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[0:00] Alan Seales: Hey, everyone. Welcome to The Theatre Podcast. Intimate personal conversations with the industry's biggest names. Today is no exception as we have guest Frankie Grande. And buckle in listeners, this dude just does everything. This conversation ranges from producing to acting to singing philanthropy. I mean, this guy has just done everything and so amazing. We had such a great talk. I can totally relate to how his mind works. We seem to be cut from the same cloth in terms of just having to get our hands into all of the aspects of performing in theatre and entertainment. And it's just incredible. He triple majored in college. And in a parallel universe, Frankie went to med school and became a doctor.

So I'll just leave you with that. Before we get going, find me on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, all the places. Drop me a note, leave me a DM, slip into my DMs. I don't know. Let me know what's going on. Let me know you're listening. I'd love to hear from you. And now everybody, please enjoy this episode with Frankie Grande.

[1:06] Alan Seales: Buckle up listeners, I am excited to introduce today's guest. And honestly, I'm at a loss of where exactly to start reading this bio since he pretty much seems to have done it all. He's a Broadway actor, dancer, singer, model, producer, television host, and YouTube personality. He has his own fragrance line, is a philanthropist, is the host of Nickelodeon's SpongeBob Binge Pants podcast. He was on Big Brother in the U.S. in season 16 and again in the UK and Celebrity Big Brother in season 18. He made his Broadway debut starring on Broadway in Mamma Mia and later as Franz in Rock of Ages. He can be found in Nickelodeon's Henry Danger and Danger Force, Netflix's Haters Back Off and upcoming this fall in Summoning Sylvia, a horror comedy film.

He's produced several Broadway shows, including Hamlet and the recent Tony winning production of Dana H and can now be seen off Broadway at the Asylum Theater in the smash hit Titanique running through September 25th. Frankie J. Grande, welcome to The Theatre Podcast.

[2:18] Frankie Grande: I understand why I'm exhausted now. I'm exhausted. Like, oh, my God, are you exhausted just reading that? Like I lived it. I'm exhausted. Wow.

[2:29] Alan Seales: Well, I don't even literally my first note is icebreaker. Where do we start? So Titanique, I think that's a great place to start because it's what you're doing right now. And so our Marla, who co-wrote the show, one of my oldest friends, I sent her a text message this morning and it said, what should I ask Frankie about? And she goes, ask him why he's always late for rehearsals.

[2:53] Frankie Grande: That's perfect. That's a great place to start. I am a chronic 15-minute late person. Like it's just it's the way that I am. It doesn't matter what it is or where it is or how it is, but I will always be 15 minutes late. And that is just something that you must accept if you are going to be in my life. Period. End of story. It is just the way it is. Everyone knows now, which is great. I said it on the very first day of rehearsal. I told the stage manager, I was like, I will always be 15 minutes late. I can't be 15 minutes late to half hour because that's actually in violation of equity. So I'm never late to half hour, but I am 15 minutes late to sound check at 6:15, which means I arrive at half hour. So I will be 15 minutes late. So everyone knows everyone's on the same page. It's great. Everyone gets up. But literally the first rehearsal I told the stage manager, I will always be 15 minutes late. Thank you for understanding.

[3:53] Frankie Grande: Marla Mandela and Constantine Morales, who are Celine Dion and Jack respectively in the show, they co-wrote this masterpiece, which I remember when Marla was telling me about it years ago when she just started writing it. And now it's off Broadway, full Broadway money and producers and everything behind it running in a real theater here in New York City. And so I guess for those who don't know or haven't seen it yet, how would you best describe it?

[4:25] Frankie Grande: I would describe it as hilarious. It is a musical parody of the film Titanic with Celine Dion's music. So it is a jukebox musical of all Celine's hits, but set to the Titanic. And we are just buffoons. It is just ridiculous at like ridiculous musical comedy at its finest. My theater professor from Muhlenberg, where I went to college, came and was like, this is just so delightful because people are trying to do this, but no one's doing it as well as you guys. And it's so, so, so ridiculous that it works. And that's the kind of night in the theater that you'll have if you come see our show. It makes fun of itself. And I mean, you play so much. You play a handful of characters, one of which being the actual Victor Garber, which I think which is actually not Victor Garber at all. But it's just it is so funny.

[5:22] Frankie Grande: But yes, I play Victor Garber as an amalgamation of Captain Smith, Mr. Ismay, Mr. Andrews, all mashed into one. And rather than calling him all the rich white guys, we decided Victor Garber is a much better name for that. So how did you get attached to the production in the first place?

[5:41] Frankie Grande: I was doing Cruel Intentions with Constantine and he literally just looked at me during one of the shows and was like, huh? I was like, what? He was like, so I wrote this show. It's a Celine Dion jukebox musical. Do you want to play the captain and sing I Drove All Night while we crashed the ship into an iceberg? And I was like, yes, that was it. It was that simple. I think I took like maybe three minutes to process what he had said to me. And then I was like, how do you say no to this? Like, you can't say no to this. And it's Celine Dion's music. I'm such a Celine Dion fan. I love the movie Titanic. And yes, is the only answer to that question.

[6:31] Frankie Grande: What I one of the things I really love about it is that through all of this, I mean, it's making fun of Celine. It's making fun of Titanic. It's a parody. It's a spoof. It is the it makes fun of itself. But Celine and her team, her legal team very specifically have okayed this entire production, which is incredible. Celine is okay with all of this, which is great. Have you ever did you meet her? Did you meet her? Because you said I know you're like her number one fan.

[6:49] Frankie Grande: Yes, I met Celine twice. And both times were absolutely magical. She is an amazing creature. And I, you know, I model my life after her like unabashed, quirky, quirkiness, and her like unapologetic love for herself and life. Like she is a cuckoo cuckoo. And it is so delightful to be in her presence. Like she's not one of those superstars where you have to worry about what you say, or what you know is going to come out of your mouth or like everything is okay. And 95% probably doesn't even register to her because she's thinking about something else because she's off in her own little world. So it's she's a great person to interact with. Very pleasant interactions with her.

[7:35] Alan Seales: Oh, that's so much fun. Well, then, okay, so let's back up then. So young Frankie, you were if I was reading this right, you were born in New York and New Jersey and then moved to Florida. What's the story with little Frankie?

[7:45] Frankie Grande: Born in New York, New York, lived in Manhattan till I was two, and then moved to Englewood, New Jersey when I was two till I was 10. And then lived there until I moved to Boca Raton, Florida when I was 10 years old, and then moved back to the Northeast. Was this called the Northeast? That's what it's called, not the Upper West. That's something else. Yeah, to the north. He generalized. Yes, exactly. I'm such a New Yorker. I speak in my in Burroughs. No, so I basically moved back to the Northeast to go to college at Muhlenberg. And then moved from Muhlenberg back to Manhattan, where I have lived and slash maintained a residence ever since. So since 2005, I have been a New Yorker.

[8:31] Alan Seales: And then obviously, something brought you back to do musical theater and performing and whatnot. But like, what age as a kid? Or was it in Florida? Was it before Florida where you were like, you know what, I want to try this singing and dancing and performing stuff? Where did that all come in? Do you have a touchstone in your life where you're like, you saw something and you're like, that's it? That's my life?

[8:55] Frankie Grande: Well, it must have been Bette Midler, because my first audition that I auditioned for anything was fifth grade, and it was Conrad Birdie in Bye Bye Birdie. And I decided to sing Wind Beneath My Wings for this audition. And I was like, you are the wind beneath my wing. So the director was like, thank you so much. And I went, fly! And they were like, thank you so much. And I just, you know, did the rest of the song. And I got the role. And so that was it. I was addicted from that point forward. I mean, musical theater is an addiction. And I was absolutely in, I was in Conrad Birdie in Bye Bye Birdie. It's so funny.

[9:42] Frankie Grande: And I love Bette Midler, I guess, because I just do. How do you not?

[9:47] Alan Seales: Yeah, well, of course, once you get bitten by the bug, especially the bit, the bet bug, the bet bug, the New York bet bug? The Bette Midler bug. Yeah, you can't, you can't escape that. And then, I guess, so in fifth grade, I'm trying to think of what I was doing in fifth grade, I was trying to figure out how to kiss girls. And same. And doing sports and doing chorus. And it was my it was the pressure of actually in fifth grade, where I wasn't where I was in Florida, too. Actually, I was in Florida at that time.

[10:28] Frankie Grande: Um, it, it was clear routes in Clearwater, Largo Clearwater. Okay, cool. Yeah, that's close. So yeah, so it was, it was cool at that point, actually, well, not cool, but it was acceptable to be for a male to be in chorus and sing. So I liked it. I was it was encouraged. It was totally fine. And then later in seventh grade, when I moved to North Carolina, it was not so cool to be in performing and I pulled back and went heavy into sports. So where you were in fifth grade was it were you just like, screw it, I am I'm doing this for me. I'm doing it because I want to be Bette Midler or be with Bette Midler. Or were you like, I guess, was the community aspect, the attractive part? Or was it the individual performing aspect? Like, I guess I'm always curious to know what attracts people to being on stage.

[11:17] Frankie Grande: So I'm an achievementaholic. And I learned this about myself.

[15:22] Frankie Grande: I, I, again, I feel like exactly the same cut from the same cloth. And part of what makes me that way, the way that you are, is OCPD. Have you ever heard of that?

[15:34] Alan Seales: OCPD?

[15:35] Frankie Grande: Yes.

[15:36] Alan Seales: That's not OCD.

[15:37] Frankie Grande: No, it's, it's a personality disorder. Obsessive compulsive personality disorder. And I was diagnosed with that a couple years ago. And we're the same age. So it took me this long to figure this out. But it essentially, it is, you become hyper focused on tiny details and can't see the forest through the trees to be hyperbolic about it, right? So I would sometimes get stress and anxiety because I would, there'd be the little things that in, you know, all these space, all these plates spinning, and all these things that you're thinking about that you want to do that you have to do, and you can't let them go. And so you end up kind of doing half of them sort of halfway because you just don't, there's not enough time in the day to do them all. But then once I got the diagnosis, it immediately helped me focus and realize like, oh, this is what's going on. And this is why I feel this way. It helped me like, classify and compartmentalize. Does that make sense?

[16:34] Alan Seales: A thousand thousand thousand percent diagnosis. And well, the fact that you reached out for help, and now that you actually have a diagnosis, like for is, I think, way over half the battle. Like for me, like, you know, I'm an alcoholic, I'm an addict. So once I got that, because I didn't understand what was happening in my life when I was drinking and using and couldn't get control of myself and didn't want to live anymore. Like, I did not understand what the fuck was going on with me. That wasn't Frankie at all. And then once I finally understood, you're an alcoholic, I was like, oh, like what? That makes so much sense. And this wave of relief washed over me because I had a diagnosis. And also what comes along with the diagnosis is a treatment plan.

And then once I got my treatment plan, I have been sober for five years. I'm five years sober now because once I was given, you know, that information, obviously my biology, my doctor mind was obsessed with it. I read everything about the science of the brain as it pertains to alcoholism and addiction, understood my disease inside out. And now I feel like I have so much more control over it.

[17:49] Alan Seales: Wow. Well, I did not know that actually, when I was researching you for this episode, none of that came up. So thank you. Thank you for sharing. I think that's really.

[17:55] Frankie Grande: Oh, yeah. I talk about it all the time. It is important to talk about. It's important to talk about. And that's why, you know, again, I want to talk about the mental health behind all this. I love this because, you know, when I'm when I'm pitching this podcast to people, sometimes I say, it's the discussions about maintaining success, because it's not how you became successful. It's how you maintain the success, because it's hard. It's freaking hard, right? You get like to do eight shows a week, full stop. That's hard enough. But then, Frankie, you're adding on your your TV appearances and your podcasting and you're producing and the philanthropic work and the YouTube hosting the filming and the writing and being married and being married. Congratulations. That's a recent thing.

[18:37] Frankie Grande: Thank you. Yeah. Yes. A month, two months anniversary was yesterday. Yeah. Yeah. It's two month month aversary was yesterday. Two month aversary.

[18:47] Alan Seales: Yes. Two month aversary. Yeah, it is a lot. And and, you know, it's nice to hear you say, honestly, because there are times when I I do feel like I'm failing in one of those aspects in my life. And I do need to just take a breath and remember like it's like for the past two days, I've been like in a strange exhaustion, exhausted place. I feel great today. But like the past two days, I'm like, what is wrong with me? And I'm like, whoa, whoa, whoa. Nothing is wrong with you. You have just opened a show, which you haven't done in years, by the way, like eight shows a week is no joke. And you are doing spinning all these other plates and doing press and trying to be a good husband and father to my puppy and, you know, and a good family member and a good son and a brother.

And it is all these things that are happening simultaneously. And it is you have to give yourself permission when you are as busy as I am to to be exhausted, to potentially fail in certain areas, you know, of your life when there are so many that you're succeeding. And it's OK if every once in a while one of them doesn't get the attention it deserves. And you have to be OK with that.

[19:59] Frankie Grande: One thousand percent. I'm one of the hardest things as a type A person who likes to control and who likes to not feel like a failure, because when you said that, I was like, ding, ding, that is it. That's why I can't stop. And because he's realizing in part of all of this through therapy that. It's not failing to give up some responsibility, and that was that was some of the hardest thing for me to let go of was for me to be like, you know what, I need help or it's not. I can offload this over here and build this team. And then wait a second. If they're working autonomously, then I can go do more. And now that I've listened, now that we've had this entire conversation, you can tell Marla Mandel that this is why I'm 15 minutes late every day. Because I have given myself permission to be 15 minutes late every day because I've got a lot of shit going on.

[20:58] Alan Seales: Oh, man. Do you feel like do you feel like it's it's letting any letting yourself down or letting others down more? Or do you just not care anymore? It's just like this is who I am. I've accepted it.

[21:06] Frankie Grande: I think it is. I have given myself permission to do to look at my day on the day, like as an alcoholic, we have to do one day at a time. So I can I don't I no longer stress about tomorrow. So I wake up in the morning at a predetermined time that I set the night before. So if there is an emergency or something that you needed me to get up for earlier, I'm sorry, you are dead out of luck, because I will not I will not wake up for anyone. So I set that time, I wake up, I have my coffee, I look at my day, and I give myself permission to do everything on my list for today in the order in which it occurs and get to where I need to be when God has decided it is time for me to be there. Like it is very Gandalf. It is very Lord of the Rings. And it's very a wizard is never late. Mr. Baggins, he shows up precisely when he means to. And that's how I just feel.

[21:57] Frankie Grande: Oh, my husband just walked in. How's your haircut? Yeah, cutie pants. I'm doing a amazing podcast right now. Well, I really do think this is an amazing podcast. I'm having a wonderful conversation. Thank you. Um, so yeah, that's what it is. I'm very Gandalf. And I have to be otherwise I will get I will try myself.

[22:18] Alan Seales: Yeah, yeah, it's being okay, sitting, sitting in your sad times and enjoying allowing yourself to enjoy the happy times. And I quote Andre de Shields all the time on this podcast, his his speech that he gave when he won his Tony was the top of one mountain is the bottom of the next. And, and I love love love that because I've internalized that to mean, obviously, you're never going to stop climbing, there's always more to learn. There's always

[22:44] Frankie Grande: I think it’s really important to have a good support system, especially in this industry. You know, it can be really isolating, and it can be really hard to navigate. I mean, I’ve had my ups and downs, and I think that having people around you who understand what you’re going through is crucial.

[23:14] Frankie Grande: And I’ve been really lucky to have some amazing friends and family who have supported me through everything. I mean, my sister, Ariana, has always been there for me, and I think that’s really helped me stay grounded.

[23:44] Frankie Grande: I also think it’s important to give yourself permission to fail. I think a lot of people in this industry are so afraid of failure that they don’t take risks. But I’ve learned that failure is just a part of the process, and it’s how you grow.

[24:04] Frankie Grande: I’ve had my fair share of failures, and I’ve learned so much from them. I think it’s important to embrace those moments and learn from them instead of letting them define you.

[24:34] Frankie Grande: And, you know, I’ve also had to learn how to manage my anxiety. I think a lot of people in this industry struggle with anxiety, and it’s something that I’ve had to work on. I’ve found that talking to someone, whether it’s a therapist or a friend, can really help.

[25:04] Frankie Grande: I’ve also found that exercise and meditation are really helpful for me. I try to make time for those things in my life, even when I’m busy. It’s all about finding that balance and making sure you’re taking care of yourself.

[25:32] Frankie Grande: And I think it’s important to remember that it’s okay to not be okay. We all have our struggles, and it’s important to be honest about them. I think that’s something that a lot of people in this industry don’t talk about enough.

[25:52] Frankie Grande: I’ve been open about my struggles with addiction and alcoholism, and I think it’s important to share those stories. It helps to break the stigma and lets others know that they’re not alone.

[26:22] Frankie Grande: I think that vulnerability is a strength, and it’s something that we should all embrace. It’s okay to ask for help and to lean on others when you need it.

[26:32] Frankie Grande: And I think that’s something that I’ve really learned through my journey. It’s okay to be human and to have flaws. We all do, and that’s what makes us relatable.

[26:52] Frankie Grande: I think that’s why I love performing so much. It allows me to connect with people on a deeper level, and I think that’s really special.

[27:16] Frankie Grande: I’ve always loved being on stage, and I think it’s because it allows me to express myself in a way that I can’t always do in my everyday life.

[27:36] Frankie Grande: And I think that’s why I’m so passionate about my work. I want to create art that resonates with people and makes them feel something.

[27:46] Frankie Grande: I think that’s what it’s all about at the end of the day.

[28:06] Frankie Grande: And I’m really excited about the work that I’m doing right now in “Titanique.” It’s such a fun show, and I think people are really going to love it.

[28:34] Frankie Grande: It’s a unique take on the Titanic story, and I think it’s going to resonate with a lot of people.

[28:54] Frankie Grande: I’m really proud to be a part of it, and I can’t wait for everyone to see it.

[29:20] Frankie Grande: I think it’s going to be a really special experience for everyone involved.

[29:50] Frankie Grande: And I hope that it brings a little joy and laughter to people’s lives.

[30:20] Frankie Grande: We're going to take a short break. Stay tuned for more of the episode.

[30:30] Frankie Grande: I think it’s really important to have a good support system, especially in this industry. You know, it can be really isolating, and it can be really hard to navigate. I mean, I’ve had my ups and downs, and I think that having people around you who understand what you’re going through is crucial.

[30:36] Frankie Grande: And I’ve been really lucky to have some amazing friends and family who have supported me through everything. I mean, my sister, Ariana, has always been there for me, and I think that’s really helped me stay grounded.

[30:48] Frankie Grande: I also think it’s important to give yourself permission to fail. I think a lot of people in this industry are so afraid of failure that they don’t take risks. But I’ve learned that failure is just a part of the process, and it’s how you grow.

[31:12] Frankie Grande: I’ve had my fair share of failures, and I’ve learned so much from them. I think it’s important to embrace those moments and learn from them instead of letting them define you.

[31:42] Frankie Grande: And, you know, I’ve also had to learn how to manage my anxiety. I think a lot of people in this industry struggle with anxiety, and it’s something that I’ve had to work on. I’ve found that talking to someone, whether it’s a therapist or a friend, can really help.

[32:08] Frankie Grande: I’ve also found that exercise and meditation are really helpful for me. I try to make time for those things in my life, even when I’m busy. It’s all about finding that balance and making sure you’re taking care of yourself.

[32:34] Frankie Grande: And I think it’s important to remember that it’s okay to not be okay. We all have our struggles, and it’s important to be honest about them. I think that’s something that a lot of people in this industry don’t talk about enough.

[33:02] Frankie Grande: I’ve been open about my struggles with addiction and alcoholism, and I think it’s important to share those stories. It helps to break the stigma and lets others know that they’re not alone.

[33:30] Frankie Grande: I think that vulnerability is a strength, and it’s something that we should all embrace. It’s okay to ask for help and to lean on others when you need it.

[33:56] Frankie Grande: And I think that’s something that I’ve really learned through my journey. It’s okay to be human and to have flaws. We all do, and that’s what makes us relatable.

[34:08] Frankie Grande: Two of the queerest people that I know, I asked if they're dating in a relationship. I think it's just funny. Joan, you are funny and incredible.

[34:16] Alan Seales: The YouTube parodies that you do as well, I think, are so funny. I was watching something this morning about a Tiger King musical parody.

[34:25] Frankie Grande: Oh my god, yeah, that was fun!

[34:27] Alan Seales: Does that fill the boredom? Is that another creative necessity for you? Why have something else to take up your time?

[34:36] Frankie Grande: Well, that was during COVID and I was bored out of my mind. So yes, that is something that is completely COVID.

[34:44] Frankie Grande: In terms of me creating individual YouTube and social media content, these days, while I'm this busy, it's more out of necessity. It's more like, this is part of my gig, this is part of my job, so you need to go make that TikTok dance and post it even though you're exhausted. Just do it. So it does feel like a job, social media, to me, at this point in my life.

[35:08] Frankie Grande: But during COVID, it was such a wonderful outlet because there was nothing to do. There were no shows, there were no TVs. And again, I won't always be this busy. That's the thing about being an actor. You have downtime.

[35:26] Frankie Grande: And so when that downtime comes up, then yes, I have all these unbelievable creative outlets that I'm allowed to just dive into because they just are waiting for me to return. Which is great. That is the best part about social media, is that I've amassed this wonderful audience so that if I am ever bored, I can always occupy myself. There is no reason to be bored in my life.

[35:50] Alan Seales: Could you write the song yourself? Because I was going to say that everything you've written for YouTube, or everything that's out there on your YouTube channel, could just be its own little mini EP of Frankie COVID times.

[36:06] Frankie Grande: No. Andrew Lippo wrote the Tiger King parody, which I was a part of, but I have written creatively a bunch of different stuff on my YouTube channel. And then during my social media time of COVID, I definitely wrote the bathroom talent show skit to entertain myself and entertain the world.

[36:33] Frankie Grande: And I would just do old talent show things that I had done throughout my life in my bathroom because it had the best lighting in my house. And so it became a TV series on my YouTube channel and on my social media channels. And then I would just write random things and just do random things. But yes, that's a full-time job, I think. So it only happens when I'm unemployed, or rather when I say fun-employed. When I'm fun-employed, I can go back to that.

[37:04] Frankie Grande: I'm so impressed with the people who literally, like sometimes teenagers now these days, who are literally making millions of dollars off of YouTube. And I mean, the companies, Google pays these creators again to reinvest in them to then make more videos. And it's insane. It's insane the amount of ecosystem that exists behind the facade of like, I'm just going to throw up a camera and talk funny for a few minutes. There's a lot that goes on.

[37:34] Frankie Grande: And I'm impressed. I can't do it. And that's why it's, again, so, so impressive for anybody who can. So props to you for being able to do all of this at the same time.

[37:44] Alan Seales: Including my final topic, what I want to ask about is the philanthropic work. Because you've co-founded non-profit arts organization, Broadway in South Africa. And you work on Build On. So tell us about both of those.

[37:57] Frankie Grande: Yeah, so I started Broadway in South Africa in 2000. And, oh my god, nine maybe? And I just got together with some of my best friends on Broadway. And we organized a performing arts group that would go into the townships of South Africa and do an arts education empowerment curriculum that we created. And, you know, kind of give people tools in order to handle the stressors of their daily life through art. And it was just an unbelievable chapter in my life. It was six years. I went to South Africa two times a year. And I saw so much of the world. I learned so much. And I gave so much. And I became, you know, obsessed with that feeling. You know, like you have to, you can't keep it unless you give it away. That's something that I've learned.

[38:45] Frankie Grande: So in order for you, you know, to keep, you have to give it away. So I, ever since that time in South Africa, I've always been involved in some sort of charity. So I started with that. Then I moved to Build On and built schools in Senegal and Malawi. And then, from then I moved on to, you know, the various LGBTQ charities that I have become associated with. Most recently with LA LGBT Center, which I love so, so, so much. They do such incredible work. And GLAAD, I've been working with them a lot since I've been back in the city. And it's just, they're just, I need to constantly give back. Because if I'm not doing that, then I feel incomplete. Like, it's part of who I am that I must give back. Otherwise, I start to go crazy.

[39:55] Frankie Grande: And then I ask myself, like, what am I not doing? Like, what part of my life is different? And then I'm like, oh, charity. Like, I need to go work with some kids and give away all of this knowledge. Or do a speech or do a talk or whatever it is. I just need to always be giving back. Otherwise, it just, the balance, the scales get tipped in the wrong direction. And I can't find peace.

[39:57] Alan Seales: That almost seems like it's at direct odds with the need to be on stage and get that attention, right? But then, the more that I was thinking about it in this moment as you were talking, it seems like they're actually kind of the same thing. Because part of what a lot of people are attracted to about being on stage and being on Broadway, the biggest ecosystem of theatre you can find, is that, personally, you're getting applause. The lights are on you. You're getting the attention. But you're giving these people a gift that they don't know they're getting. You're taking them on a journey. I've said this so many times, too. Part of what I missed so much about theatre being shut down during COVID was sitting in a room of hundreds or thousands of strangers and being taken on a journey with them.

I love receiving the gift and feeling the energy of going from one place to another on an emotional and, some might argue, spiritual level by watching people sing and perform and act and dance and tell stories.

[41:13] Frankie Grande: Yes, and I completely agree. It's one and the same thing. I studied Kabbalah, so it's all basically just, you draw upon the light of the Creator in order to give to another. That's the entire meaning of life, period, end of story. You draw on the light in order to give it to somebody else. The manner in which you do that can change, whether it's a love relationship or a familial relationship or your job or charity work. It's all the same thing.

[41:44] Frankie Grande: For me, I've just noticed that the more I do it and the more different ways that I can do it, the more whole that I feel as a person and the more I give of my energy and my light. But again, trying to maintain that my vessel, my cup is filled with light the whole time so that I'm not just pouring light out into someone while I'm empty myself. That is the challenge. You have to figure out for yourself every day.

[42:13] Alan Seales: How do you do that on a day-to-day basis?

[42:19] Frankie Grande: Sometimes I have grouchy, low-energy days. That's definitely part of what happens when I'm not taking care of myself. And then I'll notice and I'll be like, Oh, you're not taking care of yourself. And then there'll be a bath or there'll be a meditation session or there'll be a meeting that I go to or a phone call that I make that allows me to reconnect with my higher power and then go on with my day and my life and my week. I wish I could tell you that I catch it before I become grouchy or irritable, but that's not always the case. Sometimes I'll notice the symptoms of me being devoid of light and devoid of connection and then have to fix it. But I catch it much, much earlier than I used to. I'll say that.

[43:06] Alan Seales: Wow. All right. Well, let's wrap with three standard closing questions that I ask everybody. The first one, just very simply, is what motivates you?

[43:14] Frankie Grande: Love. Period.

[43:16] Alan Seales: What advice would you give to your younger self and younger people listening now starting out down a similar path?

[43:23] Frankie Grande: Don't worry about it. Period. Whatever that is, don't worry about it because you don't have control. Don't stress over every single choice and decision that you could potentially make. Just go with your gut and understand it's going to carry you to some dark places but that you're going to get through it. And it's that journey of getting through it that's going to make you stronger. So don't even worry about it.

[43:50] Alan Seales: I love it. Just go. All right, last question. Hard one. If you could only see one show for the rest of your life but you can see it as many times as you want, what would you see?

[43:58] Frankie Grande: Oh, that is so hard. That is a great question. It would be Titanic at the Asylum Theater playing for all eternity and available at titanicmusical.com.

[44:19] Alan Seales: You stole my closing.

[44:21] Frankie Grande: Yes.

[44:23] Frankie Grande: Now through September 25th, titanicmusical.com. Where else can we find you online?

[44:27] Frankie Grande: At Frankie J Grande on all social platforms.

[44:31] Alan Seales: Amazing. Frankie, thank you so much. I really enjoyed this conversation.

[44:35] Frankie Grande: Yeah, you're awesome. I'm definitely going to come give you a big hug. Thank you so much.

[44:43] Frankie Grande: Please do come again. It will just continue to get more and more ridiculous every time you see it.

[44:49] Alan Seales: All right, thank you. Talk to you, my friend. Bye-bye.

[44:55] Alan Seales: As always, you can get more of me at thetheaterpodcast.com. Show your support for just as little as like a dollar or two a month. It helps keep the podcast going. Keeps the proverbial lights on. Find me on Instagram and Twitter at theater underscore podcast or on TikTok at the theater podcast. Leave a rating, leave a review. Don't forget to do that. Every little bit helps. This has been edited by well-rounded hoodlum productions and of course the music as always by jukebox the ghost. Frankie Grande, thank you so much. Take a deep breath. Make the world a little colorful.