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Special Episode: Autumn Hurlbert on the community of ‘Come From Away’ at the Maltz Jupiter
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- [00:00]
A
Everyone deserves to be connected. That's why T Mobile and US Cellular are joining forces. Switch to T Mobile and save up to 20% versus Verizon by getting built in benefits they leave out. Check the math@t mobile.com switch and now T mobile is in US cellular stores. Savings versus Comparable Verizon plans plus the cost of optional benefits plan features and taxes and fees vary. Savings with three plus lines include third line free via monthly bill credits. Credit stop if you cancel any lines. Qualifying credit required. Welcome to a special interview episode of Broadway Radio. My name is Matt Timine. On today's episode, I'm in conversation with, honestly, one of my favorite performers of the past 20 years. Someone who I first became a little bit obsessed with back in the summer of 2008 when she was the runner up and honestly, someone who was robbed of the victory on on the MTV reality show Legally Blonde. Colon the search for the next Elle woods, the one and only Autumn Hurlburt. Autumn did go on to be a part of the Broadway production of Legally Blonde. She ended up playing Elle woods in regional theaters as well, and she has done many, many things over the past decades. Most recently she was seen on Broadway as the alternate for Tammy Faye Baker and Tammy the Musical. Currently she is playing Captain Beverly Bass down here in Florida at the Malta Jupiter Theater. The production began performances on Tuesday and currently scheduled to play through Sunday, January 25th. I'm going to be making the 2 1/2 ish hour drive down to Jupiter to see the production this Saturday, so I'm very much looking forward to that. In our conversation, Autumn and I talk about what this show means, especially at the beginning of a new year in a rather contentious time in our country and in the world, and how Beverly's Big 11 o' clock number Me in the sky can mean so many different things to so many different people. We talk about why Autumn is back the Malta Jupiter for the third time, what she has planned for her few weeks down here in Florida. And of course you knew I had to ask about Legally Blonde. So we cover a number of very fun topics and as always, Autumn is warm and open and delightful and generous with her time, her thoughts and her experiences. Of course, I'll have information on where you can purchase tickets to see Come from Away at the Mall to Jupiter theater in Jupiter, Florida through January 25th in the show notes. All right, with all of that out of the way, here is my conversation with the wonderful Autumn Hurlburt. Okay, so we are recording on Wednesday. Autumn, you had your first preview last night. How did it go?
- [02:59]
B
It was great. I mean, I think there's still. This is such a fast moving train. There's still moments where we're backstage going, is this the scene that's. Wait, is this. That's next, right? I'm not crazy. Okay, go. Yes. So we're. It's. It's an in the moment experience for us, which I think would be so fun as an audience member. And I think they're responding to that in kind.
- [03:25]
A
Now, this is a show that I think, thanks to how long it ran on Broadway and the tours and then the Apple TV capture of it, like, people know kind of what they think this show is, but this is a completely original staging. Jennifer Werner, who is not only a great director, but a choreographer as well, putting her own spin on it. How much of that kind of integration of the movement in the story leads into your own take on what Come from away is in 2026 now.
- [03:55]
B
Wow. I think we've thought about a lot about this and we've talked about it in the room. And, you know, Jen, her concept is so beautiful. There's no device, so to speak. There's no big moving set pieces or crazy costumes or anything. It's just pure storytelling, which is so precious and I think so needed right now. And there was a question in the beginning of rehearsal just to sort of think about, like, if this happened now with our devices, would people have participated in this way in this community? Because really, it's a show about forced community. They're all stuck together, so they could have been really stressed and awful to each other, but instead they were so lovely and supportive. And there's a line at the end of the show that one of the characters says, after everyone's gone back to America or gone back to their destinations, and his dad is saying, were you okay when you were there? I was so worried about you. And his line is, how do I tell him that I wasn't just okay? I was so much better because there were no distractions. I mean, the looming, you know, emotions of the attack, of course, but being insulated in this area, in this remote town, and just really jumping right into community. And I think this production, her. That's how she wanted us to feel creating this piece. That's how she felt creating this piece. And she wanted the audience to feel that inclusion, to feel that creative pulse together. And I think it's working. It's so beautiful. I have to say, it's an honor to be doing this show at this time. In this place with Jen, I would follow her anywhere.
- [05:43]
A
Have you worked with her before? I have.
- [05:46]
B
I was so lucky, actually, right before the pandemic was, we did the Mystery of Edwin Drood, and I got to play Edwin Drood. Yeah. And I said, are you only ever gonna cast me in musicals where I play multiple characters? Maybe that's my thing now.
- [06:03]
A
There you go. That's a whole other thing. We can brainstorm some other shows that. That could be. Right. Yeah. Great.
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B
Great.
- [06:08]
A
Absolutely. Well, I was gonna mention this, but this is, I think, correct me if I'm wrong, the third time that you've been down at the Malt Jupiter.
- [06:15]
B
Yes. Third time's a charm.
- [06:18]
A
Yeah. And obviously, having gigs is always good, but beyond that, like, why is this a place that you are comfortable returning to every few years? Especially, you know, in January when it's much, much colder up in New York.
- [06:32]
B
Well, key. Much, much colder in New York. You cannot turn down the beach in the winter. You just cannot. It's a rule. And coincidentally, I think all of my contracts here have been in the winter, so I've gotten to escape.
- [06:45]
A
Well planned. Well planned. Yeah.
- [06:47]
B
Is reason enough alone. But this theater, the way Andrew Cato has cultivated. Again, I'm gonna just beat you over the head with community. The way he has built community and held the art form of theater in such high regard here. It's always a special place to work. I always feel so taken care of and so free to explore, and, I don't know. It's hard to. It really. Theater people say this a lot, like, we're family now, but it does feel like family here. It really does. You. You know, they just. I think their programming is always great, like, the variety of what shows they're presenting to this amazing audience that Andrew has built and cultivated. And I just. I love. I love the opportunity to. Where I'll never say no, to come down here to work. I love it. I love the people. I love the area. I love the shows that I get to do. I just love it all.
- [08:00]
A
Yeah. Well, and you mentioned family. You know, the first Preview is on January 6th. That means the rehearsal process, which is a little longer at the Malt's Jupiter than a lot of regional theaters, but that extended into the holidays. So I know that your actual family got to come down and spend a little time with you while you were going through rehearsals. How important was that? Especially in a show that is about community and is about loved ones, to have them here while you were going through that process where if you were Doing this show at a regional theater, not, you know, in New York City at a different time of year, they probably wouldn't have had the opportunity to.
- [08:33]
B
This is so true. No, it is. It meant the world to me. And it's. You know, my 10 year old has seen me in many shows. My 4 year old has only seen me in one. And they're so bummed that they're not gonna get to. With school schedule and everything, they're not gonna get to come back down to see the show. But they were able. Not only do we have holidays here, Christmas Santa visited my little apartment, and we got to spend time.
- [08:59]
A
The elves on the shelves kind of thing too.
- [09:01]
B
Absolutely, absolutely. The magic transce down to Florida for us. But they got to come see some of our rehearsal process, which was. I cannot express how wonderful it was. My littlest, she didn't quite understand it, but she thought it was so cool. And she was like, I. I cannot believe that you rehearse in a. In a room with no doors because the rehearsal room is all windows and overlooks all the trees. So she, in her mind, there weren't doors.
- [09:33]
A
Yeah, yeah.
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B
That was her takeaway. But my son, who is a major sportsball kid, he loves theater, doesn't want to do it. Phew. Just kidding. Just kidding. We love theater. I would support him 100%, but he said, oh, my gosh, Mom, I get it. I get why it takes so much time. It's like basketball. Your director is the coach and you have to come up with the plays and the traffic and, you know, who you pass the ball to, so to speak. But he understood, I think he finally understood what that rehearsal is practice and strategy and, you know, so that was, so. It was invaluable and to be provided the opportunity for my kids, my family, to see me at work and understand why I do what I do and why I go away. To do what I do sometimes was invaluable.
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A
And that reminds me, I hadn't even thought about this, but we had spoken a number of years ago when your husband and your oldest son went on the road with you for something rotten. Like. So it's like a little bit different, but it's nice that your son has that perspective from when he was much younger to now when he's starting to kind of get it.
- [10:41]
B
Yes, yes. I mean, that's the wild part. He was. When we were on tour, he was a year and a half. He celebrated his second birthday and third birthday on the road and. And by the time he got to about six. He didn't really remember it. It's gone, which is so crazy. And so I was like, kid, you slept in 67 rooms. We went to 35 cities. How could you not remember that? But he's a very flexible, easygoing kid. So I don't know, I think maybe chicken before the egg. I don't know. I don't know if he's just naturally like that or if we.
- [11:18]
A
Whether he remembers it or not, you conditioned him to be a little bit more go with the flow. But speaking of memories, to take a very hard left turn. But you and I are about the same age, so I know my memories from 9, 11. I was in school where I was working when you were thinking back now, I mean, it's going to be the 25th anniversary this year. As you come into this project, what are your memories of that day in that time period?
- [11:48]
B
Wow. I mean, it's one of those things that you, you. Anytime you think about it, it's. You kind of are transported back there. And I just remember the shock of sort of like the paralyzation of. Like not being able to wrap my mind around it. And I still don't think I can wrap my mind around it, you know, and I. And I think there's so many unanswered questions about it, you know, like. Well, you know, it's events of this magnitude, you never truly know why. You never truly know the ramifications of it. And again, I think especially now, tying it back to coming to this show. I remember that the only thing that sort of was a balm for that shock, for that paralyzation, was community. And I remember the first thing I did, I didn't go home to be alone. I immediately gathered with my best friends and we watched for as long as we could stomach and then just sat together and it was a lot of hand holding for those weeks and months after that. And I think that's what this show presents. It takes away the horror of it and it presents how it's like that. Have you ever had the experience of going to a funeral? A sad event, but the silver lining is that you reconnect with someone that you haven't seen or talked to in so long and it rekindles this beautiful relationship. And I kind of think that that's what this musical embodies is the. The silver lining of a tragedy in the way that Covid that isolation was sort of a reset for a lot of people for this, you know, work from home era. This, you know. So I think there's there's good to be gleaned from anything.
- [13:57]
A
Well, yeah, I mean, I think the thing that always struck. No, I think that's perfect. I mean, what I've always taken from this show is that even in the darkest times, like, humanity can be a source of light and a source of goodness and a source for healing, even though as we look around our world today, we might not think so, but, like, it is a reminder that there are good people and at our core, like, we want to help each other. So that's why I always keep coming back and back to this show over the years, especially in difficult times, which, you know, we're coming into a new year. I think that's a good reminder at the beginning of any new year, but especially in a year where things are as contentious in our country and our neighborhoods and around the world, I think that's a perfect time for this. And we all, everyone, performers and audiences alike, imprint our own takes on shows and songs or whatever, whether they are in line with what the text is or not. And that's always been what struck me about me in the sky. Because, yes, it is based on actual conversations with an actual person, and it's a beautiful song as it is, but to me, it's always been more personal than that. It's about passion and dreams and persistence. So I'm wondering, as now that you've done it once in front of an audience and you've gone through the whole rehearsal process, what is the autumn hurlburt approach to that song? What are you bringing from yourself to Beverly Bass's story?
- [15:25]
B
Well, I can say that I can finally get through it without crying. I'm finally at a point where I can sing it without completely just face full of tears. It's so interesting because it is a direct parallel to a life in theater. You know, her, everyone around her was saying, you can't do this. There's no way. No, a female captain doesn't exist. You can't do that. And so a life in theater for most people doesn't exist. That doesn't make sense to people. It doesn't make sense that I would leave my little family for six weeks to do a show in Florida while they're in school. You know what I mean? It doesn't make sense to most people.
- [16:13]
A
People.
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B
But I think I find just so many direct similarities in that kind of drive and ambition, and it's not even like, oh, I really want to do theater. There's literally nothing else that I, you know, this is what I was meant to do. I think being given a gift of song, of singing, of musicality, of this, you have to use it. I'm ill equipped for a desk job. I really. I truly am. I have adhd. I'm very unorganized. I'm ill equipped. But I think that that's what strikes me in the song is that Beverly doesn't just say, oh, I like flying. She is. I have to do this. It is what I am meant to do. And also I think the parallel of being were similar. Age, this. Middle aged.
- [17:11]
A
Settle down, Autumn, settle down.
- [17:13]
B
Yeah, I said it. I said the two words, middle aged. But just kind of sort of at that midpoint is when you look back at everything you've done and it feels like it happened in a flash. It feels like all that work, all those years, all those little baby steps just went by like that. And I love that. That's the motion of the song. She repeatedly says, suddenly I'm in the cockpit. Suddenly I've got my wings. Suddenly I'm a senior instructor. Suddenly I've had kids and I've been married. I've had kids. Suddenly I'm a senior instructor. Suddenly I'm. My parents never got to see me teach men, be pilots. And so I think that movement of the song and sort of assessing that for my own life and where I still get to go has been so special. So anytime I sing me in the sky, it's in my head. It's me and the theater. I love it. I love all of it. Can't do anything else.
- [18:16]
A
Yeah, no, I completely understand. And I'm interested because we talked about, like, this show is a community. And although Beverly has this standout moment, you also said you play multiple parts and there's so much interaction with everybody else. And this cast, as I was kind of going through the breakdown, it's a great mix of Floridians and New York performers. And like, you're all coming together. It's not dissimilar from the characters in the show kind of meeting together to do something awesome from across the country.
- [18:47]
B
Yes. No, that has been. That has been one of the greatest pleasures. And again, community, community, community. The local Floridians, the way they talk about how they know everybody, they all know each other. You know, our invited dress, their friends drove two plus hours to come see the show. And they do that for each other all across South Florida. And the way they support each other and recommend each other for jobs, that kind of community is. It happens in New York, but on a Much different scale. And I. Oh, it makes my heart so happy. There's been multiple times where I'm like, well, should we just move here, then? We just.
- [19:32]
A
As somebody who lives in Florida, I would love for you to be down here working more often. But, yes, yes.
- [19:38]
B
You know, I'm not going to. I'm not going to lie. I haven't driven in years and years, and I'm thoroughly enjoying that aspect. Even just the freedom of, you know, driving around wherever I want to go. But no, having this hodgepodge of people from all over is. It makes it so authentic and so wonderful. And it's so interesting, I think, speaking on me in the sky, like, it's sort of like a stand. It's the 11 o' clock number, so to speak. But there's no applause built in. There's no applause for the 11 o' clock number because it's not about that. And I. Oh, it's so satisfying.
- [20:20]
A
Well, and they do that a lot, I feel like, in the first act, and maybe it's different. Like, they go from song to song to song and, like, make you save all of that enthusiasm for. And I don't remember exactly when the moment is, but, like, they finally give you the, you know, permission to unleash it. It makes that even more special.
- [20:36]
B
It is so special. I think really there's only, like, three moments in the show where people clap, and that's after the first number, after something's missing because there's sort of a lull. And then at the end, and that's really it. And I think there's something so special, it almost. It doesn't obviously make it immersive theater, but it does. You just sit and absorb it. You are not. The audience is not asked to participate in any way. You just let it soak over you. And it's such a fast moving train. Like, I think audience members are, you know, it. And with the character changing, you go from plain people to rock people to island people. And I think the audience is just trying to catch up and trying to sit in their own whatever. It brings up their own emotions for them. So I just love the way this story is told. I love it so much.
- [21:36]
A
Yeah, I'm with you. Well, I'm gonna wrap up here with a couple questions, and anybody who knows me would be shocked and, like, consider it a sign that I was kidnapped and this was, like, my alert that I was being held hostage if I didn't at least ask a little bit about Legally Blonde, because not only is it do I think it's like the most criminally underrated show of the 21st century. But I have been now, I mean, I have been a fan of yours and following your career now for it shocks me to say this. You said middle age, but, like, it's going to be 18 years this summer.
- [22:10]
B
You shut your mouth. You shut your mouth.
- [22:12]
A
I mean, it's insane, Autumn, but. And I know you. You guys do the. The reunion concerts every once in a while. But as I was thinking about it, like, yes, we love that show. And there's always people wanting to talk about revivals, but as I was going back and looking through the Broadway run and then the reality show as well, like, even beyond, like, Laura Bell and Orfeh and Christian and Kate and Andy, like, just all of the incredible people who were a part of that project, whether it's like Annaleigh Ashford or Becky Golsfig, who I actually saw play Beverly Bass as well. Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer and Asmarat Guerrero Michel. And then going to the reality show, Lauren Zacharin's, Lena hall, like, all of these people. Emily Padgett and stuff. Haven Burton, like, whatever anybody thinks about the show itself. And again, I will die on the hill of how great Legally Blonde is. But, like, whoever was involved with that casting knew how to spot talent, and you guys are all still working. It had to have been, as you look back, I mean, a pretty wild ride to be able to follow all these people's careers and as they follow yours as well over the past nearly 20 years.
- [23:23]
B
Yes, it's wild. It is wild. And that it holds firm that it's still, you know, that it's. It's. I don't know it. I battled it for so long because reality television is hard. It's not a pleasant experience, and we were all quite dramatized. However, once it sort of died, so to speak, on MTV and came back up on YouTube, it has been the loveliest experience. And again, you know, it's. In my opinion, it's one of the most perfect musicals. I love the musical Alone on its own, and then the culture that has been created around it is so wonderful. It is hilarious and supportive and uplifting and feminine. Feminist, which we could use so much more of. Anything feminine, all things feminist. So powerful. But it's been. It is like, one of the great honors of my life to have been a part of that and to be associated with that. And I never shy away from talking about it. And I have one quick, hilarious story about it.
- [24:40]
A
Please.
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B
My son was taking classes in near Steps on Broadway. And I would pick him up and I'd have my daughter in a stroller and Lincoln. And if we walked by Steps, I'm not joking, at least twice a week that in those months that we were down there, some young musical theater student that was taking classes at Steps would inch up to me and say, I'm so sorry, are you Autumn Kroeber from Legally Blonde? And I say, yes. And we would talk for a few minutes and follow each other on Instagram or whatever. We'd walk away and. And my son is. He's sort of shy at first. And I'll never forget, we're at dinner one night and he was like, what is happening? Why does everybody know you? It's so weird. We're not even in our neighborhood. Like, why do people know? They know your whole name, Mom. That's so weird. And my husband said, well, you know, you know how everyone knows who LeBron James is and he's super famous? Like, everyone in the world knows who LeBron James is. And I was like, oh, God, where's this going? And he said, well, mommy's in something called musical theater, which is just like a smaller world, but you can still be really famous. So mommy is niche famous.
- [25:48]
A
I'm sure your 78 year old son, however, he was really understood the concept of niche famous.
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B
Yeah, totally over his head. But then at school when we visited for like a parents day, you know, they have those sheets of like, what does your dad do? What does your mom do? His was, what does your dad do? He's a therapist. He helps people fix their brain. What. What does your mom do? She's niche famous. That's on the wall of the school.
- [26:13]
A
Oh, got from the mouth of babes. Mouth of babes.
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B
Mouth of babes. But I, I will take niche famous if Legally Blonde gets any budding theater student through to the other side. Because I do think that exposing people to theater in any form, children's theater, theater on YouTube, theater, live theater, anything is good for us as a society, especially for young people transitioning in whatever way. So I'm so honored to be part of it.
- [26:51]
A
I love that. Well, getting back to come from away and Malta Jupiter before I wrap up, now that you have gotten through the first preview, you have opening coming up this week, once you settle in to the regular run of the show, is there anything Florida centric that you're going to try to do while you're in town? And it's absolutely freezing cold in New York.
- [27:13]
B
Absolutely, absolutely. I've Been trying. Hence the wet hair. I go to the beach every morning.
- [27:17]
A
Good for you. Good, good.
- [27:19]
B
So I really want to go to the Flagler Museum. I always go to the Loggerhead Turtle Rehabilitation Center. That's like one of my most favorite things. I do want to hit those outlet malls, I'm not going to lie.
- [27:36]
A
Yeah.
- [27:39]
B
I. What else? Oh, Dubois Park. I think someone told me about that with the bridge and like the clear water during high tide. My, my parents are coming to see the show. My in laws are coming to see the show. So I'm sure they'll have a little list of things they want to do. And I think once we open, aside from Florida things, I'm going to use this freedom and inspiration to work on my own solo shows and ideas. So I'm just using this as a creative inspiration and incubation period and I'm so thankful for it.
- [28:19]
A
Well, I think if you do come up with a great show, you have to do it at the Malt's Jupiter at some point.
- [28:23]
B
Obviously going to put that in angel, you know, ear. Yes.
- [28:27]
A
Yeah, absolutely. Well, I, I'll wrap up with this. Obviously, as we talked about, this show is, you know, based around the events following 9 11. But as people are saying, I don't know that I want to see a musical about 9 11. Obviously, you know, and I know that's not really about that, but tell. Tell people what? Maybe not necessarily, you know, you don't have to give them the full plot, but like, what are the vibes, what are they going to get emotionally from seeing this show as they start 2026 with something that they might be a little hesitant to see, but actually will more than likely nourish them and nurture them if they come out to the Malta Jupiter over the next few weeks.
- [29:04]
B
I think if you haven't any hesitancy about seeing this show, it's actually exactly what you need. This show to me is catharsis. This is. The show is healing. We're going to say it for now, the two millionth time community. It's about humanity. And, and it's really. Even if you, even if folk music isn't really your thing, you cannot help but bounce in your seat. It is really great music. It is masterful storytelling. It never gets boring. It goes so fast. There's no intermission. There's. You literally don't have to do anything. You come, you sit your butt in the seat. It's actually. There's so many funny parts, like really funny parts of the show. So you're going to laugh, you're definitely going to cry but not in a next to normal way or Jagged Little.
- [29:58]
A
Pill which you just. Yeah.
- [30:03]
B
But it's catharsis. I really believe that. I think we all need this and the way Jen has constructed this production is the kind of theater that I hope we can embrace coming into this next year. It's not big flashy commercial theater. It is beautiful, simple truthful storytelling and it hits you in all the right places. I cannot recommend the show enough.
- [30:32]
A
I haven't seen it yet and I would say the same thing. I will never not recommend Come From Away but especially at the Malt's Jupiter with you in it. I am so excited to see it this weekend and I wish you the best of everything with the rest the of the previews and the entire run and and your entire trip down here to Florida.
- [30:48]
B
Thank you. I hope to see you afterwards.