This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Robert Bannon: Hey everybody, is this working? I'm next to the TKTS microphone. He's right here, TDF. You pay like $49, then you can go see shows. And you don't have to wait online if you're a member. You know? It's only $35. $35 with a promo code? Renew 35. You could. And there's like a row of Broadway podcast networks. Joel, she got the people from The Nanny to do her design. You know who did my show design? Myself. I'm B Funky for $4.99. Which works. And Adrian is here, and we're at NYU. And this is the Lortel Awards for the best in Off-Broadway. And we're gonna have a good time because it's a fun carpet and with great guests and some of our friends, and we're gonna have a grand old time. And you hope you're listening to us on BPN. You can watch us on the YouTube, and here we go. It's award season here in New York City.

[0:59] Robert Bannon: How are you? So good to see you.

[1:00] Ruben Santiago Hudson: Good to see you.

[1:01] Robert Bannon: Ruben Santiago Hudson with a lifetime achievement award here tonight. How's it feel?

[1:06] Ruben Santiago Hudson: I get the lifetime of It's deserved. You ever see Lackawater Blues? I feel so blessed. I feel I'm so grateful, you know, for the work that I've done to be acknowledged by my peers and by organizations who are here to preserve theater and the history of theater and the integrity of theater and to be noticed by the Lucille Lortel organization. I mean, I was lost for words when they called me. I didn't I thought it I thought I was being pumped.

[1:31] Robert Bannon: Well, we are so honored to talk to you. We love your body of work. Congratulations. It's so well deserved.

[1:34] Ruben Santiago Hudson: Thank you so much.

[1:38] Robert Bannon: Playwright Dominique Morisseau.

[1:44] Dominique Morisseau: I have a personal thing to talk to you about.

[1:44] Robert Bannon: Okay.

[1:48] Dominique Morisseau: My fiancé, my man, is making me move out to Detroit. He's a Michigander.

[1:52] Robert Bannon: Who is your man?

[1:54] Dominique Morisseau: My man is his name is Darius Wheeler, and he manages the bank at Grasshaw Demarden on the east side of Detroit. So I was like, when I speak to Dominique, I need to get the tips.

[2:04] Robert Bannon: You need to learn how to make eat a Coney dog and have some Faygo soda.

[2:08] Dominique Morisseau: Listen, I have not had none of that in a long time. It's been you're going back to childhood days. I have changed my ways, bro. So I don't really know. You wrote a trilogy. When I look at Skeleton Key, when I look at the work that you've done, it shows so much humanity, no matter where it takes place, Detroit or anywhere in the world. What's it like to be honored tonight for a body of work?

[2:27] Dominique Morisseau: Um, crazy a little bit because I feel like I'm still making my body of work, you know. Um, it kind of makes me feel like I'm dead. No, but I just um I feel great that it's um that my work is being heard, and I hope it still continues to be heard, no matter what I have to say. Um, you know, I hope that people will show up or that it gets to the ears that it's intended for. That's what I hope.

[2:52] Robert Bannon: Well, we love your work. Congratulations, and thank you for using humanity on stage.

[2:56] Dominique Morisseau: Thank you. I appreciate you.

[2:57] Robert Bannon: I'll see you in Detroit.

[2:58] Dominique Morisseau: I'll see you in Detroit.

[3:00] Robert Bannon: Tony nominee, Shoshana Bean.

[3:03] Shoshana Bean: Hello!

[3:05] Robert Bannon: This is the one and only listen, I'm you don't even have to talk, because I'm just gonna say this. I have seen every Apollo show, I have seen the Rockwood show, I've seen the 54 Below Show, I saw the show in LA, I saw Mr. Saturday Night, I've seen all the Wicked slime tutorials. You are singing more gorgeous and better than ever.

[3:26] Shoshana Bean: God bless you.

[3:27] Robert Bannon: That's very kind, thank you. And cutting carrots and singing whistle tones. Listen. Somebody's gotta do it. But listen, before you say anything else, I just want to thank you for always being there, for always showing up, for always being so supportive. Truly. It has not gone unnoticed, and it means the world to me.

[3:43] Shoshana Bean: You are a goddess. Your work as an artist. This voice aside, your acting and your work as an artist, and what you do for up and coming, if it's David Simmons, if it's Jared Johnson, if it's all these people that you have supported and put up, you put up Avery Wilson, you put up us as artists. So thank you.

[3:57] Robert Bannon: Please, it's my pleasure. Thank you. Y'all go see her in Hell's Kitchen. She's a two-time Tony nominee and she is singing.

[4:04] Robert Bannon: Thank you. Tony nominated Eden Espinosa!

[4:11] Eden Espinosa: I cried my eyeballs out.

[4:13] Robert Bannon: Me too.

[4:14] Eden Espinosa: I cut I saw the video, I cried my eyeballs out. You all, there's the most phenomenal performance on Broadway this season is done by this lady here.

[4:24] Robert Bannon: You are so kind, thank you. You are so gorgeous.

[4:26] Eden Espinosa: Thank you. You are giving green and giving eyes and giving hairs. It's a big night tonight. Celebrating all these fabulous people and shows, and so happy.

[4:35] Robert Bannon: And you've done shows this year, like Gardens. Priscilla Lopez was just out here. And Alex Sanchez.

[4:39] Eden Espinosa: Oh so happy. I'm so happy.

[4:42] Robert Bannon: I'm so happy for you. I just I am so proud and honored of the work seeing you do it. This show, seeing Lampica and its journey, you I I just I have no words.

[4:54] Eden Espinosa: Thank you, friend.

[4:54] Robert Bannon: Let's go.

[4:55] Eden Espinosa: Let's go.

[4:56] Robert Bannon: And you and Michael Lesper up here presenting. I mean, come on.

[4:59] Eden Espinosa: I'm on some repetition.

[5:04] Robert Bannon: I want him to knock on a door and you to reside.

[5:07] Eden Espinosa: That's right.

[5:08] Robert Bannon: Thank you. So good to see you.

[5:09] Eden Espinosa: Thank you early on. Star of Suffs, Jenn Colella.

[5:12] Jenn Colella: Jen, do you know that Jen did the Come From Away reunion in her house, in the pilot.

[5:19] Robert Bannon: We were we hosted the Come From Away, our most watched reunion ever.

[5:23] Jenn Colella: Is that right?

[5:24] Robert Bannon: Ever.

[5:24] Jenn Colella: That's so dope. I love that so much. And that show is brilliant, and stuff is brilliant.

[5:29] Robert Bannon: Thank you, buddy. Thank you. What's it been like to put this show?

[5:32] Jenn Colella: It's a pretty epic show.

[5:33] Robert Bannon: Ooh, it's epic. It's exciting. The audiences are flipping out. They're being so so kind and going on the ride with us. We're having a blast. We love each other. We believe in the show. It's good times. And we need this show to protect women's rights, queer rights, everyone's rights more than ever.

[5:47] Robert Bannon: Amen, my friend. Especially during an election year. This show is super, super proud to like be the ones teaching us how to vote, how to register to vote, get out there and exercise that right.

[5:58] Jenn Colella: And she sings her face off, just letting you know.

[6:00] Robert Bannon: You do. Good to see you.

[6:01] Jenn Colella: Thank you, brother. Appreciate you.

[6:04] Robert Bannon: Nicole Ari Parker.

[6:07] Nicole Ari Parker: Hi Nicole, how are you?

[6:09] Robert Bannon: I'm so good to see you.

[6:10] Nicole Ari Parker: I know you. We were at opening night of The Refugee.

[6:15] Robert Bannon: Mwah. And you're so gorgeous.

[6:16] Nicole Ari Parker: Thank you. But more so than being gorgeous.

[6:18] Robert Bannon: I know. Everyone tells you you're gorgeous, but you are.

[6:23] Nicole Ari Parker: How can they not tell you you're gorgeous?

[6:26] Robert Bannon: But you should have seen the three-hour epic performance that you did on stage.

[6:31] Nicole Ari Parker: Thank you.

[6:32] Robert Bannon: It was amazing. What is it like to be a part of tonight's show and have the work recognized at the Lortel Awards?

[6:41] Nicole Ari Parker: Um I'm just blown away. Um I feel like a kid, like the play itself was such a such an award. And to be able to work with Patricia, it's just um everything. You know? Um my parents are really proud. I called home like it was Christmas when I found out. But it was already so fulfilling. This is just beyond whatever I could imagine.

[7:08] Robert Bannon: Well, I know we love you on TV and we like you in movies, but I really like you on stage here in New York. I'm just saying.

[7:14] Nicole Ari Parker: I'm just saying too. I mean, theater is my first love, and I hope I get to do some more.

[7:20] Robert Bannon: Oh, I'm sure ever listen, producers, people out here. We need it.

[7:24] Nicole Ari Parker: Thank you. I love you, I love your family, I love your work. I just appreciate you.

[7:30] Robert Bannon: So sweet, so gorgeous. I can't wait to see you again.

[7:33] Nicole Ari Parker: I can't wait to I'll see you soon. Much love.

[7:35] Robert Bannon: BD Wong.

[7:37] BD Wong: It's high in here. I mean, you know it's not a real red carpet unless people are sweating.

[7:41] Robert Bannon: Well, we am I wrong?

[7:43] BD Wong: You are right, and it is sweating and it is crazy, and we're at it's a it's a night Off-Broadway extravagance exciting. Your presenter, I see you at the Rosie Gala every year.

[7:51] Robert Bannon: Every year. And I got stuffed because I use the reference of Oz to display in your career, and then I got a list of a thousand other credits. We know he's in Jurassic World. We know about the Law and Order. No need to be redundant. I was trying to give a deep cut.

[8:06] BD Wong: Yes.

[8:07] Robert Bannon: No, and you gave an elevated choice. You use an elevated example. I stand by that show. I love that show.

[8:14] BD Wong: So do I.

[8:16] Robert Bannon: Well, Off-Broadway. You've done a lot of theater. You have a Tony Award to prove it, but why is Off-Broadway so important in New York Theater scene?

[8:22] BD Wong: Because of the voice of the playwright. And because of the voice of a diverse community of people that doesn't always get to make it all the way to Broadway. Broadway sensibility has to be very commercial. It has to look for a wide audience. The smaller a show can be, the easier it can be for a playwright to say whatever she or he wants at all ever. And that unfettered voice is so important in the theater. It does trickle up to Broadway in different ways. And so a strong Off-Broadway can make a better Broadway, in my opinion.

[8:54] Robert Bannon: Oh, absolutely. And that's why we love this art and artistry. And that's why my mother-in-law loves me because she watches Law and Order and she gets to see me with people like this. That's why I'm the favorite son-in-law.

[9:04] BD Wong: Exactly. I'm the gateway. I'm the gateway to the theater.

[9:06] Robert Bannon: Thank you so much, Reedy. Thank you for everything you're talking about. Congratulations on the nominations tonight.

[9:14] BD Wong: Thank you so much. Priscilla Lopez is a goddess.

[9:18] Robert Bannon: She is every goddess.

[9:19] BD Wong: Yes, she is. You are. Theater goddess. And you can listen to Priscilla Lopez on the Broadway Podcast Network with your podcast that you talked to Donna. We're here on BPN too. Your show was gorgeous over at Lincoln Center. What an amazing cast.

[9:35] Robert Bannon: I have the randomest thing. My camerawoman Adrian's mother was friends with a woman named Lillian in Montclair, who Priscilla Lopez used to know and have parties with. And Adrian was like, can you please say something? Because my mom talks it, and she brags and says, I know Priscilla Lopez. So was your mother at some of Lillian's parties?

[9:55] BD Wong: Her mother Ellen was at the parties.

[9:58] BD Wong: Yes. Oh yeah, I know Lillian. Hi, Ellen.

[10:02] Robert Bannon: That's it. This was that. This was Lillian and her back in the day at the parties.

[10:08] BD Wong: Alright.

[10:09] Robert Bannon: Oh my goodness. We just had to have that moment. But you're amazing.

[10:11] BD Wong: You're amazing.

[10:14] Robert Bannon: Your show's amazing, and we're ready for all the work that's still to come.

[10:17] BD Wong: Thank you for being here.

[10:18] Robert Bannon: Thank you. Appreciate it.

[10:20] Robert Bannon: Marla Mindelle.

[10:22] Marla Mindelle: Marla, you're opening the show tonight.

[10:25] Robert Bannon: Singing I'm Alive.

[10:27] Marla Mindelle: I thought you said opening a show tonight, and I was like, which one?

[10:30] Robert Bannon: And the shows are coming. The shows are coming.

[10:32] Marla Mindelle: My Big Gay Jamboree. Can you give us like what is it gonna be like?

[10:36] Marla Mindelle: Okay, the biggest jamboree is about a failed actress played by yours truly that wakes up trapped inside a 1940s musical on stage. She has no idea how the F she got there, and she has to utilize her BFA in musical theater to get the F out. Sorry, that was kind of long. But did you get it?

[10:51] Robert Bannon: I don't think you're a failed actress at all. I mean, Titanic is running the entire world.

[10:57] Marla Mindelle: Thank you. Yeah, it's going around the world. It's dropping in Canada, in London soon. I mean, world domination.

[11:05] Robert Bannon: The world it's all the power of Celine.

[11:05] Marla Mindelle: The power of Celine is here. Queer, get used to it, okay, Go for it. I love you. Congratulations on everything. We will be at My Big Gay Jamboree all the time.

[11:16] Robert Bannon: You have to. It's Titanic 2.0. It's just as funny. I'm not gonna say if not funnier, because Titanic is very, very funny. Marla Mindelle is gonna run the world. That's what's happening. Queen of Off-Broadway. You will see me on trash cans everywhere. Make no mistake.

[11:27] Marla Mindelle: I love you.

[11:32] Robert Bannon: Thank you. Good to see you.

[11:34] Robert Bannon: Director of Stereophonics, Daniel Walkin.

[11:37] Daniel Walkin: How are you doing?

[11:38] Robert Bannon: I'm Rob Time No Scene.

[11:40] Daniel Walkin: Yeah. I saw you opening night, and I've been seeing all the Stereophonic folks, and I've been saying the same thing to them. Y'all took all the Tony nominations. You better go.

[11:47] Daniel Walkin: That's uh yeah, it's quite a haul. It's pretty strange, pretty surreal. Pretty fantastic. How do you even when you direct something that's this long and this epic of a tale? Do you break the is it do you have beats as a director, like an actor? Is there sections of the show that you worked on individually?

[12:04] Daniel Walkin: Oh yeah, absolutely. You work on a lot of things. Sometimes the smallest thing for, you know.

[12:10] Robert Bannon: Yeah, like the first scene we probably rehearsed for 60 hours or something like that.

[12:16] Daniel Walkin: Oh my god, and I'm just here on the social media for sixty seconds, and you threw come on, acting uh congratulations.

[12:22] Daniel Walkin: Thank you so much. It's so beautiful. It's epic.

[12:25] Robert Bannon: Oh, thank you so much. Thank you. Nice to see you again.

[12:27] Robert Bannon: Songwriter of Stereophonics, Will Butler.

[12:32] Will Butler: Uh last time I saw you, you were not a 13-time Tony nominee.

[12:38] Robert Bannon: A lot's changed.

[12:39] Will Butler: A lot of things have happened the last couple weeks. I just talked to David, and I told him you didn't want to share the award. You wanted to give all the you took all the nominations.

[12:49] Robert Bannon: Me? Not you per well, not you personally.

[12:51] Will Butler: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's great. Now we get to show up and stuff all together in the gang style or something. And it's fun.

[12:57] Robert Bannon: Oh, were you nominated too?

[12:58] Will Butler: Oh, were you nominated as well?

[13:00] Robert Bannon: Oh, amazing. What does it feel like to take your show Off-Broadway and now bring it on Broadway and this whole how do you sum it up?

[13:07] Will Butler: It's a dream. Like confusing like a dream and good like a dream, but like and then I was up against Bat Boy Slim for a Tony. It was cool.

[13:15] Robert Bannon: For a play.

[13:20] Will Butler: Yeah, it's wild.

[13:21] Robert Bannon: Yes. Well, you enjoy the ride.

[13:23] Will Butler: Every second.

[13:23] Robert Bannon: It's so good to see you.

[13:25] Robert Bannon: Writer of Stereophonics. How you doing?

[13:27] Will Butler: I'm doing okay. Well, last time we saw you, your show just opened, and now 13 Tony record-breaking nominations. What's it been like the past month?

[13:35] Will Butler: Um I feel really um crazy.

[13:42] Eli Gelb: To be totally honest. I mean, we all just feel we're like all still in shock. It hasn't landed. The Eagle hasn't landed yet. We're all trying to process this. It's amazing. Well, you need to go get your tickets to go see Stereophonic because it's amazing. And congratulations. It's so deserved.

[14:00] Eli Gelb: Thank you so much. When we last saw you, your show just opened.

[14:07] Eli Gelb: That's right. And now it is a phenom. It is a phenom. It's always been a phenom, but yeah, we needed a little more shine on it, and now everybody knows. And you didn't want to like share the Tony Awards with anyone else. You wanted them all.

[14:21] Eli Gelb: Yeah, let's do 13, let's set a record. That's right. Yeah, because your show's fire. It is fire. I mean, and like, you know, that has, I mean, I guess we all have something to do with that, but it all comes down to David Adjmi and his incredible, incredible play. You know, when I read it, I was like, if nobody really messes this up too bad, this is gonna be a real special sort of history-making moment. And it is. Congratulations. So good to see you.

[14:51] Camille A. Brown: You as well, thank you so much. Choreographer for Hell's Kitchen, Camille A. Brown, Tony Nominee. How are you?

[14:58] Camille A. Brown: How are you? Your show is such Hell's Kitchen is such fire.

[15:04] Camille A. Brown: Thank you so much. Fire. What was it like to collaborate, especially with this cast, with this music that we know and love?

[15:09] Camille A. Brown: Oh my goodness. I thought I mean it was such an amazing opportunity. It was a special opportunity. I felt extremely honored to be in the room with Alicia and Michael Grife and Chris Diaz, all of them coming together and just the support that I felt, and then just it being, you know, I'm from New York City originally, born and raised. So to have the opportunity to put all that I know through my lens onto a stage was great. And there was pressure too, not that anyone else gave me, but pressure that I put on myself because the music of Alicia Keys is so brilliant, so well known. Everybody knows it and loves it. So, you know, what I was constantly thinking, how can I contribute to this music? So it's been an amazing opportunity.

[15:57] Camille A. Brown: Well, this season of the amazing shows that open on Broadway, this was a show that I left smiled throughout the whole entire time.

[16:04] Camille A. Brown: They are singing and dancing their faces off.

[16:06] Robert Bannon: They certainly are. I cannot disagree. And when you pick a project, you've done some really beautiful projects, your Broadway work, your other shows, your off-Broadway work. What is it that appeals to you? What do you look for when you get pitched to a project?

[16:18] Camille A. Brown: Yeah, I mean, something that speaks to me personally. I think it's always important for us to have entry points. So I'm always thinking, well, what is my entry point? And how can I, what are the ways that I can fall in love with this project? Because I want to live and breathe it, so I try to figure that out, and that's what guides me.

[16:35] Robert Bannon: Well, it moves me, and I can't even clap on the two and four, so I am moved. So congratulations, break legs and everything.

[16:42] Robert Bannon: But you better be done and done. Listen, before I talk to Roger Covington, I want him to know that I'm these are still a 32 waist pants. Okay. Yes and yes. And I still chapter one when I need to lose a couple of pounds. Look here. You know, you can always use it when you need to. Besides him being Little Richard, besides him being a nominated Lord Tell, I want to tell you when I met Roger Covington, I was lost. I was not out. I was 200 and through 300, almost 300 pounds. You changed my life.

[17:13] Roger Covington: Oh my god. You were so ready.

[17:17] Roger Covington: You was just ready. You were willing and ready at that time. Remember our first assessment? You came to me to my Pilates class.

[17:25] Robert Bannon: Yes, I do. I mean at Roger Covington and Adam Hyman put me in a subway from New Jersey. They took me to a fancy gym. He gave me a Pilates ball and that magic damn ring.

[17:36] Roger Covington: Magic circle.

[17:38] Robert Bannon: Yes and yes. And the rest was I had abs and everything eventually.

[17:42] Roger Covington: Yes, you did. And we brought Kale and we ate eggs. And now you're amazing at marrying art and your own business. You're a business person, but you also are an amazing artist. How do you do it?

[17:56] Roger Covington: My husband, who's right there. Yeah. My husband. Like, I mean, he really keeps me together. And I mean, this is something that as far as like wellness and art, it's what I've been doing since I was in college. Like when I was at SUNY Purchase, you know, like my classmates, they were like, hey, can I go to the gym with you and, you know, work out, and then we would be in rehearsal all day. So it's something that I've been doing, and just sort of it's just like kind of who I am. Now I'm not as young as I used to be, neither am I. So I thank God for my team. Team CRF, my staff, they're exceptional, and you know, they really hold it down. You know, I'm just out here, you know, just trying to look pretty.

[18:45] Robert Bannon: That's right. Core Rhythm Fitness. Go get your fitness on, get the nutrition plan, get the whole entire private training classes, and then come see Roderick on stages in Broadway and off-Broadway and television. He does everything and sings his face down like this.

[18:59] Roger Covington: Thank you with one percent body fat. I hate it.

[19:03] Robert Bannon: Pisses me off.

[19:05] Roger Covington: Too bad.

[19:05] Robert Bannon: It's more you know, Gabby Beans, y'all. What how's it going?

[19:10] Gabby Beans: You know what? Happy to be here, living the dream, wearing a dress, you and a dr. Jonah, roundabout, your work. We chatted it virtually, but then I saw your show.

[19:20] Gabby Beans: Oh wow, you're a monster up there.

[19:23] Robert Bannon: Oh my gosh, thank you.

[19:24] Gabby Beans: Hopefully, a good monster.

[19:25] Gabby Beans: And in the best way, like a monster actor, a monster actor.

[19:29] Robert Bannon: Thank you so much. What's it like for the show to be recognized here tonight?

[19:32] Gabby Beans: It feels really beautiful. I'm here carrying the work of my fellow castmates and Danya and Rachel. And I feel like being a working actor is like honestly the gift of my life. And so to be recognized in this way just feels like absolute gravy. So this is just the beginning because there's gonna be so much more work from you on stages and screens, and we're here for it.

[19:57] Gabby Beans: Thank you so much. I hope so. Your lips to God's ears. It's gonna happen. It's done. Congratulations. Enjoy tonight, break legs.

[20:03] Robert Bannon: So nice. Wade McCollum.

[20:07] Robert Bannon: Look, Wade is in Water for Elephants, but Wade did a one-person show and is nominated here.

[20:13] Wade McCollum: That is true. Can you give other actors a chance, Wade, to work?

[20:17] Wade McCollum: I'm just running from a mat night. I'm sweating.

[20:20] Robert Bannon: You look so good.

[20:21] Wade McCollum: Thank you. Come on, Sue. What does it feel like? What did you feel like when you got nominated for this tonight?

[20:25] Wade McCollum: Oh, I feel so grateful. I was nominated for Ernest Shackleton Loves Me some years ago. So it feels like, oh, I know this. This is a good party. I love these people. I'm very grateful.

[20:35] Robert Bannon: I am so go see Water for Elephants. The Tony nominated for Best Musical Show. New York Critics Pick and all of it. And then we're ready for you to do more work. We're ready.

[20:46] Wade McCollum: Oh thanks. It's good to see you in person. The real people, like they're real. They're not just a little box in a Zoom.

[20:53] Robert Bannon: You're human. Yeah. It's good to see you. Congratulations.

[20:57] Natalie Vanettia Belkin: talks Buena Vista Social Club.

[21:01] Robert Bannon: I'm good. Yes. Hi, Natalie.

[21:03] Natalie Vanettia Belkin: Hi. I know you. I've seen you on the stage.

[21:05] Natalie Vanettia Belkin: Yeah. I have seen you play some sitcom stars on the stage. I've seen you be around some puppets. But now the Buena Vista Social Club.

[21:13] Natalie Vanettia Belkin: Yes. What was it like to be in this show?

[21:16] Natalie Vanettia Belkin: I'm this is quite literally the best feeling situation. I am still somewhere in the clouds, and like I was just saying, it really, none of this has actually quite hit me yet. I'm gonna start crying. It's real. It's real. And it's just and it's important because of my background and the band and the woman that I get here to sink my teeth into. I am beyond words. Like I'm beyond.

[22:02] Natalie Vanettia Belkin: Yeah. Well, when I was talking to some of the other castmates of the show, I was talking about I think of the Buena Vista Social Club, I think of the hat, I think of the music, I think of the look, I think of the history. It's an amazing history. I am most excited for, but I think it's a good idea. I am besides my, besides myself. I really am. This is the biggest, and I know you hear people say the most amazing experience and the biggest blessing. But no, quite literally. There's a lot of home. Quite literally. It is this is the biggest deal to me. It's the biggest deal. I'm beyond honored. And it's the best kind of pressure.

[22:41] Natalie Vanettia Belkin: Yes, and what am I supposed to do? It's the best kind of pressure I could scare on the right carpet. I could possibly have.

[22:45] Robert Bannon: Yeah. We're excited for you. Congratulations. Enjoy this moment. It's so well deserved and an amazing career.

[22:51] Natalie Vanettia Belkin: Thank you so much. Sure. Christopher Diaz, the bookwriter of Hell's Kitchen.

[22:54] Christopher Diaz: So good. It's such fire.

[22:57] Robert Bannon: Thank you. Thank you. It's a lot of fun. We're proud of it. How does it feel to go from off-Broadway and being nominated here tonight and now on Broadway, New York's Time, Critics Pick, the whole shebang?

[23:06] Christopher Diaz: It's, you know, it's a gift. It's really, really nice to be back here. To be back in the, you know, back at the cortells, to be celebrating that production, which is very similar to the production that we moved uptown, but it's its own individual thing. So to be able to get some recognition for that is beautiful.

[23:23] Robert Bannon: Did you write in the book like all the carrots that Shoshana cuts?

[23:28] Christopher Diaz: No, but I kind of want them to give them to me. I make soup and we need them, and I'm very concerned about the carrots. I've also, I don't know that enough recognition has been given to the fact that Brandon Victor Dixon eats a carrot during the song and continues to sing. It is one of the craziest, most audacious things I've seen an actor do, and I love it.

[23:49] Robert Bannon: And sing like that. I mean, my god.

[23:51] Christopher Diaz: Yeah. No one can sing like that. And he's like, I'll do it with a carrot in my mouth.

[23:55] Robert Bannon: Well, I love the show. It gave me such joy. Congratulations.

[23:58] Christopher Diaz: Thank you so much. Thank you so much. My name is Edamar Moses.

[24:01] Edamar Moses: Edamor Moses is here. Congratulations.

[24:04] Robert Bannon: Thank you. What's it like to be a part of the off-Broadway community and be recognized here tonight?

[24:08] Edamar Moses: It's really meaningful. I mean, obviously, like you don't sit there in your house being like, so many awards will come my way. Like you're just, but it really is meaningful to be, I don't know, to be in this community and for people to recognize your work and to be have the opportunity to support other people. I don't know, there's something special about it.

[24:25] Robert Bannon: You know, if I was sitting there, I wouldn't be mad at you if you thought all these awards were coming your way. You work. Whatever it takes to motivate you. Sometimes it's like I'll buy myself a muffin later. Sometimes it's awards will come my way, whatever helps. But how do you deal with the blank piece of Microsoft Word document?

[24:40] Edamar Moses: It gives me such anxiety.

[24:42] Edamar Moses: Yes, it can be difficult. You just wait. You just wait for the muse to strike. And don't put too much pressure on yourself when it doesn't.

[24:49] Robert Bannon: Oh God. I may be waiting the rest of my life, but I'm so happy to talk to people like you. Congratulations. Break blanks. All the best.

[24:56] Edamar Moses: Thank you.

[24:57] Robert Bannon: The Jessica Malaski.

[25:00] Jessica Malaski: I understand. Jessica, if you don't know Jessica's music, she's got four albums that just got re-released. Her husband is a genius. She's a legend. Jessica, you are a legend.

[25:13] Jessica Malaski: I was in a workshop. I got to be an assistant from Matt Gold and Griffin Matthews when you did the family project. And your way that you played the mother in that show, and the personality you gave is something that stuck with me as an author.

[25:26] Robert Bannon: Horse Radars Thomas from Trader Joe's. What's it like to be here tonight, especially to be honored in this an off-Broadway show season?

[25:33] Jessica Malaski: Oh my god. It was, well, first of all, this one. I've loved this one forever. We just made a record with him with my husband.

[25:39] Robert Bannon: Well, you sure did. We talked about it. It's gorgeous.

[25:41] Jessica Malaski: Oh, thank you. It's just been so amazing. And I mean, I kind of thought I was done. There's not a lot of parts for people of my age and on the broad on the boards these days. You know, Jason Robert Brown and Daisy are my dearest, dearest friends of 30 years, and it was just a like just a beautiful little icing on the cake.

[26:00] Robert Bannon: We're never gonna let you give it up. There's always gonna be work for you. We love your work.

[26:03] Jessica Malaski: Thank you so much. It's so nice to me. And love to your husband and thank you for all of the music. You're a legend. I'm gonna be singing your jingle for the rest of my life because I listen to the Yankees every game, and I just listen to his voice, and they I make all that money and box.

[26:21] Jessica Malaski: That's right. That's right. Fox Woods. Alright, thank you so much.

[26:25] Steven Pascual: Steven's a real person. Steven, last time I talked to you, you were at Teeth, you were in rehearsal, you were eating dinner, you had an interview with me while you were eating. You're real.

[26:37] Steven Pascual: Oh my god, yes. That's right. I remember. Yeah, it was the double duty days, which I'm glad are behind me. Mounting two shows and releasing a record are a little bit too much work for one week.

[26:49] Robert Bannon: But the record is out. The show's run was killer.

[26:52] Steven Pascual: Thank you, ma'am. Thank you. What an amazing fun, wild ride.

[26:55] Steven Pascual: Yeah, it's the most fun I've ever had. Those guys really got it right, and so excited for all of the teeth love that's happening tonight.

[27:02] Robert Bannon: Well, we're excited for it, and we can't wait to get to see what happens with the show. Enjoy tonight.

[27:06] Steven Pascual: We'll enjoy it. Thank you. Good to see you.

[27:08] AJ Shivley: Hey AJ, how are you?

[27:12] Robert Bannon: How are you doing?

[27:13] AJ Shivley: Well, how are you? You may know it. You may know, you may know AJ from me falling from Paradise Square and Bull and all the things, but you're here tonight for Philadelphia Here I Come.

[27:23] Robert Bannon: And congratulations on this run.

[27:25] Bubba Weiler: Thank you so much.

[27:26] Bubba Weiler: Yeah, we just closed at 5:30 p.m. today. Our curtain came down.

[27:29] Robert Bannon: What a way to end a run, though, and then be here. Was it emotional? Was it sad?

[27:34] Bubba Weiler: No, it feels cathartic. I mean, it's sad because it's a beautiful piece. The company get along so well. So it's sad to like I want to do it more, but it was cathartic. It felt good.

[27:47] Bubba Weiler: Yeah. And we're gonna be all we're all gonna be here. So it's so close. He put on this fire suit.

[27:52] Robert Bannon: Thank you. Brooks Brothers.

[27:54] Bubba Weiler: Brooks Brothers. That's not off Broadway money.

[27:57] Robert Bannon: Brooks Brothers is a good price too. I got it during Paradise.

[28:01] Bubba Weiler: That's right. Congratulations. Enjoy tonight and happy closing and break legs.

[28:08] Nikki Douglas: Hi, I'm Bubba Weiler. And congratulations.

[28:10] Robert Bannon: Thank you so much. How's it feel here to be here at the Lortel Awards too?

[28:13] Nikki Douglas: Feels amazing. It's so dreamy.

[28:15] Robert Bannon: Yeah. Well tell us why what is what show are you here representing?

[28:18] Nikki Douglas: I'm representing a show called Swing State.

[28:20] Robert Bannon: Yes. With quite the epic run.

[28:23] Nikki Douglas: Run run. Reviews. What was it like to be a part of this production with this cast?

[28:28] Nikki Douglas: It was so meaningful to me because I grew up in Chicago. This cast is a Chicago cast. And so it's people that I have been watching for years and who I've admired for years, and I actually got to work with them. And then we got to we did it in Chicago, and then I got to bring it to New York. So it's just been very full circle and beautiful for me.

[28:49] Robert Bannon: Well, we're excited for more work and work like this off Broadway is where it's at for creativity in New York City.

[28:55] Nikki Douglas: That's right. Congratulations. Enjoy tonight.

[28:57] Robert Bannon: Thank you. My name is Nikki Douglas.

[28:59] Nikki Douglas: Hi, Nikki. Congratulations. How does it feel to be here at the Lortel Awards and celebrating off Broadway here tonight?

[29:05] Nikki Douglas: Feels spectacular. I'm so thrilled to be celebrating not just theater, but the theater that I made.

[29:10] Robert Bannon: The theater that you made. When you put on theater and when you start to make the process of theater, you never think of awards. I'm sure you do it for the art. But what's it like when you hear you've gotten nominated?

[29:19] Nikki Douglas: I'm always grateful for recognition. I think that I make theater in such a specific way that it feels especially joyful to be recognized for what it is that I do.

[29:27] Robert Bannon: Well, off Broadway is where it's at. That's where the art is at. So congratulations and enjoy tonight.

[29:33] Paco Tolson: Thank you very much.

[29:33] Robert Bannon: Hi, I'm Paco Tolson.

[29:35] Paco Tolson: Yes, you are!

[29:36] Robert Bannon: I know that.

[29:37] Paco Tolson: Yes! How are you doing?

[29:39] Robert Bannon: I'm great. How are you? How does it feel to be here? You probably feel light as a feather.

[29:43] Paco Tolson: I know what is it like to be here and to be amongst these artists and have this award season be honored, be here to be a part of this group this year on off Broadway.

[29:55] Paco Tolson: I think there's been just so much bold risk-taking work this season. I am thrilled to be here. I have known many of these people for all of my artistic career. And to come from the bottom and come to the top, as far as I'm concerned, is a dream.

[30:08] Robert Bannon: Yeah. Now the show that you're here for, Night of the Burning.

[30:11] Paco Tolson: How do I say it right? Castle.

[30:12] Robert Bannon: Pestle.

[30:14] Paco Tolson: Yeah. Mortar and Pestle.

[30:16] Robert Bannon: Yeah. How was it to be a part of the show? What was it like to be a part of this casting creative team?

[30:20] Paco Tolson: It was a dream come true. I had to lobby everybody to say this is something that we really should pursue. And it was brought to us and we read it. Red Bull came on board after we had workshopped it and we co-produced it. And sometimes you have a synthesis of a role and an actor and a production, and that's what we had for me for this. I felt completely tapped into it.

[30:41] Robert Bannon: You need a Red Bull to get through this evening.

[30:47] Paco Tolson: We're all gonna I'm ready for more work, more art, more stages, and congratulations and break legs.

[30:56] Mel Sime: Thank you.

[30:56] Robert Bannon: Mel Sime. From the Buena Vista Social Club, I need to have my Buena Vista Social Club hat and the album. And you know what we're talking about. What's it been like to be a part of this season and the scene in New York City to put on your music and your work up on stage these years?

[31:11] Mel Sime: I mean, it's been an honor to be able to continue with the legacy of such a strong culture in Buena Vista Social Club, us, you know, the word of the stories of Cuban culture around the world, you know, the music that has influenced so many styles and generations. So for me, it's an honor to be a part of that.

[31:33] Robert Bannon: Well, it's an honor to talk to you because we have all jammed out some Buena Vista Social Club. You know, if you have a party, you better put on some of their records and do your thing. You've must have toured the world.

[31:41] Mel Sime: Well, I mean, I've toured the world with all their different bands, but for me, this is the first time I, you know, I'm holding the torch of the Buena Vista Social Club legacy, so for me, it's like a double honor because I grew up listening to them and now I'm carrying the legacy for moving the legacy forward.

[32:00] Robert Bannon: Yeah. Well, thank you for all the music. Thank you for all of the memories that the music evokes from people, and congratulations.

[32:07] Mel Sime: Thank you so much. It's really really nice to meet you.

[32:09] Justin Peck: I'm Justin Peck.

[32:11] Patricia Elgado: Patricia Elgado.

[32:12] Carlos Gonzalez: And I'm Carlos Gonzalez.

[32:14] Justin Peck: We're on the dance team of the Buena Vista Social Club.

[32:17] Robert Bannon: And I want to just learn how to dance and wear cool hats and like fun Cuban ensemble and clap on the right beat.

[32:28] Carlos Gonzalez: I don't do any of that.

[32:33] Robert Bannon: How's it feel? Congratulations on this night.

[32:37] Justin Peck: Thank you. We're so excited.

[32:39] Robert Bannon: So what can we say about the process? What can we say about working off Broadway? Why is it important as artists to have a show on the off Broadway where the cool kids come to make art?

[32:51] Patricia Elgado: Well, I think the coolest thing about being off Broadway is that every single person that came on board to do this project believe wholeheartedly in what we were doing. Especially there were people from all around the world that came here that maybe didn't even know what off Broadway was. They're just like, we want to sing this music, we wanna tell this story, we want to dance to this music, and so everyone fully believed like wholeheartedly in what they were doing. So we just kind of just dove right in to see what this would become, and we're here celebrating because we too are just so proud and thankful for the opportunity to get to work on it.

[33:23] Robert Bannon: Congratulations, enjoy.

[33:25] Carlos Gonzalez: Nice.

[33:25] Robert Bannon: Oh, the light. You walk over, you come over and the lights just shot the lights and dim the lights.

[33:31] Patricia Elgado: Dim all the lights.

[33:33] Robert Bannon: Sweet darn. Now I'm aging myself. Well, tell us your full name if you don't mind.

[33:37] Florencia Lozano: Florencia Lozano.

[33:39] Robert Bannon: See why I didn't say it, because I would not have said it as beautifully as that.

[33:43] Florencia Lozano: Or Flo. You can call me Flo.

[33:45] Robert Bannon: All right, Flo's good. What's it like to be here at the Lortel Awards tonight?

[33:51] Florencia Lozano: Oh, it's amazing. You know, theater is my religion. These are my people, my tribe. I feel really lucky and grateful to be here.

[34:04] Florencia Lozano: And off Broadway at that, where it's creative and where people really get to build beautiful pieces of work.

[34:10] Robert Bannon: Yeah, we do it because we love it. We do it because we need to, and because the world needs us, gosh darn it.

[34:17] Florencia Lozano: We sure do. Thank you for the work and congratulations. Enjoy tonight.

[34:20] Robert Bannon: Thank you so much. I'm Donnie.

[34:24] Donnie: Hi, Donnie.

[34:25] Robert Bannon: Yeah, I love your outfit.

[34:26] Donnie: Thank you. What's it like to be here tonight at the Lortel Awards?

[34:29] Donnie: This is the first time, and I'm like blown away. I am so blown away by this. This is amazing. It's amazing, and off Broadway is where all the cool kids come to see art.

[34:39] Robert Bannon: I totally agree with you on that. I wrote this play about five years ago to have a nominated. It's been amazing.

[34:44] Donnie: Did you ever when you write a play, you never expect something like this?

[34:48] Donnie: No. Have you ever thought about sitting down and writing a letter and you want to go, is it gonna go to the mailbox? This is huge.

[34:54] Robert Bannon: This is huge. Do you get where do you get your inspiration for writing? Is it life? Is it through fantasy imagination?

[35:02] Donnie: I do a lot of historical writing, so this play was about a historical character. So I really deep dive, and it took five years to write this play.

[35:10] Robert Bannon: Oh my god. Research people, it's not Wikipedia.

[35:13] Donnie: I'm sorry. I don't want to. You really do a rabbit hole because there's a lot not written about people back in the 1920s and 30s. So you have to keep digging and digging and digging and digging and digging.

[35:23] Robert Bannon: So yeah. It's so nice for it to come to fruition and for a night like this. Congratulations.

[35:27] Donnie: Thank you.

[35:28] Donnie: Oh, I am. I am I am Lux Hawk.

[35:32] Robert Bannon: And how are you?

[35:33] Lux Hawk: I'm great. You look beautiful. I love this whole entire the earrings are everything.

[35:38] Robert Bannon: Ah, thank you very much. Do you enjoy getting ready for things like this?

[35:41] Lux Hawk: I do. I love getting dressed up. That's why I'm a costume designer.

[35:44] Robert Bannon: What did you design here tonight?

[35:48] Lux Hawk: Manahata.

[35:49] Robert Bannon: Yes. Okay. And what's it feel like to be recognized here with the Lortel Awards and to be a part of tonight?

[35:55] Lux Hawk: It's incredible. I've never been nominated before, so I'm just really excited to be here.

[35:59] Robert Bannon: It's really so do you like when do people judge do you when people you go out when they know you're a costumer? Do people say, Do my costume does my outfit look okay? Do they worry about getting dressed in front of you?

[36:10] Lux Hawk: I'm worried about what I'm wearing right now. No, I don't think they worry. I think they get excited at the opportunity to ask me to go shopping with them.

[36:19] Robert Bannon: So now that sounds like a party.

[36:21] Lux Hawk: That's what I'm talking about. What has it been like to work on this show in particular?

[36:26] Lux Hawk: Oh, this show is dreamy. Working at the public is just an incredible experience. So it's just nice to be able to look forward to going to work every day.

[36:36] Robert Bannon: Congratulations, break legs, and we'll be checking out all the costumes to come.

[36:39] Lux Hawk: Thank you so much.

[36:40] Robert Bannon: How are you?

[36:41] Unknown speaker: Hey, good to meet you.

[36:43] Robert Bannon: So tell us, you're here, nominated.

[36:44] Unknown speaker: Yes, I'm nominated with fifty-nine productions for the best projections for Corruption, produced by Lincoln Center Theater.

[36:50] Robert Bannon: So, how does someone get into projections? Can you get the projection to work in my fifth grade classroom?

[36:55] Unknown speaker: Listen, I spent a lot of time helping friends and family with that sort of stuff because I have that skill set. I went to school for always sort of loved theater and went to school for theater design and sort of fell into video. Like a lot of the people I know who do video design fell into it by other bits of theater and found out I was kind of good at it and, you know, went from there.

[37:15] Unknown speaker: I've also been really lucky to work with 59 Productions, who we do some really crazy huge projects, but also like these fun little, not little because Corruption was huge, but these sort of really challenging, dynamic, dramaturgically challenging projects.

[37:27] Robert Bannon: Can I ask you a dumb question? So if you have like an Epson, yeah, I'm sure you don't have an Epson projector, but if you have a projector, how do you get it to turn on and off? And what's the work on a computer? Like, seriously, do you know?

[37:40] Unknown speaker: It's like it's like a full-time IT job and a full-time design job. It is so much like technology that we rely on to make what we try to do happen. That it is sort of some like magical elves in the machine sometimes.

[37:54] Robert Bannon: I'm obsessed. Congratulations.

[37:56] Unknown speaker: Thank you, thank you. I'm thrilled to be nominated, and listen, it was a fun show to do, and we had a lot of support from everyone else at Lincoln Center and all of our other designers and the Jabarton JT who directed and wrote the play. So it was nice to be not to not be nominated.

[38:09] Robert Bannon: Well, congratulations. Thank you for all you do. You make the shows look so amazing.

[38:13] Unknown speaker: Thanks.

[38:13] Robert Bannon: And we appreciate it, and can good luck. Break legs.

[38:16] Unknown speaker: Thanks, yeah. I mean, I'm just excited to be here and also see all my friends who are nominated. So there's a billion people here. This red carpet has eight million people. It's seven hundred and sixty-two degrees here. And we they I mean, like it is like star, star, star, sweat, sweat.

[38:33] Unknown speaker: Oh my god. Hot smelly body odor. I work in a fifth grade. It smells like my classroom after a gym class in here.

[38:40] Robert Bannon: But with love. I mean that with love. Because it's just we're all best friends. Look at she's a star. She is a star. She's a star. She's on the Broadway Podcast Network.

[38:51] Unknown speaker: Oh but you only could listen to her show when you run out of episodes of mine.

[38:56] Robert Bannon: That's true.

[38:59] Unknown speaker: No, I mean, no, I mean you can listen to hers first.

[39:01] Robert Bannon: No, mine's just for fun. I'm like, I just like talking to people, but mine has too many commercials anyway.

[39:07] Unknown speaker: I mean, how many commercials are on your episodes?

[39:10] Robert Bannon: Not enough. I take mine out.

[39:12] Unknown speaker: No. I'm a shameless, greedy capitalist pig. I max them out.

[39:17] Robert Bannon: Alan's like, you need you need ad breaks. I'm like, yeah, but people like don't like listening to them.

[39:26] Unknown speaker: No. Hey, do you like listening to commercials?

[39:28] Unknown speaker: No.

[39:29] Unknown speaker: Do you like listening to commercials?

[39:30] Unknown speaker: No.

[39:31] Robert Bannon: Well, too bad. It's a part of the podcast. He's like, don't fast forward to the commercials. I get paid when you listen to the commercials.

[39:40] Unknown speaker: But I'm like, if I have to stop and put them in, I might not edit the podcast episode.

[39:44] Unknown speaker: I don't either. I just look for a break in the talking and stick them in there.

[39:51] Robert Bannon: Don't tell Alan Seales that. Thank you so much for listening to us and all the mess we got into at the Lortel Awards. Thank you to Chris Kennerick for inviting us to be a part of it. Thank you to my friends on the Broadway Podcast Network for being there. Adrian Cologne for working the camera and the microphone. And thank you for listening, as well as all the nominees and winners. If you want more information about my show, you can go to RobertBannon.com or follow me at Robert M. Bannon on Instagram. I'm doing a show at 54 Below. We have a big old guest coming up for Pride. So keep up and follow, and we'll be here every single day with more information and more guests and more talking art on the Roundtable. The best is always yet to come. It was such a joy to be here with you. Go see a show and support art today. Bye, everybody.