Podcast Summary: Woo Woo with Rachel Dratch

Episode: Phillipa Soo: I Grew Up with a Poltergeist
Date: January 28, 2026
Host: Rachel Dratch, with co-host Irene Bremis
Guest: Phillipa Soo

Episode Overview

In this lively and candid episode, Broadway star Phillipa Soo (best known for originating Eliza in Hamilton) joins Rachel Dratch and Irene Bremis to talk all things "woo woo": the unexplained, eerie, and supernatural happenings. The conversation winds from backstage Broadway goings-on to Phillipa’s upbringing in a haunted house, with ample humor, personal stories, and just the right dose of skepticism.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Broadway Bonds and Recent Projects

• Rachel and Phillipa reminisce about working together in shows like Guys and Dolls at the Kennedy Center and the upcoming High Spirits at City Center, a musical involving ghostly themes.
• Phillipa’s husband, Steven Pasquale, has been her co-star and they reflect on the fun and challenges of working with a spouse.
  • “Truly, after Guys and Dolls, that was like the big test—do we like working together?... It was so much fun. We had a blast.” — Phillipa Soo [05:30]
• Backstage stories: cast camaraderie, late-night pizza parties, and Rachel’s comedic “wacky walk-on” roles.

2. Memories from the Hamilton Origins

• Phillipa discusses how she got involved in Hamilton, starting with a reading of Act II when the show was still called "The Hamilton Mixtape."
  • “I had this wonderful phone call with Tommy Kail where he was like, we want you to come and read and play Eliza … I get off the phone, I’m like, who’s Eliza?” — Phillipa Soo [10:00]
• How the show’s eventual impact was beyond anyone’s expectations.
  • “I just knew … that it worked, that it was amazing, and that it was definitely gonna change the world. … I didn’t know how much, and I certainly didn’t know how much it would change me and my life.” — Phillipa Soo [12:01]
• Insights into the emotional significance of the 10-year Hamilton anniversary, including performances at the Tonys and the film’s theatrical premiere.

3. Woo Woo Level: Phillipa’s Supernatural Scale

• Phillipa rates herself a “six or seven” on the 1–10 woo woo scale, noting that actors at least have to be a little open to the uncanny.
  • “Like, I don’t know how much weight I put in it, but also definitely have had woo woo stuff happening which I openly invite into my life.” — Phillipa Soo [16:50]

4. Haunted House Tales: Growing Up with a Poltergeist

• Phillipa gives a rich chronicle of growing up in a haunted 1920s bungalow in Illinois, discovering new layers as she interviews her mom for the podcast.
  • Doors opening on their own, objects pushed off shelves, a pervasive feeling of never being alone, and a local "medium" sensing multiple spirits in the house.
  • “I did realize that… I feel actually alone [in college] when I go to sleep. There is like a sense of aloneness that I had never felt growing up.” — Phillipa Soo [25:08]
• A pattern of small but unexplained disturbances (bookshelves tipping, wine bottles flung, doors impossible to open).
• The ghost was probably a benign, slightly mischievous female spirit, possibly related to the house’s original owners.

5. Approaching the Paranormal: Family, Ritual, and Belief

• Phillipa’s mother embraced the supernatural with calm pragmatism: sage rituals, inviting mediums, and a healthy humor about the “houseguest.”
  • “If I were like, mom, I think something weird happened, and if she were like, ‘It did,’ that would have scared me. But instead she just brushed it off and laughed about it and made friends with the ghosts.” — Phillipa Soo [32:29]
• The impact of parental attitude on kids’ perceptions of spooky events.
• The tension between scientific skepticism and fun belief (“We’ve thrown that out the window. It’s more fun to believe it’s a ghost.” — Rachel [35:09])

6. Sensitivity to Haunted Places

• Phillipa shares that she can “sense” haunted spaces—though her husband cannot.
  • “He’s terrified of ghosts and terrified of the devil…But for a guy who’s super scared of haunted stuff, he has no sense of the hauntedness.” — Phillipa Soo [36:52]
• Fun fact: realtors (according to an anecdote from Phillipa's mom and Rachel) frequently swap haunted house stories.

7. Astrology, Signs, and Pendulums

• Irene tries to guess Phillipa's zodiac sign (spoiler—the answer is Gemini).
• Discussion of the Chinese zodiac—this is the Year of the Horse, which is meaningful to Phillipa.
  • “Will I have a meaningful personal interaction with a horse in this next year? And I guess the answer is yes.” — Phillipa Soo [46:31] (Pendulum reading)
• Red clothing’s significance for an “auspicious year” when it is gifted to you (not self-bought).

8. Career Highlights & What’s Next

• Phillipa plugs her children’s book, Piper Chen Sings, and the album Warriors by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Issa Davis (on which she appears).
• Upcoming: starring in High Spirits at City Center and more.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the fun of working with a spouse:
  “We want the room to be morale for everyone—having fun, making something is really important, because like, why are we doing this if it’s not fun?” — Phillipa Soo [05:30]

• On the supernatural scale:
  “Probably a good six, maybe a seven. Since I’m an actor, it just goes without saying—all actors are a little woo woo.” — Phillipa Soo [16:50]

• On growing up in a haunted house:
  “It wasn’t mal-intended. It was kind of a funny ghost. Like, it would just throw things off shelves…push you…just a silly, kind of annoying ghost.” — Phillipa Soo [28:46]

• On family handling the haunting:
  “My mom just brushed it off and laughed about it and made friends with the ghosts.” — Phillipa Soo [32:29]

• On sensing haunted places:
  “There was one specific house we walked into … and [after leaving] I was like, Steve, that place is 100% haunted. I don’t know how you didn’t feel that.” — Phillipa Soo [37:11]

• Pendulum bit, Chinese zodiac:
  “Will I have a meaningful personal interaction with a horse in this next year? And I guess the answer is yes.” — Phillipa Soo [46:31]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:22 – Welcoming Phillipa Soo; reminiscing about shared stage shows
• 03:11 – Stories from Dr. Odyssey filming
• 05:26 – Working with a spouse: fun or fraught?
• 09:27 – The origins and early days of Hamilton
• 12:43 – 10-year anniversary celebrations
• 15:46 – High Spirits musical summary
• 16:50 – Phillipa’s “woo woo” rating and openness
• 21:14 – The haunted house saga begins
• 25:08 – Realization upon leaving the haunted house
• 28:46 – Objects moving, family and Realtor supernatural experiences
• 32:29 – The power of parental attitude toward the supernatural
• 34:43 – Realtors and haunted house disclosure
• 36:11 – Can you sense a haunted place? Phillipa’s sensitivity vs. husband’s
• 42:48 – Revealing Phillipa’s zodiac sign (Gemini)
• 45:21 – Pendulum reading/Q&A: Will Phillipa meet a horse this year?
• 47:03 – Introduction to Chinese Astrology, traditions with red
• 50:59 – Plugs: children’s book, music, upcoming shows

Tone & Style

The episode is a rollicking, warm, and irreverent conversation between friends who are open to the idea of the supernatural but never lose sight of their comedic chops. Phillipa’s tales are storytelling gold—detailed, relatable, and told with gentle self-awareness and humor, while Rachel and Irene keep the questions both insightful and light.

Conclusion

For fans of theater, ghost stories, and the in-between, this episode is a delightful blend of showbiz anecdotes and legit chills. Phillipa proves herself not just a Broadway standout but a top-tier haunted house raconteur—and the perfect guest for Rachel Dratch’s “woo woo” world.

Listen for:

• Phillipa’s playful haunted house escapades
• Behind-the-scenes Hamilton history
• Quirky rituals and pendulum prophecy
• Friendly banter and standout supernatural stories

Quick Links:

• Phillipa Soo’s Instagram
• Rachel Dratch on Instagram
• Irene Bremis on Instagram
• Podcast home: [QCODE]