This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Melissa Barrera: Hi, I'm Melissa Barrera. Welcome to The Theatre Podcast with Alan Seales.

[0:11] Alan Seales: Well, hello there. Welcome back to the show. This is The Theatre Podcast with Alan Seales, and that is me, Alan Seales. And our guest for this episode is Melissa Barrera, who is a versatile performer whose career has moved from the world of Mexican telenovelas to some of the biggest global franchises in Hollywood. We had a great time diving into her journey, and she shared some of her fantastic behind-the-scenes stories, including the reason she has to turn her back to the audience during Titanic, just so she can laugh at her castmate's antics. And we get into her experience joining the cast of The Titanic Family, the reason she flew herself to New York to audition in person instead of staying on Zoom, which is originally what the casting director wanted her to do, and a surprising 60-second plot summary of Cats that involves a very specific theory about furries. Plus, Melissa opens up about the importance of mental resilience in the face of online scrolling, and how her mother's example of being the primary breadwinner shaped her own work ethic. So, if you've listened before, you know what to do. Find me on socials. Leave a rating, a five-star review. That would be much appreciated. You can watch the video of this on Spotify and Patreon as always. And now, everybody, please enjoy this episode with Melissa Barrera. Our guest today is a versatile powerhouse, period, whose career spans from the vibrant world of Mexican telenovelas to some of the biggest global franchises in Hollywood. She first stole our hearts as Vanessa in the film adaptation of In the Heights, and since has become one of the most versatile faces on screen, surviving the Scream franchise and fighting for her life in the Netflix hit, Keep Breathing. I just finished that this morning. Whoa. Okay. She delivered a standout performance, the cult favorite horror romance, Your Monster, and is currently leading the number one Peacock spy thriller, The Copenhagen Test. Beyond her work in film and television, she's a fierce advocate for community empowerment and is currently making her Broadway debut starring as Rose in Titanic. Melissa Barrera, welcome to The Theatre Podcast.

[2:17] Melissa Barrera: Thank you. Thank you for having me.

[2:19] Alan Seales: You are very... Well, honor is mine. The honor is mine for you being here. You've had a long history career. We're getting into the TV and film stuff too, but as we are recording this, it's the beginning of May, things are ramping up for awards season and whatnot, and you just made your Broadway debut in one of the biggest shows on Broadway right now. What's going on behind the scenes for you?

[2:37] Melissa Barrera: Oh, I'm just living my little girl dreams. Being on Broadway has always been the number one thing on my to-do list, on my bucket list, yeah, since I was probably 12 years old. So this is just... I'm just very happy, and I feel very fortunate that I'm doing my Broadway debut precisely at this moment with this company, with this specific show that is such a joy to be a part of. It's one of the craziest, the kookiest craziest casts. Kooky crazy. Kooky crazy casts. Everyone is so unbelievably talented.

[3:21] Alan Seales: Yourself included. Do not sell yourself short.

[3:28] Melissa Barrera: Thank you. Thank you. But it's a small cast because it's not a very big cast. It's an ensemble cast. We have Marla playing Celine Dion, and the rest of us are just this big ensemble of characters. This show is so beautifully written to be just silliness at a time where we desperately need it, I think. Coming into the St. James Theatre to watch Titanic just feels like a refuge in dark times, and we're all up there having a blast, and everyone gets to shine at a different moment in the show. I'm just soaking it all in because I do feel like the stars have aligned for once in my life. I'm very proud of all the work that I've done, and I always feel like, whether it's TV or film or theatre in the past when I was doing theatre in Mexico City, I always feel like what I'm a part of, the projects that I'm a part of are really special, but they rarely get received that way. You can't really control how the world receives a show or a project, and so this is the first time where I feel like the love that we're giving is being given back to us. The audiences every night are just – they just give us life. They're so into the show, and they're so loud and so rowdy, and it's just the perfect show for that. Not every show – it's not appropriate for all shows on Broadway, but we love it, and we get that, and so it just feels – I feel very blessed.

[5:12] Alan Seales: It's one of my favorite shows of all time, and I – personal connection, because Marla Mindelle is one of my oldest friends in New York City, and so I've heard her side of it from the beginning of when it was first conceived and then done in dinner theatre in LA, and I've seen it multiple times in all its incarnations, and to see it now on stage with – on the set of The Voice, if you know, you know. It's just done so well, and we're going to come back to Titanic, because I have so many questions about that, but I want to go back to little Melissa.

[5:46] Melissa Barrera: You know what's funny? I feel like Michelle and Melissa are not similar names, but for some reason I get called Michelle all the time, and I – my first ever job in the United States was Vida, and my co-star – so the two leads of the show were me and Michelle Prada, and so I would get called Michelle all the time. She would get called Melissa all the time, but I just assumed that it was because they would interchange us, and then – Like in a racist way.

[6:12] Alan Seales: No, not in a racist way, just in like the two leads and like –

[6:16] Melissa Barrera: Oh, sure. Okay, okay.

[6:17] Alan Seales: Michelle – Melissa, you know, like that.

[6:18] Melissa Barrera: Okay. But I didn't realize that like it's names that people confuse in the U.S. consistently. I've been called Michelle a lot by like random people. I don't know why that is. Anyway, I love the name Michelle. It's beautiful. My character's name on Copenhagen Test is Michelle, so it's all good.

[6:35] Alan Seales: I was going to edit that out, but now I got to keep that in.

[6:37] Melissa Barrera: I was thinking in my head Mexico City, and in – when you speak – when you think about what you're about to say, do you picture it in your head? Because I do. I picture the sentences in my head of what I'm about to say.

[6:48] Alan Seales: No, I don't. I don't really think about what comes out of my mouth, and that's one of my biggest fatal flaws.

[6:55] Melissa Barrera: Well, that's why you're not here alone today, I guess.

[6:59] Alan Seales: Yeah.

[7:00] Melissa Barrera: Yeah, so the – I was picturing the X sound of Mexico City, like that X sound, and then for some reason in my head that translated to Michelle. So I am sorry to all the Melissa's and the Michelle's out there. I know your name. So little Melissa in Mexico City.

[7:15] Alan Seales: Yeah. Um, you said Broadway was always your dream, and you said something a second ago. They were like, now you're finally, like, feeling like you're finding the success that you've always wanted, but the hell, you've got this trail of successful movies and TV shows and telenovelas, you know, everything.

[7:37] Melissa Barrera: Oh, yeah. I mean, like I said, I'm very proud of everything that I've done, and I know that I've been doing good work my whole career, but sometimes I just, you know, you have expectations, and expectations, like my mom says, are a recipe for heartbreak, because you should never have expectations about what you think something is going to do for you or your career or provide or whatever. And so I've just consistently been, like, dreaming of, like, the big break that, like, catapults you and, like, you know, like, something super zeitgeisty that, like, just opens all the doors for you and that you can then, you know, pick and choose and, like, finance things because your name has value. Like, that has never really happened for me. I've just had to consistently been just, like, going step by step, like a lot of people in the industry have to do. So, what I mean is, like, I know I've been doing great work. I'm very proud of every single thing that I've done, because I'm very intentional of, like, projects that I decide to go into. But this specifically, Titanic, just feels like, you know, we feel the love from the audiences every night. And it's really nice. It's really nice to have packed houses every night and to get the cheers from the audience. Like, Jim Parsons says this really well. He, you know, and Jim Parsons has, you know, you know, he's, like, you know, an icon of television. And he has Tony's and Emmy's and, like, you know, all of the things. And he's done a lot of stuff. And he says he's never felt what he feels in Titanic. He's, like, the wall of sound that we get from the applause that is automatic. Like, as soon, like, we sing the last note of the show, and we get hit. It feels like we're getting hit by a truck of applause. And it's just, it's really special. It's something that I've never experienced it before. And I'm just so grateful to be a part of this. It was really, it was really cool the other day. What was it, last week, when I caught the heart of the ocean. You remember?

[9:54] Alan Seales: Oh, yes. Yes, you did. Yeah. I was there in the front row center. I was the only seat left. And I was, like, well, I guess I'll get these. Yeah. Because I was bringing my friend who had not seen Broadway in forever. And he said it was his favorite show he's seen in ever times. But yeah, being on the front row, I got to hear, like, what was coming up behind and just experiencing that. I can't imagine, like, for you, that serotonin, dopamine release or whatever it is, just getting that validation of, as Marla has told me, it's the biggest gay Super Bowl party you could have eight times a week.

[10:25] Melissa Barrera: Yeah. So yeah, I really enjoy that. But okay, so Mexico City, what made you want to start performing in the first place? What was the first thing you were doing?

[10:33] Melissa Barrera: School. I remember, I was a sports kid. I always played sports growing up. And I was very good at sports. And I just thought that that was going to be, like, my lane. I didn't feel very artistic. I just felt very physically capable, you know? So I have, like, an ease of, like, sports. I can just, like, be good at. You're coordinated.

[11:03] Alan Seales: Yeah, I'm coordinated. Yeah. Which is why I can dance, I feel like, because it's kind of, like, the same thing. But I always played basketball. But I would go and see the plays and the musicals that would be put up by my school with, like, my classmates and like, kids younger, older. And I would always just wish that I was up there, because I just thought it was the coolest thing, but I was too shy. And I would, you know, weirdly become, like, a fan of my classmates. Like, I would then think that they were so much cooler because they're, like, superstars. They were on stage, and they were performing. And like, that, you know, like, that to me was the coolest thing. So I started, that began, like, planted the seed of curiosity for me. But it wasn't until eighth grade, so I was, like, 13, 14, when I decided they were gonna do Wizard of Oz as the school musical, like, the spring musical. And I was, like, I want to go audition, but I, so I convinced my whole basketball team that we should all go and audition together. I was, like, oh, just for fun, you know, like, let's just all go. And they were all, like, yeah, whatever, Melissa, like, sure, you know. And I remember singing Happy Birthday for my audition song, because I literally had, didn't know what to sing. And the music teacher, which was the, you know, like, the music director of the show, was, like, if you don't know what to sing, you can sing Happy Birthday. Like, that's enough for us to know whether you can, like, carry a tune or not. So, I, like, sang Happy Birthday, and I got a callback for the role of Dorothy. And I was, like, it, you know, that was, like, the biggest ego boost that a 13-year-old could get, like, first time auditioning for a show and getting a callback for the lead role. Also, it was, like, a middle school and high school production. So, I was, like, one of the youngest, and I was getting called for the lead with, like, all the older girls, like, the high school girls. And I was, like, oh, yeah. And then, of course, I didn't get it. They gave it to, like, a senior. And I got cast as, get ready, Tree Number Three. That was my first ever role in a musical. Tree Number Three. I had one line in the whole show.

[13:22] Alan Seales: Throwing the apple tree?

[13:28] Melissa Barrera: Yes, yes. I was, how do you like them apples? That was my line. And, but I, you know, I got to be a part of the process of, like, rehearsal. Like, you would stay after school, you would rehearse for months and months for, like, three shows, right? And I fell in love. I fell in love with theater. I fell in love with theater people. I felt like I found my group. And that was it for me. After that, it was just, like, I was looking for opportunities. I was going on, like, summer camps to study for acting. I was auditioning for every single show. I was looking for opportunities, in Monterrey, like, outside of school. So, I just became like, oh, that's who I'm meant to be.

[14:10] Alan Seales: Wow. And you didn't need a basketball team at that point.

[14:13] Melissa Barrera: I didn't.

[14:14] Alan Seales: No.

[14:14] Melissa Barrera: They also, I don't think any of them got cast in the show. So, they were like, all right, we did this for you. And I thank them. Because I honestly wouldn't have had the guts to go and audition if it hadn't been for all of them with me.

[14:27] Alan Seales: Well, so now, you said you were shy. I mean, you told the story, you're a shy kid, you needed the support to audition. And then you found your home, you found your people. Like, were you, was it easy for you? Was it natural for you to kind of tap into that sort of, like, the unspoken intent of looking in and feeling, you know, character motivation and all this stuff? Like, literally, I was telling you before we started recording that I just finished Keep Breathing on Netflix, right before, like, this morning, I woke up and I finished the last episode. And the amount of just, like, quiet sobbing you had to go to and that kind of thing.

[14:59] Melissa Barrera: Yeah.

[14:59] Alan Seales: I was like, oh, like, that, that's hard. You can't, like, you can't fake that when you're the only one on screen. And you've got extreme close ups and all this stuff, right?

[15:08] Melissa Barrera: Yeah.

[15:08] Alan Seales: So, being a shy kid was, was it sort of like, this was your way to finally be comfortable and tap into that emotion?

[15:16] Melissa Barrera: Yeah, 100%. I also grew up in a household where, and now it's very different. Now that we're all adults, like me and my sisters, it's, we've all kind of, like, grown into emotional maturity. But I grew up in a household where we didn't talk about emotions.

[15:36] Alan Seales: Same.

[15:37] Melissa Barrera: We didn't have a lot of, like, communication about, like, how we're feeling. It was more like, how did you do in school? What did you do today? Like, like, things, but it wasn't talking about, like, feelings. And so, I, I felt like, like a hard person. And theater really helped me, like, break that down and become, like, more affectionate and more, like, you know, like, with my heart on my sleeve. And, and it really opened up me, it opened me up in my heart so much. And I think that's why I became, like, addicted to it. Because I was like, I love this. I love being able to feel. I love being able to, like, use whatever I'm going through, and I still do that. Like, whatever is going on in my life, I just, like, put it into the work. And it's so cathartic. It's, like, so therapeutic. And in Keep Breathing, which is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, not had to do, I wanted to do it. But I, it was one of the hardest jobs because I'm alone a lot of the time. And it's very introspective. And it's very, it's a very emotional show. It was, it was exhausting. Every day.

[16:53] Alan Seales: Where'd you film it, by the way?

[16:53] Melissa Barrera: In Vancouver. It's so beautiful.

[16:54] Alan Seales: Vancouver and. So beautiful.

[16:57] Melissa Barrera: And what's, what's up, where they ski? And now I'm blanking. They had the Olympics there.

[17:02] Alan Seales: Oh, Whistler?

[17:03] Melissa Barrera: Vancouver and Whistler, yes. Vancouver and Whistler. And the most gorgeous, like, just being out in nature. And, but I was suffering the entire time. So it was, like, a juxtaposition of, like, oh, my God, I'm so happy I'm here. It was during COVID. So I was, like, we could shoot this. It's all outdoors.

[17:17] Alan Seales: Oh yeah. Easy to film.

[17:20] Melissa Barrera: Yeah. And I'm so happy to be back at work and doing this incredible show. But then I'm, like, crying and screaming and suffering and, like, panting and running the entire time, which was exhausting, but also, like, one of the most rewarding. I got to know myself a lot during that show.

[17:36] Alan Seales: Really?

[17:36] Melissa Barrera: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[17:37] Alan Seales: Which is, like, through the script or through the actual, like, you, Melissa, being there in nature?

[17:42] Melissa Barrera: Through the script and through knowing, really finding what I need as an actor, what I don't, what I'm capable of. And through the script, you know, the character is working through father and mother issues. And we all have, we all are. And so it was very cathartic for me, too. It was very, you know, again, it was like therapy, because I, what the character is going through, I was like, Oh, my God, I'm the same. And so that also helped was that's always like my way into the character. Like, how are we similar? And then I branch out.

[18:21] Alan Seales: Don't go anywhere. We'll be right back after this break.

[18:26] Alan Seales: Welcome back to the episode. Did you talk to your parents about it? Have you been like, here's what I learned about me about you?

[18:30] Melissa Barrera: No. No, because I don't think it's fair. You know, like, I think I have this, like, theory that you can have the superstar greatest parents in the world, or the worst. And all of your issues are still going to stem from your parents. You know? Yes, I know. And that's why like, I'm like, I don't know if I'm having kids. I don't know what you know, because I'm like, you're gonna you're gonna mess up your kids, even though you have the best intentions, even if you're trying to fix all of the things that your parents did wrong with you. Your kid is a whole different being that needs different things. And it's just a learning curve. So no matter what, all of my issues come from my parents.

[19:16] Alan Seales: Both good and bad.

[19:17] Melissa Barrera: Both good and bad. Yeah. And it's I see that now like the I'm 45. We the 40s statistically all these things around maybe just my algorithm targeting now targeting me now but the 40s are the hardest generation statistically because most people have the aging parents and are taking care of the the growing up kids. So we're the sandwich generation stuck in the middle of like taking care of both ends.

[19:38] Melissa Barrera: And I feel that 100%. And yeah, but it's just interesting because yeah, I'm looking at my relationship with my parents and trying to not do purposely not do some of that with my kids and then purposely do some of that with my kids. And I'm messing everything up.

[19:55] Alan Seales: You don't know what your kid actually needs until later in life when they're like, by the way, you did this and you're like, but I thought, but I thought that that's what that would be good. And your kid is like, No, actually, I hated it. And, you know, it's just, it's like the beautiful complexity of being human.

[20:14] Melissa Barrera: Yeah. Yeah. And I think though, big picture, one of the biggest things that I've learned after now, almost 500 episodes of this podcast is that the people like yourself who are sitting here across from me who are in it for the long haul and who love it, who have had parents who just support what they love to do, what their kids love to do. Yeah. So you don't have parents that like, even if they're like, all right, you should go get a law degree as a backup, but we're still going to support you. At least that support was there. Yeah. You know what I mean? Yeah. So I think that goes a really long way to, you know, just building your own confidence.

[20:49] Melissa Barrera: 100%. I was very blessed that I grew up with a mother that I, I always saw as like a badass because she was, you know, full time mom, super present mother, she was like, at every, every school function, every award ceremony, every dance recital, every piano recital, every voice recital, every basketball game, every, uh, ice skating competition for my sisters, everything that we ever did. She was always there. I don't remember her ever missing anything. And she always, and she worked full time and she was a primary breadwinner of my household. So, so I grew up with that example. That's hard. And I still don't know how she did it. And a lot of people, even my cousins will be like, how did she do it? She's like the ultimate role model. And I'm not saying that she's perfect, but she's like pretty damn close to, to being like perfect mother. And obviously like, I'm the oldest of four sisters. I have three younger sisters and somehow we all had different mothers, you know, like in our, cause we all have different like glasses. And we, yeah, the perception is so different and it's very interesting. Cause like we all have like different, different views on like certain moments in time, which is super interesting. And that's what I'm saying. It's like the complexity of like kids and like what they, how they view things. But anyway, I just, I always had a very supportive mom who I saw was very capable. And so that inherently made me think that I was capable of doing a lot. And she always made sure to tell me that I was capable of doing whatever I wanted, as long as I worked hard for it. And, and she always like, if I was like, Oh, I want to try, you know, karate lessons, she'd go out and look for a karate lesson. If she, if I was like, Oh, I really want to, you know, try and do this summer camp for this. She'd go out and, you know, it was always like, we were her priority. We were her investment. And I'm so grateful because I got to try all of the things that I wanted. And that's how I found what I loved to do. And she did that with all of us and to her own sacrifice. A lot of times, you know, like she, we were, we came first and, and a lot of times people would criticize her a lot because they'd be like, why are you, why are you like all over the place with your kids? Like, why are they always doing all of these things? And she was just like, well, that's why I work. I want to be able to give them experiences and, and skills so that they can find what they love to do. And yeah, so I'm, you know, I know I wouldn't be here without my mom or her mom. Cause her mom was also like that. My grandma is also a big reason that I am where I am today.

[24:05] Alan Seales: That's beautiful. And I am, I feel bad that she was getting criticized for that because it's crazy, right? Yeah. It's crazy, right? Like you should support your kids. You should, you know, do what they want to do within, within limits of, you know, like, well, a lot of times I think she'd be in debt, you know, she'd be like, I need, you know, can I borrow for this and this and that? And I think that's why she would get criticized because people would be like, stop spending money on your kids that you don't have. But she was like, I want to give them everything that they want. Good for her and good for you. And yeah, like your basketball team and your mom, that's why you're here today. So then what was like the, one of the big breaks, we'll say big breaks. Cause you said, I was just thinking when you said that, you know, like, um, was it McConaughey almost famous? Is that, that was his big break, right? I don't know. Is it? Was it? Was it like, all right, all right, all right. Yeah. Yeah. Right? Like that movie was like, oh, all of a sudden he's on the map now. Great. But before that, like in, in your experience too, there are multiple big breaks. There's little big breaks that get you to your big, big break, but then everyone doesn't realize that you've had a whole career and I had all this little stairstep moments beforehand where you've built your resume or you've met the one person who's going to introduce you to the next person that's going to get you that break. So, you know, when you started performing and you're doing all the stuff you do in the camps, like what, what, when did it start to accelerate?

[25:35] Melissa Barrera: Yesterday. I've never, you know, it has never felt accelerated. It's always felt step by step. I've never had a job where things like significantly change. Never. It's always been kind of like a natural progression of like getting a little bit more exposure or things with a little bit more, um, recognizability. Um, but I've never, like you said, I feel like I've had like several big breaks, but they feel big in the moment because they're like a step up.

[26:15] Alan Seales: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

[26:15] Melissa Barrera: It feels like on the ladder, but I haven't had a break that feels like, oh, this is the thing. You know what I mean? Um, I feel like in the heights felt like it was going to be that, but then because of the pandemic, um, you know, it was just like bad timing. It was, we were like one of the first movies in theaters during the pandemic. No one wanted to go see it. Same day release on HBO max, which is never good. You know? Um, so that was, that was, was what in the moment I felt like, oh, this is it. This is the movie that is going to, um, open doors for me. And it does like every job does open doors is the thing. Like every single thing that I've done has led me to be able to get the next one. I'm not saying that it's, that they don't, but you're talking about like a break, like, you know, like stranger things, kids get got a break or like the heated rivalry boys got a break, you know, like, or Bridgerton, you know, like those like huge cult, like global, um, global, global moments.

[27:36] Alan Seales: I know exactly what you're saying because I actually just, uh, I was on Reddit the other day and somebody asked randomly, like what celebrity, this is a little morbid, what celebrity needs to die to have the next global coming together. Like when Michael Jackson died and, and the responses were all like, it's never going to happen again because now within the last like five, six years, basically since the pandemic and the advent of, of tick tock and Instagram and whatnot, like everyone's now in their own little microsphere and everyone can find exactly what they want. And they're targeted by all of these systems to keep them engaged without leaving. And so now, yeah, stranger things somehow broke through internationally. So like that, those moments of overnight international success are becoming harder and harder and harder to make now with the tools we've got, everyone can make music, everyone can make a movie, everyone, but to make it good and to make it interesting and to make it universally desired, I don't know what that recipe is anymore. And I don't think there is one is the thing. It's just kind of, uh, struck a strike of luck or what do you call it? A lightning strike, a lightning strike. And it doesn't, there are no rules for it. It just is. And I think nowadays it is becoming viral. Like it's the, it's when something becomes viral that, that everybody kind of wants to hop on the train.

[29:05] Alan Seales: Be like them.

[29:05] Melissa Barrera: Yeah. And then, so then that becomes like a moment, but it's a moment. It's a thing. It's a thing. It's a moment nowadays. It's not, it doesn't last. And, and you know, I talk about this a lot that it feels like before studios created movie stars and you had these like movie stars that were internationally recognized and that you could, and that, you know, people were going to show up to theaters to watch. And I feel like that's so rare nowadays. And, and, and I don't know why it is. Maybe it's the accessibility. Maybe it's because everyone has a phone in their hands. And so you can literally just go and like be on that person's Instagram. There's no mystery anymore. Whereas before you had to like, you know, go find them if you were in the city or wait for a magazine to like pop up and tell you what they were doing. Like we didn't have that access. And that, so that made it like feel more rare and more desirable. But I also think that before studios were incubating talent and then putting it out in the world.

[30:12] Alan Seales: Theater used to do that too.

[30:12] Melissa Barrera: Yeah. And now they just want people that are already famous to come in and they don't want to do any of the work.

[30:19] Alan Seales: Because advertising is impossible.

[30:23] Melissa Barrera: You need, as a producer, you need famous people to bring their fans so that your show gets an automatic free advertising.

[30:32] Alan Seales: Right. But that's lazy.

[30:34] Melissa Barrera: Yes.

[30:35] Alan Seales: You know?

[30:35] Melissa Barrera: Yes, it is.

[30:36] Alan Seales: That's laziness.

[30:37] Melissa Barrera: It is. And because of, I've produced too. So like this is a sore spot for me. It's like the cost of putting theater up in New York specifically is so like astronomically much more expensive. The same show, the same play can go into New York for six or seven million as West End a million pounds. Like it's that stark of a difference.

[31:00] Alan Seales: Right.

[31:01] Melissa Barrera: And so you have to have people that are going to come in because you can't spend enough money on marketing. Otherwise you're never going to get your show to Broadway.

[31:09] Alan Seales: Right.

[31:09] Melissa Barrera: And it's really shitty. So something has to change.

[31:12] Alan Seales: Right.

[31:13] Melissa Barrera: I don't, I don't know. I don't know what it is. I want to change it and I don't know what it is.

[31:18] Alan Seales: Well, I think Titanic is a good example of how we're trying to kind of, you know, we're trying to kind of break with the way that theater is produced on Broadway. Because if I'm not mistaken, like I think our budget is something like 8 million.

[31:38] Melissa Barrera: Yeah, it's not big.

[31:39] Alan Seales: And the next show, the next cheapest show on Broadway is something like 28 million.

[31:45] Melissa Barrera: For a musical? Yeah.

[31:47] Alan Seales: Yeah. And so I don't know, like I think our show looks fantastic, sounds fantastic. And like, why are you spending that much money?

[31:57] Melissa Barrera: Yeah. Well, it's lights and automation and all the, yeah, it's so many things. And you need a show that is going to attract big names that don't demand big salaries.

[32:09] Alan Seales: Right.

[32:09] Melissa Barrera: Because that's where like, that's why Sunset Boulevard couldn't break even because Nicole Scherzinger's salary was astronomical.

[32:15] Alan Seales: Oh wow.

[32:16] Melissa Barrera: Like that kind of stuff.

[32:17] Alan Seales: Yeah.

[32:17] Melissa Barrera: So anyway, Titanic, let's talk about the fun stuff. How did you get connected to that in the first place? Because you haven't been on stage in quite a while.

[32:26] Melissa Barrera: 10 years. Yeah. The last time I was on stage was in Mexico City. I was doing Young Frankenstein in 2016. And I had been wanting to go back on stage for a while. And I had been, but you know, I was doing TV shows and I was doing movies. And so obviously agents and agencies and managers would rather you go make money in those places than get stuck in a run for theater where you're making no money.

[32:55] Alan Seales: Yeah, yeah. Comparatively, yeah.

[32:57] Melissa Barrera: And so I think no one ever took me seriously when I kept saying like, I want to do Broadway. Also, let's be real. The theater scene is small. The theater world is small. And it's like a little mafia where the same people are working over and over and to crack in is hard. I remember, because I would be constantly looking like, what's coming? What new musicals are coming that I could go in? And by the time that they announced a new musical, it's already cast. You know, I was always too late. And I was like, how do I even I don't even have the knowledge beforehand to like go and audition when they need the people. And so it was very frustrating for many years. And then I switched agencies, thank God. And I have this now amazing theater agent at IAG, Debbie. And I spoke to her at the end of last year. And I was like, I really want to do theater. I really feel like I need to do theater because theater is my home. It's like my first love. And it always when I was doing theater, I was happy. And I've been feeling in the last few years, like not so happy in doing the work that I love. And I'm like, okay, I need to go and refuel and recharge and like reset. And so we were talking and we were talking about a play like a straight play. But I was like, I really want to do a musical. Like I've always imagined and dreamed of my Broadway debut to be a musical, even though I would love it if it was anything like I just want to be on Broadway. But like I'm a musical theater kid at heart. So I would love it if it was a musical. And she I told her like the Princess Bride, I heard that there's a Princess Bride like show in development. I love that movie. Like, can you call the producers and see if they're going to audition? She was like, let me call them. She was like, well, they already have a cast that they've been working with for the workshops and stuff. And I was like, okay, well, she was like, but do you know Titanic? And I was like, yes, I know that show. I've seen it twice because I saw it off Broadway and I saw it in Toronto when I was shooting. And she was like, well, it's transferring to Broadway. And I was like, shut up. I like I hadn't heard of that. And so she was like, yeah, and they're auditioning the role of Rose at the moment. Like, would you be interested in going in and auditioning? And I was like, oh, my God, because I saw the show, loved it. But I didn't see myself in it. I just didn't. It wasn't like a thought that crossed my mind. So I was like, okay, let me now let me go back to watching it. Do I see myself in it? Can I even sing the songs? You know, I don't want to make a fool of myself if I go and audition and I can't even reach the notes. Because Celine Dion songs are not easy to sing. So I told her like, don't say don't tell them that I can't audition yet. Let me go and do like a night of research and like, go and Google everything that I can about the show. See what songs Rose has to sing. And so I did. I like sang them. And I was like, I think I can do this. Like, I think if I practice enough, I can at least do a decent job at the audition. And I got the materials, I started like learning them, but they had given me a Zoom audition with the team. And I was like, I hate Zoom auditions. They're just like...

[36:31] Alan Seales: So you're in LA, right?

[36:32] Melissa Barrera: I live in Austin. So I was in Austin.

[36:35] Alan Seales: Really?

[36:35] Melissa Barrera: Yeah, I was in Austin and everything is on Zoom now. So like, you know, but I was like, damn, like for theater, a Zoom audition, that just feels wrong. And I don't know that I'm going to be able to properly show them what I can do through like a little screen. Or if the sound is going to be good, you know, like, so I was like, should I? I was like, are they flying people out? Like, I would rather do it in person. And she was like, no, there's no budget for that. They're not flying people. It'll just be Zoom. So I was like, damn, but in the back of my head, I was like, this doesn't feel right. And then luckily, I was doing, I was on in the process of callbacks for a movie for like an independent movie. And they wanted to fly me out to LA to do a chemistry read with Sam Rockwell. And I was like, okay, cool.

[37:29] Alan Seales: Never heard of him.

[37:31] Melissa Barrera: He's honestly incredible. And, and so I was like, okay, well, I'll go and do that. And then I'll do my Zoom from LA. And then they call me and they're like, all right, you're gonna, they're gonna, they're gonna fly you to LA. The director is going to be there. But Sam Rockwell is not going to be there in person. He'll be on Zoom because he's going to be in New York.

[37:53] Alan Seales: How do you do a chemistry read over Zoom?

[37:55] Melissa Barrera: Exactly. But we do them all the time is the thing. It's so stupid. I know, but we do. But anyway, and I was like, oh, man, and I and then it like the light bulb hit. And I was like, wait, I'll go to New York. I'll do the chemistry read with Sam there. And I'll do it. I'll do the in person for Titanic. And they were like, well, they're not going to fly you to New York, because they want to fly you to LA. That's where the director is. But I was like, it makes no sense. I'd rather be in the room with Sam Rockwell if we need to do chemistry and be in the room for Titanic. So I was like, I'll use my miles. I'll stay with my sisters. They don't need to pay for this, but I want to do this. So I flew to New York, literally landed like 10 a.m., went to my sisters, did a vocal warm up, was at my audition at Ripley Greer, I believe, or Open Jar, one of those. At like one, I did my Titanic session with, you know, Connie, Marla, Ty, casting directors from Telsey, Jeff Coe, our musical director. And I had like the best time. And after that, I went to I went like downtown to read with Sam Rockwell. And the whole way there, I was like, I can't do both. These go at the same time. So I'm only going to be able to do either the movie or Titanic. And I was like, my heart wants what it wants.

[39:23] Alan Seales: Your heart will go on.

[39:24] Melissa Barrera: But I was like, I'm not going to say no to meeting Sam Rockwell, right?

[39:27] Alan Seales: Don't go anywhere. We'll be right back after this break.

[39:32] Alan Seales: Welcome back to the episode.

[39:34] Melissa Barrera: So I go, and I show up, and the casting director is like, oh, I heard you're coming from another audition for a musical. And I was like, yeah, she's like, you can't do both, you know? And I was like, yeah, but I don't have either. So that's why I'm here, you know, like, I'm trying to get at least one. And I did this incredible session with Sam Rockwell, and I left, and then I waited. And then I got Titanic, like a few days later, and I was like, okay, it's done. The universe has decided. And I was so happy. And that's like the really long winded story of how I'm here.

[40:11] Alan Seales: Well, yeah, it sounds like the entire cast is very, very close. And the rehearsals, of course, are a lot of fun. But I remember when you came into the studio here, for Lynette Henao's podcast, you said that she brought up that Kami calls you Chancla.

[40:27] Melissa Barrera: Yeah.

[40:28] Alan Seales: And you didn't know why.

[40:29] Melissa Barrera: Yeah.

[40:29] Alan Seales: So I asked him.

[40:31] Melissa Barrera: Oh, my God.

[40:31] Alan Seales: And here's what he said.

[40:34] Melissa Barrera: I love that you know that I call her Chancla. No, it's literally because that's the only word I know in Spanish. And I went to eight years of high school. I mean, eight years of Spanish class in school, from like middle school to high school. And I still know nothing. All I know is Chancla, which is a sandal, and Camarones, which is shrimp. So I call her Camarones Chancla. I call her shrimp sandal. Because Chancla is just such a funny word to me. And also, I had Cuban best friends growing up. And their abuela would always beat them with their Chancla. So yeah, I just call her Chancla because she's my little Chancla.

[41:10] Melissa Barrera: I am the little Chancla. And now Marla calls me Chancla too now. I am like the Chancla.

[41:16] Alan Seales: Do you have a nickname for them?

[41:18] Melissa Barrera: I don't. No, I don't.

[41:20] Alan Seales: You should.

[41:20] Melissa Barrera: Well, I call Marla Marlita. And Connie, just Connie. Or idiot.

[41:27] Alan Seales: Definitely idiot. No, two of the nicest people. I've only met Ty a handful of times too. But yeah, Marla and Connie, again, two of the nicest people that I've ever worked with. And I love that Titanic was written to make fun of musical theater.

[41:41] Melissa Barrera: Right.

[41:42] Alan Seales: Did they tell you this?

[41:43] Melissa Barrera: No, I didn't know that.

[41:44] Alan Seales: Oh, yeah. Because Marla, she can tell you the story. She moved to LA to get out of musical theater and be a writer. She hates musical theater. At least she did.

[41:51] Melissa Barrera: Lol.

[41:52] Alan Seales: Lol, yes. And so she wrote this to make fun of the form.

[41:57] Melissa Barrera: Oh, my God.

[41:58] Alan Seales: And then she and Connie and Ty wrote this. And then now it's turned into what it is. But the whole thing is, I tell her all the time, she's found this massive success in this medium and this show that was just written as a joke.

[42:14] Melissa Barrera: Yeah.

[42:15] Alan Seales: And it is so good because...

[42:16] Melissa Barrera: It's so good.

[42:17] Alan Seales: And you hear this all the time, is that I've heard stories of the big break that some people have gotten have been when they've gone into an audition when they just don't care. They're like, this is it. This is my last one. I can't make it. I'm not going to do this anymore. I'm just going to go in and say F it. I'm like, whatever. And then that's the one because they are in it with no nerves, without any stress. It's like, that's the one they get.

[42:38] Melissa Barrera: Right.

[42:38] Alan Seales: And I feel like this is one of those things where she and the team wrote this because they're like, you know what? We don't care. Let's just have fun and make each other laugh. We're not trying to make something that's going to win a Pulitzer Prize. We're going to make something that's going to make each other laugh.

[42:51] Melissa Barrera: But they stuck with it.

[42:52] Alan Seales: Oh, yeah.

[42:53] Melissa Barrera: You know, they stuck with it and they continue to grow it and hone it. And that's why it's a Broadway show now. And it is a Broadway show.

[43:02] Alan Seales: Oh, it deserves to be where it is.

[43:04] Melissa Barrera: Yeah. So, you know, they're geniuses. I think it's a deceiving show because...

[43:13] Alan Seales: It's hard.

[43:14] Melissa Barrera: It's hard. It's like, what we're doing on stage is hard. It's hard vocally. It's also like, the humor and the rhythm of it is very precise. And even though it's like, every other line is a joke and you think like, oh, you know, like, that's, you know, that's a funny, like, poop joke or whatever. The genius of like, the nuances and the humor and the jokes and the callbacks and the Easter eggs, like, and to make it work because it's not only a show that you laugh with and, you know, have a good time for two hours, but you're also like, emotional at points. It's, you know, it's got like, serious moments. It's got, it's got like the vocals that will like, shake you to your core. And it's in the end, it's a love letter to everything to Celine Dion. It's a love letter to theater. It's a love letter to pop culture. It's a love letter to the gay community. It's, you know, it's like, everything is, is about love. It's even the people that we're making fun of, we're like fans of, you know? Yeah. Like Patti LuPone is in our show every night. And Nicole. And Nicole Hoescherzinger. And like, we love them, you know, it's, none of it is meant with like, any ill intent. It's all with love. And Ty was very, very, you know, measured in everything. So to make sure that that comes across. So yeah, I just, you know, it's amazing the story of the show, like, where it came from, how it was born, all the iterations that it's gone through. It's such a, like an inspirational story for any creator out there that is like thinking of like, starting to write their own stuff. Yeah. Just the fact that it started in a basement, or not even probably like in a room.

[45:11] Melissa Barrera: It was a dinner theater.

[45:11] Alan Seales: Yeah, whatever. And now it's at the St. James Theater. And with the same people, like literally the same costume designer, the same production designer, same sound designer, like it's all people that have come up together, and are now sharing in the joy and the triumph of getting to Broadway. But they've stuck with each other. It's like a beautiful family. And I think that's why it feels so special. And Jim and Deborah and I who are the new ones that came on for the Broadway transfer, because everybody else in the company had already done the show at one point or another on off Broadway. And we're the newbies, we feel like we've come into a family, like a fully formed family. And we've been like welcomed with open arms. And, and it just it genuinely feels really special. Like, and I feel like this is the best job I've ever had. And Deborah feels that way. And Jim feels that way. So it's it definitely is like a lightning in a bottle that we feel like we've...

[46:19] Alan Seales: For Jim to say that.

[46:24] Melissa Barrera: I know. I mean, that's right. That's and yeah, I mean, all of you, you've had such amazing careers and experiences so far. Do you have to be all together? Yeah. I can see that. I mean, I don't know how you keep it together on stage anyway. Because like you and Jim alone. Yeah. You Rose and her mother. Yeah.

[46:39] Melissa Barrera: Yeah. Like how do you how do you work through that? I mean, being the straight character, right? Like you're not the one out there being the ridiculous one, but you still get tons of laughs.

[46:50] Melissa Barrera: Yeah, I you know, I am I am like the like the emotional through line of the show. So I kind of have to Rose is a little bit more grounded than everyone else so that everyone else can be a fool around her. And I love I love being able to do that. I feel like I'm on audience member to you know, they're all performing for me. And and I now I've gotten good at keeping it together. In the beginning, it was hard because they would change a little thing. And they would make me lose my mind. I'm still to this day, like I sometimes have a hard time looking at Jim or at john or at Connie in the eye, because I just am going to break. And I don't want to, even though it's sometimes funnier. I like I want to keep it together so that, you know, there's, we were telling the story, you know, it's not just a sketch. It's, it's, it's a true story. Not a true story. Well, you know, selling his version, but like, it's, it's the, the tragic story, the love story that we're trying to tell. And by the end, you know, we want it to feel hopeful. That's why like the last song and the like, some of the last words that we sing are believe, believe, believe that it's possible believe that a world better world is possible. That's like the message I think that we want people to leave the theater with.

[48:10] Alan Seales: And all that jazz and all that jazz. Yeah, yeah. The I don't know how again, I don't know how you keep it together. I think it's got to be one of the hardest jobs anybody's got to have because the energy of everyone on that stage is is intense. And I am just like, I enjoy watching everybody and Layton came over from the iceberg bitch. Yeah, I'm over from West End. Yes. Like Layton is is incredible and an amazing addition. Layton was so good in the West End that we had to have him for Broadway. Yes. You know? Yes. Like those legs though. I'm just staring. Oh my God. Yes. Oh no. He's the most charming, quick witted human being I've ever met. Like it's insane. Like the things that come out of his mouth every night. He makes me laugh at the end of the lip sync. He always like comes up with something and it's his facial expressions and the way that he moves his mouth. And he I think it's it's become like a thing where he's trying to make me break because I'm sitting in the stairs as part of the audience in that moment. And I'm literally just thinking, what are you going to do today? And the good thing is that I'm turned away from the audience so I can already comes out. He's like, but you did, though. That's what you did. Yeah. No, but that's what you did. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I love that moment. All right. So, man, I didn't get to any of my questions. Whatever. We just chatted. That's cool. Lol. We're going to play a plot in 60 seconds now to wind down. I have 17 popular musicals on my screen here. You can't see them. Okay. Give me a give me a number one through 17. I'm going to tell you what you chose off my list and then you give me that plot to the musical you chose in 60 seconds or less. Oh my God. I hope I know these. You can make it up if you don't. Okay. All right. 13. 13. Oh, this'll be fun. Cats go. 60 seconds.

[49:02] Melissa Barrera: Oh, man. So Cats is a show about cats, about humans pretending to be cats. And there really is no plot. It's just basically it's like going to a dog show, but it's a cat show. And you literally just they tell you this is this kind of cat and they sing and dance and they all look amazing and are doing incredible acrobatics and singing beautifully. But I've never really fully known what that show is about.

[50:24] Alan Seales: And I think 30 seconds. I have to go and see Cats the Jellicle Ball because this is the best version of it I've heard and the only way that cats make sense. So I'm thinking that this one has a story and I hope that that's true. But I genuinely think it's just a show about furries.

[51:45] Melissa Barrera: Yes. That's it. Yes. And my friend Mike Abrams runs the Wrong Cat Died podcast. His whole thesis is Grizabella was the wrong Jellicle choice, the wrong cat to die. Because he has been presenting this for years, how now Jellicle Ball is presenting this as a Fear Factor meets American Idol death competition. Oh, that's what it is. So it's it's competing to have old Deuteronomy, the leader, choose you to be the one to be reborn and start over again in life, a new life. Oh, because you have nine lives, the cats. So you get to choose and Grizabella comes in like, oh, pick me, pick me. I have the worst. But what are the stakes? If everyone, everybody has nine lives, then like, who cares if they're all going to be reborn and they're all going to have nine chances?

[51:29] Alan Seales: Listen, I didn't say holes in it. So when I was when I was like 10 years old, I would go to a friend's house and we would always watch cats. It was the stage, the film stage version. I don't even know. But I would love watching it just because I think it's beautiful to see people pretending to be cats. Like I just thought that it was so cool and weird, but cool. But I never really understood what it was about. And I still don't. So I think I need to go see Jellicle Ball.

[52:10] Melissa Barrera: Jellicle Ball presents it as a ballroom competition. Cool. A ballroom dancing competition. So there's different houses and everyone is dancing as a representative of their house. But in Jellicle Ball, they change no music, not a single note is changed. I love that. And it's just staged in a different way. And I think that is brilliant. Are there are there are there words spoken? They add some in the normal show, no, but they add a few words in between the songs now, but there's no script. I mean, there is a script now, but like it's an opera, just like Hamilton's an opera.

[52:40] Melissa Barrera: Right. Yeah. Interesting. Well, I can't wait. I've just heard the most incredible things.

[52:45] Alan Seales: You should see it. OK, so three closing questions I ask everyone. First one simply is what motivates you?

[52:49] Melissa Barrera: What motivates me? I think I have like an inner hunger that like motivates me. Like I want to continue to create. I want to continue to to evolve, to become better as an artist, to try to be challenged and to try different things. Yeah. And obviously, like my family and my husband motivate me when when I'm like down in the dumps. They're the ones that are like, remember when you said this or remember when you would say this or remember when you were little and you were, you know, so sure of like all the things that you were going to do. And so they kind of like lift me up when I need it.

[53:36] Alan Seales: That's a good reminder. That's a good a good cheering squad. Oh, yeah. All right. What advice would you give to your younger self and younger people listening now starting out down a similar path?

[53:40] Melissa Barrera: To my younger self, I don't I feel like I would just tell her to because I feel like when we're younger, at least for me, when you're young, you feel more powerful and then you kind of start losing that power when you come out into the world and like you get beat up by life and like by other people. So I would just kind of tell her to always remember that ball of fire and power that she has in her and to never let anyone in to dim that. That I think was is like my my biggest regret of like growing up allowing so much like noise in that kind of made me doubt myself. And I've had to like climb out of that hole that I kind of dug for myself because really this and I had like my my tarot card reader tell me once.

[54:43] Alan Seales: You do tarot card reading?

[54:43] Melissa Barrera: Oh, 100%. Yeah. Well, you know, I'm Mexican. Like we do all the witchy things. But I had my tarot card reader once tell me like you like what are you doing? You're literally digging a hole for yourself for no reason. And I was like, oh my God, like seeing that image in my head. I was like, you're right. Like I'm just I'm I'm like spiraling by myself. And a lot of my spiraling comes from scrolling.

[55:22] Alan Seales: I was literally about to ask if the more exposure famous there is, the more negative feedback there is that you have to like dodge.

[55:27] Melissa Barrera: Yes, that is true. I think that what comes with becoming more well-known is more love from more people. But that also means more trolls and more haters. So it kind of like all goes together. And and if you allow yourself to get to like get hooked on like the negativity, that can be really I can really like mess with your head. I am such the same way. And I've I have no statistical basis behind this. But I've always told myself that for every one person who says something negative, there's 10. Think positively and just don't tell you because why would they reach out to tell you like, hey, great job. Haters are always louder. Yeah. And travels faster. Yeah. And a lot of times I've found that it's just people that want attention. Yes. And they think and it's true because if you if you think about like statistically online, people will engage with the negativity more than with the positivity, just statistically, not everyone, but like a clap back. Yeah. Or, you know, you know, like people will want to fight and defend more than be like, oh, thank you. You know, so I think that that has made that has like armed like trolls and even like fans to think like, oh, the way that I'm going to get them to engage with me and give me attention is if I say something negative, right? So you can't really you can't really. It's training. Yeah. Training a terrible algorithm.

[57:00] Alan Seales: Okay. Yeah. Last last question. If you can only see one show for the rest of your life, but you can see it as many times as you want. What would you say? Musical. Any show. What do you mean? Any show? Like any show, like a TV show? Your interpretation. Someone has told me the office. Okay. Not to cloud your judgment, but I could only see one show for the rest of my life.

[57:22] Melissa Barrera: Oh my God. I feel like it would have to be probably a show that has like so many seasons so that I have more material. I like I like New Girl. I like New Girl a lot because it makes me laugh a lot. But I think also probably one of my favorite shows is Rent. And I think I could that was the probably my most played CD back in the day when we had CDs.

[57:52] Alan Seales: That is my answer to that question.

[57:58] Melissa Barrera: Really? Yeah. Rent? Yeah. Oh, yeah. Because that's the show that showed me that there's music in musical theater that I could really dig myself into. And yeah, it was just great. It came at a time in my life like I was in high school. Yeah. It came a time in my life when I needed it. Yeah. And so it was just there. It was perfect. So anyway, that's my answer.

[58:13] Alan Seales: Well, there you go. That's my answer, too. Great. All right. So where can we find you online and connect with you and reach out and say only nice things on social media?

[58:21] Melissa Barrera: Oh, God. You can find me on Instagram. That's basically that's it. I'm not on TikTok. I'm not on X. I'm not on anything. Just Instagram. Melissa Barrera M. And yeah, just come to the St. James Theater to see Titanic. Please. We're here until September 20th. And if you sit front row center in the left of the two center seats, you get to catch the heart of the ocean. No, not always. She picks from the two center seats. Oh, does she? Yeah. I don't know what it is, what makes her pick the person. But yeah, if you sit front row center, you might the heart of the ocean at the end. It was sturdier than I expected it to be.

[59:03] Alan Seales: Yeah. You can get me online on Instagram threads, TikTok. I'm out there, right? You got to have a brand presence. I'll leave a reading review. Spread the word. Tell everyone you've just listened to this amazing episode. Thanks to welcometotimesquare.com for the lovely use of this studio. Thanks to Jukebox the Ghost for the intro and outro music we're listening to now. And Melissa, thank you so much.

[59:25] Melissa Barrera: Thank you. This has been so much fun.

[59:27] Alan Seales: This was fun. Thank you so much for the chat. Take a deep breath, make the world a little colorful.