Head Over Heels at Footlighters Theater

Unlike the Go-Go's, our lips are NOT sealed, because we're talking about Head Over Heels at Footlighters Theater. We sat down with directors Joe Billetta and Ryan Polito about their vision (of nowness), and we learned all about the jukebox musicals the cast and crew would make about their lives. 

Head Over Heels will be playing at Footlighters' Theater from May 29 to June 7. For tickets and more information, visit: https://footlighterstheater.com/head-over-heels 

Transcript

SPEAKER_05 0:00

The Sneen. No, it's not the Sneen, Aliza. It's the snake scene. We're getting a divorce, children. Rehearsal tracks.

SPEAKER_06 0:24

Rehearsal tracks.

SPEAKER_05 0:27

Hello, and welcome to Rehearsal Tracks episode four. I'm Aliza Furman. And I'm Laura Donnelly, and today we're going to be talking about head over heels at Footlighters Theater in Berwyn. That's Berwin, Pennsylvania. Berwin. Well, they're all Pennsylvania. I didn't need to say that. We are talking about uh theater companies in the Greater Philadelphia area. I mean, what is the greater Philadelphia area?

SPEAKER_03 0:47

Where does the greater Philadelphia area end? I made a spreadsheet that included a few in Delaware and New Jersey, and Lara said absolutely not. I didn't say absolutely not. She said, go to hell. No. If you have set foot in New Jersey or Delaware, Lara only cares about Pennsylvania. She's actually never been outside of Pennsylvania.

SPEAKER_05 1:07

Notoriously, yes. I am someone who doesn't have a passport, has never considered leaving, like you know, Delco, Moncochesco area. Can you do the accent? No. But my friendly Osborne, who lives in Philadelphia, does a great one. Let me see if I can get her to record something and I'll insert it right here.

SPEAKER_12 1:25

Hi Hani. How you doing? This is rehearsal tracks.

SPEAKER_05 1:30

Go birds. What a fantastic and comforting accent. I am nowhere near that level of proficiency with the Philly accent. I'm no Kate Winslit in um Mayor of East Town. I haven't seen that. Murdered my daughter. It was the whole SNL skit, do you remember?

SPEAKER_03 1:47

I don't really really I don't consistently watch SNL.

SPEAKER_05 1:50

Eliza doesn't consume pop culture or anything.

SPEAKER_03 1:53

I just read books. Have you heard of them? I can't read. We're talking about Head Over Heels, uh, which is a Go's Jukebox musical based off of we really should have this information. I don't know anything. Uh Elisa, you're in it. So it is a Goco's jukebox musical that is adapted from the Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia, written by Sir Philip Sidney in the 16th century, and that last sentence was read directly off of Wikipedia. So no plagiarism here, kids. No, we are citing our sources.

SPEAKER_05 2:23

No AI. This is exciting because we did have our second episode where I was part of the cast, and now our fourth episode, Aliza is part of the cast. Congratulations, Eliza. Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_03 2:34

I'm having a lot of fun. This is my first show at Footlighters. Very dancy show, which is uh not something that is my usual ballywick bally whack. I don't know what you're talking about. I mean forte. Yeah, that I I was pronouncing it wrong. I do mean forte.

SPEAKER_05 2:54

Aliza the dancer. Aliza the tapper.

SPEAKER_03 2:57

Aliza the lyrical jazz or sizer. That's where yeah, I I I would do some lyrical jazz or size, more more so than tap about hip hop. Can you twerk? No. That's a shame. I know.

SPEAKER_05 3:08

I've got a lot to work with. But I've also heard that you have some killer biceps.

SPEAKER_03 3:12

I've heard that too. That's the word on the street.

SPEAKER_05 3:14

Word on the street is Aliza's biceps. Almost as big as your butt. Could knock you out, baby. So we were able to sit down with co-directors Joe Balletta and Ryan Polito. This is a fun one because there are two directors and they both excel at different things and they complement each other really well. So I'm really excited to see how their production comes to life. And of course, I'm excited to see you, Michael.

SPEAKER_03 3:38

Hey, listen, we I I watched a few of the choreo recordings that we took of rehearsal, and I was like, wow, when I remember my moves, I'm not terrible.

SPEAKER_05 3:47

You know, that's that's a pretty common feeling in community theater in general. When I remember the moves, yeah. Finally, I had the opportunity to go to a rehearsal with Elisa and um interview cast members. So I was an active participant this time and I feel very proud. And did you have fun? I had a great time. So much fun. So much fun. And let me tell you what, we started this as a way to get out of our seasonal depression, to feel more connected as friends, and to have a creative project that we felt expanded the community. And I truly and honestly started to feel that when I started talking to people that I had never met before, and I was asking them questions about their experiences, and it was great because if you think about it, you can only really participate in about three shows a year. At least that's what I feel is a healthy amount. And this is a great way to participate in more than three shows a year. I think we're gonna be talking to eight casts, and I'm meeting new people and getting out there and making connections, building the community, and building people up, which I think is a positive thing. So I'm very excited that I finally got to be part of the interviewing process, and I'm excited to share what the cast had to say about the show.

SPEAKER_03 4:57

But before we get into that, um I've already answered this because you brilliantly interviewed me in a jukebox musical about your life. What would the opening number be?

SPEAKER_05 5:09

Yeah, I thought about this and I think it would be Don't Stop Me Now by Queen.

SPEAKER_03 5:13

Oh, that's a good answer.

SPEAKER_05 5:15

Where I am right now, if the if the musical were to open right now, I think it would be Don't Stop Me Now. Now, it would not be a Queen Jukebox musical. Just starting with that. Just starts with that.

SPEAKER_03 5:28

Right, right.

SPEAKER_05 5:28

Now, not to be cliche or like annoying or dumb, but um it can never be any of those things. I'm about to be. Okay, cool. Um, I think I would, if I was gonna pick an artist to have a jukebox musical about my life, it would be Taylor Swift. It would be Taylor Swift. She just gets it. There's a song for everybody, there's a song for any phase of life that you're going through. And I sincerely believe that. I can 100% say that um the song Black Dog at one point related to my life, hardcore. I mean, enchanted. I mean, who didn't feel that way about your first crash, you know?

SPEAKER_03 6:07

And any of these is a wonderful, can't be bombastic, queer old time. I would love to know what is the genderbendiest role that you've ever played?

SPEAKER_05 6:21

I would say um it was in my high school production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, and I was the fairy puck. So pretty pretty pretty non-binary. See how I'm just ignoring you. Um pretty non-binary. Uh I think puck is traditionally played by a man or by a young boy. And I my sister played puck in high school. She is notoriously a man and a young boy. And um, yeah, I had a great time. I thought it was a perfect part for me. Oh, also in high school, in high school, I had a lot of gender-bent roles in high school. I played leading player in Pippin. Oh, cool. Yeah. Originated by Ben Vereen. And then in the revival, it was Patina Miller. So was that before or after the revival when you did it? Before the revival. Oh, she's a transsetter. I was a trendsetter. You're welcome, Patina Miller. The thing is, here's here's the thing. Let me tell you something about being a woman in the theater. You get cast as one of three things. Princess Anjin, you never done anything wrong in your entire life. A woman of the night. In there. Or like some kind of wife that may or may not be hot.

SPEAKER_03 7:33

I mean, if it's one of us playing, it just inherited it.

SPEAKER_05 7:36

It has to be. But it just is I will say it is a fairly recent development for me because also in high school, I played anybody's in West Side Story. So that's the tomboy. Yeah. Oh, okay. Oh, oh yeah, yeah, yeah. So actually, my high school career was pretty pretty gender-bended.

SPEAKER_03 7:53

We had a great time talking with Joe and Ryan. They're such delightful people. And you will hopefully have a great time listening to them. If not, you'll say, Oh, these guys have a lot of inside jokes. Um hopefully you will find them fun and not alienating.

SPEAKER_05 8:09

Or if you do find them alienating, you know what? Join a show. Okay. It's your own fault for not getting the jokes and your own fault for not knowing who we're talking about.

SPEAKER_03 8:17

And if you don't have inside jokes with us, man up and be our friends. Yeah. Or woman up. Actually, just person up. Person up and be our friends. Yeah. We've been asking you all to be our friends this whole time.

SPEAKER_05 8:28

This is why we're doing the podcast. So send us a message on at rehearsal tracks pod or send us an email at rehearsaltrackspod at gmail.com. Subject line. Be my friend. Be my friend. Please. We love you. Queencess. Oh Quincess. Disgusting. Disgusting. Anyway, thank you for listening. Let's take a listen to Joe and Ryan. Can you introduce yourselves and what you're working on?

SPEAKER_07 8:54

Hi, I'm Joseph Balletta. I'm one of the two directors of Head Over Heels here at Footlighters Theater in Berwyn, Pennsylvania.

SPEAKER_10 9:02

I am Ryan Polito. I am the other director of the two here with Head Over Heels.

SPEAKER_03 9:07

And which of you is the better director?

SPEAKER_07 9:09

Probably Ryan, to be honest.

SPEAKER_03 9:11

And based on what?

SPEAKER_07 9:12

I think he's more organized. I think I'm a little scatterbrained, and that's just kind of how I am. I don't think I could do this without Ryan. Ryan has been such a great collaborator.

SPEAKER_03 9:20

Ryan looks so scared right now.

SPEAKER_10 9:21

Well, I will say the opposite of that because I think I am organized almost to a point of failure at time where I am either overpacking rehearsals or underpacking and then having to fill stuff. But you know, this cast has been so great so far that it's all working out and making my job a lot easier.

SPEAKER_05 9:38

So we have a little Head Over Heels themed question for you. Since Head Over Heels is a jukebox musical, what would the opening number to a jukebox musical about your life be?

SPEAKER_07 9:48

Ooh, that's a good question.

SPEAKER_05 9:51

The synchronized, ooh, really does it for me. Not do it again, but harmonize. One, two, three.

SPEAKER_07 9:58

I do say we share a brain cell. A brain cell. A singular brain cell, and I have custody of it every other weekend, every other weekend, exactly.

SPEAKER_10 10:08

So the issue with me, as many people in my life will know, is I only know songs from musicals. To make it painfully ironic and take dancing on your grave from Alan Mankin's A Christmas Care.

SPEAKER_05 10:20

Alright. Dancing on your grave, and why does that resonate with you as the opening number for your jukebox musical about your life?

SPEAKER_10 10:26

You know, I think we still have to write that chapter. Oh, okay. Where I will literally dance in someone's grave.

SPEAKER_03 10:31

This is aspirational.

SPEAKER_10 10:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 10:32

Like it starts at the end. Yeah. Okay. Or that's gonna be a flashback.

SPEAKER_10 10:35

Maybe it's Elisa Dancing on my grave.

SPEAKER_03 10:37

Oh, but it's about your. I would have to do a lot of training to learn dancing to a degree that I would feel comfortable doing it upon your grave.

SPEAKER_07 10:44

It'll be a tap number.

SPEAKER_03 10:45

Oh, Jesus, I've never tapped before. All right, Joe.

SPEAKER_07 10:48

Well, I love Green Day, but they already have a juve boxing course for Green Day.

SPEAKER_03 10:52

Steal that you're doing it again.

SPEAKER_07 10:54

You know what? The song I really love, Still Breathing by Green Day, is a song I really love. It's not in their musical. So I could use that. That would be a good song. Still breathing by Green Day.

SPEAKER_05 11:03

We have another one that's cut over heels themed, which is, and I know the answer maybe for you to know.

SPEAKER_04 11:07

Because it's literally it's all he's talking about.

SPEAKER_05 11:09

It's all you're talking about. But what is the gender-bendiest role you've ever played?

SPEAKER_07 11:14

Well, currently at Footlighters, I'm playing the Duchess in Alice by Heart, and I get to do some pretty fun drag for that character.

SPEAKER_03 11:23

Is that traditionally a cross-dressing role?

SPEAKER_07 11:26

It is, it is. It's traditionally written to be a drag role, but I have seen it done with female presenting people playing Duchess. And I think it works either way, but it is fun to put on makeup and a crazy wig and shake my booty.

SPEAKER_05 11:38

I will say I saw Joe in Alice by Heart last weekend, and the costume does not disappoint. The wig is sky high. I I personally really enjoyed the touch of the mole on your face. Oh, thank you. That was my favorite bit. But also the panniers on your hips making you really.

SPEAKER_07 11:54

Oh yeah, my hips don't lie. Your hips do not lie.

SPEAKER_05 11:56

You know, that's the second time that's come up about hips don't lie. The first was full Monty, and now kind of head over heels. There are three jokes. There are three.

SPEAKER_10 12:05

It's a callback.

SPEAKER_03 12:06

Okay, Ryan, what is the gender-bungiest role you've ever played?

SPEAKER_10 12:09

Unless I'm forgetting something because I've recently cut a lot of stuff off my resume to make room. I've really only played traditionally masculine roles. What I have done a lot of is in the ensemble, either jumping on an alto or soprano line, because somehow I end up in shows where there's more tenors than altos, or putting on a dress and joining the women in a dance number.

SPEAKER_03 12:30

Oh, that counts. Where have you done that?

SPEAKER_10 12:32

Back in SpongeBob about two years ago, it was my second time doing that show.

SPEAKER_03 12:36

At Methacton?

SPEAKER_10 12:37

Yes, it was at Methacton.

SPEAKER_03 12:38

When did you wear a dress?

SPEAKER_10 12:39

During the tap number.

SPEAKER_03 12:41

Oh, that doesn't even count.

SPEAKER_10 12:43

I was in a full dress.

SPEAKER_05 12:46

It's Ryan's experience. It was okay, you're right.

SPEAKER_10 12:48

And I was and I believe, unless I'm forgetting anyone, besides me, it was just female presenting actors in that number. But I was the dance captain in that show. So they were like, guess you're wearing a dress.

SPEAKER_03 12:58

Because my logic is you're all anemone in that scene, right? Does an enemy even have a sex? Well, if they're personified. If they're wearing skirts, they're girls. Yeah.

SPEAKER_10 13:07

If the anemone so chooses, they can present however they wish.

SPEAKER_03 13:10

Right.

SPEAKER_05 13:10

And anemone of my enemy is my friend and I kiss those.

SPEAKER_03 13:16

Yes. We have three jokes.

SPEAKER_07 13:20

They're trying to record a podcast after.

SPEAKER_03 13:22

No, there's been a lot of that on this podcast. Okay. Editing the audio is nightmare noises.

SPEAKER_07 13:30

That's what Head Over Heels is all about.

SPEAKER_03 13:32

Okay, so it's a sint. What is Head Over Heels about?

SPEAKER_07 13:35

It's so hard to explain, but basically the Spark Notes version of it is there's this royal family, and they live under this famous beat that was gifted to them by the gods. And the king and queen want to get their oldest daughter married. She doesn't like any of the suitors. She doesn't know why. And then there's the younger daughter who is in love with her childhood best friend, who's a shepherd. The king doesn't think he's good enough. He tries to propose. And they're all in love with everyone. Yeah, it's it's there's a lot of love in this show. But yeah, so the male lead Musodorus dresses up to disguise himself to hide amongst the Arcadians. He dresses as a woman. He dresses as a woman, a little drag, a little drag action. Hijinks definitely ensue with all that, with everyone being like, ooh, you're kind of hot. It's a fun show. It's very campy. It's so hard to explain it. It's literally there's so many levels to the plot to explain, and it's just so wacky. I love it though.

SPEAKER_03 14:33

Something I didn't realize until after I actually started doing this. Now I obviously knew going into it, it is a Gogo's jukebox musical. I did not realize it was based off of a play.

SPEAKER_10 14:46

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 14:46

Like I believe, what is it, a 16th-century play?

SPEAKER_10 14:49

Yes, it is based off of Arcadia, which the beginning of the story is very closely matched to what is in our show, but it very quickly deviates with that and goes into a lot of LGBT themes which were not present in the original story. And I believe this was the first show to feature an openly non-binary character amongst its cast. I think so too. Which was not a part of the original story.

SPEAKER_07 15:13

I think the story is improved with all this uh representation. Without question.

SPEAKER_03 15:18

And I've read the synopsis of Arcadia, just you know, the Wikipedia synopsis. And it's from this era where all of the plays from this time period are man's in dress, woman's in pants. Oh my gosh, there's so many mix-ups. Like there is that gender thing going on there. It's just we're kind of bringing it to the modern era where we're like, no, it's not a man in a dress, it's somebody who's figuring out their gender identity.

SPEAKER_05 15:43

Which character do you most relate to and why?

SPEAKER_07 15:46

Personality-wise, I'd say maybe Pamela. I think Pamela is very outgoing, very over the top with herself. I just love Pamela.

SPEAKER_05 15:55

Alright, Ryan?

SPEAKER_10 15:56

The role of Demetis is the one that I'd probably relate to the most. He is the king's henchman, and throughout the entire show, he is sort of right about a lot of things he's telling to the king, but sort of wrong as well. He goes along with a lot of very bad ideas because he doesn't want to cause trouble, and he ends up overworking himself, burning out, and just basically crashing out halfway through the show. And there's just so much relatable about his character.

SPEAKER_03 16:24

Are you planning to crash out halfway through this show?

SPEAKER_10 16:26

I will at intermission every show.

SPEAKER_03 16:28

Oh, cool.

SPEAKER_10 16:30

Um, if you can get your costume changed on by then, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 16:33

Alright, cool. For context, I am in this show. She's in the show. We're gonna say that introduction, Eliza.

SPEAKER_05 16:38

But in our banter. Banter? Yes. I hardly know her. Shut up.

SPEAKER_07 16:42

I just want to backtrack. That's a third joke. Does anyone have the competti?

SPEAKER_05 16:49

What is the vibe of this show?

SPEAKER_07 16:51

A little teaser of the vision. We're kind of changing it up. We do things a little different here at Footlighters Theater, just like a millennial burger bar. So we're setting head over heels more in a nightclub rave-esque venue.

SPEAKER_05 17:05

My favorite environment.

SPEAKER_07 17:07

Costuming is going to be more reminiscent of Renaissance elements mixed with modern nightclub fashion and rave fashion. I'd say the vibe of this show is very campy. It does not take itself too seriously, as most jukebox musicals do.

SPEAKER_05 17:21

So that would explain why Aliza is wearing a bright orange dress.

SPEAKER_03 17:26

I literally wore this to work today. This was just my work clothes, but the makeup. The makeup, but that's what I was playing next to.

SPEAKER_05 17:30

Wait, you don't do the makeup work?

SPEAKER_03 17:32

I mean, I only have so much time in the morning.

SPEAKER_05 17:33

Yeah. Aliza is wearing some emerald green eyeshadow with a nice blue line on her lower lash line. It's drawn out past her brows, and it is quite striking. So if you get a chance to stop by Footlighter's Instagram and take a look at promo photos, you might see Aliza as she's maquillaged today. That's a French word for makeup. So that's the vibe. Nightclub Renaissance. Renaissance nightclub.

SPEAKER_10 17:59

My personal touch to that, as I've been taking a lot of the set design into my hands, is I want everything to glow during scene changes. We don't have any actual set changes in the show. It is one solid structure where I'm using lighting to change all the scenes because there's pretty much two locations in the show. Instead of scene changes, we are having our quartet of dancers basically take over all the scene changes.

SPEAKER_03 18:23

Cool, I didn't know that.

SPEAKER_10 18:24

I told you that day one.

SPEAKER_03 18:26

Now this is making sense. So I was inexplicably cast as a featured dancer in this show, and I probably consider myself a one and a half threat, and dancing is not in that list.

SPEAKER_05 18:37

She's a strong mover.

SPEAKER_03 18:38

Now I think it's because I have big burly muscles and they're like and move a set.

SPEAKER_10 18:46

And that's why she gets to carry bodies off in this show.

SPEAKER_03 18:50

I do carry bodies. You do. I'm now changing my upper body routine because I really hurt my wrist. Oh no.

SPEAKER_05 18:55

Poor delicate.

SPEAKER_03 18:58

You're not really hurting.

SPEAKER_07 19:00

Wait till you see those big muscles in the promo photos. Those big oh.

SPEAKER_03 19:04

I have guns. People don't believe me. I've been telling Lara's been telling everyone that I don't have muscles.

SPEAKER_05 19:10

That's not true. I've been telling everyone that your ass is the fattest I've ever seen. Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 19:14

I'm like always talking about my butt. And no one talks about my massive biceps. All right, I'm gonna talk about your biceps now.

SPEAKER_10 19:19

I will say I don't talk about your butt.

SPEAKER_03 19:21

I appreciate that. I'm a director, I appreciate it.

SPEAKER_05 19:23

You're not allowed to.

SPEAKER_03 19:24

Fucking man. Literally, why are we here at the surprise? That's inappropriate, Ryan. Question. How much did you know about the go-go's before getting involved with the show?

SPEAKER_10 19:34

Ooh, just about nothing. This was a show that Joe had pushed forward at theater that I got brought on to. And when I first heard about this show from Joe telling me his whole concept for this, I immediately looked up the Go-Go's music and realized I knew two songs of theirs. Luckily, both of those songs are in the show, that being We Got the Beats and Heaven's Place on Earth. What I discovered is that although those are very good songs, they are probably my least favorite songs of the Go-Go's, as this whole album, both the Head Over Heels version and the Go-Go's version, are now in my normal playlists.

SPEAKER_05 20:09

What's your favorite?

SPEAKER_10 20:09

Probably Head Over Heels.

SPEAKER_05 20:10

Can we get a little Head Over Heels from you, Ryan? Five, six, seven, eight.

SPEAKER_10 20:15

I think you should know your lyrics for that. Head over heels. Oh dear. Where should I go? Can't stop myself.

SPEAKER_05 20:21

It's slam poetry now.

SPEAKER_10 20:23

Yes.

SPEAKER_05 20:23

Got it. Out of control.

SPEAKER_10 20:24

No, uh keep going.

SPEAKER_05 20:26

At least it's taking over for you. Uh you literally do. This is community theater.

SPEAKER_10 20:31

I'm not singing in this.

SPEAKER_03 20:32

You're not singing in this? No. Oh, okay. He's learning all the dances, though, just in case.

SPEAKER_10 20:37

Yeah. And I'm feeling it today.

SPEAKER_03 20:39

All right. Did you know a lot about the guru's beforehand, Joe?

SPEAKER_07 20:42

I did definitely listen to them growing up on the radio a lot, but as far as a lot of lore behind them, their band lore and stuff, I didn't know too much about them. First time I actually saw Head Over Heels the musical was 2024. So it's a newer show in my brain. But when I saw it, I was like, why are more community theaters not doing this show? It's awesome.

SPEAKER_05 21:01

Why does this show work well for community theater?

SPEAKER_07 21:03

Backtracking about how it does not take itself too seriously. It's a really fun show. I think it's a really good message, especially in our current day where we really need more LGBTQ representation in theater and in general. It's just a really enjoyable show. It's recognizable. People know the go-go's. People are going to come see the show for that music. People are going to come see it to celebrate Pride Month because some of our shows are during Pride Month. I think it's a really wonderful opportunity and it lends itself really well to a community theater setting.

SPEAKER_03 21:34

So this is both of your directorial debuts, as I understand. What made you want to get into directing?

SPEAKER_07 21:40

Well, I've assistant directed one show before. I kind of wanted another experience at trying directing out. What made me want to kind of get into directing is just kind of to try something different. I always perform. Even if I've been on production staff, I've also been in the show. So it's kind of nice to take a step back and just see what we can create as directors. It's exhausting work. It is hard, but it's been fun so far.

SPEAKER_05 22:04

Ryan?

SPEAKER_10 22:04

So I have either in like a community theater setting or in a professional setting, I've worked in a lot of different roles in theater. I've worked as a stage manager. I did for like two years for youth theaters and I've done it for community theaters. I've choreographed shows, I've danced capped in so many, and every time I've done that, it's helped me as an actor. Whenever I've worked as a choreographer, it's helped me either pick up choreography better or understand choreography more. When I worked as a stage manager, it helped me be more organized as an actor. So I thought this was a good step to help me understand this side of acting more, being able to see it on this end.

SPEAKER_03 22:44

What has been the most exciting thing about being a director?

SPEAKER_07 22:46

I think the most exciting thing about a director is just like when you have an idea and it actually clicks on stage. I actually choreographed one of the lighter choreographed numbers of the show. And it just does feel really rewarding. I also am really passionate about acting and getting to help people create their characters and guide them as actors is something I really like about directing. And also I'm the co-costumer, so getting to just design some of these costumes with Linda Ryan's mom, who's our other costumer. It's been so much fun. Some of these costumes are so campy and so silly, and I'm actually really excited about some of them.

SPEAKER_10 23:32

I'll preface my answer with the cast we have here is amazing.

SPEAKER_03 23:37

It's true.

SPEAKER_10 23:38

It's a lot of people from a lot of different experience levels. We have some people who have done professional work, some people who haven't done a show since they've graduated high school, but all of them are putting so much work in. And the thing that I have loved the most about this so far is how willing they are to take an idea that I have and just turn it up to like 11. One moment in particular. It's normally such a tiny moment in the show where the script says, a giant snake comes on stage. I'm sitting there reading the script for the first time, and my first thought is, oh, that's cool. My second thought is I have to make a giant snake now. So I end up casting three of our actors as puppeteers for a giant snake, and the second that I hand them a snake head and 24 feet of a snake body, I give them about 10 seconds of instruction and then just they do the rest themselves. No notes needed, they just knew what I wanted to do and just went for it.

SPEAKER_05 24:35

That's awesome and kind of ties into another one of our questions, which is what scene are you most looking forward to? Would you say the snake scene is one of your favorites? The Sene. No, it's not the Sene, Aliza, it's the snake scene. Artistic differences.

SPEAKER_09 24:50

It's the Sneen. We're getting a divorce, children. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_05 24:53

I'm gonna get married to Ryan. He agrees with me.

SPEAKER_10 24:55

Oh just kidding. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_05 24:58

Joe, I guess that leaves you and me.

SPEAKER_10 25:00

So the snake puppet is one very cool moment.

SPEAKER_05 25:04

I am gonna kill you.

SPEAKER_10 25:06

Just snuff it.

SPEAKER_05 25:09

Continue, Ryan.

SPEAKER_10 25:11

But the scene directly after that, which is the big entrance for the character of Pythia, is my favorite one that I've done so far because I was going for a Medusa vibe with this, with basically having all of our little ensemble snake being statues and slowly coming to life. And it's just another one of those moments where I gave them this really weird instruction where I know me as an actor, if I was given that, my first thought would be, what did I just sign up for? But they have taken this idea and just turned it into something better than I could have possibly come up with on my own, and it just works so well.

SPEAKER_05 25:46

This is all very exciting. Nightclub, rave, renaissance, Medusa, mythology, snakes. Also owls and sheep. Also, Eliza is Aliza, who do you play in this show?

SPEAKER_03 25:58

I uh excuse me. Oh, yes, all right. Go ahead. You know, I play with heart strings. I play okay.

SPEAKER_07 26:06

Period, girl. No, Eliza, who do you play in the show?

SPEAKER_03 26:10

I play ensemble slash featured dancer slash owelette. Owelette. Yeah, I'm gonna get very sweaty and I'm gonna be a moist owelette.

SPEAKER_05 26:19

Yummy.

SPEAKER_06 26:20

Thank you, Joe.

SPEAKER_05 26:21

I don't like anything that was just said.

SPEAKER_06 26:23

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 26:24

All right, Joe. Joe, what's your favorite scene? What scene are you looking forward to the most?

SPEAKER_07 26:29

Currently, the poetry scene, Pamela delivers some very, very fun poetry. And I that's all I'm gonna say about that. You gotta come see the show to see what I mean. But it's a little bit.

SPEAKER_03 26:40

It's very good.

SPEAKER_07 26:41

It's very great. It's wonderful. Don't forget kids to see this show. Don't take the kid now. This is this is this is this is a no.

SPEAKER_03 26:49

So why do you guys do community theater?

SPEAKER_10 26:51

My first community show was right after I graduated high school.

SPEAKER_03 26:56

Which was two months ago.

SPEAKER_10 27:00

I graduated college, thank you very much.

SPEAKER_03 27:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_10 27:03

And I was going to a school that didn't really have the best theater program, and after spending more time there, I learned I was right to kind of avoid it. I wanted to stick to the stuff I liked in theater, which was getting just perform the kinds of shows I wanted. At the time, I wasn't too caught up in super deep characters and all that stuff, so I saw a listing at this theater actually at Foot Lighter's Theater, where they were looking for a few extra dancers for Spongebob the musical. And I just was like, well, I have nothing better to do, and put in a submission for it, and I got cast in it, and I just fell in love with the atmosphere here.

SPEAKER_07 27:41

Joseph? I started doing theater in high school. I got really passionate about it, and my friend Deanna actually encouraged me to come out for a production at the Barn Playhouse. I ended up getting a lead in this community theater show, and I was just like, wow, I love this. This is a lot of fun. So I kept auditioning for community theater. And I've now been in the community theater circuit probably going on 10 years right now, because I started when I was 16 and I'm turning 26 this year.

SPEAKER_03 28:05

So how do you feel like doing community theater serves you in your outside of community theater lives?

SPEAKER_10 28:12

I feel that it's helped me just as a person. The more you get up on stage in front of people, the more confident you become. I, for one, don't have many public speaking fears like a lot of people do, and I think that's partially because every other week I'm on stage in front of a couple hundred people. I feel like you just burn yourself out of those nerves.

SPEAKER_07 28:33

One thing I'll say about doing community theater is it's good exercise. I'd be moving, I'd be grooving, I'd be up there on that stage, sweating a lot. The past two shows I've done, I've been told by my castmates how excessively sweaty I was. To answer it more seriously, community theater, I feel like helps me just stay social and meet wonderful people. I love collaborating. I love meeting great artists, I love making friends.

SPEAKER_05 28:57

And along those lines, of all the people that you've met, who would you say is your community theater hero?

SPEAKER_07 29:03

Well, I mean, Laura Donnelly is pretty wonderful, but I I think I'm I I I think I gotta give it to Wait, that's not your answer? Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 29:13

Present company excluded. Okay, present company excluded.

SPEAKER_07 29:15

Present company excluded. Not everyone who's in the room. Bill Gilbertson, who is the treasurer of this theater, he's also our basilius in the show. He's a big reason I've come back to Footlighters. He is such a sweet man, so wonderful, such a dear friend. He really pushed me to come back for more shows here after I did my first one here. And now I'm on show number 13. Uh I will say Bill has been very impactful in my life.

SPEAKER_10 29:39

When I did SpongeBob here, our Spongebob, his name was John D. Ferdinando. He is the most talented man I've had the pleasure of working with, not once, but on multiple occasions. He is a former equity actor and is just a great person, but he's the person who helped me get more involved in community theater. When we were working in Spongebob together, he was helping me find other places, doing shows I was interested in, other shows he thought I'd be good for. He directed Disaster here a few years ago and ended up casting in the ensemble and really pushed me. He knew what I was interested in as an actor and was helping push me to get better at those things. So he's someone who will always have my respect for that.

SPEAKER_03 30:22

I worked with him in the prom, and he's a delight.

SPEAKER_10 30:25

Oh, John is so good in that show, too. John's the goat. Love him.

SPEAKER_05 30:28

Who did he play in the prom?

SPEAKER_10 30:29

Barry.

SPEAKER_05 30:30

Oh, yeah, he was good. John Twitter.

SPEAKER_10 30:32

He was um R George, and she loves me when I played RPAT as well. He is phenomenally talented.

SPEAKER_05 30:38

Robert Pattinson? No. Don't feed it. Ignore, ignore. You guys have both been in the theater community for several years, since your teenage years. We're wondering if there's a theater that you haven't yet done a show at that you would really like to work at.

SPEAKER_10 30:54

I have performed at effectively every non-professional theater within a 45-minute radius of me over the past few years, but there are a lot of theaters that are just outside that radius that I'm kind of waiting for like the right show to come up for to make that unpaid commute worth it. I've gone an hour drive for shows before when it's been the perfect show. I did newsies over at Players Club of Swalhmore about a year and a half, two years ago, and that was such an amazing experience because there were so many professional dancers who came out for that show who just wanted to do newsies. But there's so many theaters like where Lara's doing Sweeney right now that I've seen so many amazing productions with.

SPEAKER_07 31:35

I've always seen really beautiful things come out of Upper Derby Summer Stage. I was like, their venue looks really pretty.

SPEAKER_05 31:42

I have a question though. Is that considered community theater? It is, yeah.

SPEAKER_07 31:45

It is their summer productions. I believe they cap at 28 years old. Okay. They do cap it out of youth community theater. It is. I've considered going out for some of their stuff. It just has never worked within my schedule. I was always in another show that would have conflicted. But I would love to do something there before I get too old. It looks like a very wonderful theater. It is huge. I've done a lot of shows at a lot of different theaters in the area, so there's not too many I haven't been at yet.

SPEAKER_05 32:11

How about a theater you'd like to direct at?

SPEAKER_10 32:13

I've considered it at most of the theaters I've worked with, and the thing that I like about community theaters is most of them are not in buildings that were designed to be theaters. So you get so many different types of stages to work with.

SPEAKER_03 32:27

You're saying that, and I am picturing you working that pole in next to normal and cavalier sheaf.

SPEAKER_10 32:33

But I did work that pole.

SPEAKER_05 32:35

Oh no, that was absolutely a positive. It was an admiring statement. Yeah. Brian is uh flicking his hair.

SPEAKER_10 32:42

But it more will come down to what show I want to do.

SPEAKER_03 32:47

As our final question, we would love it if you could please compliment our podcast in the style of complimenting a friend who was just in a show that was not very good.

SPEAKER_07 32:57

You guys look like you had a lot of fun up there talking.

SPEAKER_05 33:02

We always have so much fun, and I really enjoy sharing the stage with Eliza. I think that we have such great chemistry. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 33:09

I think we just are poised and everything is really, really, really, really professional. Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 33:13

You guys look like you were having a wonderful time. It looks like you guys worked really hard.

SPEAKER_05 33:18

Thank you. Thank you so much. Brian, what did you think? You're really quiet.

SPEAKER_10 33:21

I've been sitting there whole time. The one thing I've been thinking is where did you get these microphones from? Because I see so many shows. Their mics are just not where yours are.

SPEAKER_05 33:31

Oh my god, thank you so much for noticing. We bought them off of Amazon. Yeah, they're really cheap.

SPEAKER_10 33:37

You know, I wouldn't have noticed.

SPEAKER_05 33:38

Oh my God, thank you so much, you guys. Thank you so much, Ryan and Joe. We had a great time speaking with you about your vision and the process. Up next, let's listen to what the cast and crew had to say about this unique take on Head Over Heels.

SPEAKER_04 33:56

My name is Carly Bonanno, and I am the music director. Oh my gosh, how fortuitous.

SPEAKER_05 34:01

Okay, so you should be the expert on this one. Which artist's music would you most like to use in a jukebox musical about your life?

SPEAKER_04 34:08

Would it be crazy if I said a Charlie XCX musical? Uh, I would love a Charlie XTX musical.

SPEAKER_05 34:13

Which Charlie XTX song do you think most resonates with your lived experiences?

SPEAKER_04 34:19

I would have to say girl. Girl, girl. Because really, when you think about it, it is so confusing to be a girl.

SPEAKER_05 34:25

It's so confusing. I'm it's really hard. It's really hard. Okay. And would your Charlie XTX jukebox musical follow your life events?

SPEAKER_04 34:34

I think I would elaborate and exaggerate my experience. I think that's a great call. I think also like when I tell stories about things I've been through, I think that's already kind of what I'm doing.

SPEAKER_05 34:44

Uh absolutely. And can I just say that is the core experience of being a girl? Yeah. Girl.

SPEAKER_04 34:51

Girl.

SPEAKER_05 34:52

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 34:54

Have you ever played a gender-bent role before? I have actually. Yeah? Yeah. I played JD and Heather.

SPEAKER_05 35:01

Oh my gosh. Um no, it's not crazy. It's actually phenomenal. Where was this production?

SPEAKER_04 35:05

This was at my school. Well, my college, Cutz Town. It was my freshman year. I was like really shook at the casting. I wasn't expecting it. It was unique. It was unique. I can I can see that. Yeah. Talk to me about the music for the show. Well, of course, it's all music by the Go Go's. It's very exciting to see how it was adapted to fit the ensemble of the show. It's very high energy majority of the time. Also, something I wasn't prepared for is how there's literally ensemble in every single song. Even if it's technically a principal song, there's still oohs and ahs, which has been super fun, honestly, for me. I feel like I've had so much fun with the cast teaching the music, and the cast is extremely talented. Anything else you want to say about the show? Well, I would have to say you must come see it, everybody. Obviously. Yeah, obviously. Abbi duh. Abhi duh. Girl. So can if you're saying it's sometime.

SPEAKER_12 36:01

Yeah. I am Mia McDermott. I am playing Philoklea. And who is Philoklea? Philoklea is the younger sister of Pamela, the daughter of the king and queen. She is definitely the goody two shoe, good girl vibe of a younger sister, but she definitely comes into her own.

SPEAKER_05 36:21

Do you relate to Philoklea at all, or is there someone else in the show that you relate to a little strongly?

SPEAKER_12 36:26

It would probably be Philoklea. I personally am an eldest sister, so I kind of see Pamela's point of view, but I have a 10-year-old sister at home. So definitely combining that relationship with Pamela and Philoklea is very similar. What's the most gender-bendy role you've ever played? Does Cat in the Hat count?

SPEAKER_05 36:42

Oh, 100%. That is a non-binary character.

SPEAKER_12 36:45

True. I played Cat and the Hat in Susical, and I also played John Darling in Peter Pan when I was very young. I like that. Very young.

SPEAKER_05 36:53

Is John Darling the one that starts the following the leader?

SPEAKER_12 36:56

He's the one with the top hat. Yeah. And like the umbrella.

SPEAKER_05 36:59

Yeah. Okay. Very follow the energy. Yes. Very follow the energy. Okay. And what do you think audiences are going to like most about this show?

SPEAKER_12 37:05

I think audiences are going to love the energy. I think this cast is very tight knit, and I think it does show itself on the stage. It's very different. You know, we are setting it in a very different setting than it's normally done in, which is really exciting.

SPEAKER_00 37:21

I am Tommy Molaterno. I am playing Musidorus. It's been a while since I've done a comedic musical, and I've never done anything with this specific style of dialogue. Not technically Shakespeare, but in that kind of style. It's the highest I've ever had to sing for a role ever. So that's E5.

SPEAKER_03 37:39

Okay, well. What music group or musician would you choose to plumb the discography for for Reggie Boxing to call out your life?

SPEAKER_00 37:47

Ed Sheeran, maybe.

SPEAKER_03 37:49

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 37:49

Or I Love Noble Khan.

SPEAKER_03 37:51

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 37:52

Although he's kind of depressing.

SPEAKER_03 37:53

Do you feel like that reflects your life?

SPEAKER_00 37:56

I don't know about depressing. It's been a little hard at some points, but like, yeah, I think Ed Shean as a whole.

SPEAKER_03 38:02

And is there a song from Ed Shearan that you would choose to be the opening number?

SPEAKER_00 38:06

Castle on a Hill, I think.

SPEAKER_03 38:08

My name is Elisa Furman. I am playing ensemble slash featured dancer slash owelette.

SPEAKER_05 38:16

Okay. And what would the opening number to a jukebox musical about your life be?

SPEAKER_03 38:22

I came up with this question.

SPEAKER_05 38:23

You did. And you usually have such good answers.

SPEAKER_03 38:26

And I've been asking everyone this question.

SPEAKER_05 38:29

And I'm shocked that no one has come up with this response, which is oh no, radio silence. Come on, Elisa.

SPEAKER_03 38:38

So here's the thing.

SPEAKER_05 38:39

We started off a runs.

SPEAKER_03 38:40

Yeah, so actually it would be Kelly Clark saying it would be Since You've Been Gone. Okay. Um and it would be about the you and this. Now the you and this. What does it mean about the you and this? The since you've been gone. Oh, so the you in this instance since you've been gone would be I can breathe for the first time would be this corset that I'm currently wearing.

SPEAKER_05 38:59

I gotta say, Aliza is snatched to the high heavens. Dear God, the hourglass is rocking. And if you don't come for anything else, come for Elisa's figure.

SPEAKER_03 39:10

There are a lot of people who come for Elisa's figure. We know, Elisa. We know.

SPEAKER_05 39:15

Oh God. The most maniacal and like uncomfortable laugh I've ever seen. Direct contact. So mouth so wide, I saw her uvula.

SPEAKER_03 39:25

A lot of people have seen my uvula.

SPEAKER_05 39:28

I hope not. Uvula. No mevula. That's a joke worthy of you. So Kelly Clarkson, is that a real answer or a fake answer?

SPEAKER_03 39:38

Um, that's the answer I'm giving. I can't off the top of my head pull any other Kelly Clarkson songs out of my mouth.

SPEAKER_05 39:47

Or uvula.

SPEAKER_03 39:48

Or uvula. Uvula is not an orifice. It is an orifice.

SPEAKER_05 39:51

Whatever. You always have to be so pedantic. Okay. Have you ever played a gender-bent role?

SPEAKER_03 39:57

Well, yes, I have. Okay, which one? Um, so I was in a production of Twelfth Night the Musical, and I played Viola slash Cesario. Viola dresses up as her believed to be dead twin brother, and she does this by putting on the universal symbol of malehood, which is a hat of the two genders, our hat and no hat.

SPEAKER_05 40:20

Of course.

SPEAKER_03 40:21

It was a musical adaptation, it's also a you know, more modern, more contemporary production. And so similarly to Headover Heels, it leans a little bit more heavily into the gender-bent themes of this quite old play. So yeah, I wore a hat. And in doing so, I became a man.

SPEAKER_04 40:38

Wow.

SPEAKER_03 40:39

And then I took the hat off and I became a woman again. And it just goes to show that gender.

SPEAKER_05 40:45

I hardly know her. No, I okay. And are you more a Viola or a Cesario?

SPEAKER_03 40:53

That's a complicated question because they're kind of one and the same. I would say that I'm more the Cesario because Cesario is a man and therefore would have a podcast.

SPEAKER_05 41:02

That is so true. What do you think audiences are gonna like most about this direction?

SPEAKER_03 41:06

I mean, it's a show that I had never heard of, it's a show that a lot of people that I've spoken to have never heard of, and it's also just fucking wild. I think it's gonna just be really high energy and really fun if we've started choreo rehearsals and it's killing me. Yeah, that's the act one closer of my Jukebox musical. Yeah, and it's not Kelly Clarkson. I didn't say it was a Kelly Clarkson Jackson musical.

SPEAKER_05 41:30

Oh, just that Kelly Clarkson song would be the opening number. Yeah. Would you like to compliment my interviewing style like a friend who's seen a friend in a really bad show?

SPEAKER_03 41:38

I can tell you put a lot of work into this. I am so impressed. I mean, uh, listening to how this all came together, all the all the work you put into it. So much work. It really, you can see the effort. It looks like you're trying. That is so you're doing great.

SPEAKER_11 41:55

All right, bye, Elisa. I'm Emmy Angst and I am playing Pamela.

SPEAKER_03 42:01

And what are you most excited for for the show?

SPEAKER_11 42:03

Oh my god, belting my face off. All the dancing, all the belting, all the emotion. Can I have a great time?

SPEAKER_03 42:08

What song are you most excited to belt your face off upon?

SPEAKER_11 42:11

Honestly, probably beautiful, because it happens right away. Right.

SPEAKER_03 42:14

If you were to make a jukebox musical of your life, what would the opening number be?

SPEAKER_11 42:18

Wait, okay, so I actually wrote a paper about this in college.

SPEAKER_03 42:20

You're the first person who knows the answer, like right off the top of it.

SPEAKER_11 42:23

No, okay, so I would marry all of the 1975's discography because they're my favorite band. The opening number specifically, oh, it has to be a banger. Either it's not living if it's not with you or robbers right out the gate.

SPEAKER_03 42:37

Okay. And what is the gender-bendiest role you've ever played?

SPEAKER_11 42:41

I mean, I've been straight up guys in musicals.

SPEAKER_03 42:44

I'm trying to think of Are we talking like the classic? We need some more toys to fill out the ensemble kind of thing.

SPEAKER_11 42:49

Yeah, absolutely. But if we're talking like gender fluid and we're just talking not just male to female, I was definitely a jungle of nool citizen in Suzical, and I feel like that is non-bioneary as it comes.

SPEAKER_03 42:59

Yeah, sure. Yeah, non-binary icons.

SPEAKER_11 43:02

Yes, jungle of nool citizen. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_13 43:06

My name is JJ Trainer, and I'm playing Moxa. I think I'm most excited for Automatic Rainy Day, which is one of my duets with Emmy, just because I love that song. Regardless of it being in the show, I love the go-go's. I love that song. I just really want to go crazy and yell at the woman I love on stage. I think it's fun.

SPEAKER_03 43:24

That's beautiful. Yeah, because what is love but yelling at exactly stage? If you're not a man, not a straight. This is true. What is what is love for the girls and gays?

SPEAKER_13 43:37

I would say, what is love if not being yelled at by a woman you love?

SPEAKER_03 43:41

That's really good. That's good. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. And that's feminism.

SPEAKER_13 43:45

And that's feminism.

SPEAKER_03 43:46

Yeah, and this is an especially fun question to ask somebody who is currently playing a character that is not your gender identity, and someone who is currently wearing a bracelet that says tranny on it. Um what is the gender? Bendiest role you've ever played.

SPEAKER_13 44:01

The gender bendiest role I've ever played was actually my first role in community theater. I played a chorus girl named Midge. It was an ice work if you can get it. She was a flapper. I basically flashed my panties on stage several times. It was beautiful. It was uh the longest hair I've ever had in recent years, and I looked amazing. And every night I would get off stage and be like, Alright guys, we're done. We finished. After being like, I'm baby buddy! Like that was I was a flapper, my name was Nit. And I walk off and be like, Alright, guys, I'm done.

SPEAKER_02 44:30

You gruff.

SPEAKER_13 44:30

You're like scratching your scratching my balls.

SPEAKER_02 44:33

Yeah. My name is Lee Fenimore, and I am a sheep.

SPEAKER_05 44:40

Okay, and are you uh talking sheep or is it animal noises only?

SPEAKER_02 44:44

I feel like for the sheep scenes, I will only be making sheep noises.

SPEAKER_05 44:48

Could we get a preview?

SPEAKER_02 44:52

Sorry. That was pretty good. Thank you. That was better than what I would be able to do. I've been working on it, but I I panicked under pressure. Are you are you going method? Are you going out into the sheep fields of Chester County? You know, that is a really solid idea. Um, I haven't thought much about that because to be honest, I am more into a cow roll in the past. I've been a cow for raves before, so I've never been a sheep before.

SPEAKER_05 45:13

Could we get a cow noise? Um wow. I felt like there might have been some kind of bovine creature nearby. Thank you. Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 45:22

My mom was a cow and I'm half cow, actually, vibers. My mom's a cow. That was actually so messed up.

SPEAKER_05 45:28

Should I have said dad? Oh no. Lise mom, she didn't mean it like that. I did not. I did not, mom. I love you. Okay. And what are you most looking forward to in this production?

SPEAKER_02 45:37

Honestly, just being in it. This is so much fun. I'm having the time of my life, and I am definitely gonna be trying out for more musicals after this because I'm having a great time.

SPEAKER_05 45:46

Well, we're excited that you're joining the community theater. What are you most excited for audiences to see?

SPEAKER_02 45:51

I think they're really going to like how the directors chose to make it more of a rave vibe than a medieval vibe. I think that's gonna resonate really hard with all of our age group, which is probably gonna be a lot of people coming to this show, you know, 20s to 30s. I don't know. I think it's just gonna be so fun and bright and colorful.

SPEAKER_14 46:12

My name is Julie Bauer, and I am in the ensemble, also as a featured dancer and a snake puppeteer.

SPEAKER_05 46:20

Which artist's music would you most like to use in the jukebox musical about your life?

SPEAKER_14 46:24

Madonna's music. Because I grew up in the 80s and knew all her songs and went through all her phases. Lots of interesting songs to choose from.

SPEAKER_05 46:34

Is there a particular song song that you feel resonates closely to your own lived experiences?

SPEAKER_14 46:39

Um, I would say get into the groove because it's so fun and freeing and danceable, and that's kind of how I live my life.

SPEAKER_01 46:49

My name is Nick Papert. I'm Dematus. Most excited to hit the stage for the first time in five years. Um, it's been a minute, but I'm the show is fascinating. The script is bizarre and I love it.

SPEAKER_03 46:59

If you were to make a jukebox musical about your life, what would the opening number be?

SPEAKER_01 47:03

That is a fascinating question.

SPEAKER_03 47:04

Um, he's media trained.

SPEAKER_01 47:07

Downfall of us all by a data remember.

SPEAKER_03 47:09

Okay. Asking this question has really made me realize that I don't know music or what songs are called.

unknown 47:16

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_01 47:16

You probably know it. Big emo hit from the 2000s. You've definitely heard it.

SPEAKER_03 47:20

Okay, great.

SPEAKER_08 47:21

I am Tyler Polito and I am playing Ensemble and Sheep Ensemble.

SPEAKER_05 47:25

Now you wouldn't happen to be brother of our dear director, Ryan Polito, would you?

SPEAKER_08 47:30

I am both brother of our dear director Ryan and son of our costumer Linda. So it's not nepotism, I swear.

SPEAKER_05 47:38

Sounds like nepotism to me. Which artist's music would you most like to use in a jukebox musical about your life?

SPEAKER_08 47:44

I would have to say Queen. Queen is my favorite band, and I think it's the music, both it's operatic and rock, and I know there is a musical based on it, but it's terrible.

SPEAKER_05 47:54

What's the musical based on Queen's music?

SPEAKER_08 47:55

It's We Will Rock You. It is horrible. It is one of the worst musicals exist, and it's a shame because I love I feel like Queen has such a pop, rock, operatic, ballad kind of thing where you can still tell story, but the first attempt was a terrible one. So I'd love to see them give another go at that.

SPEAKER_05 48:13

Hot take, you've heard it here first. What do you think audiences will be the most excited about for the show?

SPEAKER_08 48:18

I think being a jukebox musical, it's always gonna be the music itself, but I think, especially with our choreographer Karen, she is out of this world. It's not typical choreo, you're not gonna see kind of ballet stuff, but it is the most energetic, crazy, fast-paced stuff. I think people are really gonna be surprised with that.

SPEAKER_05 48:38

We've got someone try to sabotage his brother's interview. Ryan, what are you doing here?

SPEAKER_10 48:42

I I will not answer any questions.

SPEAKER_05 48:44

Oh man. Cop out. All right. Thank you again, Ryan and Joe, and the cast and crew of Head Over Heels, for taking the time to speak with us. You can catch this show May 29th through June 7th at Footlighters Theater in Berwyn. You can purchase tickets or find more information on their website, footlighterstheater.com, or you can follow them on Instagram at Footlighters Theater. Rehearsal Tracks is mixed and edited by us, Laura Donnelly and Aliza Furman. Lauren Grondel is our set dresser, and Dana Weinstein is our chief gift officer. If you'd like to get in contact with us, you can send us email at rehearsaltrackspod at gmail.com, or you can follow us on Instagram at rehearsal trackspod. Thanks again for listening.