Relying On The Kindness of "Not So" Strangers

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to attend a press event at one of my favorite places, Feinstein's 54 Below.  If you really follow the podcast, then you may have heard one of my many conversations from my favorite banquet in town. The space is always magical, and on this particular day it bordered on being miraculous.  I quickly rushed to set up for the amazing back to back interviews with Tony Award winners Brian Stokes Mitchell and Lea Salonga, Tony Award nominee Marin Mazzie and her fabulously talented, award winning, husband, the amazing Jason Danieley.

As I brilliantly ended what I thought was my last interview, I got very excited because I came with my editing equipment,  and I knew that I had some downtime before the singing performances began to download my FABULOUS interviews.  Well, there was NOTHING on my recorder.

 I literally felt my entire heart just sink.  I say that because I talked to these people truly from the heart, and I was certain it was recording.  During my inner panic, I calmly called over to the publicist who put the event together and told him my plight.  I also decided to go to the Zen place within me.  I just spent about 20 mins talking to some of the most amazing people working in the biz. To have Jason say that he was rooting for my insane campaign to be the host of the Tonys, meant EVERYTHING!  Catching up with Lea about her life as a working mom with an extraordinary gig is awesome, especially when she really does remember chatting with me.  Of Course, anytime with Stokes is always the best.   I felt that our time together transcended a typical interviewer and his interviewees scenario. I managed to get pictures and shoot some video.  If this was all that the Theater Gods would allow with no audio proof, then I would be happy and blog about it.

with the ab fab Lea Salonga

Chatting and laughing with Broadway Power Couple, Jason Danieley and Marin Mazzie

After talking with the amazing event publicist,  Brett Oberman, and his amazing team  managed to get each and everyone of those wonderful people to come back and give me more time to reconnect and make something happen again.  I get a little misty when I think about how generous these people were to me with their time.  It was weird to sort of recreate some of that interview energy, but what was great about the whole experience? I actually think the second set of interviews were better and still filled with even more gratitude than the first round.

The gracious, suave, and debonair Brian Stokes Mitchell

Again, I publicly thank Lea Salonga, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Marin Mazzie, and Jason Danieley, for showing me that level of kindness.  I hope you enjoy my conversations with these amazing people.  If you are coming to NYC during the run of any of these amazing people's shows, then think about adding their show to your list of events "to do" on your visit. Click on their pics to find out how to get tickets for their shows at Feinstein's 54 Below, and click HERE to hear my interviews with these amazing people.


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