SPEAKER_02 0:02

Good morning. This is the Plains World Podcast, where consumer where conversations are worth hearing and seeing. You can watch us each week on Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn. You can also listen in on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. And for more information about this show and past episodes, you can also visit our website, which is behind me, plainsworld.net. I'm your host, Blaine Greenfield, and I'm here coming to you from my Zoom studio in lovely downtown Fairview, North Carolina. And each week we share positive news and uplifting stories by people and organizations in both Western North Carolina and third country. And toward that end, it's my pleasure to introduce Ethan Henry and Emily Rochair. And guys, you can wave to all your fans and friends who are watching this. Okay, and as Emily and Ethan. We're going to be talking about an exciting show that's coming up in the very near future. But before I do that, let me just briefly mention your backgrounds. I should mention that Ethan Henry is an Ashville native, co-founder and executive director of Asheville Musical Theater and a creative costumer for Walt Disney World. His work has spanned Broadway film, television, and regional theater, including productions such as Frozen, Come From Away, and the Band's Visit. Today he's joining us to discuss Spring Awakening and AVMI's mission to grow professional theater in Western North Carolina. Emily Brookshire is a local performer and more recently the theater teacher at North Penderson High School. And guys, before I go any further, let me, I guess, turn to Ethan first. Ethan, let me ask you this question. As a kid, you grew up, you said in Asheville, you actually grew up in Asheville. You left Asheville. As a kid, did you always know you were going to be a theater guy?

SPEAKER_00 1:50

I did not. So I actually we did not have a full theater program growing up at my high school. So I kind of came into theater by happenstance. Um I was a musician first. Um, but then I um we did do musicals. I started to like doing them. And then um Alisa Baker over at TC Robertson High School, who coincidentally is Emily's high school theater teacher or teacher, um, kind of took me under her wing and introduced me to a broader world of theater. Um, and then I went on to go studying in college and have made a career out of it and got my master's degree and had um a really honestly privileged career. So um that's probably part of the reason why I started Astral Musical Theater is to not only further um expand the theater landscape here, but honestly to create opportunities that I wish I could have seen as a little kid.

SPEAKER_02 2:42

So yeah, as a little kid, or even when you were past being a little kid, you remember the very first show you were ever in?

SPEAKER_00 2:49

Ever in? Yes. So the very first show um, I guess, would be um something called A Church Mouse Christmas at Mount Carmel Baptist Church. Um, and then but the first actual musical was actually in high school. I did Into the Woods, and I was just the steward, not knowing anything of what I was doing.

SPEAKER_02 3:06

So okay, and back to the one before that. So, how old were you in that one? Six, six years old. I'm gonna share an idea for a fundraiser, um, Ethan, which I'd like to do someday with you with Asheville Musical Theater. And what I want to do is have everybody recreate their very first role.

SPEAKER_03 3:23

Okay, so when you were six years old, do they have a record of that anywhere? Oh, yeah. My mom has all kinds of things. Okay, was there a video of it? That I don't know, but I'm sure I could ask. But tell me, wouldn't that be cool that everybody would get up and do the role as a six-year-old?

SPEAKER_02 3:39

You would get rich, so you could show it to Richie. Richie never saw it, I imagine. So he could see it. Wouldn't that be a cool thing to do? Fantastic, actually. I'm very serious about it. I'll offer to help you with it. Um, I've always wanted to do that, the very first role. So ever since then, you've done a bunch of things, and then you started this musical theater we'll talk about in a second, and that's been in business for how long?

SPEAKER_00 4:01

Um, so we started in 2023.

SPEAKER_02 4:03

Okay, very exciting. And uh Emily, I'll ask you the same kinds of questions that we may have asked you before in another show. But do you remember uh you grew up where as a kid?

SPEAKER_01 4:13

Uh I'm from here, so I currently live in Mills River, but I'm from the Asheville area. I've lived here my whole life.

SPEAKER_02 4:21

And so growing up as a kid, did you were your theater kid?

SPEAKER_01 4:25

Um, so I my first show uh was in fifth grade, and then we didn't have theater in middle school, so I didn't get back into theater until my sophomore year of high school, and then I just fell in love with it and have been doing it ever since.

SPEAKER_02 4:42

And so what was the fifth grade role?

SPEAKER_01 4:45

I was the star to be in Annie.

SPEAKER_02 4:47

Oh, Annie, really? And do you do you is there a record of that anywhere?

SPEAKER_01 4:52

I don't know if there's a video. I do know there are photo photographs somewhere, but I do not know if a video exists.

SPEAKER_02 4:59

But wouldn't that be cool to do? You know, to have this Yeah, that would be really fun. Ethan, we already have our first volunteer to be in this fun fundraiser.

SPEAKER_01 5:08

Um Ethan knows I'll say yes to anything.

SPEAKER_00 5:11

Emily and I we're we're ready.

SPEAKER_02 5:12

Like it's and what's so cool, I'll send it both to you. I'm making a note, but did both of you see the um Jason Alexander and Young Sheldon play the drama teacher. Did you ever see this role? Do you ever see the show? I've never actually watched the show.

SPEAKER_01 5:26

Young Sheldon? I love young Sheldon.

SPEAKER_02 5:28

Well, anyway, so you have to see it. I'll send you the clip. So um the guy Sheldon was going to be an Annie and he got nervous. He he backed out. Did you see the episode?

SPEAKER_01 5:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 5:39

Oh, anyway, so he backs out, Ethan, and so Jason Alexander has to come and play Annie, you know, and he comes in and and uh stars as Annie as a 43-year-old guy. He was a theater teacher. So I'll send the theater guys with a kick out of it. So, anyway, so you've been acting then ever since in middle school, but in high school, you've been acting ever since um middle school. And I saw you, I guess the first time I met you was in a production at what uh Marshall University. And that was um that was quite roll. That was um that was uh sweet charity. Was that um and since then have been in other stuff?

SPEAKER_01 6:20

Oh yeah, so I've I think well, after that, because that was my junior year of college, so I had my senior year production, and then I was doing shows with Sart um up until here. I don't think this is my first time performing in like a year and a half. I took a little bit of a break, not by choice.

unknown 6:47

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 6:47

Well, anyway, I may have seen you some of the Sartre productions as well, but moving forward, aside from this upcoming show, um do you have a dream role you've always wanted to do? Ethan, why don't you take notes on this?

SPEAKER_00 7:00

I've got a whole list.

SPEAKER_01 7:01

Oh, I listen, I'm always listening to people's dream roles, so I think right now the one thing that I haven't done yet that I really want to do is play a princess before I get too old. Really want to play a Disney princess. Um, but I also have never played like the villain or anything, so I think that would be like a fun challenge for me. Um, but I I just want to do I don't care what it is, to be honest. I do have a list, but I will be in anything.

SPEAKER_02 7:31

Other than musicals, do you do drama as well?

SPEAKER_01 7:34

Um, I don't really I don't necessarily do like straight plays or anything. I like to sing, I like to dance.

SPEAKER_02 7:41

So well, and by the way, you're giving me an idea, you're giving Ethan an idea, but that'd be a cute show. I don't know if I've seen it. A princess, an older princess. So you don't have to be, you know, next couple years could be 40 years from now. What happens to I don't know, Ethan? Has it ever been a show like that? I'm not sure. The The Princess Who Grows Up or something.

SPEAKER_00 8:01

It's kind of a cute never I know that the Drew Barrymore film, I think it's Drew Barrymore ever after was dramatic to a musical. I think it's Drew Barrymore. I could be making oh really I think but it's not a licensable yet. But I know that she's a little older than like the traditional princess.

SPEAKER_02 8:16

No, but I'm saying, but it'd really be cool, like princess at 83 years of age, you know, what happened to Emily, you know, finally at 83, she gets Emily finally gets to play a princess.

unknown 8:26

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 8:27

And I should ask you this, uh Ethan, same thing too. Um, so you're now not doing too much performing, right?

SPEAKER_00 8:34

No, I um the last show I did was probably like as a performer, um, I did West Side Story in Yonkers, um, right above New York. Um, and that's probably the last show that I have performed in. Um, my career has just taken me more into the director design route. Um, I'm not saying that I will never perform again, it's just not not my highest priority at this point.

SPEAKER_02 8:56

Well, let me ask you a question too, and and and I'll be interested in your response. In terms of acting or directing, do you have a preference?

SPEAKER_00 9:04

I prefer directing.

SPEAKER_02 9:05

Okay. And Emily, I don't know if he's being honest with us, but the reality is what happens, I'll ask a lot of actors who become directors where they prefer, and they'll say, like Ethan did, they they prefer directing. But the reality is because you don't have to memorize the lines that way.

SPEAKER_00 9:19

So I would be lying if that wasn't part of it.

SPEAKER_01 9:22

Um, you end up doing it anyways, though. Like I've learned from directing my my students' shows.

SPEAKER_00 9:30

You learn you learn the whole show anyway.

SPEAKER_02 9:32

So what's interesting, Emily, I wonder, or I'll ask Ethan as well. Have you ever had to, as a teacher to be different, but the Jason Alexander thing, have you ever had to step in, Ethan, for example, directing a show and then somebody backs out and you have to go on stage? You never had that happen?

SPEAKER_01 9:49

Oh my gosh, that sounds like a nightmare.

SPEAKER_00 9:51

Although I'm I'm the unofficial swing for Spring Awakening. So, Emily, if you call out, I guess I'm gonna put on Okay. No, we have great under studies, but I just had to make the joke.

SPEAKER_02 10:03

I guess he said the unofficial swing. I love that. Well, let's since you mentioned it, Ethan, let's talk a little bit about Spring Awakening. And um, what gave you the idea to put that show on?

SPEAKER_00 10:13

Um, it for better or for worse, um, it is a timely musical and kind of a heartbreaking way. Um we when we were choosing our season and even our previous seasons, we always try to pick material that isn't just just edgy or just gonna make money or just insert something here. We try to do something that we think is a good story to tell the community at large and a good um a good overall message to share. Um, that's really the heart of what we're doing is really leaning into the storytelling. Um, but for Spring Awakening in general, to my knowledge, this is the first time it's been produced in Asheville in at least a decade, I believe. Um, so it's been a while. Um, and unfortunately, the cautionary tale that we discuss in this musical is still relevant today. And as much as I wish that it wasn't, we're still having to tell these stories to, you know, present to the community and to the world at large.

SPEAKER_02 11:12

And I'm so glad you mentioned that because yeah, I do recall seeing it a decade ago. I don't know if you're familiar with it, but Rock Evelyn, you know, Rock and I saw that same production. Oh, did you really? Okay, that was you. Now I didn't know you then, but uh you should have said hello.

SPEAKER_00 11:27

Yeah, but I was there, but um, yeah, I saw that. That was the last time I saw it too.

SPEAKER_02 11:30

But wasn't that a terrific production? Where was that? Who did that? Or where was that at?

SPEAKER_00 11:34

I think it was at, if I'm not mistaken, listeners don't come for me if I'm wrong. Um, I think it was at the at the Masonic Temple.

SPEAKER_02 11:42

That's where it was, right? Exactly. And that was uh that was to put that on, that was kind of a big deal.

SPEAKER_00 11:48

But the uh and a decade ago, the show was a lot fresher, it was a lot newer, it had just um been around for a short amount of time at that point.

SPEAKER_02 11:56

So but what you said is exciting because a lot of people don't know the show, aren't familiar with the show. Fantastic show. And so your version though, because it's going to be at at uh Dinah Wortham, it's pretty exciting. It's gonna be a big big theater, big, big production. Um, how many people do you have in the production?

SPEAKER_00 12:14

Um, so we have 13 people um in the show itself, and then our staff, um, including my stage management team, Michelle and Sarah, um, my lighting designer and my technical advisor, Destiny and Andy, um, and then our intimacy coordinator, Laura. I would say we have a roughly a staff uh additional to performers around eight. Um, and then we're also partnering partnering with Wortham, where um we're using some of their staff members as well. So it's a true collaboration between the two of us, which is really exciting.

SPEAKER_02 12:44

And I should ask then for the music, it's going to be using uh tracks on this.

SPEAKER_00 12:48

Yes, tracks this year was be will be tracks as we strategically grow, we keep adding in more layers. Um, but for this one, we are we are tracking the show.

SPEAKER_02 12:56

And let me just ask you then, for the benefit of the folks who don't know the story and go a lot, if you can kind of weaken size this version of the story, keeping it under like three hours. Can you keep it?

SPEAKER_00 13:07

Well, the show's only like running like at a an hour 50 minutes, so I hope I can keep it under three hours. Okay. Um, so the story in a nutshell is about is the cautionary tale of what happens when we essentially shelter our children from the world, um, and the rim the ramifications of that. Um, so when we over shelter our children, do not expose them to the world, honestly, the world's gonna find them anyway. So it's our job, I think, as adults, to properly educate our children of the good and the bad. Um uh this show handles a lot of tough topics, um, such as there is um unexpected pregnancy that uh Vandala, who Emily plays, um, will undergo. Um, there is essentially banishment from adults in our education system for kids that were struggling. Um there's topics of you know, suicide when you're not properly educated on the handle the world um and grief. Um but mixed with all of this um is I think the underlying idea of expressing the joy of humanity and the joy of being able to live to your fullest extent. So even with with the darkness, even with some of these harder subject matters to handle with, the idea that we want our audience to know is that A, you're not alone, B you have the opportunity to live life to the fullest. And I hope that we can inspire people to do that through this.

SPEAKER_02 14:38

Now, Emily, had you known the uh show before? Are you had you been familiar with it?

SPEAKER_01 14:43

I'm familiar. I I think I was more familiar with the music side of the show because the music is very popular, especially when I was in high school. Um, but it was always a show that kind of intimidated me and also I couldn't fully understand, especially when I was in high school, because we don't nobody talked about topics like that. Um, but I think playing this role as an adult, as a young adult, is extremely important and easier to get across the point of the story, if that makes sense. Um, but yeah, I've I've loved the show for a while.

SPEAKER_02 15:29

Now, had you been had you ever seen it before though?

SPEAKER_01 15:33

Not not live. Definitely uh YouTube bootleg, but not live.

SPEAKER_02 15:39

Okay, I didn't realize there was YouTube bootlegged. Saying something interesting though. I always thought it's too bad you can't see shows, you know, on video, you know, that that very few shows, you know, big Oklahoma will be, you know, a big movie, but it's almost too bad that you can't take a show and everybody can see it anytime they want, other than a bootleg version, you know.

SPEAKER_01 16:03

I think that's the point of like what makes theater. Like it's you get one night only for this one performance, and it's never the same. And I think I think that's the whole point. Because if it if it were recorded, I mean it's the same performance every single time. An actor may not say uh the line a certain way, uh certain inflection or whatever to get a certain meaning across. So I think that's the whole point of what makes theater theater is that you can't access it anytime.

SPEAKER_02 16:32

Let me ask you this in terms of accessing the theater, and I'll ask Ethan the question as well. But before you do a role, like you said, you sort of a bootleg copy of this. Is that something you try to do before you're going to have a role? And I'll even ask in terms of students, is that a good idea to see another version before you do the show, or you shouldn't look at somebody else's interpretation?

SPEAKER_01 16:51

Um, I think it really just depends on the person. I like to I like I like to watch just to research to see kind of like the context of the scenes. Um but like I also like I'll read the script before I watch it just so I understand kind of like the journey that the characters go on. Um, but I do like to do a lot of research and watching is involved in my research.

SPEAKER_02 17:19

Now, when you were in Sweet Charity, which I thought you I thought you were so good in, had you seen the movie before you did the the show?

SPEAKER_01 17:26

Yes, we mean me and Blake watched it before we performed it.

SPEAKER_02 17:30

Okay. And so that that was your first date with Blake?

SPEAKER_01 17:33

The uh that was that was probably like our 300th date.

SPEAKER_02 17:39

But anyway, Ethan, I'll ask you the same question too. What do you think about an actor, performer seeing a movie version or another show version or YouTube version? Is that a good or bad idea?

SPEAKER_00 17:49

Um, I think it depends on not just the performer, but I think it depends on the show itself. I think each musical has its own or player insert media here has its own nuance to it on how an actor should approach it. And I don't think it's a one-size-fits-all shoe either. Um, because for instance, if we were doing singing in the rain, knowing the source material is unavoidable. Like we we we will all societally we always will have our preconceived notions as a performer, we will. Um when it comes to something like spring awakening, um I do think it's important to at least know as as an actor what you're getting into when you're auditioning because we are handling some harder topics. Um, but I think it's the responsibility of the actor and the director that once we get into the space, we edu we are educated, we know what we're doing, but we're gonna throw anything else aside and really create in the room what the show is for ourselves. Um, so I think it's a combination of the two.

SPEAKER_02 18:46

Did you have you seen the YouTube version that uh that Emily mentioned?

SPEAKER_00 18:51

Um definitely when I was younger, I saw the YouTube versions also. Um my my now husband, um Richie, who was playing Adult Man and the co-owner of the theater with me. Um I he did it in uh Queens, uh New York, uh right before the pandemic. So I I was directing a show in that same theater, so I saw it a bunch of times. So I've seen um, and of course, at the Masonic Temple, I saw it back in the day here in Asheville. So I've seen very different iterations of it. Um, but even then, when we jumped into the show, I don't think um the way we are presenting this piece is like anything else I've seen, just in the way that we're this this group of people in this time have presented the show. So um yeah.

SPEAKER_02 19:30

Now we'll come back to the show in just a second, but I should also ask you in terms of um Asheville um musical theater, this is not the first production you've done. Uh, you've done a couple, and I've had the pleasure of seeing a couple. Talk about what is Asheville Musical Theater, or more importantly, how'd you come up with the idea of it?

SPEAKER_00 19:47

Yeah, so I actually had this idea when I was 16 years old, um, walking through downtown Asheville. Me and my best friend uh Clover would walk around and look at buildings that one day we could turn into theaters, and that's kind of where the dream started. Um, but I wanted to make sure that I, as an artist and as a leader, had a strong foundation before I would introduce this idea into the community. Um, so I've had a very privileged career in the arts. Um, and I also, you know, have my master's degree in performing arts leadership and management, um, and have been able to work in a variety of different places. Um and so I was, um, as we know, post-pandemic, I stepped in to help with uh Southern Appalachian Repertory Theater for a while. Um, and then at that point in 2023, it was time for me to chase my dream, and it just was the right time. Um, and then we started with our first show, Tick Tick Boom, and we sold out that first run. So it was as we've been pushing on ever since.

SPEAKER_02 20:48

And tick tick boom was so cool, you know, because again, most people didn't know it. You know, I that they had just had a new reversion, right, come out before, but such a cool production. What's very exciting now is that was a small theater, and now what's it like going from uh that had what 70 seats, and now you're up to how many seats?

SPEAKER_00 21:07

Uh a little under 500, I believe.

SPEAKER_02 21:09

Okay, very exciting. So a difference in terms of putting in the two productions.

SPEAKER_00 21:15

It's it's a it's it's daunting and exciting, and it feels like the natural step for where we are. Um, I think on the business side of it, um, because at the end of the day, we are a nonprofit, um, but there is that element of we we operating and this economy is challenging. Um, so we've been very strategic on how we grow and each step we take, and this is just the natural step. This is um it's very exciting.

SPEAKER_02 21:39

So this is the largest you you've gone to at this point in time. So let me ask uh Emily, so how do you find that even about this? That you read about auditions for this, or how do you find that about Asheville Musical Theater?

SPEAKER_01 21:52

Well, I have known Ethan and Richie since they worked at Sart. They they so they took me under their Um when I was a freshman in college. And so I interned at start with them and worked in the box office. And they were putting me in all these shims. And then they left. And I was like, oh no, what happened? We had such a good thing going. No, but then I saw that they had there, they built this company, and I was like, this is amazing. We need more theater in Asheville. You would you would think like there's plenty of opportunities for theater in Asheville, but when you really look at it, it's like it's not what a lot of performers are looking for, which is like a short contract, which we're we've rehearsed for a month, and that's all I really can do with my like work schedule. Um but I saw the auditions for Spring Awakening, and I'm I really had to think to myself about if I was ready to audition for a show like that because I had just gone from doing these like ditzy comedic roles, um like family-friendly shambles, and so I had to like really think about if I was ready to perform such a dramatic and I don't even have the words for it, um, piece like spring awakening. And I finally decided that this was the time that I was gonna challenge myself as a performer, and so I I just saudition, and I'm so grateful that I did.

SPEAKER_02 23:37

Well, so in terms of you mentioned the term family friendly, so um, I wouldn't put this film, this show quite in that category.

SPEAKER_00 23:44

We just say uh just general, um, we we are advertising more to the 16 and up crowd. Um, of course, families have different dynamics and expose their children to different topics, so at the discretion of parents at that point, but we're it's definitely a 16 and up show.

SPEAKER_02 24:01

Like you said, yeah, I guess anybody could see it, but definitely more appropriate 16 and up. So, not first time you you know, well, sweet charity was certainly what was so surprising, Emily, about sweet charity that it was done at SOAT, but it was done. You were this was the student aspect of SOAD, right?

SPEAKER_01 24:18

This was Mars Hill University.

SPEAKER_02 24:20

Marshall, which is SOAD is kind of part of it. And I'm so amazed. I told that the Dan Ledford the other night, I saw him, said, I couldn't believe they did sweet charity, you know, because before your time, and I'd been president of the board at one time, they had such restrictions about doing anything controversial. I don't know if you knew about that, but it was, you know, you couldn't say anything curse word or profanity of topics. So for them to do sweet charity, I was just amazed that, you know, it's it's kind of an adult show too.

SPEAKER_01 24:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 24:48

Um, you know, for the college to do it. So going back to um this show, uh, Ethan, so you had auditions. How many people came out for auditions?

SPEAKER_00 24:58

I honestly have no idea. Um, this season, um so this origin this production was originally um part of our 2024 season with Songs for New World and Daddy Long Legs. And I know that season in general, roughly probably about 300 people auditioned for us through submission um for those three shows. Um, we did make the decision to postpone just as a as a business move because again, arts in this economy is challenging. So we wanted to make sure that we not only did right by the company, but did right by our performers. Um, because we do pay, we do, we do pay our performers, we do um try to take care of them, and so we made the hard decision to push it to 2026, which is here we are yeah, 2026, which is where we are now. I don't know what years it is anymore. Um, so it was as hard of a decision that was, um, it was worth the wait. Um, but we got down to 13 people from nearly 300 auditions or submissions for the show.

SPEAKER_02 25:55

I already saw it. That must be one of the toughest jobs as director or person in charge of a theater company to go through auditions and then to have to the people getting parts were all very excited, but to have two people who don't get the parts. But let's talk about the 13 people quote made the cut. So Emily is one of them. Can you share some of the other people in the cast?

SPEAKER_00 26:15

Yeah, so we have um so kind of the trio. Um I the the show is kind of separated into uh pods, I guess. So we have the main trio, which is Melchior, Mortz, and Vindala, which is of course Emily um Maximilian and Caleb Hector, who is new to our company. We've worked with we saw Maximilian and Daddy Longlegs um in our 2024 season.

SPEAKER_02 26:36

Um just a second, let me jump in. So it's Maximilian. His last name for the folks who don't know him?

SPEAKER_00 26:43

Ker.

SPEAKER_02 26:43

Okay, so excited he's gonna be back. Um, haven't seen him for a while. And so the other person I don't know is who?

SPEAKER_00 26:50

Oh Caleb Hector. So he's he's new to our company. So he's I know he's a uh Western graduate, so um he's still in the area, and uh an incredible talent that is being shared with us. Like it's amazing.

SPEAKER_02 27:03

Okay, great. So those are the three, and who else?

SPEAKER_00 27:06

Um, so we have um Richie Barella, who is my husband and the co-founder. Um, he has stepped in um kind of last minute to play the adult man, um, just due to scheduling conflicts um with our previous performers. So he's taking that on. And then our adult woman um is Fancy Marie, who is local to Asheville, um, and especially in the Asheville music scene. Um, so those are our two adults. Um, I kind of describe them as the parents from Charlie Brown sometimes, but they play a very vital role in the show. Um, and then we have the rounding out the rest of the boys within the show, um, is uh Shane Deanan, um, and then Reed Um Thornton and then Chris uh Newhouse and Alex Potiate. Um, those are our boys, so it's a kind of combination of new and people that are familiar to the space because I know Reed just directed Sister Act at Parkway. Um so it's kind of a nice blend of people that we know of and have seen, um, but are newer to us.

SPEAKER_02 28:10

Uh did you see Reed's show at Parkway? I've not it is we have been in rehearsals every performance that it's been he they killed it, he did such a good job, and that was his first show he ever directed at the age of 21 or whatever he is. He was great on that.

SPEAKER_00 28:25

And mind you, he's also a great talent in this show. Like, and I I I mean, and I will say this, it's about I can say that about every single individual that works on this show. Um, it's truly been just a blessing of humans. Um, but then to round out the girls, um, we have Annabelle Pullman, um, and then Isabel Emily. Can you do you know Isabel's last name?

SPEAKER_01 28:46

I do not.

SPEAKER_00 28:48

I don't have that written. I don't have that one written down.

SPEAKER_01 28:49

So my uh it starts with a B.

SPEAKER_00 28:52

I am so sorry, Issa. Um and then um Kelly Hall. So and uh Kirby Gibson, who was in Tic Tic moving on the show.

SPEAKER_02 29:00

Okay, another another big talent, very incredible and really they're what they do in this show, just all of them, is just insanity.

SPEAKER_00 29:11

Um, and uh we we really like the first day of rehearsals, I believe, we did music, and then we blocked the first number, and it's like a wall of sound from these from these people, like it's insane. Um, and then also we did choreography for essentially a week, and then I blocked the whole show, and within three days we're running it, so it's been just like a quick turnaround, but so impressive, and just um couldn't have asked for a better group of humans.

SPEAKER_02 29:38

And are you handling choreography or somebody else?

SPEAKER_00 29:41

Um Zoe uh Zelanke from Zoe, yeah, Zalanke.

SPEAKER_02 29:44

Wow, great. And who's your who's your musical director?

SPEAKER_00 29:48

Gabrielle T, who would be the music director for and pianist for uh Daddy Long Legs two seasons ago.

SPEAKER_02 29:53

So okay, very exciting. So Emily, talk about then the process. So uh it's not a long process, so you've been in rehearsals what for about a month?

SPEAKER_00 30:02

About even. Oh, hold on. We started rehearsals on June June 6th.

SPEAKER_01 30:08

June 6th.

SPEAKER_02 30:09

Oh, June 6th.

SPEAKER_01 30:10

I don't even know what day today is. The 18th.

SPEAKER_02 30:13

No, so I think Ethan mentioned like a month, but it's not even a month, it's just so when they came in, were they supposed to know their part at that point in time?

SPEAKER_00 30:23

Um, I wouldn't say know their part. I think they're definitely a familiarity. Um, so don't like go in completely cold, but we definitely, even in such a short amount of time, I feel like it's been a combination of we've done our due diligence to make sure we are rehearsing it and really taking our time. But I also do think from this cast there was an eagerness to get started, especially after postponing it. Um, so I think it was a combination of preparedness, excitement, and you know, technically we did take the time on it. So it kind of was just a perfect scenario.

SPEAKER_02 30:53

Now, had some some of these folks been in the postponed version?

SPEAKER_00 30:57

Yeah, all of them. I think everybody but Isa.

SPEAKER_02 31:00

Okay, well, that's pretty exciting. You were able to bring it together again. And so the specifics of it then, uh show opens. Talk about when when can people see the show?

SPEAKER_00 31:11

Yeah. Um I'm sorry, someone was calling me. Um, so the show will open on we do an industry night on uh the 24th at 7:30. Um, those tickets are $20 for everyone. Um, with the code that uh it's A V L M T 26 SA, but I'll send that to you as well. Um, so that is our first night, and then we technically will then open on Thursday, the 25th.

SPEAKER_02 31:35

So it's talk about when people can see it. So Thursday night, it's where does it go?

SPEAKER_00 31:40

So 7 30 on Wednesday night, Thursday night, Friday night, and Saturday night, and then 2 p.m. on Sunday.

SPEAKER_02 31:46

And then you said the industry night, is that open to anybody as well?

SPEAKER_00 31:50

If you have the code, you can go you can go see it.

SPEAKER_02 31:52

Okay. And so how do people get the tickets?

SPEAKER_00 31:54

So that would be a uh Dino Worthoms or Wortham Center for the Performing Arts uh website. So I think that's Wortham.org. Um, and then we are attached to that. You can also funnel through our website if you wish, um, which is avlmt.org, um, and there'll be a direct link to buy tickets as well.

SPEAKER_02 32:10

And so let's talk about then after the show completes this run, very short run then. Um Emily, do you have anything else on the books that you can share with folks that you're coming up with?

SPEAKER_01 32:21

I do not, not currently. Um I now that I am a teacher, I spend a lot of time directing children during the school year. Uh, so I don't have a lot of time to perform during the school year. So we will see what happens next summer.

SPEAKER_02 32:38

Louis, I saw that too, that you said this was the um data teacher at North Henderson High School. Was this your first year doing it?

SPEAKER_01 32:45

This is my second year. So I'll be going on on three years when we go when we come back.

SPEAKER_02 32:50

So, what were some of the shows this past year that you did?

SPEAKER_01 32:53

Um, so my first year we did You're a Goodman Charlie Brown, and then this past year we did high school musical.

SPEAKER_02 33:00

Okay, so you just do one show a year, and then are you so you're you're teaching primarily just theater?

SPEAKER_01 33:06

Yeah, just theater.

SPEAKER_02 33:07

Wow, that's pretty exciting that they have a full-time theater teacher. Um, and then they have a the enrollment for full-time, you know, uh theater feature. It must be fun. Are you enjoying it?

SPEAKER_01 33:18

It's um it's so the program has gone through a lot of ups and downs. Um, this is like it it hasn't been very steady recently. Um, so I'm trying to like I'm essentially building it from the ground up, uh, which is a very, very hard to do. So I don't necessarily have a ton of theater kids, but I think I am I don't know, like breeding a few of them.

SPEAKER_02 33:50

Well, well, the cool thing is uh that you've that made it into which is very, very good, they made it into your third year, you know. So it hasn't gone downhill yet at the third year. And by the way, keep me in mind seriously, next year, let's do a show, a podcast on one of the upcoming theater productions you'll be doing. You know, so I'd like to talk about that. We can conceivably even uh have some of the students uh in it. So you've missed it with school. Let's see, school though, is out now. So this is your major summer activity, and then after that, if anything comes up or anybody's listening, Emily is available.

SPEAKER_01 34:24

Yeah, if anybody's listening, I'm free.

SPEAKER_02 34:26

She's really awesome. Cast her. Wait, would you be would so next school year, would you conceivably do a show when you're doing the school year or it's too much?

SPEAKER_01 34:35

It depends. So this pat these past two years, while I've been teaching, I've been getting my master's at the same time. And I just graduated um with my master's in May. Um so now that I have like that off of my plate, I definitely do have more free time, but it is very hard to get home at 10 o'clock at night and wake up at six o'clock in the morning.

SPEAKER_02 34:59

I can imagine. And Ethan, same question of you. Um, after this show, uh, what's on the schedule?

SPEAKER_00 35:06

Yeah, so we I can't reveal our next season quite yet. Um, but we have started planning 2027 for uh next year. Um, I know Emily is very eager to know. Um, but we um we are really just trying to grow as best we can. So the idea is that us moving from you know two years in the black box space into Wortham and becoming a nonprofit finally, which is great, um, will then propel us into the future. We our goal is by 2028 to be producing year-round, um, which is not an easy feat um just because you know the economy right now is not meant for the arts necessarily. Um so we are now in a good position where we can apply for more grants because we've been a nonprofit for long enough. Um, you know, we can secure funding. Um, but the idea is that we're just gonna keep going and keep growing and try to just keep bringing just honest and good work to us in North Carolina to contribute to something that's already beautiful here. So um that's the goal.

SPEAKER_02 36:11

And just a couple of final things if I can. Uh if anybody would like to uh contribute to the nonprofit now, um, I assume that they're invited to do so.

SPEAKER_00 36:21

Yep, 100%. Um avlt.org, there'll be a support link there um on our website. And of course it's all tax deductible, so you'll you'll be able to uh contribute that way.

SPEAKER_02 36:32

Okay, I don't know if I've made my contribution that yet this year. I'll have to check, seriously, but um look for a contribution with me so that go to the website and other people invited. And the other question then, so just this one production this summer, then nothing else the rest of the summer?

SPEAKER_00 36:48

We not the rest of the summer. We do plan to do a cabaret later in the year. Um, but that is the next step after this. Um, and then we'll just slowly strategically grow to where we'll be here all the time.

SPEAKER_02 36:59

Okay. Well, again, keep me in mind if I can help out or help promote those upcoming stuff, exciting stuff. And Emily, the same kind of thing that um if and when, you know, for the next season for the high school, I'd love to do a show on you know what you're doing at the high school and involve some of those people as well. So uh look forward to catching you again. Okay, and I'd like to thank both of you being my guests at this this edition of the Uplands World Podcast. I'd also like to strongly recommend that you get to see the show. Uh, it's a shame you only have one kind of one weekend to see it, but it's definitely worth seeing. And I you think they're in for a good time, Ethan?

SPEAKER_00 37:37

Yeah, um, I think uh I'll use good time loosely. I think you are gonna be in for um a very honest and humbling time, but uh it's time to just to step away from the world and just to be able to express joy at the end of the day. I think um I'm not gonna say that it's a raucous comedy here, but um it is meaningful, it is meaningful and heartfelt, and truly just this group of people. Uh, I don't know as a director if I've ever seen um people perform this way.

SPEAKER_01 38:10

We were talking, like I was talking to a couple castmates uh the other night of how, and I'm not trying to like dish any productions that I've ever been in, but how truly I don't think I've ever been in a production where everybody is on this insanely like high caliber of performance, like it is just insane. Um, and I'm grateful to be in a cast with every single one of those people.

SPEAKER_02 38:37

And I can try second second said, Emily, in that I've seen at least half the folks if not more interested in stuff and really good things that they've been into. So I'm looking forward to seeing it. Nathan, I cut you off. You have one other thing.

SPEAKER_00 38:49

I was just seconding that I was just agreeing. Like it's it's truly it's true, and it's not even like an honestly, it's not even a plug like come see the show, it's great. Like, honestly, if one person sees this show, which luckily more than one is at this point, um, but if one person sees the show and can be and feel from it and witness what's happening, it's worth it for me. Um, but it truly is just remarkable.

SPEAKER_02 39:08

Okay, well, anyway, guys, thank you very much for being my guest on this edition of the Blains Row Podcast. Look forward to seeing you in the show next week. That'd be great. See you guys.

SPEAKER_00 39:17

Thank you so much.