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How Did KISS ME, KATE Change for 2019? The Company Tells All!
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Oct 31, 2022
What happens when Shakespeare meets Porter? Audiences are finding out eight times a week at Studio 54 when the Taming of the Shrew comes to life onstage within one of the most beloved musicals of the Golden Age. Roundabout Theatre Company's production of Kiss Me, Kate, directed by Scott Ellis and choreographed by Warren Carlyle, opened just last month for a new generation of theatre-goers.
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Welcome to Backstage with Richard Ridge
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SAG-APTA Foundation and Broadway World continue their filmed conversation Q&A series, which celebrates the vibrant theater community
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here in New York City. This event, which is coming from the Robin Williams Center
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is a special conversation with the company of Roundabout Theater Company's glorious new production
0:22
of Cole Porter's classic musical, Kiss Me, Kate. Please welcome the stars Kelly O'Hara
0:27
Will Chase, Corbin Bleu, and Stephanie Stiles, along with Amanda Green. So how exciting has it been introducing Kiss Me Kate to a new generation of theater lovers
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Because for those of you who haven't seen it yet, this is such a glorious production
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Anybody can take it on. Thank you, Richie. Is this on? Can you hear me? Okay
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What was your question? No, what's it been like to introduce a new generation
1:05
I was just kidding. It was a little bit of humor to break up the situation. It has been wonderful
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And, you know, I didn't grow up on this musical. Strangely enough, me being the queen of classic musicals, I didn't actually
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The first time I ever saw it was the revival with Maren and Stokes 20 years ago exactly
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and so I love the idea of introducing it to other people
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because it was the first musical to ever win the Tony to ever win a Tony for the best musical
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so it does talk a lot about the history of this art form
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which I think is important to anyone who loves musical theater in general just to know where it all comes from
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but I also like that we have an opportunity to do it and look at it more closely and try to
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find new reasons to do it in 2019 and you know let it evolve
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the way it is a little bit. Sure. Will, for you. I mean, it's always fun to kind of reinvestigate
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I always use the word reinvestigate, but reinvestigate a piece that we kind of know
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or we don't know. This was never in my, of all the things I ever wanted to do
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Kiss Me Kate was never one of those things, but then I listened to this score, and it's like, why, wasn't it
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Because it's just such a, the score for me, there's nothing like it in the world
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Paul Gimignani would say throughout rehearsals, He just was so glad that we were going to, that people were going to hear
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I mean, he was tooting our horns. He was saying he wants everyone to hear us do it, but to hear this score
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Because there's really nothing like it, I think, in the whole songbook
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When you've got operetta, you've got one of the best opening numbers ever, ever, ever, ever
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A quintessential theater number. And then you've got, you know, a couple of hot jazz numbers
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You've got music hall. So for me, the music is always the starting point
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So for people to hear that, I think, is awesome. Stephanie? My story with Kiss Me, Kate is I'd never seen a professional production of it
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I'd always seen, you know, colleges or high schools. And we talk about this a lot backstage in that we can't believe we're doing an incredible production of Kiss Me, Kate
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Because it's just, all the times I've seen it's been, like, people way too young playing these roles
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and the scene transitions take five minutes. And so getting to do this show with the greatest people
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who could be doing it, it's such a gift and it's such a testament to Broadway
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and doing a show about the people who love Broadway on stage, behind the scenes
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even the gangsters are audience members, fangirls. So it's a celebration of the people who love doing this
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and it's my Broadway debut, so getting to do a show about Broadway
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is like the best thing ever. I always love doing a show within a show
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being able to play performers. And then not just that, but even incorporating Shakespeare
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into the piece itself. You have new, younger generation who gets to come
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and even if they've never had an introduction to Shakespeare, it is like a little bit of a dipping your toe
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into some Shakespeare as well, and they get to enjoy the comedy of it
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and they really do get a variety of music and of genres within the piece
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There's nothing missing from the piece. It really kind of covers the gamut
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when it comes to musical theater. Amanda, for you. Well, like Kelly and Will
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I also didn't grow up with this as much in my canon
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as some other musicals. The song, I knew all the songs. I didn't have, you know what I mean
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They're just there. They're in my DNA and I know the whole score
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And to me the joy of this was it was a huge success
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And it's continued to be a huge success. But the reason why people enjoyed it when it first came out
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it would not be as enjoyable today. So to be able to bring it back so people have the joyous experience
5:06
that they had when it first opened. Because audiences have changed our perception about what is acceptable
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of women and men, what's fun to watch on stage, has certainly changed
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But so to be able to work with Kelly and Will and this whole cast and Scott and Warren
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and be like, how do we make this feel good? How do we make this feel fun? And let it shine through
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because it's really a glorious musical. So it was such a really fun thing to be able to work on
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just joyous and thrilling. Sure. How did Kiss Me, Kate happen for each of you
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For Kelly and Will, did it start with a concert version? Tell me how you all got to become a part of this
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Yeah, the Roundabout usually does a gala, a winter gala in December
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And for those galas, they do these kind of stage musical productions. And they're just a fun night
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And there's like a week at the most of rehearsal. And so we did it
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We were standing behind stands. And Warren had choreographed a few numbers off book and everything
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But it was actually a really joyous, fun night at a time that we needed to all laugh
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It was December of 16. and it did make us laugh but then the thought of actually doing it again
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with the problems, we kind of did it as is and so there were glaring things about it
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I don't know. But then as the years trickled on the idea of could we do this and actually have a point
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and say a few things that might be important began to be interesting
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but as much as we have done that and tried to do that as best we can
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with the help of the allowance of the state and with Amanda
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I also knew what the soul, the heart of the show was
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which was a great score and humor and fun and joy. And above all else, making points or whatever
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I wanted a little bit of that for people. I wanted to have just a, you can come in for two and a half hours
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and if you want, just laugh and have joy. And so, and you can roll your eyes or lift your eyebrows at certain things
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because we left a lot in as points, making points. But the real thing I wanted in my own life
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and also just to give others was just some unadulterated fun. Beautiful
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Yeah, and she touched on, you know, when you do the one-night, one-off thing
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you're not really investigating the piece. You're just singing this glorious score
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and the things that are glaring are glaring but you just doing it one night and then when they flip it and go okay we thinking about doing this production that when you start the conversations and you know for me the the um obviously knowing kelly was attached but for me i just was like okay so how do we what
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do we what's the what's the piece about really and for me it's the love story it's the same for
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taming of the shrew i don't see how you do either of these pieces if you don't investigate the love
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that's there, wherever it is, then it's kind of pointless, you know, to watch
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the bickering onstage, the bickering offstage. Eh, that ship has sailed. And I think
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the text supports this love story. In our production, we have this little coda at the end where
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we walk off together. I don't think for a second the audience thinks, oh, everything's going to be hunky-dory
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But, as I said earlier, I think they think they're going to throw plates at each other, but the sex
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is going to be amazing. But these people love each other, and that's real and messy
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and I like real and messy. I like that. So that's the part I like about the piece
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With the taming of the shrew stuff, that stuff takes care of itself and we can make fun of Petruchio throwing a tantrum
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We can allow Kate to not be a shrew and have this song about I hate men, whatever
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And then the Lily and Fred stuff has to work itself out and I think we've accomplished that
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I think we're rooting for these two rather than going, oh, let's watch them have fisticuffs
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and be angry with each other. I think you're rooting for them. So that was titillating for me
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and I was like, yeah, sign me up. I want to do that. I auditioned
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I got an email to come in town. I was living in Los Angeles
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and I got on my first red eye. I rapped shooting on a movie
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It comes out in May. Go see it. Booksmart. Plug. Sag After, yay
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And then I got on a red eye, went to the Tony's, stayed up till 5 a.m. soberly
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auditioned the next morning. I did two scenes and a song. Scott Ellis said nothing
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to me other than you can come here again on Wednesday and I said yes
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Went back on Wednesday and did the same thing but taped for the Cole Porter Estate and then I did a 20
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minute private by myself dance call with Warren Carlisle and the entire
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male executive creative team watching me and I accidentally sweated my suction bra off so I had to
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throw it out of my dress in the middle of Too Darn Hot which I'm not even in in the show and I got a call the next morning
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saying I got it. And I booked. Booked it. So speaking for Scott Ellis
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because he's not here, just so you know, he said to me, he knew as soon as you walked
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in the damn room. But I don't know if that's, you know, revisionist. I'm just saying they..
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I'll take it. I bet your suction bra was the wrong. It was the most lowest lame
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part of my audition was my bra falling off. So maybe that was it. I don't know
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But it was great. It was a good time. Glad you're here. I'm obviously so excited to be here
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I had actually just finished working with Roundabout about three years ago on Holiday Inn
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Go right ahead. Scott Ellis had also come in and done some of the scene work with us
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So I had worked with him before he knew my work. I was just talking with these two about it earlier
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I found out that Scott Ellis was going to be a part of it
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that Warren Carlyle was going to be a part of it that Kelly O'Hara and Will Chase
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and I think you had already been signed on as well so what I didn't tell you guys was
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something else had come in at the same time I actually got an offer to do a production of
11:07
In the Heights at the Sydney Opera House and it was going to be
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like a why are you here so here's the thing so here's the thing
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it was and it was like and it was a I mean Kelly's good it was a short run
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it was a short run more money again and no you're preaching to the choir
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but really like that this is such a perfect example of I can go
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and do a production at the Sydney Opera House of something that I've done before
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and it's so not in a good way like it would be so
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cushy. And I would just go in. I would know everything. I get to go to Australia
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I've never been to Australia before. Or I could go and sweat
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my ass off. Tap dance on the ceiling. Tap dance on the ceiling. Eight times a week
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An alert contract. But work with Kayla O'Hara and Will Chase and Stephanie Stiles
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and Scott Ellis and Warren Carlyle. Aw, teehee. Obviously I chose the latter
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We're glad you did. Holy crap. Amanda, you had worked with Scott and Warren before, right
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On the 20th Century? Yes, but my story's a lot like Stephanie's
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Tell her. No, I'm just kidding. No, I worked. Scott had me work on the 20th Century
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which was a musical my father wrote. And he asked me to look at one moment in the show
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and come up with a different lyric concept for it. and I had the time of my life
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working with Scott Ellis and Warren and Kristen Chenoweth in that production
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was just spectacular and so when he called me I mean I said yes before I even knew
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what it was I was just so excited to get the phone call and Scott and Warren
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and Kelly and Will and this whole cast just thrilled me it scared me to do that
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I've not written a book before so I was really happy actually to have that
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opportunity because it's similar to writing lyrics and you have to solve the puzzle and go through
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so I wasn't that daunted by that but I was scared of
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Kiss Me Kate and they were talking about billing and I was like maybe I'll just have
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none you know in case it all falls to shit but it was
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a really exciting and a slightly scary offer but one I definitely could not refuse
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I love that. We'll go back to Scott Ellis for a minute. You're working with one of the most sought after
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and respected directors working in this business, of course, Scott Ellis, their director
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What makes him such a great director to work with? He listens
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I was going to say the same thing. He listens. In fact, I can easily say that
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because it was one of the first things I noticed. I thought, I think he's just hearing me
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I think he's just listening and he's just sitting there and you know he would wait there's a patient
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there's there's a non-patience about him like he's completely he's always chewing on something and
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he's always got his hands going and he's constantly but there's also something where he just waits a
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minute and and I would say I'm gonna do this okay I'm gonna do this okay and then later it might be
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uh let's try this other thing or whatever it was but everything seemed to be valid so that by the
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time we were really going in to actually make changes, we all had the sense of his own security
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in us that then if he makes changes for us, you don't think, oh, I'm terrible. You know, you just
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think, oh, we're a team here and he's going to, you know, he's going to just lead me in my best
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direction. So literally. So he's pretty extraordinary that way that he kind of lets you
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bring your human aspect to this show and trust that And then when he has an opinion about it you know it like if I teach I love to teach in a masterclass style the most because I like to
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see what you would, you have first. And then I like to say, well, let's make the, you know
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this is great. This is great. Let's make this better. Or I have nothing to say, whatever it is. And I think kind of that's what he allows for, which I don't think a lot of people have the ego
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to do. They want to go ahead and just put their, they have it all written out. You walk in the door
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there didn't seem to be any of that and he also was willing to
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you know share that table with Amanda Amanda what do you think on this I would say
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I would go home from rehearsal and I'd say to my husband I've never felt so listened to
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in my entire life I mean it was incredible he had a Shakespeare expert come in and also
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just listen to her and he's directed Shakespeare but just listen to her about kind of
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her real thoughts on it and then I think he just takes it all in and then at the end of the day he
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knows he has the final decision so knowing that and actually being
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patient about it is actually that's a real unusual thing. We all just want to jump to it
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and prove your worth. But I mean, he didn't. He just kind of listens
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He listens and he's also not wishy-washy at all. He knows he's in charge
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in the final... Anyway. It was kind of odd for me. I'd worked with him on Drood
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and looking forward to it, looking forward to it. And it's odd
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to hear Kelly say all this because Scott and I, and we joke, he's kind of antithetical to the
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way I am used to working. And then I thought, well, is that really true
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Because I, of late, have been doing a lot of television where you come in
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you do the thing, and you do the thing, and then you're done doing the thing. There's not a lot of talk
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about it, whatever. And then you're in this rehearsal process now for a theater gig
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and Scott's an actor. Scott comes from the acting world, so he wants to get up and do
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And for most of the stuff, he liked to get up and do my stuff. And so we joke
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He's a great director for women. Do you want to play the role? But what I love about Scott is much â€
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and I joked about another friend saying that I love Scott. He drives me crazy, but I love him
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And, of course, Scott acted like it didn't affect him. He's like, what do you mean, drove him crazy
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But the thing I love about Scott, you get through this rehearsal process, and he's done – he loves theater
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He comes from it. Then you get to – we're done rehearsing, and then you go into previews
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And I remember being a young actor and previews going, previews have to be opening night
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Previews have to be – no, they don't. Scott has no problem going, tonight we're going to try this
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It may be the dumbest freaking thing ever or the most brilliant thing ever
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And you learn to trust that he's got the best intention of the show
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And as previews go on, you just – that trust washes over you and you know the show is okay
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So you can just literally – I can just not worry about the show. oh, I can worry about Will and my acting beats
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and my acting moments and finding the truth and things like that. And Scott will let you know. And I would do, I mean, after going through the process
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in the four weeks in the studio, I'm like, oh, my God, Scott, you're driving me crazy
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To the end of it, it's like I want to do every show ever with the man because I love, he stretches me, he challenges me
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Will's ego can get in the way, and he's like, let's get all that out of the way and let's do this thing
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which, you know, is a battle to get all these egos, all these wonderful performances
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but we all have big egos, and we all have our own insecurities
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and we want the show to be great, and he's great at just bringing that all together
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I adore him. I don't want to talk over you, but I want to say it reminds me
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realizing why this has been the least stress that I've had in a long time opening something
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and I think it's because of that security. Paul has it too, Paul Gemignani. So you'd say, but Paul, what are the keys
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I'll change it. Well, what about the temple? Well, we'll slow it down. You know, and you go, okay
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And nobody seems to be concerned Because these are people who have just been around
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They get it, they know it's not going to work They know it's going to work Even if I said, I'm going to do this, I insist on doing this
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This is the right thing Okay, try it Talk about these wonderful dual roles that you get to play
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And what you love about them Because there's so many similarities between the two of them
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And they're so different But they must be so great to play So talk about them, yeah
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Let's switch it up Go down there. Talk about your dual roles here
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I think that... I don't know. I found it fun to be able to really play different characters
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between Bill Calhoun and Lucentio. Bill and Lois' relationship
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they have their love. And he also has his love of his vice, though, and his gambling, and he doesn't want to... $10,000
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I know, that's a lot of dough. Whereas, I feel like Lucentio is a little bit of a Romeo character
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It's all love, and it's all putting it out there no matter what
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There's nothing else that's going to prevent that. Whereas, you know what, I feel that way with what
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I'm just laughing at you because, yes, you can only play love, Corbin. Oh, God
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And I'm supposed to sing every night, I hate men, based a little bit on the asshole that you're supposed to be
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And we tried to get him to make a mean face. We tried to be like, you know, he whispers to my dad about something
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and then he leaves, and I'm like, I hate men. But every night he's like, I'm just a good old guy
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So I turned to the audience and I'm like, I hate men, sort of
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Not that one. Not him. Because you're so... When we first put that bit in
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they needed me to just be an asshole to her. And I was like, I can't be an asshole to Kelly O'Hara
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It just feels weird. But then I was like, okay, okay. And I was like, no, no
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And I gave her a face and I was like... Whatever it was
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And then every time she was like, stop smiling at me. And then one night, my favorite is
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Tom, Dick, and Harry can barely talk. He's breathing so hard right before that scene
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So he turns around to give me the big, smug look, but his tooth is stuck above his leg
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Because he's so dry, he needs a drink of water. And he's like, like that
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And I mean, I had to sing the whole song. I hate men
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Needless to say, if I Hate Men ever feels like there's a lack of hatred, that's my fault
21:34
That's so funny. Oh, my God. This is right early on. We had a discussion about whether I was Lois, not me
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but Lois Lane was supposed to be good at acting. And in the reading, I made a very strong choice to not be
21:53
In that I said my first line in very hardcore iambic pentameter
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But Scott was adamant. He was like, no, you have to be good
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because even though I'm here because Fred and I have a moment motif
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or something happened in the past, he doesn't want the show to be bad
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And so I had to be relatively good. But when I think about the difference between Lois Lane and Bianca
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I don't think it's as different as some of your guys' portrayals
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because I think of the fact that I don't think Lois Lane is probably an incredible actress What I do think she is is an incredible performer because she a nightclub singer And I think that also that you know these relationships she has with men is she just one of those actresses
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that just kind of is her. Like she's charming and you love her
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And so when you see her do things, you enjoy it. And so I think that's very much how I looked at it
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And also the fact that this is like one of the only things we have in common
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is that a lot of the show you see her being like, I want to be on Broadway
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and she's, you know, being a nervous actress and she's like nervous that he's going to get her in trouble
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or like some drama that's happening backstage. But when she's on stage, she's like
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I am living my best life. Like, this is everything I want to be doing and more and same
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And so, so, so whenever like I am Bianca, I do feel it's more, it's just like Lois Lane killing it
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Like, she is like, I am on stage and I'm going to act so hard
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and I'm going to be great. so yeah I think about Bianca and the fact that she has all these guys
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but that's also Lois Lane you're playing three people you're playing yourself
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Lois Lane, Bianca anybody else in there? it's so meta, yeah, John Malkovich
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and then but I think that the other thing what I think is
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this is like a deep cut but what I love about Corbin and I
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is that we will break as Lucentio and Bianca as Lois and Bill
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so like we will be doing a scene in Shakespeare and then we're like teehee we probably just did it backstage
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and like no it's deep I want to see the show now
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well watch the wedding so I would say watch Pavane that wedding scene
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because it's right Bianca happens and I jump on him and we go into his dressing room
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and the next time you see us we're getting married and we're like I never thought of that backstory
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thank you well Chase oh me okay not nearly that interesting Scott and I early on
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when he was asking me to do it I kept saying well I want to find the differences
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because every production I've ever seen is the same meaning the Petrucho is the same as the Fred
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and it's all about the fighting and all that and I said well the love story has got to be at the forefront
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we have to believe these people are in love and so I said you know is Fred good
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what's happening? Okay, can we take it back? Yeah, fabulous. Well, Richie, the difference is..
24:56
This is SAG-After, right? Totally. Thank you, Kelly. It's like, you know
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eating bugs and things. I said, is Fred good? Is he a good director and a good actor
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And he said, yeah, we want to go that route, which I agreed with. and so
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I think Fred's one of these guys that thinks he can play any role
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and I think his Petruchio is quite good but because I like making the bombastic
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is bombasticity a word? oh the bombast of it, the Petruchio is there
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it's on the page and I wanted to not take some of that away from Fred
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but I wanted to You know, there's a lot of moments where he has to submit to her
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that I don't know that I've ever seen or I've thought about. He's putting up a front
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They're putting up this is how we communicate. We fight. But she takes him, you know, that first scene, she takes him down
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Every time that they come at each other, she kind of takes him down. And what does that do to a man's ego and all those things
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So I like the differences. I love playing them both. If I had to choose one, I don't know
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The Shakespeare stuff for me I love Unless you get to wear your black eyeliner
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I get to wear a lot of black eyeliner And tight trousers
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But anyway I like the differences Between the characters You know it's interesting that you said
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I felt like you were ending so I was going to You said you have to
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Submit to me But you will Choose to And that's the difference between I think
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is Fred and Petruchio and what's been played before. I like what Will has done because this has often been played
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in that very reason why people worry about this show, that misogyny, that dum-da-da-dum, you know, I know everything
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And as I've said about you before, Will has two grown daughters who are like, Dad, be woke, be woke right now
27:04
And, you know, Fred does love Lily. You know, we're not together
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You have every right to do whatever you want with Bianca or Lois or otherwise
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But there's a part that is more approachable and kind of even and balanced with the two people, I think
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I mean, I'm hoping. That's what I feel and that's what I want. So that by the end of it, when we say, we don't say, I'm ashamed that women are so simple
27:32
And I don't say that I'm ashamed that men are so simple. But we say, I'm ashamed that people are
27:37
and that we fight and that we want to be in charge and we seek for rule and supremacy
27:41
when the life is, everything's going to go away. We're going to lose everything anyway except love
27:47
So why don't we spend the time we have here trying, trying to love and stop arguing
27:53
Thank you, Amanda Green. And so that is based on two people who, although totally at odds with each other, ego-wise
28:02
and some of you saw us in the green room, we do this in real life too, the actual mutual respect is there
28:08
and it's safe and it's clean and it's respectful so we take each other down a notch
28:16
because we're hurting but the real kind of balance is there but to answer the question about the characters
28:26
I feel like Kate is my strong character I feel like they are different
28:31
incredibly different I think Kate gives Lily a voice. I know actresses. I'm one of them
28:40
I know women in love. I know women hurting. I've been one of them
28:48
I want Lily in this moment to be in a place of great uncertainty
28:54
She's coming back to the theater after how many years? I don't finish the sentence. I mean, I know the answer, but whatever
29:01
What is the answer? Well, that's for me. And then... No, it's not that deep
29:07
Tonight I'm going to look her right in the face. It's not that deep. I'm going to let you finish the sentence, actually
29:11
The point is that I... The point... Let the line go on
29:16
I haven't been in the theater for... You know it's going to happen
29:22
Anybody coming tonight? You know it's going to happen. Now everybody is
29:27
No, but I mean, otherwise, if she was in a different place, she wouldn't be acting out so much in the beginning
29:33
First of all, the way that Warren, and we'll get to that, but the way that Warren and Scott wanted that first number to be for me
29:38
was enough to make an actress breakdown, and I did for the first few weeks, and I still often do during the show
29:45
Whether or not you get it at all, to enter a theater, it seemed to me, it was embarrassing
29:51
because it seemed too presentationally all about me, until I started to think about it in a different way
29:59
which was, Because I'm looking at a real audience, it feels like it's so I can get entrance applause
30:06
But if I think about walking into that theater with no one in that house, but I'm looking at what it looks like to be..
30:12
The way I feel when I step onto an empty stage and look at empty seats, it's my life force. It's the blood that runs through me
30:19
I mean, I could cry right now thinking about it. So they gave me that entrance to welcome me back to the theater
30:25
And the thought of me leaving the theater for any amount of time, it hurts
30:30
the only reason we do it is because we want a better schedule and a little bit more money
30:35
but most of us just want to be here I can promise you
30:38
most of us but anyway the point of it is I think
30:42
Lily is in a place of lying to herself about how she feels
30:47
yeah yeah I'll come do your show you know we'll get more people in the audience
30:51
we'll get the backing for it because I've become a movie star empty empty you know not fulfilling
30:56
her that much but I'm back here because I want to be near you, but I'm not going to admit it. And here you are with her. It hurts. It hurts
31:03
It hurts. It hurts. Well, Kate is always played as a shrew or called a shrew because she's angry
31:09
She has every reason to be angry. She doesn't want to be married off. She doesn't want to be
31:13
whispered about. She doesn't want to have men controlling her life. She doesn't want to have a father who loves her sister more than she loves her. Kate has reason to be angry and she uses that
31:21
voice. She uses it. So whatever you want to think about that, it's shrewish. It's insane. I discount
31:27
it. I don't like it. Fine. But she has a purpose. She's not just an angry woman. So Lily gets hurt
31:35
finds out about the flowers, gets mad. Kate gives her a voice and she beats the shit out of him
31:40
And that's how I look at him. They're very different people. And actresses can be strong
31:45
and Lily will go through periods and has and will and has where she feels really good about things
31:50
But we must understand that when she starts this particular show, she's not in that place
31:54
that's why it's sometimes hard for me to come in as I'm noted and noted
32:00
meaning I've been given notes be a diva it doesn't work for me because
32:07
to walk back into a theater you don own it you got to earn your place and I been gone so to be accepted and to have the chair and everybody to accept me that what I use I use it as a welcome welcome home
32:21
That's how I saw it too and for many people who let you see it. I hope so because that's what I'm trying to feel in it
32:27
There was one night I got a bunch of notes about really taking the stage
32:31
and I walked in and I did my thing and I did the whole thing
32:34
This is previews for you when Scott's like, don't worry, just try it, just try it. So I'm doing the whole thing and I'm like this
32:40
and everyone's annoying me and what time is it? And this. And I'm like, I guess it got you the backing
32:47
You're welcome. And the whole thing. And I walked out and I said, that will never be me
32:54
So anyway, I adjust. And by the time June 30th comes, I'll have figured it out
32:58
Maybe. What is the best bit of advice that you all live by
33:03
I mean, you're at the top of your game with your lives and your career. What do you live by
33:08
What's the best advice that you live by? Can I just go off of what you just said
33:14
You say you're at the top of your game, which I disagree with
33:20
And I feel like it goes into part of what I live my life by
33:25
is that I never feel like I've won. I don't... The second I go, I'm good
33:34
I feel like I've lost. there's always something to obtain and once you get to that next step
33:43
you're always going well what's next and it is the curse of the
33:47
actor and the performer of always maybe feeling like you haven't quite
33:53
reached it yet or you're not good enough and being someone I have
33:59
obtained a level of success and there was a time in my life where I lived like a
34:05
rock star life like even during during the high school musical times where it was like i couldn't
34:09
go anywhere and we performed stadiums like 70 000 people a night like crazy crazy crazy crazy and
34:17
even after that i i i'm i'm still always going well what's what what next what what else can i do to
34:23
to to fulfill the void what what else can i do to to make sure i feeling like i i have purpose so yeah I guess so much of it is not feeling like I at the top of my game
34:39
There's always something beyond that. Yeah, there's always something new. I never want to feel like I'm at the top, I guess
34:49
Anybody else want to add to that? Well, being at the top. What else is there, Richie
34:55
I mean, no. Along those lines. I'm such a different person than you really are
35:03
He's like, I'm all jaded, but he's like the biggest sweetheart teddy bear. He's the biggest insecure
35:09
He's like, my daughter today, she was so sweet. It is about it
35:13
For me, it's about enjoying that moment, whatever that moment is. And I have to remind myself, you know, you get into this thing of, like you said, the next gig or the next job
35:22
And that's important to do that. But as I get older, it's about enjoying this night and this moment on stage or I'm at home and enjoying this time
35:33
And, you know, life seems nice and longer that way. You know, and I want to be 80 acting
35:42
I want to be I want to be challenged. And as far as acting goes, I want to keep trying to find things that challenge me
35:51
But just being in the moment and enjoying that, whatever that is, I think is the key for me
35:57
Kelly, for you. Okay. I think that I would say, I hear so much of what you're saying because that's my personality too
36:05
I will always need and want to think I need to get better and that will keep me going
36:11
But the advice I have is to have something besides this because it can be punishing
36:18
whether or not you're winning. And sometimes if you're winning, it can be more punishing
36:23
because there's pressure there. There's, oh, then I must do this or I must deserve all of this somehow
36:30
But when you look in the eyes of your loved one, your children, your best friend
36:35
your oldest friend, the one who's known you since before anything happened, whoever it is, whoever they are that make up your other
36:42
when you look into their eyes and they don need any of that from you but they need the real you For me it my children because they don care anything about the rest of this They could care less about it And I will be
36:56
doing something like this, where you're listening to me talk, and I can get a real big head about it
37:01
and then I will have a child who looks at me and says, will you wipe me? You know, whatever it is
37:06
It's like, they don't care who I am. All they know is that I'm mommy, and it puts everything
37:11
into perspective for me. It made me a better artist, definitely, because the pressure of this
37:17
ego, fulfilling it all the time, you know, I got that, you know, so there's a balance
37:23
and that's the balance is what is really important so that we can not lose ourselves
37:28
Beautiful. Stephanie, for you. I mean, I'm going to take all of this advice and just take it for myself, but I think
37:37
something with Corbin said, I'm a big proponent of, you know, dreaming big and, but working really
37:46
hard. I think things don't just happen. And that was definitely my journey here today is, you know
37:52
having those big dreams, but knowing that the road will look different than you think it's going to
37:57
be. And I know there's a great quote where they say, um, keep your eyes on the stars and your feet
38:03
on the ground, and that's something I really like to live by. And that's a quote from Newsies. Thank you
38:11
Amanda, for you. I would be lying if I told you I had one thing
38:15
I live by. It changes all the time. But I do think staying in the moment
38:19
and the day and being grateful for what is in front of you, because we have
38:23
so many gifts that we have. Being in a rehearsal room with these people was just fantastic
38:30
Hanging out with my husband and laughing is fantastic. you know, my step, you know, just being grateful for what's in front of you
38:36
I want to thank you all. I have known all of you since you all got to New York
38:40
I've seen you all in your first shows and everything else. And listen to your music. I thank you for the most beautiful afternoon
38:46
If you have not seen Kiss Me Kate, go right across the street
38:50
If you've seen it, go see it again. The company of Kiss Me Kate. Thank you
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