Broadway.com #LiveatFive with Zach Adkins of ANASTASIA

--Hey everyone! We are Live at Five. It is
Thursday April 5th. I'm Paul Wontorek --And I'm Ryan Lee Gilbert.
--And who else is here? Content producer Mr. Matt Rodin.

--Hi everybody! --And a fabulous Broadway guest.
-- Yes we have Anastasia's Zack Adkins joining us this
afternoon. So excited but --Broadway's newest Prince.
--Yes absolutely. --Prince of Broadway
--But we're gonna get to him first we're gonna talk about today's top
five.   --Jesus Christ Super tour! Ryan? --Wow.
-- I tried.

--No it was lovely.
--Was that an audition? Mr. Matt Rodin? --We'll talk
about that later. --Yeah that's Jesus Christ Superstar, it has been ten years
since it toured  since it toured, but last year there was an Olivier Award winning
revival in London, and now it is going on tour in North America starting fall 2019.
It's going to over, we already know, 50 markets across North America already
--50? --50!
--Are there that many? --There that many markets.

Yes um obviously Jesus Christ
Superstar live in concert was a huge hit. Almost 10 million people watched it, got
great reviews. We were all talking about it, so they're capitalizing on the
popularity once again of Jesus Christ Superstar. This will be directed by
Timothy Sheeter who directed it in London and will feature choreography
from Drew Makoni, who's doing King Kong --King Kong director choreographer.


-- Yes absolutely. -- And he did
that In the Heights in London he won an Olivier for that. --He did!
--Sorry I'm just throwing random facts. In that I know.

--So yeah full creative team, cast, specific cities and dates, is all TBD but Jesus
Christ Superstar is coming to you. --Um do we think this is the production that's currently in Chicago? Because I know that that's the same.
-- I'm confused about that too --So, but I know
--That's a different one. --No, it was, it is a transfer of the London
production. --Regents Park open air theatre production --That's that one?
--Yep --That's the one that won the Olivier.
--So many Superstars --And WORKLIGHT productions is the
one that's putting this one out and I.

Believe. They're the same ones associated
with the one in London. So we'll find out.
--I thought it was one nominated for this year's Olivier I. Don't know.

--Ignore us all just go see it. Watch on iTunes too ---Speaking of outdoor theater
we got casting today for the Muni some MUNI casting. --The Muni it is freezing out
everybody so let's talk about open-air Summer Theatre.
--Meet me at the Muni! --It's time to talk about it. So Corbin Bleu, who is fantastic.
--Love him so much.

Loved him in Holiday Inn --He's a really great guy
-- He's so charming --Former vlogger broadway.Com vlogger --Tap dancer extraordinaire
--He's gonna play Don Lockwood in Mark Bruni's production of
Singing in the Rain. --There's no G on the singing.
-- No singin --Singin. It's
based on that movie that you all know Choreography by Rami Sanu and musical
direction by Ben Whitley. Joining Bleu in the cast are other great people like
Shecky --Yes!
--Jeffrey Schecter aka Shecky
--As Cosmo..

--He's fantastic yeah and Cosmo you know Cosmo Brown? --Yeah --Oh as Cosmo Brown --I thought that was the person. Cosmo Brown is the other guy. I don't know I
saw Singin in the Rain in London but it's not like I don't know it by heart, do you? --I don't, no.
--It's fun! --When I would get sick I'd watch the movie, like  that was my I needed comfort. --There's been a lot of talk about coming
back to Broadway.

--Yes there has!
--Yeah. --Who was supposed to be in it? From Dancing with the Stars? Derek Hough.
--Derek Hough --Thank You audience member, who is always here. And Berkeley Going as
Cathy. Anyway so get ready because we're gonna hear more and more about the Muni
and their it's always like the great summer theatre and a lot of like they get a
lot of great stars.

--That guy that wrote that play A Doll's House Part Two
Lucas Hnath I said it right! He's writing a new play that's premiering at CTG Ryan. --Yes so
if you saw A Doll's House Part Two, you were already extremely excited about
this because it was incredible. --One of the best plays I've ever seen.
--Yes all right so this is super cool, so this is
gonna be part of Los Angeles center Theater Group's
2018-19 season it's called From the Words and Writings of Dana H.
-- Who's Dana H? --Dana H is Lucas Hnath's mother Dana Higginbotham. And it's based on
interviews that were conducted with her, and it's
Anders on a non-denominational hospice chaplain, who helps  a mentally ill
ex-convict turn his life around and suddenly finds her own life hanging in
the balance.

So from what we can gather, this yeah like this is stuff that really
happened to Lucas's mother, and it inspired this play. It will be running at
CTG's Kirk Douglas Theatre beginning May 26th and it'll be there through June
23rd. That sounds really cool. And then hopefully Laurie Metcalf will be starring ---Fingers crossed.

 
-- And then it will come to Broadway and we can go through the whole thing again because I
would love that. --And also the rest of the season is on the site too.
--Yes you can check out the whole rest of that season. --Speaking of... Oh I had a really good tie-in
I had a really good tie-in.

Speaking of casting that we're really excited about,
we also got casting today casting like Laurie Metcalf in that show maybe
great casting for Straight Straight Straight White M
--That was very forced and awkward. --I tried
--Tries to talk about straight white men and gets all tongue tied. --Very nice. --How clever --Golden Globe and two-time
Emmy nominee Josh Charles --So excited  about this
--Yeah he's great, Kate Bornstein who, I'm very excited about
because did you --She was on I Am Cait.
-- I.

Am Cait
The Caitlyn Jenner reality show Kate Bornstein was like like Caitlyn Jenner was a mess on that show,
and I'm sorry, but there were all these other amazing transgender
--Surrounded --Like I really got to know so many people in the the transgender community and that's
what Kate Borstein is. She's like this amazing activist
--Writer, actor --And she would try to set
yeah Jenner straight... Anyway not, you know not anyway but yeah politically. It was a
mess anyway but but I'm fascinated to meet her.

And Ty DeFoe, --I'm so excited about --You're super excited about Ty Defoe
--And they're joining Armie Hammer and Tom Skerritt --So many Broadway debuts --Yeah but this is crazy. Did you read
this fun fact? Playwright Yound Jean Lee will become the first Asian American female
playwright to be produced on Broadway. --Took us long enough my goodness!
--Isn't that coockoo? --That's awful Broadway.
--Come on   --Hey Ryan I don't have my paper when does it start? --Um let me find out for you this will begin Friday June 29th 2018 and
will officially open on July 23rd.

--I love it --Second Stage theater
--I  that was a really fun fact though. I saw that I was like I think that's kind of crazy. And last but not least Kristen Maldonado
she's sticking around with the boots a little bit longer, Ry. --Yeah so part of
that Grammy winning group Pentatonix, Kristen Maldonado is playing Lauren
and Kinky Boots at the Al Hirschfeld theatre, and she's sticking around.

She
was originally gonna be done April 8th, very like in three days. She was gonna be
done, but she said no I like having these shoes on my hands. I like singing this
song. And I'm gonna stick around until May 5th.

Cinco de Mayo. --Was that a quote?
-- No  I'm just pontificating over here. She's going out on Cinco
DeMayo. She's been there since February 2nd.

She likes it. She clearly likes it.
She's having a blast. So we're happy to keep you around Kristen. Thanks
--They celebrated 5 years last night! --They  just celebrated 5 years and David
Cook is now Charlie Price Doing great things
over there Kinky --Awesome okay Thank You Ryan for all those amazing fun facts.

--We're gonna find out more about today's guest,  Mr. Matt Rodin, won't you tell us? --I would love to. Zach Adkins was born in Ohio and he just adopted a puppy named
Moose who is is just all kinds of delicious. His credits include the first
national tour of Kinky Boots, first first national tour.

Come on now. As well
as regional productions of Murder Ballads, Sweeney Todd, and Spring
Awakening. He made his Broadway debut in Anastasia and took over the role of
Dimitri on March 27th, which is a great day because it's also my birthday. AAnd
that is what he's here to talk about today not my birthday, but playing
Dmitry in Anastasia if you have questions for Zach and I know it that
you do because so many of you are fanastasias I see you guys talking to each
other.

It makes my heart so happy. Leave questions for Zach in the comments we'll
get to as many as we possibly can. And now here is Paul and Zach. --Hi Zach so nice to meet
you! --What's going on?
-- How's it going? --It's going great.


--Welcome welcome. -- I've never been here before this is a beautiful room --We're
happy to have you because we like Dmitry's I mean this is
and we like Anastasia and we like I mean there's a lot of things
here that we like. --What's not to like?
--It also equals traffic to anything involved
with Anastasia like automat l --Traffic on 44th street. --Traffice there too.

---But I mean people clicking  and watching People love this show.
--We have the most loyal and lovely fans.
--Right so and you've experienced the. So you were an
original cast member. Yes yes and did you do in Hartford - or just Broadway --No I came in for the Broadway production and I worked on the ensemble for about a
year. --Yeah yeah you just celebrated a year anniversary recently --We
had Christy here and cronuts.

Did you did you bring any baked good. --I leave the
baking to Christy. She just shows up. I.

Don't know where she finds the time. I
think she wakes up at 6:00 in the morning and bakes those things. --Yeah I
know it's crazy. We love her for it so you started an ensemble and did you
always cover the role of Dmitry? --Yeah, I understudies for the past year.

I went on about 20 times. And so I reauditioned for the show and it worked out. That's
awesome. --I happened to be on the day before the audition and then Christy was
in the audition with us.

It was like a highlight reel of the show. We did all of
our major scenes and songs together and I was in a room with the people I've
known for the last year. --You had a leg up --I wouldn't say a leg up. I very comfortable I don't think anybody
does favors, but I definitely went in a little more confident than usual --Yeah so
what do you like about this Dmitry guy? Like what about playing? --Well
--Don't, no, actually I'm sorry what was your favorite thing in the ensemble track oh
my gosh well I was the smoker on the train
I don't know diehard fans will know what I'm talking about, but that was my major
bit part and it was great.

I had a great time. I got to yell and Christy Altomare's face every every night. Now I get to do it every night in a different way.
I think the line was I'm in a train with a crazy woman! Not like that I never
said it like that. --[Laughs]
--I wanted to give it a little  life you know? --[Laughs] --You no longer say that line I'm so sorry.


--No, now wonderful --Lot of other lines lot of songs. --So
Dmitry goes on this great journey. He starts off as a boy a young con man and
we really see him turn into a man, but he needs a strong woman
help him find his manhood. So that's like the beautiful part of the show.
-- You described his journey so efficiently.

--Oh you know I did it in the bathroom miror
this morning too. --How is it now so when you were in the ensemble,
did you you I'm sure did you experience the stage door and the fans and the...
--Stage door has become such a big thing this past year alone, I think. It's a
second show ultimately if you come by the Anastasia's the stage door you're
gonna meet almost everybody in our cast comes out, and Christy Altomare
will put on a show. --She put what is it would it be she's on
a show what is that show like? --I'm not gonna say.

I think you should stop by the stage door. --Wow, okay.
--Yeah it's pretty I mean I. Think we have a viral video going around.
I have a little boy, I think he's about 7 years old, gunning for my part .
--Oh my god it's so cute.

--So if you have the time to check that out... --So people so people stopped you
when you were guy smoking on a train - --Yes.
-- But now you're Dmitry --And now I'm
batting them off with a stick --More selfies
--[laughs] --No, yeah there's a lot of selfies, a lot of autographs, and
our fans are so creative. We have so many gifts and so many things they make for
us. And it's crazy.

I have my Christie's wall is littered with beautiful fan art
now we're --Littered
--Littered --Beautiful decorated appointed --Yeah yeah yeah and now my room is
starting to gain a lot of trinkets and objects. --Is it nice to move into the
dressing room full time? --I got to paint it. --What?
--Can you guess what color I picked So the carpet is sea foam So he had a tan room.
Very calming. So the carpets green.

What color did I pick for the walls,
anybody?
--Blue. --Gray. Like a light gray yeah yeah I. Love a good blue, too.

Why are we talking
about this I'm so sorry. --I like how you made it like a quiz. The paint color Anyone?Anyone? --Subscribe
--That's exciting. --So is it all decorated? --We're getting there.

It's been a crazy
time, like he said, I just got an Australian Labradoodle and moose is his name,
and he's three months old and a handful. So it's like having a baby at home. He
wakes me up very early. -- Oh, a lot of face licks and? --Oh yeah a lot of faces
look he he can shake now.

We taught him on to shake. Three
months old, the smartest dog I've ever met. --Wow look at that. So we're talking about your child.

--Have to
--So yes so what's it like now you've watching the show you know you're
going into the city in the second year now what's it like to be in a show for
that long and sort of watch how it grows over the time? --It's interesting my
first experience was Kinky Boots for a long run and I was on the road --And you covered Charlie.
-- I covered Charlie and Harry I went on a large amount of times, it was really fun. But being in a show for
a year, I think the greatest part about taking over for Dmitry is John Bolton
and Christy Altomare where you know her name but they're such giving actors and
they've done the show almost 400 times Plus. And they're taking on my line and my
line readings and giving me something fresh back every night. And that is the
sign of like really great people and really great actors.

So we're making some
magic over there right now. It's been a whirlwind. I think it's spring break
because all the crowds are crazy right now. We love it hootins and hollers so if you
come to the show feel free.

We love it it's like a rock concert over there.-- --You're encouraging. --I've never been in a show
--Like the Rocky Horror? --No, no not like that. --I've never been in
a show where people can't control like their vocal reactions in the audience. We
get a lot of.

What kind of things do you hear?
-- There's this one scene in the second act I won't
give too much away, but there's almost a kiss and it's it's, I've never heard
people gasp that loud and in a Broadway show before. You would think we like
stomped on their cat or something. I'm not really sure like that it is like we
we broke their heart, but we mean Christie love it. We have a good time.

--That's great. Hey Mr. Matt Rodin
-- That's my name.
--Do you like I say mister I'm promoting yours social media.
--I appreciate that. --Do we have any questions from the fans? --I mean
the you guys are amazing, just so you know They are And
they're all like hanging out with each other which is just the best part.

But we
have a lot of great questions okay so to begin, Monica wants to know Zach what is
the hardest number slash song in Anastasia for Dmitry --Dmitry specifically it's
My Petersburg, which is the anthem for Dmitri and it's hard because not only is
it challenged the same but we are sprinting around that
stage me and Christy, and brilliantly put in the show right before a giant
fight sequence. So I'm out of breath when this number starts and then we're
sprinting for the rest of the three-minute number. So by the end I am
doused with sweat. It's it's a lot.

--I'm gonna pronounce his name very wrong so forgive me I getting holy how she wants to know how did you celebrate getting
the role?
-- I called my mom. Isn't that how we all celebrate? I think she's
watching.  Hi mom.   Yeah it was a short celebration we wenrt right to work right after
yeah that's a look that's a Broadway thing.


--Did you get a phone call to tell you that you got it?
--Yeah it was a lovely conversation with Darko, our director. And
he called me on Super Bowl Sunday of all times. I remember we had a nice
conversation. It was cool um --Kiara wants to know what what made you
fall in love with theater? --Oh theater well I was really zany kid growing up,
and I think theater gave me an outlet to put all this energy into.

But once I
realized what the community was like, I. Was sold. We have a great theater
community here in New York but also in my hometown Ashtabula and like in
Cleveland where I went to school. So it was just the community, the groups of
people that theater brings together quality people.

--How long have you lived
in New York? --I've lived in New York on and off for three years.
--Okay cool. --Briana wants to know what's the biggest difference between performing in
a national tour versus performing in a Broadway house? --So national tours are
interesting because you're traveling on your days off. So we get Mondays off here
and but on Mondays for Kinky Boots we would be traveling to a new city, so you
didn't really get that rest that much needed rest and so traveling on the road
you're dealing with different climates different temperatures.

You could start
in Florida and end up in, I don't know Montana, and the climates are extremely
different, and so being a singer and performer that is the hardest thing to
deal with. --I never thought about that the climate change. --Yeah, it'll just go --Peyton wants to know what was your college experience like? I'm
thinking about going your school. --So, I went to Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music.

--Oh, B-dubs --B-dubs. Matt knows --Whole squad.  We have a very tight community here in the city and that's really
helpful when you first move, but I had a great time at school. I have a Bachelors
of Music, which is odd for a music theater performer.

Most people end up
with a BFA, but what drew me to that school was the bachelors of music
program. I wanted a bachelor's in music so yeah it was a great time.
--You loved it? -- I loved it of course.
-- Emma wants to know do you have a favorite stage-door
experience? --Oh my goodness. I meet so many lovely people at the stage store. I think
the Broadway flea market was the best experience ever.

It was a great time we
raised a ton of money for a good cause and I got to meet all the cool people at
once. --Oh my god the questions are they've like oh my god this is out of control. --Out of control
--You can handle it --I love.
-- -- Down a doot-doot-doot How do you
take care of yourself after every show? --So it's hot when you're warming up, hot
liquids when you're warming up, cold liquids while performing, colder liquids
after.

It's like a muscle. It's like so you warm it up with the hot
liquids and then when you're performing it's like room-temperature liquids. And
then after ice it down. --I never heard that before --You never heard that before? I don't know maybe
that's me, but that's what I do.

--Trish how do you make the role Dmitry
your own? --Trish I am a goofball so as you can probably tell. So I try to push
Dmitry instead of being so hard and edgy. I think he's a con man that gets away
with things with a smile. So that's my biggest takeaway I think.

--It's great that
you had the you know flexibility to make it your own you know.
--Oh I mean this creative team is fantastic because even from the first day of understudy
rehearsal a year ago from now we were doing things and they're like okay
that's you, keep building and exploring that, and that I think
ultimately led me to take over because in other companies, a lot what they want
is cut and dry, but Anastasia is not like that. They want the variety of it all. --Awesome
--Do you have any favorite or funny onstage mishaps?  A lot of different
people.
--Um this is a good story Derek might kill me for saying this, but
if you listen to my Petersburg the verses are in a change
because they all start with the same phrase boils down to there are some
boils down to there are some who survived it changes but the words are
the same. So I was on for an understudy and I switched the first and third
verses and it was only a split the second thing.

And I only think Christy Altomare noticed but the next day I got off and I was like Derek I did it. I
switched the verses, and he goes oh my gosh I've been thinking about that. And
who did it that same day? --There ya go! You put it right in his head.
--Put it right in his head.

Yep --Abby: Who you look up to when you were younger?
--Abby, when I was younger I mean starting off in music theater ,I come from the
generation of Aaron Tveit. And he was my biggest inspiration. I was in high school
when Next to Normal was blowing up and that was that was my guy! And I'm so
excited he's going to be coming back soon for Moulin Rough! He's amazing.
Yeah I fangirl for him. --Have you met him?
--No Aaron if you're
watching.

--He watches every day. Aaron and Broadway.Com are like this --Brianna: What was something you had to get used to when you moved to New York City? --I think the pace of it all. Getting on the
train in the morning going to work being in compact. I come from a farm town, so
there's not people around all the time.

I. Haven't been alone since I moved here. There's always someone next to you that you don't know. You know so it that was
the biggest adjustment is the commute and being just outside with hundreds of
people you don't know around you constantly.

--This is a two-part
question but they're kind of similar if you could revive one show on Broadway
what would it be and why and the other question was if you can go back in time
and see one show what would it be? --So my
-- So, they're kind of connected --Yeah so my first Broadway show was Once and I loved it. I saw the original cast,
and I thought it was one of the best theatre experiences I've ever had. But if
I could revive one show, I would really want to see Follies, the original cast of
folly Stephen Sondheim Follies. --You would have to go back in time and
see the original cast.

--Yeah, if I could if I. Could go back and see that show because
we did that a Baldwin Wallace and I was fascinated with the idea of broken
people. I played young Ben yeah so I. Thought it would be a fantastic trip to
take.

It's a super sad story but I've kind of drawn to sad
things. I think most actors are --Last last question last one got it
KR wants to know do you have any advice for anybody wanting to do theater or
pursue a performing career? --Yeah so my biggest advice to young people is
perseverance. You got to believe in yourself, and it takes time. So if you
want to be on Broadway, you have to be in New York City or if you want to be on TV
you have to be in New York City or in LA.

And you have to give it time. So when I
first moved here, I gave myself five years to get a job within the theatre
community that could sustain my life, and I said after five years I'll move on to
something else, but within those five years, I said
there's no going back, full speed ahead, and whatever you're --What year are you on? --I'm on year three. So I got really lucky guys. I have good friends and some real luck, so it's
a blast so far.

--That's amazing. You're such an easy interview, like
you're so on the ball. --I had coffee right before this interview. --Hot drinks and
then --Yeah so I'm gonna go have some yeah --You should do that for the show every day.

--You know what maybe I need to. Maybe I need to.  Zach, it was a real pleasure to have you here --This is fun.
-- Come by anytime --Of course I'm gonna just drop by --Everyone go see Anastasia,
hello? And go see what Christy's doing at the stage door. Are you on
social media? What's your oh yes I am.

So my middle name is Michael, but you can
say ZachMadkins. That's my that's my handle.
--ZachMadkins --It's Zach M Adkins, but I think
Zach Madkins is just funny. --Okay. Hey Matt, won't you take us out? --You guys know the
deal: We do this live every single weekday here at 5 p.M.

On Broadway.Com's Facebook page, and we release it on YouTube and on our site, and in all those
places. We also released this as a podcast, so if you want another way to
consume this show and you like listening to things subscribe to the live at 5
podcast join us tomorrow. I don't know who's I forgot whose. I don't
it's on the graphic I don't know.

Valerie Simpson from Chicago is coming in
tomorrow. That is going to be legend wait for it dary. I promise you it's good
be out of this world. Zach thanks for being here.

Thank you all for being here.
Happy Thursday, everybody. We'll see you tomorrow. Bye!.