, you know.

[11:57] Lea Lachey: Like what we love New Kids.

[11:59] Robert Bannon: Oh my gosh. Every time that I see you guys perform, it's like it's just so great, and it feels like coming home, you know, like your music is so timeless and so great.

[12:07] Drew Lachey: And can I tell you one of my favorite albums is your Christmas album? I love it. Hands down, my favorite. I love it.

[12:13] Lea Lachey: It's amazing.

[12:15] Drew Lachey: Yeah, we're really proud of that one.

[12:17] Lea Lachey: Yeah, yeah. It's a great one.

[12:18] Drew Lachey: Yeah, it's so, so great. I mean, you know, and just I mean, also Dancing with the Stars. Can't I was like, loved it, love Dancing with the Stars, so so good.

[12:25] Lea Lachey: I mean, it's still I mean, you know, it's even my grandmother. I mean, she was just like, Oh, he's so good.

[12:30] Robert Bannon: Like all right, so let me put it this way. So the things that you just mentioned. So whether it's 98 Degrees, whether it's doing Broadway, whether it's Dancing with the Stars, the sp I did see you in Spamalot as well. I did see that.

[12:40] Drew Lachey: I did see that.

[12:42] Robert Bannon: So you can I even have the picture. I have the picture, I couldn't find the picture because you came at afterwards.

[12:48] Drew Lachey: So yeah.

[12:49] Robert Bannon: Perfect. But of all those things, the thing that I am most proud of in my career is this.

[12:55] Drew Lachey: Um, you know, this, this because I feel like this, while our music has had an impact on people's lives, Dancing with the Stars is entertainment, you know, all these all these things. I'm proud of all of them. The thing that I feel like has the most potential to actually change people's hearts and change the world, uh, and and you know, brings me to tears every time I see it is this show.

[13:14] Lea Lachey: Um, you know, I can't, even as a just a fan of the show, it yeah, it is so moving and powerful, um, and so hopeful that uh I hope everybody comes and checks it out because if you miss it, um you're gonna be kicking yourself. It really is something special.

[13:31] Robert Bannon: Yeah, oh, I love to I love that. And I think you know, hope is something that we need. We want to have that, you know, in our lives just to just to know, and and something I think you both said that's very true is that you know, you want people to feel seen because there are so many people that do not feel seen in in every different aspect, you know.

[13:47] Lea Lachey: And I will bring this up uh in my hometown of Richville Park, we recently had um a young student, 16 year old girl.

[13:54] Robert Bannon: Uh we we don't know the whole story behind it, but you know, she she took her life, you know, she was being bullied and and to and I I mean it is a village, very small town. We have a huge Fourth of July parade, but yeah, and I was like in my high old high school, like it just the whole town shook because could not believe she couldn't find someone to help her to not do that.

[14:14] Drew Lachey: And I think that's why I think shows like this are so important.

[14:18] Lea Lachey: So important. And that's why I think theater is important for young people to go see because you don't know what you're gonna take away from it when you go see something, you know.

[14:26] Robert Bannon: That and this sounds truly impactful and important and fun at the same time, but I think it's these stories need to be told, you know.

[14:32] Drew Lachey: Drew says something uh pretty much every night um to the cast, you know. If there's one person, one person in the audience that needs to hear what you are saying that night, you are going to change their lives.

[14:49] Lea Lachey: Right. And I believe in that wholeheartedly, and I do think that the world needs this.

[14:56] Drew Lachey: I think we can all use a little bit more hope, a little bit more uplifting emotion.

[15:03] Lea Lachey: Yes.

[15:03] Drew Lachey: Um and I do, I believe it. I jokingly say like we're gonna change the world, but I really do think we're gonna change the world.

[15:11] Lea Lachey: I think one step at a time, little little ripple effect going on over here.

[15:15] Drew Lachey: Yeah, we feel like we feel like this show is is kind of like that pebble being dropped in the water. You know, you change one person's heart or mind, and then it the ripple just kind of goes out, and you never know where it's gonna go and how it's gonna affect people.

[15:28] Lea Lachey: So um, you know, we we we jokingly say, you know, we we kind of hide the pill in the baloney, uh as far as like you know, the message uh inside this amazingly entertaining and impactful show with great music, music and lights, and the choreography is amazing, and then the projection, and um, but then you cannot escape, you know, at the core, what the message is.

[15:48] Drew Lachey: Um, and and you're gonna take that out of the out of the theater and and into your life.

[15:52] Lea Lachey: So um, you know, we are we feel like we are kind of you know dropping that pebble in the water.

[15:58] Robert Bannon: Yeah, and and it's so great because everyone that does get to go see it, hopefully, if they share this, tell someone else it it is that ripple effect that that I think is is so important.

[16:08] Drew Lachey: Yeah, exactly.

[16:09] Lea Lachey: That's true, yeah. It's really really great.

[16:11] Robert Bannon: Oh my goodness. Well, listen, round tablers and everybody listening. Please go get your tickets, please go see this amazing, amazing show on at the Duke Label Less running from June 10th to August 29th, opening night, June 18th.

[16:24] Drew Lachey: It's so fantastic.

[16:25] Lea Lachey: True, Leah, thank you so much for coming on. I really really appreciate it.

[16:27] Drew Lachey: Thank you so much.

[16:31] Lea Lachey: This was great.

[16:31] Drew Lachey: Yes, no, no, I'm just gonna have to go, I'm gonna have to go put a hidden Mickey in the set somewhere, you know.

[16:36] Lea Lachey: I know. Listen, my this was from our wedding for we got married.

[16:39] Drew Lachey: So I just a quick little story.

[16:41] Lea Lachey: Uh I met my husband via Facebook dating because and my thanks to my cousin Robert. If I I was done, I was like, that's it, I'm done. I don't want to date anymore.

[16:47] Drew Lachey: And he goes, just try one more time.

[16:50] Lea Lachey: This was like the end of December 2020. I was like, No, no, no. He goes, just try it. So I did, and John popped up, and I was like, I don't want to do Facebook dating, like, oh my high school friend.

[17:00] Drew Lachey: Like and he's like, just try it.

[17:02] Lea Lachey: And I did, and I was like, initially, I was like, okay, he seems kind of nice. And we connected through like the different pages on Facebook.

[17:08] Drew Lachey: Yeah.

[17:09] Lea Lachey: So we our first date was January 3rd of 2020.

[17:12] Drew Lachey: And we met at on the border over here at the Garden State Plaza.

[17:16] Lea Lachey: I'm so Jersey. Um, you know, we met there, and I didn't put any effort, I came from work, I wasn't even dressed up or whatever.

[17:21] Drew Lachey: He was so nice, he had a vineyard vine shirt on, he smelled so nice.

[17:24] Lea Lachey: He pulled out my chair. We did not stop talking from beginning to end of our dinner, right? The whole thing.

[17:29] Drew Lachey: And I I was nervous. I said to my sister, because I'm I'm a little taller than most, and she's like, put on your big girl panties and go.

[17:35] Lea Lachey: I was like, All right, you know, so we go, and the dinner went great.

[17:39] Drew Lachey: And then he said, Hey, you want to walk around the mall? I'm like, sure, we walk around the mall, and he's a Disney fan as well, you know.

[17:44] Lea Lachey: And uh the Disney store still was there.

[17:46] Drew Lachey: So he's like, You want to go inside? I was like, okay.

[17:49] Lea Lachey: We go in, and he wanted to buy me like a Star Wars, World So Star Wars fans, a Star Wars mug.

[17:53] Drew Lachey: And I'm like, this is weird, you know.

[17:54] Lea Lachey: I'm like, but okay, like I could buy it for myself, but he did. And he held my hands and it was really nice.

[17:59] Drew Lachey: Now I had gastric sleeve surgery earlier that year, and I was afraid to tell people, you know, just like, let's go get cheesecake.

[18:06] Lea Lachey: I'm having like a heart attack. Like, oh my god. And I'm sitting there and I lean back and I say to him, I tell him the story.

[18:12] Drew Lachey: And he has this smug look on his face.

[18:13] Lea Lachey: And I was like, this jerk. He leans back and he goes, I had it done six years ago.

[18:18] Drew Lachey: And I'm like, like that was it. Everything.

[18:21] Lea Lachey: Yeah. Instant, instant.

[18:23] Drew Lachey: And and I I had some some um not COVID stuff, but like I had some other, you know, um female things going on and whatnot.

[18:30] Lea Lachey: And he stuck through and and everything, and and he proposed to me on May the 4th of 2020.

[18:34] Drew Lachey: And we got married June.

[18:35] Lea Lachey: Um June, we got married uh September 18th of 2021.

[18:38] Drew Lachey: So wow.

[18:41] Lea Lachey: It was it was so perfect, and you know, it hasn't been easy, and you know, I'm and I said if we can make it through COVID, we can make it through anything.

[18:47] Drew Lachey: Oh, I agree.

[18:48] Lea Lachey: I agree. That is so very true.

[18:52] Drew Lachey: COVID was not easy.

[18:53] Lea Lachey: No, it was not, it was not, and you know, I was just getting to know him, and he was like, You need to like come stay here with with with me.

[19:00] Drew Lachey: And and it it just it worked out that way.

[19:01] Lea Lachey: So here we are, and we have two backa as our little guy, and oh yeah, no, it'll make sense.

[19:07] Drew Lachey: Yeah, so we're good.

[19:09] Lea Lachey: I love it. I love it.

[19:10] Drew Lachey: That's an awesome story.

[19:13] Lea Lachey: Thank you for sharing that.

[19:14] Drew Lachey: Thank you, thank you guys so much. Like I said, I'm a big fan of your guys. I can't wait to see my house.

[19:17] Robert Bannon: We're gonna come see it. I'm gonna drag everybody that I can to come see the show.

[19:20] Drew Lachey: Thank you so much.

[19:21] Lea Lachey: You will not be disappointed, I promise.

[19:22] Drew Lachey: Yeah, we are very excited for everybody to see it.

[19:25] Lea Lachey: So thank you.

[19:25] Drew Lachey: Thank you.

[19:26] Lea Lachey: And this was so fun.

[19:27] Drew Lachey: Can I just say like I know some you know you do them and sometimes they're just so busy and this was like a real conversation you're great love thank you we you know we we try to do that and I think with Robert because we he we we he started out you know like with Broadway stuff and then um during COVID this started during COVID because he's like what am I I have to do something to to fill the void and he was with another gentleman and and he of course he was like oh good I'm covet's over I'm done and he's like well we have a following I want to keep doing this and what Robert has grown this into it's amazing what he's done and it's it's so fantastic and it's you know and then he's like hey can you fill in I'm like sure like I said we usually do the red carpets in the city we're gonna we we do Tribeca this coming week so we do those interviews and stuff so I know it's fun I enjoy it it's you know and it's so weird because you know now that we've been this is like I think our fourth year doing Tribeca I'm like it's so what's the word old hat like it's like oh you know and and last year though I will say it was very exciting I got to meet Mark Ronson super super cool like oh that's cool Jim Gaffigan you know things like that but it's like it's just so I'm so blessed and lucky you know to be able to do this so you know otherwise by day I'm a caregiver to my brother-in-law he lives with us and and he's he's not healthy too too too good right now.

[20:40] Lea Lachey: So yeah it's a little tough you know so these little moments I I cherish them so well you're great at it thank you you really are it was very fun yeah very well listen you guys enjoy good luck with everything thank you and hopefully I'll see you soon okay awesome good bye have a good one bye bye bye