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[0:00] Alan Seales: Today's guest is one of my absolute favorite people in the world. Many people know he made his Broadway debut in the title role in Dear Evan Hansen, and he is now starring in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. But what most people don't know is that while he was in Dear Evan Hansen performing his six shows a week, he was also attending Yale and obtaining a master's degree that has landed him his latest gig being the science consultant on the forthcoming Avvatar the Musical. Andrew Barth Feldman, welcome to The Theatre Podcast.

[0:40] Andrew Barth Feldman: Thank you so much for having me, Alan. It's so wonderful to be back. I'm happy to be back now as, you know, sort of my full form of now that I'm doing everything I love.

[0:52] Alan Seales: So you managed somehow to get a master's degree from Yale in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences while performing at Dear Evan Hansen. What was that like?

[0:58] Andrew Barth Feldman: Yeah, well, what a lot of people don't know is that every computer on stage in Dear Evan Hansen, it's a real laptop. So I was, you know, doing homework while I was, you know, doing the opening monologue, doing Sincerely Me. Because, you know, I really, I didn't have a second to rest, but I felt, you know, while I was dancing and singing and crying, my mind was growing as well.

[1:23] Alan Seales: Isn't it true that there were actually people with cue cards in the wings, like holding up and quizzing you on facts in the middle of Dear Evan Hansen?

[1:26] Andrew Barth Feldman: Yeah, I would just kind of like whisper, like, arachnophobia, you know, things like that, to make sure that I was staying on my toes. Because if I wasn't staying, you know, if it wasn't different every night in, you know, my test that I had on Thursday, quizzing me on that on Tuesday, you know, the story stayed intact because it was so different every night in the different kinds of levels of studying I was doing.

[1:54] Alan Seales: Oh, that's incredible. You're such a perfect human being.

[1:58] Andrew Barth Feldman: Oh, that's very kind. I wouldn't go that far.

[2:02] Alan Seales: What is your, so Avatar the Musical, I'm so excited behind this. Legendary producers, Cheryl Phillips and Steve Jones, of course. We'll get into working with them because I know Steve especially can be a little bit hard to work with. But tell us first about your role as science consultant on Avatar.

[2:18] Andrew Barth Feldman: Yeah, it's a lot of, you know, I'm a big fan of the movie. I'm a scholar of the movie, really. I took a lot of classes in the film at Yale under James Cameron, actually. It was a lot of just rewatching it and rewatching it to prepare for this movie. And then what I kind of found was it wasn't my hundreds of rewatches of the movie that helped me here. It was my degree in earth science. And so it's really making sure it's all rooted in reality and rooted in the real earth, because that's the message of the movie is conservation. So making sure that we're actually pushing that message. And it's not just about, you know, blue people and all that.

[2:58] Alan Seales: Well, speaking of blue, I'll bring it back to Dear Evan Hansen, because of course, the theme, blue, blue, and James Cameron color.

[3:06] Andrew Barth Feldman: Yeah, right. So blue seems to be in your blood here. And when James Cameron came to see Dear Evan Hansen, of course, he came because he's just like another blue show all about blue. I got to come see this. So when he met you, do you remember like, what did he ask you about?

[3:21] Andrew Barth Feldman: Yeah, it's funny that the story he tells, the story he tells, and I have no reason to believe this isn't true. But the story he tells is that he saw me in the show. And he was like, that's our science consultant on Avatar. I don't know how it happened. But he saw something in me that that guy, I see that there's cue cards in the wings, he's clearly keeping up. He's our science consultant. So he came, he knocked on my dressing room door. I said, I'm naked, James Cameron, I need you to come back in a minute. I put on my clothes, I opened the door, he came in. And, and he asked, he offered me the job right there. I've it was I've never experienced anything like that. Actually, kind of everything in my career has happened exactly like that.

[4:03] Alan Seales: And, and obviously, your work on interstellar biodiversity and climate dynamics that you did a thesis on that. And how has that come in handy with Avatar as well?

[4:10] Andrew Barth Feldman: I mean, it is it is the core of the story, right? Is interstellar biodiversity, and the other things you said, it really is what's at the heart of this story? Is it a love story?

[4:30] Andrew Barth Feldman: Yes. That's not what I'm concerned with as beautiful as these performers portray this story. And as much as I admire them, it's about the world, isn't it? And the world's plural, you know, and going between them. And that's really was the point of my thesis statement was conservation extends far beyond our Earth.

[4:48] Alan Seales: Very, very, very well said.

[4:56] Andrew Barth Feldman: And thank you. I know that that you've been a little bit privy to see some information as well that that, you know, when doing your research on all of this interstellar stuff, and, and climates and other, and other Earth like planets that you've had some some confidential information from the government is kind of put in put on your desk anonymously.

[5:13] Andrew Barth Feldman: Let's just say there are some numbers in my possession. I guess that's the best way to put it numbers that if they were found, it would be a problem. Hmm. Oh, I guess that's, that's as much as I can say.

[5:34] Alan Seales: All right. So we hinted at this earlier, producer Steve Jones, and producer Cheryl Phillips. Steve Jones is a he's got a he's got a how do I want to put this delicately? He's got a reputation of not being the nicest guy to work with. Whereas Cheryl Phillips, on the other hand, opposite of the spectrum, super, super bad, super nice lady, best lady, like what's it like being in the middle of these two powerhouses?

[5:58] Andrew Barth Feldman: Well, Alan, I'm a generally anxious person. So I feel as though there's, there's kindness in everyone really isn't there? So there's kindness at everyone's heart. That doesn't stop me from being horrified of Steve Jones having nightmares about Steve Jones. That doesn't stop me which is hard because it's one of my really core beliefs that everyone has a nugget of kindness, even if it's just a little glimmer, and I can't wait to one day see that glimmer in Steve Jones.

[6:37] Alan Seales: That's probably the nicest thing anyone has forced themselves to say about Steve Jones. I'll give you that. I it's what I feel comfortable saying.

[6:47] Andrew Barth Feldman: Fair enough. So about general anxiety. Kay and Bobby husband and wife writing team that's amazing, phenomenal writing team behind Avatar the Musical. They obviously are throwing this together at an extremely fast pace. I've seen this show come together faster than any other show I think that's made it to the Broadway stage.

[7:16] Andrew Barth Feldman: Yeah, the Hellinger nonetheless.

[7:19] Alan Seales: Brought the Hellinger back.

[7:21] Andrew Barth Feldman: Yeah, Bobby. Yeah, Bobby and Kay. Like, has it been easy to work with them too?

[7:27] Andrew Barth Feldman: Easy. Hmm. Um, they're really remarkable, aren't they? You know, I was in Ratatouille, the TikTok musical, which was put together in about three days. Um, that feels like a luxury at this point. I love Bobby and Kay. I think they're fantastic. Um, full stop. I don't know. I don't I don't speak ill of colleagues. And I think they're fantastic.

[8:06] Alan Seales: So I've noticed a little bit, though. It's been in I guess the tabloids. Thomas is back in the picture.

[8:12] Andrew Barth Feldman: Yeah, it's in all the Broadway tabloids.

[8:14] Alan Seales: Thomas has a relationship, had a relationship.

[8:18] Andrew Barth Feldman: Right, right.

[8:19] Alan Seales: With Bobby.

[8:21] Andrew Barth Feldman: Yeah.

[8:21] Alan Seales: And I mean, I just want to make sure that the environment, like talk to me about the environment a little bit. Is it like the dynamic you brought back?

[8:28] Andrew Barth Feldman: It's all love. You know, it's funny. It's very interesting. It's kind of my first time being put in a position of, yeah, I've been a Broadway fan all my life, Alan. And so I've read about these relationships, of course, in tabloids. And now I'm put in this room with these people. It couldn't be more normal, Alan. Really? It's kindness? Is there animosity? I will abstain from answering that question. But I feel like it's remarkable watching people just be people, Alan.

[9:08] Alan Seales: Well, speaking of a little bit of romance, I want to bring up director choreographer Zoe Taylor, who you two have been seen around working a lot together. I'll put working in air quotes. You seem to be very tight. Is there something going on that you want to break?

[9:27] Andrew Barth Feldman: Alan, breaking is a big word, Alan. I don't know. I'm a young man, Alan. I'm still navigating this whole world. So, you know, to talk about Zoe's private business, that's her business. And I'd love to be part of that business. I'd love to be all up in that business. But I don't want to say that on your podcast.

[9:54] Alan Seales: All right, we'll make sure that we cut that part.

[9:57] Andrew Barth Feldman: Thank you.

[9:58] Alan Seales: So, the final question here is, after seeing Avatar the Musical, what's the one thing you want people to take away? What's the one thing you want them to change about themselves after seeing this phenomenal show?

[10:12] Andrew Barth Feldman: I think my greatest hope, Alan, is that somebody had a candy bar during the show. And they've eaten it all, right? And there's the wrapper in their hands, and they walk out of the theater, and they can choose to throw it on the ground or throw it in the recycling cans that I've insisted contractually are all around the theater. They decide to throw it in the recycling in that moment. And when they realize that they've kind of let up, they say, you know what? I need to buy another ticket for Avatar. I need to feel what I felt that night one more time. That's my hope. I hope we can change the world one theater goer at a time and stop climate change.

[10:50] Alan Seales: That's beautiful. Couldn't have said it better myself. So, everybody who's listening, please get more information via avataronbroadway.com. Follow the show on Instagram, avataronbroadway, with two V's. I guess someone must have laid on the keys when they were signing up.

[11:07] Andrew Barth Feldman: That must be what happened and not a copyright issue.

[11:12] Alan Seales: Right. And then hear the story, including our wonderful science consultant, Andrew Barth Feldman. His journey in this whole thing through the documentary, As the Curtain Rises, at vpn.fm slash ATCR. Andrew Barth Feldman, thank you so much. This has been such a fun little chat.

[11:30] Andrew Barth Feldman: Thanks so much for having me, Alan. Happy to be back. I'll see you soon.