BroadwayRadio Special Episode: Cost n’ Mayor on Taking Their Unseriousness Seriously in ’11 to Midnight’

Release Date: March 3, 2026
Host: Matt Tamnini
Guests: Austin and Meredith Tolenko (Cost n’ Mayor)

Episode Overview

In this special interview episode, host Matt Tamnini sits down with powerhouse duo Austin and Meredith Tolenko, known as Cost n’ Mayor, to discuss their transition from social media sensations to Off-Broadway creators and stars with their new dance show, 11 to Midnight. The conversation explores their creative process, the unique challenges of nonverbal storytelling, blending genres, and the emotional core of their onstage work.

Main Themes & Key Discussion Points

1. Launching ‘11 to Midnight’ Amidst Challenges

Timestamps: 02:39 – 03:11

• Despite multiple winter storms during previews and early performances, the couple expresses immense gratitude for the audience’s dedication and turnout.
  • Meredith: “I am so thankful to every person who has traversed the cold… Shout out inches of snow to come see the show. …It has touched our hearts immensely.” (02:41)
  • Austin: “Truly.” (03:09)

2. Blending Dance, Theatre, and Circus

Timestamps: 03:11 – 04:47

• 11 to Midnight is distinct: it’s a non-verbal dance-based show (no singing, no book), blending theatrical storytelling, dance, and elements of circus arts.
• Their producers specialize in dance and circus; an associate director is an award-winning clown who helped shape the show’s pantomime and interactivity.
  • Meredith: “We didn’t go into it prioritizing the mix… We just knew the story we wanted to tell and we sort of just naturally selected what best fit the story as we went along.” (03:39)
• Their love for theatre naturally influenced the creation, but the primary storytelling is through movement.

3. Dance as Nonverbal Storytelling

Timestamps: 04:47 – 06:13

• Creating a show without dialogue heightens the focus on physicality, demanding performers and audiences alike to invest in every movement.
  • Meredith: “…you have to be so careful about every single inch of movement you make in a nonverbal show because that’s your language. Like everyone is watching like a hawk.” (05:18)
• The need for precision pushes both their choreography and performance quality.

4. The Narrative of 11 to Midnight

Timestamps: 06:15 – 08:20

• The show is set during the last hour before midnight at a New Year’s Eve apartment party.
• Austin and Meredith play the hosts; the story explores both the joyous and poignant possibilities of this liminal, hopeful hour.
  • Austin: “It’s just really all about that magic in the very last hour on New Year’s Eve where possibilities are endless.” (06:28)
  • Meredith: “…it gives you whatever you’re looking for. So if you’re looking for a really fun party, you can see that… and if you can relate to the depth and the story… you can also get such a heartfelt narrative from it.” (07:11)

5. Building a Cast of Diverse Dance Backgrounds

Timestamps: 08:22 – 10:22

• Their cast is a “mosaic”—theater-trained dancers and commercial/touring pros—yielding a dynamic performance style.
  • Meredith: “Your face is a muscle, just like your arm is a muscle. And so dancers are more trained to act than you think.” (09:09)
• The variety enhances emotive range and challenges assumptions about dancer background and acting ability.

6. Differences Between Social Media and Stage Work

Timestamps: 10:23 – 11:38

• Choreographing for social media and for the stage is more similar than people assume; both require serious commitment and attention to detail, even when the tone is playful.
  • Meredith: “We take our unseriousness very seriously. Even when we’re making serious, silly things online, we do it with a lot of thought into like character and comedy… Making the show didn’t feel extremely dissimilar from the same way we get up and would make a video every day. But the stamina is very different.” (10:55)
  • Austin: “Stamina is the most different.” (11:30)

Memorable Moment:

• Austin shares a deep-dive about choreographing a Rugrats theme song dance video, showing their sincere devotion even to whimsical online content. (11:34)

7. Audience Expectations & Authenticity

Timestamps: 12:27 – 13:38

• They don’t consciously tailor their stage work to match fans’ online expectations, trusting instead in their authentic creative voice.
  • Meredith: “I feel incapable of doing something that is not authentically myself… I know that it will continue to satisfy the people that love our work 100%.” (12:56)

8. New Year’s Resolutions & Artistic Trust

Timestamps: 13:40 – 15:45

• Meredith’s 2026 resolution: “to really trust myself more, especially as a choreographer…” (13:55)
• Both stress the value of failing fast, learning from mistakes, and not letting perfectionism block creativity.
  • Meredith: “You have to just make the bad thing sometimes… It’s easier to go fix something that’s wrong than to just sit there with your blank canvas and stare at it.” (15:12)
  • Austin: “Learning and growing from your failures is just as important as the successes.” (15:17)

9. Personal Roots in Dance

Timestamps: 15:45 – 18:26

• Meredith discovered dance at 14, inspired by seeing Wicked:
  • Meredith: “If I ever could get the opportunity to make someone else feel like the way that this made me feel, then that would be the greatest honor and coolest job in the entire world.” (17:07)
• Austin was captivated by the infinite creative possibilities of movement, citing influences like The Wizard of Oz and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang:
  • Austin: “There is just an endless amount of possibilities as to the way that you can move your body and create choreography…” (17:07)

10. The Future of Cost n’ Mayor

Timestamps: 18:26 – 20:09

• They see themselves continuing as a duo, but may lean into their complementary strengths (Austin as logistician, Meredith as “head in the clouds ideas girl”) on future projects.
  • Meredith: “I could see us in the future, separating our roles more on the same projects… dividing and conquering more as we lean in more to our strengths.” (19:12)

11. Show Merch & Creative Easter Eggs

Timestamps: 20:09 – 21:02

• Their show merch features Easter eggs like Meredith’s handwriting from the earliest days of developing 11 to Midnight, and Austin’s drawing of a clock.
  • Fun, personal touch that deepens the connection with their brand and process.

12. What They Hope Audiences Take Away

Timestamps: 21:02 – 23:16

• The show is about possibility, reinvention, and asking, “What if it’s not too late?”
  • Memorable Story: After a pre-pro run, a young woman told them she was inspired to pursue her dream.
    • Meredith: “…That itself is the whole [point]. …It really is so much a show about asking yourself, what if it’s not too late?” (21:52)
  • They hope each audience member, regardless of their background, will leave inspired to embrace change and self-discovery.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “We take our unseriousness very seriously.” – Meredith Tolenko (10:55)
• “I trust that if they have a great experience watching our videos online, that they’ll just absolutely love the show. Because if I’m just so honestly, authentically myself… I know that it will continue to satisfy the people that love our work 100%.” – Meredith (12:56)
• “What if it’s not too late… every single day you can say, what if it’s not too late to change my life? And it’s available to you always.” – Meredith (21:52)
• “There is just an endless amount of possibilities as to the way that you can move your body and create choreography…” – Austin (17:07)
• Austin and Meredith, when asked about working separately:
  • Austin: “I don’t.” (18:53)
  • Meredith: “I not… I don’t think that we would… do separate work. I could see us… dividing and conquering more on different projects in a different way…” (19:00)

Key Timestamps: Segment Guide

• 02:39 – Surviving winter storms and audience response
• 03:11 – Blending dance, theater, and circus influences
• 05:03 – Unique demands of nonverbal, movement-driven storytelling
• 06:28 – The narrative and party premise of 11 to Midnight
• 08:22 – Casting a diverse range of dance talent
• 10:23 – Comparing social media choreography and live stage work
• 12:27 – Authenticity and audience expectations
• 13:55 – New Year’s resolutions and artistic fearlessness
• 15:45 – The duo’s dance origin stories
• 18:26 – Future of Cost n’ Mayor as a creative partnership
• 20:09 – Show merch and its personal touch
• 21:33 – The life-affirming hope they want audiences to take away

Final Thoughts

11 to Midnight and its creators embody a commitment to authentic, emotionally resonant movement storytelling—infused with humor, heart, and inventiveness. Whether fans know Cost n’ Mayor from TikTok or are encountering their work for the first time in the theater, the duo’s philosophy of “taking unseriousness seriously” shines through in both their process and their production.