October 24, 2024 • 41 mins
Fresh off his very first stage show, Kevin is back and being interviewed by Jenna!
Kevin was part of the star-studded cast for the Kennedy Center's buzzworthy production of the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and he's spilling all the tea! Like how he called Jenna in a panic 48 hours before leaving for NY, all the people who helped him prep for a theater show, including a former Glee co-star, all the celebs who came to see the show, why he didn't reveal to the rest of the cast that it was his first theater production and what was going through his mind the very first time on stage!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
And that's what you really missed With Jenna.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
And Kevin an iHeartRadio podcast.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Welcome to it, and that's what you really missed. Podcasts
a very special edition. We're welcome Kevin mckel back to
LA after his recent run of the twenty annual Putnam
County Spelling Bee at the Kennedy Center. We've seen it
all on Instagram. We've seen all the people visiting and
seeing the show. I was not one of them, sadly,
(00:31):
but we are here to hear firsthand.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Kevin, welcome back, Thank you very much. And Jenna, I
would just like to say, first of all, I met
a lot of wonderful people at stage door, my first
stage door.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Oh my good god.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
But a lot of you, and that's what you really missed.
Podcast listeners showed up and showed out because we said
if we ever see you in public, to tell us
that you liked the podcast, and they took the instructions.
And so I'm here to report so many first hand
accounts of meeting people who listen to the podcast, who
(01:07):
love the podcast. So have lots of thoughts. We're preparing
me for season five.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Oh my god.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Lots of people were asking where you were and I
was like, she's too pregnant to be exactly fomo. Wow,
thank you a lot of them. And so people are listening, Jenna,
you know, like we do this from home. It's hard
to tell sometimes if people are listening. It feels like
we're in a vacuum. But it's it is really nice
to hear, and it means a lot, and there's this
(01:34):
like sort of level of understanding. We're going through it together,
we're talking it out together, and hearing from the people
who listen is really really nice nice. So thanks for that, Okay, Kevin,
I've got to know.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Yes, there's a lot of things I want to know about.
I think my first or like the burning question in
my mind is like, are you ready.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
To go do an another musical? Yes? Okay, great. I
you know, I have a profound and deep respect for
anybody who can do theater, musical, theater, theater in any capacity. Yeah,
but I did a short run was fair enough. It
(02:22):
was only eleven shows. Still, eleven shows. I don't know
how anybody.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Does it six like eight times a week for six months. Ye.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
So Philippe Royo, who was in the show, he played Chip,
He's been in Andreliette on Broadway for three years. This
week is his last week. He's done with the show
this very week. Damn, he's been doing it for three
and most of them have right, you know, job security great.
But at the same time, I don't know how any
(03:00):
but he does it because the amount of in my head,
I think I sort of felt like romanticized. You have
your days free and then you can go about your
business and then you have work at eight pm? Like
how cool is that? M No, tell me what it's
like then for you for someone who has not been
(03:21):
singing regularly, Yeah, recently. Yeah, The amount of care into
every moment that you speak outside of the show, into
the sleep you're getting, to what you're eating and drinking,
and any sort of contact with the outside world. All
of it for me was how does this take away
(03:44):
from my ability to do the show later? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (03:49):
That is the life of a Broadway performer. At some
point it does become muscle memory, and that is where
I think you would benefit from learning about a show show. Uh,
for being in a longer run of a show, because
at some I was like that for waitress when I started,
and it's a big responsibility you guys have a really
(04:11):
small cast, You have a lot of vocals, you have
to be on. No help, no choir there for us, Yeah, exactly,
no understudies.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Real understudies. It's a little scary.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Right At some point your body just clicks in for
most For most people, I mean, like, look, we're not
talking about Jesse Mueller doing Waitress, who was carrying a
show like that, But like I would, I would dare
to say that if you talk to Jesse or any
of the people who did your show like twenty fifth
on Broadway, at some point you become more comfortable with
(04:48):
knowing your limits for your days and then being able
to perform the show at a decent level.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Maybe not one hundred and ten percent, but like, how
could you get through stand that? Even at the end
of our short little run the very last day, I
think because we had so many visitors, I was doing
a lot of talking and stage door for the first time,
and there were lots of people I was trying to
figure out how to save my voice, and the very
last show, the very last day, I was like, I
(05:16):
don't know.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Stage story is a lot too, because you want to
talk to everybody and you want to connect with people,
and then you realize you're straining your voice even more
after two hours of singing.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
Because it wasn't the singing that was straining my voice,
it was all the talking and I could feel it.
But I still going to that last show. I knew
I'd be fine. Yeah, because I knew I knew how
to like sing it. I was like, it will come out.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
Yeah, And then you prove to yourself over time. You're like, oh,
I thought today I wasn't going to make it through,
and I still made.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
It through, right. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
What was the difference between your expectation going in because
obviously I know first hand that you were very nervous
for your first musical.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
There was a lot of nerves, like you just didn't
know what.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
To expect, and I totally I mean I go in
that way and I still am nervous, you know, I
mean done this, Like what was your expectation versus your reality?
Like what was it like for you going into the
rehearsal studios for the first week and like all of it?
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Well, I will say that Jenna's a great friend. Did
I call her forty eight hours before IU supposed to
leave for New York and have a complete mouthdown on
the phone. Yes I did. It's okay. Did you talk
me off the ledge completely? Yes, it's okay, and I
thank you. But I know that feeling everything you've ever
told me, and everything you told me going into this
(06:45):
experience was true. I said, I don't know how people
do this. We had twelve days of rehearsal scheduled, right,
and that's what we did. And you were like, you
will feel crazy, you will feel like you're drowning, and
you don't know anything at the end of the first week,
but just trust in the process of it. And I did.
(07:05):
I sort of did as much prep work as I
could beforehand because I know this is not my forte.
I will absolutely learn more slowly than everybody else, which
is true. It is a different mechanism in your brain
totally that mine is not developed.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
And you also, like have systems where you learn how
you learn that fast for shows like where to exit,
how to enter, like your notes, your shorthand everything comes
with time and experience.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Yes, and so I was. I did a lot of
prep work between you and Austin, thank god. But I
have to say I think because I did do that
prep work, I was fine. And I also think that
the show itself lends to if you're going to have
(07:53):
to learn a show on twelve days, this is the
exact right kind of show to learn in twelve days.
There's no set changes, there's no costume changes. You are
just there. Everybody gets their moment. It's small, it's manageable.
The music is really fun to learn. You're laughing. I've
never what I didn't I planned for bad, right. I
(08:17):
planned for everything for me to be overwhelmed, right. What
I didn't plan for was the amount of like fun
I had. I couldn't stop laughing. And I have to say,
Danny Meffert, who is the director and Jeffrey, our producer,
set like this really joyful and easy and collaborative tone
(08:43):
that is really reflective of what the actual musical is about.
And through that experience, and I was reminded of Glee
almost every single day in ways because it was you know,
how many times are we on set where people like
this isn't normal? Responsive Glee has gotten the amount of
joy the cast and crew are getting and making this show,
(09:06):
how we're getting along like this is not normal? And
I got that every day from I love it. The
cast being like, it is not normal that everybody is
so cool. Yeah, that's so great. Yeah, and it was
just Danny said, it's only his second time directing, he's
choreographed gigantic shows. Hey, yes, yes, but it was like somebody,
(09:31):
you have twelve days, so it's like you have to
come in there with a plan, you have to know
how to execute that plan. But also there's still room
for everybody to like play around and have fun either thing,
and again that's not I wasn't expecting that either. I
was really expecting this is Broadway level musical theater. It's
going to be very regimented, so interesting. I didn't even
(09:53):
think about that for you. But it was like, it
doesn't matter how much experience everybody has coming into this.
And it was like the first day, the first moment
meeting Noah Galvin, he turns and he's like, I'm terrified. Yeah,
And that helped me so much, just being like, oh,
I know that guy can sing his face off and
(10:14):
he's done theater, like he's gonna be if he's nervous. Okay,
we're all in this together, and that sort of community
and camaraderie really does a number on like your mental health,
you know, like, Okay, we're fine, We're in this together,
and like, yeah, everybody's learning at an accelerated pace, much
faster than I am. But I did work. Yeah, and
(10:38):
like the rehearsal process was. Here's the other thing. I
didn't tell anybody that it was my first time doing theater,
like during the show at all. I did after we
got through our first weekend of shows. Were people shocked? Yes, yeah, okay.
I was wondering if you were to tell people or not.
That's so funny. People must have been shock. Yeah, and
(11:01):
I wasn't. The Only person I told was Philip during rehearsal.
And I didn't want anybody to have that expect any
sort of like expectation.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
And I didn't want to have any expectation of myself,
so like, can I hang with these people? I'm like,
let me just do it. Take you till you make it, baby. Yeah. Oh,
I fully I recalled the story of Becca when she
was first on set. I shit you not, I'm not
even lying. When we actually got to the Kennedy Center
to start rehearsals or like to do tech, I've never
(11:32):
done tech. Yeah, I don't know the processes for how
you operate backstage, what you do with the laundry bag,
signing in and signing out, what you do with your mic.
All of these things are brand new for me. So
all I was doing I was quiet. I was watching
and observing everything, how everybody moved in every department, and
(11:53):
I was like, let me just fake it. After the
first day, I figured it out.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
And you do it again. You do the same thing
every time.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Yeah, this is.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
So interesting because the one thing that I had hoped
for you was like you realized when you got there
that you were going to have fun, especially in production
that is so fast, the stakes are so high and
yet so low. You're not opening a new show, you're
not creating new characters. You are just stepping in and
(12:26):
bringing your own thing to it. And my hope was
for you having done those having those experiences before, is
like you found friendships and joy and like enjointment in
it all because it's so stressful on its own. Yes,
So I'm so glad you said that.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
That's also exactly right what you said, how you looked
at that as exactly what it is.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
I'm also wasn't worried about you because in so many
ways it is very similar to Glee. You step on
a set, you learn, and in a day or two
you move on you learned more. So like in a
lot of ways, I feel like Glee probably prepared you
the best for situations like this where it's fast paced,
(13:12):
high stakes and then you you try and laugh in
between when they say.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
Got fully, every day felt more and more similar in
that way where totally Several people are like, I've never
been a necessarily rehearsal process like this, and I was like, well,
I guess I haven't exactly either, Like it may look
a little different, but the feeling was very familiar. Totally totally.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
I also that reminded me of what Hunter Parish. Hunter
Parish came from screen and film and TV and came
and did Spring Awakening, and it was the same thing.
He was like, you guys have to kind of show
me what to do, because in TV and film it's
a lot of handholding. And he's like, and here you're
(13:58):
responsible to show up on time or early, sign yourself in,
get yourself dressed, hang up your clothes, put them in
the laundry, show up for sat like or on stage
at the time you're supposed to be there. There is
a different mentality. Then it's a much more independent thing
than somebody knocking on your traly saying they're ready for
(14:21):
you and literally holding your hand till you get to set.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
You know, I'm still mind blown by that because my
family was there for almost the entire run of it,
and my dad was like, oh, the show's at eight.
So he's like, so you have to be there like
at five thirties. I'm like, no, I literally have to
be there at seven thirty. Literally, And I couldn't believe
(14:44):
all those things you just said, that whole checklist. I
was like, wait, there's no hair and makeup department, there's
no like eighties running around, right, No, they just you.
You show up. They expect you to be there, and like, yeah,
you do. I just couldn't. Yeah, but like what if
somebody doesn't show up? Like what is right?
Speaker 1 (15:06):
And everybody shows up unless there's like somebody stuck on
the subway, everybody shows up.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
That was another part of it, to be honest, little
things like that. So like commuting in New York. Two,
I've never lived in New York. I've never really worked
in New York outside of Glee. And again that's a
very different experience.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
So you werehursted in New York City and then you
travel to DC for the production.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Correct and even figuring out like I'm like, I am
too old to not know anything. I was like figuring
out the trains.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
Figuring out the timing.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
The timing, and then like, yes, some days you are
late and I saw like people be late and they'd rush,
and like all the trains from Brooklyn were slow today,
and it's fine, yeah, yeah, sure, it is what it is.
You need to get your own lunch, get your own lunch.
Press day, oh god, all of these.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
Things stressful for you. So explain to people what press
day is in theater or in your experience, and then
tell me what your press day was like.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
So press day is exactly that you have. We were
in this dance studio basically rehearsing the entire show, putting
the whole show together. Press day. There's a little space
about three feet between the end of where our fake
stay just taped off and the wall, and that was
filled with all kinds of different media from the New
(16:29):
York theater scene. And they come in and we've prepared
sections because what we all talked about, not we I
had no idea, no input. I didn't know anything. But
Danny the director with some of the other more experienced
casts or like, you go in here, you give them
a full three to five minute number or whatever, and
(16:52):
then I guess what ends up on the internet is
only clips anyway. Yeah, so the thinking was, let's just
give them the clips, so smart. So we did no
full numbers except and we did one full number. We
did the open number, yep, and then we did Brilliant
and maybe a third of magic Foot, which was my number,
but we did the part that had everybody involved in
(17:12):
it great so cute, and then we did another number
of same thing. We took a section of it and
it was like, this is what you're getting, okay, And
I hope.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
What was your expectation of press day because you texted
me the night before and was like press days tomorrow,
and I was like, oh god, he's freaking out a
little bit. And then what was your experience of press day?
Speaker 2 (17:32):
It was actually all right because again the whole like
nobody was super psyched to do press day. And also
when you have twelve days of rehearsal, this is taking
a full day to prepare for it. Takes away from
your time. Yeah, and so that was more of the concern.
But I also we learned the show very quickly. It's
(17:52):
a very quick show to learn, and so also felt
pretty confident in what we were doing. Sure, and it
was great. Yeah, it wasn't as scary as I thought
it would be, And I think that helped that we
just did sections of things. Yeah, yeah, for sure.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
If they were like, we're only doing Kevin's number and
that's press day, you'd be like, oh god, yeah, I
do have.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
To say, which is like a weird thing. But when
you and I performed together and we did suddenly see
more m H and I had the Benefit concert and
I botched it and I completely I entered the white
room totally. I had this fear the entire time from
(18:41):
that experience that that was going to happen to me,
and every single day I had to fight that. But
now I've proven it didn't happen, and.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
Look, at some point you're going to enter the white room.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
After one of the shows. One night, I was walking
back to the hotel with Bonnie Million, Tony Award winner
and she said she almost did that night in the show,
and I was like, well, let me tell you, I've
anytime somebody confess something that I confess either A how right,
I've been there, I've never done this before, and too well,
(19:15):
this is also my greatest fear. And she was like,
oh no, no, no, it's fine, it's gonna happen. I was like, yeah,
but what do you do? She goes, it's a certain
look in your eyes and you look across the stage
to somebody else. Somebody helps you and they know and
they're just gonna help you get out of it.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
Like, okay, exactly right, No, somebody will help you. I
think when I entered the White Room once, I literally
looked at Rachel Dratch like icon comedian icon, and I said,
help me.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
So it happens.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
And it happened very darkly, and it there's no there's
no way around it.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
And it just happened. It almost happened. One show I did.
I was sitting there on the risers and the song
moment in the show is called second. The song is
called second, mm hmm, and I was like, do I
remember the words? Do I? It was the same thing
Jenna in my head I'm going through. I'm like, okay,
(20:08):
I know the first two lines and then what And
at some point I just had to be like, I know, you.
Speaker 1 (20:13):
Gotta let it go and let go and trust your
body that your body will say the words even though
your mind doesn't. Yes.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
And then I got up there and I was like, oh,
I do know it. I got past it.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
Yeah, I surprisingly get that way when we perform like
you and I have performed at numerous events, operations.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
Smile, things like that.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
I surprisingly get more nervous at those events that I'm
gonna forget the words than I do ever being in
a show. I get that, And I think it's because
like I've led into the trust that I'm like, I've
been doing this show for ten days now, it's gonna
come to me or I'm gonna get past it and
not get stuck, versus like being in a small, tiny
(20:56):
stage with one other person when it's dinner. Yeah, exactly.
I have a couple more questions. This is so fun.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
You're my theater coach. Like literally, this only really could
have happened because Jenna, Between Jenna, Darren and Austin and
like my sister, you've all sort of been massaging me
into doing theater.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
Yeah, we were ready for you, but you were you
were ready than you were yourself very much. So I'm
curious to hear about your experience. I mean, you've performed
for live audiences. We've done the tour obviously. Was it
similar or was it kind of that same feeling of
like a little bit more fear because it's Theitter Girl.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
The live audience changes everything, huh. We you can compare
it to tour different? Yes and no, Okay, I will
say the structure of this show and for people who
don't know the show, it's a spelling bee and you're
sitting on risers similar to Glee in the classroom, in
(22:15):
the choir room, right, and similar to Glye. People get
up one at a time to do like a solo song,
and there are group numbers, but everybody sort of has
their moment in the sun if you will.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Yeah, we learn about the character in that song, yes,
Or how they've handled.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
A b and Glee tour not so dissimilar, right, and
especially the moments where I got to like speak to
the crowd directly during the Glee tour right in rehearsal,
you don't necessarily feel those things. And we were sort
of like a caveat to all of this is that
I don't as as crazy as a twelve day rehearsal.
(22:55):
A day and a half of tech is. I sort
of love it and I'm thankful for it because you
get to get in front of the audience sooner. Because
to me, it was like you learned so much more
from doing it in front of an audience than you
could ever do from like drilling in a rehearsal rooms
at least for this style of show totally. And I
(23:18):
was just so thankful that we could do that so
quickly because I felt so much better in front of
an audience. It's like what I was fearing in front
of it. Yeah, but like all those comedy bits you're
making people laugh. The immediate response of it, oh this
is working, this isn't working. All of that was so nice.
(23:39):
And like being able to get up there in front
of a mic and just sort of be a clown
and make people laugh was so satisfying.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
Why I had a really good friend who came and
saw it and said he wants a Broadway transfer.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
He had so much better and everybody was so good,
I mean, And I think another thing is that like
we didn't write the show so like if it works,
it's not on us, and it's also just like a
perfectly written.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
You also know what shows like action works. Yeah, if
you you're plug and play.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
So like you don't have to worry about the jokes
you have to like and to be able to like
stand in front of the stage by yourself and get
a laughter from a theaterful of people. It's like, Oh,
this is brilliant. This is such a fun show.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
You're so lucky to have done such a fun show
that like everybody's so quirky and weird, Like you know
what you're going getting going into it. Yeah, what was
your first performance like versus your last performance?
Speaker 2 (24:38):
In your fling? The first performance I thought I was
going to die. Did you black out? Do you remember it?
I remember it. I was too aware. I was way
too aware. Nightmare Bean and I had a similar experience
where we were just like to present your hands in
front of your face every everything. I knew everything that
(25:00):
was happening at all times. I was constantly thinking about
what's my next line, because I was like, I'm not
going into the white room tonight. I'd tell you that.
But you know what was also really helpful. So we
had that same day an invited dress rehearsal. Oh great.
We had run into earlier in the week some George
(25:21):
Washington University students who are in the process of rehearsing
and are going to be putting on their own production
of Spelling Bee. Oh how cute, and Beanie and Noah
had the brilliant idea to invite them to dress because
we didn't have anyone to invite to dress, Like, this
is who we should be inviting. So good, so smart.
So we had a bunch of college kids knew the
(25:44):
show and like expensive, and some of them like didn't
have tickets because they were too expensive, like come to
the dress. Oh that's so nice. Yes, And so that
really really helped. So then going because they were a
great audience, and then going into the first show that night,
I was terrified but also knew it worked. Yeah, I
(26:06):
just had to like do it, and you had just.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
Done it that day, so like your your muscle memory
is there, you didn't have a whole night's sleep before
and you're showing up at eight pm or seven thirty,
and what was your last show?
Speaker 2 (26:17):
Like the last show. My nerves sort of did amp
back up again because I had a couple of friends
that were there for the first time. A manager was
seeing it for the first time.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
That's different, right, But like, aside from them, how did
you feel about the show?
Speaker 2 (26:32):
I felt it was that trust that you know the show,
you know what you're doing, you know it's going to
come out. That was all there, and it was also
just sort of this feeling of like, oh, we really
did this, and also how did this happen so quickly?
All of those feelings. Yeah, and I guess there's that,
you know, like pride of like I did it.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
Yeah, you should be so proud of yourself. Yeah, you
guys are so great.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
Did you have come to the show?
Speaker 1 (27:01):
I didn't have anybody come to the show. Rob Russo
Dante Russ's brother who's a Broadway producer, I took the
train down to see it.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
He sees everybody didn't he tell me.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
I don't know, it's ridiculous, but he told me afterwards,
and I was like, how was it? And he's like,
had the best time? Literally, He's like, I need a
Broadway transfer. Because Rob and I used to go see
Broadway shows in high school together every weekend, so I
wasn't surprised that he went. You have the message him.
He had such a bless he said he was and
he's a tough critic. So before we wrap this up,
(27:34):
I could talk to you for hours about this, but
I'm curious, Like I'm a very CD superstitious person, and
I had a very strict ritual before show of what
I drank, what I did, the order in which I
did it. It's like going to a world series and
story in the same socks, like did you have any
(27:54):
of those things? Did you find yourself falling into any
of that or did you show up like like Darren
Chris can show up up at seven twenty nine and
walk literally into his clothes and on stage like that's
the kind of perform where he is. I need to
show up at five point thirty and have like a
full two hour meditation to myself, what is your what
(28:14):
is Kevin's experience in this?
Speaker 2 (28:16):
Now? A little in between those two things, I would
show up an hour before great because I just and
sometimes I showed up like forty five minutes before, and
I felt like a little guilty or panicked. Okay, and
not that I need to do anything. I have nothing
(28:37):
to do. I didn't really start getting ready until seven thirty.
But I think I liked being there, seeing everyone not
feeling rushed, not feeling rushed. I feel like it was
a big thing, but I did. I had. I did
do the same thing in the same order every night.
And I'm not superstitious at all, but I found myself
just being like, it's a short run. It's working so far,
(28:57):
let's just not change it. I had my tea with
a certain kind of honey, and I had also a water,
and I I got dressed in the sand, like and
we hung out. Like I shared a bathroom with Noah,
Noah Galvin who's in the show, and he'd always play
(29:18):
music and so it sometimes you'd go over there and
like dance a little bit. So like just having the
extra time to like have on and to relax was nice.
And as a group, we had things we would do
together right before every single time. Cute, cute, very cute.
(29:38):
But yeah, I've never been that person before, but there
I was. It's a weird thing. It's a weird weird thing.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
It's because also you're doing the same show every night.
Like we all had our Glee circle before tour that
we like gathered together. You did the chant, you led
the chant every night, Like there are things that like
kind of rev you up and set you up for,
like the show you're about to do.
Speaker 2 (30:04):
Yeah, I have a question for you because I had
the experience of especially you have a two show day.
But even if not, did you have my name's yeah,
we had. We had a five show weekend last weekend. Yeah,
(30:25):
boy yeah bride. Yeah. But also it's a ninety minute show.
I just can't imagine two and a half. Like Leanna
who was in the show, she just came off of
Merrily three hour show. Oh my god, I was thinking
about Hamilton. Yeah, how do you do two shows in
(30:47):
a day's long day? I don't get it, But Austin explains,
He's like, these are professional athletes. Yes, it's a whole
different thing. Yes, sorry, what was your question? My question
is I would have these moments more often than not
where I'd be sitting on that stage in the middle
of the show and all of a sudden be like,
(31:08):
wait did earlier today happen?
Speaker 1 (31:12):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (31:12):
I feel like I have not left the stage you have, right,
all of a sudden, You're back on stage in front
of the lights.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
Same costume, same spot.
Speaker 2 (31:22):
Yeah, what has happened? And it would freak me out
every single time, like what is happening.
Speaker 1 (31:27):
It's kind of why people enter the white room is
because your body wants to go into automatic pilot and
if your click, if you let yourself click into that,
sometimes it works, and sometimes your brain doesn't function.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
It doesn't. It's like short circuiting. That makes sense.
Speaker 1 (31:42):
So you can't let yourself go on autopilot because's number one.
That's you know, you're just like them doing it. You're
going through the motions. But then also you're trusting like
something that like you don't know that you should technically trust.
Speaker 2 (31:55):
No, it was it was a really.
Speaker 1 (31:59):
Very real, it's very strangely outer body. Oh yeah, like
watching yourself perform.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
Yeah, And I'm like, oh my god, we're getting to
this bit again. Here we go. But what I would
always remember is that like people traveled from far and
wide to be here, They paid a lot of money
to be here time, Yes, and this is their first
and probably only time seeing this. They deserve the same
like me, to be locked in. Yeah, And so then
(32:29):
it was like pull me back to reality and You're
just not always going to be locked in like that.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
But I always try and find like some one thing
to do with the show that's tiny bit different than
I did at the last Yes, and it like keeps
you kind of on your toes a little.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
Bit after the sort of going back. I just remembered
this going back to your first difference between first and
last performance. After the first performance, I think I had
such a crash, like all my nerves had been in
reserve really until the first performance, and then afterwards my
(33:06):
body felt so crazy and I slept like five hours
the night before because I'm not well mentally, and I'm
yelling through the bathroom to know. I'm like, why do
people do this? This is fun? Like you enjoy this?
And then he's like, you really didn't have any fun.
I was like no, I was so stressed about just
(33:30):
getting through the show. I was like, how do you
do this?
Speaker 1 (33:33):
But as soon as the next day happened, then you
got You did your second show. Is everybody's first show, yes,
because you'd never done this before, so you get the
first show. This is why I always tell people though,
like you're not allowed to come to my first show.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
I Oh, I thought about that a lot, and luckily
my family listened. I'm so glad you got that they came.
I technically opening night, which was after two show, that
was our third show. Got to get your rhythm, you
gotta get yeah, like, let me get my bearings here,
let me figure it out. And then I'm like, Okay,
I understand why people like this. They understand why people
do it, but lord, I could not understand because I
(34:14):
had the fear of and going into the second show again.
The first show was so stressful for me that I
was like, is this how I'm going to feel every time?
Because that is not sustainable? So interesting and luckily no release.
Speaker 1 (34:32):
Yeah, second show blues are also at thing. So for
some people, most people, your first show is usually pretty
good because you're like, we did it, We're on adrenaline,
our bodies are working, we're like hyper aware. And then
the second show blues come and you're like.
Speaker 2 (34:46):
Oh, I get that. It's like sophomore Yeah exactly. I
felt like for me, and maybe it's because it, say,
is my first experience, I had the opposite. Not to
say like my first show was worse than my fifth
show or eighth show, not at all, but mentally I
(35:07):
was sort of like on an uphill climb where every day,
through every show I felt like I was understanding it more. Yeah, Oh,
understanding this beat, more, understanding what that line really means.
Yeah yeah, and like continuing to like find it through
every single show, which was nice. That was exciting.
Speaker 1 (35:26):
I like that part that this is a great entry
way for you though, to the theater.
Speaker 2 (35:31):
I think.
Speaker 1 (35:32):
I think if you were in a Broadway production that
was like either brand new and you're working, there's a
lot of stakes people are creating for the first time,
there's a lot of will this work?
Speaker 2 (35:43):
Will this not work?
Speaker 1 (35:44):
And then also if you're just popping into a show
that people are already a part of, that's also hard
because you're like, God, this is their house and I'm
like popping it now, and I have to fit into
their their stuff. But this one, like you were all
in it together for this like wild and crazy ride,
And even though yours was a little bit different because
this was like literally your first theater performance ever, I
(36:08):
feel like this was a really good entry way for you.
Speaker 2 (36:12):
Yeah. I feel very lucky. I feel like it was
the perfect.
Speaker 1 (36:15):
Everybody seemed so nice and supportive and kind of like
in the same boat, like Noah, like scared, you know,
like it.
Speaker 2 (36:22):
Was like we were all sort of we're all coming
into it doing it for different reasons, but also had
this common thread of like, we all need to do
this for ourselves for a different reason. It doesn't matter
what's bringing you there, but like we all just needed
to do it. And it was just like a, really,
that whole cast is so great, so nice. I could
(36:46):
sit and talk to you about each of them for days,
but we really did bond and it was like the
friends and family that people had that came through were
also just so so supportive. Noah only found out it
was my for at show at the last day because
I told his husband, Ben Platt, and Ben's like, you
(37:07):
need to do more theater. I'm like, you know, I've
never done theater. He's like what yeah. It's like yeah,
He's like And then he told Noah shortly after, and
I was like, you're so stupid.
Speaker 1 (37:17):
I love that you you kept that underwrap.
Speaker 2 (37:21):
I was like, Ben, why are you blowing up the
spot like this.
Speaker 1 (37:23):
I would have walked in the first day like showing
all my cards, like I've never done this before. So
the expectation was so low for me. Otherwise, I'm like,
how do you expect me to do this like that
was my plan, and then you were like, never mind.
Speaker 2 (37:39):
In order to subvert I guess how I normally operate,
which is to set the bar really low, to be
self deprecating. I was like, this is a completely new world.
Let me not do that to myself.
Speaker 1 (37:53):
You proved yourself before. And then I told them, guess what, yes, okay.
Speaker 2 (37:58):
I like that. I didn't want the expectation to be like, oh,
this this was good for your first try totally totally,
or oh he didn't nail it, but it's his first
I didn't want that for sure. That's fair, that's totally fair. Like,
let me hear your honest thoughts and then I'll tell
you the true Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm sure. Sure.
Speaker 1 (38:18):
Well this was so much fun. I'm so happy for you.
We're so glad to be back. But my goodness, I
was just loving all the updates and all the Instagram story.
Speaker 2 (38:31):
Anyone on TikTok who has been subjected to me singing
magic foot, I know it plagued some of your algorithms
for a while. I'm so sorry. Oh my gosh, I
gotta go check it out. And I will also just
say the magic of the show is also that we
get four people from the audience to be in the
(38:53):
show every single time, and we had so many incredible guests,
and I just I think it's so brave. I think
you're idiots for volunteering. I don't know if I could
ever do that, but like, thank you to doing that,
Jesse Tyler Ferguson and the original cast of Spelling Bee
who came to see it. Like just thank you to
(39:16):
all those people. To the Press Secretary of the United
States who came and sat on stage with us to
be a guest speller, Like oh my god, Dana Bash
from CNN, Like thank you to all these people and
all the people who were not famous who came because
there were more of you. It's just like really really
brave of you to sit up there on stage with
(39:37):
us and not know what you're getting yourself into. So
thank you for doing that, And like thank you to
all the people who did come. There are people who
came from Florida, there are people who came from Europe,
there are people who came from the West Coast to
see it. And my family who came from Texas and
New York to see it. Just thank you to everyone
because it's just so nice that you'd come and see
(39:59):
that and take the time to support the little show.
You know, so jealous I would have. I'm so jealous.
I couldn't have been there. I was there in spirit.
You sure were. I thought about you every day.
Speaker 1 (40:12):
Oh, thank you Kevin for sharing your experience with this.
That's really fun and I hope you guys go listen
to twenty for the annual butteum con spelling if you haven't,
because it's wild ride, so much fun.
Speaker 2 (40:24):
It's just one of the best shows. And also through
this experience, I've met so many people who did the
show in high school or college. So if you haven't
done it and you're in one of those positions to
maybe choose to do it, look at it. It is
just the most joyous experience you will bond with people.
The comedy is unparalleled. It's just so much fun. It's
(40:46):
a weird, perfect mix of happy, sad, good music. So
like or go see a local production of it. Look
it up. There's lots of people doing it all the
time all around the country. It's a magical show. Yeah,
thanks Jennifer for asking me all these questions. My gosh,
my pleasure. I guess, and that's what you really miss
(41:08):
Thanks for listening, and follow us on Instagram at and
That's what you really miss pod. Make sure to write
us a review and leave us five stars. See you
next time.
And that's what you really missed With Jenna.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
And Kevin an iHeartRadio podcast.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Welcome to it, and that's what you really missed. Podcasts
a very special edition. We're welcome Kevin mckel back to
LA after his recent run of the twenty annual Putnam
County Spelling Bee at the Kennedy Center. We've seen it
all on Instagram. We've seen all the people visiting and
seeing the show. I was not one of them, sadly,
(00:31):
but we are here to hear firsthand.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Kevin, welcome back, Thank you very much. And Jenna, I
would just like to say, first of all, I met
a lot of wonderful people at stage door, my first
stage door.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Oh my good god.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
But a lot of you, and that's what you really missed.
Podcast listeners showed up and showed out because we said
if we ever see you in public, to tell us
that you liked the podcast, and they took the instructions.
And so I'm here to report so many first hand
accounts of meeting people who listen to the podcast, who
(01:07):
love the podcast. So have lots of thoughts. We're preparing
me for season five.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Oh my god.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Lots of people were asking where you were and I
was like, she's too pregnant to be exactly fomo. Wow,
thank you a lot of them. And so people are listening, Jenna,
you know, like we do this from home. It's hard
to tell sometimes if people are listening. It feels like
we're in a vacuum. But it's it is really nice
to hear, and it means a lot, and there's this
(01:34):
like sort of level of understanding. We're going through it together,
we're talking it out together, and hearing from the people
who listen is really really nice nice. So thanks for that, Okay, Kevin,
I've got to know.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Yes, there's a lot of things I want to know about.
I think my first or like the burning question in
my mind is like, are you ready.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
To go do an another musical? Yes? Okay, great. I
you know, I have a profound and deep respect for
anybody who can do theater, musical, theater, theater in any capacity. Yeah,
but I did a short run was fair enough. It
(02:22):
was only eleven shows. Still, eleven shows. I don't know
how anybody.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Does it six like eight times a week for six months. Ye.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
So Philippe Royo, who was in the show, he played Chip,
He's been in Andreliette on Broadway for three years. This
week is his last week. He's done with the show
this very week. Damn, he's been doing it for three
and most of them have right, you know, job security great.
But at the same time, I don't know how any
(03:00):
but he does it because the amount of in my head,
I think I sort of felt like romanticized. You have
your days free and then you can go about your
business and then you have work at eight pm? Like
how cool is that? M No, tell me what it's
like then for you for someone who has not been
(03:21):
singing regularly, Yeah, recently. Yeah, The amount of care into
every moment that you speak outside of the show, into
the sleep you're getting, to what you're eating and drinking,
and any sort of contact with the outside world. All
of it for me was how does this take away
(03:44):
from my ability to do the show later? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (03:49):
That is the life of a Broadway performer. At some
point it does become muscle memory, and that is where
I think you would benefit from learning about a show show. Uh,
for being in a longer run of a show, because
at some I was like that for waitress when I started,
and it's a big responsibility you guys have a really
(04:11):
small cast, You have a lot of vocals, you have
to be on. No help, no choir there for us, Yeah, exactly,
no understudies.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Real understudies. It's a little scary.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Right At some point your body just clicks in for
most For most people, I mean, like, look, we're not
talking about Jesse Mueller doing Waitress, who was carrying a
show like that, But like I would, I would dare
to say that if you talk to Jesse or any
of the people who did your show like twenty fifth
on Broadway, at some point you become more comfortable with
(04:48):
knowing your limits for your days and then being able
to perform the show at a decent level.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Maybe not one hundred and ten percent, but like, how
could you get through stand that? Even at the end
of our short little run the very last day, I
think because we had so many visitors, I was doing
a lot of talking and stage door for the first time,
and there were lots of people I was trying to
figure out how to save my voice, and the very
last show, the very last day, I was like, I
(05:16):
don't know.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Stage story is a lot too, because you want to
talk to everybody and you want to connect with people,
and then you realize you're straining your voice even more
after two hours of singing.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
Because it wasn't the singing that was straining my voice,
it was all the talking and I could feel it.
But I still going to that last show. I knew
I'd be fine. Yeah, because I knew I knew how
to like sing it. I was like, it will come out.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
Yeah, And then you prove to yourself over time. You're like, oh,
I thought today I wasn't going to make it through,
and I still made.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
It through, right. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
What was the difference between your expectation going in because
obviously I know first hand that you were very nervous
for your first musical.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
There was a lot of nerves, like you just didn't
know what.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
To expect, and I totally I mean I go in
that way and I still am nervous, you know, I
mean done this, Like what was your expectation versus your reality?
Like what was it like for you going into the
rehearsal studios for the first week and like all of it?
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Well, I will say that Jenna's a great friend. Did
I call her forty eight hours before IU supposed to
leave for New York and have a complete mouthdown on
the phone. Yes I did. It's okay. Did you talk
me off the ledge completely? Yes, it's okay, and I
thank you. But I know that feeling everything you've ever
told me, and everything you told me going into this
(06:45):
experience was true. I said, I don't know how people
do this. We had twelve days of rehearsal scheduled, right,
and that's what we did. And you were like, you
will feel crazy, you will feel like you're drowning, and
you don't know anything at the end of the first week,
but just trust in the process of it. And I did.
(07:05):
I sort of did as much prep work as I
could beforehand because I know this is not my forte.
I will absolutely learn more slowly than everybody else, which
is true. It is a different mechanism in your brain
totally that mine is not developed.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
And you also, like have systems where you learn how
you learn that fast for shows like where to exit,
how to enter, like your notes, your shorthand everything comes
with time and experience.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Yes, and so I was. I did a lot of
prep work between you and Austin, thank god. But I
have to say I think because I did do that
prep work, I was fine. And I also think that
the show itself lends to if you're going to have
(07:53):
to learn a show on twelve days, this is the
exact right kind of show to learn in twelve days.
There's no set changes, there's no costume changes. You are
just there. Everybody gets their moment. It's small, it's manageable.
The music is really fun to learn. You're laughing. I've
never what I didn't I planned for bad, right. I
(08:17):
planned for everything for me to be overwhelmed, right. What
I didn't plan for was the amount of like fun
I had. I couldn't stop laughing. And I have to say,
Danny Meffert, who is the director and Jeffrey, our producer,
set like this really joyful and easy and collaborative tone
(08:43):
that is really reflective of what the actual musical is about.
And through that experience, and I was reminded of Glee
almost every single day in ways because it was you know,
how many times are we on set where people like
this isn't normal? Responsive Glee has gotten the amount of
joy the cast and crew are getting and making this show,
(09:06):
how we're getting along like this is not normal? And
I got that every day from I love it. The
cast being like, it is not normal that everybody is
so cool. Yeah, that's so great. Yeah, and it was
just Danny said, it's only his second time directing, he's
choreographed gigantic shows. Hey, yes, yes, but it was like somebody,
(09:31):
you have twelve days, so it's like you have to
come in there with a plan, you have to know
how to execute that plan. But also there's still room
for everybody to like play around and have fun either thing,
and again that's not I wasn't expecting that either. I
was really expecting this is Broadway level musical theater. It's
going to be very regimented, so interesting. I didn't even
(09:53):
think about that for you. But it was like, it
doesn't matter how much experience everybody has coming into this.
And it was like the first day, the first moment
meeting Noah Galvin, he turns and he's like, I'm terrified. Yeah,
And that helped me so much, just being like, oh,
I know that guy can sing his face off and
(10:14):
he's done theater, like he's gonna be if he's nervous. Okay,
we're all in this together, and that sort of community
and camaraderie really does a number on like your mental health,
you know, like, Okay, we're fine, We're in this together,
and like, yeah, everybody's learning at an accelerated pace, much
faster than I am. But I did work. Yeah, and
(10:38):
like the rehearsal process was. Here's the other thing. I
didn't tell anybody that it was my first time doing theater,
like during the show at all. I did after we
got through our first weekend of shows. Were people shocked? Yes, yeah, okay.
I was wondering if you were to tell people or not.
That's so funny. People must have been shock. Yeah, and
(11:01):
I wasn't. The Only person I told was Philip during rehearsal.
And I didn't want anybody to have that expect any
sort of like expectation.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
And I didn't want to have any expectation of myself,
so like, can I hang with these people? I'm like,
let me just do it. Take you till you make it, baby. Yeah. Oh,
I fully I recalled the story of Becca when she
was first on set. I shit you not, I'm not
even lying. When we actually got to the Kennedy Center
to start rehearsals or like to do tech, I've never
(11:32):
done tech. Yeah, I don't know the processes for how
you operate backstage, what you do with the laundry bag,
signing in and signing out, what you do with your mic.
All of these things are brand new for me. So
all I was doing I was quiet. I was watching
and observing everything, how everybody moved in every department, and
(11:53):
I was like, let me just fake it. After the
first day, I figured it out.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
And you do it again. You do the same thing
every time.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Yeah, this is.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
So interesting because the one thing that I had hoped
for you was like you realized when you got there
that you were going to have fun, especially in production
that is so fast, the stakes are so high and
yet so low. You're not opening a new show, you're
not creating new characters. You are just stepping in and
(12:26):
bringing your own thing to it. And my hope was
for you having done those having those experiences before, is
like you found friendships and joy and like enjointment in
it all because it's so stressful on its own. Yes,
So I'm so glad you said that.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
That's also exactly right what you said, how you looked
at that as exactly what it is.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
I'm also wasn't worried about you because in so many
ways it is very similar to Glee. You step on
a set, you learn, and in a day or two
you move on you learned more. So like in a
lot of ways, I feel like Glee probably prepared you
the best for situations like this where it's fast paced,
(13:12):
high stakes and then you you try and laugh in
between when they say.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
Got fully, every day felt more and more similar in
that way where totally Several people are like, I've never
been a necessarily rehearsal process like this, and I was like, well,
I guess I haven't exactly either, Like it may look
a little different, but the feeling was very familiar. Totally totally.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
I also that reminded me of what Hunter Parish. Hunter
Parish came from screen and film and TV and came
and did Spring Awakening, and it was the same thing.
He was like, you guys have to kind of show
me what to do, because in TV and film it's
a lot of handholding. And he's like, and here you're
(13:58):
responsible to show up on time or early, sign yourself in,
get yourself dressed, hang up your clothes, put them in
the laundry, show up for sat like or on stage
at the time you're supposed to be there. There is
a different mentality. Then it's a much more independent thing
than somebody knocking on your traly saying they're ready for
(14:21):
you and literally holding your hand till you get to set.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
You know, I'm still mind blown by that because my
family was there for almost the entire run of it,
and my dad was like, oh, the show's at eight.
So he's like, so you have to be there like
at five thirties. I'm like, no, I literally have to
be there at seven thirty. Literally, And I couldn't believe
(14:44):
all those things you just said, that whole checklist. I
was like, wait, there's no hair and makeup department, there's
no like eighties running around, right, No, they just you.
You show up. They expect you to be there, and like, yeah,
you do. I just couldn't. Yeah, but like what if
somebody doesn't show up? Like what is right?
Speaker 1 (15:06):
And everybody shows up unless there's like somebody stuck on
the subway, everybody shows up.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
That was another part of it, to be honest, little
things like that. So like commuting in New York. Two,
I've never lived in New York. I've never really worked
in New York outside of Glee. And again that's a
very different experience.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
So you werehursted in New York City and then you
travel to DC for the production.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Correct and even figuring out like I'm like, I am
too old to not know anything. I was like figuring
out the trains.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
Figuring out the timing.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
The timing, and then like, yes, some days you are
late and I saw like people be late and they'd rush,
and like all the trains from Brooklyn were slow today,
and it's fine, yeah, yeah, sure, it is what it is.
You need to get your own lunch, get your own lunch.
Press day, oh god, all of these.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
Things stressful for you. So explain to people what press
day is in theater or in your experience, and then
tell me what your press day was like.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
So press day is exactly that you have. We were
in this dance studio basically rehearsing the entire show, putting
the whole show together. Press day. There's a little space
about three feet between the end of where our fake
stay just taped off and the wall, and that was
filled with all kinds of different media from the New
(16:29):
York theater scene. And they come in and we've prepared
sections because what we all talked about, not we I
had no idea, no input. I didn't know anything. But
Danny the director with some of the other more experienced
casts or like, you go in here, you give them
a full three to five minute number or whatever, and
(16:52):
then I guess what ends up on the internet is
only clips anyway. Yeah, so the thinking was, let's just
give them the clips, so smart. So we did no
full numbers except and we did one full number. We
did the open number, yep, and then we did Brilliant
and maybe a third of magic Foot, which was my number,
but we did the part that had everybody involved in
(17:12):
it great so cute, and then we did another number
of same thing. We took a section of it and
it was like, this is what you're getting, okay, And
I hope.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
What was your expectation of press day because you texted
me the night before and was like press days tomorrow,
and I was like, oh god, he's freaking out a
little bit. And then what was your experience of press day?
Speaker 2 (17:32):
It was actually all right because again the whole like
nobody was super psyched to do press day. And also
when you have twelve days of rehearsal, this is taking
a full day to prepare for it. Takes away from
your time. Yeah, and so that was more of the concern.
But I also we learned the show very quickly. It's
(17:52):
a very quick show to learn, and so also felt
pretty confident in what we were doing. Sure, and it
was great. Yeah, it wasn't as scary as I thought
it would be, And I think that helped that we
just did sections of things. Yeah, yeah, for sure.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
If they were like, we're only doing Kevin's number and
that's press day, you'd be like, oh god, yeah, I
do have.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
To say, which is like a weird thing. But when
you and I performed together and we did suddenly see
more m H and I had the Benefit concert and
I botched it and I completely I entered the white
room totally. I had this fear the entire time from
(18:41):
that experience that that was going to happen to me,
and every single day I had to fight that. But
now I've proven it didn't happen, and.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
Look, at some point you're going to enter the white room.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
After one of the shows. One night, I was walking
back to the hotel with Bonnie Million, Tony Award winner
and she said she almost did that night in the show,
and I was like, well, let me tell you, I've
anytime somebody confess something that I confess either A how right,
I've been there, I've never done this before, and too well,
(19:15):
this is also my greatest fear. And she was like,
oh no, no, no, it's fine, it's gonna happen. I was like, yeah,
but what do you do? She goes, it's a certain
look in your eyes and you look across the stage
to somebody else. Somebody helps you and they know and
they're just gonna help you get out of it.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
Like, okay, exactly right, No, somebody will help you. I
think when I entered the White Room once, I literally
looked at Rachel Dratch like icon comedian icon, and I said,
help me.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
So it happens.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
And it happened very darkly, and it there's no there's
no way around it.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
And it just happened. It almost happened. One show I did.
I was sitting there on the risers and the song
moment in the show is called second. The song is
called second, mm hmm, and I was like, do I
remember the words? Do I? It was the same thing
Jenna in my head I'm going through. I'm like, okay,
(20:08):
I know the first two lines and then what And
at some point I just had to be like, I know, you.
Speaker 1 (20:13):
Gotta let it go and let go and trust your
body that your body will say the words even though
your mind doesn't. Yes.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
And then I got up there and I was like, oh,
I do know it. I got past it.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
Yeah, I surprisingly get that way when we perform like
you and I have performed at numerous events, operations.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
Smile, things like that.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
I surprisingly get more nervous at those events that I'm
gonna forget the words than I do ever being in
a show. I get that, And I think it's because
like I've led into the trust that I'm like, I've
been doing this show for ten days now, it's gonna
come to me or I'm gonna get past it and
not get stuck, versus like being in a small, tiny
(20:56):
stage with one other person when it's dinner. Yeah, exactly.
I have a couple more questions. This is so fun.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
You're my theater coach. Like literally, this only really could
have happened because Jenna, Between Jenna, Darren and Austin and
like my sister, you've all sort of been massaging me
into doing theater.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
Yeah, we were ready for you, but you were you
were ready than you were yourself very much. So I'm
curious to hear about your experience. I mean, you've performed
for live audiences. We've done the tour obviously. Was it
similar or was it kind of that same feeling of
like a little bit more fear because it's Theitter Girl.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
The live audience changes everything, huh. We you can compare
it to tour different? Yes and no, Okay, I will
say the structure of this show and for people who
don't know the show, it's a spelling bee and you're
sitting on risers similar to Glee in the classroom, in
(22:15):
the choir room, right, and similar to Glye. People get
up one at a time to do like a solo song,
and there are group numbers, but everybody sort of has
their moment in the sun if you will.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Yeah, we learn about the character in that song, yes,
Or how they've handled.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
A b and Glee tour not so dissimilar, right, and
especially the moments where I got to like speak to
the crowd directly during the Glee tour right in rehearsal,
you don't necessarily feel those things. And we were sort
of like a caveat to all of this is that
I don't as as crazy as a twelve day rehearsal.
(22:55):
A day and a half of tech is. I sort
of love it and I'm thankful for it because you
get to get in front of the audience sooner. Because
to me, it was like you learned so much more
from doing it in front of an audience than you
could ever do from like drilling in a rehearsal rooms
at least for this style of show totally. And I
(23:18):
was just so thankful that we could do that so
quickly because I felt so much better in front of
an audience. It's like what I was fearing in front
of it. Yeah, but like all those comedy bits you're
making people laugh. The immediate response of it, oh this
is working, this isn't working. All of that was so nice.
(23:39):
And like being able to get up there in front
of a mic and just sort of be a clown
and make people laugh was so satisfying.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
Why I had a really good friend who came and
saw it and said he wants a Broadway transfer.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
He had so much better and everybody was so good,
I mean, And I think another thing is that like
we didn't write the show so like if it works,
it's not on us, and it's also just like a
perfectly written.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
You also know what shows like action works. Yeah, if
you you're plug and play.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
So like you don't have to worry about the jokes
you have to like and to be able to like
stand in front of the stage by yourself and get
a laughter from a theaterful of people. It's like, Oh,
this is brilliant. This is such a fun show.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
You're so lucky to have done such a fun show
that like everybody's so quirky and weird, Like you know
what you're going getting going into it. Yeah, what was
your first performance like versus your last performance?
Speaker 2 (24:38):
In your fling? The first performance I thought I was
going to die. Did you black out? Do you remember it?
I remember it. I was too aware. I was way
too aware. Nightmare Bean and I had a similar experience
where we were just like to present your hands in
front of your face every everything. I knew everything that
(25:00):
was happening at all times. I was constantly thinking about
what's my next line, because I was like, I'm not
going into the white room tonight. I'd tell you that.
But you know what was also really helpful. So we
had that same day an invited dress rehearsal. Oh great.
We had run into earlier in the week some George
(25:21):
Washington University students who are in the process of rehearsing
and are going to be putting on their own production
of Spelling Bee. Oh how cute, and Beanie and Noah
had the brilliant idea to invite them to dress because
we didn't have anyone to invite to dress, Like, this
is who we should be inviting. So good, so smart.
So we had a bunch of college kids knew the
(25:44):
show and like expensive, and some of them like didn't
have tickets because they were too expensive, like come to
the dress. Oh that's so nice. Yes, And so that
really really helped. So then going because they were a
great audience, and then going into the first show that night,
I was terrified but also knew it worked. Yeah, I
(26:06):
just had to like do it, and you had just.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
Done it that day, so like your your muscle memory
is there, you didn't have a whole night's sleep before
and you're showing up at eight pm or seven thirty,
and what was your last show?
Speaker 2 (26:17):
Like the last show. My nerves sort of did amp
back up again because I had a couple of friends
that were there for the first time. A manager was
seeing it for the first time.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
That's different, right, But like, aside from them, how did
you feel about the show?
Speaker 2 (26:32):
I felt it was that trust that you know the show,
you know what you're doing, you know it's going to
come out. That was all there, and it was also
just sort of this feeling of like, oh, we really
did this, and also how did this happen so quickly?
All of those feelings. Yeah, and I guess there's that,
you know, like pride of like I did it.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
Yeah, you should be so proud of yourself. Yeah, you
guys are so great.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
Did you have come to the show?
Speaker 1 (27:01):
I didn't have anybody come to the show. Rob Russo
Dante Russ's brother who's a Broadway producer, I took the
train down to see it.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
He sees everybody didn't he tell me.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
I don't know, it's ridiculous, but he told me afterwards,
and I was like, how was it? And he's like,
had the best time? Literally, He's like, I need a
Broadway transfer. Because Rob and I used to go see
Broadway shows in high school together every weekend, so I
wasn't surprised that he went. You have the message him.
He had such a bless he said he was and
he's a tough critic. So before we wrap this up,
(27:34):
I could talk to you for hours about this, but
I'm curious, Like I'm a very CD superstitious person, and
I had a very strict ritual before show of what
I drank, what I did, the order in which I
did it. It's like going to a world series and
story in the same socks, like did you have any
(27:54):
of those things? Did you find yourself falling into any
of that or did you show up like like Darren
Chris can show up up at seven twenty nine and
walk literally into his clothes and on stage like that's
the kind of perform where he is. I need to
show up at five point thirty and have like a
full two hour meditation to myself, what is your what
(28:14):
is Kevin's experience in this?
Speaker 2 (28:16):
Now? A little in between those two things, I would
show up an hour before great because I just and
sometimes I showed up like forty five minutes before, and
I felt like a little guilty or panicked. Okay, and
not that I need to do anything. I have nothing
(28:37):
to do. I didn't really start getting ready until seven thirty.
But I think I liked being there, seeing everyone not
feeling rushed, not feeling rushed. I feel like it was
a big thing, but I did. I had. I did
do the same thing in the same order every night.
And I'm not superstitious at all, but I found myself
just being like, it's a short run. It's working so far,
(28:57):
let's just not change it. I had my tea with
a certain kind of honey, and I had also a water,
and I I got dressed in the sand, like and
we hung out. Like I shared a bathroom with Noah,
Noah Galvin who's in the show, and he'd always play
(29:18):
music and so it sometimes you'd go over there and
like dance a little bit. So like just having the
extra time to like have on and to relax was nice.
And as a group, we had things we would do
together right before every single time. Cute, cute, very cute.
(29:38):
But yeah, I've never been that person before, but there
I was. It's a weird thing. It's a weird weird thing.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
It's because also you're doing the same show every night.
Like we all had our Glee circle before tour that
we like gathered together. You did the chant, you led
the chant every night, Like there are things that like
kind of rev you up and set you up for,
like the show you're about to do.
Speaker 2 (30:04):
Yeah, I have a question for you because I had
the experience of especially you have a two show day.
But even if not, did you have my name's yeah,
we had. We had a five show weekend last weekend. Yeah,
(30:25):
boy yeah bride. Yeah. But also it's a ninety minute show.
I just can't imagine two and a half. Like Leanna
who was in the show, she just came off of
Merrily three hour show. Oh my god, I was thinking
about Hamilton. Yeah, how do you do two shows in
(30:47):
a day's long day? I don't get it, But Austin explains,
He's like, these are professional athletes. Yes, it's a whole
different thing. Yes, sorry, what was your question? My question
is I would have these moments more often than not
where I'd be sitting on that stage in the middle
of the show and all of a sudden be like,
(31:08):
wait did earlier today happen?
Speaker 1 (31:12):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (31:12):
I feel like I have not left the stage you have, right,
all of a sudden, You're back on stage in front
of the lights.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
Same costume, same spot.
Speaker 2 (31:22):
Yeah, what has happened? And it would freak me out
every single time, like what is happening.
Speaker 1 (31:27):
It's kind of why people enter the white room is
because your body wants to go into automatic pilot and
if your click, if you let yourself click into that,
sometimes it works, and sometimes your brain doesn't function.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
It doesn't. It's like short circuiting. That makes sense.
Speaker 1 (31:42):
So you can't let yourself go on autopilot because's number one.
That's you know, you're just like them doing it. You're
going through the motions. But then also you're trusting like
something that like you don't know that you should technically trust.
Speaker 2 (31:55):
No, it was it was a really.
Speaker 1 (31:59):
Very real, it's very strangely outer body. Oh yeah, like
watching yourself perform.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
Yeah, And I'm like, oh my god, we're getting to
this bit again. Here we go. But what I would
always remember is that like people traveled from far and
wide to be here, They paid a lot of money
to be here time, Yes, and this is their first
and probably only time seeing this. They deserve the same
like me, to be locked in. Yeah, And so then
(32:29):
it was like pull me back to reality and You're
just not always going to be locked in like that.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
But I always try and find like some one thing
to do with the show that's tiny bit different than
I did at the last Yes, and it like keeps
you kind of on your toes a little.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
Bit after the sort of going back. I just remembered
this going back to your first difference between first and
last performance. After the first performance, I think I had
such a crash, like all my nerves had been in
reserve really until the first performance, and then afterwards my
(33:06):
body felt so crazy and I slept like five hours
the night before because I'm not well mentally, and I'm
yelling through the bathroom to know. I'm like, why do
people do this? This is fun? Like you enjoy this?
And then he's like, you really didn't have any fun.
I was like no, I was so stressed about just
(33:30):
getting through the show. I was like, how do you
do this?
Speaker 1 (33:33):
But as soon as the next day happened, then you
got You did your second show. Is everybody's first show, yes,
because you'd never done this before, so you get the
first show. This is why I always tell people though,
like you're not allowed to come to my first show.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
I Oh, I thought about that a lot, and luckily
my family listened. I'm so glad you got that they came.
I technically opening night, which was after two show, that
was our third show. Got to get your rhythm, you
gotta get yeah, like, let me get my bearings here,
let me figure it out. And then I'm like, Okay,
I understand why people like this. They understand why people
do it, but lord, I could not understand because I
(34:14):
had the fear of and going into the second show again.
The first show was so stressful for me that I
was like, is this how I'm going to feel every time?
Because that is not sustainable? So interesting and luckily no release.
Speaker 1 (34:32):
Yeah, second show blues are also at thing. So for
some people, most people, your first show is usually pretty
good because you're like, we did it, We're on adrenaline,
our bodies are working, we're like hyper aware. And then
the second show blues come and you're like.
Speaker 2 (34:46):
Oh, I get that. It's like sophomore Yeah exactly. I
felt like for me, and maybe it's because it, say,
is my first experience, I had the opposite. Not to
say like my first show was worse than my fifth
show or eighth show, not at all, but mentally I
(35:07):
was sort of like on an uphill climb where every day,
through every show I felt like I was understanding it more. Yeah, Oh,
understanding this beat, more, understanding what that line really means.
Yeah yeah, and like continuing to like find it through
every single show, which was nice. That was exciting.
Speaker 1 (35:26):
I like that part that this is a great entry
way for you though, to the theater.
Speaker 2 (35:31):
I think.
Speaker 1 (35:32):
I think if you were in a Broadway production that
was like either brand new and you're working, there's a
lot of stakes people are creating for the first time,
there's a lot of will this work?
Speaker 2 (35:43):
Will this not work?
Speaker 1 (35:44):
And then also if you're just popping into a show
that people are already a part of, that's also hard
because you're like, God, this is their house and I'm
like popping it now, and I have to fit into
their their stuff. But this one, like you were all
in it together for this like wild and crazy ride,
And even though yours was a little bit different because
this was like literally your first theater performance ever, I
(36:08):
feel like this was a really good entry way for you.
Speaker 2 (36:12):
Yeah. I feel very lucky. I feel like it was
the perfect.
Speaker 1 (36:15):
Everybody seemed so nice and supportive and kind of like
in the same boat, like Noah, like scared, you know,
like it.
Speaker 2 (36:22):
Was like we were all sort of we're all coming
into it doing it for different reasons, but also had
this common thread of like, we all need to do
this for ourselves for a different reason. It doesn't matter
what's bringing you there, but like we all just needed
to do it. And it was just like a, really,
that whole cast is so great, so nice. I could
(36:46):
sit and talk to you about each of them for days,
but we really did bond and it was like the
friends and family that people had that came through were
also just so so supportive. Noah only found out it
was my for at show at the last day because
I told his husband, Ben Platt, and Ben's like, you
(37:07):
need to do more theater. I'm like, you know, I've
never done theater. He's like what yeah. It's like yeah,
He's like And then he told Noah shortly after, and
I was like, you're so stupid.
Speaker 1 (37:17):
I love that you you kept that underwrap.
Speaker 2 (37:21):
I was like, Ben, why are you blowing up the
spot like this.
Speaker 1 (37:23):
I would have walked in the first day like showing
all my cards, like I've never done this before. So
the expectation was so low for me. Otherwise, I'm like,
how do you expect me to do this like that
was my plan, and then you were like, never mind.
Speaker 2 (37:39):
In order to subvert I guess how I normally operate,
which is to set the bar really low, to be
self deprecating. I was like, this is a completely new world.
Let me not do that to myself.
Speaker 1 (37:53):
You proved yourself before. And then I told them, guess what, yes, okay.
Speaker 2 (37:58):
I like that. I didn't want the expectation to be like, oh,
this this was good for your first try totally totally,
or oh he didn't nail it, but it's his first
I didn't want that for sure. That's fair, that's totally fair. Like,
let me hear your honest thoughts and then I'll tell
you the true Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm sure. Sure.
Speaker 1 (38:18):
Well this was so much fun. I'm so happy for you.
We're so glad to be back. But my goodness, I
was just loving all the updates and all the Instagram story.
Speaker 2 (38:31):
Anyone on TikTok who has been subjected to me singing
magic foot, I know it plagued some of your algorithms
for a while. I'm so sorry. Oh my gosh, I
gotta go check it out. And I will also just
say the magic of the show is also that we
get four people from the audience to be in the
(38:53):
show every single time, and we had so many incredible guests,
and I just I think it's so brave. I think
you're idiots for volunteering. I don't know if I could
ever do that, but like, thank you to doing that,
Jesse Tyler Ferguson and the original cast of Spelling Bee
who came to see it. Like just thank you to
(39:16):
all those people. To the Press Secretary of the United
States who came and sat on stage with us to
be a guest speller, Like oh my god, Dana Bash
from CNN, Like thank you to all these people and
all the people who were not famous who came because
there were more of you. It's just like really really
brave of you to sit up there on stage with
(39:37):
us and not know what you're getting yourself into. So
thank you for doing that, And like thank you to
all the people who did come. There are people who
came from Florida, there are people who came from Europe,
there are people who came from the West Coast to
see it. And my family who came from Texas and
New York to see it. Just thank you to everyone
because it's just so nice that you'd come and see
(39:59):
that and take the time to support the little show.
You know, so jealous I would have. I'm so jealous.
I couldn't have been there. I was there in spirit.
You sure were. I thought about you every day.
Speaker 1 (40:12):
Oh, thank you Kevin for sharing your experience with this.
That's really fun and I hope you guys go listen
to twenty for the annual butteum con spelling if you haven't,
because it's wild ride, so much fun.
Speaker 2 (40:24):
It's just one of the best shows. And also through
this experience, I've met so many people who did the
show in high school or college. So if you haven't
done it and you're in one of those positions to
maybe choose to do it, look at it. It is
just the most joyous experience you will bond with people.
The comedy is unparalleled. It's just so much fun. It's
(40:46):
a weird, perfect mix of happy, sad, good music. So
like or go see a local production of it. Look
it up. There's lots of people doing it all the
time all around the country. It's a magical show. Yeah,
thanks Jennifer for asking me all these questions. My gosh,
my pleasure. I guess, and that's what you really miss
(41:08):
Thanks for listening, and follow us on Instagram at and
That's what you really miss pod. Make sure to write
us a review and leave us five stars. See you
next time.
Host
Jenna Ushkowitz
Popular Podcasts
40s and Free Agents: NFL Draft Season
Daniel Jeremiah of Move the Sticks and Gregg Rosenthal of NFL Daily join forces to break down every team's needs this offseason.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.