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[0:00] Alan Seales: Welcome to The Theatre Podcast, intimate personal conversations with theatre's biggest names.

[0:18] Alan Seales: This is entering the final week of May, which means that our Quarren Queen takeover is just about to wrap up. So if you haven't already, please rewind a couple episodes, as in just scroll back up your phone and listen to the previous episodes. We've got SIX already released in May with various Queens from the Broadway cast and the Australian cast. And so this episode continues with Broadway. We're back in New York with Brittney Mack, who is Anna of Cleves in the Broadway cast. She is so much fun to talk to. Seriously, she's like metaphorically the light in an otherwise dark room. She is originally from Chicago and still ironically is here in New York. She didn't leave in the midst of quarantine.

And she's just she's here waiting for her Broadway debut like many of the others from the cast. I'm really excited to share this with you. You can watch the video of this interview by visiting ttp.fm slash Patreon. That's P-A-T-R-E-O-N. And along with this interview, you can get all of the SIX Queens interviews, which are also on video. So if you don't want to listen on audio, visual is the way to go. That's how you can get it. Please find me online on Instagram and Twitter at theater underscore podcast. You can find me on the web at thetheaterpodcast.com. And now everybody, please enjoy this episode with Brittney Mack.

[1:59] Alan Seales: With theater credits including Rent, The Wiz, Hairspray, Avenue Q, Shrek the Musical, In the Heights, and Little Shop of Horrors, my guest today was recently starring in SIX as Anna of Cleves in the North American tour and is now reprising the same role, making her Broadway debut. Brittney Mack, welcome to The Theatre Podcast.

[2:24] Brittney Mack: Thank you so much for having me. Wow, I made myself exhausted. We were just we were just saying before we started recording that like you're still doing a bunch of stuff like you got time but but you're really busy doing things like I hate starting out every interview right now being like what are you doing in quarantine but we can't ignore it you know like it's part of our everyday life right now.

[2:48] Brittney Mack: Yeah, um it's it's so bizarre it's like when we started quarantine it was kind of like well what am I gonna do and that question was and so you know you just be careful what you ask period people say with being careful what you ask for just be careful what you ask because all of a sudden it was request after request can you do this can you film this can you talk about this can you do this interview and you know there's a little bit of pressure being you know uh Broadway debut blah blah blah you're like oh uh okay yeah yeah yeah you feel like you have to do everything um especially because it was our opening night when the lights went down on Broadway and so everyone kind of really wants to know what that felt like but how did you guys feel because it was your opening night and all these things and so it's very interesting now uh the requests have slowed down um just because um you gotta say no you know you you gotta say no for your mental clarity and and and just because we are in self quarantine like it's actually a really good time to kind of focus on yourself and heal and do all these things so but I have been doing master classes and workshops and all types of things so it's a it's a nice balance now.

[4:09] Alan Seales: That's really good. I I think I was just talking with uh with somebody else about this the other day um uh it's actually Mark Kudish I was talking to him and his episode will come out next month but Mark was saying that like that the industry can't go back to what it to what it was there's just there's no way that we can go back to what it was a because what it was what was working but then at the same time theater is all about uh it's all about socialization it's all about bringing coming together and telling a story so are people going to start now writing things for zoom for google hangouts for skype like how do you what's the new performing going to look like it's so interesting.

[4:49] Brittney Mack: It I I can tell I'm a you know public broadcast kid so grew up with PBS and pardon me PBS and WTTW and things like that I'm from Chicago and so uh public radio and all of that stuff is such a big deal and I must say one of my favorite things was um being able to listen to um late night story time and you know when you used to be when you used to listen to full stories and like plays or you know on the radio and when I tell you it was one of the most exhilarating things and and I think kind of helped spark imagination um and and then you start to you know color and do all these things just with your mind and so I I must say that I think I I would be thrilled if that kind of came back radio hour and and things like that there was this one show on a what was it called on a v103 called It's Your World and it was the uh Tom Joyner Morning Show and it was like a black soap opera novella and the stakes were so high and it was it was on at like five in the morning and I used to get up really early for school and I used to wait to leave out to listen to this show on on the radio and they had a theme song and I loved it and I still know it and I I think I think that theater and I think our in the entertainment industry live entertainment will I think we will kind of I think it will be a mix I think we cannot we can't not be on stage we can't not have Broadway I just think there is a smarter way to kind of go about it health wise I think um we will just have to do things that will um because you can't necessarily ensure safety but you can show the acts of trying to you know and say hey like as a theater this is what we're doing as a company this is what we're doing we've got sanitizer machines we've got this you know whatever it is we can try to do to make people feel safe um and then um I think we can add some of those elements back radio and and a story time and all of those different things in order in order to to kind of broaden I think the industry and it will actually I think create a little more work.

[7:30] Alan Seales: So I completely agree with you uh I've I've been on the producing end now of two original radio plays that were recorded entirely in quarantine um so so like that's that's working and and the team that I'm working with we're already working on another another project that's that's going to be net ongoing like a radio play soap opera um it's going to be very very cool so like it's going to be out there and like these microphones that I'm talking into you can't find them anymore they're so hard to find because everybody needs them everybody's doing vo work at home every like I completely agree that that it's got to be some sort of hybrid and I actually heard earlier today that um that the the theater wing is working with theaters theater owners now to like start to talk about the air quality safety measures the measures that they can retrofit into theaters so when you do have a full house that you make sure your your air is getting circulated and sanitized at the same time so there's all sorts of like technology changes and everything that yeah yeah that's going to happen so um but where are you now are you still in New York?

[8:41] Brittney Mack: Yes I am still in New York um I have a I live uptown I have a really nice apartment that you know I figured if I'm still paying for it I should be in it so I am here and I am on the uh adoption waiting list for a dog with heart and bone rescue because I love their work and so it's been a very long waiting process but I am patient I'm gonna get a dog.

[9:07] Alan Seales: You know like I I'll probably offend somebody by saying this the the process to adopt anything child or animal is so much harder than just going out and making your own.

[9:20] Brittney Mack: You know what you know what let me tell you here's the wow the gag is is uh my mom adopted my three cousins okay so growing up yes so I know about all of that my mom adopted my three cousins so I have a um there's five of us legally um but biologically it's just my brother and I so um it's that's one of the hardest things I think still being in New York is like not being able to talk to my my brothers and sisters and my nieces and nephews um especially Noah because Noah is very uh musical so we were working on his uh rendition of um you're welcome from Moana before I left so he should be perfect by the time I get back.

[10:13] Alan Seales: Well so tell me about tell me about Chicago though growing up there you were born there?

[10:20] Brittney Mack: I was born and raised um on the south side and the south suburbs of Chicago um raised by a single parent um with an incredible tribe of friends um my mom is is the reason why I'm doing what I'm doing she I never forget I was younger and she she said um pardon me well I said you know mom I want to be uh Gary Coleman and Shirley Temple when I grow up I never forget it excuse me I never forget it it was just like plain and simple straight to the point and she just looked at me and she said okay you could do that and it's been a ride ever since like she never told me that I couldn't and now mind you I'm like I said I'm one of five so she never told any of us that we couldn't she never told any of us that we shouldn't she was like great now how much is this gonna cost okay but but this will be gonna try to do to try to make that same dream happen um so if we were going to do something we were going to be excellent at it because we want it to be not because there were pressures which then helped you excel and exceed and and succeed and then and then the scholarships came and all of these things so then the money stuff didn't so wasn't so much of a heavyweight silhouette but not so heavy um so because we wanted to do what we what we did we worked hard at it so we had scholarships and different things so I went to Chicago Academy for the Arts uh college preparatory high school um not to be confused with Chi Arts um where I had an incredible education in the arts and I and I I don't know where I'd be without without the staff there I went to um from there I went to AMDA um in LA and New York I had to take a year off because academically you know thing you know words are hard um and counting is difficult if it's not green money so I was like.

[12:35] Alan Seales: So you moved, well I was going to bring this up later, but I was looking through your Instagram feed and it said January 18th, this year, you posted like a goodbye party graphic somebody made for you that was like, she's finally moving to New York and going to do the whole thing.

[12:59] Brittney Mack: Yeah, it's funny to see, to have been coming back and forth and to see a lot of friends that I've been able to work with, that I've had the honor and pleasure to work with on different Broadway shows and different platforms all over the world. But yes, I lived here. When I first moved to New York, I lived on 144th Street. And yep, I think it was 549 East 144th Street is where I lived on Broadway. And man, it was rough.

[13:35] Brittney Mack: I was at 168th and Amsterdam, 170th and Amsterdam. I got on the 168th Street A stop. That's what it was. Oh yeah, I remember. I know that neighborhood. Man, it was, I mean, now it's like super cute and trendy, but like, oh man, I got shot by a, I got paintball gunned.

[14:14] Alan Seales: I was like, you got shot?

[14:17] Brittney Mack: By a paintball gun. I was like, let me rephrase that. I was like, this is not Chicago. What is happening? Paintballs, little rascals. And I found out who it was too, the kids. I found out who they were because they told me. Yeah, we the ones shot you. I was like, great. Thanks guys with the paint. Love that.

[14:39] Alan Seales: So welcome to New York.

[14:40] Brittney Mack: Yeah, man. I've been here for a while. I know, right. I've been here for a while, back and forth out of the city. And, and so it's one of those things. It's like, welcome back to New York. And it's so expensive to be here. I was like, you know what? I can't go back to New York unless a gig brings me back.

[15:00] Brittney Mack: Unless Broadway is like, hey, it's Broadway. You know, everybody pretends that like, oh, it's Broadway calling when it's like 212 or something. And Broadway did call and I was like, oh, okay. It's kind of like that. Obviously, you came back here for six and I apologize. I left out the national tour of Memphis in the intro. Completely skipped over that here. So yeah. So when you were auditioning here, you were in ANDA auditioning here and then. So Memphis happened. And did you did you come back to New York after that? Or how did you get involved with the tour of six?

[15:44] Brittney Mack: Well, believe it or not. Yeah, Memphis had a lot of my work. What you find is when you mature in the industry, if you would, which probably literally only takes two years because you're like, I am tired of this. How do you do it better? When you start to ask yourself that question. I was I was also one of those artists that was super blessed to like always work. If you ask people that I went to school with, they like, oh, Brittany Mack. Oh, that girl stays working. She works constantly back to back to back contracts. One of the reasons is because I didn't have anywhere to live. So you had to secure your contracts, help you secure where you were going to stay because my things were in storage in the Bronx.

[16:35] Brittney Mack: So I was like, OK, I will come back. I would swap out some clothes from the storage bin and then leave and head out. So I moved. I had a contract on Royal Caribbean and my grandfather got sick and then I moved back to Chicago.

[16:53] Brittney Mack: Well, I went back to Chicago and he passed and then I moved back officially right after my grandma was like, I just feel like I want all my grandbabies here and I just need everybody close to me right now. So whatever.

[17:11] Alan Seales: Can you let me interrupt for a second? You need to put together your own cabaret show where you play every character in your family.

[17:17] Brittney Mack: I'm working on that, actually. We'll chat, we'll chat.

[17:22] Brittney Mack: That's like an Eddie Murphy, the clumps sort of radio play right there in the making. My grandmother is so she's just the highest stakes all the time, but like sleep. So you're just like, what? What is happening? I just need all my family close to me.

[17:42] Brittney Mack: I need everybody. OK, Brissy is Brissy, B-R-I-S-S-Y, Brissy. That's my name. So I said, oh, OK, grandma. So I moved back officially from there. That's when I kept working. So I booked Memphis from Chicago, actually.

[18:00] Brittney Mack: I came in. Bob Kline is the bomb. Everybody loves Bob. He's so funny and he's cool and low and like just super easy to kind of audition for. So I went in for him. I did it. It was actually I did it to feel on the tour is how it happened. Someone hurt themselves and they were like, hey, Brittany, we're you'll be here tomorrow. I was like, where is here is where is here? Mississippi. I was like, oh, great. I can see my granny.

[18:26] Brittney Mack: So, yeah, when I met the cast in Mississippi, it was full of everyone was so wonderful and welcoming. And we went on from there. So I got with six. I'm still in Chicago. Right. I worked still. I'm a regional theater baby. I love regional theater. I just thank God for them, because without them, like, where do we get to continue to shape and mold and hone our craft? So keep theater alive and especially regional theaters. So we I'm working. I'm working.

[19:02] Brittney Mack: Then I get this gig at City Winery Chicago. I am really good at it. Who knew I was so good at drinking wine and I mean, selling wine, selling, drinking. Yeah. OK, telling one cheese. So then then I go on auditions. It's audition season in Chicago. They're like, hey, I'm like, OK, I'm equity. It's Chicago. It's not going to take long. Right? Like, it's fine. Eight auditions in one day.

[19:35] Brittney Mack: And I went on big auditions. I was like, I don't know who I thought I was that day. I was like, I guess I could do this or whatever. So I'm like at Steppenwolf. I'm like it. And they're like, are you from Chicago? And I'm like, yeah. How you've never been in for us before. I was like, no, I was too scared. So but here I am, because you are Steppenwolf. You know that, right? You do. You know, it doesn't matter if the point is my monologue is from.

[20:03] Brittney Mack: And so I do my monologue and it's great. Then I go somewhere else and somewhere else and somewhere else. Eighth audition of the day was for Chicago Shakespeare Theater. And I saw that they were doing The Wizard of Oz. I'm just going in for the generals for their season call. I was like, oh, The Wizard of Oz. Yes, I'm a shoe in. I'm like four foot three. I'm four eleven, actually. But like, it's fine. It's like the one day I say I'm shorter. And so I was like, yeah, I'm like four eight. It's cool. I'm doing this. I go in the room.

[20:39] Brittney Mack: Bob is in there. Diego's in there. And I'm like, hey, I sing my song and I slammed it. I was like, oh, so good. Consider it booked. I was like, I also hadn't eaten anything. I was like, I don't know what I was on that day, but I hit on my power lipstick. So I think that's what is running on adrenaline all day. I'm telling you. So I go in. I'm like, oh, nailed it. And then he was like he was sitting there. He was so blank. Bob is so cute, but he's like smiling. And he was like, Brittany, I guess.

[21:18] Brittney Mack: That was great. I was like, thank you. Do you have anything else? I was like, huh? I can't hear you. Do you have anything else? I was like, OK, yeah. You didn't like him like that. That wasn't I thought it was that. OK, that was great. I was like, OK, cool. I was just checking. So then I go the accompanist. So I sing two more songs for him. I sang a Tina Turner song and some Motown song. So I said, OK, cool. Leave. I get an email. Hey, we want you to come back and sing a pop song. I was like, oh. I don't do pop auditions after auditions.

[21:59] Brittney Mack: It wasn't until I think the fourth audition when I got like material that I even knew what I was auditioning for.

[22:07] Alan Seales: Did you know about Six at all before that?

[22:10] Brittney Mack: Literally nothing. Huh? Yep.

[22:14] Alan Seales: All right. That's that's nuts.

[22:18] Brittney Mack: I know. Absolutely nothing. Absolutely.

[22:22] Alan Seales: So were they considering you for the Chicago production at this time?

[22:25] Brittney Mack: Yes. So when we were so the audition was strictly just for what we find out later is that this was this contract was for Chicago Shakespeare Theater's production of six. And then you would also have to do the Citadel's production of the six, which is in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. So they were the same contract initially, if you would.

[22:52] Brittney Mack: So I said, OK, OK, cool. I know. You know what I have to say? I think now looking back on it, I am so when people are like hashtag grateful, hashtag gratitude, all of that that I didn't know about the show because I think it would have added a certain amount of pressure that. I think kind of gets in the way a lot of times when people know how big something is. What's the weight of something? Right. And so I was just like aloof. I had no idea what was I was just like, oh, man, this is nice. This theater is nice.

[23:33] Brittney Mack: So I'm doing the things we were in the audition. I get a callback for Amberlynn for Don't Lose Your Head and for Anna Please Get Down. Don't lose your head. I was like, I don't know what she's talking about. She's very angsty. I don't know what this child is talking about. What is she? OK. So by the time I get it, of course, I had seen the tutors write the show. Yeah, that's all I'd ever known about it. Right. I was like, that's a great show. I was like, OK, I know I knew about Amberlynn. I knew about Catherine of Aragon from research that I had done about Spain for school. And then la la la. So but to come to come back and look at this story through a pop concert lens, the way the audition process happened, like it was an experience like none other. And I'm pretty sure I will never have an audition experience like that ever again. It was incredible.

[24:31] Alan Seales: What did they have you do that was different from your normal auditions then?

[24:34] Brittney Mack: We all auditioned together.

[24:36] Alan Seales: Right. Yes. The other ladies have said that.

[24:38] Brittney Mack: Yeah, you auditioned for each other.

[24:40] Alan Seales: Yes. And so we were each other's background.

[24:44] Brittney Mack: So for those people, so for people who've seen it, you know, we're like backing each other up. That's what we did in the room. The whole panel was there. Everyone was there the whole time. And one of my one of my favorite things to do, I really like doing review shows like All Night Strut and Ain't Misbehavin' and those type of shows, Beehive, those type of shows because the connection you get to have with the audience. Like, what wall? You know, I'm looking straight at you and they're like,

[25:10] Brittney Mack: And Anna of Cleves in SIX the Musical. And so you're in the room, I'm in the room with Andrea Makassat, Sam Polly, Anna Uzzele, like, and these, and aside from a handful of us, Andrea was the only one there from Canada out of her entire audition. You've got, you know, Broadway people, you've got Catherine there, you've got, you know, Adriana Hicks there, you know, Anna has been on Once on this Island. I mean, you've got Broadway queens there, and then you've got like, you know, people who've got nice experience, regional experience, and been on tour and a substantial resume if I do say so myself. And then you just get so many ranges of wonderful, incredible queens there and artists and performers that it was a blast being in the room.

So for once, you didn't have to like be at the door like, how did she do that last riff? You know, you were like, you were right there. So you had no choice but to be yourself, hopefully. And what you find out, what we found out later is that was one of the biggest part that I guess you can say a huge percentage of the audition was how we supported each other. I never forget Andrea goes up and just little and cute with these boots on that are taller than her with this side ponytail. And she just in her hair was like in a bun first, and then she took it down and like abracadabra her hair to this ponytail thing. And she whips it to the side and this eyebrow goes up and she starts the song. And I literally was like, you better sing.

All of the Chicago in me came out and I was like, no, no, no, Brittany, this is Broadway. Like you need to calm down. You need to relax. I couldn't. I could not because she was stellar. And again, later doing the shows and blah, blah, blah. They're like, Brittany, we'll never forget your reaction to Andrea because that is the kind of support that that women need, you know, various and different levels and but unapologetic. You were just like, blah. And then you were like, oh, sorry, in the middle of our song. And I was like, I did. I'm sorry. I'm really they were like, no, it's part of what we love about you. So that audition process was nuts. It was nuts. Yeah, I've never heard anything like that before where they get everybody together and want to see. That's just incredible.

[28:02] Brittney Mack: And the show itself is set up to be a concert performance where you are as much on stage for the other people as you are to sing your own solo. Yeah. And it's just this incredible kind of combination of everything that's been that's happening, you know, like women's empowerment and history and colorblind casting. And it ranges the gamut of everything positive that we need right now. And I think, you know, like I haven't asked you yet, like, how did it feel to lose your opening night to quarantine? I don't think you have. I think it got postponed and it's going to be built up and it's going to be better when it comes back. It's going to be better than it would have been otherwise. So hashtag blessed, right?

Hashtag bless my sentiments. Exactly. That was that's exactly how I felt. So I was like, OK, OK, cool. We'll be back. Plus, you get like, you know, some time off. Rest the Voucher. Rest my knee. I actually injured I had an injury from the show. And so it's a nice it's a nice rest. And the thing is, though, it's like, OK, you guys are rested. Here we go. I'm glad I'm glad everyone's good. We're good. Cool. So here's our schedule. So and I can't wait, man. I'm looking I'm looking forward to it and to be back on the stage with those women. They're so incredible. And I've learned so much from them. And we're just so eager to share it with everyone, to share it with New York. You know, we've been all over.

We've had return friends come from from Canada, come from Boston. We took Boston up. I mean, we went there and shut it down. So, you know, working with Diane, like being in that space where some incredible work has come out of that space as well, knowing what she's working on, what she's doing with 1776, like it's just it's I'm excited. And I think it goes back to what what I think when you were talking about about our industry changing. And I think it's yes, how we how we do it, but also what we're doing and and and why we're doing what we're doing, that it doesn't so much have to be big production, big colors, big like it. It's it's something how if you take, for example, like the Color Purple, how the original Color Purple did an incredible storytelling, bringing bringing this story to life, bringing the book to life.

It was a wonderful mesh of the book and the movie and LaChanze and Renee. And it was such an incredible cast. And then it closes. Then you have the revival come back, which came back relatively quickly in my brain. But it was a completely different show, you know, and I had friends in that show, too. I saw a dear friend of mine, Jenny Harney, make her Broadway debut in that show. And she just had a baby. And so I just seeing seeing her, seeing her tell this story that I know so well that Broadway has seen before, but has seen it. It's now stripped and it's now it's not so much colors and what you would think big production or anything. Now you just got the story and the characters. And what is it that we're talking about?

What is it that we're saying here? What do we want to do with this work? And so it I think I think it's I think it's a I think there's a challenge coming that that will allow new new writers and new creators to come to the forefront of like saying, like, here's some work that I have. And no, it's not big production, but like it gets to your heartstrings. And this is what we're saying and this is what we're doing. And I'm I'm excited. I'm excited about that, especially coming back into theater and things like that. I'm excited about that there.

[32:11] Brittney Mack: I was just trying a very interesting parallel in my mind to something that I heard somebody else say last night is a single a single gay man living in quarantine in Texas with his parents. And he's he's dating. He's doing he's online going on online dates like Zoom dates and. And he was very candid and he was saying he was saying, like, if it was in person, you have like real chemistry with somebody like second, third, fourth, fifth date, like you're probably going to go sleep with that person. And because you're there and you're physical and you want to just be closer to them, but because of the physical separation, because of the inability to show up to the same place together, it's it's kind of turned into a love is blind sort of scenario where you're forced to pay attention to the substance versus the visuals.

And so they were. I see it. So they were so so he was like, yeah, like third Zoom date. We're talking about like, do you want to have kids together on a third Zoom date? If we were in New York, we would have been sleeping together like that wouldn't have come up in person. Yeah. Yeah. So. So, yeah, like I totally get that when you're when you're forced, man, you take this. This is such a paradox because we as we as a culture, as a race need human contact. We are a herd species. Yes. But we're so much more intellectual without it. We are.

[33:39] Brittney Mack: You know, it's funny bringing up. You could cut this, whatever. But we're just the dating thing, like because I am I was like, I got nothing else to do and I'm single. So I'm like, all right. And there's only one app that I've ever used because I'm scared of everything else because I'm a chicken. And I like this app. And so I'm on it. And it's funny. You'd be surprised how people come in like. Or even me the other day, but like don't know what to say, like you run out of things to say, because in my brain, I'm like, is this too much to discuss? Because technically we've only we've only been talking for like two days. So but like, what else am I going to talk about? But like, I'm gonna ask you about everything except your Social Security number at this point, because what else?

Because why not? And then you really get down to the meat of like you said, it's a love is blind situation. Like, you know, do you want to have kids? What do you want to do? What are your aspirations? What where do you see yourself in five years? Like and it's funny because in in our culture, those questions, for whatever reason, have become generic. They have become this way of being like, yeah, it's like I wasn't going to ask him where you see yourself in five years. Why is that a terrible question to ask? Why would you waste your time in any other way? What is your five years and his five years don't line up, you know? And so it's an interesting it is that that is that is very true. And it's just this wonderful.

It's like a huge reset. It's like someone saw a button and was like, you know, the big red button and pushed it. And like, everything has now everyone has now been reset to like the same plane, the same exact level. And now, now what are we going to do with it? We have the choice to rebuild in such an incredible way and to like bring back human decency and courtesy and kindness. During this time, I have not heard more people say, excuse me, than now. Oh, excuse me. Oh, you. Oh, OK. You know, I'm being from Chicago. You know, you see somebody. Hey, how you doing? All right. Have a good day. You need some help. You are right. OK. Because it's full of southern city people. So everyone migrated from the south.

So we still have very southern ways about us. So, you know, you check on your elders, you do those things. If I see and it's in my nature, if I see, you know, someone's abuela down the street that's like struggling with a cart, I'm going to help her with her cart. So it's it's not it's not a question. It's just second nature to me. So but now you're seeing that more. You're seeing more compassion. You're seeing more manners. And you're seeing just basic human decency, I think. And people taking in things that maybe had lost its value, you know, time. It's the greatest thing that you don't give back. So why would you ever take that for granted? But I think we we started to. So, yeah, well, everything became a lot more a lot more convenient now with the Internet and social media.

And you can just do anything right there in your pocket and, you know, take your phone with you, take your computer with you. So so I I mean, as an economy, as a global economy, like we're functioning on the Internet now for the most part, which is which is a necessity. But yeah, I'm totally with you. Like, I love the the level of support. Like my neighborhood is is bringing donations together to like leave food and supplies for the people who live at the YWCA around the corner. And yeah, it's just like you when you slow down and you don't like even just not commuting right now, slow down for a second and you can like look up and see who's around you. Yeah. Like one of my thing, one of my things that I've I've I sell this to people whenever I can, I'm like, when you get an elevator, don't get on your phone. Like, look up and see who's in the elevator with you. You never know. You never.

[37:45] Alan Seales: That's all we need. That's all we need. That's all. Yeah. So, Fox, I'm off now. Alright. Yeah, bring this back to SIX. The fandom is insane.

[38:19] Brittney Mack: Yep. And actually, it's funny. I was on the SIX Wiki fandom page earlier and it was like, fun trivia that Brittney Mack and Andrea Macassett are tied at 4'11 as the shortest cast members. Did you know that was in there?

[38:36] Alan Seales: I did not. How do you know that I am slightly taller than Andrea?

[38:40] Brittney Mack: Well, it is a wiki, so I can go in and edit it. I can say, footnote, she says she's slightly taller.

[39:04] Alan Seales: Please do. Thank you so much.

[39:10] Brittney Mack: But the social media outpouring, the support at the stage door, like, what have you been hearing about the show? And like, is it kind of dying off now that Broadway's been closed for a while or have people been sort of like building up clamoring for this to come back?

[39:29] Brittney Mack: Yeah, the queendom, we call them the queendom, is insane. Like, it is like nothing I've ever experienced in my whole entire life. And what it is, is just like support, right? For us, for these women that have been chosen to tell this story, right? And so it's one of those things that, you know, I've always said, like, my biggest thing when doing this theater journey and being in this industry is to inspire. And so, be careful what you ask for, because it's happening, right? And so you have the opportunity with the queendom, it creates opportunity to be able to say, hey, have you thought about this today? Have some of the things that we were just talking about, have you thought about that? Have you done this today?

Because their generation is very kind of self-consumed. And so what you find is the impact that this show has is that it teaches about selflessness in a way of just supporting each other, that that's just kind of like how it starts, right? And it plants that small seed enough to say, hey, like, this is what happens when a bunch of women come together and support each other. So you and your girlfriends at school, when y'all at y'all lockers, instead of being like, oh my God, did you see what Josh did? Or like, oh my God, Amanda looks like this. Why don't you take a second and be like, you look cute today. Oh my God, let's go around and tell everybody they look cute today. Let's do it. And we have the opportunity to create those challenges, even if you would, and different things on social media and blah, blah, blah.

It has forced me to become more present on social media because I'm allergic. I'm allergic in every single way, but I have to. And so, and again, it's another type of platform. So if you see it that way, then it's a little more better. But like I said, we have young women, young men, older women, older men. This show is so universal that the Queendom really kind of reaches and touches everyone and because the story does, right? And so we have the opportunity to actually make change because the show is a global phenomenon. It's all over the world. We're in Australia, we're on the high seas, and then we've got the tour, the UK tour, and then we've got to sit down on the West End. We're here. And so what we've learned is what you could really do when you have such a positive show. A show that's fun, that's poppy, that's like, you know, what do they call it? A bop. I learned that. Did I use, don't make fun, I'm trying.

[42:46] Alan Seales: I'm not making fun of you. I like the term.

[42:49] Brittney Mack: Okay, okay. It's a bop. And or if we have a lit performance that night, you know, they will tell us, oh, you were lit tonight. And I was like, okay. On fire? What? When she said lit? They're like, Brittany, don't. Brittany, like it was good. Oh, thank you. Or versus being, you know, Brittany, were you okay? Like, did you, how's your knee? I'm like, you saw that? Okay, cool. I'm a little hurt. I'm hurting a little today, but it'll be okay. Okay, well, we support you, you know, teaches that teaches you selflessness to think outside of yourself. And they're not like, the Queendom is not like, like how we know music theater fans to be, you know, these aren't like those kids that are fanatics. So it's weird to call them fans.

Because they're adults, they're, you know, seniors, they're like that, oh, my granddaughter wanted to come see the show. And I've seen it twice, but don't tell her because I didn't bring her. Okay, granny, granny, don't be out here in these streets, you need to go home. So it's, it's, it's, it's, it's fun. It's hard. It's kind of scary sometimes. It's intimidating sometimes. And it's exhausting. It's exhausting to be on and to be present. So I make a choice if I'm on social media, that I have to be a very specific kind of way because they're watching, you know, and if I'm not feeling like, or even some, some, some sort of, or depending on what, what the dial is on my light that day, if it's a little more dim, then Britney's just gonna call it one, especially right now, you know, but if it's semi bright to bright, then I'll kind of make an appearance and say, hey, and there are certain ladies in the queendom that I do have a little more of a connection to like, Maddie and Rose, they're, they're two young girls that didn't get a chance to see us.

They were going to come opening weekend. And they live in Jersey and they are the sweetest, most funniest girls. They're twins. And, you know, like, like they're just, you know, Maddie, Maddie loves to wear a blazer and a tie. And I was like, Maddie, do it every day. If you want to, you want to know why? Because why not? Yeah. Why not? It was like, well, why not? Okay. I was like, all right. And if you don't want to, don't. Yeah. I was like, yeah. You know, so it's, it's little things like that. I met them during our workshop that we did. How to Slay is a, is a, is a self-improvement, self-empowerment workshop that I came up with last year. And using this and being able to encourage young women in, in whatever way they need.

So we have, we started kind of sitting down and we talk about different things and, and then we'll start the class from there. So it's very organic and it comes from them. So then it is very specific to what they need. So then when they come out of the class, they've learned something, they're different. So we were able to do that virtually a couple of weeks ago and I had some of the other Queens join. It was a lot of fun. And we had a four-day workshop. It was a blast. We did birthday stuff and we dressed up and it was a good time. And that's why I met Maddie and Rose.

[46:38] Alan Seales: Oh, that's so cool. Yeah. Well, I think that is a wonderful spot to, to move into our closing questions here and wrap up the episode. There's three questions I ask everyone to wrap up the episodes. The first one is what motivates you?

[46:51] Brittney Mack: Uh, what? Wow. Wow. That's broad. I'm not going to be long-winded. I promise. What motivates me? Um, the, the, the hope for change and the not, and, and, um, and the fact that, that, that things can change for the better.

[47:21] Alan Seales: Alright. And then the next question is, what advice would you give to your younger self and younger people listening now starting out down a similar path?

[47:32] Brittney Mack: It's so hard. It's so hard. So, you know, that time when you want to be like, this is so hard and my life is really sucky right now. Now that you've got that out of your system, do it, shake it off and keep going because it's worth it. I can't say that it gets easier because with more success, there is more work that comes with that too much is given much is required. And so if you strive for better and higher know that there's more work, but it's worth it. So shake off, cry, scream, don't throw anything. Cause you don't pay for nothing right now. Your mama pays for it or your daddy or your uncle, whoever, but, um, just get through it and don't be afraid to be open about your feelings. Talk about how you feel, even if it's to a friend, write it down, however you got to do, get it out and then keep it moving.

[48:40] Alan Seales: Oh, I like that a lot. Alright. So the last question, this is the hardest one. 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 see?

[48:48] Brittney Mack: Oh, wow. Uh, is this original cast or anything you'd like?

[48:56] Alan Seales: Oh yeah. This is the hardest making my back's wet. Okay. Um, let me think. Oh man. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Geez. I don't, uh, it can't just one show, huh? Well, uh, lady days is kind of depressing. Um, like over and over and over again. Um, Memphis.

[49:24] Alan Seales: Memphis. I like that. Alright. Yeah. So we can find you on Instagram at Brit Mac eight, the number eight and get more of me at the theater podcast.com. Show your support at the theater podcast.com slash Patrion. I'm on Instagram and Twitter at theater underscore podcast. Please leave a rating and a review. Uh, this is edited by Matthew Hendershot and Brittany Mac. Thank you so much for everything. This has been such a fun conversation.

[49:54] Brittney Mack: Thank you for having me.

[49:58] Alan Seales: Yeah, this was fun. It was, I'm, I'm notorious for like going off on tangents. So I'm really sorry. I probably should have told you that before. Reel me in.

[50:03] Brittney Mack: I am. I'm a tangent King. I will go there with you. That's what makes the best conversation. It's a real conversation. I love it. It's a conversation. Thank you so much for having me deep breath, make the world a little colorful.