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[0:05] Robert Bannon: Are you ready? It's the round table with me, Robert. Well, welcome to the round table, everybody. My name is Robert Bannon. You're listening to some Broadway World over here on the Broadway Podcast Network, iHeartSpotify, wherever you listen to artists talking about art. I love one-person shows. I love people who tell their life story. I love people from the tri-state area. I love people named Robert. I think Robert, I think our guest, Robert, I don't Montano. Is he Italian? What are you, Robert? Are you an Italian Long Island? Like he went into he grew up in part of Long Island. What is your story? He's here to talk about small, and I'm so many questions. Let's do it. Robert, welcome.

[0:43] Robert Montano: Hi, welcome. Thank you. Thank you for having me. I appreciate you doing so. I am Italian Puerto Rican.

[0:51] Robert Bannon: Okay.

[0:52] Robert Montano: Father's Italian. My mother's was a very spicy Puerto Rican woman from Mayaguest, Puerto Rico. Yeah, and I was raised, you know, most of my life in Hempstead, Long Island. And if you notice it, the Long Island Island connects on the G.

[1:12] Robert Bannon: I get without you even saying anything. My last name's Bannon, but my mom is Rose de Meglio. She's Italian, and I'm from Jersey. So to me, Long Island and Jersey, it's like the same. It's like the same thing.

[1:25] Robert Montano: Oh, yeah. But what I found fascinating is your career is very vast. I mean, you've won a lot of awards, done a lot of dancing, done a lot of theater, done iconic pieces of work. But your show is not necessarily about that.

[1:44] Robert Montano: No, no. It really focuses on my career as a racehorse jockey. When I used to race horses at Balmont Park Racetrack. I rode my first race at Aqueduct Race Course in 1977. And you know, I was a very bullied kid when I was in seventh grade and before that and a little after that into high school, but I was that skinny kid with major buck teeth. I mean, boy, I could whistle and I was at least a couple of inches smaller than some of the other kids. I thought I wasn't gonna grow and you know, I wanted to be a baseball player. I wanted to play for the New York Mets shortstop. Buddy Harrelson was my hero, and it wasn't until my mother mistakenly took me to Balmont Park Race Course that I fell in love with the horses and the jockeys.

Because when the jockeys came out of the jockeys' room and walked into the paddock area, we're talking, you know, the early 70s that Belmont was just packed with people on the weekends and even during the week. But when the jockeys arrived and they came into the paddock area, everyone just hushed, and I didn't understand what that was. My mother told me it was respect that the people were just showing their respect, and they were watching these little men that I found myself akin to. And then to see them get on these animals that are 1200 pounds of muscle, nothing could have been more sexy and more dangerous than that. And I just felt like this is where I belong, you know, and it's amazing to me because, you know, my uncle and my aunt owned racehorses.

And so, yeah, as kids, we would go to the Meadowlands or we'd go to Belmont. I'm born in '83, and we would go, and all I wanted was so badly for the horse to win to take that family picture in the winner's circle. And at that time, you know, as a kid, it was exciting because you would hope the horse won, and you'd see the horses up close and personal, and it was such a part of a cult. I mean, it still exists and is a part of a culture, but in this time, it was the spot to be on a Saturday night or a Friday night. It's a lot like show business in a way because you have a big crowd, there's an adrenaline, there's a rush. How do you get into this? Like, how did Robert Montano, who I'm assuming has no one else that was a jockey, who didn't own horses growing up, get into the business?

[4:36] Robert Montano: Well, you know, like I said, my mother, you know, she loved gambling. And she would, you know, go to bingo all the time. But then, you know, and then she would, you know, every Sunday we would go to church. Very often she took me with her alone. Well, my mother and I were very, very close. But she would take me to church, and then from there is where I discovered the racetrack because when she brought me there, thinking that she was gonna buy some tiles for the kitchen floor, we went to this huge stadium, and I thought like, wow, this is a big place to get tiles at. And it turns out that she was selling jewelry to this jockey, Robert A. Pineda at Fortune offs, and he was a jockey, and he said that he had a good shot to win. So she took some money, brought me with her, not knowing where I was going, thinking we were getting tiles, to place money on him. He won the race, we got tiles.

[5:41] Robert Bannon: Yeah. This is such a universal. I mean, look, even if you've never been a horse, you're gonna find a lot of inspiration by your story. The story, the show's the model of the play, go to the website. You're telling this story, and it's just a unique story, but it's very universal in the sense that we all have a childhood, we all grow up, we all have characters, our own parents. Even though this is very specific to you, everybody's gonna get something out of coming to hear their story.

[6:05] Robert Montano: Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. I mean, they're gonna find something that they feel akin to. But the biggest thing that I find is that, you know, people have come up to me and said have equated it to Rocky when on the racetrack. And I believe that to be so because, you know, I consider myself an average blue-collared worker. And there are so many of us out there, the average people who wake up every morning and have that hope, that dream, and we struggle for it, and we strive for that. You know, it's that five percent, ten percent that win all the time, you know. I'll never know what that's like. But there's a piece of the story that within that struggle, to whatever degree it may be, they'll understand it.

They'll understand, you know, their love of horses, they'll understand the love of dance. They'll understand just the pageantry of anything that they witness, you know, whether it be going to a baseball game, a football game, they never get to see the dirt behind it, the hard work. And that's why I get to share, you know, 24 different characters with the audience with backstretch workers, you know, the people who really make this world tick. But yeah, getting onto the racetrack was not something my mother wanted me to do. She knew that it was dangerous, and it turned out that that jockey, you know, Robert Pineda, he took me under his wing, but unfortunately he had gotten killed in a race. And his brother also was a jockey, got killed in a race also three years before him.

People don't really understand, you know, that it can be a dangerous sport, you know. But so she didn't want me to do that, but I stumbled on a couple that I was delivering the Long Island Press to. I was a paperboy. So when I was smelling there, which I thought was peat moss on that grass, they corrected me and said that there was horse manure on their car tires. And I asked them that they worked what, where? Where do you work with horses? And they said, Balmont Park Racetrack. You should have seen me. I just begged and begged until the point where they gave in and brought me to the track, and I fell in love with it and I said, This is for me. But you know, when I hit 14, 15, my god, my growth spurt hit at the most inopportune time.

So when I was 16, I was five foot seven, and I rode my first race, and I had to weigh in with saddle and boots and everything at 107 pounds. It was a struggle. It was a struggle. But you know, it's about dreams, and I was trying to make that dream pardon me for the New York City basically.

[9:17] Robert Bannon: Is it like is it equated to like you have to be a certain weight? So is it like I've seen, I remember being in high school seeing the wrestlers who would starve themselves trying to get down and weigh, cut weight, cut weight, cut weight. There is that kind of pressure in this as well.

[9:32] Robert Montano: Yeah, that and also for dancers too, they you know, female dancers, and you know, well, bulimia is part of it, so you know, yeah, you have to if you don't make weight, you don't get to ride. I mean, there's a certain amount of weight that's five pounds overweight that you can that's the max, and it's up to the trainer or the owner to take you off the horse and replace you. So that happens, and you either make weight or you don't, you know.

[10:05] Robert Bannon: So do you know how many races you raced?

[10:08] Robert Montano: Oh yeah, oh yeah, because you know, my mother always used to say, lucky number seven, you know, and it was kind of lucky, and that's all I rode was seven races. I mean, I have my life. It also gave me the opportunity to stumble on a second love, which was dance. But seven races is all I got to ride, and you know, a very dear friend of mine, Richie Migliori. He was a jockey, and he broke his back and his neck twice. And the last time when he did that, you know, his wife Carmella had called me up and said, you know, we're here at the hospital in the city, you know. Richie wants to see you, and there he was with screws in his head. And he said to me, Bobby, I am here to tell you, man. You could ride 7,000 races, you could ride 700,000 races, you could ride just seven races, but you'll always want the next, and this is the end of my career.

You know, I'll never get to ride again. And he's won over 4,500 races, and it's such an adrenaline rush that the average person who doesn't get to ride thoroughbreds will never understand what that's really like when you get loaded into the starting gate, and you got power under your legs, and you feel the treble in a horse's body, you know. It's just like you're ready to break from that gate and lunge up and forward and hit 40 miles per hour in the first jump. You know, it's kind of crazy.

[11:52] Robert Bannon: They are the most gorgeous. Well, I took my husband horseback riding, he loves horses, and they scare the bejesus out of me. They are so beautiful and big.

[12:00] Robert Montano: Yeah, they are so powerful, they make you feel so small and so weak. And they are the most gorgeous creatures.

[12:08] Robert Bannon: Yeah. How were you not? You were you scared? I'm scared of just hearing the story, and you're here to live to tell the fail. But it had to be terrifying.

[12:16] Robert Montano: No, it wasn't. You know, I, you know, my fiancé, she, she's also a performer, a great dancer, Dylis Croman. She, she's never been privy to thoroughbred racehorses and she is now a lover of the racetrack and the horses, you know, but I would always tell her because she was afraid at first and I said just look them in the eye let them feel you make that communication that connection you know between the two of you you know and you're gonna see they're gonna you're gonna feel your energy and they're gonna like fall into your hands like putty you know but you just gotta make that connection and realize that there's love there and yes it can be daunting because they're they are huge animals and I always equate them to being overgrown dogs although they it can't sit on your lap so you did not get so this the story the show get tickets to see the show you've won awards you've done the show in the past you when did you come up with the idea to write this and make it a one-man show and how long did you work on it for this to become a full fleshed out project?

[12:28] Robert Montano: Well, I'll give you the short the skinny of it and that was like back in 1994 when I was I don't know my second or third play at Actors Theater Louisville. John Jury was the artistic director and he read my playbill and said, you know, you always write an homage to the racetrack, you know what you should write something about it. I said, nah, it's not interesting. But he's the one, you know, when he asked me some questions, he's the one who got me thinking about it. So I wrote it first as a manuscript and I submitted it to Random House and they wrote me a beautiful letter and it didn't work out but then I decided to write as a one-man play and I couldn't figure out how to make things work without being too narrative and telling the audience about certain sounds and whatnot now the power of sound design and then I while I was doing Kiss of the Spider Woman on Broadway I was privy and had a relationship a good friendship with Terence McNally, one of our greatest American playwrights and I asked Terrence if he would read my manuscript and he read it and he said you have to make this into a film because it's so visual so I did and it got optioned twice both companies were moving in a direction with it that was not satisfying to me so I took it back and I shelved it and I was working with this other director Jackson Gay who we had worked in like three four different plays together and she asked to read under the wire which was loosely based on my true story and she approached me on about it after she read it and said I want you to write this as a solo play you let me direct you and you started and I was like no so for two years she kept knocking on my door to write it and I thought to myself what am I afraid of and is it learning lines is it but it wasn't that.

[15:46] Robert Montano: It was about me actually sharing my blemishes with everybody. But I thought to myself, that's where they're gonna understand me most because nobody wants to talk about their blemishes, but you know, I'll share my blemishes and I'll share my small victories at the same time. So I decided then to start writing as a one-person play about eight years ago, and I was doing a play at Denver Center, and my director of the play I was doing there approached me and said, "Do you write?" And I said, "Well, I dabble," and she said, "Well, what do you got?" And I told her, and she said, "Submit it to the slam playwrights festival. You'll never know if you get in." I mean, it's like over 600 submissions, and they only picked six people.

I was like, "Oh, that I believe one." And she said, "Submit it." I got in. And it was the last one of the night, and all of a sudden I just had all these literary agents giving me cards and saying, "Hey, send me the entire script. I want to read the entire script." And that's how it got started. And then when I asked Cheetah Rivera, who was my surrogate mom, to host a presentation of it at the very theater that we're in right now, so like full circle. It was about three years ago. She hosted, and when you get Cheetah, they will come. You can come. Yeah, and that's what happened. And she helped me get this produced. And Joe Brancado and Penguin Rep, they picked it up. They gave me the opportunity, and after that, we just took off, and we have been performing in various theaters around the country.

And the last stop was the Old Globe, which was in the rounds. Great, it was so great to do it in the round. But we're back on the proscenium setting, and this by far is the best iteration of the set for the proscenium setting.

[17:51] Robert Bannon: I am so excited for people to see this story. You know, I saw, shout out much love to Cheetah and much love to Lisa and much love to her whole team. And the honor of my life was having them on this show a few times. I have done, Robert, 1100 episodes of the show. I have never heard a story like your story and has fascinated me more than this story that you're telling. Because dancing is one of the hardest worlds to get into. And so is being a horse jockey. And the fact that you've done both and have lived to tell this tale and had this career means that there is an incredible story that you are going to tell. And one-person show I saw, I saw Chas Palminteri the other day do his bronze tale as a one-man show with the sound cues.

And as an actor, I go into it thinking, like, am I, this is gonna keep my attention? Is this gonna be boring? Am I gonna, and I was so riveted because to hear one person tell their story, it is like the best cocktail party, it is the best story you're ever gonna hear, and that's what you're telling on stage is your journey that we're all gonna feel connected and root for you. What's it feel like for you to relive it though, every night and tell this story?

[19:08] Robert Montano: Well, there are pockets of places, you know, that I have to relive, and it's hard sometimes, you know. It chokes me up, and I have to suppress it because I, you know, I have architecturally placed moments until those moments where you just kind of release. So you can't let the cracks in the dam happen along the way, but you can't explode yet until it's earned its time, you know. So there are moments that I just have to really just hold things down and just squelch it, you know. But then there are other moments, you know, of my first time actually going through Belmont Park and driving there. I could visualize it every single time I do the play. I know exactly where I'm going when I'm driving around Belmont.

That place was my home for so many years, you know. And thank God it was in earshot of Adelphi University. Because I was able to continue galloping horses in the morning, even though I was in a jockey. And then, you know, trading in my riding boots and my ballet slippers at Adelphi University, you know. It was, um, so you know, every time I come into the studio, they go, they take a whiff of that air and they go, "Robert's here."

[20:48] Robert Bannon: Do you ride still for fun? Do you go to horse races for fun?

[20:52] Robert Montano: I do go to the racetrack, and I'm still very connected to the racetrack. And my jockey buddies and a bunch of them are coming to the opening night. I mean, Hall of Fame jockeys, you know, and at the top of my list is always, you know, Richie Migliori, because you know, he's been such an advocate of Under the Wire and now Small, and Johnny Velasquez, another buddy of mine who rode in the Kentucky Derby this year, and Javier Castellano and Stevie Cawthon, who was the youngest jockey ever to win the Triple Crown. He gave me his saddle, and I have his saddle on the set, you know, and I'm using real props on the stage. I'm using Robert Pineda's whip. I have Steve Cawthon's saddle. I have Robert Pineda's exercise saddle.

I have my own jockey helmet on the wall, my own black croup boots that I used to exercise horses on the set. I want real things, and you know, I pray that I'll never lose them, but they're so valuable to me, and I kiss them all. I touch them all before I leave the stage after my warm-up before I do the show, you know. They're just very dear to me, and I feel like we're taking that journey in real time.

[22:16] Robert Bannon: Robert, I feel like I, you know, there's certain, I don't know how to just, I don't want to stereotype where there's certain areas you grow up, there's certain nationalities that you feel like, you know, some, I know you, I know the neighborhoods you grew up in where I know the areas, the people. I can imagine your mom. I can imagine your family because they remind me of my family, and that's what is going to be amazing about seeing this story is that even if you've never been on a horse, even if you've never been to Belmont, even if you don't know anything about dance, you are going to feel a part of this family connection and this journey that you've been on.

[22:53] Robert Montano: Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. There is a piece of something in Small. You know, I don’t forget. I had this 80-year-old woman, you know, come up to me at George Street Playhouse while we were doing it there. Jersey. I loved it there. They were so great to me and my crew. This lady said to me, you know, as old as I am, you have given me the right now to take on the thing that I feared the most. And whatever that might have been, I can't remember what she told me. And she said, "Well, when I go home, I'm gonna start researching and doing that thing," you know. So it might have been dance, who knows?

[23:37] Robert Bannon: This run is going to happen. You need to get your tickets. You need, listen, I could see it. I could see it. Whatever Robert wants it to be: a movie, a TV show, a Broadway show.

[23:45] Robert Montano: Do you know what? It got picked up for a major motion picture. You know, yeah, Todd Robinson, who I went to Adelphi University with. He's directing it. He and I are writing it together. It's already written. We're just like, you know, just smoothing it over. And we went to Adelphi, him, Jonathan Larson, and I, the three of us at Adelphi hung together, and Jonathan wrote Rent. You know. So Todd went off to Hollywood, and he wrote his first film when he got there called White Squall. And he hasn't looked back since. I mean, he's been just on a roll, but we got Ed Harris interested in playing one of the characters. We're talking to Sam Jackson on another character. I mean, it's kind of crazy. It's just taking off, and yeah, but Small though, if anything, you want to see somebody run around like a fool, it'll be me. It's very physical.

[24:43] Robert Bannon: I can't wait to check this. My dad was born in '55, owned a racehorse at one point with my uncle, was a big racehorse aficionado. I can't wait to take him. I gotta take him to see the show. Um, everybody's gotta, this is the perfect show to come see this spring in New York City. The tracks are gonna be open. You need to go see this show, smalltheplay.com. And we could stay up to date with you on socials online and all of those things. Is your website for more information about the play and the movie and everything that's only the best things are coming your way now, Robert?

[25:17] Robert Montano: It's all the best is yet to come. Bless. You know, I mean, Cheetah, my mom, my father, and so many others, you know, they're all looking over me, you know. I got angels, man. Yes. Oh, I'm breaking legs. I have the most incredible run. I cannot wait for people to check this out and for to see what happens.

[25:36] Robert Bannon: Well, listen, if you comment, you okay please go afterwards.

[25:40] Robert Montano: Absolutely.

[25:41] Robert Bannon: I got, I am fat, I'm, you got me now. Robert, I'm not going anywhere. I'm here for this ride. This is, you know, this is, this is a story. You've got, you hooked me. I'm in, I'm in. Thank you so much for spending time with us today.

[25:55] Robert Montano: Thank you, man.

[25:56] Robert Bannon: Thank you, Robert.

[25:57] Robert Montano: Take care.

[25:58] Robert Bannon: Thank you, Eric.

[25:59] Robert Montano: Oh, let me. I don't want, I wanted to pause this because I wanted to say.

[26:05] Robert Bannon: So I am here at Small with Robert Montano. How are you doing today?

[26:09] Robert Montano: I'm good. I'm good. I'm just can't wait to get this opening goal. I am, I'm really excited. I think I'm more excited than you.

[26:16] Robert Bannon: I don't know. So, you know, this, you spoke with Robert a couple days ago, and you said that this was recently picked up for a major motion picture.

[26:25] Robert Montano: Yes.

[26:25] Robert Bannon: And that you've been ironing some very big names in Hollywood. You know, how does it feel to see your story be told not only on stage but soon to be screened?

[26:34] Robert Montano: Well first I can't believe it because, you know, when I first started penning it, I just thought to myself, who's gonna care? You know, you don't know. As a matter of fact, my father said to me the night before I did my very first reading, he said, "You seem nervous," and I said, "Yeah, I am." He said, "Why?" And I said, "'Cause I don't know if it's gonna mean anything to anybody, if they can attach themselves to it in some way or form." And he said, "Look, just tell your story, you know, and let the rest happen because you have no power over that." And he was right, you know. So I'm just blown away that we are back here in New York in this amazing theater, and also it being made into a film by Todd Robinson, who's been, he's directed and written so many amazing movies, and for him to pick up this film and what kills me more than anything else is that we were college buddies.

[27:34] Robert Bannon: Yeah.

[27:34] Robert Montano: And we went to Adelphi University and Jonathan Larson, the three of us used to butt around together. And Jonathan went on to his Rent fame. Yeah, and so here I am in my small way doing Small.

[27:47] Robert Bannon: I absolutely love that. That is absolutely incredible. Now, you've won some major accolades and nominations with this piece before in the past. What feels different about or new about this energy, this vibe?

[28:01] Robert Montano: Well, you know what? It's funny. I mean, it's great to be nominated and to win an award. But like Cheetah said to, you know, about me, he doesn't do this for awards, you know, but it certainly helps and it's a great recognition, you know. But, sorry, what was the original question?

[28:20] Robert Bannon: Oh no, I, you know, just, well, what makes this, you know, my question was what feels different? You know, what feels new about this piece compared to what you've done in the past with this?

[28:31] Robert Montano: Yeah, well, it's just the rhythms have changed. You know, the set is bigger. It's wider. I have more space to move. You know, we have some new additives to the set that I've been trying to get since day one, and now we finally got it, so it's a nice little addition. But you know, the story has always stayed the same, and it has had an impact anywhere from the age of 13 to 80-something, you know, and I've had people come up to me after the show and just, you know, telling me their story and how it was connecting to the play.

[29:17] Robert Montano: So yeah. So you know talking about the impact on people, you know, your size was something that you had to overcome with people, you know, going at you for. Yeah, but how did transitioning from, you know, being a horse racing jockey to being a Broadway dancer, how did that change your relationship with your body and your identity and who you were? It's a good question. Well, you know what? Being a jockey and being a dancer are very analogous to each other. You still have to have that same kind of focus and discipline. As a dancer, you have to have that. As a jockey, you have to have that. And you're always, you know, there's no such thing as a second win. You gotta keep going. So, you know, I just I took all of my tools as a jockey and just implemented that into being a dancer.

And I, you know, I've never been afraid to work hard and, you know, being a dancer, a dancer's life is hard. Yes. You know, you're constantly watching your body and the food intake and studying, you know. So, but now I'm able to transfer that into this play, and it's very, very physical, the whole play.

[30:33] Robert Bannon: Oh, I absolutely love that. I can't wait to see it. I can't wait. Steph and Ayesha Curry.

[30:37] Unknown speaker: What? How are you doing today?

[30:39] Unknown speaker: I'm Mike.

[30:40] Unknown speaker: Doing good. Hi Mike, nice to meet you. Now, my question for you, real quick, you know, Small is heavily centered on an athlete where his physical size was a massive liability. And you know, before figuring out how to turn it into his weapon, as someone who revolutionized basketball, you know, how does that theme of rewriting the athletic narrative resonate with you?

[31:03] Stephen Curry: It's a journey that doesn't really, um, it doesn't make sense until the end. Everything you do is just about your passion and joy for your craft, what you know you can offer the world, what brings you joy, uh, who you get to do it with, the narratives around it and what it means, uh, from a story perspective. That kind of is the cherry on the top of the end. Because, uh, no matter how it plays out, you're appreciative of the journey.

[31:35] Robert Bannon: You know, that's absolutely beautiful. So, you know, we know Robert Montano pivoted from sports into the arts. Are you, you're a big theater fan yourself? I mean, I saw you at the premiere opening for Lost Boys. So you guys singing in a while. I'm a big fan of that song. You're a big fan of the arts. What would you do, uh, Small today?

[31:51] Stephen Curry: I took one theater production class in high school. My wife is the one that has introduced me to this world, and it's been amazing to see her talent, um, you know, shine through. So she's the one that's most qualified to talk about it. But when it comes to Lost Boys and our ability to be, you know, co-producers on that show, be here to support, you know, Robert. Um, just be a fan of me.

[32:15] Robert Bannon: Yeah. That's absolutely amazing. Now, you know, what kind of drew you to this show specifically? You know, give us your background in the theater.

[32:24] Ayesha Curry: Well, I think obviously our first foray into the Broadway world is with the Lost Boys, but I've been training a lot with Dylis Crowman. She's been teaching me how to dance, and so that is how we were introduced to Robert, her Beyoncé. And so we're just excited to see, we've gotten to hear so much about the behind the scenes and what this has come to be, and so we're just excited to see him lay it all out on the stage tonight. It's gonna be so cool.

[32:56] Robert Bannon: That's absolutely incredible. You know, I can't wait to see more of you from dancing and all that. Last real quick question. You know, if you weren't doing what you guys are doing today, uh, you know, Robert reinvented himself going from a jockey to the arts. What would you be doing today if you weren't playing basketball? If you weren't doing what you're doing today?

[33:12] Stephen Curry: Great question. It's always a fun exercise because you never, I never, you never know. You poured everything into what you do. So thankfully I don't have to answer it. Yeah. Something to be doing with like teaching kids. I love that. Uh, that's always been a joy, Joe. I would definitely be on the Broadway stage for a fair.

[33:32] Robert Bannon: That's what I like to hear. That's 2026. We gotta manifest it, you know.

[33:36] Stephen Curry: Yeah, 100%. Well, thank you guys so much for your time. Big fans, thank you so much. Appreciate it.

[33:41] Unknown speaker: Thank you. Questions? Why don't you introduce yourself for the camera real quick?

[33:44] Wayne Salento: I'm Wayne Salento. Now, Robert Montano completely reinvented, uh, reinvented himself. And if you weren't doing what you did today, what career would you go into?

[33:58] Wayne Salento: Uh, that's a really good question. I was supposed to be a pharmacist. That was not happening for me. Um, and somewhere in the middle of that, I decided to go to Brockport University and become a dancer phys ed minor. And here I am.

[34:15] Robert Bannon: That's absolutely incredible. Now Robert famously shared the stage with Chita Rivera and among other amazing performers. Who was the first person, uh, first collaborator that you worked with that really raised your game? Your li raised your as a performer or as a choreographer? Whatever you want to do.

[34:35] Wayne Salento: Well, I started off pretty well. I started off with Michael Bennett in Seesaw, so that was, you know, you had to step it up. And then, um, after that, what happened to me? I went to do Rachel Lula Rosenblum and tried to get back into Seesaw, and then I went into Irene, and then Peter Gennaro was a big part of my development. And, um, I just ran around the town and studied from everyone I could possibly study, start from, like, uh, Donna McKechnie and then Betsy Howes and all the people that were actually teaching, and I just kind of caught up with myself and who I was and developed who I am. Absolutely strange, but yeah.

[35:16] Robert Bannon: That's awesome. Everyone has their own journey. Well, thank you so much for your time.

[35:19] Wayne Salento: You're welcome. I hope you enjoy the show.

[35:21] Robert Bannon: Congratulations on everything. I'm Mike from with the Roundtable. So, you know, we're here to see the show about Robert Montano who, you know, completely reinvented himself going from a horse jockey to Broadway dancer. If you weren't doing what you do now, what would you be doing?

[35:40] Unknown speaker: Well, I just reinvented myself. I had businesses in San Francisco and just reinvented myself as a Broadway producer with our show The Lost Boys. But if I wanted to reinvent myself again, what would I do? Sure, why not? I think I'd come back like six foot six and I'd be a professional beach volleyball player. That was always my dream, but I topped out at six feet tall, so and now I think I'm like five, ten and a half. I kept shrinking. So that's a bad answer.

[36:03] Robert Bannon: That's all right. Now, Lost Boys is absolutely amazing. You know, we're a few weeks away from the Tony's. How are you feeling about that?

[36:09] Unknown speaker: I'm feeling good. I'm feeling very excited and honored that people responded to a show that we've been working on for so long in a way that we could have only dreamed of. And, uh, we're excited to see how it all works out.

[36:19] Robert Bannon: All right. And now my last question for you, you know, um, Robert famously worked with Chita Rivera and so many other amazing big names. Um, who was the first Force of Nature collaborator that you worked with that, you know, just kind of completely upped your game?

[36:35] Unknown speaker: Well, I was very fortunate that about two months after I graduated college, I started as an actor, and I did a play with Frank Langella at the Roundabout Theater, and he was one of the great, he is one of the great American actors of our time. I was then, I'm saying it was this was 30 something years ago. Um, and I just remember stepping on stage opposite him for the first time and looking him in the eye, and him looking me in the eye, realizing I need to step up my game real quick, and, uh, I was fortunate that he took a chance on me, and then it all worked out.

[36:59] Robert Bannon: That's absolutely incredible. Well, I hope you enjoyed tonight's show. Thank you so much for your time. It's a pleasure meeting you.

[37:04] Unknown speaker: All right. Why don't you introduce yourself for the round table is?

[37:07] Steve Beck: Steve Beck, Sirius XM, do at the races Monday through Friday, talking about horse racing.

[37:13] Robert Bannon: That's absolutely amazing. Now, Robert Montano, you know, he's completely reinvented himself going from horse racing to Broadway dancing. If you weren't doing what you do now, what would you be doing? What would your second career be?

[37:25] Steve Beck: Well, I was in the food service business before I got involved, so I suppose I would still be, I would probably still be doing food at racetracks.

[37:35] Robert Bannon: Oh, very nice. Concession work, yeah.

[37:37] Steve Beck: Wow. Now, um, you know, Robert famously shared the stage with Chita Rivera and so many big names. And my question for you is what kind of force in nature big name kind of did you work with that made you up your game?

[37:53] Steve Beck: It's a good question. I certainly, I certainly been around the top broadcasters and, uh, I would say the turf writing community. And, uh, when the show started, it was really pretty modest. It's 20 years now. Uh, just, you know, just having exposure to, uh, Jack Whitaker, uh, people like that, and, uh, you know, all the great turf writers that the Daily Racing Forum and the Post and the news, everybody that's on the turf writing beat, and they're so knowledgeable about the game that you, you absolutely have to elevate your own approach. And you have to educate yourself, and you have to basically match wits with people who really understand the sport.

[38:46] Robert Bannon: Now, my last question for you, I'm kind of getting my start in broadcasting. I'm in a college radio station in Jersey, and, uh, I've done some sports broadcasting, I do music. What is like your number one tip for, uh, broadcasters that want to start and get into that field?

[39:03] Steve Beck: Take advantage of the current landscape in terms of how you can practice, how you can essentially perfect yourself and gravitate toward the things that you like the best and the things that have the greatest interest to you, and then, you know, whether it's YouTube, whether it's TikTok and any of the social media formats, you essentially can broadcast yourself, and once you get to a level that engages the public, your career will take off of its own volition. But make sure, make sure it's something you have a passion for.

[39:51] Robert Bannon: Well, thank you so much. That's great, great advice. Thank you so much, it's been a pleasure.

[39:55] Steve Beck: Thanks for having me.

[39:56] Unknown speaker: Thank you. How are you doing today?

[39:58] Unknown speaker: Very good, how are you?

[39:59] Unknown speaker: I'm doing fantastic, happy opening. It's a very exciting night. Now, directing a solo performance is a unique challenge. Uh, how do you help a performer pace themselves, especially when they're, you know, unpacking some emotions when it comes to, you know, possibly traumatic moments in their life?

[40:16] Unknown speaker: Yeah, well, you know, most solo theater that I work on is authored by the performer, and so most of the content is autobiographical, and I just try to spend some time getting to know them and understanding what their relationship to that, you know, past, whatever it is, and, um, respect it.

[40:38] Unknown speaker: Now, what was the most surprising thing that you learned about the world of horse racing while collaborating with, uh, Robert on this?

[40:45] Unknown speaker: Oh, I mean, the list is endless. Uh, I'll tell you that he did take me to the Beaumont racetrack at 4:30 a.m. Oh my god. And we spent an entire day together just going through every single thing that a jockey would do on the racetrack, and it was one of the most memorable experiences I've ever had.

[41:02] Unknown speaker: That's, uh, that's, uh, actually so incredible. That's awesome. Now, when people leave the theater tonight after the, or any after any performance, what kind of conversations do you hope they're talking about after the show?

[41:12] Unknown speaker: Well, I certainly hope that they're thinking about all the times in their life that they fell in love and they were trying to make that love work, and no matter how hard they tried, it wouldn't work out. And then as soon as that door slams in their face, another one opens.

[41:27] Unknown speaker: Yeah. Thank you so much for your time. Congratulations on the show.

[41:29] Unknown speaker: Thank you so much. It's a pleasure. I hope you enjoyed it.

[41:32] Robbie Dima: All right, now, Robert Montano, he completely reinvented himself, you know, going from a horse jockey to being a Broadway dancer. If you weren't doing what you do now, what would you be doing?

[41:44] Robbie Dima: I'd be a racehorse trainer.

[41:45] Unknown speaker: Oh, there you go. All right. Yeah, it's really cool. We got the, we share a very similar passion, very similar story, and, uh, he's a mentor to me. He's a big brother to me.

[41:54] Unknown speaker: I absolutely love that. Now, Robert, you know, he famously shared a stage with Chita Rivera and among very other amazing names. Who was that force of nature collaborator that you worked with that really helped you up your game?

[42:08] Robbie Dima: Wow. Um, so many. Between, uh, one of my acting coaches, I took class with Chaz Palmateri for a while and just learning how to just be grounded in a moment and kind of less is more. Then also when you're on set and working with people, like it's okay to kind of speak up if you're ever uncertain. But between Bobby and Chaz and, uh, also Johnny Chenatiempo, awesome stunt coordinator, uh, very thankful for him and some of the opportunities given me.

[42:35] Unknown speaker: That's absolutely incredible. Well, I hope you enjoyed tonight's show. Thank you for your time.

[42:38] Robbie Dima: Thank you. I'm Adam Duritz, and I'm an old friend of Robert Montano's, and I'm very, very proud to be here tonight to see this.

[42:45] Unknown speaker: I love that. My quick question for you. You know, Robert, he completely reinvented himself going from a horse trainer to a Broadway performer. Now, if you weren't doing what you do now, what would you be doing?

[42:56] Adam Duritz: Oh, unemployed. Almost certainly unemployed.

[42:59] Unknown speaker: Oh, that's, uh, that's great. Well, you know, I really hope you enjoyed this tonight's show. Thank you so much for your time.