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[0:00] Joel Crump: What's up everybody? It's time for episode two of the Weekly Dose of Joel podcast. I am your host, Joel Crump, and this week we have some exciting Broadway's news, Broadway's history, my review of JaJa's African Hair Braiding on Broadway's, and interviews from Broadway's's best, Jeremy Jordan, Graciela Daniele, Nik Walker, and Leslie Kritzer. I'm so stoked for you to hear what's been going on in the industry, and you're gonna hear from my favorite actors. They are some of the best. So let's get on to this week's episode of the Weekly Dose of Joel.

[0:32] Joel Crump: Broadway Buzz. This week on Broadway's, there's been a lot of news. There's been some very exciting and happy news and some sad news as well. But I want to start off on a positive note. Jordan Fisher, Broadway's television and film actor Jordan Fisher, will be stepping into the role of Orpheus in Hades Town starting November 20th. So he will be succeeding the role from Reeve Carney, who is the last original Broadway's cast member who we talked about last week, and who will be stepping into this iconic role. I'm very, very, very excited to see him in Hades Town. We've seen Jordan Fisher in a lot of Broadway's shows, most recently playing Anthony in Sweeney Todd, and he was also Evan Hansen in Dear Evan Hansen, and he was in Hamilton, and he gave this awesome quote, which I want to read to you guys right now.

Cause I mean, I think it's just really building the excitement for him to be in Hades Town. So Jordan said, first I must thank Ree for the magic he made in Orpheus. And then he said, an absolutely historic run and performance. His unrelenting heart and soul is deeply embedded in this role and in this story. I'm beyond honored and grateful for the opportunity to step in and steward such a beautifully crafted character. My wife, son, and I have been jamming to the cast album for a long time. It's been a dream to be able to join the party, specifically in this role. This tale is one that truly must be told again and again, and I'm so excited for Jordan to be the one to tell it again and again. So I don't know what you're waiting for, but you need to get your tickets to Hades Town on Broadway's to see Jordan Fisher as Orpheus.

[2:11] Joel Crump: In other casting news, it was announced that the Queens of Six will be departing the Broadway's show on December 3rd. So what's really interesting about Six on Broadway's is that they kind of bring in new queens for about a year and then bring in another set of queens. And I guess this is gonna be like a cycle that we see for Six on Broadway's. But the current Queens of Six are Zoe Jensen, Leandra Ellis Gaston, Bella Coppola, Nasha Thomas, Haley Calleem Wright, Taylor Iman Jones, and Holly Conway. And I don't know if you're on theater TikTok or theater Instagram or what you're on, but if you are, you will have seen some epic clips, and each and every one of them are so incredible, and I can't wait to see what they do next on Broadway's.

But I also can't wait to see who's going to be in Six on Broadway's next. I feel it could be so cool if they stunt casted this show, and there's so many pop singers who you could bring in for Six. So I can't wait to see what's next. But I also hope that the current cast of Six enjoys the rest of their run. It's such a fun show, and I cannot wait to see what they do next on Broadway's. The original Broadway's cast of Six had some megastars in it, and they've already gone on to do some incredible things. So I know this cast of Six will go on to do incredible things on Broadway's.

[3:31] Joel Crump: Now it's time for some news that I'm not chucking exciting for. Shucked on Broadway's will be closing on January 14th at the Nederlander Theater, but we'll be launching a national tour and we'll tour 30 cities in the first year. So this statement was very loaded. I know you're sad. I'm sad. I saw Shucked on Broadway's two times so far, and I hope I can revisit Cobb County as many times as I can before it closes. Shucked is so funny. The cast is incredible. The book by Robert Horn is so funny. The music by Shane McAnally and Brandy Clark, who I had the honor of interviewing, is brilliant. And you know, sometimes when people come on to Broadway's to write music for Broadway's, you're like, oh, what is this gonna be?

And these two did the thing and they did it right. Shucked is the perfect show, in my opinion. Alex Newell is so good in this show. If there's a show you want to see Alex in, this is the show. It makes sense why they won their Tony Award. And I mean, it just tears my heart to pieces that we get such good material on Broadway's and we see it go so soon. So and I truly mean this. If you get a chance to be in New York, you have to see Shucked on Broadway's before it closes on January 14th. It is some of Broadway's's best work, it has some of Broadway's's best actors, it is using some of Broadway's's best creatives. The social media for Shucked on Broadway's is the bomb.com, and I gave my review for Shucked a long time ago on Broadway's Time, my Broadway's media business.

And you should go watch that too. I'm wearing my corn hat. Actually, on the opening night of Shucked on Broadway's, I wore a corn hat. I mean, this show means so much to me. It is so funny. I want to take everybody to go see this. I would take everybody to go see this if I could. So it's time for you to go see Shucked. I don't know what you're waiting for. Clearly, you need to go get your tickets to a lot of things, but truly go get your tickets to Shucked on Broadway's.

[5:34] Joel Crump: Another opening, another show. This week on Broadway's, we've had two opening nights of two very exhilarating shows. On Tuesday, Merrily We Roll Along, the revival of Merrily We Roll Along, opened on Broadway's, starring Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff, and Lindsay Mendez. This show was written by Stephen Sondheim, and the first time it premiered on Broadway's, it was a huge flop. And now it's back on Broadway's and it's selling out every single night. People are, you know, going crazy to go see this show. And it makes sense why, because it's some of Sondheim's best material, and it has an all-star cast, and it's opening on Broadway's and it's a limited run. So it's your time to go see Merrily We Roll Along on Broadway's.

And Gutenberg, the Musical opened on Thursday at the James Earl Jones Theater. And this show is starring Andrew Rannells and Josh Gad, this comedy duo who we originally saw in The Book of Mormon on Broadway's, is back on Broadway's together, and I actually interviewed them. And it might be one of my funniest interviews ever. I'm not lying, I'm not joking. It was so funny, and it also gave me one of my most prized possessions in the world. They signed my OBC Book of Mormon playbill, and it's sitting in my room on my desk. And I come in after school and I look at it and I go, I'm living the life. You guys have to go see Merrily We Roll Along and Gutenberg, the Musical. Maybe you guys could do a two-show day seeing some of Broadway's's best stars and some of Broadway's's best work. But that's what's open on Broadway's this week.

[7:14] Joel Crump: Broadway history. This week's Broadway's History is bringing you back to 1984 when Ma Rainey's Black Bottom by August Wilson opened on Broadway's. The original production starred Charles Dutton and Teresa Merritt, and this was August Wilson's first big Broadway's success. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom opened at the Court Theater, which is now called the James Earl Jones Theater. The play takes place at Ma Rainey's recording sessions while having trouble with one of her musicians. The play talks about what white racism does to its victims. The production ran for 275 performances, and Wilson went on to write so many plays, he became a Pulitzer Prize winner, and you probably know him from Fences or The Piano Lesson.

Some Broadway's birthdays this week include Tony Award winner Victoria Clark, who's currently starring in Kimberly Akimbo as Kimberly Lavaco. When I saw Kimberly Akimbo on Broadway's over the summer, she took me backstage, and it's a memory I will never forget. And this year at the Broadway's flea market, I actually got a set piece that's used on stage, a chair that's used on stage, signed by the entire Broadway's cast, and it's actually what I record my podcast in. So I'm sitting in that chair right now. Another birthday this week is Jane Krakowski, who I actually interviewed on the red carpet for Shucked on Broadway's. And one more Broadway's birthday this week is Hugh Jackman, who I met at the 2022 Tony Awards. I didn't interview him, but I met him. It was very exciting, and I don't know why I have a British accent, but those are this week's Broadway's birthdays.

[8:51] Joel Crump: This week's Broadway's review. This week I am talking about JaJa's African Hair Braiding on Broadway's, which is playing at the Samuel J. Friedman Theater. It's non performances, and it announced today that it's extending to November 19th, which I mean I'm thrilled about because I think everybody should go see this show on Broadway's. But JaJa's African Hair Braiding is one of the most robust shows I've seen on Broadway's in a while. It's so funny, and it truly takes you right into the middle of an African hair braiding shop. So let me talk about some standouts in the show. Some standouts for me were Brittany Adabramola, who played Miriam, Meiji Arawanwa, who plays Ndidi, Somi Kakoma, who plays JaJa, Michael Aloyade, who plays various characters, Nana Mensa, who plays Amanara, Dominique Thorne, who plays Marie, and Zenzi Williams, who plays B. Every single person in this cast of 10 shines.

JaJa gives you a glimpse of the unforgettable experience of an African hair braiding shop, which I have personally experienced for hours and hours. If you know, you know, and also shows you the highs and lows of the African immigrant experience. Jocelyn Buyot and Whitney Wright really killed this show. So you need to get your tickets to JaJa's African Hair Braiding at www.manhattentheatreclub.com. You won't want to miss this show.

[10:18] Joel Crump: It's time for some interviews. Now I told y'all at the beginning of this episode that this week's interviews are going to be some of Broadway's's best, and I truly mean it. And I'm starting off with someone that I know you love, that I know you've heard sing "Santa Fe" billions of times. You know who it is. It's Jeremy Jordan, and he's playing Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby at Papermill Playhouse. So here's my interview with Jeremy Jordan.

[10:49] Jeremy Jordan: Hey you guys, I'm here with Jeremy Jordan, and you're playing Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby at Papermill Playhouse. I mean, to be taking this role from, you know, it's a film and a novel, and I bring it on to stage. What has that been like for you?

[11:03] Jeremy Jordan: It's been a joy. I mean, it's been challenging in its own ways, but it's been a really collaborative effort between the creatives and the cast and everybody. And so I feel like I have ownership of this adaptation of this character, which is I think really sort of coincidental to making a good production is to feel that I have the power over his creation, you know. And Jay is a guy who essentially has recreated himself in this other image of someone that he definitely is not or was not, and his utter sort of conviction in wanting this woman and doing anything that he will, anything in the world to get her is inspiring, but also like it's a little cuckoo.

[12:01] Jeremy Jordan: Yeah, yeah, yeah, totally. I mean, what can fans of the film, the novel come and see in the stage production that's new and different that they haven't seen before? Well, I don't know the film specifically. I mean I've seen clips of it, but I think what we've tried to do in this version is to sort of marry the time periods, right? Now it's taking place in the 20s, but a lot of the music and the dance elements specifically really help to modernize the show because there are a lot of elements of this story that are still very relevant today. And the other thing that I think that's been really exciting is that they've taken the perspective of the narrator away from the show, and so not everything is told through Nick's eyes. We get to glimpse into the personal lives of all of these characters when he's not around, and so we get to see new sides of them, and we've got to sort of create and imagine what those scenes would have been.

[12:55] Jeremy Jordan: Last thing I want to know is what would you do with Oli J Gatsby's fortune and money? Ha! What would I do with his fortune and money? Yes. Well, yeah, somebody had to do something with it. Um he you know, I would have I would of course, you know, try to be as charitable as I could, and I would probably set up a few funds or foundations, um probably for kids. I have a soft spot for kids. Yeah. Um, but otherwise, you know, I I don't really I don't I like to try to live in a normal modest means as much as I can. And so, you know, I'd save it for future generations for my kid and for their kids, and I don't know. Gosh, I don't know what I would do with it. Yeah, totally. I don't want that kind of money. Honestly, like I don't mind having like a good amount of money, but that kind of money is a little scary.

[13:48] Joel Crump: Okay, yeah. Everybody's coming before you. I get it, I get it. You know what I'm saying? Like you're good.

[13:53] Jeremy Jordan: Yeah, all right. I think I'm good for now.

[13:55] Joel Crump: Okay, thank you so much, Jeremy. Jeremy Jordan is just so incredible in everything that he does, and I'm not sure if you've been able to see the previews for the Great Gatsby yet. That's gonna be at the Paperville Playhouse. But if you haven't, go on YouTube, go look it up. It's going to blow your mind. The song "Roaring On" has been stuck in my head for the past month now. Where's the party? And can you take me there? And when the party's over. I I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I told you, it's stuck in my head. But my next guests are Nik Walker and Leslie Kritzer, who are both about to be in Spamala on Broadway's at the St. James Theater. I just talked to them on Tuesday. It is one of the funniest conversations I've ever had. So here is Nik Walker and Leslie Kritzer.

[14:42] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Hey you guys, I'm here with Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer and Nik Walker, and you both are in Spamala on Broadway's. It's coming back from the Kennedy Center, which you both are in. Tell me how excited are you both to be back in Spamala on Broadway's?

[14:54] Nik Walker: We are thrilled.

[14:56] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: We're so excited. I never I didn't think when I did the Kennedy Center that, you know, we would go to Broadway's. We were just doing it for two weeks or whatever, and here we are, and we're so excited to bring it to New York.

[15:08] Nik Walker: Yes, yeah. I mean, I'll tell you what, I just showed up and they were like, oh, we're going abroad. But I was like, oh man, what's that? And then I got really excited. No, no, I'm very excited. It's just kind of surreal. Like it just feels very like, okay, yeah, let's do this, man. I'm very excited.

[15:26] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Oh, this is such a goofy show. You guys are having so much fun in it. I don't know. What is your favorite part about, you know, being silly and being able to pull in all of your silliness for the show?

[15:35] Nik Walker: It's so great to be in a show, at least for me, where I kind of can't believe I'm the only female principal, which is wild. I'm usually used to coming on, being funny and leaving, which I get to do in the show, but I really think for me, I get to show with this amazing group of guys, all my kindness zany. And the best part about being with them is that they give me the floor, I give them the floor, and we're kind of like a merry troop of comedians, which is so refreshing and fun, and we sing our face off together and separately.

[16:09] Nik Walker: Yeah.

[16:10] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: I will say it feels in my I my friends that it feels like the first time that I can just be myself on stage. Do you know what I mean? Like, yeah, because so often you have to you're fitting into these things and you're trying to do what the show this show kind of demands that you bring your most childlike goofy self. So that's what we got. I mean, it really is just like a sandbox for just like just be authentic.

[16:34] Nik Walker: Yeah, I love that.

[16:35] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Yeah.

[16:36] Joel Crump: So this next thing is called questions in character. So I want you guys to go into character right now, and I'm gonna ask you a couple questions. I want you to answer as characters, okay?

[16:45] Nik Walker: So if for one day only in the land of Spamula, if you could have any superpower, what type of power would it be? What would you do with that superpower?

[16:54] Nik Walker: Young man, I would take the power of flight.

[16:56] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: So levitation.

[16:57] Nik Walker: Yeah. And I would fly over Camelot with a big banner that says, I'm the sexy one. And everyone would see it, and they would just accept me as the sexy one. Because in every band, there's this there's the smart one, there's the muscular one. I'm just the sexy one. And so I would use my power of light to put that out into the world and never take it back.

[17:19] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Personally, I see it. I see that. I see that.

[17:22] Nik Walker: Um for me, I think that I would want the power to create a dance party rave at any moment. Nights, um, everyone dancing, everyone having fabulous outfits, almost like the Bobby movie. Yeah, you know. And anytime, anywhere, there's always a party, and always whenever I feel like it.

[17:39] Joel Crump: All right, and the other thing I want to know.

[17:46] Nik Walker: With fire.

[17:47] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: With fire, with pyro, as we like to call it.

[17:50] Nik Walker: A lot of pyro?

[17:51] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Because I can I can produce water, and I'd like to produce fire.

[17:54] Joel Crump: Okay, and then the other thing I want to know is if you guys could step into any other Broadway's show as your character, what show would it be?

[18:01] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Funny Girl.

[18:03] Nik Walker: If it was still open as myself.

[18:06] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Okay, yes.

[18:08] Nik Walker: I think I just want to wander onto the stage of Greyhouse.

[18:12] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: I just think that would be good.

[18:14] Nik Walker: That would be good fun.

[18:15] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: We both chose shows that are closed.

[18:17] Nik Walker: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[18:18] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Shows that are closed.

[18:19] Nik Walker: But I think that a function.

[18:20] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: That's right. You know, it would just be a fun time to go back in time and then step on the stage of Greyhouse.

[18:25] Nik Walker: Yeah.

[18:26] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: The musical.

[18:27] Nik Walker: The musical, of course.

[18:29] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: It's coming.

[18:30] Nik Walker: Yes, yeah.

[18:30] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: It's coming.

[18:32] Joel Crump: Thank you both so so much. It's a pleasure to meet you.

[18:34] Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer: Greyhouse the musical coming 2025.

[18:40] Joel Crump: I mean, this cast is so ridiculous. They're so funny, and I cannot wait for you to hear more questions and characters with the cast of Spam. It just gets wilder and crazier and crazier and crazier. But now I'm talking to Tony Award winner, Graciela Daniele, who is the director and choreographer of the Gardens of Annuncia at the Lincoln Center Theater. This is her last show before retirement. And this show is actually about her. And we got a special preview of the show. And we got to speak with the cast and Graciela herself. So here is my interview with Graciela Daniele.

[19:18] Graciela Daniel: Hey you guys, I'm here with Graciela Daniele, and you are the director and choreographer of the Gardens of Annuncia. The show is about your life. It's your last show at the Lincoln Center Theater. Tell me, what has it been like bringing this show here to New York City?

[19:32] Graciela Daniel: Well, I'm going to tell you one thing. This is not only my last show in Lincoln Center, it's my last show in my life. I'm 83 years old, and it's time to retire. I've been in the theater since I was seven years old.

[19:46] Joel Crump: Wow.

[19:46] Graciela Daniel: Yes. So it has been a long, long career. This show is coming back to Lincoln Center is wonderful because I, you know, I did so many shows here, and they're always beautiful. And the shows that I wanted to do, not commercial shows, but something with, you know, away to side. It's extremely emotional to go back now at the memories that I have. But when you get older sometimes, I don't know why, but when we get older, it's hard for me to remember what happened yesterday. But the past stories are so incredibly vivid. Yes. And the feelings become so real. So having the opportunity of doing this is not about my life, it's about the life, the women who created me.

[20:36] Joel Crump: Yes.

[20:37] Graciela Daniel: And I want to know what advice have you given the women who are playing the woman who created you and brought you up? What advice have you given to these actors who are celebrating your mommy and your tia and your grandma?

[20:47] Graciela Daniel: Look into your life. Who was that person who helped you become who you are? Yes. And it doesn't have to be family sometimes, it's a teacher or a friend. It doesn't matter. There's always somebody, hopefully, I hope so, that it's always somebody who gets into your life and teaches you how to become yourself.

[21:11] Joel Crump: Yes.

[21:11] Graciela Daniel: The last thing I want to know is tell me about your garden. Describe your garden to me. What are you planting right now in your garden?

[21:17] Graciela Daniel: Well, nothing because my garden is in New Jersey. And I'm living with my husband. We have a brownstone here.

[21:24] Joel Crump: Okay.

[21:24] Graciela Daniel: So I'm too tired at night to go over there and then come back in the morning. So right now, probably my gardens are being devoured by my beloved deer. Yes. And I have to take care of that whenever it is that I can get back there when we open. You know what I mean? So I'm praying that I have good neighbors, so I'm praying. I said if you take care of my neighbor my plants, you can eat all of the tomatoes.

[21:53] Joel Crump: Hey, good deal.

[21:55] Graciela Daniel: Good deal. Thank you so much, Graciela. It's so nice to meet you.

[22:00] Joel Crump: And then do we want to get a video of you saying hi, my name is Graciela Daniele?

[22:07] Graciela Daniel: And this is probably time, but in Spanish.

[22:09] Joel Crump: Oh, in Spanish, okay.

[22:12] Graciela Daniel: Sí, yeah, yeah.

[22:34] Graciela Daniel: Mama, my abuela, and my tia.

[22:41] Joel Crump: Thank you so much.

[22:42] Graciela Daniel: Thank you.

[22:44] Joel Crump: That is it for episode two of the Weekly Dose of Joel. I know you guys loved those interviews. I loved relistening and reliving those interviews. And every single one of those actors are absolutely brilliant. But next week, we're gonna have some more exciting content for you guys. I know there's gonna be some more exciting Broadway's news, some more Broadway's history, and interviews with your favorite actors. But before we go, I have to announce the winner of the Pearly Victorious Tickets and our next giveaway. So the winner of the Pearly Victorious Tickets is Kai Yafa Yafa on Instagram.

[23:19] Joel Crump: So Kari, be sure to message me at the Weekly Dose to Joel Instagram to claim your tickets. And this week's giveaway, I'm so excited, you guys. This week's giveaway is two tickets to Sweeney Todd on Broadway's, the hottest production of Sweeney Todd on Broadway's. Rules will be posted at BWTime.com. But tune in next week to hear who the winner is, and tune in next week for more Broadway's fun. This has been your episode of the Weekly Dose of Joel.