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Trisha Paytas
Hi, y'all. This is Kristin Chenoweth. Hi, I'm Gloria Stefan. This is Sara Bareilles. Hi, I'm Patti LuPone. This is Lin Manuel Miranda.
Kevin
You're listening to the Broadway Podcast Network.
Trisha Paytas
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Quincy
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Trisha Paytas
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.
Gloria Estefan
You would also slay as a Shenzhen opposite Bowen.
Trisha Paytas
Well, that would have been the dream. As soon as I saw, obviously Brodwyn James is queen. But when I saw, I was like, no, that could have been me.
Gloria Estefan
I'm Quincy.
Kevin
And I'm Kevin.
Gloria Estefan
And this is Sentimental Men. We're here to talk and maybe scream.
Kevin
About our favorite women in musical theater.
Gloria Estefan
I'm giving up my vices. I'm going back. Back to school. Eviction or not, this year's been so hot.
Trisha Paytas
But as long as I got you, I know I'll be cool.
Gloria Estefan
What is the next part?
Kevin
I didn't crack the love code here.
Gloria Estefan
Till you made the lock of my heart explode. It's gonna be a happy new year.
Kevin
Happy New Year and Happy New year, Bea.
Gloria Estefan
And Happy Idina Menzel back on Broadway Year.
Kevin
Quincy this month. Happy Idina back on Broadway month.
Gloria Estefan
And Kristen back on Broadway year and Kri.
Kevin
Wow, wow, wow.
Gloria Estefan
They said Ariana and Cynthia had too much space.
Kevin
Too much. We've held enough space for those girls.
Gloria Estefan
We're back.
Kevin
Give some space back to mothers 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. Literally, just like, I'm coming.
Trisha Paytas
Oh, my last.
Kevin
That's how I feel them coming back.
Gloria Estefan
Kristen is coming back this year that's announced and it's happening supposed to because.
Kevin
Yeah, it was gonna be this current season and then they pushed it right.
Gloria Estefan
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.
Kevin
Mm. Mm.
Gloria Estefan
With a Stephen Schwartz score. Happy Stephen Schwartz back on Broadway. Not that he ever left.
Kevin
I love also with redwood, Adina's picture out on those doors outside the Nederlander is just like, so. Cause for however many years that picture of her in the seasons of love lineup was out on one of those doors. And so I'm feeling very sentimental about Adina being back on Broadway. Yes. But being back at the Nederlander is truly. I'm unwell over that.
Gloria Estefan
But from here I can see.
Trisha Paytas
Clear.
Gloria Estefan
I'm very excited for Redwood. There is a song and there are two songs in Redwood, one that Idina sings and one that Zack Pizer sings that slay the house down boots that I am very excited to see live again.
Kevin
It's like I saw you share this on Instagram a couple at this point a couple weeks ago, but that article that was like, is this the best Broadway season? Like, all of these new shows coming to Broadway, like, actually new material. And 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. Idita Menzel singing a new original musical on Broadway in 2025. Sign me up.
Gloria Estefan
It. It is. I mean, I think last season was such a disaster in a lot of ways.
Kevin
The 23, 24 season.
Gloria Estefan
Yes. Yeah. Yes. But it feels like we are kind of coming back. All the revivals have slayed, slayed, slayed in our eventi. We have so many celebrities on Broadway and we have so many new original musicals and scores on Broadway.
Kevin
Yeah.
Gloria Estefan
Dead outlaw, which I saw. Downtown baby. 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, boop, boop.
Kevin
Although I wouldn't put that in the squarely original musical, but original score. Original score by David Foster, which, like that also just feels like Such a moment to have a David Foster musical on Broadway that feels like in 10 years, theater history classes will point to that as an era beginning.
Gloria Estefan
And there is a musical theater canon song in that score that I am very excited to have on record again. You can go find Cat McPhee singing it on YouTube right now though. Something to shout about. So good. Yeah, I'm excited for Broadway this year. I think I'm going to Redwood opening night, which I'm very excited about.
Kevin
It's a good year to be a.
Gloria Estefan
Wicked gay it's been good years to.
Kevin
Be a wicked gay 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.
Gloria Estefan
I'm sad for the day where it don't even say it leaves the lexicon, Cultural lexicon. But maybe it won't say it.
Kevin
It won't. Not if we have anything to do with it.
Gloria Estefan
We have kind of an insane guest on today, the one and only Trisha Paytas.
Kevin
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.
Gloria Estefan
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, influencery 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 her. I clock her and I immediately start. I don't get starstruck that often.
Kevin
It's true.
Gloria Estefan
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 like 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 gonna 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.
Kevin
That's what's crazy to me about it. Yeah.
Gloria Estefan
So that happened, and then, like, a couple weeks later, she was in New York City for her Beacon show, and. And she ended up going to the Little shop of horror's 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, 15,000?
Kevin
No, that can't be right.
Gloria Estefan
1500. 1500th.
Kevin
I was like, wait a minute. I was like, how many Audrey's have I missed?
Gloria Estefan
1500. And so Tricia and I got to watch Sarah Renee Scott play Audrey. And she, by the way, Kevin, best duo. Sheri and Nick Christopher are the best duo I've seen in Little Shop in a very, very long time.
Kevin
When do they leave? Soon, but not like March. Yeah. Okay, good. So we still have time.
Gloria Estefan
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, 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.
Kevin
If Sheri Renee Scott is gonna give you one thing, it's a fucking performance. She is so good. I am very excited. I've not seen this cast of Little Shock 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, twinky little girl. I like a woman who's been through some shit and I feel like Sheri is going to give me that.
Gloria Estefan
I was also. I'm full campaigning to get Trisha Paytas cast as Audrey and Little Shop. So if that happens, know it was my doing.
Kevin
I will be there. How would you pair Trisha?
Gloria Estefan
Trisha and Chris Olsen.
Kevin
And Chris Olsen.
Gloria Estefan
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. Yeah, 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.
Kevin
Cute.
Gloria Estefan
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. Trisha Paytas, Big Broadway Dream. It sold out in five minutes, but we will have to find a way to get in there.
Kevin
Yeah.
Gloria Estefan
It's also streaming online, which I think is a really cool business model.
Kevin
I love cool stuff on Broadway right now.
Gloria Estefan
There are a lot of things I don't love about Broadway right now, but there's also a lot of cool things happening that are attempting to push the industry forward in a much needed way, and this is one of them.
Kevin
Totally.
Gloria Estefan
Sunset's off. Let's throw Trisha Paytas up there.
Kevin
Perfect.
Gloria Estefan
I told her I hope she starts the show walking out in the black Nicole gown with blood dripping down her.
Kevin
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, like costumes that she has recreated, like, everything is so careful and so specific that, like, it does feel like, oh, this is somebody who is going to take her one night on Broadway very seriously and run with it.
Gloria Estefan
First of all, all those music videos, I can't imagine how much they cost, but there is 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.
Kevin
Yeah. She's somebody who just like, she brings all of herself to everything and that always reads as a sleigh because it's always full out, full fall out, fall out.
Gloria Estefan
All right, let's get into this convo.
Kevin
Yeah, let's do it.
Gloria Estefan
Trisha Paytas, thank you so much for joining us on Sentimental Men.
Trisha Paytas
I couldn't be more excited for to be on any podcast. I'm so excited.
Kevin
We're very excited to have you.
Gloria Estefan
We were talking about in our intro kind of how this started and it was born at the Wicked LA premiere.
Trisha Paytas
Mm, yes. So fitting.
Gloria Estefan
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.
Trisha Paytas
No, Way. So you guys were in front?
Gloria Estefan
Yeah.
Trisha Paytas
Oh, that's so cool.
Gloria Estefan
And I will say, it started like a murmur in the entire influencer line. Like, everyone was like, trisha.
Trisha Paytas
That's Trisha.
Gloria Estefan
Trisha's here.
Trisha Paytas
Trisha, 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 because 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.
Kevin
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.
Trisha Paytas
Oh, dressed up like, everyone's in pink and green. Like, everyone. It was just like, good vibes. Because if you were front of me, that means you got there really early too. Like, it was like, what, 3:30?
Kevin
We were there 3:30, two on the button.
Gloria Estefan
I had a friend who was walking the later carpet and he was like, oh, what time are you getting there? And I said, three thirty. And he was like, oh, I didn't know it was open.
Trisha Paytas
No, Steve, my. My co host of my podcast, he's Entertainment Tonight, and he's like, oh, they're not even Getting there till 4 to be on the carpet. I'm like, well, I'm getting there at 3:30. So I take it I would get there at 1:00 if it meant rocking the carpet. I didn't care, you know?
Gloria Estefan
Happy to be included.
Trisha Paytas
Yes.
Gloria Estefan
Wait, so that was your first ever premiere? That's crazy to me.
Trisha Paytas
I've never been to a 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.
Kevin
It was huge.
Trisha Paytas
It was just like, lines and so many people and so many. Yeah, it was. It was my first ever. I love it.
Gloria Estefan
Even the, like, whole stretch of carpet was crazy.
Trisha Paytas
Well, I just thought they all were like that. And everyone was telling me, like, no, they're Usually, like, really short and stuff. I just like, well, they must all be like this.
Gloria Estefan
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, LA scene and you hear all the stereotypes and. But everyone was so nice.
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?
Gloria Estefan
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.
Kevin
Yeah. Which is also just like, New York. We just, like, don't have the space to do something as big as that LA premiere was.
Gloria Estefan
So.
Kevin
Yeah, I'm very grateful that we all got to go to that one.
Trisha Paytas
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, wait, 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?
Gloria Estefan
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 alphabuz and Glindas. And then Kevin took it very seriously.
Kevin
Yeah, I was like, give me 24 hours and I'll come back with a name, a plan, a guest list.
Trisha Paytas
Oh, wait, that's so cool. And you guys interviewed, obviously, the newest Alphabet and Glinda's, which was like. I was looking. I was like, damn, that's wild. Cause they don't do, like, any podcast interviews. Congrats on everything. It's so cool.
Gloria Estefan
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.
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.
Gloria Estefan
Yeah. Okay, so what was your experience at the movie premiere? Did it live up to your expectations?
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. Oh, so were you at the one in New York?
Gloria Estefan
We went to the New York one. Yeah.
Trisha Paytas
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 going to love the movie. But the actual premiere, like you. 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 matched well. 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 it really just felt special. Like, you're being rewarded for being a Wicked fan for all the years. It was really cool.
Gloria Estefan
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.
Trisha Paytas
Yeah. They didn't have to, like, some of the. Do you know, is it Follow the Yellow Brick Girl and the Oslog? 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.
Kevin
Right. Which is nice, too, because then it's like, not to, like, toot our horn, but, like, you're saying, like, the OZ vlog and all these other. It's like they're asking questions that, like, your typical news outlets are not asking.
Trisha Paytas
Yes.
Kevin
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, whoa, what's it like working with Cynthia? It's like, no, tell us, like, tell us what the bubble was like. Tell us what?
Trisha Paytas
Yes.
Kevin
What lines almost got cut. Tell us this. Tell us the other thing.
Trisha Paytas
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. That's my favorite part.
Gloria Estefan
Okay, wait, so let's rewind. How did. What is your first touch point with Wicked, the musical? How did it come into your life?
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 Glinda. I do remember that.
Kevin
Mine, too.
Trisha Paytas
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 Glinda was, and I was like, oh, my gosh. Because I remember I fell in love with Glinda. 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 la. It's here at the Pantages now, too. So I saw Ashley Parker angel as Fiero. I saw Adam Lambert as Fiero. So I saw 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 gonna go see it here at the Pantages next week, is like, the stage production is. The movie's 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. Dillon, like, on stage, you know? And I'm like, but you have to see it, because it's so cool. Like, you can't even imagine if you haven't seen it.
Gloria Estefan
Wow. So your husband's first experience with Wicked was the movie?
Trisha Paytas
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.
Gloria Estefan
You are such a musical fan in all of the content. You put out these, like, highly, highly produced music video recreations of Broadway shows. What gave you that bug?
Kevin
Yeah. Like, have you always been a theater Girly.
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 loved. So I got to see Matthew Broderick and Nathan James. Yeah. Isn't that crazy?
Gloria Estefan
Your first Broadway show?
Trisha Paytas
Yeah.
Kevin
Trisha.
Trisha Paytas
I know. I was trying to think about it. I was like, what was my first Broadway show?
Kevin
I have goosebumps.
Trisha Paytas
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, Marlenza Oola 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 A Little Shop, and I was like, I want to be Audrey, you know, and get saved. So I would see myself in characters, and I 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, 7 or 8. And I was, like, 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 a 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.
Gloria Estefan
You know, we're gonna get into your Broadway era that you're entering. Yeah, but just, like, when you were younger and thought about your career and aspirations, what was the dream for you because you have such a fascinating trajectory.
Trisha Paytas
You know, I wanted to, like, 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, yeah. Just in a pink sequin 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? So I put out those videos. I probably have 30 popular videos out there right now of me singing. Cause 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?
Gloria Estefan
Kevin has a BFA in musical theater.
Trisha Paytas
Oh.
Kevin
Oh, I sure do have a bfa. I don't use it anymore, though.
Trisha Paytas
Are you, like, a singer?
Kevin
I can sing. Yeah. I would not call my.
Trisha Paytas
If you can say you sing, 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. Like, they're just amazing. It's like another world, you know what I mean? I don't know how they have that talent. Like, Cynthia and Ariana, they're just like, how can you even do that? It's crazy.
Kevin
Yeah, I feel that way Watching dancers, too, is. I'm just like, dancers. Your ability to do. Like, to move your body in a way that tells me something is so, like, crazy and impressive to me.
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 monetary conversation, but there really are the talent heartbeat of the show. They make everything feel full, and they give their all, even if they're not, like, the star of the scene. It's like, I. 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.
Gloria Estefan
Did you see Death Becomes her when you were in New York?
Trisha Paytas
Yes. My favor. 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 star shocked. The night we were there, Catherine McPhee was there too. So I saw her backstage.
Gloria Estefan
Oh, it was that night?
Trisha Paytas
Yeah.
Gloria Estefan
With the Smash girls?
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 and I saw David Foster and Katherine 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. Cause Smash is my all time favorite. I love Smash.
Gloria Estefan
Yeah, same.
Trisha Paytas
So good, Quincy. Are you. So did you go to college for theater too?
Gloria Estefan
No, I performed in high school and college. I was on a theater scholarship in college, so I had to 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.
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?
Gloria Estefan
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.
Trisha Paytas
I find it so that 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 searching during Sunset Boulevard. I saw her too, and I was just like, I just don't understand how that's possible. It's crazy.
Gloria Estefan
You should do a Death Becomes her music video.
Trisha Paytas
I would love. I would do everything for the gays. Is that what it is? I love that number. It's so fabulous.
Gloria Estefan
Wait, that'd be so perfect.
Kevin
That would be perfect.
Trisha Paytas
I was gagging. I was like. I wanted to like be a part of it so bad. That's might be the 1 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.
Kevin
When she came out in that rainbow flag, like, like the fringy. I was. I was gasping and screaming in my seat.
Trisha Paytas
I same speechless. No, that show is actually maybe the best show I've seen, obviously, besides Wicked, in, 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 Earth like the original movie. I know. That's crazy and blasphemous. Yeah.
Gloria Estefan
I only watched it when the musical became a thing.
Trisha Paytas
Well, now that's what I'm gonna do, too. We're gonna watch it tonight. It's like, oh, Bruce Willis is in it. Meryl Streep. Okay. Goldie Hawn. Yeah, I'll watch it. But I never. I never saw it, but now I'm obsessed.
Kevin
Yeah, you're gonna love it. It's one of my top three favorite movies of all time.
Trisha Paytas
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. Wait, 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.
Kevin
Ooh, that's a spicy take.
Gloria Estefan
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?
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 very. 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 is everything. And I know a lot of people are not happy with it, so I. Because, you know, they cut a lot of songs and, like, 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 in 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 it up. Cause 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 feel, 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, like, missed 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 just. I don't know. 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 emot. It was. 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. It was amazing. Wouldn't change a thing.
Kevin
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.
Trisha Paytas
Because the first smaller screening, too. I agree. The first smallest screening was like, like, 20 people, really cushy chairs. So you're like, in these cushy chairs. We were, you know, again, happy to either. Yeah, yeah. Hors d'oeuvres. 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. That's cool. Like, non super fans are doing that too.
Gloria Estefan
It's really neat.
Trisha Paytas
Yeah.
Gloria Estefan
There is, like, a communal feeling that this movie is bringing out. I was in Madrid a couple 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, like, started clapping.
Trisha Paytas
I would clap. That's such a good intro. I'm gonna say that for my podcast. It's so good. It's. And that's the. 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. Oh, my God.
Kevin
I know. I gotta go.
Gloria Estefan
Those are gonna be nuts.
Trisha Paytas
Those are gonna be nuts. But honestly, I'm so glad they're doing it, because who doesn't want to sing along, you know?
Kevin
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 go to a sing along.
Trisha Paytas
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's gonna 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 are like, shh. But it happens. Even when we go to Pantages, people sing a lot. Like, it always happens. People are just, like, singing. Yeah. It's Weird. It's only in la. New York audiences are a lot more. They know the etiquette here in la, they'll just sing to, like, anything.
Gloria Estefan
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?
Trisha Paytas
There's so many little things I feel like, especially when they go to shiz, like, there's. Because, you know, it's a. 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. 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 jumping, Like, 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. Wait, there's so much happening in this scene. It was really cool.
Gloria Estefan
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.
Trisha Paytas
It's so intense. But there's a reason it goes viral. Like, 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.
Kevin
Yes.
Trisha Paytas
You know, have you seen that one? The one is feeling with her for. Yeah, like, that's what I'm saying. Everyone pays attention. She's killing it. Like, the girl with the bob is now very viral.
Gloria Estefan
And it's, like, having a moment.
Trisha Paytas
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 he was talking with the choreographer and he was saying, like, how the nail choreography looked like in the Heights. Did you see that one?
Kevin
Yes, I clocked that.
Trisha Paytas
Yeah.
Kevin
Yes.
Trisha Paytas
He's like, that looks very familiar to in the Heights. 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.
Kevin
I like with the choreography, too. The third time I saw it, I left feeling like, oh, so much of the choreography, not as a whole, but the individual moves are kind of like animal in nature. There's so much 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 y. Oh, interesting. It's such smart choreography.
Trisha Paytas
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, Nessa flies through the air and the clock kind of comes down and there's, like, animals underneath it. Like, I never know. 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 is 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.
Gloria Estefan
And I was like, I think that was Sebastian Arcelau's.
Trisha Paytas
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, I'd never seen anyone do that. I was like, did he just put that in himself? Because it was so good, so smart. But people who see those little things, like Fiero, like a corn on Fiero, 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 gonna be the Scarecrow. I'm like, how do people know that? Because I didn't know. When I first saw the stage production, I had no idea. But people are, like, getting it already.
Gloria Estefan
Well, it's so fascinating seeing people be gagged by discovering that. Cause you forget that. Oh, some people don't know Wicked and the story of it.
Trisha Paytas
Yeah, I guess it 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, whoa. My mind was blown when people started turning into the Tin Man. And I was like, whoa, that's such a cool connection. It's really cool how they did it.
Gloria Estefan
And the, like, Oz thing. When I saw it in Madrid, before the movie starts, they play, like, this Star wars screen roller of text that explained the story of the wizard of Oz and where we are in the journey right before no one Mourns, the Wicked starts. And I was like, oh, does the world not have like this cultural context of what the wizard of Oz is?
Trisha Paytas
I don't think so. I don't think they do.
Kevin
At least not to the extent.
Trisha Paytas
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?
Gloria Estefan
I saw that. And Demi Moore was gonna play Elphaba in like a non musical version of the movie.
Trisha Paytas
That would have been. So it's crazy it's been around for so long. Cause I actually haven't read the book. So that's what I'm saying. I'm not too like deep into it because people were saying the books are like super sexual. And I was like, I. I have no idea.
Gloria Estefan
So different from the stage show. Stage shows essentially just like took the idea of the book and then did.
Trisha Paytas
I had no idea it made it pg. Okay, so it's not pg. The book is like R rated, very sexual.
Kevin
The book is like a heavy PG13. 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 for an 11 year old.
Trisha Paytas
That's good to know though. Cause I was going to like 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. I think I would love to read. Yeah, yeah. Is like who's. Who's hooking up? Like who 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.
Gloria Estefan
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.
Trisha Paytas
Oh, are they doing that? That's crazy.
Gloria Estefan
Like the movie poster on the book.
Trisha Paytas
Oh, they should maybe, yeah, like do like a watered down version for that. But.
Gloria Estefan
But Kevin was saying. Cause it feels like this movie is gonna 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 Garden Maguire wrote.
Trisha Paytas
Oh, interesting.
Kevin
Maybe all three of us could be in one of those movies. Maybe there's time for us still.
Trisha Paytas
I would do. I would be a goat. I would be whatever. I don't care what. I would.
Gloria Estefan
I'll be in like The To Be Limited series. That criticism.
Trisha Paytas
The knockoff version. Yeah, same, same. I would be in anything Wicked.
Kevin
I'll wave a little tulip at Ariana Grande.
Trisha Paytas
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 would be. Yeah. I think everybody would be so excited to be in it. We're all auditioning. We're all sending our tapes in.
Gloria Estefan
Yeah.
Trisha Paytas
You come out of retirement for performing.
Kevin
Yeah, for Wicked.
Trisha Paytas
I would.
Gloria Estefan
What are your thoughts and feelings about the second part of the movie? What are you hoping for?
Trisha Paytas
I just know. I just know it's gonna be even. Like, you know what part two is, where all the excitement happens, where the reveals come in. I mean, it's kind of. It's sad. I mean, Part Act 2 is like the saddest act of. But. But I think all. I mean, all the bangers in act one, everyone knows, right? The. The, you know, popular and defined gravity. But I just feel like the songs of Act 2 are underrated. I mean, everyone loves as Long as yous Mind, of course. But, like, I just think, like, for good. Like, I think people are gonna 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.
Gloria Estefan
So much happens in Act 2 that, like, yeah, let's throw a couple songs.
Trisha Paytas
In to help and clarify things, get some more. Right. That's true, too, because clarify is a.
Kevin
Good word for it.
Trisha Paytas
Clarify is great because the first time seeing it on stage, it's. 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. I'm. But we haven't seen hardly anything of anyone else, so it's. It'll be interesting to see. I. I'm so excited. I wish. I hope they do an early screening, like January for people. You know what I mean? Because I want to see it so bad.
Gloria Estefan
Right.
Trisha Paytas
I just can't wait. Theory.
Gloria Estefan
It should be almost done at this point, you know?
Trisha Paytas
Do you think it is. I'm sure it's done right, or. No.
Gloria Estefan
They've had it in the can for so long. I imagine they've been tinkering away at it.
Kevin
Yeah. I actually wonder. Like, that's interesting when 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 part one? I wonder, right?
Trisha Paytas
They're not. Because they're done filming. Filming, right? Like done.
Gloria Estefan
Yeah.
Trisha Paytas
So that is a good question.
Gloria Estefan
I also wonder if they, like, hold the edit to see the response to the first movie, and then that informs how they edit and put together the second movie.
Trisha Paytas
You know, that's probably it.
Kevin
Yeah, I think you're probably right.
Trisha Paytas
How they react to characters. Like, maybe there's some that they liked 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's some valid ones. I. 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 are 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.
Gloria Estefan
Yes, I agree. But there's white pants in the I'm not that girl forest scene.
Kevin
We did get the white pants.
Trisha Paytas
Yeah.
Kevin
But not enough close ups of them.
Trisha Paytas
His little hip shaking in it would have been so good, though. That's my favorite. All the Fiyeros wearing that. When they jump on the little 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 a remake video shot by shot. Even if the stage production was gonna be so hard and.
Gloria Estefan
Well, have you ever seen Cher doing all the parts in west side Story?
Trisha Paytas
Yeah, that was my inspo for Suddenly Seymour.
Kevin
She's like, of course I have seen this.
Gloria Estefan
Yeah.
Trisha Paytas
I saw it as a little girl, and I was like, I want to do that. I want to play all the parts.
Gloria Estefan
That for Dancing Through Life would slay for you.
Trisha Paytas
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. 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.
Kevin
Oh.
Gloria Estefan
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 show.
Trisha Paytas
Yeah.
Gloria Estefan
And something bad. And I'm not that girl hit. For me in the movie.
Trisha Paytas
I'm not that girl hit. Cause I kind of almost kind of don't remember it in the stage production in the first half. I remember in the second half, and I was kind of like, oh. And then the. Oh, God. And that one, I was like, like, chills. I do. And everyone's singing 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, ah. 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's just. It's just, you know, and then, like, that is tragic. And everyone's just, like, happy and dancing and.
Kevin
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. Cause she's listening to him. Everyone else is looking at him and seeing the smile, seeing the swivel hips.
Trisha Paytas
Yeah.
Kevin
She's hearing the words he's saying, and she's like, nah. Like, this guy is sad.
Trisha Paytas
Yeah.
Gloria Estefan
Like in the movie, everyone's dancing around him. And they cut to Alphabet, just kind of, like, staring at him, which is.
Trisha Paytas
A very good one.
Gloria Estefan
She's seeing him.
Trisha Paytas
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, that kind of shit switched fast, you know? But in the movie, you just see it so much more throughout the whole thing. Them, like, just constantly, like, looking at each other, thinking about that night, you know, all this stuff like that. I was like, oh, I get the connection, like, so much more there.
Kevin
As long as your mind is gonna do things to me.
Trisha Paytas
I know I'm already crying. That's my favorite, favorite, favorite. And I just. I can't even imagine. It's so good. I just. They're literally the perfect. The perfect Fiyero and Elphaba for that. I just. It's gonna Be so good. I can't wait to see it.
Gloria Estefan
It is insane how good the casting is in this movie.
Trisha Paytas
For every part, like an all star cast, like, 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.
Gloria Estefan
But I was like, Kevin was all in on Jeff Goldblum.
Trisha Paytas
He like, ate so hard. I was kind of like, I liked him.
Kevin
I love, love that man.
Trisha Paytas
He's the best.
Kevin
I'm excited to see him in part two.
Trisha Paytas
Yeah.
Gloria Estefan
Him and Michelle will have so much more to do in part two.
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 is Madame Marble. Like, she. She's so fierce with the scene with the monkeys flying. That was just, oh, she's fierce. I loved her.
Gloria Estefan
You would also slay as a Shen Shen opposite Bowen.
Trisha Paytas
Well, that would have been the dream. As soon as I saw obviously Brodwyn, James is queen. But when I saw, I was like, nah, that could have been me. That was the one. I liked 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. So it was cool. The teachers were different sizes. Like, I. I appreciated 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, I loved. I love Shenzhen in this movie. I thought it was so good. And yeah, I thought they were both really good because the characters kind of get lost in the stage production. But I didn'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 up. I didn't know that was the name, but they crushed. They were my favorite even before I met Bo and I said it on my podcast. I was like, his lines were so funny. And I thought Bronner and James, they were really good in their characters because the stage production, they get kind of lost in the movie. They were really good.
Gloria Estefan
You told me at the little Shot party that Fanny and Shenshan confirmed are in part two.
Trisha Paytas
They are confirmed. He said it 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 never see them again. I didn't read the books, but apparently in the books, I guess they 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.
Gloria Estefan
What does that evolve to do? They become like Glinda's palace workers.
Trisha Paytas
Must be. That's what I think too.
Kevin
Like her court. Yeah. Like, her people that are just, like, around her. Which is interesting because it's like, well, 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.
Trisha Paytas
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, is 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.
Gloria Estefan
Used a little more Bach in the.
Trisha Paytas
First part kind of same. Right. 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.
Kevin
Yeah.
Trisha Paytas
Yeah. For once, I love being heartless. And it's like Abby, heartless, killing her. Like, I love it.
Gloria Estefan
I joke that Idina and Kristen got more screen time in the movie than Bach, but I think it kind of might be true.
Kevin
I think they may have.
Trisha Paytas
For sure. For sure. I wonder why that's such interesting.
Kevin
The second or third time I watched it, I noticed, like, with Ithan and even with some of the other characters, it's like we didn't even see visually see Ithan singing Bach's big note in the let's dance.
Trisha Paytas
Oh, really? Do they cut away?
Kevin
It cuts away to Nessarose 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 him, 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.
Trisha Paytas
Like, yeah, I'm interested in that too. That's why I'm kind of, I'm kind of surprised he didn't do more of a buildup 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 1? So it is maybe it was like.
Gloria Estefan
An artful directorial choice to communicate to audiences how none of the characters see bottom in Part one.
Trisha Paytas
Oh, well, that's tea, because that is true.
Kevin
I just saw, I just saw some video, some tick tock or something that was saying how like you almost have to watch Wicked Part 1 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.
Gloria Estefan
Oh, because.
Kevin
Because she ignores him. And so I could totally see. I think that makes a lot of sense. Quincy.
Trisha Paytas
That makes sense. And then he shows up more. Cause would act two then be more told in the POV of who Alpha? I guess.
Kevin
I guess. Or like maybe act two, Part two is more just like we're watching it in real time. Whereas Part one, we're seeing Glinda's memories of these events.
Trisha Paytas
This is why I like conversations like these, because 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.
Gloria Estefan
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.
Trisha Paytas
Yeah, that actually makes sense. I saw a lot of people being like, oh, we're going to believe 36 year old Jonathan Bailey as Fiero, but not Ben Platt, 27 as Aaron Hansen. I'm like, but they become adults. Like they become like grown ups. So like they have to play that. And I thought 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.
Gloria Estefan
I also think, like, high school is different than college. To play on screen like high school, you kind of look like a high schooler.
Kevin
Yeah, I thought they did a good job. I think it's more so. It's like the whole cast needs to look the same age.
Trisha Paytas
Yeah.
Kevin
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.
Trisha Paytas
I mean, the original cast, too, they were all, like, in their mid-30s and stuff, but no one questioned it. They all looked very good and very young.
Gloria Estefan
And you're rarely having a college age person play Elphaba live.
Trisha Paytas
Yeah. Like you said, especially because, like, later on, they have to show that, like, growth and the maturity and stuff like that. Yeah, it's. I thought they were, like, perfectly cast. I loved it.
Gloria Estefan
Okay, Trisha, you are fully entering your Broadway era, and I do think it feels like the Wicked premiere 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.
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, 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. I was. Yeah, literally, I got that because I was. I just signed with an agency and I was like, wow, they worked quick. I'm like, I guess I'm gonna do that. Like, I really thought. I really thought. I was like, okay, tea. And so I looked and I was like, so excited. I posted it again, not really thinking because, like, obviously I didn't hear anything, but I posted it because I like to get people hyped or whatever. And it was an article that I didn't write. So I was like, let me just post it, start some discourse. Yeah. 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 his, like, notifications. The site was, like, crashing. Everyone is, 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 this. 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 an April Fool's. But they. 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, Skyler, in the fall, and then we announced it this winter, so. And then we're performing February 3rd, so it's less than a year that it came about. And it's crazy. 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. And 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, but 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.
Kevin
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. That kind of creative control, what is that?
Trisha Paytas
Like, 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 Skyler the director. Like, everyone has a really good, like, creative direction because, honestly, I don't had. Or. 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 in the beginning of the end. But then 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 Sheri Renee Scott in 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 could 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. You're not on Broadway, but, like, there is. 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. I'm excited to get to do my original stuff, so I don't really have to, like, have to compare to Sharon Renee Scott or something. You know, it's like just me, so it's good.
Gloria Estefan
So what is. What can we expect from the content of the show?
Trisha Paytas
So it's basically kind of just. I don't know how to say it without giving too much. It's kind of a little bit Christmas caroly. 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 yeah, it's like. It's very. 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 Ozzy, too. 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. It's. It's really fun. And the people involved are 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 a Broadway. To be a star on Broadway, which I think is really cool.
Kevin
I love that. That's really cool.
Gloria Estefan
We need to find a way to sneak in because it sold out so quickly.
Trisha Paytas
Yeah. I think we have connections.
Kevin
We can work as ushers. We can show people to their seats, like, whatever you.
Trisha Paytas
Yeah, 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 it's Broadway. The tickets were a little even pricier than my own show tickets. So I was surprised. People were so supportive, and people still are like, how do I get tickets? I want to see you, like, be on Broadway. It's like. It is. It is crazy. I'm trying not to even think about it. I go into rehearsals, like, a week before the show, and it's. I'm trying not to think about it because I feel like I'm a little, like, I get a little overwhelmed. So I'm just trying to be like, let me just take it day by day, and when I get there, I'll focus on it. But I'm really thinking about it. I get a little too. A little too excited.
Gloria Estefan
What we were saying in the intro, it's a really exciting step forward for Broadway because it feels like Broadway is always a little bit late to the curve, which is kind of, like, improving and moving forward. And so something like this is, like, a cool shift in the industry model and, like, a new way to think about how Broadway is done. Even the live streaming of it all is such an accessibility thing that Broadway does not currently do. That is, like, such a smart idea.
Trisha Paytas
What I think is what people really want. Right? Because so many people watch those slime tutorials and stuff and people would love an opportunity to like support financially, like to watch something of high quality. So I'm, I'm really honored. I hope I don't like screw it up for the rest of the influencers because like it is, you know, influencers can do something and people like, oh, that didn't work out. You know what I mean? So sometimes it can be cringy. A lot of influencers have been on Broadway. Dallas Cameron was in Mean Girls and there's just, you know, Todrick and they're all great. But sometimes it's like, you know, you never know how. So to have this sort of new Broadway show about me is like, it's, it's, it's really an honor and I don't think it's going to be a disaster because I love it so much and I have so much passion that no matter what I think it'll be good because I'm just excited to be there. And I think with the majority of my shows, you know, people are just excited that I'm following a dream and you know, no one else would give me these opportunities. So the fact that this like happened because of like the fans is like really, really cool. And yeah, obviously George and Kobe, I mean they have like Tony nominations are so like amazing. So I have like a really, really good team. I feel very lucky. I don't know it all kind of just like, yeah, the wicked of it all. I think it was like a magical like year of like musicals. And it's nice because I, I, I truly love theater too. Like, I'm glad that it was like some, you know, that I get to do it because I love it and I appreciate it so much and you.
Gloria Estefan
Are such a genuine entertainer at heart that I think anything you do is just going to be gold.
Trisha Paytas
Thank you. I, I love, I love performing more than anything. If I had a voice, if I had like a Megan Hilty voice, I would have been been 10 time Tony nominee. But I know where I'm at. I know I'm passionate and I'm doing training starting in January for the month to like, you know, just help because I know I'm like, okay, I know I'm not great but it's like I, I think I could be a lot better. So I'm trying to put in like the work to like really do my best.
Gloria Estefan
Are you enjoying this entrance into the New York theater scene? What has it been like for you?
Trisha Paytas
Oh, My God, it was the best. I. The night we went to Little Shop, it was right after SNL and I was out till 6 in the morning, which by the way, I go to bed at 6pm every night. So I was like out and I called George and I was like, I'm so tired. I don't think I can only go to dinner. I don't think I can make a Little Shop. He's like, it's the 1500. Like I really would love. You really don't want to miss it. And I was like, okay. So I was so happy I went because it was the best production I've seen. The After Party after, just because it was the 1500. So like everybody was there. One of the. I forgot who it was. Melissa Victor. Is that her name? She was one of the Audreys. She's an understudy in Little Shop and.
Gloria Estefan
She was one of the.
Trisha Paytas
Yeah, she commented. She goes, oh my God, next time we have to sing together. Because I loved her. She was the first, like the first Audrey I've seen that was, you know, not a size zero. You know what I mean? So that gave me so much inspiration. I love seeing her as Audrey. So getting to see everyone in person. That's the night I did the TikTok with Orfeh just outside the bar. Like New York was like anything could happen. I saw Orfeh, she saw me. We follow each other on TikTok and she's like, do you want to make TikTok? I was like, yeah. And then she's like, what should we do? And I was like, can we do bed and SAP? She's like, yeah. And so we were like lip syncing outside this bar in New York. Like it really was like a dream night. It was just so magical. It was, it was really, it was really fun.
Kevin
So then Trisha, is your hope, your goal, your dream, your intention, that after this one night at the St James, there are future Broadway endeavors for you or does this feel like I'm doing it, I've done it. I can check it off my bucket list.
Trisha Paytas
No, I want to. I would love to be bike also. Like, I love New York. My husband loves New York. He's an artist, so he loves the whole scene. I really did love.
Gloria Estefan
What does he do?
Trisha Paytas
I've always had have. He does like water photography. Like he's if there's like water art. So he does photos of water. He created this like way to take pictures of moving water. So he, he also is just really good at like painting and sketching and sculptures. But he does his. His work is mostly water, so he loves the whole scene too. So I think it'd be fun to just, you know, be out there for something. I'm trying, you know, I. Well, I saw Quincy and immediately I was just like, oh, did you know, I do little shop. I've done this. And he's like, no, I know. I. I pitch myself. As soon as I see anyone do anything, I'm like, oh, by the way, because I used to be a lot more shy and timid and I wouldn't. I'd be embarrassed to talk about anything but my. My 20, 24 at 36, I was like, I really need to just, like, go for it and just ask for, like, what I want, because I see so many people getting opportunities and I'm like, I need to start, like, asking for things. So we'll see. I'm fortunate because Broadway does a lot of, like, you know, cast, like stunt casting where they bring people in. And so I did these shows hoping I could show that, like, people want to, like, you know, come buy tickets. So we'll see. Fingers crossed.
Kevin
Yes.
Trisha Paytas
I loved Rosie a lot, too. When her show was on tv. I remember she'd always like going to Broadway shows. And I, like, she was kind of my inspiration too, because she's, you know, she's definitely not like a belter. You know, she's not like a great singer. But I liked her passion. She was, like, in Seussical. I saw her in and, you know, Grease and stuff. She was really good. So that's always kind of like my model too. Or just have a show where people can come on and, like, perform their Broadway.
Gloria Estefan
I was gonna say I could see you doing a Rosie type show and just having all the broadcasts.
Kevin
Yes. I would love for you to have, like, a morning show.
Trisha Paytas
Oh, I would wake up, see you.
Kevin
Sit at a little desk.
Trisha Paytas
Yeah. And then throw out the Koosh balls. Yes. Yeah, I would. I would love. I love that you guys know because you're probably so much younger than me, but I was like, I was a Rosie Stan. You know what I mean? Like, she was my thing. When I was, like, 8 years old, I used to, like, love her because again, body representation. I was like, oh, she's on tv and she's, like, not so skinny. So I just always, like, drawn to people like that.
Gloria Estefan
Amazing. Trisha, this has been so fun. I'm so excited for this next chapter for you. I can't wait to play out.
Trisha Paytas
It's so crazy how we just, like, met each other at the Wicked premiere. Now we keep seeing each other so much. Hopefully, we'll continue to, you know, Broadway, too.
Kevin
You're going to be.
Trisha Paytas
Yeah.
Kevin
I have heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason.
Trisha Paytas
Bringing something they must learn.
Gloria Estefan
We must learn.
Trisha Paytas
I love it. I love it. Thank you. Thank you so much.
Gloria Estefan
Thank you for joining us, Trisha.
Trisha Paytas
Yeah. Happy good holidays.
Gloria Estefan
You've been listening to Sentimental Men.
Kevin
We'd like to say a big thank you to everyone at the Broadway Podcast Network.
Gloria Estefan
You can find Sentimental men on Instagram, TikTok and Xentmenpod, or you can email.
Kevin
Us@Sentmenpodmail.Com till next time.
Gloria Estefan
I'm Quincy.
Kevin
And I'm Kevin.
Podcast Summary: Sentimental Men - Episode 66: The Yellow Brick Road to Broadway (with Trisha Paytas)
Release Date: January 17, 2025
Hosted by Quincy Brown and Kevin Bianchi
Guest: Trisha Paytas
Quincy Brown and Kevin Bianchi open the episode with palpable excitement about the current Broadway season, highlighting a resurgence of original material and star-studded revivals. They express enthusiasm for notable figures returning to the stage, including Idina Menzel and Kristen.
The hosts discuss the positive shift in the industry, noting that despite last season's challenges, this year's lineup feels rejuvenated and promising.
The conversation delves into specific new musicals generating buzz on Broadway:
Redwood: An original musical featuring two songs performed by Idina Menzel and Zack Pizer, praised for its dynamic performances.
Dead End and Downtown Baby: Both revivals are lauded for their compelling storytelling and stellar casts.
Original Score by David Foster: Kevin emphasizes the significance of David Foster composing for Broadway, anticipating its lasting impact on theater history.
Gloria Estefan: "Dead Outlaw, which I saw. Downtown Baby. Happy ending, which you must see. It's so freaking good." (05:25)
The hosts appreciate the diversity of shows, noting the blend of new voices and veteran creatives contributing to Broadway's vibrancy.
The episode features a special guest, Trisha Paytas, marking her inaugural appearance on the Sentimental Men podcast. Quincy and Gloria recount how they met Trisha at the Wicked movie premiere, highlighting her passion for musical theater despite her unconventional path.
Gloria Estefan: "Trisha's here." (07:01)
Trisha Paytas: "I feel so silly. Like, why am I here?" (14:00)
Their encounter at the premiere evolved into a friendship, leading to Trisha's participation in the podcast and her upcoming Broadway endeavors.
Trisha Paytas shares her deep-rooted love for musical theater, tracing her first experiences with Broadway shows like Producers and A Little Shop of Horrors. Despite facing early setbacks in community theater, her passion remained unwavering, eventually leading her to embrace her Broadway aspirations through digital platforms like YouTube.
Her dedication culminates in her one-night-only Broadway extravaganza at the St. James Theater, a project born out of a playful April Fool's joke that unexpectedly gained traction due to fan enthusiasm.
Trisha Paytas: "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." (50:25)
The hosts and Trisha reminisce about their experiences attending the Wicked movie premiere. They contrast the bustling Los Angeles event with the more subdued New York premiere, emphasizing the communal joy and heightened emotions elicited by the film adaptation of the beloved musical.
Trisha Paytas: "I cried in the screening. I definitely cried." (27:04)
Gloria Estefan: "It feels like this movie is gonna spur like a Marvel Cinematic Universe of Wicked movies." (37:48)
They discuss the film's faithful retention of the original songs and the enhanced emotional depth it brings to the story, making it a cherished experience for both die-hard fans and newcomers.
A significant portion of the discussion centers around the intricate choreography and musical composition in Broadway productions. Trisha and the hosts analyze specific scenes and songs from Wicked, appreciating the depth and complexity that elevate the storytelling.
Kevin Bianchi: "Original score by David Foster, which... that's also just feels like such a moment to have a David Foster musical on Broadway." (05:41)
Trisha Paytas: "I wish I could belt. If I could do one thing, it'd be to belt." (25:55)
They commend the performers' abilities to convey profound emotions through song and movement, underscoring the unsung heroes in ensembles and dancers who breathe life into the productions.
Trisha reveals her ambitious venture into Broadway with "Trisha Paytas: Broadway Dream," a show developed in under a year that blends original performances, homages to classic musicals, and interactive elements like interviews and skits. The project not only fulfills her personal dreams but also supports the Entertainment Community Fund.
Trisha Paytas: "It's there 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." (50:25)
She details the show's creative process, emphasizing collaboration with seasoned Broadway professionals and integrating diverse elements to educate and entertain the audience about Broadway's nuances.
Trisha Paytas: "It feels like Satan is Halloween. And everyone else is kids. We're adults that play." (54:52)
The hosts and Trisha explore the evolving landscape of Broadway, particularly the intersection with digital influencers. They discuss the potential for influencers like Trisha to bring new audiences to theater through innovative formats like live streaming and interactive performances.
Trisha Paytas: "It's really an honor and I don't think it's going to be a disaster because I love it so much and I have so much passion that no matter what I think it'll be good because I'm just excited to be there." (57:00)
They highlight the importance of maintaining artistic integrity while embracing fresh perspectives, ensuring Broadway remains inclusive and accessible to a broader demographic.
As the episode concludes, Trisha expresses her gratitude for the opportunity to merge her online presence with her Broadway ambitions. She looks forward to future projects and collaborations, hoping to inspire others to pursue their dreams within the theatrical community.
Trisha Paytas: "I've always had have. He does like water photography... So I think it'd be fun to just, you know, be out there for something. I'm trying, you know..." (60:20)
Gloria Estefan: "Amazing. Trisha, this has been so fun. I'm so excited for this next chapter for you." (62:14)
The hosts extend their support, emphasizing the significance of Trisha's journey as a beacon of passion and determination within Broadway's dynamic environment.
Broadway's Revival: The current season showcases a blend of original works and high-profile revivals, signaling a vibrant resurgence in musical theater.
Trisha Paytas' Transition: From digital influencer to Broadway performer, Trisha embodies the merging of online fame with traditional theater, bringing her unique flair to the stage.
Influence of Wicked: The Wicked movie serves as a pivotal experience, reinforcing the enduring legacy of the musical and its impact on both fans and newcomers.
Artistic Depth: The episode underscores the intricate artistry of musical theater, from choreography to musical composition, highlighting the collaborative effort that defines Broadway.
Future Collaborations: The conversation hints at future intersections between influencers and Broadway, exploring how digital platforms can enhance theater's reach and inclusivity.
Quincy Brown: "Happy Stephen Schwartz back on Broadway." (03:40)
Trisha Paytas: "It's surreal. 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." (54:48)
Gloria Estefan: "We need to find a way to sneak in because it sold out so quickly." (55:49)
Trisha Paytas: "I love performing more than anything." (58:17)
This episode of Sentimental Men offers a heartfelt exploration of Broadway's current landscape through the lens of seasoned hosts and an enthusiastic newcomer. Trisha Paytas' candid insights and genuine passion provide listeners with a fresh perspective on the enduring allure of musical theater.