This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:06] Josh Mitchell: Hello theater fans, welcome back. It's 2022. Um, we're recording this in 2021, but you're hearing this in 2022. And this is a really fun one because this is our guest today is Alicia.

[0:20] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Hello, how are you?

[0:21] Josh Mitchell: Hello, I'm good. I'm excited to be back. Mate, it's like this is incredible, guys. Like this is a different podcast, but Alicia was one of my original guests when I first started podcasting. Um, almost two years ago, which is crazy. Um, a lot's happened in those 24 months.

[0:43] Alicia Corrales-Connor: You're not wrong.

[0:44] Josh Mitchell: So when we first did our first episode, it was before COVID really hit.

[0:51] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Hit.

[0:52] Josh Mitchell: Everyone was kind of shutdowns were just starting to happen and everything like that.

[1:00] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Yeah.

[1:01] Josh Mitchell: What's the last two years been like for you?

[1:06] Alicia Corrales-Connor: I mean, it's where to begin, huh? Right. It's I feel like it's been so um so opposite of the spectrum. Like people have done like so much personal growth, but there's also been like so much sadness to work through, like so so many things to tackle. Um so much it was hard, like like you said, when when we first did this, it was like when everything was just hitting, and I feel like there was a lot of like hope. There was a lot of fear, but there was a lot of hope. Everyone was kind of like, we'll be good in a couple months, see you on the other side, like yeah.

[1:47] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Exactly. Um and I feel like you know, the further the further along we get, the harder it is to tell yourself, yeah, everything's fine. Um which is a shame. But you know, at the same time, like I said, I mean, I personally have had so much time and space for personal growth, potentially too much, but but you know, no complaining now. Um, and yeah, I I mean I'm very grateful for for a lot of that too, because I feel like a totally different person. And do you know what I guess part of that is also to do with the fact that like you said, it has been like two years, and it doesn't feel like it's been that long because we've not had anything to do.

[2:29] Josh Mitchell: Yeah, it's kind of been like this almost groundhog day kind of thing where we've just been stuck in time for exactly two years. It's like um it's like we don't have the the room to like hit any of our like personal goals and stuff. Like, for example, I've been meaning to move to London for what the last two years, and I'm still in the exact same place of can't wait to Oh my god. It was like so because because of things like that that you know in in normal day to day life like would be happening and you'd be like moving forward and feeling like you're achieving things and accomplishing goals and stuff, it's it's not happening, so we're just stuck in this like perpetual state of so this is me. Uh I'm existing.

[3:16] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Literally, yeah, yeah, crazy.

[3:18] Josh Mitchell: Um amazing. So for background, because we're a theater podcast, um Alicia and I met through Six.

[3:27] Alicia Corrales-Connor: We did back in the day.

[3:28] Josh Mitchell: Oh my word. Um that feels like so long ago. Um have you been on stage since wait, hold up, because we I spoke I started speaking to you after Yeah, and then you oh my god, what I can't even remember timelines right now.

[3:49] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Yeah, no, that's another thing about COVID I feel is that I don't I don't know the timeline of anything I've done anymore. Like people are like, so what you been up to? And I'm like, ooh, I remember I had a birthday party when I was six, and uh that's about it. Like it's just everything in the brain is gone. Um I think we spoke did we speak after I finished covering on tour?

[4:11] Josh Mitchell: Oh I feel like no.

[4:14] Alicia Corrales-Connor: No?

[4:15] Josh Mitchell: I okay.

[4:16] Alicia Corrales-Connor: I feel like it was before that.

[4:18] Josh Mitchell: Okay, right, I see. Well, I did that. Uh but apart from that, hey, um apart from that, um, have I been on stage on like stage stage? I don't think I have unless unless I'm gonna like stop after this and be like, oh wait, I forgot about this huge amazing thing I did and then kick myself. But no, um I've been very very fortunate to have had a couple of bits of Bob's of work recently in um developmental things. Um which has been a lot of fun actually. Um but I've haven't been on stage stage.

[4:59] Josh Mitchell: It's uh it feels weird.

[5:01] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Yeah.

[5:02] Josh Mitchell: Yeah. It's so like because obviously it's like some people have, and then some people have chosen completely different career paths now, and it's just crazy.

[5:12] Alicia Corrales-Connor: And uh and I mean who can blame do you know do you know something that makes me really really salty? This might be a stupid thing to say, but something that makes me so salty about the whole thing is I feel like as theatre people we've grown up our whole lives with people being like, but what if what is this and what is that? And you're like that's never gonna happen. I'm always gonna have an opportunity to get a job. And for the first blinking time in the history of the world, now our industry literally doesn't exist. And I'm like, oh no, my grandparents were right. I've got to get a muggle job. No.

[5:50] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Oh my god. Um this is insane.

[5:55] Josh Mitchell: That noise, that noise exactly.

[5:57] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Yes. Um I feel like personally, although a lot's happened in the last two years. Um obviously I don't go hide under a rock. I say everything on socials. Um so fill us in on where you're at.

[6:12] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Personally, well, um, so I I have been through some personal growth, I suppose. Um when it comes to my identity, I've really managed to become very comfortable in the fact that I'm queer. And uh as well as that, I um did some experimenting with my like gender expression and I eventually came out as non-binary. Um, which is really awesome. I I feel like that's something that quite a few of us have had the opportunity to do in lockdown is like experiment with gender expression and like the comfort of our own kind of bubbles and not having to um not having to present, you know, in new ways for the first time in front of tons and tons of people in your daily life and stuff, like it's it's a little easier. Um so that that has been really nice and um and I'm really enjoying being on that whole journey.

[7:08] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Um and um yeah, I also I also finally uh started chasing my my pop star dreams and putting out and making music and recording. I recorded my first my first single um which is which is was released uh the end of October because it's a bit spooky little Halloween y thing. Um so yeah that was really awesome too. So I feel like you know even though I've not done a lot of the things that I thought I would have done two years ago. I have done a few other things that I really didn't think I would have done. There's been look positives to everything right I feel I feel like like halfway through lockdown 1.1 we all kind of were like positive and then the second wave hit and we were like okay we're doing it again and it was kind of like high to like this low and then we were all like kind of plateaued out and everyone started just kind of doing stuff again which is just crazy like to think it's been so long and just we how everyone is just adapted to what's going on is just really cool I guess when you think about it.

[8:26] Josh Mitchell: Yeah no it's so uh it's so special like it's I I I think it's really something to be admired. Um because I mean it this isn't this is nothing like what we'd we would have ever thought we'd have to deal with or you know like it's it's it's one of those things like it makes you question everything that you take for granted. Like, you know, whoever thought that there would be a thing where nah you might not be allowed to go out and see your family on Christmas. Like just it just wouldn't have occurred.

[8:59] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Yeah.

[8:59] Josh Mitchell: To to me at least. Um, so yeah, it's it's pretty crazy what we've had to just kind of accept and and work with. And I think everyone's doing a really good job.

[9:12] Alicia Corrales-Connor: 100%.

[9:13] Josh Mitchell: From that mental health perspective, you went from pretty much sailing around the world and stopping on every exotic beach to being cooked up at home in lovely Scotland.

[9:28] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Especially at this time of year.

[9:30] Josh Mitchell: How did it like 'cause like going from a ship to tropical island at this time of year to the weather you've got now. How is that like how have you gone with like just dealing with that?

[9:41] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Not being able to just get out and explore and yeah. Well, so in all honesty, actually, when I when I first when we first went into to lockdown and stuff, um I was having a really hard time. I I wasn't in a very good place at all. And um actually, you know, I mean it wasn't just lockdown, there was a lot of factors, but um I actually it it like um it finally gave me enough kind of motivation and reason to like try and explore some options with actually like managing my mental health.

[10:18] Josh Mitchell: Yeah.

[10:19] Alicia Corrales-Connor: And then luckily I had a good experience with doctors and um I started medicating.

[10:25] Josh Mitchell: Yeah.

[10:26] Alicia Corrales-Connor: And um actually that's the best thing that I've ever done in my whole life. So I have to be honest, the fact that I I did that uh has been like a huge, huge help to me, and I'm not sure how I how well I would have coped with all of the lockdowns and all of the uncertainty and you know, all of the the hopelessness uh without that. So yeah, that's that was another really big thing that changed for me and that wouldn't have if, you know, if we didn't get through all this.

[10:56] Josh Mitchell: So yeah, I mean, I definitely don't believe in uh toxic positivity because you know, there there's a lot of that.

[11:03] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Yeah.

[11:03] Josh Mitchell: And there actually was a lot of that I feel in the first couple lockdowns, there was a lot of people being like, you need to go out and you need to do this and you need to do that and make use of your time.

[11:11] Alicia Corrales-Connor: And I just don't agree with any of it. I think that if the best thing for you to do in the moment is sit on your bed for three days and you know, eat biscuits, then you definitely should, you know.

[11:21] Alicia Corrales-Connor: That was what I did for like a solid six months. I was like, and then I got bored of being at home and I was like, I've got to go.

[11:26] Josh Mitchell: Yeah.

[11:27] Alicia Corrales-Connor: No, I feel that.

[11:28] Josh Mitchell: So did I. You have to you have to let yourself relax and cope and and deal with things in the best way because you know, getting up and getting out there and and um going for runs and and doing stuff is like really great for some people. But it's really not for others.

[11:41] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Yeah.

[11:44] Josh Mitchell: Yeah. There's there's no point in in having this like one size fits all sock of this is what doing a a good pandemic looks like. It's like But honestly, tell me everyone didn't try. I feel like every little thing there's like people running like work out, so is like everybody at some time tried every single fact that we're not doing that just to see if it would work.

[12:07] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Absolutely.

[12:08] Josh Mitchell: And you know, literally who can blame us?

[12:11] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Yeah. Like, I mean, what the hell were we supposed to do? We just we're just supposed to like sit around and be like, oh, I don't know.

[12:18] Josh Mitchell: Like we had to try something.

[12:20] Alicia Corrales-Connor: And um, you know, luck luckily I think a lot of people did find the thing. And also, you know, within that, like a lot of people have managed to like um have managed to like change their style of working to like start working at home or to sit working on their own time schedules and stuff and I think a lot look maybe not a lot of people but I think some people have um realized that there's actually a a better way to be working for themselves and and to take more time for themselves and and make themselves more comfortable through day-to-day stuff which I think is actually really good as well because sometimes I feel like we all fall into the trap of just being little um machines that are you know told that this is what we're supposed to do and you know if you're tired then that sucks but get on with it and don't be lazy blah blah blah but you know that's that's not real either.

[13:09] Josh Mitchell: Yeah and that's literally what I did to myself with Queen of Podcast like I was recording like seven eight episodes a week for like six months because I had access to everybody because everybody was at home and then got to the end of the year and I was like Yeah I'm exhausted literally took two months off and then threw this podcast together.

[13:29] Josh Mitchell: Um yeah it's just like looking back it's just like insane to think of where this started like I remember I was in New York when things started breaking out and I was like going to theater every night I was chilling yeah having a good day and then walk into Times Square this morning one day and they're like pandemic has broken out in China and I'm like huh okay cool.

[13:58] Josh Mitchell: And like I was a trial legend so I was like ah that'll be fine.

[14:00] Josh Mitchell: Yep, no worries.

[14:01] Josh Mitchell: Got on my plane, got back across the country to LA to fly home and everybody was in mass in LA and I was like Uh oh okay.

[14:11] Josh Mitchell: Got home and then everything just went to shit from there and I was like how like quick things changed and then I had friends go over to America like two months later and I was trying to find them last minute flights home to avoid airport shutdowns like insane how quick things went from oh yeah, cool, we can manage this to No no no do not go anywhere like Let's see.

[14:40] Josh Mitchell: Yep.

[14:41] Josh Mitchell: Um Yeah, this is what you get when you don't plan episodes, guys.

[14:46] Josh Mitchell: Um I just really wanted to try the release here.

[14:49] Josh Mitchell: It's been a hot minute.

[14:50] Josh Mitchell: Um so looking forward to 2022. Do you have anything on the books? Do you have anything planned that you can tell me about?

[14:59] Josh Mitchell: Don't worry about the stuff you can't.

[15:02] Josh Mitchell: Um, but is there anything like you're looking forward to to kind of um I don't know, kickstart the year.

[15:12] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Um, well, is there I mean so is there anything I can tell you?

[15:22] Alicia Corrales-Connor: I mean, you can tell me about all the stuff and I could just cut it out of the episode. That'll make it easy.

[15:27] Alicia Corrales-Connor: That'll make it easy.

[15:28] Alicia Corrales-Connor: No, to be fair, I I I don't have an awful lot. There's um there's a couple of things that I'm planning on uh being seen for in London whenever like it was supposed to be like um mid January. I'm not sure how uh how uh hopeful I am that I'm going to b be able to move around in January, but you know, we'll see.

[15:54] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Um COVID permitting, I I've got some stuff that I'm being seen for that um would be really cool yeah if it went my way um but you know failing that and feeling um failing our our industry's struggle to to keep going um I'm definitely going to be releasing some new music next year and that I'm really excited for that.

[16:16] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Yeah we go um yeah I've got a lot of I've got some I've got some songs that are collabs with some fab writers um that I'm very excited for.

[16:29] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Yeah.

[16:31] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Yeah I think I think everyone will like so I was actually I was I was supposed to um be recording in December and then uh luckily I got well luckily and unluckily I got um a gig developing a musical which was a Scottish musical it's called um a second chance and it was very very cool and um I had to switch over my recording dates because everything clashed.

[16:57] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Yeah.

[16:58] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Um and then uh I went and ruined the whole thing because I got COVID and we couldn't even do the the showing at the end anyway.

[17:07] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Way I felt so ridiculously terrible about it.

[17:12] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Um but yeah I mean what can you I mean everyone everyone in the team was absolutely lovely about it.

[17:18] Alicia Corrales-Connor: And then I think actually the day after I got it stuff started like popping up on Instagram like oh all these West End shows shut down blah blah blah and I was like oh okay okay this is just happening this isn't just me.

[17:30] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Um and here we are.

[17:32] Alicia Corrales-Connor: We're like awake behind you guys because like things started like shutting down over there.

[17:37] Alicia Corrales-Connor: And we were still vibing.

[17:38] Alicia Corrales-Connor: We were still opening musicals, and all of a sudden we had like a few cancellations, and I was like, No.

[17:48] Josh Mitchell: Literally, that's that's how it feels, isn't it? Because when you see when you see it uh when you see it starting to happen somewhere else, you're like, oh, okay. I mean, hey, hey, fine, fine, fine, fine. And it it really doesn't dawn on you.

[18:00] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Like it needs to be.

[18:04] Alicia Corrales-Connor: We're good.

[18:05] Alicia Corrales-Connor: We won't do it to ourselves.

[18:06] Alicia Corrales-Connor: We're good.

[18:09] Josh Mitchell: Um yeah.

[18:11] Josh Mitchell: Um, you got some new members to your family.

[18:15] Alicia Corrales-Connor: I did the last little period. I'd literally just thought of that a second ago. Um how cute.

[18:22] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Oh my god. Um guys, if you haven't seen things, stories would have disappeared, but I'm sure by the time you listen to this, there'll be photos somewhere. Um where did that come from? How did that I feel like it was just like I'm jumping in the car and going.

[18:40] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Literally, no, it's such a fair statement. So I'm actually um I literally always wanted a little dog. I've always been a cat person. Um, which you know makes sense because you know there's a big stereotype about women loving women who are into cats.

[18:54] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Um, but I've I've just always wanted to have a dog, and um during during the first lockdown, I was like, maybe this is the time to get a dog, and everyone started getting dogs, and I was a bit like I was very cautious because you know, it's the same as a puppy's not for Christmas, it's for the rest of your life, kind of type vibes.

[19:13] Alicia Corrales-Connor: I was like, I mean, let's hold off, let's be responsible. Um, just in case uh the whole world is fixed in three months, and then I want to go and be a party girl. Uh spoiler alert, it's not fixed.

[19:24] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Uh but um, you know, I held off for for a good wee while until eventually I was like, nah, that's it. I want I want a dog.

[19:33] Alicia Corrales-Connor: And um, I literally was just on I don't know what I was on, I was on some kind of social media, some kind of internet, and I saw a little advert for um a pup that was being rehomed because the home that she was in already had two animals and it had a cat and like uh I think it was uh what are the cute little squish face? Pug.

[19:54] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Um they had a cat and a pug and they didn't like the dog, then they were like bullying her.

[20:00] Alicia Corrales-Connor: And um, I've actually never been into like like super tiny chihuahuas because I always had um that uh that preconceived thing of oh they're nasty and yappy and they um but you know I saw our wee face and I was like she needs a home.

[20:17] Alicia Corrales-Connor: And I literally just drove over the next day and met um her her like family, and they were like, Oh, you're uh it was actually really funny. It was such a fun coincidence.

[20:30] Alicia Corrales-Connor: At the time I had a girlfriend, and they were like, Oh, you you've got a girlfriend, and we're together, it was like a uh a lesbian couple as well.

[20:30] Alicia Corrales-Connor: And they were like, Oh, and you guys are vegan, we're vegan. This is great.

[20:40] Alicia Corrales-Connor: They were like, Here you go, mom's up.

[20:44] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Literally, they were like, Oh, you're perfect, you can you can take her.

[20:48] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Um, so I just I just totally lucked out and I came home and my because I'm staying with my mom during all this happening and stuff, and she was like, What have you done?

[20:57] Alicia Corrales-Connor: And I was like, Hey oh, sorry. Um you're gonna fake this one too. Yay!

[21:04] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Um, but yes, so that's my baby tinkerbella, and she is such an angel, and she is the the the biggest part of the family, and she makes everyone so happy, and she's the best thing I ever did.

[21:15] Alicia Corrales-Connor: And because of all of that, um I had been thinking it would be really nice if she had someone to play with that was actually her size.

[21:25] Alicia Corrales-Connor: So yesterday, actually, I went on a big old long road trip and um and uh got another little baby who also had been bounced back, was supposed to have a home and then couldn't go to the home.

[21:37] Alicia Corrales-Connor: I don't know what's going on. The universe is like throwing these adorable dogs at me. It's it's wonderful. Thank you, Miss Universe.

[21:44] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Um yeah, so went and got went and got my new little baby.

[21:48] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Um my youngest child now. Her name is Mona, um, like Mona the Vampire.

[21:54] Alicia Corrales-Connor: And um actually, did you you guys didn't have that? Were you?

[21:57] Alicia Corrales-Connor: I probably not now.

[21:59] Alicia Corrales-Connor: No, that's funny.

[22:00] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Yeah, no.

[22:01] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Um yeah, it was like a kids' program, TV programme called Mona the Vampire, and um the little theme song goes, Show us your fangs, hey Mona, and it's um really fun.

[22:12] Alicia Corrales-Connor: So I just sing it in her face and her tiny little face.

[22:15] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Um but yeah, she's she's so adorable, and they've you have to like introduce new dogs to each other really kind of carefully.

[22:24] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Um, which you know, I obviously did a bit of research into firstly, and I was expecting it to take a good few weeks maybe for them to be comfortable with each other.

[22:34] Alicia Corrales-Connor: And my girls are just wonderful, they're just like already so so good to each other.

[22:39] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Tinky's just like following around. Mona's like um like half the size, if not less, than Tinkerbella.

[22:45] Alicia Corrales-Connor: And Tinkerbella's a small dog, they're both chihuahuas, so it's crazy, and um, she's just going around following her like a bodyguard.

[22:51] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Like won't let anything happen to her. I mean it's actually melting my heart.

[22:54] Alicia Corrales-Connor: So good. It's so wonderful.

[22:56] Alicia Corrales-Connor: So yeah, that's that's my my little family.

[22:59] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Um I'm glad it's small dogs. They'll be good for when I when I do move to London and get that tiny, tiny one bed.

[23:08] Josh Mitchell: Yeah.

[23:09] Josh Mitchell: We're gonna flash 40 year and three lockdowns later and Alicia's gonna have six dogs that she's picked up from and I'm gonna have changed all their names to the six queens, so it'll be like I think it'll be a very embarrassing thing for Rock's back up to the theater.

[23:22] Josh Mitchell: We're ready, let's go.

[23:24] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Literally with my army of tiny dogs.

[23:27] Alicia Corrales-Connor: I'm like, can they stay backstage? And everyone's like, What?

[23:31] Josh Mitchell: Here, just hold this. I've gotta go perform real quick.

[23:34] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Literally, in like just one on each finger hanging off.

[23:39] Josh Mitchell: Yeah, that'll be it. Look, if you can pull off the choreography with them in your hands, you're in.

[23:44] Alicia Corrales-Connor: That's it. Game over.

[23:45] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Literally, we're part of the auditions.

[23:48] Josh Mitchell: Oh my god.

[23:49] Josh Mitchell: Um, we might call it there.

[23:52] Josh Mitchell: I think that's a perfect intro to 2022, folks.

[23:55] Josh Mitchell: I'm gonna try and be back every week.

[23:57] Josh Mitchell: Um I say that every year, and very rarely happens, but we're gonna try it.

[24:02] Josh Mitchell: Um Trying is the most important thing.

[24:06] Josh Mitchell: But hopefully, um next time we have Alicia on a podcast, we'll be in the same country and we may even be face to face, which would be fingers crossed an absolute miracle.

[24:18] Josh Mitchell: Um, but Miss Universe, if you're listening, chill out, okay?

[24:22] Alicia Corrales-Connor: Yeah, please.

[24:23] Josh Mitchell: We wanna like socialize.

[24:25] Josh Mitchell: That would be fantastic.

[24:26] Josh Mitchell: Um I feel like everyone just agreed with this for a solid hot second around the world right there.

[24:33] Josh Mitchell: Um amazing guys, if you haven't already, make sure you go follow Alicia because her Instagram is absolute fire.

[24:39] Josh Mitchell: Um links are down below.

[24:41] Josh Mitchell: I'll pop links for music down below as well.

[24:45] Josh Mitchell: Follow us.

[24:46] Josh Mitchell: Give us a rate if you're listening to Spotify I've only learned that that's just a thing so hit those three dots and get that five star because you know you love it.

[24:56] Josh Mitchell: And heaven forbid I don't catch something.

[25:01] Josh Mitchell: We'll be back next week with a brand new episode of the We Are Theatre Podcast.

[25:05] Josh Mitchell: See you.

[25:06] Josh Mitchell: Bye.