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[0:00] Alan Seales: Welcome to The Theatre Podcast. Intimate personal conversations with theatre's biggest names and continuing the Quarren Queen takeover for the month of May. We have Adrianna Hicks from the Broadway cast coming at you on this episode. This video of the interview, in case you didn't know, is available at ttp.fm slash patreon p-a-t-r-e-o-n. The whole thing is there on, uh, we recorded on Skype so you can watch that yourself. And there is so much more coming this month. This is only halfway through and there's more queens coming at you so make sure to subscribe if you haven't already. Tell your friends and if you do become a patron then you can see all of the videos from all the episodes for the Quarren Queen takeover past, present, and future as well as anything else I do later on down the line as well.

So before we get going I just have to ask again please leave a review, leave a rating. When you're leaving a review tell me what your favorite thing about the podcast is. I want to know. I want to hear the feedback. So find me online at theater underscore podcast on Instagram and Twitter and now everyone please enjoy this episode with Adrianna Hicks.

[1:23] Adrianna Hicks: Listen up, let me tell you a story. A story that you think you've heard before. We know you know our names and our fame and our faces. You know all about the glories and the disgraces. Today's guest is returning to Broadway as Catherine of Aragon in Six. She's appeared on the Broadway stage in the past in the revival of The Color Purple and Aladdin. Her regional and touring productions include The Wiz, Six, The Color Purple revival tour, Ragtime, and Buddy Holly. Internationally she has done Sister Act in Germany, Legally Blonde in Austria, Dirty Dancing in Germany, and has even toured with Michael Bublé in his Call Me Irresistible tour. Adrianna Hicks, welcome to The Theatre Podcast.

[2:08] Adrianna Hicks: Oh thank you so much for having me. This is really cool. Yeah I got my crown on for those watching on video.

[2:14] Alan Seales: I see it's so great. My virtual crown.

[2:21] Adrianna Hicks: I know this thing's cool. Hold on I can change it too. I can go like nope there we go.

[2:26] Alan Seales: That is fabulous. That matches what I want. All right I'll keep this one for now. So my goodness I've chatted with a couple of the girls already and I mean I started all the episodes kind of in the same way and it's just like oh my god your opening night was ripped away. That March 12th was supposed to be opening night five o'clock that afternoon. You hear that Broadway's shutting down. What happens to you? Like what went through your head?

[2:44] Adrianna Hicks: Literally two hours before. It's interesting because I had gotten a text message from my makeup artist for that night for the opening night party and everything and she was like hey is this true with your theater? Like there was someone who had COVID-19 and I was like yes but he was very separated from where we were and they already took precautions and took care of it and it was only him and she was just like you know I have kids who have asthma and I don't know if I'll be able to come out tonight. I'm so sorry about that. So I was like girl it's fine. Called up my other friend and this was about 1 p.m. that day and my other friend was like girl yeah I'm willing to do your makeup. So that was taken care of.

I was like hey great the show's going on and then around 2 p.m. I know that I had scheduled myself to go to the theater really super early about 3 p.m. before the 6:30 show and I get a call from my agent and my agent was like yeah so the governor just issued a you know shutdown of the city with no more gatherings of people over 50 people in an area so I don't really know if you're gonna be having your opening night tonight but I just wanted to give you a heads up and I haven't got the final confirmation from anybody from the company yet so just give me a second to confirm that but I'm so sorry if this does happen but we'll let you know and then literally 10 minutes later he was like yes lady it's done.

That was so surreal because first of all you realize that you're in a moment in history where you're kind of like this never happens and especially for Broadway. I know Broadway will keep rolling until it has to shut down and for this, yeah within the hour I had all my family and friends here. I had friends from Germany, friends from another tour. My roommates were coming and my mom and my brother were there. A friend from LA and within an hour I had gotten groceries and they were on a flight home. It was really something. Yeah I know one of my friends from Germany stayed behind and my friend from LA stayed behind which was so helpful during that time. I was so grateful to have my loved ones all around me when it happened but yeah this is it. I was like this is going down in the books it's something I'll never forget. It was a very interesting day.

[5:01] Alan Seales: What was your resolve? Was it was there tears or was it just like all right now we got to prepare and we got to go get toilet paper and water you know not water but whatever you do to survive an apocalypse pretty much.

[5:17] Adrianna Hicks: It felt like that in that moment but no it was just very like okay game mode okay mom like let's get my mom home. She's a little bit older so we need to make sure she gets home and she's taken care of. Get my brother home and see groceries. I was just in that mode like game time do whatever we need to do and at that time I decided to stay downtown just for opening night just so that I wouldn't have to commute back and forth home and yeah so it was my resolve with that was just like I'm so thankful that my family's here and I'm glad that we're able to get everyone home game mode make sure everybody's safe and it didn't hit me until all of my friends were gone and all of my family were eventually gone around that Friday or that Saturday because that was a Thursday when they closed down everything and I just went home and I just wept because I had like my flowers from some of my friends from Hawaii and just like you know some of the gifts from opening but I was like no I'm not gonna touch everything I'll just take the flowers because I don't want them to die and yeah I just went home and I it was two days before my birthday as well my birthday was on that Saturday so I literally Thursday happened Saturday my birthday and that was the day that I was finally home after everyone had left and I just cried I was so thankful for the for another year my birthday and I wept and I went to sleep and had a moment but it was great I had a great celebration with my friends and my community for my birthday they just wanted to reach out to me and love and that was I was overwhelmed mostly with the love that I had for the past few days in that moment to be in a crisis mode and for people to be around me to support me that was probably the most overwhelming thing about that that kind of made me cry it was like okay this is disappointing but wow I am so loved by so many and um we need that you know during this time and I'm grateful that I had that.

[7:38] Alan Seales: Yeah it was such a weird time and and I can imagine for you too because you did the you did the tour the North American tour of Six. I mean the Six production productions plural have just been this massive whirlwind and you've been non-stop and doing the tour and then going to Chicago and then coming to Broadway and going through a month of previews right it was yeah it was a month right it was a month and and then all of a sudden it's like this supposed to be the the moment and you're like uh and and I feel yeah I feel like you know your routine the routine everything you're building for building building building and I mean I think it was um yeah it uh it was one of the other girls was saying that it's not I mean the show's going to open it's Broadway's going to come back the show's going to open and now the opening night is going to be so much bigger and so much badder and so much more amazing than it would have been in the first place and you're going to be rested and your voices are going to be totally fine and like all of you know the the the stress and the health of you know of being able to rest for months you know will will obviously be helpful too so really grateful for that I am not going to lie because we were tired but but we were ready you know we were ready to go and do our thing and you're now you're now in Atlanta you said you were telling me before we started recording that you're with your brother in in Georgia when did you move down to when did you go back down to Georgia was it pretty quick?

[9:07] Adrianna Hicks: It was uh it was maybe a week after we had opened it was literally a week to the day I believe um that next Thursday I ended up coming because I they just started to make some speculations on the news about possibly um you know things shutting down further because at that point restaurants I think were were on the brink of like okay we're not opening they're not open restaurants it's only grocery stores and body blue and um there were also talks about stop halting domestic flights and I said well I'd rather be with my brother um just in case something happens and um and actually have places to you know go outside instead of being on top of everyone in New York City which like it's it's fine but like for this situation I thought it'd be best to be with my family so that's when I left it was literally a week to our opening where our opening was supposed to be.

[10:00] Alan Seales: What are you doing now to keep yourself busy?

[10:08] Adrianna Hicks: Man a lot of things you know I've taken oh there's a dog her name is Gabby so just having fun with Gabby um and I've been I've really been painting a lot which has been so so much fun for me I used to do that way back in like high school and um just decided to pick that up again I I when I do it it's like once every blue moon um but recently it's been so therapeutic for me to just kind of release my stress and uh do that I work out every day pretty much just to keep my body active and just to feel those endorphins and feel happy and joy and um yeah and you know Netflix and movies and um a lot of journal writing as well um but nothing nothing too extravagant I'm really just taking my time with the pace of things and like doing little things here and there on social media but nothing huge and that's been really nice for me you know just to kind of slow the pace because when we I mean for any performer like when if when if they had a month off to just kind of coast a little bit um I think about people in Aladdin and Lion King and I'm like guys I've been doing this for years with maybe a week vacation every year a two-week vacation wicked and yeah yeah I'm like I I don't know how um we're we're athletes are really it's really cool but that's pretty much been me and this is just enjoying my time my brother I think like what's been really cool too is just making an event out of um having dinner together and having a breakfast together making like blueberry pancakes for the first time by myself like you know just doing these little things and exploring with um just with food because when you're on the run in New York usually you don't really have the time to cook or you don't feel like cooking um just because we're exhausted from it.

[11:54] Adrianna Hicks: Thank you so much for having me, Alan. I'm really excited to be here and talk about my journey and everything that's been happening with SIX.

[12:24] Adrianna Hicks: It's been such a whirlwind experience, especially with everything that happened leading up to our Broadway opening. I remember the day we were supposed to open, and it was just so surreal when we found out it was canceled.

[12:44] Adrianna Hicks: I think we all had this mix of emotions—excitement, disappointment, and just trying to process everything. But we’ve been able to come together as a cast and support each other through it all.

[13:04] Adrianna Hicks: During quarantine, I’ve been spending a lot of time with my brother in Atlanta. It’s been nice to reconnect and just have that family time, especially with everything going on in the world.

[13:24] Adrianna Hicks: Social media has been interesting for me. I’ve always been a bit hesitant about it, but I’ve learned to embrace it more. It’s a great way to connect with fans and share my journey, but I also try to keep it authentic and not get too caught up in the numbers.

[13:44] Adrianna Hicks: My journey from Oklahoma to Germany and Austria was quite the adventure. I loved performing overseas, and it really shaped me as an artist. I never thought I would end up in New York City, but life has a funny way of leading you where you need to be.

[14:04] Adrianna Hicks: I remember watching Beyoncé’s concerts as a kid and thinking, “Wow, I want to do that.” It actually came in handy during my audition for SIX. I drew on that energy and performance style, which I think really helped me stand out.

[14:24] Adrianna Hicks: Performing in The Wiz was a huge “ah-ha” moment for me. It was the first time I really felt like I belonged on stage and that this was what I was meant to do.

[14:44] Adrianna Hicks: I think every experience has led me to this point, and I’m so grateful for the journey. It’s all about the connections we make and the stories we tell through our art.

[15:04] Adrianna Hicks: I’ve learned so much from each role I’ve played, and I carry those lessons with me. It’s important to keep growing and evolving as an artist.

[15:24] Adrianna Hicks: I’m really looking forward to what’s next and continuing to share my passion for performing with audiences.

[15:54] Adrianna Hicks: Thank you for having me on the podcast, Alan. I can’t wait to see where this journey takes me next!

[16:24] Adrianna Hicks: I hope everyone gets a chance to see SIX and experience the incredible talent of the entire cast. It’s a show that really resonates with so many people.

[16:44] Adrianna Hicks: The energy in the theater is electric, and I feel so lucky to be a part of it.

[17:04] Adrianna Hicks: I think the themes of empowerment and resilience in the show are so important, especially right now.

[17:24] Adrianna Hicks: It’s been amazing to see how audiences connect with the characters and their stories.

[17:44] Adrianna Hicks: I’m just grateful to be able to share this experience with everyone.

[18:04] Adrianna Hicks: Thank you again for having me, Alan. It’s been a pleasure to chat about my journey and the show.

[18:24] Adrianna Hicks: I hope to inspire others to follow their dreams, no matter where they lead.

[18:54] Adrianna Hicks: And remember, it’s all about the journey, not just the destination.

[19:24] Adrianna Hicks: I’m excited to see what the future holds for me and for the show.

[19:44] Adrianna Hicks: I believe that as long as we stay true to ourselves and our art, we can achieve great things.

[20:04] Adrianna Hicks: Thank you for listening, everyone. I can’t wait to share more of my story with you all.

[20:24] Adrianna Hicks: Let’s keep the conversation going and support each other in our artistic endeavors.

[20:44] Adrianna Hicks: I’m looking forward to connecting with more fans and sharing my journey on social media.

[21:04] Adrianna Hicks: It’s all about building a community and lifting each other up.

[21:24] Adrianna Hicks: Thank you again, Alan, for this opportunity to share my story.

[21:44] Adrianna Hicks: I hope everyone enjoys the show and finds inspiration in it.

[22:04] Adrianna Hicks: Let’s keep shining and making magic happen on stage!

[22:24] Adrianna Hicks: I’m so grateful for this experience and can’t wait to see what’s next.

[22:44] Adrianna Hicks: Thank you all for your support, and I hope to see you at the theater!

[23:04] Adrianna Hicks: Take care, everyone, and keep dreaming big!

[23:49] Adrianna Hicks: Yeah, but then that happened. I was like, okay, New York called. My agent was like, they're shutting down the show. Then all of a sudden, Legally Blonde came up, and I was like, oh, well, maybe I'll audition for this and treat it like a vacation because with auditionees out there, auditions out there, it was very different. You had to audition every single month and not like days at a time because they would be in other countries, so their system is a bit different from New York, whereas you can go down the street and audition. So I went down there and ran into Jerry Mitchell. He came to the audition, and he ended up casting me as the cover for Pilar and the saleswoman judge. I moved to Vienna and stayed there for a year and a half.

Then there was a point where they were like, well, they want you for Sister Act because they initially wanted me to go be in Sister Act to start off, but they were like, no, you don't speak German yet, so we'll just ease you into it. We'll put you in Dirty Dancing, and we'll teach you everything. It was a great company. Then Sister Act came up again in Germany. I ended up auditioning for that, and I finally went to be in Sister Act, and that was my last show there. I was getting ready to do The Bodyguard, but this is a little transition story. I'm almost done. No, please. But yeah, I got the opportunity to do The Bodyguard in Germany. That was going to be the next show that I wanted to do, but unfortunately, both of my parents got really sick at that time.

I had been overseas for at least three and a half years by that point, and I made the decision to come home and just be with them. I had not auditioned in the city for over three years at that point, and I wasn't planning to come into New York. I was planning to come home for my family and to take care of them, and I did that. My agents were like, hey, we understand that you're there to take care of your family, but The Color Purple would like to see you. We submitted you. It's up to you if you want to come out for a week. I was like, sure, I've been living overseas for three years. I would love to see my friends. I always make an event out of these auditions. I always make it like, oh, I'm going to see things and do things.

I ended up doing that, and the rest is history. I know that's how I came to New York. It was a very crazy, I like to call it the minor intervention because I was not planning on coming to New York at all. Then there was a moment it switched, and I was like, oh, I like it. I like New York City, and I think I could do this. Maybe I could do this, and that's when I fell in love with the city. Then The Color Purple just happened to happen, and yeah, from there now all the way to SIX, and I've been here ever since. I've been back home for, it'll be five years in October, so 2016 was The Color Purple, right?

[26:25] Alan Seales: Right, yeah.

[26:26] Adrianna Hicks: Yeah, 2016. You've been here, and so 2017 kind of is when SIX started ramping up in the UK. When did you get involved?

[26:38] Alan Seales: Well, I mean, were you picked to audition for the tour, or was it just another audition? You were like, this is some weird music, I guess I'll try it?

[26:45] Adrianna Hicks: Yeah, right. It was sort of like that, but like a little bit happier tone with it, I guess. It was just a random situation. I was at home. I just got done with The Color Purple tour, and my agent just called me and said, hey, there's this awesome musical out that's a huge hit in London. Would you like to come in and audition? I was like, sure. It was just one of those normal days of getting things from my agent and going in the audition, listening to the music. When I went to the audition, they were saying, okay, we want you to put on your best Beyoncé vibes. Now remember, I told you I was that girl that was in her room locked up or whatever, and Beyoncé was one of the people that I used to watch.

I used to watch her live and concert. That was her very first concert that she did solo, and I memorized that thing. So I was like, oh, this is perfect. I've been practicing for this for years. Let's go, and the rest is history. So that's kind of how SIX came into my life. It wasn't like, oh, they saw me, let's put her in. I auditioned for it, went through the whole process.

[27:54] Alan Seales: That's so cool. And so the Michael Bublé concert, was that before all of this or in between?

[28:00] Adrianna Hicks: I was in college.

[28:01] Alan Seales: Oh, really?

[28:02] Adrianna Hicks: Yeah, so a lot of people kind of misconstrue when they think I've been on tour with him. I did not go on tour with him. I was just a part of his tour whenever he stopped in Oklahoma City because I was right at that time. I was a freshman in college, and that's a weird story too how that happened. I was doing Little Shop of Horrors in the regional theater there, and the drummer happened to be one of the production people on his tour. Apparently, Michael Bublé at that time, don't know if he still does this, but every city that he went to would try to find regional singers just to be a part of his concert and to experience that. Just by luck or something, they were like, hey, Adrianna, you want to do this?

I didn't know who the man was at the time. No idea. Sure. I'm thinking, you know, I'm a high school kid. I'm like, oh, they're paying me money. Sure. I have no money. Let's go. To be a great experience, I tell my friends who it is, and they're like, Adrianna, do you even know what is happening? I'm like, I'm sorry, I didn't know who he was, and my roommate was in love with him. It was really a good time.

[29:03] Alan Seales: That's probably how part of how you got it too because a lot of people get auditions that they don't like, that they don't care, and make a big deal out of it, and it's going, and it's like, whatever, I'm just going to be myself, and then you nailed it.

[29:17] Adrianna Hicks: You nailed it. But the SIX, how much history did you know about the Tudors and about the wives of Henry the Eighth and everything beforehand? I mean, did you have to do research into this, or did you just go in here like, this is a pop concert, and then you learn the history afterwards?

[29:31] Adrianna Hicks: Well, as your first question, I didn't know so much up to—I only know up to Jane Seymour. I only knew about the queens up to there only because of the TV show The Tudors. That was pretty much the only information that I had about them and just knowing it was a famous monarchy or whatever. But going into the show, we actually did a whole research project on our individual queens, and we did a presentation during the rehearsal process of what each queen had to go through and also how they contributed to history. So I honestly didn't learn a huge chunk about Catherine of Aragon until I started the show, aside from that she was discarded by Henry because she couldn't produce a male heir, and that was it.

Yeah, which has been—that was a really cool experience to even learn about the other queens. I was like, oh, she's my favorite queen. It wasn't even my queen. I'm like, oh my gosh, she did that? What? It was about the queens that a lot of people don't really talk about.

[30:43] Alan Seales: That's so cool. I love that there's a true aspect to all of this, and I think good directors and good writers are always going to do this. I don't know how frequently this is done, but, you know, in Jagged Little Pill, they all had to do the same thing. They had to give full presentations on some pretty serious subject matter, right? Like you're talking about sexual abuse and lots of other things that aren't exactly talked about in mainstream until recently. But I really love that the writers and the directors and everything really come together and have you uncover more than what is just in black and white on the script in front of you.

[31:25] Adrianna Hicks: Yeah, and it's cool too. You say your favorite queen is not Catherine.

[31:31] Alan Seales: America too because, of course, in the back of your mind, it's a favorite queen because it's you, but now at first I was like, oh wow, because I'm learning about everyone else. But yeah, that is a real thing. It kind of varies though. I kind of switch. Actually, I'll have—it'll be me one day, and then it'll be Cleves one day, and then Seymour one day. That's just kind of where the show kind of takes you, you know? I don't know. I like them all equally, let's just say that.

[31:58] Alan Seales: That's right now.

[31:59] Adrianna Hicks: Well, the show is all equal parts, all six. All six queens are all just like, we are great people. We have done great things. It's all about women's empowerment, and it's such an incredible thing. And then on top of all that, it's just colorblind casting, and I mean, it's a beautiful thing right now. There's a lot of barriers being broken, and obviously, there's still not enough in terms of diversity and casting and whatnot. But, you know, for you, do you get feedback? Or I guess you didn't—you still had a month of stage door feedback on Broadway and all that, but like the tour and the Chicago run and everything, and then even the limited time you had on Broadway, you know, what kind of feedback did you get from fan letters or fan art? I saw on your Instagram. You know, what are people taking away from all of this?

[33:05] Adrianna Hicks: Oh man, it's like a sense of revival for women, I kind of say, with this show. It just feels like it's amazing to see the various things that people are taking away from this, and I'm talking about from all different genres, all types of demographics.

[33:20] Alan Seales: Right, exactly.

[33:21] Adrianna Hicks: They're literally walking away with a sense of enlightenment and a sense of just empowerment of being a person and also an individual person, which I am very, very proud to be a part of, especially for women like me to be able to see themselves on stage and be like, and you have your own part, but you're not pigeonholed. You're not this girl, but you have a mix of all of this. I think that has been the most that I've ever heard about that. Amongst other things, I don't even really know how to pinpoint just the specific things, but it just impacts people in so many ways that you don't even think about. There are moments in my performance that people have told me individually of like, it was really moving when you did this part, and I'm like, really?

And I'm thinking to myself, wow, this is so cool because, you know, there's lights and there's this glam aspect of the show that you wouldn't at first think they would be distracted by that, but a lot of people are listening, and they're paying attention to how clever and witty the show is, and that's been cool to see people be like, yep, that's what happened or be like, oh, they nailed it when they do House of Holbein. He did this and that. That's been really rewarding to see, and just people just wanting to stand up in their seats and, you know, just applaud in places that they don't do. This is not a musical. Like, you're like, it's a musical, but it's a pop concert. It's like an amazing hybrid of things, and to see people kind of process that and be like, why are you looking at me?

Like, the fourth wall? What? Like, why are you looking at me? The fourth wall should be up. It's amazing what a lot of people are walking around with this. I hope that made sense, but I don't even—that's literally the feeling. It's like everyone is inspired by the show in multiple ways that I don't even think words really can express or I even have. Yeah, it's a feel-good concert and a history lesson that is a Broadway show, right?

[35:20] Alan Seales: That's a great example. Exactly. That's a great explanation for the show, and it works. And then you and the other queens, you have so much fun up there. You all seem to be genuinely good, like real friends. And even in those moments, I like watching people in the moments when they don't think they're being watched.

[35:44] Adrianna Hicks: You and the other girls, did you know any of them beforehand? Or have you all just become great friends through this whole process? I knew of Anna Uzele. Of course I've heard of Abby Mueller, of course, but never really had the opportunity to interact with her until the show. Anna Uzele, she was a friend of a friend of mine, working at actually an Oklahoma theater that I used to work at in school. I still hadn't met her, but I just knew her as a friend of friends, and then we connected because we were like, oh yeah, you know my friend, this is Miss. But outside of that, no, I didn't know any of the ladies, and I met them at the audition process there. We just clicked. They're just so great. They're so, so great.

[36:56] Adrianna Hicks: Yeah, everybody seems like so much fun, and everyone connects. It's just fun. When you have that much fun on stage for as long as you have, and you did the tour. The tour came first, and then in the tour, did you know that it was going to move to Broadway, and did you know that you were going to be part of that move? No, no, I didn't. It was pretty much a tryout. In Chicago, we were there, and they took a chance on bringing it to America, and even our writers Toby and Lucy, they even changed some of the script. Okay, oh yeah, we don't – y'all say that here. Okay, y'all don't say that here. We're going to change this. Yeah, it was that. We had no clue until people started to hint, like, oh, you guys are going to Broadway.

You should go to Broadway, and I hope that you come with it. I was like, I would love to come with this show. You just let me know whenever we go to Broadway. Please just call me if you want me to come. Nothing was set in stone or guaranteed. There were just talks about it, and we – yeah, we were trying to contain ourselves. Even when we found out that it was official, we were like, okay, we can't say anything. But at that time, it was a long – we were getting ready to go to Boston at that time, and then they made the announcement about them coming to Broadway, but they didn't announce who was going to come either. So it was just this little process of kind of being like, okay, we're going to wait until they announce our names.

Then we'll post about it. Yeah, it was a process of not knowing. Then we knew, and we had to wait to be – you know, for confirmation, and then we really knew, and then we got contracts, and we're like, okay, let's go.

[38:43] Adrianna Hicks: Well, I mean, this is case in point that until you open, you don't know if you're going to open. That's real. Listen, I've learned – I've lived and learned that that's the thing. Until I get that paper, then we'll be able to do what we got to do, which is you got to do it like that. So you actually didn't do the last two weeks of the Chicago run because you left to do The Wiz, right? Yes, I did. So how – like was that a last-minute thing, or was that planned in advance, or how did you get out of the contract for that? Oh, man, that was – let me think back. I ended up getting The Wiz before I got Six. So with – I know that it was a talk about making sure that we let Chicago Shakespeare know that, and they were very gracious.

They wanted me to stay for the duration of the run, of course, but they were really gracious with that. They were just like, okay, if you want to go, cool, because you've talked to us about it. You've already put that in your contract, so we already know that. But if you want to stay, like, please, let us know. They were just – they were so sweet about it. But, yeah, so The Wiz kind of happened. I auditioned for The Wiz – I want to say around the same time as Six, but The Wiz was, like, a shorter audition period. Then they let me know that I got it, and it was right before I found out about Six. So, yeah, it was already in the plans. They let – you know, like that – it's crazy because, you know, in the summer stock they have auditions way in advance before the actual season.

So it was just perfect timing. I let them know, and I'm thankful that I got to have that option to play a role that I honestly never thought that I would play. I never thought that I would play her, but she – Dorothy. She has a very special place in my heart. I have to say that was one of the shows that – I don't know. Like, you know, as you being a performer, you knowing about the arts, there are moments that you have on stage where you're like, this is what I'm meant to do. This is what I'm supposed to do. And Dorothy was definitely an opportunity for that. So I thank Chicago Shakespeare for letting me go and do it, and also for Six being willing to have me come back and be a part of their production.

[41:00] Alan Seales: Well, you helped make it what it is. I mean, I heard so many positive things, so many great – I didn't – everything I heard was positive. I didn't hear anything negative coming out of the Chicago production. And it was just amazing. And I went to – there was a press – after the Broadway announcement, it was like last October, I think. There was a little press performance that you guys did here in New York, and I was at that. And it was just – it was so neat because I didn't know anything about it on purpose. I try not to read or listen before I know I'm going to see something. And I was – you know, I just watched it. I said, this is so different. This is – but it works. This is creating its own thing again.

And, I mean, the fact that even a not – this is kind of the Be More Chill phenomenon too, that a not-Broadway cast recording has been streamed over hundreds of millions of times. What is – other than Hamilton, it's the most downloaded, most streamed cast recording. It's bizarre, right? And it's not even open on – And we're all walking into this like – Yeah, not even open on Broadway yet. Not even open. Are you guys going to do your own Broadway recording? Are you allowed to tell us? Oh, I mean, I hope so. I hope that happens. There hasn't been further information as far as I know, but I'm sure if there was, I couldn't say anything. But as far as – and I hope that we do. That's all I can really say about that.

I really hope that we do. But the album that they have already is just – those ladies saying they're just – oh, man. The album is already great. But I would hope that they would want to do a Broadway recording just so that they can have more opportunities to win more awards for their great work. Because they've done some good, good work. And I feel like with the Broadway recording, they'll be able to come up for that Grammy or go up for other things, other recognition. Yeah, because they deserve it. They deserve it. They're just amazing writers. Toby and Lucy, they're not even 30 yet. Oh, God. We would joke about that every day. We'd be like, what was I doing at 23, 24? What was I doing? Oh, man.

They bought such a – yeah, they're just great. They're just so great. Yeah. Oh, man. I would love to chat with them. They're on my list, obviously, to talk with. It makes sense to me to do a Broadway recording because they polished it. I was reading an article. It came out of your Instagram story or your Instagram link, actually, that was like the making of it. And this stuff that finally, when they got to Broadway, the production gets to Broadway, they got to realize a bunch of small, subtle things that they've always wanted to do and changing. They still hold true to the show and the costumes and the music, but they get to tweak. There's a little bit of some realization. I think it's during Anna of Cleves.

Anna of Cleves? Did I say that right? That's it. Okay. Yeah, so that number and the costume change and then small set things and some lighting changes and just stuff that when you get to Broadway, you got to do it a little bit differently. Okay. Yeah. And obviously, when you listen to the cast recording, they're all British. You can hear that. Yeah. Yeah. So I think a soundtrack – sorry, an OBC. Don't want to offend the theater listeners out there. Hopefully, I think it would be in the cards once everything gets back to normal. I hope so, too. I'm crossing my fingers for that. That would be amazing.

[44:53] Alan Seales: Cool. Well, let's wrap up this episode here with my three standard closing questions that I ask everybody. The first one, very simply, is what motivates you?

[45:00] Adrianna Hicks: What motivates me? Love motivates me. Love, God, all these things. I don't know. Maybe love motivates me in everything that I do. I hope that that is that. But I think that that's what that is.

[45:17] Alan Seales: All right. So the next question is, what advice would you give to your younger self and younger people listening now starting out down a similar path?

[45:24] Adrianna Hicks: Enjoy the process and love yourself through the process. Don't rush anything and just take your time. Really enjoy every step of the way because every step of the way, it's never in vain. It's never in vain. Just always remember that. Yeah. You're going to find yourself where you need to be when you need to be there.

[45:43] Alan Seales: Yeah.

[45:44] Adrianna Hicks: Yeah. And the last question, hardest one. If you could only see one show for the rest of your life but you could see it as many times as you want, what would you see?

[45:53] Adrianna Hicks: That's a hard question. Oh, no. Oh, give me, like, two seconds. I think it would probably be Ragtime for me.

[46:07] Alan Seales: Oh, yeah?

[46:08] Adrianna Hicks: Ragtime.

[46:09] Alan Seales: Yeah.

[46:10] Adrianna Hicks: I've always been obsessed with just the brilliance in that show and the messages and, like, the bringing of people together and the message of humanity, how we are all the human race and we are all coming together to build beautiful things on the earth. That's kind of, like, it's kind of out there with that show. Like, they don't necessarily talk about stuff like that. But it's, like, just you kind of see that with the building up of America in that show, which is, that's always been the message with me that they have to, that they presented. And they did such a good job with that. So maybe it would be Ragtime.

[46:43] Alan Seales: All right. Well, we can find you on social media. You're Miss Adriana Hicks on Instagram, Ms. Adriana Hicks on Twitter.

[46:51] Adrianna Hicks: Just MS. Like, his character limits.

[46:52] Alan Seales: Right.

[46:56] Adrianna Hicks: Yep. I understand that completely. That's why I'm not the theater podcast, because of stupid Twitter character limits.

[47:03] Alan Seales: But you can get me on Instagram and Twitter at Theater Underscore Podcast. You can find more episodes and more of this Corrin Queen takeover on the theaterpodcast.com. Listen, wherever you're listening, please leave a review, leave a rating. This is edited by Matthew Hendershot. Music by Jukebox the Ghost. And Adrianna, thank you most of all. I have thoroughly enjoyed this. And I hope you stay safe and healthy.

[47:25] Adrianna Hicks: Thank you.

[47:27] Adrianna Hicks: You too. Thank you so much for having me.

[47:34] Adrianna Hicks: Take a deep breath, make the world a little colorful.