We're Your Girls, At The Met Opera!

Summary

Podcast Summary: "We're Your Girls, At The Met Opera!"

Podcast: We're Your Girls
Host: Good Mess Media
Episode Date: December 19, 2025

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Overview

In this lively and heartfelt episode, Tiffany and Taryn, best friends and co-hosts of "We're Your Girls," bring their infectious energy and sisterhood to a historic setting—the Metropolitan Opera. They broadcast from inside the iconic, empty hall, becoming the first-ever podcast to record in the Met Opera auditorium. The episode weaves together themes of friendship, creative passion, accessibility in the arts, and the wonders of the opera experience. Special guest Peter Gelb, the Met’s general manager, joins for an insightful, behind-the-scenes conversation about making opera exciting and inclusive for new generations.

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Main Topics & Key Segments

🍾 Setting the Scene: Gowns, Giggles & Opera Firsts

[01:01–02:42]

• Tiffany and Taryn, fully dressed in Met-provided opera costumes (complete with bustles, corsets, and dramatic flair), revel in being inside the empty, echoing auditorium.
• They excitedly announce spending New Year’s Eve at the Met for "I Puritani" and invite listeners to join in.
• The duo express deep gratitude and awe at this unique podcasting opportunity and newfound partnership with the Met.

"We are the first ever podcast to record in the auditorium of the Met Opera." — B, [01:29]

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🎭 Theater Kid Origins & Creative Sisterhood

[03:52–06:37]

• The hosts reflect on their personal journeys as lifelong “theater kids” and the community built through the arts.
• They recall feeling “weird” or like outcasts growing up, and how those traits became their superpower in adulthood.
• Being creative is positioned as something to embrace, not hide. They encourage listeners: "Let your freak flag fly!" ([11:48])
• Tiffany discusses her unique art-school upbringing where creativity was the norm and how that shaped her confidence.

"If you're a kid, just keep going. Just keep being weird a little longer. You'll get to adulthood. Be weird. Then you'll be great." — A, [05:01]

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💼 The Value of Arts and All Work

[07:43–09:46]

• Taryn recalls a private equity fan who credited their show with bringing “color” to a gray work life.
• The hosts discuss “qualifying” or downplaying the challenges of creative work compared to conventional careers, only to realize everyone does this.
• They explore the importance of reframing this perspective and recognizing that arts work is meaningful and often hard.

"I would never say anyone in the arts isn't doing something important." — B, [09:21]

"It's really important each of us does our little job, whatever it is." — B, [09:41]

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🎵 Why the Arts Matter: Education & Changing Lives

[10:14–21:13]

• The hosts passionately defend the critical role of arts, especially in challenging societal climates:

"The arts are everything... This is life changing and life saving work." — B & A, [10:19–10:26]

• Tiffany describes the life-altering impact of her public arts education and the pivotal role of dedicated art teachers.
• Both reflect on how access to arts programs shaped their paths and express a wish to heavily fund arts education if able.
• Heartfelt stories: Tiffany's emotional return to her high-school costume shop; Taryn credits drama teachers for saving and inspiring young lives.

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😂 Backstage & On Set: Collaboration and Comedy

[21:13–28:48]

• The joy of working on set is celebrated; both marvel at how creative teams operate as “well-oiled machines.”
• Taryn, though “green,” loves observing and learning everything about a set’s ecosystem.
• They delight in the small, weird moments artists notice and turn into material, underscoring how creatives are wired to find stories everywhere.

"Artists... we all have some kind of vested interest in the humanness, what it means to be here and what it means to exist." — B, [21:42]

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👗 Opera Culture: Style, Traditions & Accessibility

[29:36–51:38]

• [29:36]: Peter Gelb, General Manager of the Met Opera, joins the pod.
• Peter shares his personal history (a teenage usher at the Met before becoming GM) and discusses opera's dramatic, emotionally charged stories.
• Discussion of why so many operas are tragedies:

"Because they're sort of bigger than life stories... People dying is more emotional than people living happily ever after." — Peter Gelb, [30:48]

• Breaking the stereotype of opera as only for the elite:
  • The Met's efforts for accessibility: English subtitles, diverse programming (e.g., "Magic Flute" in English for families), and live HD transmissions worldwide—even in the Arctic Circle!
• Unique behind-the-scenes quirks: live animals onstage (including a donkey and a mule), a children’s chorus with their own tutors, and craftspeople whose families have worked at the Met for generations.

"Opera really is for anyone who loves entertainment escapism." — Peter Gelb, [43:36]

Fashion at the Opera

• Diana (A) and Taryn (B) rave about the Met’s cocktail hour, gowns, and the fun of people-watching in the grand foyer.
• Notable anecdote: The legend of “Piano Hat Lady” spotted in a box seat, inspiring the girls to step up their fashion game.

"It's a fashion show. It's such a fun fashion show." — B, [49:22]

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🚀 Inspiring the Next Generation and Each Other

[42:11–44:37]

• Peter expounds on outreach efforts to school kids, including bringing thousands in for final dress rehearsals and shaping opera as a joyful, accessible experience.
• Touching generational moments: mentions of third-generation Met craftspeople and the camaraderie of the Met family.

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🤣 Games, Gags, and Dream Roles

[51:38–57:15]

• Tiffany and Taryn riff hilariously about wanting cameo roles at the opera:
  • Dreams of being a supernumerary, playing weird percussion in the orchestra, or just making dramatic entrances/exits.
  • Laugh-out-loud bit: the accuracy of “scary xylophone”/glockenspiel cues at the Met, referencing their own theater mishaps.
  • The delight in “creative risk-taking” and the freedom to be silly.

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🎉 Closing: Community, Joy, and Church Announcements

[57:15–end]

• The girls treat listeners to their classic “church announcements” bit—relocating their fictional congregation to the Met Opera for Sunday service, with bright humor and lots of love for their crew.
• They encourage listeners to “watch” this episode for the costumes and livestream magic.
• Anticipation builds for their upcoming trip to Paris and New Year’s Eve at the Met.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• "Let your freak flag fly!" — B, [11:48]
• "The point is... artists, whatever their medium, all have this vested interest in the humanness of it all." — B, [22:32]
• "Opera... is not inaccessible. It's fun." — Peter Gelb, [38:56]
• "Come as you are, baby." — A, [44:17]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Topic/Segment | |-----------|------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:01 | The Met Opera: podcasting from an empty auditorium | | 02:46 | Theatrical costumes and playful character bits | | 03:52 | Friendship & being lifelong theater kids | | 07:43 | Why the arts matter to everyday people | | 09:46 | Redefining the importance of all kinds of work | | 10:14 | Arts education, tribute to arts teachers | | 18:37 | Emotional homecomings to arts roots | | 21:13 | On-set fun and creativity in daily life | | 29:36 | Peter Gelb: Met Opera GM interview starts | | 30:48 | Why so many operas are tragic | | 36:04 | Accessibility: language, subtitles, dress codes | | 37:03 | Met Opera live streams around the world | | 39:34 | Making opera fun and relatable for new generations | | 41:04 | Children’s chorus and education at the Met | | 44:08 | Dress codes, inclusivity, opera as a date-night option | | 47:03 | Champagne intermissions, espresso martinis, black tie fun | | 49:22 | Fashion at the Met: "It’s such a fun fashion show" | | 51:38 | Hilarious bits: dream roles, percussion, xylophone gags | | 57:15 | Church announcements; wrapping up in high spirits |

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Overall Tone and Takeaways

The episode is zany, celebratory, nostalgic, and deeply passionate about the arts. Tiffany and Taryn’s chemistry shines as they blend thoughtful commentary on the significance of creative communities with laugh-out-loud moments and theatrical jokes. The segment with Peter Gelb provides an invaluable, welcoming look inside the Met Opera and the efforts being made to demystify and expand opera’s audience. The underlying message is one of joy, inclusion, and encouragement to claim and celebrate one's own weirdness—and to bring that spirit to experiences, whether at the Met Opera or anywhere creativity and community can flourish.

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"We're Your Girls" reminds listeners that sisterhood, artistry, and a willingness to be playful are, indeed, for everyone.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

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[B]

Phew.

[A]

Find a Marshall's near you.

[B]

Cause we're your girls? Hey.

[A]

Cause I like how you do.

[B]

Hey, girl.

[A]

Hey.

[B]

How you doing? I'm feeling quite fancy, actually.

[A]

You look fancy. I didn't know if we wanted to even talk about the way that we're dressed or just.

[B]

Well, usually we would be folks that wouldn't talk about it, but for our listeners, we're actually coming to you live from an empty opera hall. The Met Opera.

[A]

The opera.

[B]

Another fun fact. We are the first ever podcast to record in the auditorium of the Met Opera.

[C]

Yay.

[A]

If you hear that echo, it's because it's empty in here. Oh, yeah.

[B]

This isn't a green screen. I don't know where my camera is. This isn't a green screen. The Met Opera invited us, and they also allowed us to have their full hair, makeup, and costuming team.

[A]

So we've been frolicking all morning. It's about 2pm now. We've been here for a couple hours frolicking in the underbelly and upper bellies of the Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center.

[B]

When we had first asked if we could do something with them at opera, we were just excited in general that.

[A]

They said yes, just to come on out and say hi.

[B]

Little did we know it would turn into this whole fiasco.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah.

[B]

And now Tiffany and I will be actually spending New Year's Eve here together in Paris for the show E Puritani, which you can still buy tickets to, by the way, if you want to. Yes.

[A]

And you can actually come to the New Year show, like we said, and the gala afterwards. We'll be There.

[B]

So we'll be there.

[A]

Yeah. Come say hi if you want to.

[B]

Ring in the new Year together. This is not an ad, by the way. It just. It's just we're having a good time.

[A]

This is the basis of a new and exciting partnership. PR relationship. All the things.

[B]

Yeah. We just love them.

[A]

We just love them.

[B]

We love the art.

[A]

So, wait, what's been new with you, pal?

[B]

Well, hold on. My corset's really tight.

[A]

Get in there. I'm sitting on my bustle, so if I look a little slouch. That's why I got a BBL in, like, three minutes putting this dress on.

[B]

My husband, Gastoni, Edward has gout. Oh, right. And, yes. And then there was a horrible fire in the town. It spread and it was quite ghastly.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And so. But luckily. But luckily all of the rich people survived.

[A]

That's cool.

[B]

And so all of my good friends are quite.

[A]

Well. And your husband.

[B]

No, he's pet. Oh, okay.

[A]

Just kidding.

[B]

Those are our characters. I was just trying that on. Precise.

[A]

We like her. She's. Her name is Agnes. Oh, wait, I already have Agnes. This.

[B]

She's much more fancier than Agnes.

[A]

Edwina. Edwina.

[B]

That's a good.

[A]

That's my mom's middle name.

[B]

Really?

[A]

It is. I don't know why that came to mind.

[B]

I didn't know that.

[A]

Yeah. That's a good. She's gonna be mad I said that. She hates her middle name. Really funny.

[B]

Cut it in pose now.

[A]

It's fine. Leave it. Sorry, Lanita.

[B]

Okay, wait. So we've been geeking out, though I.

[A]

Will say we've had, like, a marathon week.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

One. As friends, as co workers.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

As creators.

[B]

Yeah. Like, the top of this week, we were shooting a commercial, which you'll see. Which we were shooting for two days. We're on set.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And that was really full circle. That was so cool. And then today, of course, we're shooting all day at the Met. And, like, for us, we've really connected on. We always originally connected on being, like, theater kids and becoming adults.

[A]

Yeah. It's our favorite thing when people comment that under videos and they're like, these are obviously two theater kids who grew up and still like to have fun. You'd be very correct in that statement.

[B]

Yeah, for sure. And I think. I don't know. I was thinking this the other day about how the ongoing connection between all theater kids everywhere is that we were all either considered weird or bullied or both. And I think that it's ironic because artists end up being like the coolest adults ever.

[A]

I know. Especially in New York and are widely loved and celebrated. That's what's so interesting too. And it's like if you're a kid, just keep going. Just keep being weird a little longer. You'll get to adulthood. Be weird. Then you'll be great.

[B]

Yeah. Being weird. And so I was thinking a lot about that. But like individuality when you're young. Especially depending on where I mean. Also Tiffany.

[A]

You didn't have.

[B]

Tiffany went to an art school. We've talked about this before. I feel like you didn't experience as much because everybody was creative.

[A]

Yeah. And so slightly different relationship with the. The social. Social outcast aspect of being a creative. Because everyone was creative.

[B]

Everyone was.

[A]

So your level of acceptance was then based on your level of creativity.

[B]

Really.

[A]

Which was. It's like the inverse. Yeah. So if you weren't like a super into being a theater kid or super into being a dancer. It was kind of like, well, what are you doing here?

[B]

So people are just assholes anyway.

[A]

All over the place.

[B]

You can't escape it. So just be yourself. No one's going to like you or everyone's going to love you depending on what room you're in. And you can. That wasn't very positive. Everyone's going to hate you. So you've got to be strong. That's horrible. No, I think it really comes down to whatever. What is the saying? You can't beat everyone's cup of tea, but you're someone's shot of whiskey.

[A]

Amen. And finding your tribe too. There's something to be said about that. We've taken time to curate environments of people who are creatives, who find us funny, who we find funny, who we like to be around. Who think the way that we do. Or maybe they don't. But they still appreciate the way that we think. And vice versa. There's something to be said about the fact that we didn't grow up to be surrounded by people in finance who don't laugh. No tear or shade to the people in finance.

[B]

I know there's a finance girly listening to this.

[A]

Like, hang on. Hey. We love finance divas and bros on occasion. The point is.

[B]

What? You're going to tell me that some guy on Wall Street's logging into this at 2pm on Thursday?

[A]

I feel like I heard a story meeting someone in the street randomly the other day that said that I think it was a finance diva maybe. Why? That's. That's why that came to mind. And she Was telling me, she's like, I love you guys show. And I don't. I don't laugh in my day to day. And she's like, I work in finance. She's in private equity. I'm. Yes. I met this girl in Union Square the other day. Okay. That's why that came to mind. Metadiva. Hi, whoever you are. I'm so sorry, I don't remember your name, but we met in Union Square. And she stopped me and was like, I love you guys so much. And I was like, oh, that's so sweet. What's your name? Got her name. Can't remember. At me. And she was saying she works in private equity and finance and her day to day is not in any way funny. And she used. She went as far as to say, it's not colorful. And she said that you all bring color in to my life. And I said, that is so sweet. It got me, honestly. And then I thought to myself, well, yeah, I mean, we're so blessed because we're surrounded by color constantly. And I don't think you and I take it for granted by any means, but that was a moment that I stepped back and said, my God, we don't lack color in personality in any aspects of our lives.

[B]

I was talking to my mom the other night and I made a comment, and I feel like I do this really naturally now where I start to say something like, if I ever say I'm tired to my family or especially my family or any friend that's not in this industry, if I start to say I'm just feeling really tired because. Or it's been a long week, I immediately add in. But not that I think that I, like, am doing anything important or anything like I want. I always start to. What's the word I'm looking for?

[A]

You, like, qualify for your fatigue?

[B]

Yeah, I qualify by always saying that. It's almost like I don't want people to think that I think that I'm doing brain surgery over here. And to be frank, of course I don't. I've had much more laborious jobs before. Like when I was cleaning houses. I often think I'm like, that was way more tiring than and physically harder than what I do now. And yet I don't know why I feel like I have to downgrade or degrade what we do, because at the same time, my mom jumped in and she was like, taryn, what you're doing is important too. And at first I wanted to just be like, well, you're just Saying that. Cause you're my mom. And I've noticed that, like when I say that to anyone, like insert anyone, and they say, oh, no, you have an important contribution, I always start to say, well, no, not in comparison to what you do. Insert their job. And they always go, oh, no, I'm not doing anything that cool. Insert their job.

[A]

So everyone's doing it.

[B]

We're all doing it.

[A]

Interesting.

[B]

And so in reality, I've started wanting to reframe. Maybe being in here is making me want to reframe that. Because I would never say anyone in the arts isn't doing something important.

[A]

Absolutely.

[B]

And also really hard and hard and tiring. This is so important that this exists. I'm so glad that it exists. So then I think. I think actually everyone's just doing their best.

[A]

Think so.

[B]

To make their corner of the world better with what they have. And that can be really tiring sometimes. It can be a lot of work.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But it's really important each of us does our little job, whatever it is.

[A]

That's what makes the world work.

[B]

It does.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So anyways, to all of you cardiologists and brain surgeons out there, just know. I think what I'm doing is just as important, is just as important as you. We're equals, you and I.

[A]

But one could say keeping the arts alive.

[B]

Yes, of course. I'm like, keep going.

[A]

Cuz, you know, I lost the thought.

[B]

I was like, where you going with that?

[A]

I remember I fell asleep mid sentence.

[B]

Okay. But in all seriousness, the arts are so important. Like the. The arts are everything.

[A]

Like knowing the current. Absolutely. The current climate that we're in and that. I don't want to say arts are under attack, but.

[B]

No, no, no, they are.

[A]

They are under attack. Yeah. This is important work. This is life changing and life saving work. Absolutely.

[B]

The last opera I went to, Cavalier and Clay, explores a narrative that takes place in Nazi Germany. Interesting. And you're watching the rise of fascist Hitler and how it's affecting the lives, the very. The very real lives of people fleeing a fascist dictatorship, coming to America, and just the extreme tragedy and loss that goes with that. And you know, you're watching the show and you're thinking the way we tell stories. Stories are important for us to understand ourselves, where we've come from and where we're going. I will also say, like, comedy is just as important part of that narrative too, just as the opera, as. As important as the ballet or the symphony or movie. Movies and tv, they all are kind of this patchwork quilt of humanity's narrative.

[A]

Yeah. And that's been cool since the dawn of time in some capacity for sure.

[B]

I always think, is somebody gonna, like, in 150 years, like, uncover our freaking podcast and be like, this was the.

[A]

Modern woman, and it's us saying something really vulgar.

[B]

And then historians are like, we're actually going to refute this. We don't think modern women were all like this.

[A]

They were different.

[B]

Your deaf friend. So if you're a little weird, Let your freak flag fly. That's what I gotta say.

[A]

That's a song from Shrek the musical. One of the first shows I caught.

[B]

Let your freak flag fly your freak.

[A]

Flag wave Little freak flag fly I've.

[B]

Never seen Shrek the Musical.

[A]

Deep cut. Somebody really appreciate that out there. It was a very fun show to costume.

[B]

That's so funny. Wait, did you costume Shrek show?

[A]

I did. It was one of the first shows I costumed. I've never told you that.

[B]

You never told me that was a costume show of my favorite movie.

[A]

I was one of the mistresses for Shrek the musical at my high school.

[B]

That's costume mistress.

[A]

That's a term. Sorry.

[B]

That you're.

[A]

I was not sleeping with people on the costume team. My God. My job was to sleep with the crew anyway.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

That is so cool.

[A]

A fun era of life I did.

[B]

When I was in high school, my first lead I ever got was I was in a show called the Putnam County Spelling Bee.

[A]

Absolutely.

[B]

You know, the Putnam County. I paid schwartzy. And it was the first time I ever was experimenting with character. I had a lisp and I had a. And I had a New York accent. And I was really excited because I remember really, like. I mean, this was super fun for me at 15.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

To get to do character work and to be somebody else. And I remember there was this moment because I actually really, in real life had braces. And the director was like, this is perfect for the character because she's unsightly. I'm totally kidding. Mr. Finley, if you're watching this, thank you for being my first mentor and, like, the first person to ever really encourage me. When you're loud and weird and you're in a public school like me. For me, theater and drama was the first time I'd ever really experienced anyone, like, cheering for. That's like, the one place you get cheered on for your eccentricities, for the things that make you weird or different. And so when I got to play this character who was really weird and odd, I rem. Really Getting to, like, lean into it, because I wasn't being myself. I was being this really weird little girl in an alternate universe who had two gay dads. And I loved the whole thing. I just loved all of it.

[A]

That's fun. So what was that? 10, 10 years ago now? I don't know math.

[B]

I don't know math.

[A]

I guess I'm just trying to put a timeline to it, because from that first production to where you are now, like, so much in your life obviously has changed. Well, maybe 12 years ago.

[B]

12 plus 12 is 24. I can't do it. Tracy, help us.

[C]

Come on.

[B]

You're from Australia, Tracy, you should know this.

[A]

What was the question?

[B]

What is when 10? What?

[A]

Girl, we don't know.

[B]

We're in the arts, you fool. You're the one that says things like quarter till. Do the math.

[A]

Tracy was telling us the time earlier today, and she said, a quarter till two. And I was like, activity boasted hard, blankly. And I said, is that 2:15? But I didn't know. I asked.

[B]

I said, what are you reading? A sundial? I don't know how to tell the time like that. Why are you functioning in military time? Say 2:30 or 2:45? You don't need to say a dime, a dime and a nickel on the way. Now, really quickly, what would be if you were 15? If you were 15?

[A]

And how old are you now?

[B]

How many years is that? And now I'm 29.

[A]

14 years.

[B]

Yeah. Somebody listening to this podcast who's great at math is like, you fools.

[A]

We spent a minute to get to that conclusion. Thank you all for bearing with us. The whole point of me asking that question was 14 years. How much life. Obviously, life has changed in so many ways, but in your creative process, that was your first time getting to be creative in that way. And now character work is such a large thing. Oh, my God. It's the foundation of your craft now.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

How crazy is that?

[B]

No, it's so crazy. And, oh, my God, I just feel so lucky that I get to do that. And. And. And again, I can't shout this enough. The drama teachers. To my first drama teachers and to anyone listening to this, like all the. You are saving lives in so many ways. Like, truly making a space where everybody can really feel seen and really be themselves without being themselves is such an important experience for young people to have.

[A]

I maintain that if I ever were to become a billionaire, I would do this as a millionaire in my own right. Though I would invest heavily in arts education, public school arts education. It Changed my life, changed the life of my peers. We were saying this yesterday on set. So my. The county where I grew up has a. An elementary, a middle, and a high school, public arts schools. And it's really like conservatory training from the moment you enter the program until you exit. And so by the time you leave, 17, 16, 17, 18 years old, you've spent 13 years of your life training in a highly specialized setting to do whatever it is that you want to do outside of it. And you were saying that you grew up in Seattle and that just was.

[B]

Not an option in public school, as far as I knew. I mean, maybe somebody's like. But of course she's not thinking the three schools exist. I know of Dixon Clark Arts International. She could have applied. Yeah, I don't know.

[A]

You didn't come and get me.

[B]

You didn't come save me from the clutches of normal school. As far as I was concerned, as far from what I know when I was coming up. Yeah, like, to be able to have access to that, you would have to experience a private school education.

[A]

You have to pay.

[B]

And I do have friends that did do an art school education, but that was the cost of a semester at college.

[A]

In college. Exactly.

[B]

Like, to even go for a year. So, like, that wasn't an option for me, but I love to know that it was for you.

[A]

Yeah, like, growing up, I did not know that that wasn't the norm. I thought every. But again, my world was kind of small, living in South Florida, but I did think that that was a thing that anybody in any county, anywhere, could apply to their local art school and receive the same level of attention and care to craft that I did as a child. And it absolutely changed my life. So on your note of arts teachers. Yes. Like, I don't know. I get emotional. Just talk about it. Every time we bring it up on the show, I get emotional. But arts teachers just have a way of bringing things out of kids that they don't even know exists within them. Like, what child at 11, 12, 13, 14 can really even be able to grasp what being a creative means? You know, like, what it could mean outside of just being funny or liking to be on a stage or whatever, and for adults to see that in children and to help mold it and grow it into something that leads us to where we are today. Like, I would argue I probably would not be doing this if it wasn't for the teachers. And I mean, obviously my parents, they saw it and the people in our community saw it, but people who have the tools to have impact in a child's life like that. Like, I want to give as much as I can, as much as I can to those communities over and over and over again. So it's like the kid in me is screaming, being in here. Yeah.

[B]

And then you got. Because you were in the costume department and earlier we got to go down and hang out in the costume department and meet John, who's a cobbler, we got to meet. So we'll hear a little bit more about that. But how. Just emotionally, how was that for you?

[A]

Oh, I mean, it was crazy. I. So we've talked about this before. I did not go back to my high school. When I graduated, it was, like, a big thing. When everyone graduates high school, my high school, where I went to, you go back as soon as you can because you're starting to book shows on Broadway, you're going out to LA and you're doing movies. Like, everyone's really leaning into being a creative and a professional. And so when I graduated, I did not go to, like, school. Like, I couldn't afford to go to school, so I started working in real estate instead and was very bummed that I didn't feel like I could go back to my school quite yet because I didn't have anything to show for it, which obviously, now I know that's not true. And anyone listening, please go back because everyone wants to see you. But I just. I didn't feel like I could. And so it wasn't until you and I became friends and I started to really lean into what it is that we do. I got the opportunity to go back last year to my high school, and I wept when I got on campus. Like, wept when I walked into the costume shop and, like, touched my old locker. And, like, in the costume shop at our school, we write our names on the walls. Like, all of the costume girls write their names on the walls.

[C]

And.

[A]

And there's names on that wall. My costume teacher, Ms. Willis, she's been there for 30 years. So there's name people who are way older than me. Their names are on the wall. And I found my name, like, Tiffany 2012. Like, insane. And so I forgot the question that you'd even asked me.

[B]

I was asking you how it was making you feel.

[A]

Yes. Thank you. So being able to go back to the school was, like, the first, like, you know, pinch me moment of okay. Like, I feel like I'm really proud of the life that I've created and the craft and the way that I lean into it. So doing this Today, now that was a year ago when I went back and to school. And when I went a year ago, I was still like kind of dipping my toe into the idea of being a creative. And you were still very much trying to pull that level of my experience out of me. You know, like I would still say no and be like.

[B]

She took some convincing.

[A]

I took a lot of convincing. But here we are now. But that was a year ago. And now today, like we just got off of a two day shoot.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Doing the craft, doing the thing that we love. It's like insane. And then we come here today and I'm like, ah. Like I'm not 16 anymore. Like I'm an adult and this is the path that we chose. And like walking through that costume shop was like, it gave me goosebumps to think like that was that. That's where it all started.

[B]

I feel so many feelings all the time.

[A]

We do.

[B]

I'm always on the verge of tears.

[A]

But also can confirm.

[B]

I could giggle at any moment too. Who knows what's going to happen?

[A]

You never know.

[B]

Who knows what's going to come out of me. And then you know, the accents and all that stuff. I met somebody the other day and I think we were on when we were on set and somebody just. She's that she loves our videos. And then we were talking and then she said to me on the side, she was like, I'm so glad to know that you actually really do all those. The accents and all the weird mannerisms and stuff. You do that in your day to day life. And she was like, I'm just glad to know that that actually is a thing.

[A]

What did you say?

[B]

Yeah, baby.

[A]

In an accent of big T. Not the little.

[B]

I don't know what you want me to say. No, it was sweet. But I think that creative people and why I love talking to people that, you know, they write or they act or they play instrument or they do all those things. We all have some sort of vested interest in the humanness. Absolutely in humanness and what it means to be here and what it means to exist and why. What the fuck are we doing? Sorry, can I say that? Are we still doing that at the Met today?

[A]

Emily.

[B]

Emily. The Met people just gave me the thumbs up. I can say it like, what the fuck are we doing here? What's.

[A]

I want to say it's.

[B]

Say it.

[A]

What the fuck are we doing here?

[B]

We said that at the Met. Okay. I was thinking at a new show that's taking the nation. Okay.

[A]

We never get Invited back.

[B]

Okay. The point is, is artists, whatever it is their medium is, I think we all have this really vested interest in the humanness of it all. And for me, I mean, how often do I squeeze your arm and I go, wait, wait, wait. This is. This is a script. This is a bit like this.

[A]

It just happened an hour ago.

[B]

Yeah. Or I look at you and I go, I don't know. I don't know, but I just wish I could. I want to take a. I want to take a video of this or a picture of this. Like, this is. This would be such a good storyline for something, and that's not unique to me. All the creative people around me all the time are doing that, and they're doing it even better than me. They'll look at something. When we were on set yesterday, I was sitting on the couch in a bonnet and a robe, looking out the window with tea. There were no cameras and a grip was fixing his focus. And he turned his phone and started filming me and put like a blue filter over it. And he was like. It looked like you were like contemplating your life decisions. And it was. This ended this super cool film noir looking thing.

[A]

And they just think in creative.

[B]

And it was cracking us up because I made this narrative that I was like, oh, yeah, my husband just left me and I gotta save the town with my bakeshop. Like, that's what it looked like. And, you know, it's just so fun for us to all sort of interact with each other and collaborate with each other in that way, because we're all asking the same question. Who are we? What are we doing here?

[A]

And how can you tell a fraction of whatever that story may be? Because there's an infinite number of people.

[B]

It's infinite. AI can't do this shit.

[A]

No.

[B]

You think AI has got this? No, absolutely not. And come at me, you stupid robot girl.

[A]

Come after her.

[B]

I don't want no smoke with AI.

[A]

Right. I'm nice. You're leaving me alone.

[B]

I'm dressed like a colonial woman. That's the one time I leave.

[A]

I'm usually down for every answer, but if AI's coming, I want no part.

[B]

IRobot. You're just giving in.

[A]

I'm out. All right?

[B]

So the point is. Yeah, that was another cool thing. To be on set is to see everybody. All these different creatives are completely dedicated to their one role, their one thing. It's 100 and something people on that set.

[A]

It was crazy making it all happen with one goal.

[B]

So good, so good, so good.

[A]

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[B]

Your gift list and your wish list.

[A]

To your nearest Nordstrom rack today.

[B]

This message may be shocking to many millennials.

[A]

If you are one, you might want.

[B]

To sit down right now.

[A]

Loads of people are searching the following on Depop.

[B]

Low rise jeans, halter top, velour tracksuit, puka shell necklace, disc belt.

[A]

You likely place these in the dark.

[B]

Of your closet in 2004, never to be seen again. But if you can find it in yourself to dust them off, there are a lot of people who will give.

[A]

You money for them. Sell on Depop, where taste recognizes taste. One goal.

[B]

One tick. The goal is to make the commercial okay.

[A]

One goal.

[B]

Commercial.

[A]

One commercial.

[B]

And each with their unique gift.

[A]

Yes. That was something that I called out to Taryn while we were on set. This was my first time on a big set. Taryn is a pro.

[B]

I am not a pro. This was like my she's a pro. Fifth time, sixth time. But that was super cool.

[A]

She's a pro. In my eyes, you're a pro. In my eyes. I love you.

[B]

But we're one day. One day I'll look at you and go look at us old experts.

[A]

Old pros. Old pros. But.

[B]

But right now we're both pretty green.

[A]

But we're both pretty green. But earlier this week, that was my very first time on set, so I had never done it before. And one thing that I kept saying, thank you. One thing that I. Thank you. I don't know why I look there.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

You did so well.

[A]

Thanks, pal. You did too. It was so fun to watch you work. I was amazed. I really was.

[B]

It was so fun to watch you work. You're so natural.

[A]

Thank you. But I said to you multiple times on set, I found it so fascinating how every member of the crew knew their role, knew it well, and didn't step on each other's toes as they were going through whatever their, whatever their contribution to the creative process was. It's like a well oiled machine in a way I've never seen before.

[B]

I was gonna say a well oiled machine and now I don't have anything to say. Oh, it's okay.

[A]

It's fine.

[B]

But go ahead. A well oiled machine.

[A]

But it's a different machine in the way that I'm used to seeing, which is like in a theater or a stage production. And so I was very much like, what in the hel is going on here? But it's one that you've seen many times over now.

[B]

A couple times now. Yeah. But. And one thing. Whenever I get onto a set because I'm green and because I want to do this more and more and more, of course, I'm 1. 1. 1. It's like one motorcycle.

[A]

One. One motorcycle.

[B]

Of course I want to do this more and more. One thing that whenever I am lucky enough to get onto a set, for whatever reason, I'm trying to learn as much as I can. I want to know everybody's job. I want to understand what they're doing and why they're doing, you know? And of course, I don't get in anyone's way. Oh, well, I don't think it's getting in the way if they have a moment, you know what I mean? When the script supervisor was done being able to be like, so how do you keep track of all these moving parts? And so I. I'm a. We are students in so many ways in. In the industry. But I think that that's a. I'm not too proud to admit that I think everybody starts as a student.

[A]

Yes. It's best to be student. Ask questions.

[B]

Do we ever really stop being students? I don't know.

[A]

Now, that's a question.

[B]

I don't think I. I will. I think there's always something new to learn from people.

[A]

When does student become master?

[B]

I was gonna say teacher. Oh, we're not. We're not locked in. We're tired. We're tired, bro. And we're getting on a flight in a couple hours.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. Help, y'. All. We did it. We're going to Paris.

[B]

We finally got the tickets.

[A]

We got it to lunch. We did it. Oh, yeah. Because the last time we recorded, we didn't have any. We hadn't had the tickets yet. Well, we went home couple days later and bought the tickets. And so today is the final day of our little marathon sprint. And what a way to end it, obviously, at the Met. Afra. But then ended by hopping on a flight to Paris.

[B]

Crazy, crazy, crazy. I'm going to pause us right here. Y. Is he here?

[A]

Yeah, he's.

[B]

How do I know it?

[A]

That was the perfect. I freaking felt it in my kidney. Perfect.

[B]

Hi.

[A]

Hi there.

[B]

Hi.

[A]

Peter. Peter, it is so nice to meet you. I'll let you Go first.

[B]

I'm stuck. Sorry. My account is harder than ever.

[A]

So nice to meet you. Hi, Peter. Nice to meet you.

[C]

Welcome to the Met.

[A]

Thank you for joining us.

[C]

Thank you for being here.

[A]

Come on, take a seat.

[B]

Sit on down. All right, hold on to my flower boob. Okay, guys, we paused the show because we have a very special guest here, and he came to just say hi to us in the booth, but unexpectedly, we're throwing him into the show really quick. We're with Peter Gelb, the general manager of the Metropolitan Opera. Thank you so much for having us.

[C]

Welcome to. Welcome to the Met. We're so happy to have you here.

[A]

Oh, Peter, how thrilling.

[C]

I love your. Your outfits.

[B]

Oh, thanks. You know, just from home.

[A]

Yeah, Just this whole thing.

[C]

I thought they were from the Met costume shop.

[B]

They are. They are. We're so excited to be here.

[C]

Where are they from?

[A]

So this one is from Arabella. Oh, cool.

[B]

And this one's from o'.

[A]

Nagan.

[C]

Eugene.

[B]

Oh, I keep wanting. I keep saying it wrong. I don't know why it's hard. It's not sticking for me.

[A]

I'm happy to have Eugene.

[C]

One is the opera we're doing later in the season.

[A]

Oh, wonderful.

[C]

And it's actually. It's an opera that's based on a story by Alexander Pushkin.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

And it's by Tchaikovsky.

[A]

I know that name.

[C]

A very tragic story.

[A]

I got lucky. So Arabella was the first opera that I saw, what, like, two weeks ago now? Am I butchering the pronunciation? Arabella or Arabella?

[C]

Arabella.

[A]

Arabella. Okay.

[C]

I'm probably butchering it.

[A]

Well, we'll butcher together.

[C]

But that has happiness.

[A]

Yes. And so I was so happy that I got an opera where no one died.

[B]

Every opera I've seen, everyone dies.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

More often they die than not.

[B]

Why do you think that is with the opera? Why are they so based in tragedy?

[C]

Because they're sort of bigger than life stories that are very dramatic. And the composers who wrote these. Who wrote these operas wanted to, you know, sort of really hit the emotional. Really have emotional impact on the audiences. So, you know, people dying is more emotional and people living happily ever after.

[B]

That'll get you one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite movies, Pretty Woman. Richard Gere says it the opera you either love. If you love it, you'll love it forever. If you hate it, you'll never be able to. True, you can learn to appreciate it, but you'll never truly. It'll never truly be part of your soul.

[A]

You got it?

[B]

That's what Mr. Gere said, love you, Richard. Hope you're well.

[A]

You know, his son's dating Sidney Crawford's son.

[B]

No way.

[A]

Yes. And they dated back in Pretty Woman days, Peter.

[B]

Did you know that?

[C]

No.

[A]

Throwing shit out there for you.

[C]

Peter, but I'm very glad to know it now.

[A]

Now you do.

[B]

Well, I'm curious, Peter, do you think that that's true?

[C]

I mean, certainly our job here is to win people over when they come to the opera house. So we have the best singers in the world. We have of, you know, the best directors and designers, and we want opera to be an experience that really moves people. And so I. Yeah, I mean, I think, I think it is true. I think if you're going to love opera, you probably will love it right away.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

And. And, you know, you know, opera's not for everyone, but I think if people give it, many people would be surprised how much they would love it. The music is so spectacular, so beautiful. Oh, it's.

[B]

I'm like. I cried the whole first half that I went to the opera, but to be honest, not because of the content. I don't know why I cried. I think I'm just an emotional person, but it was just an overwhelming experience.

[C]

Well, the stories are very, you know, the really good operas are meant to make you cry. I mean, not, not out of, not out of a sadistic streak on the part of the composer, but to, you know, to, to move you, you know, and also the operas, you know, the operas of that are timeless, like Arabella by Strauss or Eugene Onegin by Tchaikovsky are, you know, stories that have stood the test of time. Because, because the music is so beautiful. Because it is so. The stories are so, you know, riveting. And, you know, the Met is sort of like Broadway on steroids. I mean, you know, we have a.

[B]

It's not yet.

[C]

We have 100 musicians in the pit that.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

You know, Broadway, you might have 15. You know, we have hundreds of people on the stage. We have the greatest singers in the world who are singing, who are really like vocal athletes.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Because they're, you know, they're trained to sing with their entire bodies. And you know, it's not, it's not a. They don't. There's no amplification, you know, in this huge. In this huge theater which seats 3.3800 seats 3800 people, there's no amplification. They have to be able to sing and have their voices soar above a hundred piece orchestra. And that's what trained opera singers can do. But it's. It's the power of their voices. It's the. The impact of that that also amplifies the story.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So I'm curious, how long have you yourself been with the Met in this role? And then in general, if you were doing something.

[C]

You know, when I was a teenager growing up on the Upper west side of Manhattan.

[A]

A New Yorker.

[C]

I.

[B]

A real New Yorker.

[C]

I'm a New Yorker worker. I was actually a teenage usher here. Really, my job. I worked two nights a week here because I was in high school and I was in charge of the standing room in the family circle, which is all the way at the very, very top of the theater. Sort of the nosebleed section. It's like. It's like where the operatic equivalent of Bleacher Rats hang out.

[A]

Okay, so our land.

[B]

These guys, the.

[A]

I got.

[B]

I gotta laugh.

[A]

All right.

[B]

Sharks and jets reference. You like that.

[C]

So. So. So my life has sort of been intertwined with the Met since I was a kid. And I. I became the General Manager, the 16th General Manager in the history of this opera company, which started in 1883. 20 years ago.

[A]

Incredible.

[C]

So I. Basically, my life and the Met sort of were run in parallel, intertwined.

[B]

I have a million questions swirling, but I know we have fairly limited time, so one that I want to ask is especially people that. A lot of young people, I think, especially when I bring up one. When I bring up that my husband and I's favorite date night is the opera. We certainly get some sidelong glances from people that are in our age group. Like, not that they're judging it. They're just like. I wouldn't have pinned that for you. When in reality, anyone can enjoy the opera. I feel like maybe there's this idea of people that go to the opera. These. It's just really inaccessible, elitist thing, so. And I feel like you guys are trying. I mean, even just having us here is combating that in a lot of ways.

[A]

Well, I.

[C]

You know, ever since. From the first day I started working here, I've always tried to. To change that image. And it's not easy because, you know, operas, you know, are kind of epic events in a way. You know, they're. They're. They're not. Most of them are not longer than a Broadway musical, but some of them are.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

And they're in foreign languages. But we have subtitles on the seats. We have these right here. We have these panels, which blew my mind.

[B]

We pressed the button.

[A]

I made it halfway through Act One. Like, I Don't understand Germany.

[B]

And then I said, I was with the German.

[A]

You're a man watching it. So he was locked in. And I'm like, I. I don't know. And then I clicked and was like, God, it's like Netflix.

[B]

I don't instant subtitles.

[C]

It's like watching a foreign film.

[A]

Yeah, sure. Exactly.

[C]

So the, you know, if people, you know, give it a chance, they. They really can enjoy it. And it's, you know, we don't want it to be inaccessible. We want it to be for everyone. That's why I started this program of transmitting operas into movie theaters. You know, we're. We have an audience next on Saturday when we transmit the opera Andrea Chenier, which we're playing right now. And the Met has different operas playing every night of the week. A different opera. We have Porgy and Bess. We have Andre Chenier. We have about to open Magic Flute. But on Saturday, we have at our matinee, we're transmitting Andrea Chenier into movie theaters in multiple time zones around the world, live. So we even have an audience in the Arctic Circle in Tromso, Norway.

[B]

No.

[C]

Who will be arriving in that movie theater to experience this opera live from the Met. So, you know, we're doing everything we can.

[B]

They said we got people in the Bermuda Triangle locked in. Okay, that's crazy. That is so cool.

[C]

We have our Magic Flute that Julie Taymor, you know, Julie Taymor directed the Lion King. She directed the Magic Flute here. And we have a special English language version of that. It's really meant for families that's opening this week. And that is. It's only 90 minutes long. We cut it in half the running time. And it's full of incredible costumes and dancing puppets. We have bears, flamingos.

[A]

I got to see some of the wigs.

[B]

A flamingo got off the elevator.

[A]

We saw the Flamingo earlier. It's been great.

[C]

Only at the Met can you take an elevator ride with a flamingo and.

[B]

Two Phantoms of the Opera.

[A]

And here we are, women that look.

[B]

Like we work in maybe a saloon.

[A]

I like saloon.

[C]

You know, one of the operas we were playing earlier in the season was the Daughter of the Regiment, and it has a non singing role when we cast Sandra oh in it.

[B]

That's so cool.

[C]

And she was saying to me that the closest experience she had to working at the Met was guest hosting Saturday Night Live.

[A]

Wow.

[C]

Because she said, you know, the feeling backstage where we're constantly changing. We have like up to 3,000 people working here in any given Day.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

And, you know, moving 3,000.

[B]

I would have never have guessed that.

[C]

Moving scenery around, you know, at the last second. Everything, everything is almost. It feels like it's improvised sometimes, but it's all comes together and it's very, you know, it's very exciting. Which is why it's great that you're here, because you can give your. Your fans an insider's view and. And to help, as you said, to help break down the idea that it, it. Opera is accessible. It's not inaccessible. It's fun.

[B]

Yeah. Well, our whole show is really just about joy and having fun.

[A]

Having a good time.

[B]

Having a good time. Having a good time. Anyways, sorry, we.

[A]

And we're back.

[B]

I wish I could explain to you, Peter, what's going on, but I don't know.

[A]

We can't.

[B]

The point is, is this show is all about having a good time, having a good time. Sorry, Peter, that was the last one.

[A]

We're back.

[B]

We're locked in. The point is, is that it's really all about joy. And so for us and about our friendship and about. Also, like speaking to other women generally about friendship and I'd say like the.

[A]

Accessibility aspect of it as well.

[B]

Yeah, absolutely.

[A]

How accessible joy can be, sisterhood, womanhood, relationship in general can be.

[B]

Absolutely. And for me, the opera in so many ways is such a whimsical aspect of being a grown up and like you had to see you walk in and see sets. One thing that delights me is one, the live animals on stage. There was a donkey.

[A]

We learned about the donkey.

[B]

True and dot or true and doe.

[C]

True and doe. But I think it was.

[B]

I knew it was true and doe.

[C]

I think you're thinking of Lobo.

[B]

M. It was. No. I could have sworn there was a mule on stage. Are you sure?

[C]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure.

[B]

Peter, are you absolutely buzzing?

[C]

There wasn't. I'm quite positive. We have a. I don't know if this guy knows. We have a donkey and a mule. Actually, we have a donkey in the Barber of Seville. We have a mule and a horse in La Boetle.

[B]

It must have been that one.

[C]

We actually have a special entrance for the animals.

[A]

We saw that and we heard that. They're darling animals at that. Like, really nice.

[C]

We hope so.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

It's just so cool. I mean, shocked to see that you have live animals. And then another thing that I noticed is children are often incorporated into the production.

[C]

We have a children's chorus, so.

[B]

And they're adorable when they all come out on stage.

[C]

We actually. We actually have a whole, you know, educational program because in order to have these kids here, we have to tutor them so they can. They don't fall behind their schoolwork. So.

[A]

Wow.

[C]

It's like a school away from school in the Opera House.

[A]

Ah, that's so special. That's right.

[B]

So the Met really does a lot of. It's a lot of community work.

[C]

You know, the Met itself is like a big family. I mean, there are several. As I said, several thousand people here, but everyone, you know, they work together. You know, these people have been working together for some of them for decades. And it's a. There's a real family kind of spirit here.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Sort of like. Sort of like a giant. A giant circus or something.

[A]

That's why. Possible. Yeah. Susie and the. The hair team department mentioned this, and she was saying it's not abnormal for legacies to be within your teams and, like, third generation. Yeah. That's so exciting.

[C]

And we have incredible artisans, crafts. Craftspeople, you know, painters, scenic painters who devoted to, you know, making the scenery look great.

[B]

That is so cool.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

You know, it's really an amazing place.

[A]

Now, can I ask you, when you're thinking next 10, 15, 20 years at the Met, what do you see in terms of opening the accessibility and making it more of a moment for people of our generation and younger?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

What do you think?

[C]

You know, we. We want to do everything we can to make it accessible. You know, one of the things. One of the programs we have is a program for school kids where they come to final dress rehearsals. So just the other day, we had the final dress rehearsal of La Boheme, and we had. I mean, we had the final dress rehearsal of Magic Flute, and, you know, there were, like, you know, 3,000 screaming school kids in the auditorium, which makes the performers feel fantastic because, you know, to have such an enthusiastic audience. And this is how, you know, we. We make opera more accessible and also educate people about what opera is and make them realize it is fun.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. Well, I mean, I guess my last question would just be if there was something that you wanted New Yorkers everywhere to know of all ages about the opera, especially those that have never considered it as an option for a date night or a night with friends, what would you say?

[C]

I would say the opera is the perfect place to go on a date night, because, first of all, it's fun to get dressed up and come here. You know, it's glamorous. It's the grand staircase in the front of the Met. You know, People come and take selfies and have, you know, a great time here. And, you know, it's a place you can come and just get swept away by the music, by the whole experience. I mean, it's. It's opera, really is. For anyone who loves entertainment escapism, I'll.

[B]

Also say that when I've come to different, I've gone to matinees, I've gone to evening performances. For some folks, that might be intimidating. I know a lot of New Yorkers are like, I don't want to wear a gown, or I don't want to wear a tie. People come dressed in all different.

[C]

You can wear whatever you want.

[A]

And I love that. That's noted on the website. When I saw Arbella again, I was nervous and didn't know what to expect. But I love to dress up, so I knew I'd go all out. But the man that I was coming with, he's come to the opera a ton. But he's like, just do me a favor and check and see what the dress code is. And I look, and on the website, there is no dress code.

[C]

The only dress code is you gotta be dressed.

[A]

That's it. And that's. So don't come naked. I mean, that's exciting. No, don't come naked.

[B]

Don't come naked.

[A]

Don't come naked. You can't do that. But otherwise, come as you are, baby.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And that's what's great. So I remember and I've. And the cool thing about New York, and I feel like this is very unique to New York. I've come in a full evening gown and a woman and a man. A man was wearing, like, a plaid shirt and.

[A]

Right.

[B]

And his wife was like. She was in a nice blouse, but flax and, like, sketchers. And she came around and they both went, you look amazing.

[A]

And I said, thank you. You guys look great, too.

[B]

And we all laughed and went to the show. Nobody was uncomfortable. I wasn't thinking of. I overdressed, and they weren't thinking, am I underdressed? We were all there for the same reason and enjoying ourselves.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I don't know. The humanness of it all was quite exciting to me.

[A]

It is. Yeah.

[C]

It's wonderful to hear you both saying that. And it's so great to have you here.

[B]

Oh, thank you for having me.

[A]

This has been lovely.

[C]

Thank you so much.

[B]

Having a great time. All right. Thank you.

[A]

Thank you, sir.

[C]

Sorry to step on.

[B]

You have to get back to work.

[C]

Yeah, I guess so.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

See you later.

[C]

Take care. Take care. Thanks a lot.

[B]

I like how when he said, are you gonna be at the show? He went, sure. I was like, I gotta start saying that.

[A]

Sure. Ah, what a lovely time. He was lovely. So sweet. And he smelled so good.

[B]

He smelled very clean. If you were refreshing clean.

[A]

My deodorant's failing me at this moment, so I stink.

[B]

You don't stink at all. I would have told you.

[A]

Just a little. You put on the spray.

[B]

Stop. It's.

[A]

I'm cutting through it like a knife.

[B]

Me too.

[A]

Oh, well, this is.

[B]

This is just such a surreal place to sit inside. It's so special.

[A]

So where have you sat? In here, I'm sure.

[B]

Oh, Jennifer.

[A]

I was down there. Oh.

[B]

I've only ever sat down on the main floor. Yeah, it's that breeze over there. Over there, you know, all different. Although one time for Olivia's birthday, I bought tickets in the front, like, the second row for her birthday.

[A]

That's special that.

[B]

Maybe that was last year.

[A]

It was, yeah.

[B]

Yeah. And, oh, I remember you had to. You had to travel. You were going, yep, yep.

[A]

But we got our binoculars and something else. A little. Yeah.

[B]

Because she hadn't gone. And that was really a treat. That was so fun. She loved it. Yeah. So, yeah.

[A]

Now we've got to be box and Sorry. Okay.

[B]

Sounds good to me. The Met. I want you all to know the Met team is sitting with.

[A]

The PR team is here with us.

[B]

They hearing. So that. Okay.

[A]

Yeah. Speaking of which.

[B]

Come on, med team, get us in a boat. Not to ask too much, but now that I've been up here, it's kind of like flying first class. It's hard to go back to a con.

[A]

And that's what Steve Harvey said, girl.

[B]

I'm kidding. What's actually funny is the floor seats are incredible too, so you really can't go wrong.

[A]

No. And I actually love being amongst the crowd and hearing everyone's reactions. The giggles, the gasps when act two comes up. Like, I love the immersive experience of being in an audience.

[B]

Yeah. So, so cool. But whenever Alec and I come and we're at. We just love to dress up, though. That's something.

[A]

Will you tell them?

[B]

We love to dress up. We love to be black tie. So Alec and I are always saying, though, we're like, why don't more people like our age do this as a date night? Not to say that there are not a bunch of people out there going to the opera for sure. But it's noted to me for sure, that we are often in the younger Group. And I'm like, this is actually such a cool evening.

[A]

It is.

[B]

There's an intermission where you can go and get your little champagne, a little cappuccino.

[A]

They had espresso martinis. I said, look at that. That's for the girls.

[B]

Absolutely.

[A]

Was that a PR move? No, I loved it.

[B]

They said, y' all just have an espresso martini.

[A]

Just have them there for the cameras.

[B]

Say, is it a PR move?

[A]

It's for the girl. For the girls.

[B]

This is great journalism.

[A]

Yes. We're, like, on the record. Say it for the camera.

[B]

The camera. That is for the girls, Damn it. Anyway, we're trying to help you.

[A]

Gosh dang it.

[B]

We're trying to get the girls to the opera.

[A]

That'd be such a fun little girls night. Ah.

[B]

Get your girls together. Black tie, gloves. I might. I've been considering wearing more cloaks.

[A]

Oh, boo. Did you say clothes?

[B]

I said cloaks.

[A]

Oh, okay. Period cloak.

[B]

But I said I want to wear a cloak. And you go, bo, what's wrong with the cloak?

[A]

Oh, I thought you said cloak.

[B]

I want to start wearing cloaks. That tie do a clothes. Can you imagine if I came with a big old cape? You know that song I throw my cloak around. I kind of want to have a.

[C]

Cool.

[A]

Yeah. I want, like, a stole. I want, like, a fur.

[B]

A fur stool. I was here once, and there was a woman with a hat that was also a piano. And I'm. You think I'm. You think I'm playing because you're laughing over in production, Tracy.

[A]

But this is.

[B]

You weren't there. You didn't see piano head. I did, and she looked fabulous. She had a piano, and then there was a piece of fabric that went around it that looked like swirling music. You think I'm playing, But it was so cool.

[A]

I believe you. She looked great.

[B]

I wonder if she'll ever see this. I saw her. I saw her. And this is funny because you come into. This is the fun part of it. You come into the lobby, and there's the murmur of the murmur. Everything's getting started, and you walk down the stairs, and it's really fun to see everyone's outfit. For me, it's a really fun.

[A]

It's a fashion show.

[B]

It's such a fun fashion show. So it's fun to see what everyone's wearing. Both the over and the understated. We love it all. And I see piano hat in line for a champagne, and I thought, man, I look like an idiot next to piano hat. I should have Worn some kind of fastener.

[A]

That diva took a risk and I love that for the girl.

[B]

We love that. But then get this. We see her in the lobby and Alec. And Alec was like, did you see that drip over there? That's how my husband talks. He goes, t, did you catch that drip over there? And I said, you mean piano hat. I clocked her the moment we walked in.

[A]

Bucko, tell me you talk to her.

[B]

Get this. We walk it, we'll know it. Get this. I can't do that and then not have a cool next part.

[C]

That's okay.

[A]

I set you up. I should have just been quiet.

[B]

So keep going. Storytelling faux pas. Get this. Nothing happened. Get this. Absolutely nothing.

[A]

I'm screaming.

[B]

Okay, wait. So get this. I come in, we sit down, and the show starts. And I'm looking for piano. And we went home. I'm looking for a piano hat everywhere. And I can't see her anywhere.

[A]

Uh huh.

[B]

I'm like, how do I miss? Did she take it off maybe? And then I look up. Bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam.

[A]

She's in the booth.

[B]

I see her hat. I see the silhouette of it in the night. Oh my God. This, the ad moving. I was like, she's up in the booth.

[A]

I would have fallen apart.

[B]

And Alec goes, of course she's in the box.

[A]

Piano.

[B]

She's up in a box seat. I said, I have got to get up to the bars.

[A]

We can only hope this makes its way to her so she knows how much you appreciate.

[B]

She looks so cool. And if ever we do have fans come to the opera, I love the idea that they might look up and they're admiring the ceiling and they see us in a box. Cause we finally made it up to the box.

[A]

Or weeping.

[B]

We're like, yeah, we made it to the bug. I have a keyboard on my head.

[A]

And I have a xylophone or something. That's one job I want at the Met. I want to be the xylophone player that's leading everybody in. Is that a xylophone? Is that what it is? The doom.

[B]

Oh. And they're tells you that you're running out of time.

[A]

Did you see them? They're cloaked. They wear cloaks. And they have their scary little xylophones and they walk through.

[B]

Why? Why did you say they're scary?

[A]

They're so ominous. I'm like, oh, Jesus, go inside. Literally, that they probably.

[B]

I'd get in trouble. They'd be like, taryn, can you stop?

[A]

Can you please stop saying that?

[B]

Go at your Own risk. Stay outside another moment. We will descend on you. Go. You're walking around with the scary xylophone.

[A]

Go. I'm just giving people scary faces.

[B]

I don't think it's a xylophone.

[A]

I know my instruments.

[B]

It's a glockenspiel, you dumb. A miniature glockenspiel. Because it's made out of metal.

[A]

Ah, glockenspiel.

[B]

It's a glockenspiel, you fool.

[A]

Spiel, spiel, spiel.

[B]

Glockenspiel.

[A]

Close to a xylophone.

[B]

That was my nickname in college.

[A]

Glockenspiel.

[B]

That got them that one was that Was it undone? I want the job of the guy, you know, the. The percussionist that just gets to go.

[A]

With the big drum or the triangle.

[C]

Yep.

[B]

And I watch them, and they're just waiting for their chance. I could do that.

[A]

You could. You could do that. Maybe that's our next stop. We take over the orchestra.

[B]

Give me a chance.

[A]

Gong.

[B]

Rats.

[A]

So you'll be on the gong. I'll be on the triangle.

[B]

But we just.

[A]

And we miss our cue every time.

[B]

And every time you can hear, it's like, gong, gong, gong, gong. The lights go down and then just gong.

[A]

Wait, do you.

[B]

And in the quiet, you hear rats.

[A]

Do you know that one video. This is so off topic. The one video. It's like a high school theater production, and the sound director accidentally presses, like, the fart.

[B]

Like, I did a reaction video to that.

[A]

Did you?

[B]

Hold on.

[A]

That's us in the quiet. Wait. I wish there was a way you could embed a video into a video, because that's. This is now.

[B]

I guess there actually is a way.

[A]

There is a way.

[B]

Did you know? I wish you could do something where you put that.

[A]

Something that can't actually happen.

[B]

Wait, here it is.

[A]

I've never laughed harder in my entire life at this.

[B]

This would be us at the mic.

[A]

You ruined the production.

[B]

This is me laughing at it.

[A]

Bom, bom, bom, bom, bom, bom. The triangle.

[B]

Put me on the soundboards. And then they're like, what are you guys doing? We're like. We just thought we wanted to lighten things up.

[A]

It's like the diva.

[B]

God forbid I read the room.

[A]

God forbid a diva take a creative risk. Oh, my God.

[B]

Well, get this. A supernumerary or an actor in opera terms is somebody who doesn't have a singing role, and they just, like, run on, like in the Panicked Woman number five.

[A]

And you just run across Susan, who did it from snl. Oh, she had a role. Sandra O. Sandra Susanno.

[B]

So this would be somebody who does not really have a role. They're just like, person, panicked person. Or like man that comes in and goes, oh, that would be me.

[A]

The echo.

[B]

I want that job where I just come. There's explosions and then I come in. Ow.

[A]

I'm listening to you, but the echo of your sound is sending me.

[B]

You guys want me to try it a different way? Oh, you guys want me to do it a little?

[A]

Oh. And they're like, please just run on and off, ma'. Am.

[B]

The Michael Jackson sound.

[A]

Whoo.

[B]

I'm loving this sound in here.

[A]

The acoustic.

[B]

So, like, you just run on or you just do something. And they said that. And they were telling me that sometimes they do have, like, different notable people in the community. Just do a little walk on.

[A]

Stop.

[C]

Go.

[B]

Oh.

[A]

I was gonna go, yes.

[B]

So let us have a walk on roll. I don't know what we would do.

[A]

We'll be temper phrased.

[C]

Bitch.

[B]

Let me be driving the mule cart.

[A]

There you go. And I'll be. You'll be driving the cart and I'll be the donkey's keeper.

[B]

I'll be on the side. And I. I want one of those. A straw hat slung low with a piece of hay sticking out my mouth. And I go, come on, Come on.

[A]

But you're not supposed to talk. So you're just like, come on.

[B]

And it's echoing. Come on, Come on. Sorry, director. I thought I'd add a little something to the character.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

I'd be undone.

[A]

I think it'd be hilarious. If you want to think the both of you were conducting conductors. Because can you imagine? Because at this point, we're like.

[B]

It'd just be a cockaphony sound.

[A]

But there's an art to it which I find so fascinating.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Because they know what to look for. And I would just be.

[B]

All this time, I thought conductors were decorative.

[A]

That's valid.

[B]

That's offensive to all conductors. I didn't think that. I knew it and I was making a joke. And I'm a comedian sometimes. I didn't mean what I said about that. Conductors. And please don't punish me later if you see me in the street. Don't egg me. I didn't know.

[A]

Put some speck on my girl's name.

[B]

Yeah. I didn't know. You reminded me of Mickey and Fantasia. Just standing on the cliff with his little hat. Iconic, though, so good niche. Fantasia reference. Oh, my God. Or tuba. I could kill that.

[A]

What's this thing Trombone. No trombone.

[B]

A slingshot. I'd like us incorporated into a show in some capacity.

[A]

I feel like that's what's next.

[B]

I'm ready.

[A]

We just have a career of crazy cameos in productions around the world.

[B]

We would kill that.

[A]

Well, pal, it's been real.

[B]

It's been real. And I've loved having this episode with you at the opera.

[A]

I don't want to take our beautiful gowns.

[B]

Me neither. What a lovely.

[A]

If you're one of our listeners, maybe take a departure from listening and watch this one, because the gowns, the costumes are incredible.

[B]

That's a great. No, this one was definitely more of a watch. But, yeah, this was just so much. Oh, my gosh. Do you want to do church announcements at the Met? At the Met.

[A]

Yes, Absolutely.

[B]

Okay, let's get into it. My job's not really that important, but I still take it seriously.

[A]

No, this is very important.

[B]

Go ahead. Yeah.

[A]

As many of y' all can see, we are in a new location today. I'm very happy to announce that the church's building fund was successful. We have now moved every other Sunday to the Metropolitan Opera House. So we ain't here every week. Just so y' all know, we did have to rent out the space to keep the lights on, but when we are here, we have a good time. We do ask that y' all do not use the parking up front that is reserved for paying patrons. And like I said, we only here temporarily, so we can't have all the spaces. Now, I have a space, but it's not up for grabs, unfortunately. Happy to report that Devonte and all the other kids do have a larger space for children's church. They are not allowed in the sanctuary. They can't be down there. So please do make sure your babies stay in the back. We can't have grubby hands all over these seats. Now, again, we are not here full time, so we've got to treat this space kindly. And we do ask that y' all come back next week. We will have Sister Onetta leading us in prayer next week on stage. Bye.

[C]

Bye.

[B]

Did you guys. Did you want to tell them anything about book club?

[A]

Oh, book club. Ain't we not coming back? Yeah. Book club is dissolved. Now, we do ask that y' all continue coming to your Wednesday group. We got to keep the community strong in that regard, but otherwise, book club is done. We'll see y' all every other Sunday at the Metropolitan Opera House. Y' all be well now.

[B]

Bye.

[A]

Bye. Well, that's it. Great job. Great work, Great job. Remember?

[B]

Oh, no. Trace Yit coming in when I'm having a thought and now I forgot it.

[A]

What were you gonna say?

[B]

I don't know. If somebody came in, put their grubby hands on the mic.

[A]

Not her grubby.

[B]

I want everyone to know Trace is laughing. I'm not mean to my producer. We love, aren't I? I'm nice to you, huh?

[A]

Yes, ma'.

[B]

Am.

[A]

Good job, Trace. Yeah.

[B]

Look at you jumping in on her bed. Okay, we're all joking around at the man. You can't be mad.

[A]

That Trace, he's catching up.

[B]

We go on one field trip and everybody starts acting brand new. When we get back to the classroom, we're gonna talk about this. We're going to France later today.

[A]

We sure are.

[B]

So in honor of that, and remember, we're your girls. We back here on New Year's Eve. Can't wait.

[A]

Oh, I can't wait. I know so many gowns and things. Good job.

[B]

Cause we're your girl hey. Cause I like how you do Wear your curls is hosted and executive produced by Darren Delelli Smith and her friend Tiffany Singleton. Management by Social Media Produced Good Best Media, Tiffany Duzillex. Boy, do I do it in a downy voice. Nah, just do it in a normal voice.

[A]

Follow us on all platforms at warriorgirlspod.

[B]

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