This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Ariana Grande: Hi, I'm Ariana Grande. Hi, I'm Cynthia Erivo, and you're listening to The Sentimental Men Podcast. Visit vpn.fm to discover more.

[0:14] Quincy Brown: You would also slay as a Shen Shen opposite Bowen?

[0:17] Kevin Bianchi: Well, that would have been the dream. As soon as I saw, obviously, Broadway and James is queen, but when I saw, I was like, no, that could have been me.

[0:30] Quincy Brown: I'm Quincy. And I'm Kevin. And this is Sentimental Men. We're here to talk and maybe scream about our favorite women in musical theater.

[0:45] Kevin Bianchi: I'm giving up my vices. I'm going back to school. Eviction or not, this year's been so hot.

[1:02] Quincy Brown: That as long as I got you, I'll go to school. What is the next part? I didn't crack the love code until you made the lock of my heart explode. It's gonna be a happy new year.

[1:15] Kevin Bianchi: Happy New Year. And happy New Year be.

[1:18] Quincy Brown: And happy Idina Menzel back on Broadway year.

[1:21] Kevin Bianchi: Quincy this month. Happy Idina back on Broadway month.

[1:25] Quincy Brown: And Kristen back on Broadway year.

[1:27] Kevin Bianchi: Wow. Wow. Wow.

[1:31] Quincy Brown: They said Ariana and Cynthia had too much space.

[1:34] Kevin Bianchi: Too much. We've held enough space for those girls.

[1:37] Quincy Brown: We're back.

[1:38] Kevin Bianchi: Give some space back to mothers.

[1:40] Quincy Brown: In my heart, what I feel thinking about our two mothers being back on Broadway is what I feel at the key change in As If We Never Said Goodbye.

[1:49] Kevin Bianchi: Literally just like, I've come home at last. That's how I feel them coming back.

[1:56] Quincy Brown: Kristen is coming back this year. That's announced and it's happening.

[1:59] Kevin Bianchi: Supposed to.

[2:00] Quincy Brown: Because yeah, it was going to be this current season and then they pushed it.

[2:05] Kevin Bianchi: At the time of recording, I'm not sure there is a theater announced, but I think it is announced that it is coming this season.

[2:12] Quincy Brown: With a Stephen Schwartz score. Happy Stephen Schwartz back on Broadway. Not that he ever left.

[2:17] Kevin Bianchi: I love also with Redwood, Idina's picture out on those doors outside the Nederlander is just like so because for however many years that picture of hers in the Seasons of Love lineup was out on one of those doors. And so I'm feeling very sentimental about Idina being back on Broadway.

[2:36] Quincy Brown: Yes. But being back at the Nederlander is truly, I'm unwell over that.

[2:50] Kevin Bianchi: I'm very excited for Redwood. There is a song and there are two songs in Redwood, one that Idina sings and one that Zach Peiser sings that slay the house down boots that I'm very excited to see live again.

[3:02] Quincy Brown: I saw you share this on Instagram a couple, at this point a couple weeks ago. But that article that was like, is this like the best Broadway season? Like all of these new shows coming to Broadway, like actually new material. And it's that this falls into that where I'm just like, yeah, it's like a new Stephen Schwartz score on Broadway in 2025. Sign me up. Idina singing a new original musical on Broadway in 2025. Sign me up.

[3:32] Kevin Bianchi: It is. I mean, I think last season was such a disaster in a lot of ways.

[3:38] Quincy Brown: The 23-24 season.

[3:40] Kevin Bianchi: Yes. Yeah.

[3:42] Quincy Brown: Yes. But it feels like we are kind of coming back. All the revivals have slayed, slayed, slayed in our event. We have so many celebrities on Broadway and we have so many new original musicals and scores on Broadway.

[3:54] Kevin Bianchi: Yes. Dead Outlaw, which I saw downtown. Maybe Happy Ending, which you must see. It's so freaking good. And I'm desperate for the cast recording because I've been listening to the Korean one. Redwood, Queen of Versailles, Boop.

[4:12] Quincy Brown: Boop.

[4:13] Kevin Bianchi: Boop.

[4:13] Quincy Brown: Although that I wouldn't put that in like the squarely original musical, but.

[4:18] Kevin Bianchi: Original score.

[4:19] Quincy Brown: Original score.

[4:20] Kevin Bianchi: By David Foster.

[4:22] Quincy Brown: Which like that also just feels like such a moment to have like a David Foster musical on Broadway. That feels like in 10 years, theater history classes will point to that as an era beginning.

[4:36] Kevin Bianchi: And there is a like musical theater canon song in that score that I am very excited to have on record again. You can go find Kat McPhee singing it on YouTube right now, though. Something to shout about. So good.

[4:50] Quincy Brown: I'm excited for Broadway this year. I think I'm going to Redwood opening night, which I'm very excited about.

[4:56] Kevin Bianchi: It's a good year to be a wicked gay.

[4:59] Quincy Brown: It's been good years to be a wicked gay.

[5:00] Kevin Bianchi: It's been good years. I know this is truly going to be our third straight year of being booked and blessed with wicked content.

[5:06] Quincy Brown: I'm sad for the day where it.

[5:10] Kevin Bianchi: Don't even say it.

[5:11] Quincy Brown: Leaves the lexicon, cultural lexicon, but maybe it won't.

[5:14] Kevin Bianchi: Say it. It won't. Not if we have anything to do with it.

[5:18] Quincy Brown: We have kind of an insane guest on today, the one and only Trisha Paytas.

[5:23] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah, Quincy, I feel like you need to tell us the origin story of how Trisha Paytas and the sentimental man came into each other's lives.

[5:34] Quincy Brown: It's 2024. Kevin and I, Kevin and I are at the Hollywood premiere of the wicked movie. We do our carpet business. We go to this like pre-party with all the like influencer types. Well, no, we're waiting in line to walk the carpet. And Trisha Paytas gets in line behind us, not directly behind us, but like we clock you back. I clock her and I immediately start. I don't get starstruck that often.

[6:02] Kevin Bianchi: It's true.

[6:02] Quincy Brown: I got very starstruck and I started to freak out to Kevin that Trisha was there. And then at the party, again, I am not one to like approach people that I don't know at parties, but that was Trisha was someone that I was like, I must talk to her. I have to take this opportunity to talk to her. So I was kind of keeping my eye on her at the party, waiting for an appropriate moment, downing my cocktails. So I had the courage to go and speak to her. And then when the level of alcohol in my system was at a good point and she was kind of cornered off sitting, doing nothing, I marched over, plopped right down next to her and started gabbing. And like we hung out for a while. Yeah, it was truly a dream come true. She was so kind and so sweet and nice and willing to have a conversation with a psycho like me. And it kind of felt like the perfect we're going to talk about this with her, but it felt like a perfect storm because little did I know she was like fully about to go full throttle on her Broadway era and New York era.

[7:03] Kevin Bianchi: That's what's crazy to me about it. Yeah.

[7:06] Quincy Brown: So that happened. And then like a couple weeks later, she was in New York City for her Beacon show and she ended up going to the Little Shop of Horrors 15,000th performance party, which I was also at. And so we got to reconnect there and hang out. And it's just all been like.

[7:24] Kevin Bianchi: Fifteen thousand? No, that can't be right.

[7:27] Quincy Brown: Fifteen hundredth. Fifteen hundredth.

[7:29] Kevin Bianchi: Okay. I was like, wait a minute. I was like, how many Audreys have I missed?

[7:35] Quincy Brown: Fifteen hundred. And so Trisha and I got to watch Sherry Renee Scott play Audrey. And she, by the way, Kevin, best duo, Sherry and Nick Christopher are the best duo I've seen in Little Shop in a very, very long time.

[7:48] Kevin Bianchi: When do they leave?

[7:50] Quincy Brown: I assume, but not like.

[7:51] Kevin Bianchi: In March.

[7:52] Quincy Brown: Yeah. Okay, good. So we still have time.

[7:53] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah. Go to the West Side Theater and see this cast of Little Shop of Horrors because they like understand the show and the material and how it needs to be played in a very real way that like.

[8:07] Quincy Brown: It was just like it brought the whole production to life. It was amazing. Vocals are amazing, but her acting was like really, really, I thought, inspired.

[8:15] Kevin Bianchi: If Sherry Renee Scott is going to give you one thing, it's a fucking performance.

[8:20] Quincy Brown: Mm hmm.

[8:21] Kevin Bianchi: She is so good. I am very excited. I've not seen this cast of Little Shop yet, but I will go after the holidays because, you know, Quincy, I love when Audrey is a capital W woman and not like an ingenue, twinkie little girl. I like a woman who's been through some shit and I feel like Sherry is going to give me that.

[8:46] Quincy Brown: Yeah, I was also I'm full campaigning to get Trisha pay this cast is Audrey Little Shop. So if that happens, no, it was my doing.

[8:52] Kevin Bianchi: I will be there.

[8:54] Quincy Brown: How would you pair Trisha?

[8:56] Kevin Bianchi: Trisha and Chris Olsen.

[8:58] Quincy Brown: And Chris Olsen.

[8:59] Kevin Bianchi: It would sell out. It would be so good. It would be such a moment. I think it's really, really smart. And now I just need the powers that be to think that as well.

[9:08] Quincy Brown: Yeah.

[9:08] Kevin Bianchi: I met Larry Owens at the Little Shop party as well. And he was like, hey, sentimental man. And then we sat down and gabbed about the wicked movie, which was really fun.

[9:16] Quincy Brown: Cute.

[9:17] Kevin Bianchi: So, yeah, we have Trisha Paytas on the pod. She is about to do her one night only Broadway extravaganza at the St. James Theater on February 3rd.

[9:28] Quincy Brown: Trisha Paytas big Broadway dream. It's sold out in five minutes.

[9:34] Kevin Bianchi: But we will have to find a way to get in there.

[9:37] Quincy Brown: Yeah.

[9:37] Kevin Bianchi: It's also streaming online, which I think is a really cool business model.

[9:41] Quincy Brown: I love cool stuff on Broadway right now.

[9:43] Kevin Bianchi: There are a lot of things I don't love about Broadway right now, but there's also like a lot of cool things happening that are attempting to push the industry forward in a much needed way.

[9:53] Quincy Brown: And this is one of them.

[9:55] Kevin Bianchi: Totally.

[9:55] Quincy Brown: Sunset's off. Let's throw Trisha Paytas up there.

[9:59] Kevin Bianchi: Perfect.

[10:01] Quincy Brown: I told her I hope she starts the show walking out in the black Nicole gown with blood dripping down.

[10:06] Kevin Bianchi: It makes me happy for Trisha to see this happening, because even just like watching her videos, if you knew nothing else about her, the detail and the care that she puts into all of her Broadway themed videos, like all of her like shot for shot smash recreations, all of her like costumes that she has recreated, like everything is so careful and so specific that it does feel like, oh, this is somebody who is going to take her one night on Broadway very seriously.

[10:42] Quincy Brown: Yes.

[10:42] Kevin Bianchi: And run with it.

[10:43] Quincy Brown: First of all, all those music videos, I can't imagine how much they cost, but there's production to them. And it's like she so clearly cares so much about like the artistry of this industry and like reveres it and holds it up and admires it. And so it's very exciting to see her really dive into the community in a cool way, even seeing her at the little shop party, all of like the New Yorkie types are coming up and gabbing with her. And it just it's exciting to see this new chapter of her life and career begin.

[11:14] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah, she's she's somebody who just like she brings all of herself to everything. And that always reads as a slay because it's always full out, full out, full out.

[11:25] Quincy Brown: All right, let's get into this combo.

[11:26] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah, let's do it.

[11:32] Quincy Brown: Trisha Paytas, thank you so much for joining us on Sentimental Men.

[11:36] Trisha Paytas: I couldn't be more excited for to be on any podcast.

[11:42] Quincy Brown: We're very excited to have you. We were talking about in our intro kind of how this started and it was born at the Wicked L.A. premiere.

[11:51] Trisha Paytas: Yes, so fitting. Kevin and I were in line. You don't know this. And then you came up behind us and I don't get starstruck often, but I saw you and I was like, I'm talking to her tonight.

[12:02] Quincy Brown: No way. So you guys were in front.

[12:05] Trisha Paytas: Yeah.

[12:06] Quincy Brown: Oh, that's so cool.

[12:07] Trisha Paytas: And I will say it started like a murmur in the entire influencer line. Like everyone's like, Trisha, that's Trisha. Trisha's here.

[12:13] Kevin Bianchi: Stop it. That's so funny because it's like Wicked's the biggest premiere in the world, like the biggest star. So I was so nervous. I've never been to a premiere. So I think at the beginning I was just like, what am I doing here? I feel so silly. Like, why am I here? But then everyone was just so nice to everybody. You know, it's like one of those carpets where everyone's just like fans and happy to be there. So it was so much fun.

[12:33] Quincy Brown: Yeah, that was definitely the vibe was it was like it felt like a big like Denny's after your high school musical. Like it was just like a bunch of theater kids happy to be there.

[12:42] Trisha Paytas: Oh, dressed up like everyone's in pink and green. Everyone was just like good vibes. Because if you were in front of me, that means you got there really early, too.

[12:49] Quincy Brown: Like, it was like, what, 330. We were there for.

[12:53] Trisha Paytas: 332 on the button.

[12:55] Quincy Brown: I had a friend who was walking the later carpet. And he was like, Oh, what time are you getting there? And I said, 330. And he was like, Oh, I didn't know it was open.

[13:03] Trisha Paytas: No, see, my my co host of my podcast, he's entertainment tonight. And he's like, Oh, they're not even getting there till four to be on the carpet. I'm like, well, I'm getting there at 330. So I take it I would get there at one o'clock if it meant rocking the carpet. I didn't care, you know.

[13:16] Kevin Bianchi: Happy to be included. Yes. Wait, so that was your first ever premiere. That's crazy to me.

[13:20] Trisha Paytas: I've never been to premiere. I've never been invited. It was my first ever. It was like, yeah, I was so nervous. I didn't know. I didn't know what it was like. And all the people who were there, like if you've been to premieres, obviously, you know, but they all told me like, they're not all like this because it was like chaos. The Wicked premiere was like chaos, but in the best way.

[13:35] Quincy Brown: It's huge.

[13:36] Trisha Paytas: Yeah, it was just like lines and so many people and so many. Yeah, it was it was my first ever. I love it.

[13:41] Kevin Bianchi: Even the like whole stretch of carpet was crazy.

[13:44] Trisha Paytas: Well, I just thought they all were like that. Everyone was telling me like, no, they're usually like really short and stuff. I just well, they must all be like this.

[13:50] Quincy Brown: We had no idea what to expect because we're like New York. And I was like, I'm a little nervous to enter this like L.A. scene. And you hear all the stereotypes and but everyone was so nice.

[13:59] Trisha Paytas: Oh, yeah, that's so interesting. So was there was a New York one, but were people just like not invited to that one?

[14:05] Quincy Brown: It wasn't like as much fanfare as all of the other ones. It was very like Anna Wintour hosted it at the MoMA and it was very closed down. There was no like fancy carpet.

[14:14] Trisha Paytas: Yeah, which is also just like New York. We just like don't have the space to do something as big as that L.A. premiere was. So, yeah, I'm very grateful that we all got to go to that one.

[14:24] Kevin Bianchi: That's so cool. So are you guys like so how long has this podcast been going? Because I was just like, obviously, I just met Quincy at the premiere and I was in Kevin and I was just like, we I didn't even know this was like a thing. I'm like, and I don't know how because I love everything wicked. I'm like, how did I not know about this?

[14:38] Quincy Brown: We started it in the pandemic. We both worked in Broadway and then when Broadway shut down, we were unemployed. So I came home to Hawaii and Kevin stayed in New York and we were just like texting each other stupid musical theater things every day. And I was like, I jokingly said we should start a podcast where we interview Alphabuzz and Glindas. And then Kevin took it very seriously.

[15:01] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah, I was like, give me 24 hours and I'll come back with a name, a plan, a guest list.

[15:04] Trisha Paytas: Oh, wait, that's so cool. And you guys interviewed, obviously, the newest Alphabuzz and Glindas, which was like, I was looking at like, damn, that's wild because they don't do like any podcast interviews. Congrats on everything. It's so cool.

[15:14] Quincy Brown: Yeah, I mean, it's all Ariana. Ariana is like so kind and nice and a theater fan herself. So I think like was in it with us.

[15:22] Trisha Paytas: Yeah, she seems to be the common thread. Everyone I talked to, I had Bowen on my podcast. Everyone's like, Ariana makes it happen. And so that's like really cool.

[15:30] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah. Okay, so what was your experience at the movie premiere? Did it live up to your expectations?

[15:35] Trisha Paytas: Yeah, I got to see it a month prior at a screening they had here in LA. So I actually like already got to see it.

[15:39] Quincy Brown: Oh, so we did the one in New York.

[15:42] Trisha Paytas: Yeah. That was the coolest experience because it was like 20 people there. And it was just like so cool. So you could really hear everything. The premiere, there was what 1300 people there. So like, they were cheering and everything. And it was great. But you couldn't hear like those like one liners. And so I got to see it beforehand. So I already knew I was gonna love the movie. Oh, but the actual premiere, like you said, it's just like something in the air. We got there early. We got there like three hours before the stars, obviously. But it was still like, you could feel it in the air. And I was just excited. It just felt magical. It felt like we were a part of it, right? It just feels like totally they knew, like I said, I've never been invited to a premiere. So they knew I was like a super fan. And there were so many other super fans there. So really just felt special, like you're being rewarded for being a wicked fan for all the years. It was really cool.

[16:26] Kevin Bianchi: Which I think is a good thing about the marketing campaign in general is they've like really leaned into the like true fans of the musical. And I don't think they needed to, you know?

[16:31] Trisha Paytas: Yeah, they didn't have to like some of the Do you know, is it follow the yellow brick girl and the Oswald? Do you know those two? Yeah, yeah, they were they got to interview all the stars. And I thought that was so cool. Because I was like, wow, they actually took people who are like fans to like get to interview all the like celebrities rather than just like random influencers that don't care about wicked, right? Which is nice, too, because then it's like, not to like to our harm, but like you're saying, like the Oswald and all these other, it's like they're asking questions that like your typical news outlets are not asking. Yes. And so it's like, and for something like this, where it's like this movie feels like such a gift to the people who love the show so much. It's great that we're like getting content tailored to us. And it's not just like, well, what's it like working with Cynthia? It's like, no, tell us like, tell us what the bubble was like. Tell us what? Yes. What lines almost got cut? Tell us this. Tell us the other thing. Yeah, which was like the coolest part. Yeah. Like you said, nobody else would ask those questions. And I thought it was like, so cool. The bubble stuff was very cool to see that on screen. I was like, wow, that's pretty cool.

[17:30] Trisha Paytas: That's my favorite part. Okay, wait. So let's rewind. How did what is your first touchpoint with wicked the musical? How did it come into your life?

[17:40] Trisha Paytas: So I was kind of late to it. I didn't see like the original cast. I wish I would have. I do remember my very first was Megan Hilty as Glynda. I do remember that.

[17:49] Quincy Brown: Mine too. Yeah. Did you see? So good. And that was before smash, I think. Right. So I wasn't familiar with her, but I remember going to my playbill and seeing who my Glynda was. And I was like, oh my gosh, because I remember I fell in love with Glynda. You know, of course, that was like, you know, the thing. And so that was my first. But then I saw a bunch here in L.A. It's here at the Pantages now, too. So I saw Ashley Parker Angel as Fiero. I saw Adam Lambert as Fiero. So I thought a lot of tours and I only I've only gotten to see it at the in New York, maybe like a few times, like a handful of times. But that was my first introduction. And I remember just being like blown away because, you know, I love musicals. But Wicked is just and I tell people this even after the movie, because we're going to go see it here at the Pantages next week, is like the stage production is the movie is amazing, right? Because it's a movie. But the stage production gives all that because my husband's never seen it. And he's like, I wonder how they do Dr. Dillamond like on stage, you know, but you have to see it because it's so cool. Like you can't even imagine if you haven't seen it. And wow. So your husband's first experience with Wicked was the movie. Yeah. Yes. The premiere. Yeah. So he was like cosplaying and singing with me. But he like has like as long as your mind, he has no idea where it fits in. Like he doesn't know anything. He's just like going with it. But he loved it. He loved it. He's not a musical person. And he was like, this is the best movie I've ever seen. He like loved it.

[19:07] Quincy Brown: You are such a musical fan and all of the content you put out these like highly, highly produced music video recreations of Broadway shows. What gave you that bug? Yeah. Like, have you always been a theater girly?

[19:21] Trisha Paytas: Always musicals have always been my thing. My very first one I saw was on Broadway was Producers in like 2003 at the St. James. And I love so I got to see Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane. Yeah. Isn't that crazy? Your first Broadway show? Yeah. I know. I was trying to think about it. I was like, what was my first Broadway show? I have goosebumps. Right. Wild. Because I've only ever seen one other show. Something rotten there. So I was like, wait, my first one, St. James. Yeah. Wild. And I fell in love, of course, again, because I wasn't blonde growing up. I was brunette. But I always loved like Britney Spears, Marilyn. So Ula from Producers. I was like, I want to be her, you know. So I just liked these shows because I wanted to be in them. So I saw Little Shop and I was like, I want to be Audrey, you don't get saved. So I would see myself in characters. And I was just like, I love it. So those were like my first introductions was Producers. And then my first movie was like Little Shop at like seven or eight. And I was obsessed with it. I just like the fantasy. I just like to like the idea of like getting to be in another world, whether I'm watching it or pretending to be in it. Like it's just such an escape. And I think that's why everyone loves Wicked, because it's so fantasy and escape and everyone like relates to it. And it's like, oh, I wish, you know, I wish that could be me.

[20:28] Quincy Brown: You know, we're going to get into your Broadway era that you're entering. Yeah. But just like when you were younger and thought about your future career and aspirations, what was the dream for you? Because you have such a fascinating trajectory. You know, I wanted to act and sing and dance, but I think I got discouraged by so many like I never got casted in community theater. Like I just was never like good enough. So I think I just got discouraged. So I kind of switched it once reality TV came around to being like famous. I was like, oh, I just want to be famous. You know what I mean? Just I wanted to perform, but I didn't know how it would work if I if people wouldn't like, you know, cast me based on my abilities. So I just kind of pivoted. And then YouTube came around when I was 18. And that's when I started. So it was really early on. It was like the first year of YouTube I got on. And I think my first year I sang popular. There's a video of me in 2006 singing popular and I'm like super tan. Yeah, just in a pink sequined dress. And I really thought even back then I was like, maybe if someone sees me on YouTube, like they'll cast me like I wanted to be Glinda in the show. And I in my head, my delusion, I was like, I could be her. You know what I mean? And so I put out those videos. I probably have 30 popular videos out there right now of me singing because I thought like maybe somebody will cast me not knowing what it takes obviously to be on Broadway as Glinda. But it was a dream. It was a dream. Were you guys performers too?

[22:00] Kevin Bianchi: I have a BFA in musical theater.

[22:01] Trisha Paytas: Oh, oh, I sure do have a BFA. I don't use it anymore, though.

[22:04] Quincy Brown: Are you like a singer?

[22:05] Trisha Paytas: I can sing. Yeah, I would not call my if you can say you're saying that's already I know you're good. I'm so in awe of people who sing. I really am. That's why I love Broadway, too. Because people who sing are just like, I mean, like, they're just I mean, it's like, it's like another world. You know what I mean? Like, I don't know how they have that talent, like Sidney and Ariana. They're just like, how can you even do that? It's crazy.

[22:16] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah, I feel that way watching dancers, too. So I'm just like, your ability to do like to move your body in a way that tells me something is so like, crazy and impressive to me.

[22:27] Trisha Paytas: Dancers are like the unsung heroes, because they're in the ensemble. And so a lot of people would think like background, whatever, and maybe not even as appreciated as like monetary compensation. But there's there really are the talent, like the like, heartbeat of the show, they make everything feel full. And they also give their all even if they're not like the star of the scene. It's like I love dancer, I wish I could have been like a backup dancer, ensemble dancer or something. It would have been like a dream. I love them.

[22:50] Kevin Bianchi: Did you see Death Becomes Her when you were in New York?

[22:53] Trisha Paytas: Yes, my fave.

[22:54] Kevin Bianchi: Megan Hilty.

[22:55] Trisha Paytas: Yeah, I got to meet her backstage. I was like shaking and I never shake. I don't shake with anybody. And I shook when I met her because I just she's kind of my she kind of might be my Broadway icon forever. Like I think she's my number one, because I just loved her as Ivy. I saw her as Glinda. And then seeing her Death Becomes Her still just being absolutely amazing was Yeah, she was so nice. She was so nice. I was like, I was so shocked the night we were there. Catherine McPhee was there too. So I saw her backstage.

[23:22] Kevin Bianchi: Oh, it was that night?

[23:23] Trisha Paytas: Yeah.

[23:25] Quincy Brown: With the Smash Girls?

[23:26] Trisha Paytas: Yeah, it literally was like, they're like, there's two VIPs here. And I was like, oh my god. So then I was like waiting. I saw David Foster and Catherine McPhee. I was way too shy. I was like, I'm not saying it. I was like hiding actually. I was like, I shouldn't be back here. I was I was starstruck. I was because Smash is my all time favorite. I love Smash.

[23:43] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah, same.

[23:44] Trisha Paytas: So good. Quincy, are you so did you go to college for theater too?

[23:48] Quincy Brown: No, I performed in high school and college. I was on a theater scholarship in college. So I had a minor in it. But I majored in marketing and advertising. Because I knew I didn't want to do like the performer performer thing. But I just loved theater so much.

[24:00] Trisha Paytas: That's so interesting. As someone who's like a non performer doesn't prefer to perform. What did you love about it?

[24:05] Quincy Brown: It's interesting. Because as I grew up, I realized that like, I actually don't enjoy performing. It was because it gives me a lot of anxiety. But it was just giving me another entry point into this art form that I loved so much. I think there's like, you can't really beat the live theater experience. It's so visceral. And I also just love belting women. I find it so exciting.

[24:27] Trisha Paytas: Death Becomes Her is the belting women. That is like, it's just chills. You just start crying. I wish I could belt if I could do one thing it'd be to belt that's it's just like Nicole Scherzinger on Sunset Boulevard. I saw her too. And I was just like, I just don't understand how that's possible. It's crazy.

[24:45] Kevin Bianchi: You should do a Death Becomes Her music video.

[24:48] Trisha Paytas: I would love I would do everything for the gays is that I love that number. It's so fabulous.

[24:54] Quincy Brown: Wait, that'd be so perfect.

[24:56] Trisha Paytas: That would be perfect.

[24:57] Quincy Brown: I was gagging. I was like, I wanted to like be a part of it so bad. That's might be the one number besides producers keep it gay. Like that's like one number I want to be a part of so bad. I was just like, that's so good. I will maybe I will.

[25:08] Trisha Paytas: When she came out in that rainbow flag, like, like the fringy I was I was gasping and screaming in my seat.

[25:16] Quincy Brown: I same.

[25:17] Trisha Paytas: Speechless.

[25:18] Quincy Brown: No, that show is actually maybe the best show I've seen. Obviously, besides Wicked and like my whole life, I think that's my favorite show. If they made a movie musical of that, I would my mind would explode. It's so good. It's and I have to be honest, I never had seen Death Becomes Her like the original movie. I know that's crazy and blasphemous.

[25:36] Trisha Paytas: Yeah.

[25:36] Quincy Brown: I only watched it when the musical became a thing.

[25:38] Trisha Paytas: Well, now that's what I'm going to do too. We're going to watch it tonight. It's like, oh, Bruce Willis and Meryl Streep. Okay, Goldie Hawn. Yeah, I'll watch it. But I never I never saw it. But now I'm obsessed.

[25:46] Trisha Paytas: You're gonna love it. It's one of my top three favorite movies of all time.

[25:50] Quincy Brown: Yeah, people like loved it. I always thought it was like kind of scary by the movie poster. So I never watched it. But after seeing the musical, but can I tell you, I do love a musical almost better than the original source material, you know, like Legally Blonde. I prefer the musical.

[26:04] Kevin Bianchi: Ooh, that's a spicy take.

[26:06] Quincy Brown: Okay, so take us back to the first time you saw the Wicked movie. What were you most excited and nervous about? And then what were the surprises that happened in the movie for you?

[26:16] Trisha Paytas: I think because I'm so not maybe educated or cultured, like a lot of theater kids are like, I'm not, I love theater, but I'm not into like deep cuts. You know what I mean? I'm not like, oh, this should be that. So I'm there. I went in very just like, happy to be there. Just be like, I'm glad they gave us a movie. So I wasn't too like, critical of it. You know what I mean? I was like, I'm just happy for anything. I love the Dear Evan Hansen movie. I was like, this, this is everything. And I know a lot of people are not happy with it. So I, you know, they cut a lot of songs and like, right, you know, whatever, I get it. But Wicked, I mean, they kept all the songs in right for Act One, they had every single song in there, which right away, I was like, amazing. You know, the first the first shot, obviously, when you're when they see, you know, you're in the land of Oz, and you see Glinda and her bubble that was, you already knew it was gonna be so good. But I think it's like in the stage version with Defying Gravity and The Wizard and I, which are like two of the best songs. I think the movie just gave you this, like, it opened up because in the stage version, they're just on stage, like basically by themselves, which is amazing, because their voices are amazing. But getting to see like, you know, her walk through the fields and like, really just like Defying Gravity being 30 minutes long, basically, like, it was, it was so good. I was like, that's what we needed. And that's what we'd like to miss so much. And I think I cried, I cried in the screening, I definitely cried. I went by myself because there wasn't room for a plus one. So I went by myself. And I was like, sobbing. I was just like, it was, I don't know, it's just so much more emotional. Like, I love the musical, and it makes me cry at the end for sure. But I think every scene made me cry. I don't know, just seeing also like knowing, like how much everyone wanted to be there. It's just I don't know. Yeah, I also wanted to be a part of it. I was like, damn, I wish I could have been in this movie. So I was crying because of that. I was crying because they were in it. There was just a lot of tears and emotion. But it was the best. I came home and I was like, chills, happiest day of my life. Like, everything just felt right. It was it was amazing. Wouldn't change a thing, honestly. I was so happy that we were able to see like a smaller screening before the premiere, because at the premiere, I was so focused on trying to like, be at the premiere and like, remember that experience and like, be present for it that I like feel like I barely watched the movie at the premiere compared to how much attention I was paying in that first smaller screening.

[28:38] Kevin Bianchi: Because the first smaller screening, too, I agree. The first screening was like 20 people really cushy chairs. So you're like in these cushy chairs. We were, you know, again, happy to order. Yeah. Yeah. Orders. They had drinks. This one is like smaller. You're kind of like cattled in there. You're in fancy outfits. So it's like I was uncomfortable in my dress. Like everything was just a little uncomfortable. So, yeah, the first time I went in like a jumpsuit, it was more casual. So I do recommend seeing it multiple times. We saw it in theaters like about a week ago, and it was like a different experience there because now you're seeing it with just like, you know, everybody, people who don't know Wicked, whatever, and getting to experience like other people just getting excited about things because the premiere was wild in the sense everybody's applauding everything, which is great. It's so fun. But getting to see it with people who maybe aren't as super fans was still fun because you could see what they got excited about, too, and what gave everybody chills because people were applauding in ours just here, AMC. They were like applauding after Wizard and I. And again, they're not like theater people, you could tell, but they would applaud after Wizard and I popular and Defying Gravity. And it was really cool. I was like, wow, that's cool. Like non-super fans are doing that, too. Yeah. There is like a communal feeling that this movie is bringing out. I was in Madrid a couple of weeks ago and I went to go see it. And before the movie started, someone stood up and turned around and said, hola, chicas y gays. And everyone started clapping.

[30:00] Trisha Paytas: That's such a good intro. I'm going to say that for my podcast, chicas y gays. It's so good. And that's that's what we all need is that space, you know, to all be together and just celebrate something. I can't wait. The musical The Sing Along comes out next week. I already got tickets for that. I was like, I can't wait to see. I know I got to go. Those are going to be nuts. Those are going to be nuts. But honestly, I'm so glad they're doing it because who doesn't want to sing along, you know? Yeah. And it feels like like why not if they're giving it to us? Like why not go to a sing along and like misbehave a little bit? You know what I mean? Like a rowdy type of fun to to go to a sing along. And everyone is belting as if they're like the best singers in the world. That's what I can't wait for. They're so I cannot wait. I've been to them before for like Grease. They've done sing alongs like I've been to them and I love them so much. So I think Wicked is going to be wild. There were singers in the theater when we went to see it at AMC. There were people singing and it is a little annoying, but were people shushing them? Yes. Yes. People were like, shh. But it happens even when we go to Pantages, people sing a lot like it always happens. People are just like, wow. Yeah, it's weird. It's only in L.A. New York audiences are a lot more. They know the etiquette here in L.A. They'll just sing to like anything. Yeah. Have there been parts of the movie as you've seen it more and more that stick out or that you didn't notice the first time? There's so many little things I feel like, especially when they go to shiz, like there's because, you know, it was a set, which I didn't know. I didn't know until I saw behind the scenes. But it's like this, you know, they have so many like little pieces. I think it was Ethan Slater who said there were so many like little like nooks and crannies that they were like discovering when they were filming it. So watching it back, I could see all the little like areas that people were like popping out of and stuff, which I thought was really cool. So just seeing like those kind of details, I appreciated dancing through life like I seeing that again because I saw behind the scenes of them rehearsing. I was like, wait, I didn't even realize like the movement of the circles and the jump. I didn't realize how acrobatic it was. I didn't fully appreciate that. So getting to see behind the scenes and then watching it again, it's kind of like, wait, there's so much happening in this scene. It was it was really it was really cool. I do keep going back to the choreography because obviously it's happening and you see it. But then when you really pay attention to it in the movie, it's like, oh, shit, this is intense. It's so intense. But there's a reason it goes viral. Every dance is going viral on TikTok, you know, from the you know, what is this feeling to dancing through life? There was like another one that went viral. Oh, the girl with the bob. Yes. You know, have you seen that one? What is it feeling with her for it? Yeah. Like that's what I'm saying. Everyone pays attention. She's killing it. The girl with the bob is now very viral and having a moment. Yeah, she's having a moment. And that's what I love, especially about the choreography. I just saw Lin-Manuel Miranda called out. I think I think he was talking with the choreographer and he was saying like how the nail choreography looks like in the heights. Did you see that one? Yes, I clocked. Yeah. Yeah. He's like, that was very familiar in the height. So I love stuff like that because I would never I wouldn't you know, I wouldn't have noticed. So I thought I think that stuff's interesting. I like what the choreography to the third time I saw it, I left feeling like, oh, so much of the choreography, not as a whole, but like the individual moves are kind of like animal in nature. Like there's so much like which then to then think of like, oh, they're in this universe where animals are equals becoming less equal to them and still they're moving like animals or like this that they do in the Oz dust is so like chicken. Oh, interesting. It's it's such smart choreography.

[33:22] Kevin Bianchi: It is that kind of stuff. You're so right. I just noticed, too, we saw when the clock I think it's like during the time when like NASA flies through the air and the clock kind of comes down and there's like animals underneath it. Like I never knows. I was like the wizard and then there's like animals. I was like so stuff like that. I didn't really get either. But the choreography so good. I just saw one today. I forgot who the Fiero was, but it's during a stage production and he does like the little like scarecrow arms on Glinda. Yeah. I think that was Sebastian Arcelus. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, I've never seen anyone do that. I was like, did he just put that in himself because it was so good. It's so smart. But people who see those little things like Fiero, like a corn on. I'm like, how do people notice that? Like, I didn't notice that. But but my husband knew he's like, I feel like he's going to be the scarecrow. I'm like, no, that because I didn't know when I first saw the stage production. I had no idea. But people are like, well, it's so fascinating seeing people be gagged by discovering that because you forget that. Oh, some people don't know Wicked and the story of it. Yeah. I guess this should be a spoiler alert, but I feel like it is something that's out there. I didn't know when I saw the play. I remember being like, well, my mind was blown when people start turning into the Tin Man. And I was like, well, that's such a cool connection. It's really cool how they did it. And the Oz thing, when I saw it in Madrid before the movie starts, they play like this Star Wars screen roller of text that explain the story of the Wizard of Oz and where we are in the journey right before No One Mourns the Wicked starts. Does the world not have this cultural context of what the Wizard of Oz is? I don't think so. I don't think they do. At least not to the extent. Right. Then it makes sense. Did you see Whoopi Goldberg said that she was trying to get the rights to Wicked back in the 90s? Did you see that? I saw that. And Demi Moore was going to play Elphaba in like a non-musical version of the movie. That would have been so it's crazy. It's been around for so long because I actually haven't read the book. So that's what I'm saying. I'm not too deep into it because people were saying the books are like super sexual. And I was like, I have no idea. It's so different from the stage. Stage shows essentially just like took the idea of the book and then did everything. I had no idea it made it PG. OK, so it's not PG. The book is R-rated? Very sexual. The book is like a heavy PG-13. Like at school, the kids were coming in with the book after they saw the movie. And I'm like, like your parents probably should not have bought this book for you, an 11-year-old. That's good to know, though, because I was going to buy the books, too. And I was just like, wait, that's kind of good. I mean, I like it as an adult. I think that's interesting. It would be an interesting read. Yeah. Yeah. It's like, who's who's hooking up? The students? Like, who is it? It's so interesting to me. But I like it. I like the wholesome version, though. I like Wicked because it is so wholesome.

[36:00] Kevin Bianchi: Well, that's why it's like kind of problematic that they're wrapping the book with Cynthia and Ariana now, because people are going to think it's like that story. And it's very much not.

[36:04] Trisha Paytas: Oh, are they doing that? That's crazy. Like the movie poster on the book.

[36:07] Kevin Bianchi: Oh, they should maybe, yeah, like do like a watered down version for that. But Kevin was saying, because it feels like this movie is going to spur like a Marvel cinematic universe of Wicked movies. And what if they did like musical adaptations of the other books in the Wicked series that Gargan Maguire wrote?

[36:22] Trisha Paytas: Oh, interesting.

[36:27] Kevin Bianchi: Maybe all three of us could be in one of those movies. Maybe there's time for us still.

[36:31] Trisha Paytas: I would do I would be a goat. I would be whatever. I don't care what I would. I'll wave a little fool up at Ariana Grande.

[36:46] Quincy Brown: I mean, like, you would be so cute in it, actually. No, actually, that'd be so cute. Maybe you never know if they do. If they do more, that'd be.

[36:53] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah, I think everybody would be so excited to be in it. We're all auditioning. We're all sending our tapes in.

[37:00] Trisha Paytas: Yeah. You come out of retirement for performing.

[37:03] Quincy Brown: Yeah. For Wicked, I would. What are your thoughts and feelings about the second part of the movie? What are you hoping for?

[37:06] Trisha Paytas: I just know. I just know it's going to be even better. You know what? Part two is where all the excitement happens, where the reveals come in. I mean, it's kind of sad. I mean, act two is like the saddest act. But but I think all I mean, all the bangers in act one, everyone knows, right? The popular and Defying Gravity. Well, I just feel like the songs back to are underrated. I mean, everyone loves as long as your mind, of course. But like, I just think like for good, like I think people are going to really like get into it more with the final one and the two new songs, which I think is I'm down for it. I like the idea of two new songs being added in. You know, that's so smart. So much happens in act two that like, yeah, let's throw a couple songs in to help clarify. Get some more. Yeah, that's true, too, because I said the word for it clarifies great because the first time seeing it on stage, it is sometimes you're a little confused, like there's so much happening. What is happening? So I know it's going to be beautiful. Just that that one shot we've seen of Glinda getting married. I was just like, oh, that looks so good. Like I'm but we haven't seen hardly anything of anyone else. So it's it'll be interesting to see. I'm so excited. I wish I hope they do an early screening like January for people because I want to see it so bad. Right. I just can't wait. It should be almost done at this point. You know, do you think it is? I'm sure it's done. Right. Or no, they've had it in the can for so long. I imagine. Yeah. Yeah. I actually wonder like that's interesting when you're you film two movies at a time and they're releasing separately. It's like did they all like stop working on the second one to focus on the release of of part one? I wonder why they're not because they're done filming, filming, right? Like done. Yeah. So that is a good question. I also wonder if they like hold the edit to like see the response to the first movie and then that informs how they edit and put together the second movie. You know, that's probably it. Yeah. I think you're probably right. How they react to characters like maybe there's some that they like more than others. Yeah, that is interesting. That's good, though. That means they listen to fan feedback and stuff because I personally wouldn't change anything, but I do hear the criticism out there and some bad ones. I loved everything. I'm so simple like I don't know that kind of stuff, like the lore of it. But I do understand like when people like, oh, I like this or it should have been this or whatever. My only critique is maybe Fiero should have been wearing white pants during Dancing Through Life. I was very sad those weren't there.

[39:20] Trisha Paytas: Yes, I agree. But there's white pants in the I'm not that girl for a scene.

[39:25] Kevin Bianchi: We did get the white pants. Yeah, but not enough close ups of them. His little hip shaking and it would have been so good, though. That's my favorite. All the Fiero's wearing that when they jump on the little like statue on the stage production. It's like so good. I was like, I always wanted to do a remake of it. It just would be so hard because there's so many characters and voices and then it's really long. So to do like a remake video shot by shot, even if the stage production was going to be like so hard.

[39:49] Trisha Paytas: Well, have you ever seen Cher doing all the parts in West Side Story? Yeah, that was my inspo for Suddenly Seymour. She's like, of course I have seen this. Yeah, I saw it as a little girl and I was like, I want to do that. I want to play all the parts. That for Dancing Through Life would slay for you. There's a lot of parts. There's a lot of parts in it. I would do it, though. I would do it because I love that. It's my favorite song in the stage production. I loved it in the movie, too. But I do think Cynthia and Ariana, obviously, like, I don't know. I just liked it because there's so much happening in it. It's such a production number. But I obviously in the movie Defying Gravity was like bigger than life. It was crazy. Oh, see, the movie gave me a newfound appreciation for Dancing Through Life because I've always just been kind of like fine on it on the stage. Yeah. And something bad. And I'm not that girl hit for me in the movie. I'm not that girl hit because I kind of almost kind of don't remember it in the stage production in the first half. I remember the second half and I was kind of like, oh, and then oh, God. And that one I was like, chills. I do. And everyone's seeing that one on TikTok right now, too. And it's so beautiful. People dissecting the lyrics on TikTok have been really cool, specifically Dancing Through Life, when he's like, what is the one where it's like, you know, when we all become dust is what it comes to, where it's like nothing matters and knowing nothing matters. Yeah. And they're like, wait, he's actually so sad. He's singing about, like, his demise and how it just it's just, you know, and then like that is tragic and everyone's just like happy and dancing. And well, and I love it, too, because then later, right before I'm not that girl, when Elphaba says, like, no, like, I see you're so unhappy, like, and it's just like, oh, because she's listening to him. Everyone else is looking at him and seeing the smile, seeing the swivel hips. Yeah. She's hearing the words he's saying. And she's like, nah, like, this guy is sad. Yeah. Very sad. Like in the movie, everyone's dancing around him and they cut to Elphaba just kind of like staring at him, which is a very beautiful she's seeing him. Yeah. That made so much more sense, their connection to me from the movie, you know what I mean? Because in the second half, you're kind of like, well, I kind of just switched fast, you know, but in the movie, you just see it so much more throughout the whole thing than like just constantly like looking at each other, thinking about that night, you know, all that stuff like that. I was like, oh, I get the connection like so much more there.

[42:00] Trisha Paytas: As long as your mind is going to do things to me. I know I'm already crying. That's my favorite, favorite, favorite. I just I can't even imagine it's so good. I just they're literally the perfect the perfect Fiero and Elphaba for that. I just it's going to be so good. I can't wait to see it. It is insane how good the casting is in this movie for every part, like an all star cast. There's just no one that could have been better for all the roles, even Jeff Goldblum, who people were like a little even me at the beginning. I was like, that's kind of an odd choice for the wizard. But Kevin was all in on Jeff Goldblum. He ate so hard. I was kind of like I liked him. I love love that man. He's the best. I'm excited to see him in part two.

[42:36] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah, him and Michelle will have so much more to do in part two.

[42:40] Trisha Paytas: Michelle was so fierce. I think that would have been my favorite. That would have been my character. I would have loved to play in this movie as Madame Marble. Like she's so fierce with the scene with the monkeys flying. That was just she's fierce. I loved her.

[42:51] Quincy Brown: You would also slay as a shen shen opposite Bowen.

[42:54] Trisha Paytas: Well, that would have been the dream. As soon as I saw obviously, Broadway and James is Queen. But when I saw I was like, no, that could have been me.

[43:02] Kevin Bianchi: I like seeing so much body like positivity, like just like different body images, because in the past, I don't think you would have seen that. And so like, for me, that seems like, oh, I could have actually been in this movie without having to be like a size zero. You know what I mean? So it was cool. The teachers were different sizes. Like I appreciate that just because I'm bigger, obviously, and I like to perform. And you never see characters that are just performers that are isn't about weight or anything like that. So I loved I love shen shen in this movie. I thought it was so good. And yeah, I think they were both really good because the characters kind of get lost in the stage production, but I don't even know their names. Honestly, what shen shen and Fanny Fanny. Yeah, I didn't even know I heard Bowen talking about Fanny being sent foster originally. I didn't know that was the name. But they crushed they were my favorite even before I met Bowen. I said it on my podcast. I was like, his lines were so funny. And I thought Broadway and James like they were really good. It's in their characters because the stage production they get kind of lost in the movie. They were really good.

[44:02] Quincy Brown: You told me at the little shop party that Fanny and shen shen confirmed are in part two.

[44:05] Trisha Paytas: They are confirmed. He said on my podcast, I think I can say it. But yeah, he's like, he's like, we're definitely in part two. I was like, I thought they were done after shiz in the stage production. You like never again, I didn't read the books, but apparently in the books, I guess they like are in there more. But yeah, he's like, they're definitely coming back for part two. And I was like, that's, that's tea. That's so good. I'm so happy for them.

[44:19] Kevin Bianchi: Like, what is that evolved to do they become like Glinda's palace workers?

[44:23] Trisha Paytas: Must be that's I think, like her court. Yeah, like her people that are just like around her, which is interesting, because it's like what she loses Elphaba. So then filling that hole, she like goes back to her flaky friends that maybe don't mean as much to her, right? He had said that they had gotten a lot of hate on those characters. And I was like, well, they're kind of characters you're not supposed to like. I mean, they're not like, yeah, they're not good people. So it makes sense. So yeah, to go back, like you said, it's interesting, because, you know, her character arc will be different with them, which is good. It will be interesting. I just like to see the depths of all the characters, you know, I think it's Bach in part two, I think will be so good, because we didn't see much of him in the first part. So I love a little more Bach in the first part. Kind of same, right? I because I love him so much in the stage production, he adds so much to it. So I thought they could have used more of him. But it'll be interesting. Because I think part two, I love when he like, I love his song in part two, you know, when he's already the Tin Man, and he's like gonna go kill the witch. I like he's so aggressive. I can't wait to see it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. For once, I love being heartless. And it's like, I'll be heartless killing her. Like, I love it. I joke that Dina and Kristen got more screen time in the movie than Bach, but I think it kind of might be true.

[45:36] Trisha Paytas: I think they may have.

[45:36] Kevin Bianchi: For sure. For sure. I wonder why that's such interesting.

[45:42] Trisha Paytas: The second or third time I watched it, I noticed like, with Ethan, and even with some of the other characters, it's like, we didn't even see visually see Ethan singing Bach's big note in the Let's Dance. Oh, really? Do they cut away? It cuts away to Nessa Rose. And it's like, so it's like, even that it's like, even when he's on screen, we're like, not, we weren't like seeing a lot of Ethan Slater. And so I'm excited, like for Wicked Witch of the East, like his like, for Bach to like, blow up before that song. And like, you're just like her, you're just as wicked as she is. Like, yeah, I am. I'm sure that too. That's why I'm kind of, I'm kind of surprised he didn't do more of a build up because it will be like, all of a sudden, Act Two is like this big character. And it's like, where was he in Act One? So it is. Maybe it was like an artful directorial choice to communicate to audiences how none of the characters see Bach in Part One. Oh, well, that's tea, because that is true.

[47:06] Kevin Bianchi: I just saw I just saw some video, some TikTok or something that was saying how like, you almost have to watch Wicked Part One as Glinda's point of view, because it's like her memory. And so then like, that would explain like, yeah, Bach would not be part of her memory. Because she ignores him. And so I could totally see I think that makes a lot of sense.

[47:23] Trisha Paytas: That makes sense. And then he shows that more because would Act Two then be more just like, we're watching it in real time. Whereas Part One, we're seeing Glinda's memories of these events.

[47:30] Kevin Bianchi: That's why I like conversations like these, because like, it's stuff I wouldn't think about. And I was like, wait, that's so smart. And it's so true. That is actually so true. That makes sense. Yeah.

[47:31] Quincy Brown: Well, I do kind of love that we're getting a year before the second movie, because in the stage show, I think it's easy to forget like how much time passes from college to these grown adult women. But having such a big break, we're really going to be able to see them come back as different women.

[47:43] Trisha Paytas: Yeah, that actually makes sense. I saw a lot of people being like, we're going to believe 36-year-old Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, but not Ben Platt, 27, as Darren Hansen. I'm like, but they're, but they become adults, like they become like grown ups. So like, they have to play that. I don't think they all looked very young and very good in this one. But it is interesting. People get so mad about the age. I was like, okay.

[48:03] Kevin Bianchi: I also think like high school is different than college to play on screen. Like high school, you kind of have to look like a high schooler.

[48:09] Trisha Paytas: Yeah, I think they did a good job. I think it's more so it's like the whole cast needs to look the same age. And like in this, it's like, yeah, none of them are college aged, but they did make all of them look at least the same age as each other.

[48:25] Quincy Brown: I mean, the original cast too, they were all like in their mid 30s and stuff, but no one questioned that they all looked very good and very young.

[48:31] Trisha Paytas: You're rarely having a college age person play Elphaba live.

[48:35] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah, like you said, especially because like later on, they have to show that like growth and the maturity and stuff like that. Yes. I thought they were like perfectly cast. I loved it.

[48:43] Quincy Brown: Okay, Trisha, you are fully entering your Broadway era. And I do think it feels like the Wicked premiere, it was kind of the catalyst for that journey. And now you're like full throttle. Tell us about like how your Broadway show even came about.

[48:58] Trisha Paytas: Oh my gosh, it's such a crazy journey. It literally started this year on April Fool's Day of 2023. I was like, eight months pregnant. I see it. I you know, I don't know if this is a comment or not. But like, I like to Google myself and see what comes up in the news articles. I'm like, what's new? So there wasn't much happening. Because I like I said, I was super pregnant. I wasn't doing much. But all of a sudden I see Trisha Paytas star is set to star as Roxy Hart on Broadway. I did a double take. Yeah.

[49:27] Trisha Paytas: Literally, I just signed with an agency. And I was like, wow, they worked quick. I'm like, I guess I could do that. Like, I really thought I really thought I was like, okay, T and so I looked and I was like, so excited. I posted it again, not really thinking because obviously I didn't hear anything. But I posted it because I like to get people hyped or whatever. And it worked on Instagram. And Kobe, who is one of the producers on my Broadway show, he wrote it. And he said he was at a show. I can't remember what but he was at a show. He said all of a sudden, I think it was cabaret. He's like his phone just started like blowing up. He's just like, I got all those like notifications. The site was like crashing. Everyone just like looking to see my Instagram was the same way. I think that post has over 200,000 likes. So many comments booking my ticket for New York like can't wait you deserve it. Like everyone thought it was so real. And it was really sad. So I had to tell so many people I was like, it's not like, sorry, it's April Fool's. But they were excited enough to like reach out to my agents and they're like, maybe there's like there is a show for Trish if it's you know, obviously not Chicago, but it's like something so it happened relatively quick. I mean, we put it together this summer. And then we found our director Skylar in the fall. And then we announced it this winter. So and then we're performing February 3. So it's less than a year that it came about. And it's great. Yeah, it's absolutely wild. It's we have like amazing choreographers and such just like really talented people that already work on Broadway is it's like it's like this like dream. It's really cool. And we have a lot of like celebrity Broadway guests that are like Broadway stars. And okay, cool. I'm so excited. Yeah, they're like, I'm just glad people want to be a part of it. And I'm just I'm super I'm like starstruck. We haven't like announced the names with the people who are a part of it. I'm just I'm so happy and all of it's for charity. It's for the entertainment community fund. So it's all like, I get to live my dream. But also like we get to like raise a bunch of money because it's sold out within like five minutes, but we have like live stream tickets available for it. So it'll also all go towards charity, which is great.

[51:28] Quincy Brown: So when you are like so for so much of your theater presence has been like recreating things that were written for other people, right? Like recreating smash recreating wicked. So now that you're in this position where someone's like, okay, what do you want to do on Broadway? Like to have that kind of that kind of creative control? What is that like?

[51:49] Trisha Paytas: It's, it's like, honestly, it's like surreal. Like I actually don't even know what to do with myself. Luckily, I have really good people like George and Kobe and Skylar, the director, like everyone has a really good like creative direction, because honestly, I don't have, I didn't have that much creative direction, because to me, I've always just recreated stuff. I've never done anything original for me. But now that we're doing like a Trisha Paytas, like Broadway dream, like, now I have a lot more ideas. And we are doing we're singing a lot of songs that are already like made popular by musicals. So there's a couple original songs in there and the beginning of the end, but then that we're also like doing a lot of like homages, which is like really fun, which is like more my up my alley. But it's cool. Everyone has like these visions. And then now I can kind of just piggyback off of them. So it's surreal. It's so it's so crazy. I never would have thought I thought like, oh, maybe I'll like go into a show or something like that. But this is like, even cooler, because I don't have to like live up to expectations. We just saw Sherry Renee Scott and Little Shop and I was like, I don't know, I don't know if I could do that. Actually, like, that was so good. In my head, I was like, oh, I can do it. I mean, honestly, the best Audrey I think I've ever seen in my whole entire life, I was kind of like blown away. I was the whole cast actually was really good in Little Shop. And you know, it's off Broadway. And again, I'm not like so familiar with off Broadway shows. So I thought I thought off Broadway meant like, I don't know, you're not on Broadway, but like, there's so it was like my it's my favorite show that's out there right now in New York. And it was so good. But yeah, I'm excited to get to do my original stuff. So I don't really have to like have to compare to Sherry Renee Scott or something, you know, it's like just me. So it's good.

[53:20] Quincy Brown: So what is what can we expect from the content of the show?

[53:24] Trisha Paytas: So it's basically kind of just I don't know how to like say it without giving too much. It's kind of a little bit Christmas Carol. There's the Broadway past, present and future giving me tips on how to make my Broadway debut. Yeah, so we kind of have a little bit of a journey. It's like it's very it's I'm excited about that part of it. So it's a little journey. There's big opening number. And then yeah, there's like, it's almost a little Wizard of Oz II, there's a little bit like, you know, a guide, like, there's like the voice of Broadway that's like guiding me through my journey. So yeah, it's really fun. And the people involved are really good. So I am so excited. And I get to sing. And it's a little podcasty, too. It's a little bit like I do like little interviews, little skits. It's all like little skits. But then there's like little interviews. And then I get to sing a song with each of them at the end of the lessons. And then by the end of the show, everyone will learn what it takes to become, you know, a Broadway to be a star on Broadway, which I think is really cool.

[54:19] Quincy Brown: I love that. That's really cool. We need to find a way to sneak in because it's sold out so quickly.

[54:26] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah, I think we have connections.

[54:31] Trisha Paytas: We can work at ushers, we can show people to their seats, like whatever you need.

[54:35] Quincy Brown: Anything, all of it. It's crazy because people were so supportive. Like this actually sold out quicker than my own shows. So I think I was surprised because