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Thanksgiving Special 2024: Matt and Grace Share What They’re Thankful For
00:16:41
Any and all feedback is appreciated: Grace Aki: grace@broadwayradio.comMatt Tamanini: matt@broadwayradio.com Patreon: BroadwayRadiohttps://www.patreon.com/broadwayradio For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@broadwayradio.
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- [00:10]
A
Hello, everybody, and welcome to a Thanksgiving edition of Broadway Radio. I am Matt Tamin, and I am joined by Grace Aki. Grace, Happy Thanksgiving.
- [00:19]
B
Happy Thanksgiving. It's giving thanks.
- [00:22]
A
It is. It is giving a lot of things this time of year. But we are here to talk about things in and around theater that we are especially thankful for. Grace, why don't we start with you? Tell me what it is that you are giving thanks for during this holiday season.
- [00:40]
B
You know, I'm giving thanks for a lot of things. I don't know if we're getting straight into our lists, but.
- [00:46]
A
Yeah, yeah, hit me your list.
- [00:48]
B
All right. So I'm going to start off with the fact that I. This is to the shock of absolutely no one. I am so thankful for maybe happy ending. I saw the week of the election and I thought, this is gonna, you know, everyone's telling me I'm gonna like this show, but I'm ready for it to disappoint me. God, is it so good? It's not only so good, but it's so well done. And like, the people that are on stage, the people that are off stage, like the stage management team, Plato, like, she's excellent. Like, there's just so much that is going on in that theater that is so good and so gracious and they are giving so much to the art form with that show that I am just eternally grateful for. So that's where I'm starting. I'm starting with the fact that maybe happy ending is the happiness that I think we all deserve. And as I have been telling people, sparks are flying at the Velasco. Sparks are flying. And that is figurative and literal. And if, you know, you know, I love that.
- [01:52]
A
It's so interesting to me because, like, that show, even if we, like, hear about, oh, it's a. It's a robot rom com. It is. But it is so much deeper than that and so much more moving than you would think if you just write it off as a rom com. So I hope that many, many people get over to Velasco to see that show. Grace, the thing that I am thankful for. And it is similar, you know, it falls into at least something that you mentioned is I am thankful for, feel good, fun, happy theater, especially this time of year, coming out of a difficult election season. And there are just some things in theater that even though the topics might not be necessarily all feel good. They can be about death, they can be a lot of things. But there is a lot of comedy happening on Broadway right now. We obviously have Had O Mary on Broadway for quite a while. But when adding things like death becomes her. Very funny. I had a ball at Mama. I'm a big girl now, Off Broadway, you know, that is just so much fun. Even teeth, which I saw during my last trip, not feel good by any stretch of the imagination. But what a blast that shows, especially if you sit in the front three rows in the splash zone. I literally, I saw teeth on the 13th. And over the weekend on November 23rd, I realized that I still had stains of blood on my glasses that I hadn't cleaned off yet. So, like, those types of things are just so much fun. It is an enjoyable experience to see things that are, I don't know, not light because the topics aren't late, but just like make you smile as you leave the theater. I think I could say the same thing about Sunset Boulevard, to be quite honest with you. Like, obviously not a feel good show, but that there is so much creativity in that that I left smiling as well. So throw in Elf, throw in maybe happy ending, which is a different type of feeling that I was talking about. But I'm just happy that there are things on Broadway and off Broadway that you can go and see and feel happy about seeing and feel good when you walk out of the theater.
- [04:11]
B
Yeah, I think that people are always like, you know, everyone likes a feel good show where. But I think that often, like, feel good as like a phrase people mistake for not meaning anything. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, they often go like, oh, it's a feel good show. It's for anybody. Meaning there was no impact. There was no message. There was just kind of like fluffy and I. And that's kind of why I'm kind of averse to using that phrase for the show because I walked away with so much. Like I walked away with a lot of. It just resonated for so long for a lot of reasons. And I think that it does make you feel good because it restores a little bit of your humanity. And if robots can help restore humanity, that is the marker of an incredible story. Like, it's just so good.
- [05:06]
A
I love that. All right, what's another thing that you're thankful for? Grace.
- [05:10]
B
So I'm going to say, and I think I've actually said this almost every year, but I kind of don't care. And that's that I'm thankful for organizations like she nyc, the Shenyc Festival not only changed my life, but also continues to change women and marginalized bodies altogether every single year. They teach classes. Danielle and everyone that like helps to run it. Ari like it's a really fantastic organization and if you are only, you know, on their radar for the SHENYC Festival, I urge you to look into not only their social channels but also their website because they teach like seminars and workshops and you know, how to get this, how to get your play off the ground and how to learn more about the business. And they've been doing a lot more like informative TikTok stuff recently as well. But I'm just so grateful for them. They're having to figure out their next home because the Connolly Theater situation happened and I'm hopeful that that resolves and that they're able to find a new space for their festival and put on full length shows like they do every single year. But I'm just really grateful that whether you're in New York City or Texas or LA or Atlanta, you have the ability to join this incredible organization. So I am of course very thankful for she nyc.
- [06:32]
A
Maybe you haven't heard this because it was just announced late last week. She NYC has partnered with the Classic Stage company. So the Xi NYC Summer Theater Festival will happen at Classic Stage from July 14th through the 27th of 2025 and they have worked on a partnership together. They will also have an Off Broadway run of another show at the Art New York theater in early 2026. So they are finding places to work with, but obviously losing the Connelly Theater was dev dating. But hopefully they find a more consistent home that they don't have to bounce back and forth sooner rather than later. This might be a little cynical, Grace, but I am thankful for stars on Broadway and while that might seem like, oh, just like to see big names in, you know, in theater, yes, that is obviously true. We love that. But I think that it is a big deal when we have folks who carry a lot of cachet with them, choose to do theater whether they come from theater or not. Obviously having people like Megan hilty and Autumn MacDonald and Jen Simard on stage right now is a big deal for theater fans and we love that. But having Daniel Day Kim, George Clooney, Robert Downey Jr. Katie Holmes, Nick Jonas, Juliana Margulies, Kieran Culkin, Denzel Washington, David Hyde Pierce and Mia Farrow, many, many other people like that on Broadway this season. Not to mention like Adam Driver, Brendan Fraser, Calista Flockhart, Constance Wu, Jane Krakowski, Neil Patrick Harris, Marisa Tomei off Broadway, it just gives the opportunity to bring in audiences that might not be there on a regular basis. And we need that as a community. We need that not only just because we need more butts and seats to make sure that productions are making money, but it is also an opportunity to invite people into our spaces and then hopefully convert some of them into regular theater goers. So I know that there's always stars on Broadway and off Broadway, but it feels like there's more this year than normal. And we still don't know the incomplete companies of some of the shows that'll be coming in the spring, some of which I'm assuming will have even more stars. I'm sure Goodnight and Goluck will have, you know, plenty of stars for, you know, joining that production when that company is announced. But I think it's good for the industry, it's good for theater and it's good to have reasons for non theater people to be introduced to theater.
- [09:17]
B
Yeah, yeah. George Clooney brought my debut. We're making dreams happen. You know, we're really, we're doing something with that. I agree with you. I think that, you know, like people, we forget, like that's part of the business that we got to do. We've. We've got to be able to bring in audiences that might only watch television, you know, like if they're going to invest in the arts, like let it be to see Daniel Dae Kim and Yellowface and then go, oh my God, this was an amazing play. Like, what's wrong with that? You know what I mean? I think that I am of the mindset that we should not be poo pooing those things and we should be celebrating them because that is how we continue to run this business in order to shepherd in other new works. So I'm saying. I'm right there, Matt.
- [10:05]
A
Yeah. All right. We're going to do three. So, Grace, what is your final thing that you are grateful for this season?
- [10:12]
B
Matt, I'm not messing up another episode for us, but I am going to say I'm thankful for the Wicked movie. I won't get into my thoughts on the Wicked movie. We're not doing that, but I'm thankful. You know why? Because groups of little kids, especially little kids of color, are running to that movie right now and they are seeing themselves for the first time in the screen like that. They are seeing themselves for the first time singing like that. They are seeing themselves and what else is there? Like, we have to have this moment to say thank you for Jon M. Chu's work and Universal Pictures for making this happen. Because this was not cheap this was not a little investment. They planted 9 million damn tulips. I'm thankful. I'm thankful that they did that. I'm thankful for Paul Tazwell. We will get into my thoughts on the film because I'm also of the mindset that if you love something, that means you are also critical of it. I don't think that I have to love everything about something in order to love it. And I'll leave you on that. But I am thankful for the movie.
- [11:18]
A
We will get into those thoughts on tomorrow's episode. So obviously, stay tuned. What a tease that was. But, yeah, wicked brought in $114 million domestically in its first week in theaters. Obviously, there was some lead up and some early things early in the week, but primarily that was starting on the previews on Thursday night and heading through the weekend. So lots to be thankful for with Wicked, and I'm really looking forward to talking about that tomorrow. And then finally, Grace, this one is a little more personal, I have to say. Like, I am eternally grateful for the people that I have gotten to meet through theater, whether that is because of, you know, people who listen to today on Broadway and Broadway radio in general. I've just randomly, and I know you have to, Grace, even fairly recently, just randomly met people at shows who listen, which is always a little discombobulating because I sit at my desk and talk into a microphone and forget that people actually listen. But then also like meeting friends and friends of friends and then, you know, having more friends. And I don't take for granted that because of what I do, I get to go to see shows for free. But it is honestly one of the joys of my life when I can take people to see theater, whether that's in New York and that's friends in New York. Obviously, I love it when I get to take my niece and nephew to shows here in Florida. And it's just I'm very grateful for the people and the opportunities that loving theater and working in theater has afforded me personally. And I know there are many, many other people who feel the same way that have made lifelong friendships because of a shared love for a show or a performer or just theater in general. And as I kind of scroll through my trip spreadsheets and I'm like, oh, I saw 12 shows with 10 different people last week. And that's amazing because I went to some shows by myself. But, like, I love that and that is very special to me and something that I do not take for granted. And I know a lot of that is because I get invited as a voter to come see shows, and I have the opportunity to take people with me, and that's very meaningful. And again, being able to do it with my niece and nephew down here in Florida as well is even more special. But, yeah, I think the people that, I mean. And then I guess Grace, and then also we can throw in, like, the interviews, the people that I've gotten to talk to for interviews, like Manny Gonzalez, who we heard in yesterday's episode, like, just what a special opportunity that is that, you know, this is a time to be grateful. But I also don't take them for granted because I know that I am incredibly fortunate to have those opportunities and I'm going to cherish them and try to make the most of them as much as I possibly can.
- [14:13]
B
I love that. It's so true. I basically echo it. I have a fourth. That is my fourth. We. We've just been so fortunate. You know what I mean? Like, we've just been so, so fortunate that, like, even though we don't get too. When we're. When we're recording this, like, we don't get to see who all is listening to it, like, physically at all. So when people, you know, make themselves known to say, like, I do listen, like, we take it really, really seriously. And it's. It's a really beautiful, awesome thing.
- [14:37]
A
So, yeah, absolutely. All right, everybody. We hope that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. Whatever you are doing, whether you are with family or you are celebrating with friends, like with a friendsgiving, or if you're. Honestly, if you're doing what I'm doing and staying home alone all day because all of my family's out of town and I have to work.
- [15:07]
B
I got me, too. Wait. I hope everyone is having a home alone Thanksgiving. I hope that if you have to ignore certain family members, you're doing it win stride. I hope that if you're having to have a hard conversation, it's not too awkward, make sure you crack a joke.
- [15:23]
A
I love that. Yeah. Yeah, you and I. Yeah, you and I are both going to be home by ourselves. And quite honestly, like, I will miss my family. They all went up to Ohio. But Black Friday is a big day for my day job. Saturday is a big day for my covering college football. So it just didn't make sense for me to go with the rest of my family to a cabin in the hills in the woods in Ohio where Internet might be shoddy. So I'm staying home, But I'm looking forward to it. Like, I'M looking forward to, like, not doing anything. So whatever your holiday plans are, whatever your Thanksgiving plans are, we hope that they are wonderful and rejuvenating and you are able to share some of that gratefulness that we have, not only for the things we just talked about, but the gratefulness that we have for you all, for listening. It is very true and very deep and very abiding and you will allow us to do this. So we appreciate it. Have a wonderful holidays and we'll be back tomorrow to talk all things wicked. And Grace, I cannot wait. There are so many things that I want to get down into with you, so we look forward to that. Have a wonderful Thursday, a wonderful Thanksgiving, and we'll be back to talk to you tomorrow.