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[0:00] Alan Seales: Welcome to The Theatre Podcast, intimate personal conversations with theatre's biggest names. This episode is with Nick Cearley and Lauren Molina, otherwise known as the duo that is The Skivvies. They are another example of making careers around Broadway without actually being on a Broadway stage. And as their name implies, they do take off their clothes; they are performing in their underwear, but they do it to be comfortable, not to be sexy. And there is a big difference that we did talk about in the episode. So it's not about taking off clothes for the sake of sexual activity. It's just being comfortable, being different, calling attention to this wonderful, wonderful music. And they've been doing it for a long time to actually promote body positivity.

They've got tons of body types. It's basically they tell their guests they have these major Broadway stars coming up and performing with them. So they tell their guests wear whatever you want. So some people wear onesies, some people wear lingerie, some people wear robes. It's literally all types of people, all types of bodies. It's one of the most inclusive efforts that I have seen in a very long time. So, you know, good on you guys. Please visit me online at ttp.fm and show your support for the podcast via ttp.fm slash Patreon, P-A-T-R-E-O-N. The proceeds from those so far have been going to getting all the episodes transcribed. So thank you. There's been a couple of fans who have written in and asked to transcribe as well.

So I've been using those and I really appreciate it, but we're working on accessibility. We're working on getting this word out to everybody. So on that note, please turn to the person next to you, say, hey, you should subscribe to this podcast I'm listening to. Everyone now, please enjoy this episode with The Skivvies.

[2:01] Alan Seales: Today, I have the pleasure of speaking with two singer-musician-actors who are known both for their Broadway resumes and also for performing stripped-down arrangements of popular songs and original tunes while literally stripping down to their underwear. Hashtag plagiarized from Wikipedia. As Out Magazine may have said best, they're part Weird Al parody and part sexy burlesque. They are none other than Nick Cearley and Lauren Molina, also known as The Skivvies. Welcome to The Theatre Podcast.

[2:32] Lauren Molina: Hi.

[2:33] Nick Cearley: The Skivvies, also known as like your undies.

[2:36] Lauren Molina: That's right. That's the play on words. Get it.

[2:37] Alan Seales: For those who don't know, the two of you are a very popular New York-based duo band that perform exclusively in your skivvies.

[2:45] Nick Cearley: Yeah, or some form of undress that's just not typical normal clothes. We just, it's kind of like a costume or a pajama party.

[2:51] Alan Seales: So, okay, I'm going to get back to like the two of you, your beginnings, your childhood and whatnot. But I still want to know, I'm talking about The Skivvies first and tell me about like when did you meet and where did this idea come from?

[3:07] Lauren Molina: Sure. Well, we met in 2003 doing a children's theater tour together and it was a TheaterWorks tour. The show was called The Just So Stories and we drove a van across the country, performing in the grandest cafeteriums of the land. TheaterWorks is great for your equity card.

[3:28] Nick Cearley: It sure is. Yeah, that's how you get it.

[3:30] Lauren Molina: Oh, yeah. Well, we got it. Yeah, we were just right out of college. So it was the first job we both had together. And they say in trying times you bond. And so Nick and I quickly became best friends and we returned after that tour back to the city and started making music together with our clothes on. And we would perform at places like the Duplex or the Lori Beachman. And it would be as like solo artists with special guests, you know, with the other person.

[3:55] Nick Cearley: One of us with the other, yeah.

[3:57] Lauren Molina: And, you know, we were making arrangements that were medleys and mashups similar to what we're doing these days. But it didn't really, nothing really happened with that. And then it wasn't until 2012, we were hanging out at my house and I said, let's put a cover song up on YouTube. That's what all the kids are doing these days. And we do it just as well. So we decided to strip down Rihanna's We Found Love and we set up the video camera and we made the arrangement. And I was trying to figure out what to wear for the video and I was walking around my bedroom in my bra and Nick said, why don't you just wear that? And I was like, oh, well, we are stripping down the arrangement. What if we did a whole stripped down series for YouTube, but never comment on it?

[4:45] Nick Cearley: Yeah, that makes sense. And then my boyfriend from the kitchen yelled, you should call yourselves The Skivvies. And we were like, yes, what else? Tell us what else? What else? No, that's a great idea. That's a great idea. And so we did these videos.

[4:57] Lauren Molina: And your boyfriend from the living room said, that's a great idea. And your boyfriend from the bathroom said, I concur.

[5:02] Nick Cearley: Yeah, just like a boyfriend in each room.

[5:05] Lauren Molina: Yeah, actually, I was telling him that we've told this story many times and he's like, I just imagine like people, the audiences like reading that or hearing that saying like imagining him like just sweating over a stove, just like stirring a stew.

[5:21] Nick Cearley: Yeah, exactly. Because he's like churning butter. Anyway, so yeah, we made these videos. They started to go viral. And we did our first live show about five months later. And fans on the internet were commenting on the videos saying, you guys should do a live show and also saying, you guys are so talented, you don't need to take your clothes off. And to that I reply, if we hadn't, you wouldn't have clicked.

[5:59] Lauren Molina: Yes, exactly. So we're aware of the fact that it's such a gimmick to take off your clothes and have people notice you. It's the oldest trick in the book, in fact. And it just so happened to get us noticed in a way that was surprisingly quick. And people are like, wow, actually, these guys are talented. And what a fun gimmick and what a fun photo op and what a fun concept to have all of these Broadway performers coming together in a variety show and show off this loosey-goosey side of themselves that often when you're an actor in New York City, you don't get to be so bold and playful. You often will get asked to sing a song in a cabaret or you know what I mean, but you don't get to explore making mashups and medleys and costuming thematically.

And we really have fun with our guests and it provides a platform for all of us to really just be creative together. And I think that's what people really latch onto, the audiences latch onto, and why it's been such a success is that it's just all about sense of humor and levity and joy and happiness through music.

[7:17] Nick Cearley: It kind of hit both sexual preference demographics, too, because you've got gay men and straight men and I guess gay women and straight women.

[7:30] Lauren Molina: Yeah, you can hit everything.

[7:32] Nick Cearley: Honestly, yeah. We check a lot of boxes.

[7:34] Alan Seales: Yeah, it's true. That's true. So you've got a huge following. And I mean, you were just saying before we started recording that you just came from tour. Like yesterday, you came back from San Francisco, right?

[7:42] Nick Cearley: Yeah, we have two days off.

[7:44] Lauren Molina: And then we go back out on the road to Southern California and we head up Palm Springs and Laguna and San Diego. It's a joy. Honestly, December is our busiest month because we have a holiday show that we take all around the country and it is just, you know, you can just kind of...

[8:04] Nick Cearley: I cringe at holiday music. So we just turn it all on its head and make it very fun and ridiculous and irreverent and very palatable.

[8:14] Alan Seales: Well, how do you approach the arrangements? Because...

[8:21] Nick Cearley: Well, there's a couple. I mean, I could use a couple of examples. For example, one of my favorite ones that we do is Winter Wonderland with John Mayer's Your Body is a Wonderland and we put it together and call it Your Body is a Walking in a Winter Wonderland. And then another one that we do...

[8:39] Lauren Molina: That's just a fun one I like to put together in the audience and we respond like, Oh, clever. But then the other one I really enjoy in our show that's just us, not necessarily a guest, is when Lauren reveals a secret to the audience and we do a twist on Santa Baby. And she does I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus into Santa's Baby where she confesses that she's actually the daughter of Santa, that Santa's her dad. And I think it's a really... The audience normally eats it up because they're hearing a song that they hear every day in a very different way. And I always hope after that song is done, I'm like, when they hear that song on the radio later tonight when they're driving home, they might think of the new twist on it. I really like making a stamp on their brains that way.

[9:18] Lauren Molina: We also have... We love to play quirky instruments besides the cello and the ukulele. But we play these handbells and while we're playing them, we have a mashup that starts with You Can Ring My Bell, goes into Jingle Bells and...

[9:43] Nick Cearley: Hark how the bells, sweet silver bells. Carol the Bells.

[9:45] Lauren Molina: Carol the Bells. Thank you. I love Carol.

[9:47] Nick Cearley: Carol. She's a good... She's great.

[9:49] Lauren Molina: Carol. Welcome to the stage.

[9:51] Nick Cearley: Of the Bells.

[9:52] Lauren Molina: Of the Bells.

[9:53] Nick Cearley: Robin of Locksley. Robin of Locksley and Carol of the Bells.

[9:58] Lauren Molina: Exactly. It's like all songs with bells. Silver Bells, Ring My Bell. Oh, I said that first. Jingle Bells.

[10:05] Nick Cearley: Jingle Bells. Ding-a-ling, my ding-a-ling, your ding-a-ling, if I were a bell.

[10:08] Lauren Molina: Oh, yeah.

[10:09] Nick Cearley: You get it.

[10:10] Lauren Molina: You get it. So basically, that's what we do. And we play boomwhackers and it's little drummer boy mashed up with, we got the beat.

[10:18] Nick Cearley: And you've also got, on the website, at least listed the glockenspiel and the melodica.

[10:23] Lauren Molina: Sure. They make an appearance. On the glockenspiel for the holiday show, we have two. And we do a sleigh medley, which we entitled Sleigh My Name. And it's all songs where we take, we substitute sleigh in for like, say.

[10:36] Nick Cearley: Yeah. It really works out.

[10:39] Alan Seales: One of my favorite things to do that is not anywhere close to this is sing songs with girl in it. Like, hey girl, but change it to squirrel. My kids eat that up.

[10:47] Lauren Molina: Oh, sure. I'm into that.

[10:50] Alan Seales: Hey, squirrel.

[10:52] Nick Cearley: Okay. So take me back. Nick, we'll start with you. Take me back to baby Nick.

[10:55] Nick Cearley: Yeah.

[10:56] Alan Seales: Where did you grow up?

[10:58] Nick Cearley: I grew up in a town called Fairfield, Ohio, which is between Dayton and Cincinnati.

[11:02] Alan Seales: We were just in Cincinnati Friday. And I went to school in Boston, got my BFA there, met Lauren pretty much a couple months after that, and moved to New York.

[11:12] Nick Cearley: I mean, I moved to New York, then met Lauren.

[11:14] Alan Seales: And did you grow up with a love of theater?

[11:18] Nick Cearley: Yes. So I was in dance classes when I was three.

[11:20] Alan Seales: Oh, really?

[11:21] Nick Cearley: My family has a slew of dance studios in Ohio. There were three. And so I was put into those classes at three. And then around the third grade or so, I did my first play and I was like, okay, this is what I'm doing.

[11:36] Alan Seales: And you also did show choir.

[11:38] Nick Cearley: Oh, yeah. I did all the things.

[11:39] Alan Seales: When did the instruments come in?

[11:40] Nick Cearley: Well, I was taught by a nun every Tuesday, piano, how to play piano.

[11:48] Nick Cearley: Music's always been very prevalent in the house. And so I guess I've always had an ear for it. But yeah, I guess I was taught from the ages of eight to eighteen. A nun came over and taught me piano every Tuesday. And that was where I... That's kind of what all I did. I didn't really pick up the ukulele until literally the day with The Skivvies. Yeah. A little bit before I felt like. Sure. A grace period of a month or two. But it was for that. It was 2012 for sure. And I... She had one, a ukulele. And I was like, can I borrow that? Teach me four chords. And then you can play pretty much anything with four chords. Now we've made a living playing four chords. A lot of popular artists have.

[12:32] Lauren Molina: That's right. All right, Lauren. So where did you grow up?

[12:35] Lauren Molina: I grew up in Detroit, Michigan. And my father is a bass player. My mom's a dancer. Also had music in the house always. I picked up piano, started taking lessons at four or five. And then I picked up the cello in fifth grade. And so I was doing both of those instruments. And then on my own in high school, I thought I would be cool and teach myself how to play acoustic guitar. And then I was in college when I was first asked to play the cello in a show. And that was new for me. I had played, I had sung in bands. And growing up, I always loved to sing. And I was always in the musicals at school. But I never actually thought that I would go into musical theater or acting as a career. I thought it was just a fun hobby and it just came easily and naturally to me.

But I was very academic. And so I was always just like, I'm going to be a doctor or a veterinarian. And then I took AP chemistry and I was like, I will not be a doctor nor a veterinarian. And then, yeah, I went to, my safety school was the University of Michigan. I didn't get into my top choices of schools. And while I was there, I was like, oh, actually I hear that the musical theater program is really good here. Everybody comes out of UM. And I was very fortunate. I applied as a transfer student and I got in. I mean, there's a lot more to it, but I was very lucky. And so while I was there, I was actually in a production where I was asked to play cello and improvise in this weird production of Hamlet where I was like dressed as Ophelia, but I didn't play the role of Ophelia, but I was one of the players. And every time Ophelia was on stage, I would sit on stage in a different area and play the cello as her voice and improvise in this weird postmodern thing. It was really hip.

[14:48] Nick Cearley: That's so Brooklyn.

[14:50] Lauren Molina: It is. It's so Brooklyn. And then, so that was my first onstage in costume playing the cello. And then, so when I was cast in Sweeney Todd, it was wild. I mean, after five auditions and the final one for Stephen Sondheim sitting five feet away, just for his approval, it was like a dream come true, surreal, all of it. And I remember being like, okay, so where are the music stands going to be on stage for the show? And they're like, oh no, you're going to memorize the entire score. And I was like, cool. All right. And so anyway, all that to say is I developed this new skill set of singing and playing the cello at the same time. Had that not happened, the Skivvies certainly would not have been born, I don't think. And yeah, then Nick and I just kind of like... It's wild. From that point on, I did Sweeney Todd and then Rock of Ages and then Skivvies. That's like...

[16:00] Nick Cearley: It was right after Rock of Ages.

[16:01] Lauren Molina: Yeah. So those are the two, the Broadway... So Sweeney Todd and Broadway in 2005, and then you did the tour in 07. And then Rock of Ages 2009. And Nick, you were in the All Shook Up First National Tour in 06. So yeah, it's been a year or two since 05, 06, 07.

[16:20] Nick Cearley: Yeah.

[16:20] Lauren Molina: Yeah. I mean, we've done tons of theaters since then. Those are just like the hits on the resume that people like to...

[16:25] Nick Cearley: The parenthetical street cred.

[16:27] Lauren Molina: Yeah. But yeah, like after Rock of... I left Rock of Ages to do Cunegunda and Candide at the Shakespeare Theater, Huntington Theater, Goodman Theater. And then, yeah, actually it was after that that the Skivvies were born. Because we were like, hmm, what do we do now? Let's hang out and make some music. Yeah.

[16:48] Nick Cearley: Well, how many auditions... Auditions. How many instruments do you both play collectively?

[16:52] Lauren Molina: I've never counted, but I always say, I will try any instrument. And so if you consider that playing it or not... I mean, when we did Charlie Brown, the musician Charlie Brown that was at Playhouse in the Park earlier this year, I mean, there were 85 instruments that were played in that show. Now, that also included, we say 85 instruments, but that included like a rain stick. Many things qualify. So how many instruments? I have no idea. But I would say I don't play anything that would be cello oriented or string like that.

[17:26] Nick Cearley: You don't play anything with a bow?

[17:27] Lauren Molina: I would not be bowing. How... Lauren, I guess you said you started out in piano, but now for Skivvies, you're primarily cello? Or do you just still get in playing a lot of piano there too?

[17:34] Lauren Molina: No, I mean, I would say, okay, if we're going to count things out, I can play cello, guitar, ukulele, bass, mandolin, some piano, and which means that I can play some melodica because it's a keyboard instrument.

[17:54] Nick Cearley: Yeah. Anything piano based is like...

[17:59] Lauren Molina: Like a glockenspiel. Yeah, exactly. Let's see.

[18:05] Nick Cearley: You drum?

[18:06] Lauren Molina: Oh yes. I've played a drum kit or a hand drum. I've played a recorder and a penny whistle, but not well. And I've played on stage in a show in a John Doyle production called Ten Cents a Dance. I played the saxophone, and I've done it on stage, but please don't make me do it again. But yes, I can play the saxophone. And yeah, I feel like... Again, I'm willing to try anything eight times, but I don't like to do woodwinds so much.

[18:45] Nick Cearley: Yeah. I don't play really any instruments, and I feel like if you learn one reed instrument, it kind of translates. A horn instrument translates. Yeah. So you're saying the keyboard...

[18:56] Lauren Molina: Translates to many other things.

[18:57] Nick Cearley: To many other things. Yeah. But reading music is reading music. You often perform with guests. I guess to start out, did you originally know that you were going to have guests, or was just the two of you to start? Or how long before you had a guest?

[19:11] Nick Cearley: Well, the first video was just me and Lauren.

[19:14] Lauren Molina: Right.

[19:15] Nick Cearley: And then the second video, we had a guest. Or no, second video was me and Lauren. I mean, yeah, because it was Rihanna's We Found Love, then it was the Lana Del Rey, wasn't it?

[19:23] Lauren Molina: Oh, I thought it was Carole King.

[19:25] Nick Cearley: Oh, it was Carole King. Yes, you're right.

[19:27] Lauren Molina: And then it was Wes.

[19:28] Nick Cearley: Okay. Yeah.

[19:29] Lauren Molina: So I think that was number three. But that was just a thing. We were like, come over, take off your clothes, and let's do this idea.

[19:34] Nick Cearley: Wesley Taylor, who's a Broadway star.

[19:38] Lauren Molina: Absolutely. Yep.

[19:40] Nick Cearley: And then I would say after that, we did another one that was just us. No more videos before then had a guest. And then we invited our friends when Joe's Pub was like, or we were like, let's do this show at Joe's Pub. That's when we were like, let's ask like six people if they would be interested to do it. And that's kind of when it happened. It's interesting because we kind of set it up for ourselves to do it that way. But that was never the angle until it was like, oh, that went well.

[20:05] Lauren Molina: It just revealed itself.

[20:07] Nick Cearley: It did.

[20:08] Lauren Molina: Revealed. I see what you did.

[20:12] Nick Cearley: I mean, I would love, I've said this for years, like I would love the opportunity. And we've done this sometimes out of town, but not very much at all. I love when it's just the two of us and we get to do our favorites, our hits, the things that we want to do, because I do love the guest aspect. But oftentimes that becomes completely centered around the guest's arrangement, which is amazing. We love to work and collaborate with someone. But when it's just the two of us, it's like we finally can work on something, like a new something for us that we had an idea. We're often so used to packing our shows, especially in New York City, with as many guest stars as possible. And it actually started out with, in a kind of annoying way, where venues would be like, okay, so the Skivvies, we want to book you, but who can you bring as your special guest? And we were like, what, the Skivvies aren't enough? And it just kind of rubbed us the wrong way. And yet, here we are, we're doing it, and now people don't ask us that.

[21:11] Lauren Molina: So touring now, you don't have guests?

[21:13] Nick Cearley: We do.

[21:13] Lauren Molina: You do?

[21:14] Nick Cearley: We do. We bring people. Usually, it depends. But sometimes we bring one person and then use locals, or sometimes we only use locals.

[21:24] Lauren Molina: Locals.

[21:26] Nick Cearley: I can't speak. You know, venues will ask us for sometimes specific people, or they're like, bring somebody who you want to bring. And then therefore, that's why we've performed with Matt Doyle and Nick Adams a lot on the road, because we've created so much in their canon. It's like, we could do an entire set with both of them at this point, and we wouldn't have to sing a lick.

[21:44] Lauren Molina: Yeah, yeah. I mean, and also like Leslie Margarita, we've performed on the road with, or Leslie McDonald. Yeah, but we have, there are certain guests that are, we call them Skivvies Royalty, and they have a handful of, more than a handful of songs. Morgan James, even like Lena Hall.

[22:06] Nick Cearley: Laura could do probably seven or eight with us now.

[22:10] Lauren Molina: And Randy Harrison.

[22:11] Nick Cearley: Randy Harrison, he's also come with us out of town.

[22:13] Lauren Molina: Oh, yeah.

[22:14] Nick Cearley: You've had Drew Lachey, Keila Settle.

[22:16] Lauren Molina: Oh, yeah.

[22:17] Nick Cearley: Even Lin.

[22:18] Lauren Molina: Lin Manuel.

[22:18] Nick Cearley: The great Lin, yeah.

[22:20] Lauren Molina: The great Lin.

[22:28] Nick Cearley: Is it hard to pitch to the guests?

[22:31] Lauren Molina: Not anymore.

[22:32] Nick Cearley: At first, we like, Wesley, you're like, hey, come over.

[22:34] Lauren Molina: Oh, no, Wesley loves to take his clothes off. Yeah, not an issue at all. I would say in the beginning, when it was, we were getting our name out there and what we were, what we were doing, our mission statement.

[22:45] Nick Cearley: Our brand.

[22:45] Lauren Molina: Our brand, yeah. But now, not to like, now this is in no way coming, I don't want to be cocky or anything, but we are able to, most people we approach are like, we know what the Skivvies do. So that's been a lot more helpful, but that just comes in getting old.

[23:00] Nick Cearley: Yeah, we're seven years old now.

[23:02] Lauren Molina: And I will say that certain people, I remember, I can say it, we approached Cheyenne Jackson many, many years ago, in the first year. And we were like, oh, he'd be a perfect guest for us. And he was like, I'm not taking my clothes off anymore.

[23:37] Lauren Molina: The Skivvies is a state of mind, I always say. So you can perform in a onesie, as long as like, we just don't want it to be ordinary. We just... People sleep in lots of things.

[23:46] Nick Cearley: People, yeah. I mean, Alice, who's performed with us a gazillion times, she always wears a dress. Sometimes it's see-through, sometimes she doesn't wear a bra.

[23:52] Lauren Molina: That's fun. But like, it doesn't matter. Anybody can wear whatever they want, as long as they're playing the game and they always are if they showed up. So, I really, really don't care. It's really not about what you wear. And we want people to feel comfortable. And oftentimes, audiences even say that they forget we're in our underwear after the first five minutes.

[24:11] Nick Cearley: It's a costume.

[24:12] Lauren Molina: It's a costume. It's all about the music. It's all about the fun and the frivolity of it all. So, it often feels like to me, also, when you're on a beach, it's like, you don't really remember, you're not looking at everyone being like, look at all these bathings. You don't really say that. So that's what it feels like to me, like bathing suits, really.

[24:29] Alan Seales: Was it hard for the two of you the first time you went out on stage in your underwear?

[24:34] Lauren Molina: I was very nervous.

[24:35] Nick Cearley: Were you?

[24:35] Lauren Molina: Yes. Well, I was more just thinking, how are people going to feel about it? I didn't feel like they were going to judge me and my body. I didn't feel... And also, Nick and I, we've been cast in so many shows. We were before that, where we had to be in various states of undress. Even in Rock of Ages, I danced around as a stripper. I mean, I wore a pink thong and a push-up bra and high patent leather boots. And I feel like that was way more sexy and risque and burlesque-y than me standing in a bra and underwear playing the cello or the ukulele. There's this sense of humor with it that doesn't take itself seriously. And I think that's why when people are like, oh my God, you're so brave to perform in your underwear.

First of all, I mean, I guess I am, but there's just a part of me that thinks like, oh, it's just a costume. And when you're already so vulnerable by exposing yourself like that, people are on your side. So if something messes up musically, they're like, yeah, who cares? You're in your underwear. And on top of that, I just feel like I am in control of what I wear. There's no rules with the Skivvies to the costuming. I mean, sometimes I wear a bodysuit. It's almost like a one-piece bathing suit. And I feel great in it. I feel just as sexy. I get to decide what I want to wear. Nobody else does. And that's empowering too.

[26:14] Alan Seales: Is it about being sexy or about being comfortable?

[26:18] Lauren Molina: I think comfortable for me. I mean, I need to feel comfortable. And that goes back to what I was going to say about our first concert. I remember when we were taking off our clothes for the first time, I felt very nervous about it because I'm fine being without a shirt on or whatever. But I didn't know how that was going to come across to an audience of paying 150 people to see me take off my clothes. What kind of person do they think I am? I'm so hot standing up here because that's not the way I come across. I don't want to give that because I don't think that. So I remember that first concert even, I wore sunglasses because I've worn sunglasses in almost all the videos. And in the very first concert, I was like, I can't look anyone in the eye. I have to get used to this. And now I don't wear sunglasses.

[27:06] Nick Cearley: Yeah, it's definitely about being comfortable. And I mean, I don't want to say it's not about looking sexy or feeling sexy because that's just... I feel like that comes across with just confidence and it's sort of like we said, a state of mind. But yeah, sexy, it's not sexual, but I think it's body positive. We are body positive and we are just like, however you want to present yourself to feel good, that is sexy.

[27:46] Lauren Molina: Yeah, that's what I was looking through the range of guests and it's just all different types of body types of different genders, different types, different builds. And it's got to be empowering to some of the guests too to be able to present themselves in a way that maybe their society doesn't normally get to see them in.

[28:06] Nick Cearley: In fact, Bonnie Milligan performed with us last year, or no, earlier this year, and yeah, over the summer. August, yeah, it was our August show.

[28:14] Lauren Molina: And right after that, we had a hater.

[28:20] Nick Cearley: No, before that.

[28:21] Lauren Molina: Oh, it was...

[28:22] Nick Cearley: Yeah, she talked about it on stage.

[28:23] Lauren Molina: Oh, okay. That's right. I'm sorry. We had a person on Twitter come after us and say that we only... We basically only use hot, white, gay men as our guests. Period. That was the blanket statement. And that we're not inclusive. And I was like, that couldn't be farther from the truth. First of all, you're cherry picking your facts, you're cherry picking your videos to post. And they took screenshots of examples of some fit white gay dudes. And yes, we have had plenty of those, but plenty of other styles of people too. And so she was the first to jump to our defense being a basically gorgeous plus size model, fierce, confident woman who just owns her body and owns her everything. And I think she's sexy as hell.

And she was just like, by the way, you're wrong. And it was great to have her come to our defense and then basically just list off all of these other types of performers and people that have... So then for that show, we were like, what are we going to sing with Bonnie? What are we going to sing with Bonnie? We were like, you know what? We'll take exactly what just happened on Twitter and make it into a mashup. So we took body positivity, being beautiful, all the things into her mashup and she told the story.

[29:50] Lauren Molina: It was all about being beautiful. And yeah, I'm trying to remember all of the songs. We do so many mashups that I can't keep them straight.

[30:00] Nick Cearley: Yeah.

[30:00] Lauren Molina: It was beautiful. The word was beautiful. So it was like beautiful from head over heels, which is what she's saying. My reflection from Mulan. And then it was beautiful by Christina Aguilera.

[30:11] Alan Seales: How long does it take you to do the arrangements? If something happens today on Twitter, and tomorrow I'm in your show with you, can we get something together in a day?

[30:20] Nick Cearley: We work fast.

[30:20] Lauren Molina: Absolutely. In fact, Nick gets annoyed with me because as we're driving into each town on our tour, I was like, hey, maybe we can think of just a little mashup to start the show with of all songs of Colorado. As we're driving into our venue in Denver, Rocky Mountain High, Colorado.

[30:45] Nick Cearley: We made actually a high medley for Colorado. We've made a California medley. We've made a Florida medley. We've made a... Gosh. But we just literally do the hour before.

[30:56] Lauren Molina: Oh, that's crazy.

[30:57] Nick Cearley: Normally happens during soundcheck.

[30:58] Lauren Molina: Really?

[30:59] Nick Cearley: Yeah, soundcheck. Yeah.

[31:00] Alan Seales: You guys and Ben Folds would get along very well.

[31:03] Nick Cearley: I'm sure that we would.

[31:04] Lauren Molina: Yeah.

[31:04] Nick Cearley: Yeah. And if you're listening, Ben Folds, you can join us anytime.

[31:10] Alan Seales: All right. Let's see. You've made appearances on, gosh, in pilots for Fox, A&E, WE, as well as performing at fundraising events. You're asked to perform at Broadway Bears, Broadway Cares, Equity Fights AIDS. You're a sought after staple of New York now.

[31:28] Nick Cearley: I think the New York theater scene, theater adjacent sort of thing. And it's incredible to me to watch the direction you're going in because you've made complete careers out of Broadway without having to be on Broadway all the time.

[31:43] Lauren Molina: Yeah, exactly. Well, I think it's because it's a sensibility and it's theatrical, what we do. It's not just standing up there and singing a pop song. It's not just telling a story of how I moved to New York City and another hundred people just got off of the bus.

[32:00] Nick Cearley: Yeah, I know. That's right.

[32:04] Lauren Molina: But we create our arrangements to have a sort of storytelling element and to try to expose lyrics in a way that shows their irreverence and absurdity. And so, like I said, going back to the sense of humor, but also the journey that each song takes. Some are more storytelling than others, but to involve the Broadway community. I think it's not only the theatricality, but the fact that we have embraced Broadway as much as they've embraced us. And it's a way for audiences to see their favorite Broadway performers in a new way.

[32:47] Nick Cearley: That's more them than playing a character.

[32:50] Lauren Molina: Well, yeah, they get to goof off. And in the age now of, I think, of social media and the behind the scenes sort of stuff, you're not only seeing these characters, these people that you hear on soundtracks and you see on stages in their own sort of natural element, but you're literally seeing them with less clothes on. I think their vulnerability makes more of a connection to the audience. Which is probably what you're saying, like you guys didn't get noticed until you started taking your clothes off. Not in a sexual way, but yeah, it's a vulnerability sort of thing.

[33:23] Nick Cearley: I will also say, too, I keep saying it's about the sense of humor, but our arrangements, and I will be proud of this, they're clever, they're smart. It's not just silly, goofy fun.

[33:36] Lauren Molina: We are well thought. We think about them very intensely. So they're clever and smart, but it's also because we put a lot of time thinking about them. To the point, ad nauseam at some of them. We're like, well, why would we tell that story?

[33:48] Alan Seales: Do you guys ever, have you ever fought? You're like, I have to do this mashup and there's no way. Or you're always like, oh, okay, cool.

[33:56] Nick Cearley: No.

[33:57] Lauren Molina: I mean, we have disagreements maybe on which song should be first or which section to use, but there's, no.

[34:03] Nick Cearley: But usually with us, it's like, we'll-

[34:05] Lauren Molina: Who cares?

[34:05] Nick Cearley: Yeah. And also, we both are of the same minds. It's like, well, let's try it and just see what feels right. Because I don't like to make an opinion about something like that until we've tried it. Because I don't think an opinion would work.

[34:19] Lauren Molina: That's also what I am very proud of with the Skivvies is how collaborative it is with not only each other, Nick and Lauren, but with all of our special guests that come in. Sometimes we'll get an idea and we'll create the arrangement and then we'll meet up with the special guest. And then they will give us input and we'll tweak it together, the three of us, or if it's two people, the four of us. But it's never like, this is the cut and dry version and that's the way it is. Nothing is precious. And we are all about changing things up in the moment and-

[35:01] Nick Cearley: Or at soundcheck, as we told you.

[35:01] Lauren Molina: Yeah.

[35:01] Alan Seales: What does it mean to be in residence somewhere? You've had several residencies.

[35:09] Nick Cearley: So it's just a regular mainstay that they keep having us back. So 54 Below, I think, was the first one that gave us a residency. I think it was like we had two a month or something like that for-

[35:21] Lauren Molina: You can tell it.

[35:21] Nick Cearley: A six-month period kind of deal. So that was the residency there.

[35:56] Nick Cearley: And that was a great experience. I'm glad we did that. I have no ill feelings about those brunches, but it was a learning experience, I thought, about timing. Timing on a Sunday. Because people will go to brunch and then typically go to a matinee. Right, and that's why the timing of that was like we had to do a brunch before the matinees. So it just felt kind of like early for brunch. And then the people that were coming to our shows, it was at the Green Room 42, and it was just starting out kind of. And it felt like even more than our fans coming to the show, the guests of the hotel. So they were like, what's going on? And they were a bit quieter and more reserved than usual. So it's just like figuring out who is your audience and what... Some jokes land better at night.

Yeah, it's true. But I will say, speaking of audiences, a lot of people think, oh, the Skivvies, they're titillating and burlesque. And the audiences are probably just young folks that come to those shows. But actually, it's ticket buyers who see theater. It's mostly actually older people, I would say. Young people too. But when we're out on the road, especially in presumably conservative towns, you would think that they would be more reserved, but they are ready for it. They're hungry for this niche that we've created of comedy and music. And it goes back to the smart arrangements and a bit of culture, even though we're in our underwear.

[37:46] Lauren Molina: Well, speaking of which, that leads me to a good question that I got from a Patreon patron of mine. Have you ever had any wardrobe malfunctions?

[37:51] Nick Cearley: Oh, sure. I didn't know about it until I saw it on Playbill the next day. It was in the photo gallery and I was scrolling through back when I would actually look through all of them because it was very early on. And it was a moment where I forget the song. It was Safe and Sound. I used to play Safe and Sound while she did a solo, the song Safe and Sound. While you did your solo, I would play my part on my back, just laying on the floor all the way, literally laying on the ground. And a picture was taken and my ball was out. And I didn't know about it. Nobody saw it, I guess. Nobody told me about it that day. I'm sure somebody saw it, but nobody told you.

[38:30] Lauren Molina: The picture was taken and put on Playbill. And I had to write Playbill, who is awesome. They always do great coverage of our stuff. And I was like, can we please take this picture down? So yeah, that's a wardrobe malfunction. Sure.

[38:47] Nick Cearley: Wow. Yeah.

[38:48] Lauren Molina: I've had a nip slip.

[38:51] Nick Cearley: Here or there.

[38:52] Lauren Molina: Yeah. I think it's bound to happen after how many shows?

[38:55] Nick Cearley: Yeah, absolutely.

[38:56] Lauren Molina: Oh, God. I don't even know. If we had to count, I feel like we did 100 yesterday.

[39:00] Nick Cearley: True.

[39:02] Lauren Molina: So another patron question is, what is your gym routine? And are you more hyper aware of your body's given how you are now? Or you go home and you have your pizza and your chocolate? Or are you like, oh, I can't. I perform in my underwear.

[39:12] Nick Cearley: Well, I don't have a consistent workout. And I do regret not working out consistently. Because when I do, I feel great. I just am unmotivated. And you would think that the Skivvies would be my motivation. But I try to eat healthy. And I try to avoid foods that make me feel yucky and bloated. But especially right now, we're in the holiday season. So that's inevitable. So when I do feel like I need to tighten up, I'll just do some sit-ups. I'll do some yoga. I'll do a quick workout. But mostly, I just walk around the city with my cello on my back. And that's my workout.

[40:04] Lauren Molina: How heavy is a cello?

[40:06] Nick Cearley: My acoustic cello is, in the case, I would say it's about 25 pounds.

[40:14] Lauren Molina: Okay, small child. Small child weight on your back.

[40:17] Nick Cearley: All day.

[40:18] Lauren Molina: Yeah. But my electric cello is much lighter. I'd say it's about 10 pounds.

[40:23] Nick Cearley: Oh, yeah. Because it has no body, right?

[40:24] Lauren Molina: Yeah.

[40:25] Nick Cearley: Yeah. Okay.

[40:26] Lauren Molina: I mean, I do go to the gym. I've gone to the gym since I was in high school. It's always just been a way of my life. I have to go in the morning. My brain works better. I don't really make great decisions before I go to the gym. So I do most of my any correspondences that have to be dealt with like that requires brain power. I usually do at the gym or after. But it's more about that for me. I do go to the gym a lot. But I like it.

[40:48] Nick Cearley: So you were already in shape before the Skivvies. You didn't get in shape for the Skivvies.

[40:54] Lauren Molina: No, I did not get in shape for the Skivvies.

[40:55] Nick Cearley: And also, when I'm in a show, I call it show shape. Because you're running around.

[41:00] Lauren Molina: Show body.

[41:01] Nick Cearley: You're show body. You're running around, you're singing, and the energy that it takes to do all of that and the cardio when you're dancing and singing, I mean, the weight will fall off usually. Or I did this show called Desperate Measures last year. And I decided to actually really focus on diet. And I called it being on my crudités life, where I basically just ate rabbit food. My crudités of carrots and celery and any raw vegetables, I pretty much ate that exclusively with protein. And the weight just really... It's not weight. I don't care about my weight. For me, it's just like just tightening up jiggle. There it is.

[41:49] Alan Seales: Yeah. All right. So we're gonna go to the standard closing questions here that I use. I ask everyone the same three questions to end every podcast. So Lauren, we'll start with you. The first one is just what motivates you?

[42:04] Lauren Molina: What motivates me? That's a really great question. I think... What motivates me? Wow, I'm really taking a long time with this because I feel like it can go lots of directions. This is like going to a restaurant with Lauren. I know. It takes me a long time to figure out what I'm ordering. Okay. No, what motivates me is knowing that the ultimate goal will be positive. Knowing that if I act a certain way, something will be better off. Okay. Okay.

[42:43] Nick Cearley: Right? You know what I mean?

[42:46] Lauren Molina: Yes, I do. So I foster kittens. And sometimes it's a lot of freaking hard work, and it's a lot of money and time and energy. But I know that I'm saving these little kittens' life. And I know that it is making a difference in the world. What motivates me is to work extra hard and to spend extra time and energy to work on an audition. Because if I don't do that, I will regret not putting in the time and energy. So I know just like... What motivates me is putting in the time and energy to know that in the end, the result will be better.

[43:25] Alan Seales: Okay. Nick?

[43:26] Nick Cearley: Fear and desperation. Just kidding. Money. Yeah. No, I would say I am motivated by the idea of creating something out of nothing. I love the idea. So I'm very motivated to see something blank and put something there. And even if it's a shit show, I am happy that I did it. So I'm always motivated by just simple creativity activities.

[43:58] Alan Seales: So Nick, we'll start here with the second one. What advice would you give to your younger self and younger people listening now starting out down a similar path?

[44:07] Nick Cearley: Yes. I would say if anyone tells you... I remember when I was... This is specific for when I was looking at colleges. I felt that everyone was trying to make me feel and do the same thing as everyone else that was pursuing theater-y things, performance aspect. Everybody was cookie-cutter same. And I was trying to do that too. And I wish that somebody would have told me to hone my special skills more to whatever made me weird or weirder and different from everyone else. I wish someone would have told me to hang on to that and work on that more than anything else because that's how I have survived in the world, is my own thing, not being like anyone else, trying not to be like anyone else.

[44:50] Lauren Molina: Don't be so hard on yourself if something isn't completely perfect. And don't try to be something that you're not. I guess that's another thing that Nick was saying. But to really just embrace who you are with flaws and all and to present yourself as the best version of yourself.

[45:16] Alan Seales: All right. And so either of you can jump in here for the final question. 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?

[45:22] Lauren Molina: I would say... I think it's Sweeney Todd.

[45:34] Nick Cearley: I think that's our front runner. Is it really? Yeah. A lot of people say Sweeney Todd.

[45:38] Lauren Molina: Wow. I have so many favorites. I know. Because I'm also thinking, I love Assassins also and I love Little Shop of Horrors.

[45:47] Nick Cearley: I would say Rocky Horror.

[45:50] Lauren Molina: Really?

[45:50] Nick Cearley: I love Rocky Horror and I can watch it all day long.

[45:55] Lauren Molina: All right. Fair enough. So we can find you both online at theskivviesnyc.com, at the Skivvies...

[46:02] Nick Cearley: Oh, if they want to contact you, it's The Skivvies Bookings.

[46:05] Lauren Molina: My number is... Oh, what?

[46:08] Nick Cearley: And you live at? Yeah.

[46:10] Lauren Molina: TheSkivviesBookings at gmail.com. Of course, facebook.com slash TheSkivviesNYC. Instagram and Twitter at TheSkivviesNYC.

[46:18] Nick Cearley: Yes. That's right.

[46:22] Lauren Molina: And Nick, you are clearly Cearley on Instagram.

[46:25] Nick Cearley: That's right. Lomo212.

[46:30] Lauren Molina: That's right. Lomo212. My nickname growing up was always Lomo. And so I just really ran with that with all of my handles.

[46:34] Nick Cearley: I like it. I like it a lot.

[46:37] Alan Seales: Okay. You can get more of me at thetheaterpodcast.com. Show your support at thetheaterpodcast.com slash Patreon, P-A-T-R-E-O-N. Find me online on Instagram and Twitter at theater underscore podcast. Please leave a rating, leave a review. This is edited by Matthew Hendershot. Thank you to Jukebox the Ghost for the intro and outro music. And Nick and Lauren. I love them.

[46:52] Nick Cearley: Well, you'll hear them in speaking right now.

[46:59] Alan Seales: Lauren and Nick, thank you so much.

[47:10] Nick Cearley: Take a deep breath, make the world a little colorful.