LIVE FROM JACKSONVILLE! with Amadeus
99.9 Gator Country morning show host Amadeus shares stories that did not make it on the air, and he takes a deeper dive into those that did make the cut. Fans of Your Hometown Morning Show will enjoy a more behind the scenes look at what goes into the making of a country radio morning show. Listen daily for this PG-13 version of the top stories making pop culture headlines, artist interviews, and much , much more.
LIVE FROM JACKSONVILLE! with Amadeus
FSCJ Artist Series 2025-26 Broadway Season: Star Power and Spectacle
The Broadway in Jacksonville 2025-26 season is about to transform our city's cultural landscape with five spectacular premieres that will dazzle theater lovers and newcomers alike. From slapstick comedy to lavish spectacle, this lineup delivers unforgettable nights of entertainment that bring Broadway's finest directly to our doorstep.
We kick off the episode chatting with Cecilia Petrush from MJ: the Musical. This is a conversation I accidently forgot to include when this episode first published, so I'm calling it the Producers Cut.
Then we're joined by Amanda Scott from the FSCJ Artist Series who walks us through this extraordinary new season sponsored by VyStar Credit Union. The journey begins in November with "Clue," the nostalgic whodunit that brings the Hasbro board game and beloved 1985 film to life in a fast-paced, 90-minute theatrical experience at Boddy Manor.
The season continues with "Mrs. Doubtfire" in February 2026, featuring what might be Broadway's most impressive theatrical magic. Steve Edlund, Associate Director, reveals the incredible behind-the-scenes choreography that allows the lead actor to transform between Daniel Hillard and Mrs. Doubtfire more than 30 times throughout the show – sometimes with costume changes taking less than 30 seconds. These lightning-fast transformations require a dedicated team (affectionately called "Team Effie") who execute every step like a precisely choreographed dance number.
March brings the lavish world of "Moulin Rouge! The Musical," immersing audiences in crimson velvet draping, the iconic elephant statue, and windmill, while delivering a spectacular musical experience that spans over 160 years of popular music. April showcases "A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical," presenting the untold story of an American icon whose emotional songwriting has touched multiple generations.
Closing the season in May, choreographer Connor Gallagher shares insights into "Beetlejuice," where Tim Burton's bizarre world comes alive with theatrical flair. The show features interactive elements where Beetlejuice breaks the fourth wall, making each performance unique. One showstopping number features nine Beetlejuices simultaneously dancing across couches, flipping off tables, and hanging from chandeliers.
Now entering its 60th season, the FSCJ Artist Series continues making professional Broadway accessible to Jacksonville audiences. Season subscriptions start at just $232 for all five shows, offering priority seating, flexible exchanges, and exclusive discounts while supporting both the arts and Jacksonville's downtown economy.
Don't miss "MJ: the Musical" coming April 22-27, 2024, for those who can't wait until 2025 to experience Broadway in Jacksonville. Visit fscjartistseries.org to secure your seats for what promises to be an unforgettable theatrical season.
Welcome to a very special episode of Live from Jacksonville. I'm your host, amadeus, now. Typically we talk about concerts and events coming to town, but this episode is all about the FSCJ Artist Series, broadway in Jacksonville 2025-26 season. We actually recorded this episode over the last few days of March and then I got crazy busy with the Clay County Fair and going down to Universal to check out the new Epic Universe, and it's now like mid-April and I'm just catching my breath and getting a chance to put all this show together. So joining me for this episode is Amanda Scott from the FSCJ Artist Series to reveal the entire lineup for the 2025 season, as well as a couple of guests that we'll get to a little later, but let's just jump right into it. On my very first podcast, we had amanda scott from the fscj artist series, and my intent with this whole idea was to have you and some of these other theater managers and and directors like in a rotating schedule. So welcome back.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much. I'm so excited to be here. We are announcing the 2526 Broadway in Jacksonville series sponsored by ViStar Credit Union, and we're really excited to share these spectacular shows.
Speaker 1:It's funny. When I saw you at Peter Pan you were like I've got this idea. What if we did a whole podcast just about Broadway shows coming? And I'm like, yeah, let's do it, I'm down for that. That's the great thing about having a podcast versus being on the radio like no rules.
Speaker 2:That's right. Yeah, I'm. I'm a Broadway girl through and through, so you know to to do this and be able to see it all come to life is just a dream come true.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's got to be fun for you. I know you look like you were in heaven on Peter Pan.
Speaker 2:Yes, that was amazing.
Speaker 1:So the new lineup got announced a couple of days ago. It looks really, really good. Do you want to like start from the top and tell us what's coming?
Speaker 2:So in November we have Clue, the slapstick comedy. It's the lighthearted whodunit and the game is afoot. Uh, enter body manner for all of the mayhem, blackmail, everything that you know and love from the film and, of course, the hasbro board game yeah, I saw the film when it came out.
Speaker 1:That must have been. It seemed like a hundred years ago 1985, I think.
Speaker 2:How does it compare? To the film it's very faithful to the film. Yes, they really, um, wanted to stay true to it and, uh, you know, it's a nostalgic piece for a lot of people. Everyone has their favorite character that they played, as when they played the has reward game, um, you know. So, seeing those characters come to life, but in a way that's made for stage, is just, it's really incredible were you always the same character when you played clue?
Speaker 1:yes, who were you? Mrs peacock, nice, I was always colonel mustard, and I don't know why but I'm like oh, I'm carl mustard. Like I always grab that, but sometimes I'd have to be professor plum. Yeah, like someone else would get colonel mustard first, right? Yeah, do you remember when that movie came out? I think it was on vhs at the time and it had like four or five different endings.
Speaker 2:Yes, it did.
Speaker 1:Yeah, remember that.
Speaker 2:It did, yeah. What is the famous line?
Speaker 1:I can't remember, like before it launched into each ending.
Speaker 2:Right, exactly.
Speaker 1:And I don't remember if they released all those endings in the theater or not, but I do remember because I worked at a video store and I remember when we started renting out the video, people were oh, it has five endings. I'm like what, how's that possible? Yeah so I thought that was a cool. Does yours have five endings?
Speaker 2:it does not it has the same ending every night, um. So you know, it's gonna be something that's really well oiled and, uh, I think audiences are really gonna love it listen, if you had a different ending every night of the run, that would bring people right back.
Speaker 1:that that's true, at least at intermission time. Right Can you imagine that.
Speaker 2:Well, you know what? This one is fast paced, there's no intermission.
Speaker 1:It's just 90 minutes, so it's like the movie.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes oh.
Speaker 1:I love it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, all right.
Speaker 1:What else is coming?
Speaker 2:So next we have Mrs Doubtfire and we have today to talk about everyone's favorite Scottish nanny, Steve Edlund, the associate director. He comes with an extensive background in Broadway, national tours and regionally, so we're really excited to dive in and talk to him more about Mrs Doubtfire.
Speaker 1:He'll be joining us in just a few minutes. What else?
Speaker 2:Up next is the lavish world of Moulin Rouge, the musical.
Speaker 1:You know, I just went and saw that on Broadway. Yeah, this past February or the year, I can't even remember Time's going by so quickly but boy George was in the cast and I'm like I got to see that and that show is so amazing, isn't it?
Speaker 2:It's a smash-up musical. They take the film and deliver those highlights that we know and love. The film and you know, deliver those highlights that we know and love but also add in popular music from today and it spans over 160 years of popular music so the movie, the Baz Luhrmann movie, came out I think it was gosh almost 20 years ago and I, you know, loving music.
Speaker 1:I just absolutely fell in love with this film. I think Baz Luhrmann is an amazing director. And that film, the elephant what's it called? The elephant, medley, yep, that was just amazing. To take all those pop songs that don't really go together and make them work, it's amazing. Anyone who's never seen this show, I highly recommend this, probably my favorite of the shows that are coming.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and it's just a lavish sensual night and you walk into a full throttle experience those um crimson, velvet draping and the elephant statue and the windmill amazing all that's gonna be on stage, all of it I cannot wait. I'm so excited a blast, yeah, all right.
Speaker 1:What else you're getting me excited?
Speaker 2:so next we have a Beautiful Noise, the Neil Diamond musical, which is the untold true story of an American icon, neil. When he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, prematurely retired and there's never been a book or a movie made about his life. So this is the premiere of that. Wow yeah, and he takes a really active role in this musical, very much in line with Jersey Boys and Beautiful. Actually, bob Gaudio, who produced and of course, was in Four Seasons produced Jersey Boys, is also involved in A Beautiful Noise.
Speaker 1:That's pretty cool. I never thought about the fact that we have not seen any kind of life story of Neil Diamond and this guy. There was a period where I wasn't a fan because of Sweet Caroline. Oh yeah, you'd be at a bar and people would start and they would only sing that one line and I'd be like there's other lyrics. But you know, he's come back around. He's kind of like really, really cool again. So I think this is going to be a fun show.
Speaker 2:It is yeah, and you know all of his songs. He wrote all of his songs, Didn't?
Speaker 1:he write a bunch of songs for the monkeys as well, or at least a couple.
Speaker 2:Probably so.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I wonder if those are going to be in the play.
Speaker 2:Well, you know all of his songs have so much emotion and they're just raw and real. So it translates well to the stage in being a you know, full circle story of his life.
Speaker 1:I think he did Red Red Wine, the one that UB40 covered, too right. Okay, yeah, so his songs have really touched like a lot of generations and just people in general. I think this is going to be a show. People are going to go to not knowing what to expect, right, and they're going to walk away like just, filled with so much joy.
Speaker 2:Absolutely yeah. It's an uplifting and poignant story and it really does leave audiences feeling so good when sweet caroline comes on, I'm not going to like plug my ears no, no, it's going to be so much fun there's. There's a lot of lights and you know all of the uh musical flair that you love and a couple of bum, bum, bums oh yeah, and the audience you know will be joining in on that part.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, and I'll just be sitting there going. There's other lyrics, folks, all right, what else is coming up? Because so far it's great.
Speaker 2:It's so great. So finally in May, the dearly beloved Beetlejuice.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:Yes, I'm so excited for this one. It's hysterical. Have you ever seen it?
Speaker 1:I've never seen the stage production oh my gosh.
Speaker 2:So beetlejuice breaks the fourth wall and he just makes a hilarious storm of antics and bizarre visuals wait.
Speaker 1:So is it interactive with the audience? It is. I love that. Yeah, so it's different every night.
Speaker 2:So you know where you're talking about clue. Yeah, a different ending. Beetlejuice is the one that has something different every night. So you know where you're talking about Clue being a different ending. Beetlejuice is the one that has something different every night.
Speaker 1:That's a really, really cool concept. I think it was the first time I saw the Lion King. Like the animals were like walking in from the back and you kind of don't know until, like you see everybody turning around. I love that moment in a play when people are just like in the audience and part of the audience. Like in the audience and part of the audience. It just makes it feel kind of more real for you.
Speaker 2:Right, yeah. And in this story it focuses a lot on Lydia's journey, and it's an original score. The eclectic music is amazing there's a little bit of ska, a little bit of rap, a little bit of traditional Broadway.
Speaker 1:Do you know if Tim Burton was involved, or is any of his score used?
Speaker 2:I don't believe he was, but you know if Tim Burton was involved or is any of his score used? I don't believe he was, but you know all of those visuals are very true to his style yeah. That fun house feel.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, of course. Oh, I met Danny Elfman when I asked that question Right, right, yeah, no, I don't believe so. Okay, because that Danny Elfman score was insane.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but I'm sure that you know, with all these shows, they add these songs, they add these pieces of music that just put you right there in the feels of what you're watching, Right, yeah, so that's, that sounds like a lot of fun. All right, let's run on the dates on all those real quick, right before we get our caller.
Speaker 2:So Clue is in November, this is. Doubtfire is in February 2026. Moulin Rouge is in March of 2026. And A Beautiful Noise, the Neil Diamond musical comes to us in April of 2026. And finally, beetlejuice in May of 2026.
Speaker 1:Gosh, it seems so far away right now. It does and they'll all start coming in like boom, boom, boom.
Speaker 2:Right, yeah, it's a great lineup, you know, because they're not all stacked one on top of the other, so you have different times to space it out and come out to downtown Jacksonville to enjoy a night out at the theater.
Speaker 1:I know our guest is going to be calling in in the next couple of minutes. Can we talk real quickly about MJ, the Musical yeah, that's coming up when.
Speaker 2:MJ is coming up April 22nd through the 27th.
Speaker 1:Okay, I am so excited about this show. I love like tribute bands and tribute shows and Michael Jackson. I worked in a record store in the eighties, so I mean I love his music.
Speaker 2:It's amazing. Yeah, there's so many songs of his that are in this musical and they're all kind of mashed up into a montage and you see the creative process of Michael Jackson, which is amazing I mean this man who is a legend and unparalleled artistry seeing it all come to life and it's centered around the 1992 Dangerous World Tour, which gives you a real glimpse into the creative process.
Speaker 1:That's an album that I think a lot of people don't appreciate like they should because of Thriller and Bad and Off the Wall. Those albums were so iconic but Dangerous. One of my favorite albums, Like so many great songs on that album.
Speaker 2:Yes, it's perfect. I'm so, so excited. It was really one of my favorites that I saw in New York, because it's just electrifying and the crowd loves it.
Speaker 1:I'm so jealous that you got to see that, but I can't wait to see it myself.
Speaker 2:I can't wait for you to see it. So Steve Edlund comes to us. Uh, he has an extensive background in on Broadway and national tours and regionally he was associate director of the Music man and, of course, Mrs Doubtfire and so much more. We're so excited that you're here to join us, Steve, to talk about everyone's favorite Scottish nanny.
Speaker 4:Thank you so much for having me. Has the tour started already? It has not started. We are going to launch in August of this year.
Speaker 1:But you guys are obviously in pre-production rehearsal and all that stuff, right.
Speaker 4:Absolutely. We're actually in our search for the role of Mrs Doubtfire right now.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, when and where are auditions? I could do that.
Speaker 4:If you look on Instagram, you can find there's a whole way to submit your best impression of Mrs Doubtfire and get yourself seen.
Speaker 1:You know what? You wouldn't even need a padded suit for me, I'm already there.
Speaker 4:Hey, I'm not kidding. We need some prosthetics on your face and some teeth, of course.
Speaker 1:That's probably all you would have to do. Oh my, I'll have to get her voice down. Hello, perfect, that's awesome that you guys are really, really just getting started.
Speaker 4:It's exciting to be on the lookout for the next Daniel Hillard.
Speaker 2:So it's great that you brought up the prosthetics, because Doubtfire's costume is impeccable. You know the full bodysuit and what looks like prosthetics, Yet Daniel changes into Mrs Doubtfire so quickly. How does that happen?
Speaker 4:Oh, my goodness, it's the most incredible theatrical magic. I have seen the show now so many times and it blows my mind. I mean he changes over 30 times in the show. Sometimes the costume changes are 30 seconds. I mean it is so fast and he has so many pieces. You know, there's a bodysuit. Underneath there's a costume on top, he's got a mask, he's got teeth, he's got earrings. Every time he gets in his costume he's got to put lipstick on, he's got wig, he's got stockings, he's got shoes. It is a full team effort. We actually have, um, we have our group of changers, our wardrobe people, which we lovingly call Team Effie, short for Euphogenia Doubtfire, and they do an incredible job of prepping the station so that when our Doubtfire gets off stage he can change seamlessly from Daniel Hiller to Mrs Doubtfire and back and be on stage in under a minute.
Speaker 1:You just blew my mind when you said 30 changes over 30 changes and it made me wonder are they kind of layered up or is it like a different change completely?
Speaker 4:It is a different change completely. I mean it is truly because, if you can imagine, in most instances he's always changing from his Daniel Hillard self into another Mrs Doubtfire costume. So it means everything's got to come off, everything has to come back on and then similarly, for the next moment it's a full transformation in the looks that Catherine Zuber has designed for Mrs Doubtfire that lovingly pay homage to the original looks from the movie, but in an elevated new, theatrical way. Really great. She comes out in really special looks.
Speaker 1:Don't hate me, but I want to see this play now, for the same reason I watch NASCAR, just to see if something could go wrong.
Speaker 4:Let me tell you there is a lot that could go wrong, and the brilliance of these theater craftsmen is that every moment, every step, it's like a piece of choreography that our Doubtfire does From the second they get off stage. One foot is going in, an earring is being clipped on. It's truly a dance piece, is what it is.
Speaker 2:I mean, you literally have just made me so intrigued by this and I wanted to see it anyway, but now I cannot wait yeah, we're sitting here with our jaws dropped yeah, literally so it's so great to see the show um expand on the humor of the movie and really embrace the the medium, and these iconic scenes that we love are given a musical glow up. What is the process in adapting film to stage?
Speaker 4:Well, I think our writers have done an incredible job of taking this movie that we all love and and mining moments to musicalize that are either giving us insight into a character's mind they wouldn't normally be able to express in film you know where you would push in the close up but they wouldn't normally be able to express in film, you know where you would push in the close up but they wouldn't say anything and to give us the opportunity to hear what they say, what they're thinking, and or to find a moment of action to musicalize in a really exciting way.
Speaker 4:I mean, one of my favorite moments from the movie is when Robin Williams, as Mrs Doubtfire, is faced with having to cook a meal for the first time and not really knowing where to start and how. It ends up having disastrous effects at the end. And I think the writers have done a fantastic job of musicalizing it into a song called Easy Peasy which, in our modern sensibilities, mrs Doubtfire, daniel Hillard, in our modern sensibilities, mrs Alpire, daniel Hillard looks to YouTube and to cooking shows to try and learn how to cook this delicious, nutritious meal and sort of goes down the YouTube spiral of finding different recipes to cook and ultimately to the same disastrous effects.
Speaker 1:That springboards into a conversation that Amanda and I had yesterday when talking about what we wanted to ask you, and one of the things for me was like how does modern day pop culture tie into, you know, this version versus the movie that is, you know, a little older now?
Speaker 4:100%. Yeah, I think that there's lots of. You know there's lots of little updates throughout. You know characters having cell phones, when when Daniel calls, and Miranda at near the beginning, the beginning of the story when he's trying to pretend to be other not-so-good nannies to make Mrs Doubtfire. When Mrs Doubtfire calls and look even better, we now can use block caller ID ona cell phone, as opposed to our old landlines, which would have covered the trail of whose phone number is actually calling her at that moment.
Speaker 4:But YouTube plays this huge part in both Easy Peasy, as I mentioned, but also in the second act. Miranda in the musical version of the story is a fashion designer instead of an interior designer, and the second act begins with a fashion show launching her brand new line, with a fashion show launching her brand new line, and we get into a funny moment where one of Miranda's models can't make it to the showing and so Mrs Doubtfire has to step in to be one of the models and you can imagine the performance that ensues. And that performance then ends up going viral on YouTube. Oh no, and Daniel's court liaison who's sort of holding him accountable spots this viral YouTube video of Mrs Doubtfire and has a lot of questions. So it really does a good job of sort of upping the stakes in the second half of our show. This sounds like so much fun. It really is.
Speaker 2:It's so clever. There's so many lines in it that have been added, that are so hysterical the bit in the transformation scene. I don't want to give anything away, but the audience is going to just lose their socks.
Speaker 4:It's really special what our writers have put together. I really think that they have done an incredible job of loving this movie that we all love and updating it for a modern audience and adding special things that are just going to surprise people. You'll get something familiar and then you'll get something a little unexpected you will find delightful and hilarious.
Speaker 1:Okay, it sounds like there's going to be a lot of fun, a lot of laughter, but will there be that hand me the tissue moment?
Speaker 4:Absolutely. I think that, at the end of the day, Mrs Doubtfire is about family At the core of it. This family is dealing with a divorce and how it affects these children, how it affects this family unit and how they have to struggle to find what family means and to find that there is still this incredible love at the center of it. I mean, it's about a guy who is doing everything he can to get back to being with his kids against all odds that are stacked against him, and to find what it means to really be a parent and a family member and to take care of your kids in the best way possible.
Speaker 2:It's so heartfelt and you know you touched on something about what the character is thinking, and seeing these characters come to life with so much depth is incredible. Can you talk a little bit about what those meaningful songs look like and if there's anything that stands out that's particularly impactful?
Speaker 4:Absolutely. I mean right at the beginning of the story. You know this, just as the movie does. We basically almost start right at the beginning of a divorce of a family, of all things to start a comedy with and we find ourselves in the courtroom dealing with that divorce and as part of it, because of Daniel's sort of reckless behavior, the judge basically goes to make a decision that is going to disable Daniel from spending as much time with his kids and he sings this incredible song called I Want to Be there, where he's basically like you can't take my kids away from me, and he describes how amazing each one of his kids and why he can't not be there for every one of their important moments and that taking them away is depriving him of oxygen. And to me it really sets the stakes for the evening of a guy who will do anything he can to be with his kids.
Speaker 1:You're telling me you're going to start me off with the Kleenex moment.
Speaker 3:I know it's going to be a long night. I promise you we'll put you back together at the end.
Speaker 1:Thank you. Thank you very much. I appreciate that. Hey, when you're going on these kind of tours, I know that from your website you do coaching as well. Do you do that while you're on the road?
Speaker 4:Yeah, absolutely Anywhere I can get it. I love teaching, I love spreading the gospel of craft and being as best as you can, and preparation. I think that one of the incredible hallmarks of Mrs Doubtfire, and what this role entails, is endless, endless preparation. It's about being at the top of your game and all the work that you do to be able to be in the moment and not think about the fact that you're about to go off stage and make 30 costume changes, but to truly be in the moment and, to me, all my coaching is in line of supporting that mentality.
Speaker 1:There are obviously kids in the show, right? Yeah, do you kind of tutor them as well?
Speaker 4:I mean, do you kind of take them under your wing and say you know, this is what this is Absolutely. I mean, I can see myself when I was their age and doing theater and you know the things that I either did here or I would have loved to have here to support what might be. You know the beginning of a career in the theater. You know and learning the skills that let them be good listeners on stage and knowing what it means to be a good actor and a good scene partner and also like discipline off stage. You know what I mean, like what it means to be a pro and to be a great company member.
Speaker 1:As you work, you're having the time of your life. It's like me doing radio, like I come in here and I have the time of my life and I call it work and get paid for it.
Speaker 4:Nothing better than it it really is. It is so joyful to be able to be a part of telling these incredible stories that both make people laugh, entertain people and also move them and change them. I mean, I've been in so many audiences where I was the recipient of an amazing story that both brought me joy and happiness, moved me and had me walking out of the theater with my life a little bit changed, and I think that that's incredible to be one of the storytellers and making that happen.
Speaker 1:Well, you've got us super pumped. I can't wait, amanda.
Speaker 2:Yes, it sounds like it's going to be such a great experience for Jacksonville. It's going to be a relatable experience and just a great night out. Thank you so much Steve.
Speaker 4:Absolutely. I can't wait for you to see the show. We look forward to seeing you too.
Speaker 2:Thank you.
Speaker 4:Thank you so much. You have a wonderful day you too.
Speaker 1:Bye, bye. Oh my gosh, that sounds like so much fun it is. I love a show that starts you off crying and then like, and then you, and then they give you the story that ends up crying again. It's a great like cathartic night.
Speaker 2:Right, exactly, and you know I watched the musical and I cried so much. I'm a child of divorce and you know it was a hard thing. It really was and it really is truly relatable, and also seeing the depth of the characters that we talked about you know it's just you see other people's perspective and that's what makes it become a full circle moment and, you know, really make you reflect on what your own experience was.
Speaker 1:And Mrs Doubtfire will be here. What's the dates again for that show?
Speaker 2:Mrs Doubtfire will be in February of 2026.
Speaker 1:We're joined now by Conor Gallagher who is with the Beetlejuice the musical, the musical, the musical show. Do I have to say that three times?
Speaker 3:Be careful he might appear I know how are you? I'm well. How are you doing?
Speaker 1:We're doing great. We're down here where the weather's getting warm in Florida and things are getting really really nice and springy, oh, excellent.
Speaker 3:Excellent.
Speaker 1:Conor, I was watching your reel on your Facebook page and there's a scene where there's like a dozen Beetlejuices on stage all dancing together and I was like looking around going wait, wait, wait, which one's the real Beetlejuice? Was that a fun scene to choreograph?
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, that was one of my favorites. It was. You know, shows get developed over the years, things change, but that's been the same in the script since day one and the writers really wrote the dance into the fabric of the piece. So it comes really naturally out of the story at that moment and it was an absolute blast. It's everybody dancing all different styles and everybody's just sort of cutting loose and having a good time.
Speaker 1:How many Beetlejuices are on stage at that time?
Speaker 3:At that time there are nine, including the main, beetlejuice Wow yeah. And what makes it even feel crazier is this is the moment right after Beetlejuice and Lydia have haunted the Maitland's house. So you go from this sort of Victorian cottage to stripes on stripes, on stripes on stripes on stripes, and you've got people dancing all over the couches, a trampoline on the couch they jump off of, they're flipping off the tables, hanging off the chandeliers, so it's a sort of immersive crazy explosion of Beetlejuice in that moment.
Speaker 1:Also on that same reel there's a scene from Elf which you were a part of. I wanted to ask what's the most fun you've had working on any show in your career.
Speaker 3:So far Gosh, any show? That's a good question. I just did. I just directed Moana, disney's Tale of Moana. It was the first stage adaptation for Disney of the film, which has now Become a classic, and I think it was just the most fun because I had a Co-choreographer on that, and to Be able to really immerse ourselves In specific dance and music and art Was a new experience for me, unlike anything I've ever had before. And then, of course, the show is so beloved that just being a part of that was really special. So we had an absolute blast on that one.
Speaker 1:That's awesome. We've got to think about that for the next season. Oh, that would be amazing.
Speaker 2:My daughter would love it. So can you talk a little bit about what audiences can expect from the show in terms of the adaptation from the film?
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah. So I think one of the things that makes Beetlejuice, the musical, really unique is that they took the film and took all the major story points and the Tim Burton artistry with Tim Burton's second film and they found a way to really explode it onto the stage but also to bring new life to it. So it's not just a direct cinema to stage adaptation. It has its own language, it has its own artistry and, at times, its own story. So it's almost like fan fiction If you took it and you said, hey, make a musical, put it in a blender and then explode it onto the stage. So it has its own identity in every way and I think that's really surprising and special for a musical to do.
Speaker 1:You know, the original movie was so stylized because of Burton's aesthetic, and then songs like Deo I mean music is a major part of that. So it must have been kind of easy actually to translate this thing to a musical.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean, if you look at the film, you always want to look for what is inherently theatrical in a film to give it a reason to really be adapted for the stage, and because music is such a part of it, because Beetlejuice's world is so theatrical, and then what's really really nice is the parameters that they have as writers to create. You know, beetlejuice has lived through many different time periods and musical styles and dance styles, so right off the bat you've got this really eclectic, wild mix of genres to play with and I think that makes for really theatrical, surprising, unexpected adaptation.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love how you describe that. It is an eclectic score. So what are the rewards and challenges that come with creating choreography for such a diverse range of music?
Speaker 3:Well, I think the unknown can be a little scary for an artist. Sometimes I'm asked to do West Side Story. I won't be touching West Side Story anytime soon. It's iconic, it's famous, it's what I grew up watching and there's something really satisfying about. Hey, we're going to do Beetlejuice. This is this beloved film. People have a lot of attachment to it, but you get to kind of go wild and go crazy. So it was really satisfying being able to get our hands on something that people had a lot of expectation and anticipation for. But they'll be able to deliver on that experience and then give them something, express their creativity and really bring that into the picture. So it's just, it's a little bit of the best of both worlds in that regard.
Speaker 1:You mentioned West Side Story. Was there one particular show when you were a kid, or maybe in your teens, that really pushed you to where you are today?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean West Side Story. Okay, all right, that's what I figured. When dances, that can be spectacular and exciting, but what makes what's that story so incredible is that the dancers and the vocabulary of the movement comes out of character, and it's still as exciting as any music video you'd see today, and so that as a little kid I just couldn't believe what I was seeing. And it's really still remains my favorite musical, my favorite film, all those kind of every checks, every box for me.
Speaker 1:I'm sure you watched it differently than anyone else did, but how did Spielberg's compare to the original?
Speaker 3:Oh, I mean I love seeing it To me that the scariest thing would be something that I grew up with that I was obsessed with. I wouldn't be able to touch it, so I was curious to see what they would do. But Steven Spielberg's obviously incredibly accomplished the legendary film director and just impacted amazing choreography on that, so I loved it. I mean, you can't really go wrong with that music.
Speaker 1:So I loved it too. It was great. Like I said, I'm sure you watched it with a different eye because I wasn't watching for the choreography, but I felt like Spielberg was obviously a fan of the original and I felt it was very respected.
Speaker 3:I agree, I agree completely. They took it. They took what was special about the original and they added to it and made something unique and was sort of a celebration of the original. They didn't completely reinvent it, it was just a remake in a really, really wonderful way.
Speaker 2:I want to go back to something that you said about something that inspired you as a kid, because one of the things that we are invested in at the Artist Series is instilling the arts in young people, and, as a professional, do you ever have those moments where you second-guess your work and your vision until everything comes together, and how do you overcome that?
Speaker 3:Oh, all the time, every day, I'm working on a production in Chicago, a production of Titanic I'm directing and I think the biggest thing for me is to remember that theater is the most collaborative art form we have. We don't create this alone in a room, so I can do all the emailing and paperwork and preparation, but the magic happens when I get in the room with everybody else, and that includes the designers, the actors, the production staff, everyone that's making that possible. And I have ideas that are going to go haywire and go wrong, and I have ideas that may turn out great, that I don't think are that, and part of that is surrounding yourself with people that you trust and that you respect and that have good taste and that see the world similar to the way you see it, different than the way you see it, but that you trust their opinion.
Speaker 3:I have a wonderful associate here who I leaned over and I said is this terrible or good? Because we were running a number and it was a big swing. And I said is this terrible or good? Because we were running a number and it was a big swing. And I said I feel like this could be really bad. And she's like no, you have to trust it.
Speaker 3:And even from my associate, she reminded me you have to trust yourself, trust the idea. But equally, if she had said, yeah, I think you've gone off the deep end, I would have taken that into consideration, right? So it's about not being afraid to ask for help, in whatever form that comes, even if it's reassurance, even if it's just a little voice to quiet the demon in your head or encourage you. It's about making sure you have people around you that you trust and care about. And it also makes it more fun because, at the end of the day, we're making shows. You know, we're bringing joy to people. We're not on the operating table operating on life or death here, so it has to come from a place of joy.
Speaker 1:I love what you said about that collaborative spirit, because I feel like that can apply to any job in the world. I know it definitely does. And Radio Amanda, you're shaking your head. Same with you guys.
Speaker 2:Absolutely yeah. A team makes the dream work.
Speaker 3:Absolutely. My mom and I used to butt heads when I was a kid. There's a couple times we've come home and we've butt heads but we've been able to really shift gears pretty quickly and she says, wow, you've gotten really really good at this. And I'm like, mom, that's my job, right? My job is listening and being open and communication. That's like 50% of my job, at least.
Speaker 3:There's also a really good book Twyla Tharp wrote, called the Creative Habit, many years ago, which is really really great. I recommend it to everybody, which is really about creative collaboration. But I've given it to every family member None of them work in the arts because to me, that can be the key to success in the arts or outside of the arts. Really just communication, right, that's how we walk through life. It right, that's how we walk through life. It's just easy to forget what was the name of that book again, the Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp. It's a wonderful, wonderful read. Twyla Tharp, a very, very famous choreographer, has done incredible work over the years, but speaks about her process in a way that's easy to apply to daily life or to any profession outside of the arts and in the arts. So I'd recommend it 100%.
Speaker 1:I got everything I wanted out of this interview. That's wonderful.
Speaker 2:No yeah, we've presented work by Twyla, and it's just so amazing to see her work on the stage.
Speaker 3:Yeah, she's like somebody I still I will drop what I'm doing to go see what she does, because it's always, you know, she's somebody who's like gone off and done the most avant-garde dance theater and then will turn around and do a Billy Joel album, and I love that. It's a way to bridge something that feels inaccessible with the most accessible mainstream artist. She does a Sinatra one as well, and I think that's such a really incredible way to bring art to different generations, make it more accessible to everybody. So I have such admiration for the work she does.
Speaker 1:Now I've got homework to do because I feel like I'm listening in on a conversation I know nothing about, but I will by the weekend.
Speaker 2:So I have a question Did the plan for Beetlejuice to ad lib? Did that come organically?
Speaker 3:Yeah, for all the fourth wall breaking. That was developed over many years of trial and error In our earlier versions of Beetlejuice. When we did it out of town in DC we found a version that was really playing well in our rehearsal room. But then when we got on stage we found that, you know, musical theater really has to be rooted in joy and this is a character that if you really look at the character from the film, he seems less rooted in joy. We were trying to be authentic and stay true to the character. But you know, characters, you have to have someone to root for.
Speaker 3:In a musical you have to have characters who have wants and needs to drive the plot, especially a two act plot. We had to sort of make some adjustments and so we found that when Beetlejuice was just constantly running around, sort of putting people down, it had this reverse effect. It was funny but it didn't always give us somewhere to go. And so when we took the show apart and put it back together for Broadway, which is the version that is now touring and out in the world, we tried to find and make sure that Beetlejuice always had a really grounded want and a sense of joy and a sense of curiosity with everything, even within the character that we know and love, so that we felt like there had some sort of dramatic propeller in the musical and I think it's worked out really well.
Speaker 3:And I think you know you want to be able to laugh with the characters, not at the characters the entire time, and Beetlejuice is sort of our way into the show and our audience surrogate.
Speaker 3:So we wanted to make sure we could ground him in a world that felt like a place he wanted to be. I also think when you're sitting at home and you're watching a show on Comedy Central and there's an off-color joke that might sort of toe the line of being something that's a little offensive, you can sort of have like a little mischievous laugh and it feels okay. When you're in a theater with 2000 people and the jokes are constantly coming at you and there may be offensive and there may be hitting your ears in the wrong way and you can't really catch up, it's a lot harder to buy into that idea. Am I okay to laugh at this? Is this acceptable? Is this okay? So we had to really like find where the line was for our audiences and still push it, but make sure it felt like a place that didn't push everyone wildly out of their comfort zone.
Speaker 1:I was watching on YouTube. I think it was opening night of, I think it said Beetlejuice is back on Broadway and the first moment that you know he is in the light reading a paper, the audience goes insane. And then he jumps into it and you were talking about breaking that fourth wall. He talks about being in New York City and the audience and I thought to myself this looks like it's going to be so much fun because he brings the audience right into it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, exactly, and I think, especially, you know, our show came and went right before the pandemic and there was always this energy every time, since opening night in DC, since opening night on Broadway. The first people love this film, People love this character, so they are so primed to come in and have a really good time. And I think when the character that you're waiting to see drops in front, drops his newspaper, looks at the audience and basically tells the first joke, that tells you, okay, we're going to have a good time. It just sets us off on the right foot and it's created this energy around the show and this cult following. I guess that's the film as well, but it just continues right into the musical.
Speaker 3:People dress up, people have parties and events and you know there's, there's Beetlejuice bars all over the world and and so it creates this um, pseudo immersive experience. Where you're, you're not only going to see a show, you're going for the spectacle around the show and the experience of the show, and I think that's really, really fun. Especially, you know, a lot of people spend a lot of time in front of their TVs alone. So to get out and to see people having fun in a big group and see that spill onto the streets is something I'm really proud of, that I get to be a part of and I always love whenever I visit it. Wherever we are, it's great to see.
Speaker 1:Well, beetlejuice, the musical, the musical. The musical comes to the FSCJ Artist Series in May of 2025. It's over a year away. What are we doing? We're getting people all teased up, but we are super excited to have you in Jacksonville and we cannot wait to see the show.
Speaker 3:Thank you so much. We're so excited to come and can't wait to share the show with the Jacksonville audiences.
Speaker 2:Thank you.
Speaker 1:Thanks guys. Wow, that sounds like so much fun.
Speaker 2:I can't wait to see the costumes that people put on. Oh, I didn't think about that.
Speaker 1:Maybe I should go in costume that night.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, when we dropped the new season, we had some of the subscribers post about their experience seeing Beetlejuice in the past and posting their get-ups.
Speaker 1:I might dress as Lydia. Oh yeah, That'd be a good one. I might go all dark and just be like dark eyes and everything. So we've talked about the shows that are coming. We've had a couple of guests. What else do we need to do to get out to the people?
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know, becoming a seasoned subscriber is the best way to guarantee the best seats in the house. Seasoned subscribers get the best benefits too. You receive priority access to seating, flexible ticket exchanges, exclusive discounts and access to a payment plan.
Speaker 1:It always pays to join anything. You get a little bit of extra and it makes you feel a little special too.
Speaker 2:Exactly, and you're getting five shows for starting at just $232. So it's really a great value.
Speaker 1:What's the show you're most excited to see?
Speaker 2:I don't even know that I can answer that, because it's such a slam dunk season, truly. I mean I love Beetlejuice. I've seen it, it's amazing. I've seen Moulin Rouge and it's amazing. I'm super jazzed about Clue coming up and, you know, diving into the world of Neil Diamond. So I just I don't know that I could choose one.
Speaker 1:I think my top two right now, and even though I've seen Moulin Rouge on Broadway, but that's definitely up there I just love that show, I love that music, yeah. But man, I'm really pumped about Beetlejuice now. Oh yeah, like super pumped.
Speaker 2:It's hysterical and truly a fun house on stage.
Speaker 1:And it's the one you're making us wait the longest to see.
Speaker 2:Ah, what the heck. But you know what, when you become a subscriber, you get five entertaining nights out to the theater, no matter what, and beyond that, beyond you know, supporting Broadway in Jacksonville, sponsored by ViStar Credit Union, you're also supporting the arts and the growth of Jacksonville Right. We have a huge economic impact on local restaurants, hotels, businesses downtown. So you know it's not only creating these entertaining nights for yourself, but also supporting Jacksonville.
Speaker 1:FSCJartistseriesorg for all the information. Don't forget to. As I mentioned on the last podcast, mj the Musical is coming and I have a feeling when that leaves and your friends went and you didn't, you're going to kick yourself in the butt because that's going to be a great show.
Speaker 2:FSCJ Artists Series is a presenting company for professional touring productions. Many know us as Broadway in Jacksonville, but we also present international and national tours of Broadway, concerts, opera, dance, comedy and family productions, and we operate under the FSCJ Foundation. But our shows are direct from New York and we, you know, we love to bring them here. We have partners in New York and in you know we love to bring them here. We have partners in New York and in Broadway across America, and together we curate this season that everyone is very excited about. We're now entering into our 60th season. Whoa, six, zero, six zero. Wow, we're so excited and our mission is to make arts more accessible and this is a great way to introduce professional Broadway to our community.
Speaker 1:There was a time when you had to go to New York City to see a Broadway show, and now these touring companies bring it right to your hometown.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and you said it right, you don't have to go to Broadway to see these caliber of shows. You can see them right here in Jacksonville.
Speaker 1:And these touring shows. By the way, like Frozen was here, I've seen Frozen probably three or four times. This last production was the best I've ever seen. The lights, what they do with special effects, everything about that show was way ahead of where it was. When I saw it, like five years ago.
Speaker 2:Right, exactly.
Speaker 1:So these touring shows are amazing. Years ago Right exactly so.
Speaker 2:these touring shows are amazing. I'm so, so excited for Jacksonville to experience this new season and get to experience the new premieres. There's five premieres coming to Jacksonville, and the more that we have our subscriber base build up, the more premieres that we're going to see here in Jacksonville. So come on out to the theater.
Speaker 1:I love it. Thank you, Amanda, and again fscjartistseriesorg for all the information on all these shows.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1:That was a lot of fun. Don't forget MJ the Musical kicks off April 22nd fscjartistseriesorg for all the information. Next week we'll get back to our regular format and let you know what's happening live from Jacksonville.