August 8, 2023 • 18 mins
The dramatic musical "Next To Normal" will be on the May Pavilion Stage on August 18th through the 20th. Dustin Rawlins, his cast and Kirk Detweiler all joined the podcast to talk about the show, its cast and why this musical is so important for adults to attend.
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(00:00):
Joining us in studio today is thecast from the brand new musical coming to
the Marion Palace Theater. And we'regonna talk all about that. We're gonna
get all the way into it.But first of all, I want to
introduce Kirk that Wilder Kirk. Howyou doing, my friend Paul James,
how you? I am wonderful andit is a pleasure to have you guys
all in studio today and you broughtthe entire cast. First of all,
(00:20):
tell everybody what the show is andwhat's happening. Well, it's actually we're
missing one person is Ben Blanket Shipit's too lazy to get up this early
in the morning. Just kidding Ben, No, he lives in upper so
he's got to come back for rehearsaltonight. So he didn't want to make
the trip twice because totally understand.Because you're not worth it, Paul James
kidding, Hey, you know you'reYou're not no, you know me?
(00:45):
So I wait to tell everybody theshow and what Well, you know,
when I took this job in myinterview and I kind of had said that,
and the board members kind of preppedme at this They said that,
you know, the the Palace neededto get a little edgier that we weren't
doing anything for adults. We weren't. We're doing a lot of stuff for
(01:06):
kids and and for families with kidsand for the older generation. But there's
like a missing demographic like thirty fortyfifty year olds who don't have kids.
Uh. So they wanted to addsome edgier content and this musical fits the
bill. Uh. Next to Normalwas on Broadway. I actually saw it
(01:26):
off Broadway and its original incarnation,and I think two thousand and seven they
rewrote it, took it to DCand then and brought it back to Broadway.
So I saw it. I sawit twice on Broadway, and I
saw it uh once uh second stage. I believe it's called in New York
off Broadway, So I'm very familiarwith the show. And Dustin Rawlins,
(01:49):
I believe for eleven years in arow. Was it eleven years in a
row? Ten or eleven years ina row? He presented it to the
board, and you know, theyall researched it and they they turned it
down every year, and we decidedthis is the year we're going to do
it. It's actually an extra showbecause we usually do five Palace produced productions.
That's why we're suddenly. It's actuallyGeorge Schram who talked everybody into it.
(02:13):
He's like, because it was betweenuh this and Lend Me a Tenor,
which is a play where we actuallyare going to do next spring,
and George Shram just said, whydon't we do both? Yeah? And
I'm like, okay, So theyvoted and I'm I'm Dustin, when the
heck do you want to do it? Because his schedule is busier than anybody
I know. Usually our spring adultplay will be in March and April,
(02:36):
and that's when he's got show choirseason. So we decided on August.
I love it well, Dustin.You you you begged him to do it,
it said, it's a great thingto do. This is actually a
musical correct it is, and it'smostly sung through. I mean there is
there's some dialogue, but it isall over music. So I think there
is music from moment one until twohours later and the last note. But
(03:00):
it's very dramatic, it's very edgy. There's a lot of store. I
mean, it's it's not something numberone that you're calling it. PG.
Thirteen. You don't want kids inthe crowd because there's obviously language things as
well, but it's also very headyand a kid wouldn't probably get it or
be bored or be like what's goingon again, So it depends on the
(03:21):
age group. I would I say, yeah, you know, under thirteen,
definitely probably not, they're not goingto understand the content of it.
But over that I know I'm again, like Kirk said, I worked with
a lot of high school kids.A lot of the high school kids whant
to come see it, very excitedto see it. A lot of high
school kids, quite honestly, aredealing with a lot of the things that
are in this show. So withoutgiving away too much, I guess it
(03:43):
does deal with a lot of mentalhealth issues. And that's why I've always
thought it's been so important for usto do this show, because I mean,
I myself have dealt with mental healthissues. I know so many people
around me that have dealt with mentalhealth issues, and I think the one
thing that's the most important to someonethat is dealing with those issues is to
know that you are absolutely normal dealingwith those issues. Everybody has them,
(04:08):
Everybody has that time in their life. Everybody has that rainy season, I
guess, and this show makes youknow that it is absolutely normal and that
you're not alone. Okay, sonext to normal. We'll be on next
week at the Palace. It's inthe May Pavilion. It's going to be
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.August eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth.
(04:28):
Get started on Friday and Saturday atseven thirty and then a mattinee on Sunday.
You can get your tickets. Allof the details are at maryon Palace
dot org and there are twenty sixdollars for an adult. And realize it
is PG thirteen because of the useof adult language, and there are obviously
situations in it that are designed forfolks that understand, you know, adult
(04:49):
life and adult situations. So realizethat before you come in. But Dustin,
you are the director, but you'realso the lead. You are the
dad. You are Dan. Sotalk about your character as much as you
can without giving anything away, andintroduce your your crew here, your kids.
So basically it's the show itself centersaround a family and how they're dealing
(05:12):
with situations and loss and me Iplay the dad, and the dad basically
is just trying to keep everybody together, keep everybody grounded, trying to help
his wife, who is the onewho is really visibly dealing with the stress
and the turmoil and the mental healthissues. So I mean it's easiest to
(05:36):
see in the mom and the wifethat she is the one dealing with it,
and the dad dealing with his ownkind of problems, basically trying to
keep the family together, trying tokeep the daughter on track, and basically
trying to pull the family through.So he's trying to be that rock and
trying to hold onto that family fordear life. And then the mom is
(06:00):
played by Morgan Schwartz, who isright here and is doing an incredible job.
I'm going to let her talk.Yeah, absolutely, So Morgan,
tell me a little bit about yourcharacter and what who mom is And yeah,
so, Diana, I mean sheis. She is bipolar and schizophrenic,
so it's a challenge she I thinkis not necessarily well, she's trying
(06:21):
to hold the family together, butI think more so she's trying to hold
herself together because she's gone through thislife changing event that has changed her completely
and there is nobody around her thatfully understands what she's going because dad is
emotionally unavailable. I think in hismind he's probably completely emotionally available, but
(06:43):
not in the way that she needs. We were chatting earlier and that they're
together physically but not mentally. They'reYeah, they're something's going on. Okay,
okay, Now will we figure itout? Why we why we are
watching the show? Or no,you will, Yeah, you will figure
out within the first act what isgoing on? Okay, yeah, okay,
and I think it will be ashock. We'll talk a little bit
(07:05):
about your family and introduce whomever,and we can chat with them a little
bit. I think, just goingback to what Morgan was saying real quick,
and that relationship between the father andmother that whole emotionally available or thinking
that he's emotionally available. Not Danvery much plays that role of everything is
(07:25):
fine, Everything's going to be justfine, and it's ignoring the problem,
which I think is what a lotof us do in our everyday life.
So I think a lot of ussitting in the audience watching this, we're
experiencing the Oh. I connect mostwith him because I'm the one that ignores
those problems. So then by theend of the show, you're like,
oh, if I would have justlet myself see kind of thing. So
(07:46):
I think that this is a reallygood smack in the face of those people
that just ignore those problems. Andif he would just open up and recognize
and let himself feel those issues too, how things could be different. But
sorry, if I thought that's importantto say. But next we can go
over here to Natalie, who playsthe daughter. That's Mattie Shank. Hello,
(08:07):
Hi Mattie. Talk a little bitabout your character and who you are
in the show. Yeah, ofcourse, So I play Natalie. She
is sixteen years old, about ajunior in high school, and that's her
being in high school I think isreally important when Dustin was talking about how
high schoolers can deal with mental healthand how it affects them. Natalie is
a perfectionist, perfectionist, perfectionist.She's also a piano prodigy, which I
(08:31):
wish I was in real life.But she's very, very concerned about her
schooling, and I think her tryingto be perfect is a cry for help
in a way, because she wantsher parents to to look at her and
love her and be proud of her. But she is trying so so hard
especially to get her mom's attention,and a lot of times that doesn't happen,
(08:52):
just because obviously she's going through somuch, so much, and we
just see how much a broken homecan affect the child in these situations.
So yeah, it's definitely one ofthe most serious things I've ever done,
which is cool. I love that. So you have a boyfriend who apparently
is kind of a stoner, andhe is here now tell us the story
(09:16):
of Henry. So I'm credit landsI play Henry as he said, I
am a stoner, which I amnot in your life. So that as
a challenging and there's nothing more funthan teaching your seventeen year old packable.
And I just would like all ofmarian and everywhere else to know that I
did not really teach my seventeen yearold. So Henry is sort of like
(09:41):
trying to keep Natalie under control inthis entire situation because like he realizes that
she's dealing with a lot at home, and he like eventually like meets the
family and like sees what's going on. So I feel like a big thing
that impacts Henry is just like seeingin real life, in real time,
what is happening at home to seelike how he can help Natalie throughout her
(10:05):
entire mental health journey. So,Carter, how difficult I mean, obviously
that character is not your life atall at all. How difficult was it
for you? It's seventeen years oldto take on that challenge, Okay,
so it's very difficult. I'm stillstruggling right now trying to figure out a
(10:26):
week out of a show because I'mtrying to figure out like how to sound
high but also not like stupid.So have you been hanging out with your
friends in the last couple of monthsand playing well? I would have been
after after the other show, tryingto maybe live that character a little bit
when you're talking and being to tryto get better at Yeah. Yeah,
(10:50):
I just like trying to. I'ma very hyper, like fast spoken person,
which is exactly the opposite of whatHenry is. So like it's just
me realizing that I just have toslow things down and not have as much
inflection as I would usually. Yeah. I think we've used the word chill
out quite a few times. Justchill it out. Yeah, yeah,
(11:11):
I love that. So let's talka little bit with Brodie. He is
your daughter. Correct, dandy son. I'm sorry here, I am sitting
here looking across the way. Yes, yes, so he is your son.
Yes, he plays I mean theall American boy son. Yeah.
So let's tell a secret. Yeah, tell us about your character, Brodie.
(11:31):
You know, I play Gabe Goodman. I'm just a typical teenager.
You probably have a Gabe Goodman somewherein your house. And but what the
show kind of reveals is that Gabehas a very dark side and he doesn't
reveal that to his mom, whichis also taking a toll on her mental
health. So do you so howtough is that character for you to play?
(11:52):
I mean, I know, Brodie, that might be a little bit
different, but it kind of maybeplays a little bit into your personality.
Oh yeah, it's super difficult,just maybe changing my entire personality through scenes.
It's super difficult and trying to bebe that dark side but also keep
a face for Diana. It's superchallenging to control in the show. So
(12:15):
it's been fun to do. Ohyeah, it's been awesome. Yeah,
it's I'm having a great time.I've never done anything like this. It's
so much fun. And we aremissing Ben Blankenship as you guys said,
he didn't want to come back andforth a few times. Today, I
get it. I met Ben nottoo long ago, and he is a
wonderful addition to the shows that happenat the Palace. I believe so,
(12:35):
and I think a lot of peopleagree to. But he is doctor Madden,
doctor Fine. Two doctors. Okay, So at the beginning of the
show, Natalie or not Natalie,sorry, Diana is seeing doctor Fine.
I mixed these things up all thetime because it's played by the same guy.
(12:56):
So it's doctor Fine at the beginningof the show, and and they
decide to find a new doctor andit is played by doctor Matten. And
are they two different personalities? Twocompletely differ? Which Ben is great at.
Ben is a phenomenal actor. He'san incredible addition to our our Marrion
(13:16):
Theater family. He's doing a greatjob. But Diana thinks that he's a
little bit of a sexy little rockstar. I mean that is where the
comedic relief of this show really comesinto play. So one of my best
or one of my favorite quotes aboutthis show, I think it was New
(13:37):
York Times said that it is nota feel good musical. It's a feel
everything musical and you literally feel everyemotion through this. You will connect with
everybody. You will laugh, ifwe're doing our jobs right, you will
absolutely cry, and when you leave, you will feel hope. So well,
you know, Dustin, a lotof people you know see you and
have seen you on the Palace stagefor a number of years, and when
(14:01):
they think about Dust and they thinkabout the comedy and the things that you
do, like your Christmas and thePalace and some of the comedy relief that
you that you deliver, but youcan be a very serious individual and now
you get to do a little bitof everything in this show yourself. Absolutely,
And I think I've always kind ofmade the joke that I've always just
been the comedic relief for most things, and I really lean into that a
(14:24):
character, I guess, But yes, it is very awarding to be able
to play a very serious role andto show that serious side and to connect
on that completely different level. Yeah. And then in a directing standpoint,
it's been awesome working with this groupof people only because I mean not only
because, but mainly because of thetalent that this group of people has.
(14:48):
I was a little worried doing theshow because my biggest thing with it is
that you have to be so goodthat you're out of the way. There
cannot be that weak moment because assoon as there is, that connection is
lost. And everybody in this castis so incredibly talented. And I'm not
kidding. We say this about everycast that we're always in. I mean,
everybody says that about the cast thatthey're in, but I am not
kidding. Everybody in this cast couldlegit at some point be a professional actor
(15:15):
and should be a professional actor.Every one of us could be there,
and when you come see the show, you are not going to be distracted
by oh, that note was alittle off, because it's not. It
is the first day we were there, we did some of the hardest music
I've ever done in forty two years, and it when it clicked, it
really clicked, and that sound isjust incredible. I think I took a
(15:37):
recording on my phone and like immediatelysent it to Kirk. I think you're
on vacation. I was like,oh my god, did you hear this?
It's incredible. I'm just so excitedabout how amazingly talented this group of
people have been so so great.Anything else you guys wanted to add before
I asked dust dustin the tough question, because Kirk knows this, because I
(15:58):
do this all the time when wedo when we talk about shows, Dustin,
go ahead, tell everybody why theyneed to come to this show.
What is the number one reason thatthey need to come to this show.
That is not a tough question atall. The number one reason people need
to come see this show is becauseit is incredibly important. It is one
of the and I have said,I think it's probably the most important piece
(16:19):
of musical theater ever written. Itis not sunshine and rainbows. It is
not a big dance you know,extravaganza, but it is again, like
I said, it is a feeleverything musical. It is that person out
there that has been suffering alone,that person that out there that has always
felt like no one understands them willcome to this and they will connect with
(16:42):
one of us. There's somebody herethat they're going to connect with. And
I've always said I if we getto do the show and I can connect
with one person, I can letone person know that they are heard,
and Okay, then it was enoughfor me. Yeah, and I was
talking to the show, or talkingabout the show to a friend of mine,
(17:04):
and she said that she's dealt withsome stuff and just by talking to
me about the show, she said, Dustin, no one has ever made
me feel like I've been understood.And she goes, just by talking to
you about this, and she brokedown. She said, I finally feel
like one of my friends understands me. That's why this show's important. That's
(17:26):
why the show needs to be seen. Kirk probably something that the Palace has
never done a show like this,No, not that I know of.
I'm sure they've you know, they'vedone straight plays before. I want to
just point out that it the music, the score of this is I heard
it, I think on a recordingbefore I actually saw the show. The
(17:51):
music won Best Score and the Tonysand it beat Elton John Wow. And
it also won Best Actress. Butit won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama,
which very few musicals have. SoI always like to point that out because
there's some people whom the next toNorman never heard of it Pulitzer Prize winning.
You know, it's like coming toMarion, Ohio. So it's like,
(18:15):
you know, I'm hoping that theprestige of those awards, you know,
bring a few people in once againBroadway in Marion, Ohio at the
Maryon Palace heat or the May Pavilionnext to Normal August eighteenth, nineteenth and
twentieth. It is a Palace productiondirected by Dustin Rollins. If you want
details, go to maryon Palace dotorg you can get your tickets. They
started twenty six dollars for adults andrealize this is a PG thirteen show.
(18:40):
They use adult language. There areobviously adult themes and situations. It is
sponsored by the Marrying Community Foundation,the Kathleen EO Shay Fund, and we
would love for you to join usat the show on Friday, August eighteenth
through Sunday, August twentieth,
Joining us in studio today is thecast from the brand new musical coming to
the Marion Palace Theater. And we'regonna talk all about that. We're gonna
get all the way into it.But first of all, I want to
introduce Kirk that Wilder Kirk. Howyou doing, my friend Paul James,
how you? I am wonderful andit is a pleasure to have you guys
all in studio today and you broughtthe entire cast. First of all,
(00:20):
tell everybody what the show is andwhat's happening. Well, it's actually we're
missing one person is Ben Blanket Shipit's too lazy to get up this early
in the morning. Just kidding Ben, No, he lives in upper so
he's got to come back for rehearsaltonight. So he didn't want to make
the trip twice because totally understand.Because you're not worth it, Paul James
kidding, Hey, you know you'reYou're not no, you know me?
(00:45):
So I wait to tell everybody theshow and what Well, you know,
when I took this job in myinterview and I kind of had said that,
and the board members kind of preppedme at this They said that,
you know, the the Palace neededto get a little edgier that we weren't
doing anything for adults. We weren't. We're doing a lot of stuff for
(01:06):
kids and and for families with kidsand for the older generation. But there's
like a missing demographic like thirty fortyfifty year olds who don't have kids.
Uh. So they wanted to addsome edgier content and this musical fits the
bill. Uh. Next to Normalwas on Broadway. I actually saw it
(01:26):
off Broadway and its original incarnation,and I think two thousand and seven they
rewrote it, took it to DCand then and brought it back to Broadway.
So I saw it. I sawit twice on Broadway, and I
saw it uh once uh second stage. I believe it's called in New York
off Broadway, So I'm very familiarwith the show. And Dustin Rawlins,
(01:49):
I believe for eleven years in arow. Was it eleven years in a
row? Ten or eleven years ina row? He presented it to the
board, and you know, theyall researched it and they they turned it
down every year, and we decidedthis is the year we're going to do
it. It's actually an extra showbecause we usually do five Palace produced productions.
That's why we're suddenly. It's actuallyGeorge Schram who talked everybody into it.
(02:13):
He's like, because it was betweenuh this and Lend Me a Tenor,
which is a play where we actuallyare going to do next spring,
and George Shram just said, whydon't we do both? Yeah? And
I'm like, okay, So theyvoted and I'm I'm Dustin, when the
heck do you want to do it? Because his schedule is busier than anybody
I know. Usually our spring adultplay will be in March and April,
(02:36):
and that's when he's got show choirseason. So we decided on August.
I love it well, Dustin.You you you begged him to do it,
it said, it's a great thingto do. This is actually a
musical correct it is, and it'smostly sung through. I mean there is
there's some dialogue, but it isall over music. So I think there
is music from moment one until twohours later and the last note. But
(03:00):
it's very dramatic, it's very edgy. There's a lot of store. I
mean, it's it's not something numberone that you're calling it. PG.
Thirteen. You don't want kids inthe crowd because there's obviously language things as
well, but it's also very headyand a kid wouldn't probably get it or
be bored or be like what's goingon again, So it depends on the
(03:21):
age group. I would I say, yeah, you know, under thirteen,
definitely probably not, they're not goingto understand the content of it.
But over that I know I'm again, like Kirk said, I worked with
a lot of high school kids.A lot of the high school kids whant
to come see it, very excitedto see it. A lot of high
school kids, quite honestly, aredealing with a lot of the things that
are in this show. So withoutgiving away too much, I guess it
(03:43):
does deal with a lot of mentalhealth issues. And that's why I've always
thought it's been so important for usto do this show, because I mean,
I myself have dealt with mental healthissues. I know so many people
around me that have dealt with mentalhealth issues, and I think the one
thing that's the most important to someonethat is dealing with those issues is to
know that you are absolutely normal dealingwith those issues. Everybody has them,
(04:08):
Everybody has that time in their life. Everybody has that rainy season, I
guess, and this show makes youknow that it is absolutely normal and that
you're not alone. Okay, sonext to normal. We'll be on next
week at the Palace. It's inthe May Pavilion. It's going to be
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.August eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth.
(04:28):
Get started on Friday and Saturday atseven thirty and then a mattinee on Sunday.
You can get your tickets. Allof the details are at maryon Palace
dot org and there are twenty sixdollars for an adult. And realize it
is PG thirteen because of the useof adult language, and there are obviously
situations in it that are designed forfolks that understand, you know, adult
(04:49):
life and adult situations. So realizethat before you come in. But Dustin,
you are the director, but you'realso the lead. You are the
dad. You are Dan. Sotalk about your character as much as you
can without giving anything away, andintroduce your your crew here, your kids.
So basically it's the show itself centersaround a family and how they're dealing
(05:12):
with situations and loss and me Iplay the dad, and the dad basically
is just trying to keep everybody together, keep everybody grounded, trying to help
his wife, who is the onewho is really visibly dealing with the stress
and the turmoil and the mental healthissues. So I mean it's easiest to
(05:36):
see in the mom and the wifethat she is the one dealing with it,
and the dad dealing with his ownkind of problems, basically trying to
keep the family together, trying tokeep the daughter on track, and basically
trying to pull the family through.So he's trying to be that rock and
trying to hold onto that family fordear life. And then the mom is
(06:00):
played by Morgan Schwartz, who isright here and is doing an incredible job.
I'm going to let her talk.Yeah, absolutely, So Morgan,
tell me a little bit about yourcharacter and what who mom is And yeah,
so, Diana, I mean sheis. She is bipolar and schizophrenic,
so it's a challenge she I thinkis not necessarily well, she's trying
(06:21):
to hold the family together, butI think more so she's trying to hold
herself together because she's gone through thislife changing event that has changed her completely
and there is nobody around her thatfully understands what she's going because dad is
emotionally unavailable. I think in hismind he's probably completely emotionally available, but
(06:43):
not in the way that she needs. We were chatting earlier and that they're
together physically but not mentally. They'reYeah, they're something's going on. Okay,
okay, Now will we figure itout? Why we why we are
watching the show? Or no,you will, Yeah, you will figure
out within the first act what isgoing on? Okay, yeah, okay,
and I think it will be ashock. We'll talk a little bit
(07:05):
about your family and introduce whomever,and we can chat with them a little
bit. I think, just goingback to what Morgan was saying real quick,
and that relationship between the father andmother that whole emotionally available or thinking
that he's emotionally available. Not Danvery much plays that role of everything is
(07:25):
fine, Everything's going to be justfine, and it's ignoring the problem,
which I think is what a lotof us do in our everyday life.
So I think a lot of ussitting in the audience watching this, we're
experiencing the Oh. I connect mostwith him because I'm the one that ignores
those problems. So then by theend of the show, you're like,
oh, if I would have justlet myself see kind of thing. So
(07:46):
I think that this is a reallygood smack in the face of those people
that just ignore those problems. Andif he would just open up and recognize
and let himself feel those issues too, how things could be different. But
sorry, if I thought that's importantto say. But next we can go
over here to Natalie, who playsthe daughter. That's Mattie Shank. Hello,
(08:07):
Hi Mattie. Talk a little bitabout your character and who you are
in the show. Yeah, ofcourse, So I play Natalie. She
is sixteen years old, about ajunior in high school, and that's her
being in high school I think isreally important when Dustin was talking about how
high schoolers can deal with mental healthand how it affects them. Natalie is
a perfectionist, perfectionist, perfectionist.She's also a piano prodigy, which I
(08:31):
wish I was in real life.But she's very, very concerned about her
schooling, and I think her tryingto be perfect is a cry for help
in a way, because she wantsher parents to to look at her and
love her and be proud of her. But she is trying so so hard
especially to get her mom's attention,and a lot of times that doesn't happen,
(08:52):
just because obviously she's going through somuch, so much, and we
just see how much a broken homecan affect the child in these situations.
So yeah, it's definitely one ofthe most serious things I've ever done,
which is cool. I love that. So you have a boyfriend who apparently
is kind of a stoner, andhe is here now tell us the story
(09:16):
of Henry. So I'm credit landsI play Henry as he said, I
am a stoner, which I amnot in your life. So that as
a challenging and there's nothing more funthan teaching your seventeen year old packable.
And I just would like all ofmarian and everywhere else to know that I
did not really teach my seventeen yearold. So Henry is sort of like
(09:41):
trying to keep Natalie under control inthis entire situation because like he realizes that
she's dealing with a lot at home, and he like eventually like meets the
family and like sees what's going on. So I feel like a big thing
that impacts Henry is just like seeingin real life, in real time,
what is happening at home to seelike how he can help Natalie throughout her
(10:05):
entire mental health journey. So,Carter, how difficult I mean, obviously
that character is not your life atall at all. How difficult was it
for you? It's seventeen years oldto take on that challenge, Okay,
so it's very difficult. I'm stillstruggling right now trying to figure out a
(10:26):
week out of a show because I'mtrying to figure out like how to sound
high but also not like stupid.So have you been hanging out with your
friends in the last couple of monthsand playing well? I would have been
after after the other show, tryingto maybe live that character a little bit
when you're talking and being to tryto get better at Yeah. Yeah,
(10:50):
I just like trying to. I'ma very hyper, like fast spoken person,
which is exactly the opposite of whatHenry is. So like it's just
me realizing that I just have toslow things down and not have as much
inflection as I would usually. Yeah. I think we've used the word chill
out quite a few times. Justchill it out. Yeah, yeah,
(11:11):
I love that. So let's talka little bit with Brodie. He is
your daughter. Correct, dandy son. I'm sorry here, I am sitting
here looking across the way. Yes, yes, so he is your son.
Yes, he plays I mean theall American boy son. Yeah.
So let's tell a secret. Yeah, tell us about your character, Brodie.
(11:31):
You know, I play Gabe Goodman. I'm just a typical teenager.
You probably have a Gabe Goodman somewherein your house. And but what the
show kind of reveals is that Gabehas a very dark side and he doesn't
reveal that to his mom, whichis also taking a toll on her mental
health. So do you so howtough is that character for you to play?
(11:52):
I mean, I know, Brodie, that might be a little bit
different, but it kind of maybeplays a little bit into your personality.
Oh yeah, it's super difficult,just maybe changing my entire personality through scenes.
It's super difficult and trying to bebe that dark side but also keep
a face for Diana. It's superchallenging to control in the show. So
(12:15):
it's been fun to do. Ohyeah, it's been awesome. Yeah,
it's I'm having a great time.I've never done anything like this. It's
so much fun. And we aremissing Ben Blankenship as you guys said,
he didn't want to come back andforth a few times. Today, I
get it. I met Ben nottoo long ago, and he is a
wonderful addition to the shows that happenat the Palace. I believe so,
(12:35):
and I think a lot of peopleagree to. But he is doctor Madden,
doctor Fine. Two doctors. Okay, So at the beginning of the
show, Natalie or not Natalie,sorry, Diana is seeing doctor Fine.
I mixed these things up all thetime because it's played by the same guy.
(12:56):
So it's doctor Fine at the beginningof the show, and and they
decide to find a new doctor andit is played by doctor Matten. And
are they two different personalities? Twocompletely differ? Which Ben is great at.
Ben is a phenomenal actor. He'san incredible addition to our our Marrion
(13:16):
Theater family. He's doing a greatjob. But Diana thinks that he's a
little bit of a sexy little rockstar. I mean that is where the
comedic relief of this show really comesinto play. So one of my best
or one of my favorite quotes aboutthis show, I think it was New
(13:37):
York Times said that it is nota feel good musical. It's a feel
everything musical and you literally feel everyemotion through this. You will connect with
everybody. You will laugh, ifwe're doing our jobs right, you will
absolutely cry, and when you leave, you will feel hope. So well,
you know, Dustin, a lotof people you know see you and
have seen you on the Palace stagefor a number of years, and when
(14:01):
they think about Dust and they thinkabout the comedy and the things that you
do, like your Christmas and thePalace and some of the comedy relief that
you that you deliver, but youcan be a very serious individual and now
you get to do a little bitof everything in this show yourself. Absolutely,
And I think I've always kind ofmade the joke that I've always just
been the comedic relief for most things, and I really lean into that a
(14:24):
character, I guess, But yes, it is very awarding to be able
to play a very serious role andto show that serious side and to connect
on that completely different level. Yeah. And then in a directing standpoint,
it's been awesome working with this groupof people only because I mean not only
because, but mainly because of thetalent that this group of people has.
(14:48):
I was a little worried doing theshow because my biggest thing with it is
that you have to be so goodthat you're out of the way. There
cannot be that weak moment because assoon as there is, that connection is
lost. And everybody in this castis so incredibly talented. And I'm not
kidding. We say this about everycast that we're always in. I mean,
everybody says that about the cast thatthey're in, but I am not
kidding. Everybody in this cast couldlegit at some point be a professional actor
(15:15):
and should be a professional actor.Every one of us could be there,
and when you come see the show, you are not going to be distracted
by oh, that note was alittle off, because it's not. It
is the first day we were there, we did some of the hardest music
I've ever done in forty two years, and it when it clicked, it
really clicked, and that sound isjust incredible. I think I took a
(15:37):
recording on my phone and like immediatelysent it to Kirk. I think you're
on vacation. I was like,oh my god, did you hear this?
It's incredible. I'm just so excitedabout how amazingly talented this group of
people have been so so great.Anything else you guys wanted to add before
I asked dust dustin the tough question, because Kirk knows this, because I
(15:58):
do this all the time when wedo when we talk about shows, Dustin,
go ahead, tell everybody why theyneed to come to this show.
What is the number one reason thatthey need to come to this show.
That is not a tough question atall. The number one reason people need
to come see this show is becauseit is incredibly important. It is one
of the and I have said,I think it's probably the most important piece
(16:19):
of musical theater ever written. Itis not sunshine and rainbows. It is
not a big dance you know,extravaganza, but it is again, like
I said, it is a feeleverything musical. It is that person out
there that has been suffering alone,that person that out there that has always
felt like no one understands them willcome to this and they will connect with
(16:42):
one of us. There's somebody herethat they're going to connect with. And
I've always said I if we getto do the show and I can connect
with one person, I can letone person know that they are heard,
and Okay, then it was enoughfor me. Yeah, and I was
talking to the show, or talkingabout the show to a friend of mine,
(17:04):
and she said that she's dealt withsome stuff and just by talking to
me about the show, she said, Dustin, no one has ever made
me feel like I've been understood.And she goes, just by talking to
you about this, and she brokedown. She said, I finally feel
like one of my friends understands me. That's why this show's important. That's
(17:26):
why the show needs to be seen. Kirk probably something that the Palace has
never done a show like this,No, not that I know of.
I'm sure they've you know, they'vedone straight plays before. I want to
just point out that it the music, the score of this is I heard
it, I think on a recordingbefore I actually saw the show. The
(17:51):
music won Best Score and the Tonysand it beat Elton John Wow. And
it also won Best Actress. Butit won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama,
which very few musicals have. SoI always like to point that out because
there's some people whom the next toNorman never heard of it Pulitzer Prize winning.
You know, it's like coming toMarion, Ohio. So it's like,
(18:15):
you know, I'm hoping that theprestige of those awards, you know,
bring a few people in once againBroadway in Marion, Ohio at the
Maryon Palace heat or the May Pavilionnext to Normal August eighteenth, nineteenth and
twentieth. It is a Palace productiondirected by Dustin Rollins. If you want
details, go to maryon Palace dotorg you can get your tickets. They
started twenty six dollars for adults andrealize this is a PG thirteen show.
(18:40):
They use adult language. There areobviously adult themes and situations. It is
sponsored by the Marrying Community Foundation,the Kathleen EO Shay Fund, and we
would love for you to join usat the show on Friday, August eighteenth
through Sunday, August twentieth,
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