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[0:00] Joel Crump: What's up everybody and welcome back to another episode of The Weekly Dose of Joel. The fall season is finally here, and I'm so excited to be bringing you Broadway interviews, news, and a ton of fun. Today I'm sharing my interviews with Kim Exum, who is in the cast of A Wonderful World, the Musical, Will Chase, who is currently starring in Once Upon a Mattress on Broadway, and the Academy Award and Tony Award winning director Sam Mendes, who is directing The Hills of California on Broadway. So without further ado, let's get on to this week's episode of The Weekly Dose of Joel.

[0:31] Joel Crump: So if you guys have been following all the recent Broadway news, you know that there's been a ton this week, a lot of very exciting news about upcoming revivals, new shows on Broadway, and just everything that's going on in the theater world. So let's start off with who will be joining Audra McDonald in this new revival of Gypsy. It will be Danny Bernstein who will be playing Herbie in Gypsy. I'm so excited for this casting. I just can't wait for the full casting to be announced. I have my theories, I know everybody's speculating about who's playing who, but this next piece of news I feel like ties into this Gypsy casting situation. It was announced that Waquinia Kalakango will join the cast of Ragtime at New York City Center, and she'll be replacing Joy Woods, who was originally supposed to be playing Sarah.

Now, we all are thinking, why would Joy Woods drop out of this revival? It's huge. And the only reason I think at least she would drop out is because she's about to do another show on Broadway. Now I'm not saying what show I think it is, but I am saying I think it's this highly anticipated revival that we all are speculating about. That's all I'm gonna say. When it's announced, you can hit me up and be like, if it's not Joel, you can be like, Joel, come on, you got us excited. And if it is Joel, you can be like, Joel, I knew you were right because what's going on? But this, I mean, this casting for Ragtime is just insane. We have Colin Donald as Father, Joshua Henry as Coalhouse, which I'm very excited about, Casey Levy as Mother, Ben Lee by Ross as Younger Brother, Shanna Taub as Emma Goldman, Brandon Uranowitz as Tata. I mean, this cast is top notch, so I don't know what there isn't to be excited about.

[2:07] Joel Crump: Another big piece of casting news that was announced this week is the fact that Sherri Rene Scott and Nicholas Christopher will be the next stars of Off-Broadway's Little Shop of Horrors. This revival, this Off-Broadway revival of Little Shop of Horrors always manages to blow my mind because they have top-tier casting in an Off-Broadway show that everybody knows and loves so much. So we all know Sherri Rene Scott, and she hasn't actually been on stage in over 10 years, so it's her big return to New York. And Nicholas Christopher, who's been in Sweeney Todd, Hamilton, Miss Saigon, and so many other roles is going to be playing Seymour. And if you've seen the slam tutorials of him and Sweeney Todd on TikTok or on Instagram, you know he can sing.

I recently saw Hamilton on Broadway, and it was just incredible. I won the Ham for Ham tickets, and I got to see it live in person front row, and Nicholas Christopher was playing George Washington, and it was just wonderful. So I'm very excited for them to step into these roles. And I mean, I just want this revival of Little Shop of Horrors to run forever because the casting just gets better and better and better. Each person, each new cast that we get, it just blows my mind each time. So I love what Little Shop of Horrors Off-Broadway is doing.

[3:19] Joel Crump: Now I want to talk about something that I haven't talked about on the podcast before, but I feel like I want to share because I had the best experience doing this, and it's something I feel like a lot of people know about. But if you're visiting New York or you don't know, I feel like you have to know. So a lot of Broadway shows have Broadway lottery and Broadway Rush policies. And I recently entered the Hamilton Lottery for fun because I heard it's front row seats, and I ended up winning. And me and my mom went, and let me tell you, it was incredible. We saw the show in the front row. That's insane. You get to see a show like Hamilton in the front row. We were in all the action, and of course I know the show very well.

So it was so amazing to be up so close. And I was telling my mom I saw details I had never seen before, and I had her lyrics that I heard differently this time seeing it front row. So I wanted to share that with you. You can sign up for Hamilton's lottery, and a lot of shows you guys probably love have lotteries too. And it's a great way to go see Broadway for not the very expensive price. And a lot of shows also have rush tickets. You know, some shows like The Outsiders, you might have to get there at 6 a.m. because everybody wants to go see that show. But a lot of shows do rush, and a lot of shows you can go right at box office opening or sometimes maybe even a couple minutes before show and go get rush tickets.

So these are two affordable, exciting ways to go see Broadway shows. And I'm telling you, all these shows that are about to open up on Broadway will most definitely have lottery and rush policies. And if you want to go see what's new on Broadway, it is the best way to be able to access these shows. I know I'm very excited for shows like Death Becomes or Romeo and Juliet, all these different shows, and I'm telling you right now, they will most likely have a lottery and a rush. So you need to find out how to enter in it and enter in it, and then you're paying what, 40-50 dollars to go see a Broadway show. It's just the best deal ever. So I just wanted to share that with you. It's my little PSA because I had an awesome time at Hamilton in the front. I mean, you guys have probably are tired of me saying in the front row, but it was just incredible. I had seen Hamilton before, but seeing it this time up that close was just a different experience.

[5:26] Joel Crump: So anyway, you guys need to go get in the lotteries, go get in the rush lines, live your best Broadway life. During the summer, I always get so upset and sad because we don't have as many opening nights, and everything slows down a little bit on Broadway, but now we're ramping it back up, and the excitement is just getting started. But I want to start off with my interview with Will Chase, who is playing Harry in Once Upon a Mattress on Broadway. Listen, every time I'm able to talk, I talked to Will Chase two times at the Preston at the opening night, and we just laugh and have fun, and he's such a great actor. Seeing him in the show was just spectacular. So I can't wait for you to hear my interview with Will Chase. Here we go.

[6:05] Joel Crump: Hey you guys, I'm here with Will Chase. We're at the opening night of Once Upon a Mattress on Broadway. You're back on Broadway. So many years, what has it been like returning?

[6:12] Will Chase: Uh, it's been five years. I had to spend a couple of weeks before we started singing because I hadn't sung in five years. Yeah, in earnest, I hadn't sung.

[6:20] Will Chase: Yeah. Um, and then you know, it's like putting on an old sock.

[6:23] Will Chase: An old stinky, stinky sock.

[6:25] Will Chase: Stinky sock. Uh, it's awesome. I love being back.

[6:27] Joel Crump: Yeah, you know, this show is so much fun. Tell me what are some of your favorite audience reactions you've seen having so many kids in the audience?

[6:35] Will Chase: I mean, the biggest one is I'm getting ready to come on stage, but there's a moment with Sutton and she eats a bunch of grapes. And when I say a bunch of grapes, she literally eats a bunch of grapes and puts them in her face, and the audience laughs, and then she puts more in. And this goes on for, theoretically it could go on for hours.

[6:51] Will Chase: Yeah. But it is a two-hour show.

[6:54] Will Chase: Yeah, uh, then I come in and slip on all the grape spit. No, but it is that's one of my favorite things. Just to hear. And then, of course, when Sutton's doing the thing on the bed and you hear little kids laugh.

[7:04] Will Chase: Yeah, that is so cool. The most fun.

[7:07] Will Chase: Yeah, because it's like, all right, this is for everybody. So it's pretty great.

[7:10] Joel Crump: I love your character, Harry. Tell me how do you relate to Harry in your real life?

[7:16] Will Chase: Dumb and lovable. Just like me.

[7:18] Will Chase: Uh, sometimes not as lovable. No, I like Harry. He leads with love at all costs. He's a duty and honor guy.

[7:25] Will Chase: But he is pretty, he's pretty stupid.

[7:26] Will Chase: He's the best.

[7:27] Will Chase: He's the best.

[7:28] Will Chase: And he has some spurs that he really loves. I don't have spurs, but I'll take them as gifts.

[7:32] Joel Crump: Yeah, for sure, for sure. Bring them to the stage door.

[7:34] Will Chase: That's right. Bring us some spurs, right?

[7:36] Joel Crump: And lastly, if the characters of Once Upon a Mattress were to infiltrate another Broadway musical, what would it be?

[7:41] Will Chase: Well, I think we go right across the street. We go to O'Marry.

[7:45] Will Chase: Cole. It would fit, right?

[7:46] Will Chase: It would fit very well. I mean, Cole, I think Harry fancies himself a cabaret singer.

[7:51] Will Chase: Yeah. So maybe he and Mary Todd have a cabaret act that they do.

[7:56] Will Chase: They don't realize that they're both not very good at it.

[7:58] Will Chase: Yeah.

[7:58] Will Chase: But the audiences love them anyway.

[8:00] Will Chase: They love them. I think that's what we would go do. Coming to Broadway 2026.

[8:05] Joel Crump: Oh no, Harry. Oh. Oh, Harry Snap. That's good. That's good. Thank you so much, Will. I don't know about you guys, but I am so ready to see Oh Harry on Broadway. I mean, that would just be a dream, right? But it was so much fun interviewing the cast of Once Upon a Mattress on their opening night. But my next interview is with Kim Exum, and you actually will not hear my voice asking the questions. You'll hear my mom's voice. She did the interviews for me. It was the press day for A Wonderful World. And it happened to be my first day of school, so I was trying to figure out where I was going in the halls while she and my wonderful sister took over Broadway Time for the day and did the interviews for A Wonderful World. So here is that interview with Kim Exum.

[8:49] Kim Exum: I don't know about you guys, but I am so ready to see Oh Harry on Broadway. It would be the best time ever. But it was so much fun interviewing the cast of Once Upon a Mattress on their opening night. This next interview was with Kim Exum, and my sister actually did this interview for me. It was my first day of school, so I was trying to figure all of that out. So she took over Broadway Time for the day, and she did this interview at the press day for A Wonderful World. So here is that interview with Kim Exum.

[9:16] Kim Exum: My name is Kim Exum and I play Elpha Smith in A Wonderful World.

[9:21] Joel Crump: Oh, wonderful. So what is it like bringing Louis Armstrong's iconic story to Broadway?

[9:27] Kim Exum: Honestly, it's a dream come true. This is my first time originating anything on Broadway. So I'm just really happy to be here and for it to be representing a genre of music that I really hold close to my heart. I love, love, love jazz. Um, it really means a lot to me. It's priceless. I'm kind of—I can't even believe I'm here.

[9:48] Joel Crump: And do you have a favorite jazz artist? You said you love jazz. I do too. Who's some of your favorites?

[9:54] Kim Exum: Oh, I mean, of course, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, John Coltrane, Miles Davis. Um, I also love like giving like jazz standards. Like I love like, you know, some Frank Sinatra in there, just that whole and a little bit of Judy just to put some like musical theater in. But yeah, I love a little jazz writer.

[10:12] Joel Crump: So why should fans come and see the show?

[10:15] Kim Exum: To see me. It's like answer. Um, to see a bunch of wonderful artists, black artists, um, paying homage to an amazing black man who paved the way for what we do today. I think that a lot of our heroes, even though we know who they are, we don't know what made them who they are or where they came from. And it's important to like look back, kind of like Sankofa, go back and get it, and so that we can have it as something to hold on to today.

[10:47] Joel Crump: I don't know about you guys, but I am very excited for A Wonderful World, the Louis Armstrong musical, to come to Broadway. It's gonna be playing at Studio 54, and this iconic story of Louis Armstrong's life needs to be told. I learned so much watching these interviews and doing some research on Louis Armstrong, and I can't wait for audiences to be able to understand and learn and, you know, really immerse themselves into this story.

[11:12] Joel Crump: The last interview I'll be sharing today is with legendary director, Academy Award and Tony Award winning director Sam Mendes, who is directing The Hills of California on Broadway. After their run in the West End, this show is coming to Broadway, and I had the opportunity to chat with the cast and creative on the press day. And so, I mean, it was just such a huge deal to me to be able to talk to Sam Mendes. I've been a fan for so long. I love all of his work. So to be able to interview him for the first time was super awesome, and I knew I wanted to keep that right here on the podcast. So here's my interview with Mr. Sam Mendes.

[11:47] Joel Crump: Hey you guys, I'm here with Mr. Sam Mendes. We are here for the press day for The Hills of California. For this show to be coming to Broadway, of course, it was in the West End, and now it's in New York. Tell me what has it been like bringing this show to New York?

[12:00] Sam Mendes: Well, I love coming to New York. I mean, it's the most exciting place to do theater. And we had a wonderful time the last time we were here with The Ferryman. Uh, and since then I did The Lehman Trilogy, which is also a great experience for me. So I'm very excited to be back. I really love this play. I think it's a really special play. And I think it's gonna be the best version of itself when it comes to Broadway. I think it's incredibly moving, it's very funny. Yeah. Uh, it's much the most varied of Jez's plays. It takes place in two timescales. There's music and dancing and a huge family. And I think I'm hoping that Broadway audiences will really take it to their hearts.

[12:45] Joel Crump: What about this play made you think this is something I really want to put my footprint into?

[12:50] Sam Mendes: Well, firstly, it's by Jez Butterworth, and for me, he's one of the three or four greatest playwrights living. And that's not, you know, I felt like I wanted to have a relationship with a great playwright. And that means effectively directing whatever play he does next, right? So, in a way, even if we'd written a two-hander that was half an hour long, I probably would have ended up directing it. The fact that it happened to be this immense and beautiful play was delightful, but it wasn't the main reason I did it. The main reason I did it was because I'm sort of loyal to Jez. And then we read the first two acts, we did a reading, it wasn't finished. But it was clear from the moment people started talking that it was a play I loved and I wanted to do.

You know, a lot of it's also ties in with my own, you know, that it's set in the mid-70s. I remember the summer of the drought in '76 when it's set. I'm not—I'm old enough to remember that. I'm not quite old enough to remember 1955, right? Uh, where the first part of the story is set, but it felt very familiar to me in the way that great plays do, even though I don't necessarily come from that area or even know where it is. Somehow it feels familiar to you, and it feels like there's a parallel in your life. So, like all great art, it finds a way to communicate. You know, I remember when I first read American Beauty, and I thought, well, I didn't grow up in American suburbia. But it spoke to me and I found that I had something to say about it. So, you know, I feel the same about this.

[14:24] Joel Crump: Working with this incredible cast, what has it been like for you to direct them and guide them through this process and get them to where they are now?

[14:31] Sam Mendes: I think it's always really difficult with a giant ensemble. It's a big ensemble of probably 10 or 11 people with similar size roles. Because if you have one weak link in there, the whole thing can collapse. And I'm very fortunate because there's no weak link. So I think I've—I thank them for that, for their level of excellence. Uh, their selflessness. You know, the fact that no one's trying to fight for the play to be about them. Right. Uh, but they understand and love the play in its entirety. So I've found it a very generous place to live, the rehearsal room. Very supportive, very unshowy. Right. Uh, and it's been a very happy experience so far, you know, for the company doing it. I think they found it tiring but really rewarding.

[15:21] Joel Crump: I cannot wait to see The Hills of California on Broadway. It is just going to be a wonderful show about family and sisterhood and balancing all those things, but it's directed and ran by two legends in the theater, so we know it's about to be amazing. That is it for this week's episode of The Weekly Dose of Joel. I'm so glad to be back. Listen, guys, we have some very exciting things coming up. I mean, this Broadway season is filled with so many superstars, so many awesome new shows, so many awesome revivals, so many great plays. It's just gonna be an amazing time. So gear up for everything we have going on. I am your host, Joel Crump, and I will see you for the next episode of The Weekly Dose of Joel.