Leading Ladies | Mary Kate Morrissey, Storm Lever, Sonya Balsara

Summary

Summary of The Broadway Cast Podcast Episode: "Leading Ladies | Mary Kate Morrissey, Storm Lever, Sonya Balsara"

Release Date: November 25, 2024

In this engaging episode of The Broadway Cast, host Ben Cameron welcomes three of Broadway’s brightest stars: Mary Kate Morrissey, Storm Lever, and Sonya Balsara. The conversation delves deep into their experiences, challenges, and triumphs within the theater world, offering listeners a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the lives of leading ladies on Broadway.

---

Introduction to the Leading Ladies

Ben Cameron sets the stage by introducing the guests:

• Mary Kate Morrissey as Elphaba in Wicked
• Storm Lever starring in Six on Broadway
• Sonya Balsara portraying Jasmine in Aladdin

Mary Kate expresses her exhilaration about embodying Elphaba and the forthcoming Wicked movie, highlighting the whirlwind nature of such a role (00:35-00:47).

Mary Kate Morrissey [00:35]: "Feels amazing. Best job ever. It's also like, I get to be the Elphaba when the movie comes out."

The anticipation surrounding the movie’s release and its potential impact on the show's popularity is a focal point of their initial discussion.

---

Interactive Segment: "A is for Audra"

To foster a lively atmosphere, Ben introduces a game inspired by the book "A is for Audra," where each participant names famous leading ladies in the theater industry alphabetically. This segment showcases the camaraderie and quick wit of the guests, albeit with moments of playful chaos.

Ben Cameron [07:30]: "Let's go around alphabetically and name famous leading ladies."

Highlights from the game include:

• Mary Kate Morrissey [08:17]: "B is for Bernadette Peters."
• Storm Lever [08:19]: "C is for Carol Channing."
• Sonya Balsara [08:49]: "D is for Donna Murphy."

The game not only serves as an icebreaker but also emphasizes their deep knowledge and respect for Broadway’s legacy.

---

Paths into Theater

The conversation shifts to their individual journeys into the world of theater:

• Mary Kate shares her artistic family background and early experiences with storytelling through song, which laid the foundation for her passion for theater.

  Mary Kate Morrissey [16:42]: "Storytelling and singing has been in my family for a long, long time... I learned singing through storytelling that way."

• Storm Lever discusses her initial foray into pop music, including a stint on American Idol, and her eventual decision to commit to theater for its broader expressive possibilities.

  Storm Lever [02:18]: "In theater you could play all different aspects of yourself and touch on so many different characters."

• Sonya Balsara reflects on her childhood performances, particularly her role as Jasmine in Aladdin Junior at age 12, which ignited her lifelong passion for performing arts.

  Sonya Balsara [13:12]: "I played Jasmine when I was 12 in Aladdin Junior... It was like the dream is to look out at the New Amsterdam audience."

---

Responsibilities and Pressures of Leading Roles

The trio delves into the unique pressures that come with their prominent roles:

• Sonya emphasizes the significance of representing mixed-race characters and the responsibility of inspiring young brown girls who see themselves reflected on stage.

  Sonya Balsara [24:07]: "There is a pressure to show up for those kids... I want to be that for someone else."

• Mary Kate discusses the intense scrutiny and pressure of portraying Elphaba, especially with external expectations from fans and creatives alike.

  Mary Kate Morrissey [27:34]: "The only pressure I feel is the pressure I put on myself... I'm playing Elphaba, like I'm not playing me."

• Storm highlights the encouragement from Six's unique casting approach, which fosters individuality and combats imposter syndrome.

  Storm Lever [26:04]: "They're encouraging you to be uniquely you and not to try to fit a mold, which... helps you stay present in the show."

---

Teamwork and Chemistry on Stage

A significant portion of the discussion centers around the importance of chemistry and teamwork among cast members:

• Storm shares their pre-show routine of checking in emotionally with each other, ensuring support and authenticity during performances.

  Storm Lever [31:05]: "Every day before the show, we check in with each other... We have established that it's okay to admit when you need help."

• Mary Kate lauds the rare and valuable teamwork that allows them to deliver compelling performances consistently.

  Mary Kate Morrissey [31:47]: "That kind of teamwork is so dime a dozen like that... You must have a really, really spoiled."

• Sonya appreciates the camaraderie among female principals and the sisterhood it creates within the cast.

  Sonya Balsara [33:06]: "Being in a room with women is so amazing... I got you."

---

Self-Care and Maintaining Performance

Balancing the demanding schedule of Broadway with personal well-being is a crucial topic:

• Mary Kate details her disciplined routine involving sleep, yoga, and strict lifestyle adherence to maintain her vocal and physical health.

  Mary Kate Morrissey [38:15]: "I have to sleep or I won't be able to do the show... I'm on vocal rest with a steamer down my throat."

• Storm emphasizes the importance of Pilates, hydration, and establishing a strong personal routine to stay alert and present during performances.

  Storm Lever [38:15]: "It's a lot of Pilates and water and rest... making sure that all my ducks are in a row."

• Sonya finds solace in painting, volunteering, and learning French as creative outlets outside of her demanding performance schedule.

  Sonya Balsara [42:13]: "I wake up and I paint... I volunteer at Read718, which is a literacy tutoring program for kids after school."

---

Reflections and Future Aspirations

Looking beyond their current roles, the guests reflect on their achievements and contemplate future goals:

• Storm speaks about the privilege of realizing her dreams and the importance of nurturing ambitions outside of theater to become a well-rounded artist.

  Storm Lever [48:27]: "I want to be a full person and not to neglect the person I'm snapping for that."

• Mary Kate expresses excitement about future possibilities, feeling that her role has expanded her dreams beyond what she previously imagined.

  Mary Kate Morrissey [51:43]: "I don't even think I can dream it. Like, I thought I was dreaming big when I was dreaming about playing Elphaba."

• Sonya shares her ongoing personal growth through creative pursuits and education, reinforcing the balance between her professional and personal life.

  Sonya Balsara [50:04]: "I need something artistic to do that is just for me... sometimes, I have to forget about the show to remember what's important."

---

Lightning Round: Quick Favorites

In a fun and swift lightning round, the guests share their favorites, providing a glimpse into their personal preferences:

• Favorite Show Moment:

  • Sonya: "I love when I throw the cactus." (52:43)
  • Storm: "Walking through the curtain in the fog as the show starts." (52:54)

• Favorite Singer:

  • Sonya: Audrey McDonald (53:38)
  • Storm: Whitney Houston (53:42)
  • Mary Kate: Kelly Clarkson (53:44)

• Favorite Musical:

  • Sonya: Sunday in the Park with George (53:49)
  • Storm: Cabaret (53:50)
  • Mary Kate: Parade (53:52)

• Favorite Cocktail:

  • Mary Kate: Old Fashioned Martini, varying based on setting (54:00)
  • Sonya: Depends on the occasion, such as a glass of red wine or a pina colada (54:16)

• Dream Role:

  • Mary Kate: Sally Bowles in Cabaret (54:45)
  • Sonya: Dot from Sunday in the Park with George (54:57)
  • Storm: Open to creative casting, humorously suggesting roles beyond her current repertoire (56:37)

---

Conclusion and Farewell

As the episode winds down, Ben Cameron and the guests share final thoughts and encourage listeners to follow their journeys on social media. Ben also reflects on the podcast’s long-running success and hints at its potential conclusion, expressing heartfelt gratitude to the Broadway community and listeners.

Ben Cameron [58:51]: "Remember, have a great show."

The closing remarks encapsulate the essence of Broadway's ever-evolving landscape and the enduring passion of its artists.

---

Key Takeaways

• Dedication and Discipline: The guests emphasize the importance of structured routines and self-care to thrive in the demanding environment of Broadway.

• Representation and Responsibility: Highlighting the significance of diverse representation on stage and its impact on audiences, especially young fans.

• Chemistry and Teamwork: The strength of interpersonal relationships among cast members is pivotal in delivering compelling performances.

• Personal Growth and Future Aspirations: Balancing professional achievements with personal development is crucial for sustained success and fulfillment.

• Passion for Theater: A shared love for the craft unites the guests, driving their commitment to excellence and their roles on Broadway.

This episode serves as an inspiring testament to the resilience, creativity, and collaborative spirit that define Broadway's leading ladies, offering listeners both professional insights and personal anecdotes that enrich their understanding of theater's vibrant community.

Transcript

[Ben Cameron]

Poof. Just like that. As if by magic, we are now in studio at Newsstand Studios at Rockefeller center in New York City. Center of the universe. What a time to be alive. And I have three of this season's brightest Broadway leading ladies sitting here in the flesh next to me. So let's say hello to them in person. First off, we've got Mary Kate Morrissey, who is starring as Elphaba in Wicked.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Sure am.

[Ben Cameron]

How does that feel to hear that this is your life?

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Feels amazing.

[Ben Cameron]

Sure.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Best job ever. It's also like, I get to be the Elphaba when the movie comes out.

[Ben Cameron]

Which is kind of a thing, right?

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

It is absolutely freaking wild. So everybody's coming and it's just like, it's amazing.

[Ben Cameron]

What is kind of the buzz? How is that affecting your life? Are there events that you're attending because the film's coming out? Is there just more pressure on audiences coming in or what?

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

I would say, like, we have Joe Mantello coming next week to brush up the show with us so that it is set and ready for when people are flocking to see the show before they see the movie or reminding themselves how much they love the show after seeing the movie.

[Ben Cameron]

I think it will be a boost to box office. Like Wicked needs it.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

I think it'll be like the most people see it in a long time.

[Ben Cameron]

I think so. I think so too. My boyfriend has never seen Wicked and, well, because the 20th anniversary we came to the party, but we couldn't get back from LA in time to see the show that night, which was.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

And he never saw you in the show either?

[Ben Cameron]

Well, no, because we would have been just children. But he really wants to see the show before he goes to see the film.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

You got it.

[Ben Cameron]

So we'll be there at some point to do what everyone else is going to be doing. Glad you're here. Also currently starring Zambo Lynn in six on Broadway. Storm Lever is here.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Hello. Hello.

[Ben Cameron]

Hi, Storm. Back on Broadway after your. Well, your debut was summer, was it not?

[Storm Lever]

Yes, it was. Yes, it was.

[Ben Cameron]

Duckling.

[Storm Lever]

Donna, still being a pop star, still doing the same old little song a minute dance.

[Ben Cameron]

Is there something to that? Do you feel like this is a path for you pop stardom?

[Storm Lever]

When I was younger, I had a moment. I was trying to decide if I wanted to go into pop music or if I wanted to go into theater. And before I committed to theater and going to college for it, I actually auditioned and was on American Idol for a stint and quit the show to take my act to go to college. And so it was really, I made a choice of like in the pop world you have to kind of pick how you want to market yourself and pick that one lane. And that felt very limiting. Whereas in theater you could play all different aspects of yourself and touch on so many different characters. And that felt more realistic for a 17 year old girl that didn't really know herself yet. So yeah, I stuck with theater and now I'm still doing pop.

[Ben Cameron]

Well, it seems to me like maybe this was a good decision. It seems to be working out.

[Storm Lever]

It seems working out for you just fine.

[Ben Cameron]

And rounding out our panel today, talk about dreams come true. She is Aladdin's princess, Jasmine. Sonia Balsara is here. Hi.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Hello.

[Storm Lever]

Hi.

[Ben Cameron]

How does that feel to hear?

[Sonia Balsara]

Crazy. It's so crazy. I played Jasmine when I was 12 in Aladdin Junior.

[Ben Cameron]

I feel like I read this.

[Sonia Balsara]

Yeah, it's. Yeah.

[Ben Cameron]

And what a kooky fold. Full circle situation.

[Sonia Balsara]

Yeah.

[Ben Cameron]

How has she evolved since you did hers in Aladdin junior?

[Sonia Balsara]

Well, our carpet isn't sticks with like a sheet flying behind me anymore, which is lovely. We're like fully in flight.

[Ben Cameron]

You sure are.

[Sonia Balsara]

No, it's like it truly is the most magical show. Like there's magic tricks and we're on. Like visually it's so stunning. It's a dream.

[Ben Cameron]

Yeah. That whole new world sequence in the show is just plain magic. It really is. You forget that you're in a theater. You probably don't.

[Sonia Balsara]

Yeah, well, no, I do. Cause it really does. I mean for me it's like the dream is to look out at the New Amsterdam audience and like it's so beautiful. I mean, you feel like you're in a theater, but you also feel like you're on a carpet. And you never, you watched the movie growing up. You never think you're going to experience that. So.

[Ben Cameron]

No, it's too much. The head explodes.

[Sonia Balsara]

Yeah.

[Ben Cameron]

Yeah. With all the time that I spend on a carpet is many years ago after a night out drinking, which is very different now. Have the three of you had the occasion in our world full of benefits and community events? Have your paths crossed before? Have you seen each other's work or is this a first time meeting all.

[Storm Lever]

Around my paths have crossed. I haven't had the pleasure of our path crossing, but can't say that after today.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Yeah, same way.

[Sonia Balsara]

But I've heard about you guys and you're both amazing. So happy to be here.

[Storm Lever]

That's great.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Likewise.

[Ben Cameron]

Do you know where your paths crossed?

[Storm Lever]

Many a concert, many have been a fan throughout the years I'll like out myself. Like you're so freaking stellar and so have. Thank you Instagram for letting me stalk stellar humans for years and years. And now you're back in New York and can stalk you in person. And we just became best friends. Yeah, you're fantastic.

[Ben Cameron]

Did you just call her bro?

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

That's non gendered.

[Ben Cameron]

No, of course it's definitely not. That's the butchest thing that's ever been said on this particular program. So I'm glad you brought it to us. Isn't that crazy that you can arrive together here and have such a we knowledge of each other because of social media and Instagram? Do you feel like it's kind of changed as far as what we are able to watch as far as bootlegs now that are all pretty well accepted on Instagram. You see 30 seconds of every Elphaba you see. You know, everything's out there.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Yeah, I mean it's great. When I saw the email come in to come on, I immediately was like, oh yeah, because I had never met you before. And then your broadway.com yes video just.

[Sonia Balsara]

Came up and I was like, oh.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

My gosh, she's so amazing. So I was really looking forward to meeting you. And I remember singing. We must have done like Broadway Sings or something like that. And I remember being such a fan too. Like she can wail so it's.

[Ben Cameron]

Yeah, yeah.

[Storm Lever]

The social media aspect of it can get weird sometimes in this industry too because there's so many humans that you have to remember what the relationship was it this random thing that I met you at years ago? Is it just me up at 4am scrolling too long and becoming a fan over that way. But I have to remind myself that I do love it because of the access. I think of myself when I was younger living in California, I didn't have access to theater. And if I could see more theater when I was younger just by picking up my phone, how, you know, that just would have given me, you know, just a wealth of more theater knowledge. And now they have kids have more access to seeing theater even if you're not in New York.

[Ben Cameron]

Yeah, I don't think I would have left the house at all as a child. I would have stayed home watching. I would be in, you know, wormholes of theater videos all day long, all night long. 100% that's where I would have been. Now that we're all acquainted and cozy, we like to shake things up with a game, get ourselves loosened up, break the ice a little bit. So there is a absolutely fantastic book that exists out there. It's called A is for Audra. Are you familiar with this book? It was written by John Robert Allman with illustrations by Peter Emmerich. It is adorable. So everybody go buy it and please sponsor our show. A is for Audra. But I thought we would try to do our own A is for Audra, etcetera, Here in Studio. So what that means is we are going to go around alphabetically and name famous leading ladies.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Love it.

[Ben Cameron]

Whose names fit into the letter we're on. I say be creative with it. Let's not be too staunch about it. So we'll give us one for free. And I'll play. I'll play as well.

[Storm Lever]

Thank you for participating.

[Ben Cameron]

Is that okay?

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Are we going like in a line or is it like shout it out? Is it like, points?

[Storm Lever]

I don't know.

[Ben Cameron]

I thought we would go in a circle.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Okay, okay, okay, fine.

[Ben Cameron]

But do you know what?

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

If it's true, can you contest? Can you be like, what about this?

[Ben Cameron]

Oh, I hope you do.

[Sonia Balsara]

Can we find a friend?

[Ben Cameron]

Let's see what happens.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Great.

[Ben Cameron]

If things devolve into abject chaos, we'll do what we have to do.

[Sonia Balsara]

Because under pressure, these things like.

[Ben Cameron]

Hold on, everyone just give me personally, right?

[Storm Lever]

Do we know what name.

[Ben Cameron]

And. Okay, we're ready. It's my favorite. Warm up. I'll start. A is for Audra.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

B is for Bernadette Peters.

[Ben Cameron]

Yes.

[Storm Lever]

C is for Carol Channing.

[Ben Cameron]

Mm.

[Sonia Balsara]

D is for Donna Murphy.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Contest. Oh, Donna McKechnie. Oh, sorry.

[Storm Lever]

Wow.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

I have to. She's my marble.

[Ben Cameron]

Oh, okay. Yeah, you have to. She would get you.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

She'd come out of her dressing room like, I heard you said this to the podcast.

[Ben Cameron]

She said, you know, she's got an extra bone in her neck, so she could. She could give you a plastic.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

She never calls out.

[Ben Cameron]

Let's see. E is for every great lady who's ever graced the Broadway stage.

[Sonia Balsara]

Nice.

[Ben Cameron]

He.

[Sonia Balsara]

Elaine Stritch.

[Storm Lever]

Elaine Stritch.

[Ben Cameron]

Of course. Thank you.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Oh, that's a good one. Ethel Merman.

[Ben Cameron]

Shame, Shame.

[Storm Lever]

Oh, God, no. Shame. Shame.

[Ben Cameron]

Bad gay. Over here. Ethel Merman. Oh, my God. What's wrong with me?

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

I can't even think of f. Faith. What about, like, was she on Rob?

[Storm Lever]

She was a robbery.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Oh, yeah.

[Ben Cameron]

She's a Tony winner. You bet.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Yeah.

[Ben Cameron]

Faith Prince.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Okay, great.

[Storm Lever]

See, we're showing a France. We're helping.

[Ben Cameron]

I think you're absolutely right. I think the gloves are off. Get in there where you can abcd up G. Good.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

The great Gwen Verdon.

[Storm Lever]

Gwen Verdon. How'd you know? Yes.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

H. Heather Headley.

[Ben Cameron]

Sorry. That's gotta be Heather.

[Sonia Balsara]

It's gotta be Heather Headley.

[Ben Cameron]

But we'll give you I. That's an easy one.

[Sonia Balsara]

I. Idina Menzel.

[Ben Cameron]

Idina Menzel. H, I, J. Jennifer Laura Thompson.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Oh, yeah. Kristin Chenoweth.

[Ben Cameron]

Sure, sure.

[Storm Lever]

Lashawn S. Shauna Bean.

[Sonia Balsara]

Yeah, she was my Alphabet.

[Ben Cameron]

H, A, K, L, M, M, M, M. Oh, Marin Mazie.

[Sonia Balsara]

Oh, did I say.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Did you jump? Did you jump to S? That's okay.

[Sonia Balsara]

I panic and you're like, LS LS.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

D. And that's what it feels like.

[Ben Cameron]

All right, so we're M, N, N.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Would have to be the great. Help.

[Storm Lever]

Natalie.

[Ben Cameron]

There's got to be a Natalie somebody, right? Wait, Nell Carter. Nell Carter ain't misbehaving.

[Storm Lever]

Nice.

[Ben Cameron]

And then.

[Storm Lever]

Or Fay. Okay.

[Ben Cameron]

P. P. Yeah.

[Storm Lever]

We're doing great.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

We're doing great.

[Ben Cameron]

Patina Miller.

[Sonia Balsara]

Patina Miller is a good one.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Pu Q is hard.

[Ben Cameron]

Chew is very hard.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Could we pick Burqina?

[Ben Cameron]

Huh? What do we do?

[Sonia Balsara]

Karina.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

But it's in the middle of her name.

[Ben Cameron]

Yeah, absolutely. Yep.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Okay.

[Ben Cameron]

100% Q, R, R, like a pirate would say.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Oh, Renee Elise Goldberry does. Oh, yeah, yeah. Love her.

[Ben Cameron]

Qrs.

[Storm Lever]

Storm Lever.

[Ben Cameron]

If you're not gonna toot your own horn, who's gonna toot?

[Sonia Balsara]

Qrst.

[Storm Lever]

We could stay in wicked land. We could do a Teal Wicks.

[Ben Cameron]

Teal Wix. She's out with Angelia right now. T. Uh, the great UTA Hagen.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Oh, yeah.

[Ben Cameron]

Oh, yeah.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

V. I was gonna say Anna Uzelli. Right? Isn't she?

[Storm Lever]

Yes. Little six girly.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Love her. Wait, what's mine? V? V? It could be Jessica Vosk.

[Ben Cameron]

Vosk. Absolutely. V. Woah, woah, woah, woah, woah.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

W. Adrienne Warren.

[Storm Lever]

Ooh, Adrienne Warren.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Warren, comma Adrian Warren, comma Adrienne.

[Ben Cameron]

Sorry.

[Sonia Balsara]

W. X.

[Ben Cameron]

No, you're just gonna have to make some up now.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Ooh, that's a tough one.

[Storm Lever]

Does Ex Tina and burlesque count?

[Ben Cameron]

Oh, I think. I don't know. Is that a stretch? Ex Tina Applegate. Did we accept that? Sure.

[Sonia Balsara]

Yeah.

[Ben Cameron]

Yeah. X. Why? Why? Why? Because we love them all. Why?

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Michelle Yeoh.

[Ben Cameron]

Michelle Yeoh. Madam Orrible in the film.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Right?

[Ben Cameron]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Storm Lever]

Nice.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Does that count?

[Ben Cameron]

100%. Otherwise the game will never end.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Yeah.

[Ben Cameron]

Z.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Z. Karen Ziemba.

[Ben Cameron]

Ziemba. Kara. Yay. Who's also been on our show. Well done, everyone.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Well, that's stressful.

[Storm Lever]

That is Terrifying.

[Ben Cameron]

Whose heart rate is not.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Meanwhile, in my head, I'm like, I didn't say Jackie Bur. Like, I didn't say. I'm like, who did I say? I didn't say Nancy, you're gonna get.

[Ben Cameron]

Hate mail from all the leading ladies who weren't mentioned in our dance.

[Storm Lever]

Great woman. We forgot.

[Ben Cameron]

Oh, Michelle Paak.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

That's a dame.

[Ben Cameron]

Oh, Michelle Paak. I think Amazing Maisie is one of the greatest vocal performances on a cast album ever by Michelle Paak in Seussical. If you haven't listened to it in a while, everyone listening, do yourself a favor. Listen. It's magical. Well done, everyone. There's 3,000 points apiece, so you get to pick a prize behind the counter at the end of the show. Nobody gets to sit in studios like this and chat with each other without first being a theater fan and being a child. Most of us were children at some point. And I always like to know when that theater bug. Bitcha. When did you look at the stage and go, I want to be a part of that, or what did you watch or see? Sonia, let's start with you.

[Sonia Balsara]

I think that, like, I threw my parents for a loop when they took me to, like, a local production of Oklahoma.

[Ben Cameron]

Naturally, Oklahoma.

[Sonia Balsara]

And I then rented the DVD and, like, got a notebook and paused and played the movie and wrote down every single line. And then I held auditions at recess, and I cast the show, and then I held rehearsals. It was an all female cast, obviously.

[Ben Cameron]

Obviously.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

And would love to see it.

[Sonia Balsara]

It was great. We put it on in my living room. And I was also Laurie.

[Ben Cameron]

I have to wonder if that was the catalyst for all of it.

[Sonia Balsara]

Right?

[Ben Cameron]

Yeah.

[Sonia Balsara]

Doomed. My parents were like, oh, we're doomed now. There's no other way to go.

[Ben Cameron]

I want you to know, female cast or not, what young man would have been knocking down your door to audition and be in that? Is this one over here. I would have been like, except for me. Right. Because I made Oanny.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

I was going to say an eller.

[Ben Cameron]

And how dare. How very dare you marry Kate. Marcy. And was that it? It was just off to the races.

[Sonia Balsara]

Yeah. I mean, my first Broadway show was Beauty and the Beast, and I saw Kirsty Carlson, Ray Romano.

[Ben Cameron]

Oh, yeah.

[Storm Lever]

Oh, my gosh.

[Sonia Balsara]

Which was very cool. Like, Kim Possible is also my Belle.

[Ben Cameron]

Yeah.

[Sonia Balsara]

And, yeah, like, became obsessed. We didn't have what kids have today, which is what you're talking about. And so I think that we had to be so creative about. I mean, I had, like, karaoke like, bad karaoke CDs of, like, all my favorite shows. And, you know, I just. It was an obsession, like, fully.

[Ben Cameron]

Oh, yeah. I used to go to the public library and check out CDs and I would just go with the sole purpose of, like, finding new musicals. So I was like, I don't know what a Sunday in the park with George is, but I have to know.

[Sonia Balsara]

Oh, I love it.

[Ben Cameron]

And would listen to it at 12 years old. Gay. How about you storm my.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Probably.

[Storm Lever]

I got the bug. I watched a lot of. My mom would sit me down and have us watch DVDs of different musicals. The first one she had me sit me down and watch was the Sound of Music. But I don't think I really saw myself in it until that Cinderella with Brandy and Whitney Houston. And I was hooked. Finally, this little raspy little singer, little alto queen was in a classical role. And I said, wait a minute, if pop diva can do it, maybe I can do it. And I was hooked. I went around the house singing the. So I was constantly in my own little corner in my own little chair. I was playing make believe. I was. Yeah. That annoying child.

[Ben Cameron]

Did you do shows in high school? Junior high.

[Storm Lever]

Oh, I did shows since. Oh, gosh. I was like dancing since I was three and like in voices since I was seven. But my first show, we did your good man Charlie Brown at school and I played Snoopy. Aw. And it was hot dog.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Adorable.

[Storm Lever]

Thank you so much. I know you weren't there, but it was adorable and it was fully committed. I wore the ears. I studied dogs. It was. Yeah, fantastic. It's a star turn, if you will.

[Ben Cameron]

I studied dogs. Oh, my God, you're so method. Speaking of Utah, I love it. How about you, Mary Kate?

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

I. My family is very art centered, but very business in practice. My dad was the first to go to college. His parents were off the boat from Ireland. And my grandfather sang on the Irish radio in Philadelphia and also, like, worked the night shift at the Acme. And so storytelling and singing has been in my family for a long, long time. And we growing up had to, like, learn songs, like learn and learn an Irish song so you could like, stay up later and also like make all the parents happy and make all the, you know, they're all like drinking their whiskey and it's like truly out of a movie, like a sing song. And. And so I learned singing through storytelling that way.

[Ben Cameron]

Yeah.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

And then I just loved it. And I think I loved that. Everyone loved that. I loved it too. And so I kind of carry that with me as like my first like intro into it would be like on the stage of my grandparents table, like singing some like little tell me ma when I go home.

[Ben Cameron]

Did you know at that age that you were very good at singing?

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

They told me I was good, so I believed it.

[Ben Cameron]

Sure.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Yeah.

[Ben Cameron]

They ever write.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

I truly believed it. I believed it so hard that I remember lying to get my first solo which was Hark the Herald Angels sing in the kindergarten pageant. I was like, I know the words, I know the words. And truly I went home and I was like, I got the solo, but I don't. I have to learn this song.

[Storm Lever]

Aren't most of the words Gloria?

[Ben Cameron]

It's not the one that goes glow.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Yep, it is for sure.

[Ben Cameron]

Yeah. That's a good one to lie on though. You got halfway through.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

I was like, my grandparents are coming, they need to see me on the mic, not in the background. Okay.

[Ben Cameron]

Did you storm, I heard you mention that you went to college for theater. Did everybody else study in college?

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Yeah.

[Ben Cameron]

Where'd you go?

[Sonia Balsara]

I went to nyu.

[Ben Cameron]

Hot.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

I went to Syracuse.

[Ben Cameron]

Oh great.

[Storm Lever]

Or go Orange University of Michigan.

[Ben Cameron]

Uh huh. Yeah. Well, there it is. That's a pretty well rounded theater education right there. And did you come to New York City right after your college education or did you. How did, how did that track for you?

[Storm Lever]

I. Before I moved to New York, I spent a summer. The summer before we all graduated in New York to test out the city and was properly traumatized by New York City. I spent all of senior year being like, what are we doing? Why are we all choosing to move to this land of rats and urine? And now, of course, I have a community. We're doing a lot better. We found parks, we found coffee shops and lovely people. And the rats are our friends now. So we've come along.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Yes, yes.

[Storm Lever]

I did my little test run and before I knew that there's life outside of midtown, I needed to, you know, expand my horizons.

[Ben Cameron]

You gotta expand your borough a little bit, I think for sure. How about you, Sonya?

[Sonia Balsara]

I was born here.

[Ben Cameron]

You were born in New York?

[Sonia Balsara]

Yeah. And I lived here till I was five. So I was a little Brooklyn girl until I was five. And I grew up in the Bay Area and then I came here for college.

[Ben Cameron]

Same thing.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Wait, really?

[Storm Lever]

From Concord, California.

[Sonia Balsara]

I'm from Berkeley.

[Storm Lever]

Oh, hey, that's awesome. Yeah.

[Ben Cameron]

Are those places close to one another?

[Sonia Balsara]

Yeah, actually, like, I actually know Concord.

[Storm Lever]

I know Berkeley really, really well. That's crazy.

[Ben Cameron]

My God. Twinsies.

[Sonia Balsara]

But I like always loved New York, actually. I, like, even liked the dirt. I was, like, happy to. I don't know. And maybe it's just because I grew up around it, and so it was familiar to me. But I grew up in the beautiful Bay Area, and I was like, ugh. You know how when you leave New York, you feel like you've left the epicenter of the universe?

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

In a way, yes.

[Sonia Balsara]

I felt that way my entire childhood. And so I would always go back. Like, people had, like, sweet 16th. My only wish for my 16th birthday was to go back to New York, and that's what I did. And I saw a Broadway show, and that was, like, very. I mean, all my family lives here, so I just stayed with family. And it was. Yeah. But I've always been a New Yorker.

[Ben Cameron]

I guess that's. You don't get many of those right? You know, when you're talking to Broadway actors, how about you? Do you say, I'm going?

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Well, Syracuse does an immersive program for the last semester of your senior year.

[Ben Cameron]

Okay.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

So that's when I moved to the city. And you, like, take classes at bdc and, like, one of your classes is to see two Broadway shows a week, and then on Friday, you come in and talk about what you thought the direction was and if it was. Actually, you kind of learn how to talk about shows with peers. And it's like, that, I think, is really cool. And Daisy Prince was my mentor because she taught our musical theater class. So that's, like, sort of the best part of Syracuse's program is this tepper semester for careers in theater that you come and you're actually, like, working with on camera teachers who are casting things right then and right there. Like, I have a friend who walked right on to Death of a Salesman on Broadway.

[Ben Cameron]

Oh.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Because it was just like, I have a friend who walked right onto American Idiot on Broadway just because we were there and, like, in it.

[Ben Cameron]

Ensconced to that.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Then what happened is I was like, I'm staying. I'm never leaving. This is my favorite place in the world. I moved in with, like, a Craigslist sublet in, like, South Williamsburg. It was a naked yogi. Didn't know they had a dog. It was like, absolutely. Talk about humbling. I worked at Tortilla Flats, if you remember Tortilla Flats.

[Ben Cameron]

I do remember Tortilla Flats.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

I was on the house drinking team.

[Ben Cameron]

Oh, crap.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

This is what they called our waitstaff. It was absolutely terrible.

[Ben Cameron]

Mvp.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Mvp. Truly.

[Ben Cameron]

That's hilarious. Tortilla Flats. Thanks for, like, taking me back to. Oh, yeah, Some things that for sure.

[Storm Lever]

Skipped over the naked yoga. Did we. We really just let that one slide?

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

You know, you just, like, walk out. You, like, want to get your coffee. He's in a headstand. I'm, like, going back in.

[Ben Cameron]

Wait, how long did this situation last?

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Just a summer.

[Ben Cameron]

Just a summer.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

And then I moved in with my friend Robbie Simpson on the Upper east side.

[Ben Cameron]

Okay. For a year.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Yeah.

[Ben Cameron]

Okay.

[Storm Lever]

I hope he's doing well now.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

I hope he's great. Yeah. I wonder how he is. Yeah.

[Ben Cameron]

I think they're always okay.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

I think they are.

[Storm Lever]

Do you know what I mean?

[Ben Cameron]

I think that's the whole point of being a naked yogi.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

They're always like, he's taizen.

[Ben Cameron]

Two feet on the ground, not really bothered. Probably has another dog or the same dog who's also naked, incidentally. Now fast forward to. You're here, you're on Broadway. You're in these plum rolls. These kind of dream, dream roles. How do you. What is the pressure that you feel arriving in a place that maybe you've only dreamt of, particularly? I know some of us have been on tour. I know. And coming to Broadway has a whole next level effect on somebody. Do you feel the pressures of that, stepping into these roles?

[Sonia Balsara]

I think there's a responsibility, especially like, I think at least playing Jasmine, a lot of people look to Jasmine as their princess, especially little brown girls. And I am mixed race also. I grew up. My dad's from India and my mom's American and white American. And I think there is a pressure to show up for those kids. For me, I look out in the audience and I see brown families coming all the time. And I know it's because they know that there are Indian people on Broadway in this show for the first time. And I mean, sure, for the last two years. And I think I want to. Well, so when I went to see the show with Michael Mallya Kal in it, when I was coming in to replace, I had never seen an Indian person be that good. Like, I actually started weeping because I was like, oh, you're. You're here. Because there truly is no one that can do this. Like, you can do it.

[Ben Cameron]

Yeah.

[Sonia Balsara]

And I had never, you know, I'd seen Indian people in, like, supporting roles or funny roles or, you know, these ideas that people have of the tropes, for sure. You know, and to see him take up that space, I was like, this is a different kind of responsibility because you're going to change kids, lives and adults actually.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

So good, too. I Mean, unbelievable. Talk about a performance.

[Sonia Balsara]

Truly.

[Ben Cameron]

Oh, an ugly. Those abs. Not an ab in sight. He's abs from the chin down.

[Storm Lever]

Yeah.

[Sonia Balsara]

And so I just. I felt. I really felt that. And I felt that I wanted. I knew that I could be that for someone else too. So that's.

[Ben Cameron]

For me, my personal. Have you pressure kind of that direct feedback. Have you had young ladies at the stage door get to say things? How special is that? That's just.

[Sonia Balsara]

It's unreal.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Yeah.

[Sonia Balsara]

Especially I had one girl, she was young. She was maybe like 8 or 9, and she was like, I'm so. She was like, I loved your power. And that is a different kind of compliment, especially coming from a young person.

[Ben Cameron]

Absolutely. And I think that speaks to the performance and the way the role's set up in the musical with the addition of the songs that she gets to sing. Totally get to sing. That feels very kind of antithesis to what we thought of as Disney princesses, maybe in our youth. Right. With the power side of it. That's great.

[Sonia Balsara]

Yeah.

[Ben Cameron]

I love that. How about you, Storm?

[Storm Lever]

I feel a little spoiled in our show because a big aspect of the show that they talk about in six is there's a line in the show that says you're one of a kind. No category. And it is truly a show that I'm proud to say practices what it preaches, where they're not casting the same archetype every single time. And when we joined the company, our cast that's currently on Broadway, the onstage queens, we all were a part of the touring company starting two and a half years ago. And at the time of us being cast on the Tour, there was 11 productions of six all throughout the world. And you looked at all those cast lists, none of the women looked the same. None of the roles had a type. None of the, like, different performances that you looked up were anywhere near the same. And so it really was giving you permission to find your own version of the role. And so I, in my time of six, anytime I have that little voice that comes in that we all, I'm sure, have. Where you have the imposter syndrome, or you question if you should taking up the space. I'm always reminded that you are given the permission and you're allowed to take up the space. They want to see what's uniquely you. They're encouraging you to be uniquely you and not to try to fit a mold, which, again, I don't think always is what is found throughout theater. I think a lot of times they. Especially a long running show, if you're lucky to have that, they pick an archetype and that's not six. And so, yeah, I've tried to relieve that pressure from myself of thinking of it in those terms.

[Ben Cameron]

Yeah. Well, I think that's great, Mary Kate.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Yeah, I think that with Elphaba there is. You can lean into this black hole of pressure because people on the Internet want one thing and then your creatives want another thing and then your Glinda needs another thing and it. So you can be sort of swallowed up by the pressure. Especially I feel like if you're starting from scratch, like when I started, it was hard to fend that off. I've been with the show so long now and sort of like worked my way up and worked my way through all of that, that the only pressure I feel is the pressure I put on myself. Like I'm where I am because I earned it, because I worked my ass off for it, and because I'm giving them a 10 out of 10 show every night and I'm playing Elphaba, like I'm not playing me.

[Ben Cameron]

Yeah.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

You know what I mean? So I feel like right now with. Even with the movie and all that stuff, I keep reminding myself the only pressure is to do your show and that's your job and that's what you train for and that's what you worked for and that's all you have to do.

[Ben Cameron]

Yeah, absolutely. And be true to yourself in that. Yeah, 100%. Talk to me a little bit about chemistry on stage. When you're in a leading position, you have counterparts. You've got five of them and you've got a Fiero and you've got a Glinda and you've got an Aladdin. And tell me a little bit about finding chemistry with somebody that you are put together with. Or maybe you've had multiple Glindas or multiple six girls. How important is chemistry? How do you find it?

[Storm Lever]

And this. And I'll speak to six. And this show, it's the entire show because it doesn't have a lot of other aspects to the show. There's not a grand set, there's not a grand anything around it. The music's epic and the performances are epic, but it really is just the six of us on stage. And so, so much of how the show goes is dependent on how we're all doing. And something I'm really grateful for that we established early on in us being together. And I think it's again, why our group got to move from tour to now. Being on Broadway together is we. Every day before the show, we check in with each other before we go on stage, and we talk about where we're genuinely at so we can know before we start this together, like, I know the person that I need to lift up tonight, or I know the person that I can lean on tonight. I know the person that has more to give or less to give. And I think we got really comfortable with being honest, because every day you're gonna be in a different place. You're not gonna show up to the theater in the same place. And I think we had this narrative for a lot of my development in theater, where you're supposed to leave your baggage at the door. And that's often not times how humans work. A lot of times, it's a part of us that, like, whether you acknowledge it or not, it, like, resonates in your body. And if you're going to give an authentic performance, you want to be able to not let that baggage take over, but at least acknowledge where you're at so you can be present and be authentically present. And so I'm really grateful that this group of women, we have established that it's okay to admit when you need help and you need to lean on us. And so that's something that is very much a part of the chemistry and very much waivers every single day and helps you stay present in the show. So you're never just, like, clocking in and doing the same gig every day.

[Ben Cameron]

Yeah. And do you find. And I've heard this from people before. Is there an avenue in which you can use that? I'm walking in with a little chip on my shoulder against the world today, and all of these characters are up against challenges. Are you able to channel that into your performance and maybe find some catharsis that you didn't know you would find sometimes?

[Storm Lever]

Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. That's one of the. I'm sure you guys can speak to that. That's one of the gifts of what we get to do is it is a free therapy session every single day. When I walk onto that stage of you're gonna watch me process whatever is going on. And because I'm authentically processing, hopefully it'll help you process whatever you're going on in your life. And, yeah, as long as you bring that authenticity to the stage, hopefully it'll resonate with somebody else.

[Ben Cameron]

Yeah.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Oh, my God. That's so special. I know you're a pro, but I feel like it's such a wonderful outlook. My God, that kind of teamwork is so dime a dozen like that. You must have a really, really spoiled. That makes me want to cry.

[Storm Lever]

We're very spoiled.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

We clock that.

[Storm Lever]

We're lucky. We clock. It's rarity. We clock. It's not the norm by any means. And it's also. You guys are in huge companies too. I'm sure it's harder when you're with so many different personalities, so many people that have such different demands in their jobs too of like what y'all are doing. The show that you carry is very different from the other people on the stage that also have incredible things to carry. But what it might take. It looks completely different. The time you have off stage looks completely different. You were talking about that you don't have an intermission. You don't get to sit back and have a moment to yourself. You're constantly surrounded by people and don't even have that moment to like take in and check in with yourself. So I can't. I can't even imagine what that looks like versus a show that is so much about I have to lean on you or else it's not gonna work. They're gonna see that we're not together. So somehow we have to connect.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

But it's like the difference between like when you clock in, you're clocking on. Yeah, that is.

[Sonia Balsara]

And the sisterhood that you're talking about is so amazing. And also, I mean, you get to work opposite a woman and find that camaraderie. I have no. I'm the only female principal on my show and like I feel it. Even just being in a room with women is so amazing. Cause I don't. I mean I love the women and the female ensemble and I go upstairs all the time and hang out with them. But it really. It is different when you get to look at another woman in the eyes and be like, I got you. And I feel the absence of that very much so. So it's really cool to hear you listen or hear what you have to say about that too.

[Ben Cameron]

How do you handle taking your day to day experience maybe into how Elphaba rides the ride.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

That ride. Yeah. I feel like you have to hop on, but you also have to. I have always heard other Elphabas talk about how it's a train and you gotta get on or you're gonna get crushed kind of. But I feel like it's a train and you gotta get on and you gotta steer it like too. So you have to kind of get everybody else on board as well. No matter where everybody else's day is on. And sometimes it's like pulling teeth, you know what I mean? We're in a long running Broadway show. You got a really. I'm like, all right, y'all, I've got all of you on my back now. Let's go. Here we are. And all that is is, like, showing up and turning on, because if someone else sees you on and alive, then they. They feel like they have to come up to it.

[Ben Cameron]

Yeah.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

And so I really feel like that's my purpose is to, like, help people, like, show up for themselves and show up for the character that they're playing.

[Ben Cameron]

Yeah.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

You know what I mean?

[Ben Cameron]

That's a lot to handle emotionally and kind of spiritually in an exhausting physical and vocal show as it is.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Yeah.

[Ben Cameron]

Cause that was one of my questions later on is how do you kind of interact as a leader in your show? Because I believe in that. And I think we talked to Alex Brightman about Beetlejuice, and, you know, he would make the rounds every night around backstage and check in with everybody and see where everybody. Everybody was. So we would know exactly what you're saying. Where are we tonight and how can we get to where we need to be for this audience and for this experience? And that's taxing itself, isn't it?

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

It is. It's gotta be. Yeah.

[Ben Cameron]

Yeah.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

I feel like I'm built for it. Like, I am a Gemini, so I want to come in and turn on in a big way, and then I want to leave and I want to turn off, and then I recover. You know what I mean? So I'm built for that, like, four hours of, like, intense focus. And then everything else kind of is just like, sleeping, steaming. Sleeping, steaming, working out, naked, yoga, drinking water, stressing.

[Ben Cameron]

Yeah. How about you, Sonya?

[Sonia Balsara]

We have a lot of Aladdin covers, and lately they've been going on a lot. And so I think that is something that's really wonderful because I wish I got to be more of a driver, I will say that. But just the way my scenes are written, I am following. And it's kind of. It can be a really interesting experience when you have covers. Go on because you're like, oh, how is this? This is landing totally different today. And I think that is what's so beautiful about what we get to do, is every day you're getting a slightly different show. Like you said, you're bringing your day with you. But, you know, it can be monotonous. And, you know, certain actors get onto this, like, record player of the Show. Like, the show becomes a song. And I. It drives me crazy, like, truly crazy. So I'm always kind of trying to. I'm always trying to play. Always. It's a play.

[Storm Lever]

It's called a play.

[Ben Cameron]

It's a play.

[Sonia Balsara]

Why are we not playing? And I. And I'm so. I mean, we have amazing actors on stage, and so it's. So we do get tap into that. But at the end of an H show week, you know, it actually makes it go faster. You feel more alive when you're really being present. You're really taking in that you're seen, partner. Even the audience. The audience is such a huge part of our show and really allowing them to be a part of the story. Yeah, I think that it's a challenge. It really is a challenge. You can't know this until you've done a long run of a show.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Totally.

[Ben Cameron]

I don't think people who come to the theater have idea what that is.

[Sonia Balsara]

They're like, how many times a week.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Do you do this?

[Sonia Balsara]

And I'm like, eight. And they're like, what?

[Ben Cameron]

But even when you say eight, they're going, oh, yeah, eight times. Singing and dancing, badoopa doopadoo. And I think what we're talking about is that it is so very much more than that. Tell me about any sort of practices that you actually employ. You talked a little bit about rest, sleep, naked, yoga.

[Storm Lever]

I'm not gonna start doing it now.

[Ben Cameron]

This is how rumors get started.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

I know.

[Ben Cameron]

Follow Mary Kate Morrissey, naked yoga techniques. What are some things that you employ to keep your head in the game and keep you fresh for this slog of eight shows a week when you get home?

[Storm Lever]

I'll speak for myself. It's been a learning curve for me. Very much so. And like, it's recently developed where we have a strong routine and I lean on my routine because I was on the road before at the show and did not have the pleasure of a routine. And now we're sitting, seated in New York. We can find a little bit more where it's a lot of. Because you're going to go into a space, like you said, where I'm going to be on for four hours of the day, and I'm just going to be the most alert, awake, alive, present version of myself. So how throughout the day, do I set myself up to be the highest functioning version of myself? So it's a lot of Pilates and water and rest and shutting up the mom at home and making sure that all my ducks are in a row. At home and checking with my fiance and making sure he has all of his stuff taken care of and. And having the core group of people that I get to hang out with on the days off. And it's a lot of. You know, I think I have this false idea of seeing the fun life in New York City of the glamorous.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Can you imagine?

[Storm Lever]

They're going out on the town. They're going to these events, and they're going to. No, they're in a rooftop in a sparkly dress. They're tired. On vocal rest with a steamer down their throat. They're tired. Their knees hurt. Agonizing. And that's okay. And there's gonna be a time for the other part. This is just a season of life. And so I'm having to remind myself that this is the season of focus. This is the season of I'm blessed to have this job, and I'm blessed to get to go home and sit down and it's okay. I don't have to have the thriving social life that I once had. And my friends still love me, and they'll remember me fondly when they get to see me again. When this is chilled out, is that.

[Ben Cameron]

Part of the deal that you kind of make with the business when you achieve? You get to do roles like this, where you go, all right, so thank you very much. Christmas. Thank you very much. Birthday parties. We'll see you in 18 months, maybe. Is that something that we kind of. That's what we. The contract we signed with the business.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Maybe 100%, I think. Yeah. How? I can't even count how many Christmases I've had with my family.

[Ben Cameron]

Sure.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

You know what I mean? Like, it's. I've always either been on tour or working or. But it's also like, they. They get it. They get it because they. Your family gets it. Your friends get it because they respect you and they're cheering for you. And if your friends aren't cheering for you, they're not your friends, like, period. So. So they totally get it. I. I have found in my, like, close friend group that everyone understands that I have to be unbelievably disciplined or something bad will happen to me. Like, I have to. I have to stick to my routine. My routine is, like, within structure, there's freedom. I know exactly what I need every single day to get this voice and body working every single day and every single night based on how I feel. I know exactly what I have to do to get to the show the next day, period. Like, and that is what I'm doing right now. And it's not for forever, but, like, what a gift for right now. And I get to look back and say, I did it well. Like, I put my whole self into it. Instead of being like, well, I really wanted to go to this party. Like, I'm not going to remember that party. I'm going to remember, like, the integrity that I had, you know?

[Ben Cameron]

Absolutely.

[Sonia Balsara]

So much of this is such a mental game for me, and I do need to occupy my mind with other things.

[Storm Lever]

Do you have a hobby?

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

You should play golf with me. You guys should both come play golf with me. I'm the best hobby ever. You can't think about your show at all? Not even a little bit. You can't think about your show or anything. All you can think. Think about is the next thing you have to do.

[Storm Lever]

That's it.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

I just feel like, Broadway League.

[Sonia Balsara]

Is there a Broadway League?

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

I'm going to start one. I know they're split. You heard it here first. Broadway Girl's Goblin.

[Sonia Balsara]

Like, the idea of the open pasture.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

You're outside, you don't have to talk.

[Sonia Balsara]

It's a quiet game, bro. I like it.

[Storm Lever]

I like that idea. Okay, okay.

[Sonia Balsara]

Like, so I will. Like, I. This morning. This is going to sound so princessy. I don't. But alas, I wake up and I paint. I have my coffee and I paint and I try to do something just even from my brain. Sometimes it's, like, based on a picture that I took or something like that. But it truly. Because I think especially when your art becomes your job, you need, like, I just need something artistic to do that is just for me. And I can't just, like, sing for two hours because you'll be busted later, you know? I mean, you can if you have to. Sometimes you have to. You can make it work, but. And then once in a while, it might even be worth being like, oh, my show is not as crystal clear as it could be because I had to be joyous for myself. But I'm also a volunteer at Read718, which is a literacy tutoring program for kids after school. And I am in a French class, and I date.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

I have live time, brother. Well, I love it.

[Storm Lever]

What time do you wake up? Up?

[Sonia Balsara]

I Woke up at 8.

[Storm Lever]

Okay.

[Sonia Balsara]

But I go to bed, honestly, as soon as I get home.

[Storm Lever]

Yeah, your body's not vibrating. You don't have to do a, like, a dance routine in front of the mirror.

[Sonia Balsara]

I live with a muggle.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Oh, I live with a muggle. Too. But.

[Sonia Balsara]

But my Muggle wakes up at 6am so it's like mine, but I'm out.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

You won't catch me until 11. Like.

[Sonia Balsara]

Like I get home at like 10:05 and you're in bed by. I can get in bed by 11:30.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Oh, my God. That's crazy.

[Ben Cameron]

That's amazing.

[Sonia Balsara]

I get home, I have a little snack, have my.

[Storm Lever]

I'm gonna learn from you and take some notes.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Yeah, you should write a book on that. That's amazing.

[Sonia Balsara]

It's also really quiet in Brooklyn.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

I live in Brooklyn too.

[Sonia Balsara]

But where do you live in Brooklyn?

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Dumbo.

[Sonia Balsara]

It's so loud in Dumbo.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Not my apartment.

[Sonia Balsara]

That.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

That train loud in here.

[Sonia Balsara]

That's the one.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

I live by the water. I don't live by the train.

[Sonia Balsara]

Oh, yeah, that's lovely.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

That's amazing.

[Ben Cameron]

Location, location, location. What time do you get to bed?

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

I mean, because I live with a Muggle too, and he has to get up and he's on calls with Hong Kong or whatever he does. And it's like, I just need. I have to sleep or I won't be able to do the show. So I'm just in a season of knocking myself out at night. And I probably go to sleep at, if I'm lucky, 1:30.

[Ben Cameron]

Okay.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Which feels like early to me. You know what I mean? That feels like early. If I wasn't sleeping with a Muggle, if I didn't have a Muggle next to me, it would be three or four. Like when I was on tour, I'd be like, oh, it's 4:00am Whatever. Like, you know, it doesn't matter.

[Ben Cameron]

What time do you crash Storm?

[Storm Lever]

In my defense, first of all, no one's accusing you. It's a higher show. We're singing and dancing for 90 minutes. I got some adrenaline going. So I get home.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Your show is short.

[Storm Lever]

The show is short. Which also, you would think I would get to bed earlier, but no. So I get home and I cook and I do a little dance and I'm up and active and I try to tuck in around midnight, but I don't think my eyes close until 2, 3am yeah. And it's all of those, like, oh, I need to handle this. I need to do that. Let me take down these notes. Let me just contemplate that argument I had in third grade. You know, like all the important stuff that I have to get done. I. Yeah, but I bet if I Woke up at 8, I started painting.

[Ben Cameron]

Be a golfer.

[Sonia Balsara]

I hate myself.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Don't you dare.

[Storm Lever]

No, but that's a beautiful part of, like.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

It is.

[Storm Lever]

You found this balance in your artistry. You get to do all these things outside of, like, yes, your job is to be a princess, but also in life, like feeding the artist in other ways. That's beautiful. That's amazing.

[Sonia Balsara]

I can't, like, the brain won't, like, won't work if I'm not, you know.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Yeah.

[Sonia Balsara]

But also because I wake up early, I'm exhausted. Like, I can't. I, like, can't keep my eyes open at night. So I've sort of. I did sort of start out this way. I went to Broadway bowling couple weeks ago and I was like. Cause when I started, I went, yeah, but you get home at 3 in the morning.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

I know, that's crazy.

[Ben Cameron]

Cause that doesn't actually start till 11:30, right?

[Sonia Balsara]

11:15. Yes. It's horrible.

[Ben Cameron]

Like, Broadway bowling.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Broadway golf will be in the morning. 6:00am on a Monday. We'll have like a 2:00 tea time. We'll play from 2 to 6 and everyone can go home.

[Storm Lever]

No one's speaking to each other. No one is speaking the entire time.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Love an interpreter.

[Ben Cameron]

Everyone just shares their morning painting. We all nod and approval.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

I've been calling you up for a logo.

[Storm Lever]

Us painting you green for the day.

[Sonia Balsara]

You don't paint yourself, right?

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

No, no, no. This will make artist.

[Sonia Balsara]

Because I'm like, that could be soothing, but sure.

[Ben Cameron]

Maybe not. Maybe it could be. That takes a village.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Yeah, it takes a village.

[Ben Cameron]

That takes a village. I'm glad you brought up the getting greener through the show. I don't think a lot of people know that.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

No, people think that I'm hanging at intermission. I'm like, I don't get a break. I asked for two minutes by myself and they generously said yes, I have two minutes in the bathroom with the door closed. And then I come out and we're back on.

[Ben Cameron]

What are you doing in the bathroom?

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

I'm literally resetting my larynx. I'm resetting my larynx. I'm texting my husband or I'm texting my mom or I'm sending a selfie from the toilet. Like, I'm just. That's what I'm doing. Two minutes.

[Storm Lever]

What did you do before? Just for diapers and like, what?

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Well, I mean, like, before he gave.

[Storm Lever]

You the two minutes.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Well, that's the. No, like, you could pee. But I need the extra two minutes too. I just need to myself. I just need a second by myself before I return from where you're Sitting.

[Ben Cameron]

Now and this point in your careers. And we can call. These are successes in your career. These are dream jobs. How does this achievement in your life affect your forward trajectory in your mind? Does it change the way that you go, oh, from here, I would like to do this, or maybe I will be discerning about what I look at the next time, or has that changed your focus of. All right. How do I craft and cultivate this experience where we know we only have so much control? Right. Hmm. It's opened question marks on everyone's head.

[Storm Lever]

It's opened me up in a new way because I don't know if you guys have had this experience of. So many of my dreams have come true, and that is such a blessing to say, and I recognize the privilege to say that. And so I've been trying to expand outside of what are my dreams outside of this job for so long. Every time I looked at 11:11 and made a wish and closed my eyes and wished on one of those little flowers, I would wish something that was related to my job. And so much of my success was based off of what I was doing at work. And I think being in a season where I can actively say I'm living a dream, I've tried to spend more time being intentional about what do I want outside of this? I'm so blessed for this to be my life, but I don't want to just be this artist. Do I want to be a painter? Do I want to be a golfer? Like, what are just things outside of this? Because I spent so long where this was the only focus? How do I. Yeah. Ask myself what those dreams are? So I've been talking to my fiance about our wedding and our life outside of. Yeah. Just what our life looks like for the rest of our lives. And, yeah, it's been really exciting to. So it's not limiting to think of just this career, but to acknowledge that to be a full artist, it means to be a full person and not to neglect the person I'm snapping for that.

[Ben Cameron]

I think that's so very true.

[Sonia Balsara]

I just finished Just Kids by Patti Smith.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Oh, my God. That's my favorite book in the whole world. Like, teaches so much about love, right? I don't know.

[Storm Lever]

Love art.

[Sonia Balsara]

Oh, my gosh. It's the life of Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe, and they're like each other's muses, and they just, like, the universe kept bringing them back together, and they're. It is a love story. It's an artist. Like, it is the explosion of Art all around them in New York in the 70s, like, it's amazing.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

And, like, in a dive bar with Warhol, like, it's truly.

[Sonia Balsara]

She had an affair with Sam Shepard. Like, it's crazy. And their life is their art. In addition to their art being their life. It's one and the same. She talks about how, like, there's this opera on as she wa. Like, you know, it's just, like, constantly consuming the world of. There is art everywhere. We live in this amazing city where you turn your head and, oh, my God. I was at. I was in Bryant park one day, and Deepak Chopra was leading a free guided meditation.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

That's great.

[Sonia Balsara]

And I was just, like, nowhere else in the world. And so I think that that is so much of, like. It's about, like, letting yourself be open to all of that. And as far as, like, next steps, it's like there's a million endless dreams, I think. But it is crazy to be, like, to accept the fact that you got a major one done. I'm always like, I'm always thinking about future Sonia, and I'm like, oh, my God, she needs to do this, and we need to do this right now so that future Sonia can have all these things so we can do everything and do it all. And I'm like, but I am future Sonia also, because past. Past Sonia did so much to be here. So I, like, should enjoy some, like, an epiphany recently about that.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Yeah, that's very sweet.

[Ben Cameron]

What are your thoughts on that, Mary Kay?

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

I think that playing Elphaba has taught me a lot about myself and about the world. And the biggest thing it taught me or continues to teach me is that the limit that we put on ourselves is limiting. And we can cross that line easily. And it might be tough, but, like, the limit that the world has for us is so much greater than what we give ourselves credit for achieving. And so I think that by playing this role, I'm like, wow, I actually can't wait for what's next because I don't even think I can dream it. Like, I thought I was dreaming big when I was dreaming about playing Elphaba on Broadway. Like, I thought that that was, like, the big dream. And if that's not the big dream, and that's where my limit was. Like, what is coming for me? Like, I don't even know. So I feel excited about that.

[Ben Cameron]

The ha ha. About this biz, too. I mean, you can't really plot it out at all, can you? Because it's gonna be what you never expected. Can I put you guys through a quick lightning round?

[Sonia Balsara]

Yeah, sure.

[Ben Cameron]

As we start wrapping things up here. Favorite moment in the show to perform.

[Sonia Balsara]

I love when I throw the cactus. I throw an apple and I throw a cactus in the span of like 10 seconds. And it's always my favorite.

[Ben Cameron]

I love that. I feel like that's like, that needs to be like a. I was gonna say euphemism, but that's not the right. It needs to be like a saying that we do like. Ah, talk.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

The cactus.

[Ben Cameron]

Yeah, she really threw the cactus on that one.

[Storm Lever]

If you remember the show, probably walking through the curtain every night when we start out the show in the fog. And it's just like a big baseline. You get to see the audience for the first time.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Oh, when I know that I have the. I know I have the audience when I do.

[Storm Lever]

Ah, down.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

And it's silent and then it goes black and there's a. So like, if people aren't clapping as I'm going up or anything like that, there's just this moment of the entire audience going where minds are blown.

[Ben Cameron]

They start throwing things like a release by the cactus. Who's your favorite singer of all time?

[Sonia Balsara]

Audrey McDonald.

[Ben Cameron]

Sure.

[Storm Lever]

Ooh. Of all time.

[Ben Cameron]

Sure.

[Storm Lever]

Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Whitney today.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Kelly Clarkson.

[Ben Cameron]

Oh, I love Kelly Clarkson. Favorite musical of all time.

[Sonia Balsara]

Sunny in the park with George.

[Storm Lever]

Ah, Cabay.

[Ben Cameron]

Yeah.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Parade.

[Ben Cameron]

Delish.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

I know.

[Ben Cameron]

Favorite cocktail to enjoy. No one.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Oh, my God. I'm like, is it Van Old fashioned? Is it Negroni? Is it the Martina Ingas? Like, say, old fashioned martini?

[Sonia Balsara]

It really depends on the setting.

[Ben Cameron]

Sure. Yeah. Some place are like, if we're tropical.

[Sonia Balsara]

Has a pina colada. If we're home, it's going to be glass of red wine.

[Storm Lever]

Sure.

[Ben Cameron]

Okay, great. It changes. Roller coasters. Fun or scary?

[Sonia Balsara]

Fun.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Terrifying fun.

[Ben Cameron]

Starbucks or Dunkin Donut Nuts?

[Sonia Balsara]

Neither.

[Ben Cameron]

Gross.

[Storm Lever]

Starbucks.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Butler.

[Ben Cameron]

Who's Butler?

[Sonia Balsara]

Oh, I like Butler too.

[Ben Cameron]

Is that a coffee joint in.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Yeah, in Brooklyn.

[Ben Cameron]

Oh, of course. So Brooklyn.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Actually, there's one on. There's one in NoHo too.

[Ben Cameron]

Yeah.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Yeah.

[Ben Cameron]

Which is still pretty trendy. Still pretty trendy. If you could play any role that exists in the theater that you haven't played yet, what would it be?

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Oh, God.

[Storm Lever]

Say this directly to the camera. Sally Bowles work.

[Ben Cameron]

Yep.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

I want to be her mc. Oh, heck yes.

[Sonia Balsara]

Stay on with my old answer, which is dot.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Oh, that's a good one.

[Ben Cameron]

What's your favorite season or holiday?

[Storm Lever]

Ooh, Summer holiday. Christmas.

[Ben Cameron]

Yeah.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Fall Christmas.

[Sonia Balsara]

Summer holiday's heart Because I think Thanksgiving starts Christmas.

[Ben Cameron]

Oh, sure. Well, there's some people who think the Labor Day starts Christmas.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

For me, it's double digits in December.

[Ben Cameron]

Is when Christmas starts. Well, if you go to a Duane read, Christmas starts October 1st.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

It's the worst.

[Ben Cameron]

Duane Reed. And if you had $5 million appear in your bank account, what's the first thing you'd spend it on?

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Is there a crisis in the world? Always.

[Ben Cameron]

Please. No.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Okay. Like AR is coming, y'all.

[Ben Cameron]

No, no, no. This is perfectly selfish. Yeah.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Oh. Oh. I put it into regional theater. Oh, yeah. 100% work.

[Ben Cameron]

Yes.

[Storm Lever]

I think I'm have to get my parents a home. I think it's time for. They gave me so much. I think I have to get the parents a home.

[Sonia Balsara]

Yeah. I was going to say house in the south of France, but everyone can come.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Oh, yeah.

[Sonia Balsara]

Open door policy.

[Ben Cameron]

Oh, my God.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Don't say that to a.

[Ben Cameron]

Which is all of us listening. And what musical would the three of you star in together?

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

It's a good question.

[Ben Cameron]

Let's cast it now. Let's see. Well, we've got. I mean, if you want to play Cliff, Sonia, then we've got Cabaret in its entirety.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

We've probably got hair with.

[Storm Lever]

We've definitely got a little hair in here.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Dionne, Sheila and Chrissy.

[Ben Cameron]

Absolutely.

[Storm Lever]

We've got a little hair action we could see as a little Skylar sister action.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Oh, my God.

[Storm Lever]

I would die right.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Have you ever cast a white girl in as Angelica? And it's not me. I swear to God.

[Storm Lever]

I swear to God.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

I'll lose my mind. That's dreaming big.

[Ben Cameron]

Maybe that's the great unknown. Next thing.

[Storm Lever]

Actually, she's a green girl, so we can make it work.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Yeah, make it work. Okay. Are you Anessa or Glinda?

[Sonia Balsara]

This is the question.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Okay.

[Ben Cameron]

Has this been the question for Glendale?

[Sonia Balsara]

You're glad people see me as Anessa?

[Ben Cameron]

Interesting.

[Storm Lever]

I will never be in Wicked. I'm so happy for you. I'm probably like flying monkey number 72. But she's too short for Alfie. She's too alto for Glinda. So she's enthusiastic audience member. Enthusiastic audience member number seven.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Okay, great. So not Wicked. Let's keep thinking, though. What about Hadestown? Could we do Hadestown?

[Ben Cameron]

Oh, I like that.

[Storm Lever]

We could do a little Hadestown. A little some. Got some. You ready to see some fate action?

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Yeah. I mean, yeah. We could cast us as the Fates and we'll cover all the roles, I guess.

[Ben Cameron]

There we go.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Yeah, but Krasner is professional.

[Ben Cameron]

We've got a lot to produce coming up in the next little bit.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Yeah, you heard us.

[Ben Cameron]

Okay, now do what you've gotta do.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

Yeah. Listeners of this podcast, number one rated.

[Ben Cameron]

Pod, thank you all so much for being here and spending an hour chatting about all this. I think you're all remarkable. Say into the microphone where everybody can follow all of your adventures on the social medias.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

You can follow me at maryspace S P A C E Kate on TikTok.

[Ben Cameron]

And Instagram is the space.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

There's a space in my name, not a hyphen.

[Ben Cameron]

Oh. Do you know, I always knowing this handle of yours, I've always. I was like.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

You were just like mary space K.

[Ben Cameron]

I was gonna play on like space cake.

[Mary Kate Morrissey]

No, it enrages me when people misspell my name.

[Ben Cameron]

Okay, got it. Fair enough.

[Storm Lever]

Tormleaver. Simple, easy. Follow me on Instagram, don't follow me home.

[Sonia Balsara]

And I'm on Instagram and TikTok occasionally. TikTok.

[Ben Cameron]

Oh, I'm too old for the TikTok. Thank you again so much. You guys get out there and have great shows.

[Storm Lever]

Thank you.

[Ben Cameron]

Thank you. Hey there friends. Broadway buddy Ben Cameron here again. I wanted to jump on here at the end of this episode and talk to you just a little bit. We all know this crazy business called show is full of change and a lot of the shows that we love so much have premature closings and it's looking right now that this might be our swan song here on the Broadway cast. So I wanted to jump in here and say to all of you what an incredible experience it's been to be able to bring this show back this season for all of you. It has been such a joy to connect with the Broadway community again. As you all know by now, the Broadway community is my love. It's my lifeblood. And to get to share space and hear the stories and laugh with these incredible artists has been an absolute dream come true. And that dream is in thanks large part to all of you who are listening or watching wherever you are in the world. Whether you've been with us from the get go many years ago or if you found our show just this season. I want you to know how much it means to little 12 year old Ben sitting in his living room in Orem, Utah, listening to his Phantom of the Opera cast album just how absolutely thrilling this journey has been. This whole project began back in 2016 when some of you were just a twinkle in your parents eyes. As an idea that I for a Broadway themed radio show. We made a demo in Southern California. Just me, producer Danny, our good friend and early partner Rico. We made the magic happen. Fast forward 70 plus episodes. Over 200 Broadway stars and artists letting their hair down and sharing their stories in such a unique and powerful way. Games, revelations, laughter. I will never forget we used to have a segment in the show where we would have people call in about their community theater projects. At one point, we surprised Karen Ziemba and Tony Yazwick with a call in from Joel Gray. Billy Porter joined us in studio with Alex Brightman and Laura Bell Bundy, fresh off his costume fitting for pose, which as we all know, changed his life forever. And even the moment where my backpack was stolen off the street outside of the Chita Rivera Awards on Broadway and producer Danny had to chase down a hooligan and bring it back to safety. These are memories I will never, ever forget. The point being here is that it has been a privilege and a joy to share this with all of you. So we're hopeful that we come back with another season. But until then, I want to say a very sincere thank you to all of you who have joined us from the beginning. We'd love to hear your journey with our show as well. So if you would like to keep up with us, write to US the Broadwaycast, gmail.com, hit us up on Social, tell us what the show has meant to you. We would love to be a part of your world moving forward. As I always like to say, call me every five minutes. So I want you to go out there and keep doing what you're doing. Keep loving theater, keep being part of this community. It means the world. And most importantly, remember, have a great show.