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Flashback: Backstage at THE BOOK OF MORMON with Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells
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May 17, 2024
In this video, watch as we flashback to 2011, when Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells chatted with their castmates Rory O'Malley and Nikki M. James backstage at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre.
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Hello, I'm Richard Ridge the Book of Mormon has been nominated for 14 Tony Awards including Best Musical
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Come with me now backstage as I chat with the show's for Tony nominated stars
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Josh Gad Andrew Rannells Rory O'Malley and Nikki M James just days before the big Tony event. Come on
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We are thank you on a double show day sitting with the for Tony nominated stars of Book of Mormon
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All of you, how cool is that? It's awesome, it's it's unbelievable
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But the best part of it is really that we're all for nominated together because to experience this with your friends is
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You know, it's the best way to do it. I recommend it. Oh someone has a call. Hold on one moment. Oh, it's probably Hollywood I
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Heard about sister act we're all See this is what happens when you star on Broadway Obama calls you in your dressing room
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No, how cool is this? Seriously? Let's talk about Tony's all four of you. That's so rare, but that happens
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But you know, I think it's a testament to the work that we're doing it's a really cool I think what they're seeing is that like this is a show really ensemble piece of theater and
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All of us play a big part in it. Yeah, I mean, I'm only as good as Josh's I appreciate that
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Yeah, it's always good as I am. Yeah Especially with me because we've said like, you know that my part came out of like being in the ensemble that clearly my nomination is
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Represented as the chorus and our ensemble because I'm like I just feel so much like I'm still a part of that
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You know and our ensemble is the greatest ensemble that's ever been put together on a Broadway stage
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We all the four of us know that they are the true stars of this show
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and that's why people are on their feet as soon as the Curtain call starts because they're they're unbelievable, you know
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And so we kind of feel like you know, our nominations are also theirs as well
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What I want to know is when were you first aware that this was this phenomenal show the Book of Mormon
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I mean, I think we all probably each had I mean, you know, we sort of joined at different moments and things
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But upon reading it I and and being a part of the workshop this summer. I knew that it was it was very special
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I Thought that it was it was the the most innovative thing that I had ever
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Read let alone be a part of I mean particularly for a Broadway musical. I feel like it was
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It's it's a it's a whole brand new idea and it's a it's a it's a great update for for Broadway
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So the we get to be a part of it I think is is particularly thrilling but just that it exists is is very exciting
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But you know, it's it happens. It's it's for me. It's kind of hard to tell
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You know, we do the show every night it's a new group of people coming in every night so yes, we had a really great opening and we had really great reviews and the and the
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The Tony reception of us was was was really fantastic, but It I still feel like we're very grounded in that
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We have to do this show every night and we show up to the theater and we were constantly having to do it
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Sound like we did a movie and then it opened and now we're like running around doing like, you know
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I'm going to parties and things know we still have to like do eight shows a week So in terms of like the sensation of the show
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I feel like I don't want to say it's lost on me at all because I'm certainly aware of it
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But the bottom line is is that we do we have a job to do every night eight times a week
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So that I think keeps us very grounded in the reality of what it is to be on Broadway
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I'm like a huge musical theater fan like big big old nerd and and and I and
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The thing that I loved most about this show is there's been not a trend
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but there's this idea that we have to update the American musical by Deviating from the conventions and what I think is really exciting about this show and why I knew it would land
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Was they're doing this really sort of risque on the edge Type of comedy in the construct and the confines of a real old-school
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traditional, you know real Musical with with integrated songs with songs that are integrated and also very well written not just funny
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but beautiful melodies and gorgeous orchestrations and so when I saw that what they were doing was
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Reinventing the wheel just by like sort of polishing the wheel instead of like trying to make it a new shape
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I was like if we can get this in front of audiences
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We're gonna blow the roof off this place. And so I've always known yeah, I think we're gonna
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I think we're and I both knew in 2008 was it? Yeah Was it back 2008 already when we did our very first reading of it and we you know looked at each other we go this is
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Very very different. This is not something that we've ever seen before
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And I remember that very first audience hearing Hasidic ebowai, which at the time was a different
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phrase and and all of them going collectively going And jaws just hitting the floor and I remember thinking to myself if we can if they can figure this out then there is something
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Remarkable here something that will I think transcend the genre and the medium and that's what's happened
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I knew it was gonna be successful when they started making pillows Yes, then I knew shiny cast klepto like
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Yeah There was like an event that they invited us to and I saw this pillow and I was like I need to have that pillow
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I took it with me I did I watched it all play
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Okay, so we're coming up to Tony week this is a big week for you guys what happens this week
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What what does happen? I mean Every Minute we're like what happens now
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Like where are we going? All I know for sure the only thing that I definitely know for sure is we still have eight shows next week
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Yeah, that's all I'm wrapping my head around No eight shows in five eight shows in five days. Oh, yeah. I have to get a dress. I still do not have
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No, you want to go shopping? Yeah, we should for dresses. Yeah, you could wear. Are you gonna wear a dress? Yeah
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Yeah, yeah No, I've been now what's called very sick so I haven't had time to do anything I don't get better listen so there Andrew, okay
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All right. All right. So if anyone has a tux for Josh if anybody please to the I'm a size like 92
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wide Just send it over to the Eugene O'Neill You've got something for Josh to wear to the Tony Awards, please send
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Preferably before Saturday. Yes. Now. What number are you doing on the Tonys? I believe
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We're gonna be cheering yes You'll he's gonna get out of the park. Well, we may join in Coralie
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Yeah from the seats from the raft. It'll be a flash mob They're doing I believe which is which is you know, Andrew does it every night and he's incredible and the audiences love it
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It's what you're waiting for when you see this show It's like the first time we really say
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All the things the quirky things that could be perceived to be quirky about what makes a Mormon a Mormon
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And it's you know, really tongue-in-cheek, but it's also sort of loving, you know, it's it's it so much
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Don't says there's actually no jokes in that song Straight-up facts. It's all facts. There's no jokes
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well, and you could also every single religion could have that song and you know, it's
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It's only humorous because people are comfortable with certain traditions and uncomfortable the others and that's the whole point of our show
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It doesn't the stories if the stories don't matter as much as the faith and the hope that I brought to these
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I believe eating meat on Fridays is sinful Yeah You don't grow out of the Jewish when you do Book of Mormon for six months you sir
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They got you they got rid of you. No way. They hold you. They're gonna hold on to you for
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Well as Catholics we you know, I was raised to believe that I was really drinking blood
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Yeah blood and eating the body. No Well, that is truly the belief like when I had my first communion
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That was part of it. That is it's like it's not a symbol. It is truly drinking
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If you don't believe that you're a Lutheran I was like, I don't believe that he said well, then you're a Lutheran
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Sorry father Tom But you know that song is it's funny because these are new stories
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Relatively only a couple of hundred years old not two thousand years old, you know
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We people laugh and and it didn't you know, it's funny But you know when people say Jesus turned water into wine, they're like, oh, yeah
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Crazy things happened back then. It was 2,000 years ago, you know You guys have that's what we think about I believe
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Story for I believe you're getting a true Yeah, this is what we are like we're like a family of really dysfunctional weird
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Well speaking of family, I know that Josh and Rory you have quite a history together
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Right because weren't you in his wedding and tell me about this we oh
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no we We met our freshman year of college. We were roommates
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freshman year on all four years Started complaining that he didn't love his roommate and he needed to room with me and my German roommate left and then he moved in and
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About a week into him moving in I found him fast asleep standing upright on my body
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And I said this may not work. Yeah, we got we got this ridiculous that you are telling this
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So fast forward, you know what? You know what's so funny is I was doing an interview
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Two days ago and they were asking about Josh and I was like, he's the most funny comedic genius
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I just I adore him. I I give him I love him so much and they're like really he told us that you passed out
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And on him freshman year of college and I was like, wow, that's great
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I'm pouring my heart out how much I love him. So let me fast forward to senior year
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When we're lighting candles we have a ceremony at Carnegie Mellon for all the people who have been in our school and in our class and we had
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Josh Groban in our class who's a great friend of ours, but and was very very nice guy and you know
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Went on to make an album. I don't know how it worked out for him but
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we're lighting candles for everyone who's been a part of our class and it's this very quiet sweet ceremony and
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Someone had had a whole bottle of vodka before we showed up for this beautiful ceremony. I don't know
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I don't know who it was But as we light the candle for Josh Groban Josh runs up and blows out all the candles and goes
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Who the hell is Josh? Groban And I'm glad it's on the record now and let me just remind everyone that he brought up me passing out freshman year
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When I was 18 years old, that was 22 year old Josh. So I it's not unfair
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I wouldn't have brought it up if it's it's in my back pocket and Josh knows
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This is a Broadway world exclusive you're getting here with the Book of Mormon on the record. I apologize Josh
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It was nothing personal. I was it was the it was the Russian vodka talking
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Yes, we do and similar body types This is so funny, I want to ask you Nikki, why do you think Rory should win the Tony
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Well, if any person has she decided yeah I'm the decider and I decide that royal melee should win this award because royal melee is the single funniest
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Actor I've ever seen on stage Rory can turn. Yes. Suck it Josh. Wait, Josh
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Wait What Rory can do the subtleties that Rory can can can contort or I don't need the the things that Rory can show on his
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Face that are so subtle and so real yet can read to the back of the house
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That is not something that you could teach someone and it is not something that everyone can do. Well, and it's it's you did
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It's hilarious. It's absolutely hilarious. Yes But I also think that No, there's never any marking and also because because royal melee is tap dancing and that is a big deal
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That's my biggest acting job is acting like I can dance Front and center and I got a D in tap
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See and now you're starring on Broadway Tony nominated. Yeah. Yeah Rory why do you think Josh should win? Oh
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Well, well, I'm glad you asked I just called me out in front of the public. No, I'll go back to what I was saying the other day before you brought us
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down into the dirt Josh is a Comedic genius. He's just absolutely unbelievable and to me what is so
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profound about his comedy and what he's brought to this show is that he has this annoying crazy character that you fall in love with
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within the first half hour and He brings it on this this character on this arc that is so gorgeous and so beautiful and
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you know, I think that he really brings that center of what the show is and
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you know, we've been on this journey for three years together and you know, I'm proud that he's my my buddy and and
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I'm so honored to get to watch him do this amazing performance every night
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I think back what I said about you. Yeah, right now Josh. I want to ask you why you think Andrew should win
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Well, I think I think Andrew should win because I personally don't want the Tony
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You know, I think that it's you know, it's just clutter I I think
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I mean, how do I answer this? You know, I I honestly I honestly think that Andrew Reynolds
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Was the missing piece to the puzzle of what makes this show works? When he came on board it suddenly went from being a
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You know something that had enormous potential to something that actually legitimately worked as a piece and
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His portrayal of price is nothing short of genius. It's gonna be impossible
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I think for anybody to take over and I and I and I truly think he's an enormous talent and as
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An unbelievable comedic gift and an unbelievable voice and And just his talent is enormous
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And you that's all that's so nice Andrew. Well, why do you think Nikki should win
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I Feel like Nikki should win because Nikki has I think the hardest job in our show and she does it
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with a lot of grace and a lot of Very delicate technique and she's able to still be funny and be cute and fun
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But also bring like the the weight to our story that hasn't really
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Doesn't really show up until Nikki is you know on stage and she has a very difficult
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job of having to sing Really our only really like heartfelt Sweet ballad in the middle of all of this craziness and she does it and you hear the audience
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I stand backstage every night and I hear the response from the audience and there's definitely like you feel them all
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Settle and then that's Josh and then you feel That's a good warm-up. Yeah
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and then you feel them all settle and then you feel them really like she
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They've all fallen in love with her and like, you know three minutes
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She's stunningly gorgeous. Look at her shoes That's a Saturday matinee shoe
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and It's I know we're both sort of rocking a Saturday dad. Look again
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I'm doing it. You're like you're like sassy substitute But that's why I think Nikki should should win. He's wildly talented
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It's possible, why do you think the three of us should wait I'll tell you I
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Think all four of them should win if I had the swing vote on this Oh, please I would let all four of them win. That's what I would do. I tie you two
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I'd vote for you and I'd vote for you. I Have I have a final question for you
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What's the last ritual you do before you go on stage? It makes you say I'm ready to go. I've got this character
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I'm ready to go. I'll let you pass the mic around I don't enter the show until about 20 minutes after it started
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so until the boys reach Uganda for all of you have seen it we go to Uganda and
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So my big ritual is I need to be on the deck watching the opening number from the wings
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I have to see all my guys out there and so that I can know that I'm I'm you know
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So that I can join when I enter I can join at their level
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So that's my my big ritual and then I drink a lot of this
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My big ritual is very strange, but the boys can attest to this I do a a very crazy
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impersonation of Maya Angelou for my fellow cast mates and I do a
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Myra Angelo and I do a Different insane poem every night Yeah, it's it really is. It's starting to become just very inappropriate. Yeah
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My only I enter behind a drop That at the beginning of the show that like flies up above me so that I just have to start
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Um, I have to start smiling kind of early while you're doing your prologue stuff I have to start like I have to start the smiling
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Like way as soon as that begins, that's that's what I do. I do crest white strips
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Yeah, that's good I Before I enter as McKinley before we get I always do my every single show
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I do the tap dance in the stage manager's office because it's carpeted
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And I started off like feeling like I should do it in the beginning But now I'm like scared if I don't do it, I won't remember the tap even though it's been like hundreds of times
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so Yeah, I know I do it like every day so but you know, like I said, that's my biggest acting job in the show
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So yeah, it's a warm-up I want to thank these four beautiful Tony nominated stars from the Book of Mormon if you have not seen this show
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Do what you can to beg borrow or steal a seat and come to the Eugene O'Neill Theatre and join them and everybody else
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For the 65th annual Tony Awards on Sunday evening, June 12th. Say goodbye. Bye guys
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