WEBVTT
00:00:01.600 --> 00:00:10.240
From the cast on stage and cruise behind the curtain, two community partners supporting efforts to bring professional Broadway performances to West Michigan.
00:00:10.400 --> 00:00:14.800
Plus, all things in between, this is BGR's Backstage Buzz.
00:00:17.760 --> 00:00:23.039
Hey friends, I'm Jennifer Pasqua, Vice President of Marketing and Community Engagement at Broadway Grand Rapids.
00:00:23.280 --> 00:00:28.079
And I'm Steve Stecketty, producer, Broadway fan, and proud BGR ambassador.
00:00:28.320 --> 00:00:33.840
So there are stories, Steve, that stay with us long after we first experienced them and for generations.
00:00:34.000 --> 00:00:35.520
The Outsiders remember that book?
00:00:35.679 --> 00:00:36.000
I do.
00:00:36.159 --> 00:00:37.039
Do you remember the movie?
00:00:37.200 --> 00:00:37.920
I do actually.
00:00:38.000 --> 00:00:39.119
I remember the movie better than the book.
00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:40.240
Okay, okay.
00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:49.679
Well, of course, this beloved novel that many of us read in school has now been transformed into a Broadway musical that's capturing audiences across the country.
00:00:49.840 --> 00:00:57.359
And with a powerful score, breathtaking choreography, and an emotional story about family, friendship, and finding where you belong.
00:00:57.520 --> 00:01:01.359
The Outsiders has quickly become one of Broadway's most talked-about new musicals.
00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:01.920
You bet.
00:01:02.079 --> 00:01:14.400
Winner of four Tony Awards, including Best Musical, The Outsiders, brings the world of Pony Boy, Johnny, Soda Pop, and Curtis Brothers to life in a way that's both deeply moving and visually stunning.
00:01:14.480 --> 00:01:18.239
And I need to mention one of the producers, Angelina Jolie.
00:01:18.400 --> 00:01:18.879
Did you know that?
00:01:19.120 --> 00:01:26.239
I well, not to go into a long story, but as I was getting music for this, I saw this thing and Angelina Jolie was talking, and I was like, wow, okay.
00:01:26.719 --> 00:01:28.799
Whether you're a lifelong fan of S.C.
00:01:28.879 --> 00:01:36.400
Hinton's classic novel or discovering this story for the very first time, this production delivers an unforgettable theatrical experience.
00:01:36.640 --> 00:01:47.599
And today we are going behind the scenes with uh one of the cast members of the National Touring Company to talk about the show and how it's landing here in West Michigan.
00:01:47.920 --> 00:01:51.200
So joining us right now, we have Nolan White.
00:01:51.359 --> 00:01:55.760
And Nolan, we love it when we have some Michigan friends that are part of a tour.
00:01:55.920 --> 00:01:57.920
So tell me a little bit about your background.
00:01:58.159 --> 00:02:00.480
Well, I started performing in sixth grade.
00:02:00.560 --> 00:02:06.879
I was in a production of Your Good Man Carly Brown, and it took about everything in me to get over the audition nerves.
00:02:07.120 --> 00:02:08.960
I've been doing it ever since.
00:02:09.280 --> 00:02:12.400
So um that's sort of how I got started.
00:02:12.479 --> 00:02:18.960
But through high school, I just kept doing it, and eventually I decided, like, hey, this is what I want to do with my life.
00:02:19.199 --> 00:02:22.000
I uh went through the whole college audition process.
00:02:22.240 --> 00:02:26.800
I went to see the University of Michigan for a year, studying musical theater.
00:02:27.199 --> 00:02:42.800
And uh one weekend in January, I went to an outsider's open call with my mom, waited in line for like four hours with the chance to sing 16 bars of a song, and got really lucky.
00:02:43.039 --> 00:02:45.199
And here I am, I'm on tour.
00:02:45.520 --> 00:02:46.159
Awesome.
00:02:46.319 --> 00:02:49.280
Well, that is okay.
00:02:49.439 --> 00:02:50.400
That is lovely, though.
00:02:50.479 --> 00:02:54.000
Again, to have a Michigander, if you will, uh back into town.
00:02:54.080 --> 00:02:57.840
So let's just jump in with a couple questions about the show itself, if that's all right.
00:02:58.479 --> 00:03:10.479
Okay, so you play Pony Boy in what is a boy, about 60 or 70 year old, uh very famous show started off as a book, turned into a movie, and now a musical.
00:03:10.719 --> 00:03:16.240
And you, as Pony Boy, spend much of this story trying to understand where you belong in the world.
00:03:16.479 --> 00:03:23.199
Why do you think audiences nearly like 60 years after this originally came out still see themselves in this character?
00:03:23.439 --> 00:03:26.400
Oh, I think it's just a timeless story, first of all.
00:03:26.560 --> 00:03:32.400
I mean, it's a story that pretty much everyone reads in middle school and in the earlier years of high school.
00:03:32.560 --> 00:03:54.159
But the character of Pony Boy specifically and filmed is really I think it resonates with a lot of people because you know it's easy when you're growing up to feel cast aside and feel a little bit different and um not really know what your place is amongst your peers, um, especially at the age of 14, which is where Pony Boy is um in the story.
00:03:54.639 --> 00:04:04.719
So I think that's a a big point that a lot of people resonate with is just that finding that sense of belonging and it it's a really it's a fun character development.
00:04:05.199 --> 00:04:09.039
Yeah, speaking of character development, Nolan, I understand this is a very young show.
00:04:09.280 --> 00:04:10.800
Um how old are you?
00:04:10.960 --> 00:04:14.639
And how much of yourself did you bring into this role?
00:04:15.039 --> 00:04:18.319
I'm 20 and I uh I brought a lot of myself into this role.
00:04:18.399 --> 00:04:24.560
I think I um I definitely my humor airs on the on the dumber side.
00:04:24.720 --> 00:04:29.920
So um it's fun to get to tap back into that 14-year-old humor mindset.
00:04:30.000 --> 00:04:40.720
And uh I actually got a lot of my my dad and how I perceived my dad into the role because he grew up um in Oklahoma with not the strongest family structure ever.
00:04:40.879 --> 00:04:42.720
So pretty similar to Pony Boy.
00:04:42.959 --> 00:04:49.519
You know, he kind of just had to make it on his own and with his friends in a way, and he had an older brother who's the youngest.
00:04:49.680 --> 00:04:56.480
So I talked to my dad about his experience growing up and based a lot of how I see Pony Boy off of that.
00:04:56.800 --> 00:04:59.360
I said I think that's pretty cool that you were speaking with your father.
00:04:59.439 --> 00:05:04.800
Obviously, kind of grew up in a time, a simpler time that was a little closer to you know the lifestyle of these boys were.
00:05:04.959 --> 00:05:07.759
And you know, Pony Boy has always been, he's kind of a dreamer, right?
00:05:07.839 --> 00:05:10.720
He's kind of the one who sees beauty even in the difficult circumstances.
00:05:10.800 --> 00:05:12.959
He's kind of an anchor, you know, for characters.
00:05:13.120 --> 00:05:16.720
Uh in today's world of social media, constant distraction and things like that.
00:05:16.800 --> 00:05:20.480
Do you think there's something special and uh and relevant about that perspective?
00:05:20.800 --> 00:05:21.360
Absolutely.
00:05:21.439 --> 00:05:46.160
I think it's important for not just my generation, but all generations in this time of you know, this big technical technological social media boom to just get back to you know simpler times and spend some time off the screen and with your friends, because that's some of the most like you know, some of the times that I've cherished the most are you know with my friends and making memories in the real world.
00:05:46.240 --> 00:05:47.680
And I I think that's very important.
00:05:47.839 --> 00:06:01.199
And I think seeing, you know, young young people on stage doing that, portraying how you know friends back in the day used to just you know hang out until the sun goes down and come home late and just be kids.
00:06:01.360 --> 00:06:02.800
Like I think it's important.
00:06:02.959 --> 00:06:10.160
And it you know what it's similar to a lot of coming of age stories from you know all different time periods.
00:06:10.240 --> 00:06:17.279
Like it wouldn't be any it wouldn't be an interesting story if it was you know completely inside on a screen.
00:06:17.519 --> 00:06:19.040
That's what makes life special.
00:06:19.680 --> 00:06:20.399
Absolutely.
00:06:20.560 --> 00:06:26.879
So this is I'm not gonna give too much away, Nolan, because I think this is like the moment of the show that wows people.
00:06:26.959 --> 00:06:28.879
So you probably know what I'm talking about.
00:06:29.199 --> 00:06:37.199
But there is a moment in the show that uh incorporates some wonderful staging and people are going to be so impressed.
00:06:37.360 --> 00:06:42.560
I just want to know from you what is your dance experience background?
00:06:42.879 --> 00:06:54.160
Because when they yeah, because when they see this moment on you know, stage with all of you, uh, the choreography is just spectacular.
00:06:54.240 --> 00:06:56.480
That was a highlight for me when I saw this on the road.
00:06:56.560 --> 00:07:05.519
So um tell me a little bit more about you, Nolan, and what skill sets you had to really work on in order to get this role.
00:07:05.839 --> 00:07:06.879
That's a great question.
00:07:07.120 --> 00:07:12.639
Well, um, my mom is actually a dance teacher and has been a dancer all her whole life.
00:07:12.800 --> 00:07:19.680
She uh actually went on tour when she was around my age with uh country artist um Jody Jody Nathina.
00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:22.639
Um so she was one of her backup dancers back in the day.
00:07:22.959 --> 00:07:29.600
And uh I I grew up, you know, learning certain steps from her, and I always found it really fun to get up and dance.
00:07:29.680 --> 00:07:34.959
And I uh I remember this Michael Jackson Wii game I used to have that I just loved.
00:07:35.040 --> 00:07:37.920
So I took a lot of inspiration from him.
00:07:38.240 --> 00:07:38.879
I love it.
00:07:39.600 --> 00:07:45.839
I mean, yeah, I I was never a dancer at first, but as I've grown up, I've you know started to love it more and more.
00:07:46.000 --> 00:07:46.240
Yeah.
00:07:46.480 --> 00:07:49.199
And uh especially um stage combat.
00:07:49.279 --> 00:07:56.560
I I've been a huge you know fan of learning new stage combats and acrobatics.
00:07:56.639 --> 00:08:01.600
When I was a competitive humanist growing up, so I travel all over doing that when I was younger.
00:08:01.920 --> 00:08:03.040
Okay, so all that combined.
00:08:04.319 --> 00:08:04.959
Yeah, yeah.
00:08:05.199 --> 00:08:07.120
All that combined leads up to this moment.
00:08:07.199 --> 00:08:09.759
That's all I'm gonna say about it, because darn, it's good.
00:08:09.920 --> 00:08:10.800
It's good stuff.
00:08:11.040 --> 00:08:16.800
You know, at its heart, the outsiders uh you know wants people to kind of look past labels like Greaser and Soche.
00:08:16.959 --> 00:08:24.399
Obviously, today the you know, political climate, things are getting kind of divided and kind of polarized in the world, almost you know, similar to this show.
00:08:24.560 --> 00:08:33.519
If Pony Boy could speak directly to a teenager right now, an audience member, what do you what do you think he'd want them to understand about facing a world that's kind of getting increasingly divided?
00:08:33.840 --> 00:08:34.879
I think it's a great question.
00:08:35.039 --> 00:08:39.759
I think he doesn't really know the answer until the end of the show.
00:08:39.919 --> 00:08:46.080
And I think he learns a lot of that from Johnny throughout the story, because Johnny is such a resilient character.
00:08:46.159 --> 00:08:50.000
I mean, both Pony Boy and Johnny go through so much throughout the finish of the story.
00:08:50.320 --> 00:09:01.600
Um I think by the end of the show, what Pony Boy would give to someone who's wondering what to do is you know, just find that beauty in the fold.
00:09:02.080 --> 00:09:09.120
Um I mean there's a lyric in the show, finding beauty in the fold is the only way to keep them going on.
00:09:09.519 --> 00:09:17.600
So just be in the simple things and just take a moment to breathe every once in a while and um center yourself.
00:09:17.919 --> 00:09:28.320
And even though the world can feel like it's going 100 miles an hour 24-7, there are always moments that you can take to just be still and breathe.
00:09:28.559 --> 00:09:29.279
Oh, I love that.
00:09:29.360 --> 00:09:31.919
And that's gonna lead into my my one last question for you.
00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:41.679
I'm gonna keep it a little bit vague for anybody who hasn't seen any aspect of the show or the book or the movie, but there is a phrase uttered somewhere in the show that is uh stay gold.
00:09:41.840 --> 00:09:44.720
And that's all I'm gonna say about that, or the reasons why we're there.
00:09:44.960 --> 00:09:50.399
It's one of the most recognizable lines in American literature and soon to be in musical history, I'm guessing.
00:09:50.559 --> 00:09:55.360
Uh, after living with this character for so long, though, what does that mean to you personally?
00:09:55.519 --> 00:09:59.360
Again, if you can say it without getting into the minutia of the show.
00:09:59.919 --> 00:10:02.399
I I think the meaning changes for me a lot.
00:10:02.480 --> 00:10:10.559
You know, saying the line every single night for almost a year now, it's it's picked up so many different meanings.
00:10:10.639 --> 00:10:13.759
And honor honestly, for me, it has a sort of universal meaning.
00:10:13.919 --> 00:10:14.879
That it makes sense.
00:10:14.960 --> 00:10:17.039
Like it it means so many different things.
00:10:17.120 --> 00:10:34.320
But right now, and I think the core of it for me is um as I've been on the road, sometimes the time feels like it's just this amorphous thing where like sometimes it's at a standstill, and sometimes weeks fly by and it feels like minutes and it's crazy.
00:10:34.480 --> 00:10:50.159
So staying gold for me on the road has been just savoring every second, even if it's not a second that I necessarily want to be in, and realizing that time itself is really valuable.
00:10:50.639 --> 00:10:55.919
And yeah, just taking every moment and really living in it as much as possible.
00:10:56.000 --> 00:11:02.159
Because you know, sometimes, as Andy from the office said, you don't know you're in the good old days until you've left them.
00:11:02.399 --> 00:11:03.200
Absolutely.
00:11:03.519 --> 00:11:10.080
Nolan White, we so appreciate you taking the time, but we can't get you to leave us yet before we play a little game.
00:11:10.159 --> 00:11:11.039
Are you up for that?
00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:12.799
Oh, I'm always down for a game.
00:11:13.039 --> 00:11:17.120
All right, hang on, we'll be right back with Nolan after the break.
00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:22.720
I've never been out of Tosa before.
00:11:23.039 --> 00:11:26.559
I wonder what it would be like.
00:11:28.720 --> 00:11:33.440
I've never known anybody to leave.
00:11:33.840 --> 00:11:37.519
Most people get stuck for life.
00:11:38.240 --> 00:11:39.440
Welcome back, everyone.
00:11:39.519 --> 00:11:42.399
Now it is time for some game time.
00:11:42.720 --> 00:11:44.080
I think it's time for some game time.
00:11:44.159 --> 00:11:45.519
I don't know what we're gonna call this game.
00:11:45.600 --> 00:11:48.879
We're gonna call it uh vague plot points of our season this year.
00:11:48.960 --> 00:11:50.480
So, Nolan, if you're ready for it.
00:11:50.799 --> 00:11:52.159
That's a long title, Steve.
00:11:55.120 --> 00:11:56.480
Vague plot points of our season.
00:11:56.559 --> 00:12:06.720
And for anybody listening at home, if you're familiar with our season this year, we have The Lion King and Juliet, Kimberly Akimbo, The Great Gatsby, The Outsiders, Book of Mormon, and Water for Elephants.
00:12:06.799 --> 00:12:07.679
That's our season this year.
00:12:07.759 --> 00:12:08.799
You got all that, Nolan?
00:12:08.960 --> 00:12:09.200
Got it.
00:12:09.360 --> 00:12:09.600
Great.
00:12:09.679 --> 00:12:09.919
All right.
00:12:10.080 --> 00:12:16.720
We're gonna give you a vague sentence that's a plot of one of those shows and ask to see if you can identify each show from the sentence we give you.
00:12:16.799 --> 00:12:17.519
Does that sound all right?
00:12:17.759 --> 00:12:18.480
Sounds good to me.
00:12:18.879 --> 00:12:19.679
Here we go, Steve.
00:12:19.759 --> 00:12:20.080
Go first.
00:12:20.240 --> 00:12:20.960
I'll take the first one.
00:12:21.039 --> 00:12:21.360
Okay.
00:12:21.679 --> 00:12:25.919
A kingdom collapses because a child believes a lie.
00:12:26.159 --> 00:12:29.039
Oh, crud, I heard the kingdom, and I was like, oh, Shakespeare.
00:12:29.200 --> 00:12:31.919
Uh is it why again?
00:12:32.480 --> 00:12:32.879
Boom.
00:12:32.960 --> 00:12:33.440
There you go.
00:12:33.519 --> 00:12:34.320
Ding ding ding.
00:12:34.639 --> 00:12:40.240
Question number two an entire life is spent trying to arrive at a moment that has already passed.
00:12:42.240 --> 00:12:45.679
I'm gonna say this is about a gentleman who throws a lot of parties.
00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:47.039
Oh, Greg Gatsby.
00:12:47.200 --> 00:12:47.360
Yes.
00:12:47.519 --> 00:12:47.759
Boom.
00:12:48.080 --> 00:12:48.480
You got it.
00:12:48.559 --> 00:12:48.879
You got it.
00:12:49.200 --> 00:12:49.679
Gatsby.
00:12:49.919 --> 00:12:50.159
Okay.
00:12:50.320 --> 00:12:50.720
All right.
00:12:50.879 --> 00:12:56.639
Two boys witness the same sunset and accidentally dismantle a social hierarchy.
00:12:57.279 --> 00:12:58.320
Outsiders.
00:12:58.559 --> 00:12:59.039
Yes.
00:12:59.200 --> 00:13:01.519
I was gonna say, if you didn't get that one, we have to have a lot of time.
00:13:03.360 --> 00:13:04.639
We'd have to have a talk.
00:13:05.120 --> 00:13:09.120
A traveling illusion becomes more honest than the world outside it.
00:13:10.879 --> 00:13:11.600
Very good.
00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:12.559
Very good, sir.
00:13:12.639 --> 00:13:16.720
And I'm actually amazed at your memory just for the names of the shows because I think I probably forgot.
00:13:16.879 --> 00:13:17.279
All right.
00:13:17.440 --> 00:13:22.720
A fabricated story succeeds where sincere certainty fails.
00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:27.440
This is about a bunch of uh young people who knock on doors trying to quote unquote sell something.
00:13:27.840 --> 00:13:28.000
Yeah.
00:13:28.159 --> 00:13:28.960
Book of Mormon.
00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:29.679
There you go.
00:13:29.919 --> 00:13:30.559
Book of Mormon.
00:13:30.879 --> 00:13:31.440
Book of Mormon.
00:13:31.759 --> 00:13:32.559
Do we get them all, Steve?
00:13:32.799 --> 00:13:32.960
Nope.
00:13:33.120 --> 00:13:34.399
We have we have two more.
00:13:34.879 --> 00:13:39.600
History changes when a character stops cooperating with her author.
00:13:40.080 --> 00:13:41.519
I feel like you've been waiting for this one.
00:13:42.799 --> 00:13:43.360
Yes, it is.
00:13:43.440 --> 00:13:44.480
This is your moment.
00:13:44.799 --> 00:13:51.679
And last but not least, the the person most aware of mortality is the youngest person in the room.
00:13:52.080 --> 00:13:56.399
Now that's that's uh Kimberly Campbell.
00:13:56.480 --> 00:13:56.960
There you go.
00:13:57.200 --> 00:13:58.320
Oh, nice job, Nolan.
00:13:58.559 --> 00:13:59.120
Nolan, very well.
00:13:59.200 --> 00:14:00.639
We realize that's a little bit difficult.
00:14:00.799 --> 00:14:01.759
We absolutely did get there.
00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:04.399
And again, I'm amazed at your memory just for the names of the shows.
00:14:05.039 --> 00:14:05.519
For sure.
00:14:05.679 --> 00:14:09.759
Well, we we look forward to hanging out with you when you are here in West Michigan.
00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:11.679
You're coming home to Michigan.
00:14:12.000 --> 00:14:12.559
Coming home.
00:14:12.720 --> 00:14:12.960
All right.
00:14:13.120 --> 00:14:13.440
Awesome.
00:14:13.519 --> 00:14:17.679
We cannot wait to see you at the show, and uh, we look forward to the performance.
00:14:18.399 --> 00:14:21.039
So I'm really a mess.
00:14:21.440 --> 00:14:27.120
Every night I worry myself to sleep while you're watching cartoons.
00:14:28.879 --> 00:14:32.399
There ain't nothing I can do for you.
00:14:32.720 --> 00:14:36.799
I know that pony boy's really got a damn good heart.
00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:43.039
Something about him that really could take him far, but I keep holding him down.
00:14:44.639 --> 00:14:48.559
I've run this family right into the ground.
00:14:48.960 --> 00:14:52.320
One of the most memorable lines in The Outsiders is stay gold.
00:14:52.480 --> 00:14:57.039
To many people, that phrase represents holding on to hope and kindness in a difficult world.
00:14:57.279 --> 00:15:06.000
Yeah, and today joining us right here at the table, we've got Christy Buck, CEO and founder of Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan, Be Nice.
00:15:06.159 --> 00:15:13.519
And Christy, I'm so excited that we are working together to promote not only the show, but promoting Be Nice.
00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:14.399
Amen.
00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:22.559
If there was any musical that would go along with what Be Nice is, it is the outsiders in so many ways.
00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:34.159
So we're honored to be part of this and looking forward to that whole big week of sharing the message of what the outsiders brings, stay gold, along with the Mental Health Foundation.
00:15:34.240 --> 00:15:34.720
Be nice.
00:15:34.960 --> 00:15:36.960
Would you be able to elaborate a little bit on that?
00:15:37.279 --> 00:15:41.120
Some of those parallels that you're talking about, because that is a wonderful way to start the uh conversation.
00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:41.759
Sure.
00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:49.360
Um, it's been interesting because when I saw that the outsiders was coming, um, a good friend of our family is actually in the show.
00:15:49.519 --> 00:15:52.320
Oh, so he is Luke Sabracos.
00:15:52.639 --> 00:15:55.039
So immediately I knew I was going to go to the show.
00:15:55.279 --> 00:16:04.960
But then I know that the outsiders is used in many classrooms, especially in eighth grade, to bring about the discussion about how to stay gold.
00:16:05.120 --> 00:16:09.840
So our message with Be Nice is four simple steps, and it's notice, invite, challenge, and empower.
00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:21.360
And when I look at the show, and I know I've read the book, I've seen the movie, excited about the musical, um, the action plan is in throughout the outsiders.
00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:29.279
And so a lot of it has to do with the struggles, what were what was happening with the boys, what was happening in their lives at the time.
00:16:29.360 --> 00:16:33.200
And so many times kids go through similar experiences.
00:16:33.279 --> 00:16:45.120
And it doesn't matter what socioeconomic class you are, because we're going to get that view in the outsiders with both views, um, that there are struggles and there are challenges that kids face.
00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:57.120
And many times it's noticing and and be nice, those struggles and moving into invite myself into good conversations when I see folks struggling with these situations.
00:16:57.600 --> 00:17:05.920
So there's grief and there's stress, there's feelings of isolation on Pony Boy's sense where he has the loss of his parents.
00:17:06.160 --> 00:17:12.960
Um, Johnny shows signs of trauma and fear and low self-worth, do abuse at home.
00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:26.400
And so we might be entertained by this musical, but when you look deep within it, and I know I'll be bawling during the singing of so many of the songs because they touch on so many different things and challenges that kids go through.
00:17:26.640 --> 00:17:35.839
There's anger, there's risks, a lot of risk-taking behaviors, and then there's just emotional withdrawal after years of you know, kids really facing hard times.
00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:37.839
And then there's the conflict, right?
00:17:38.079 --> 00:17:50.400
The conflict of the greasers and the socias and um people who are judged often by their appearances and the stigma that goes along with that, also, that the kids with money must not be experiencing any difficulties in their life.
00:17:50.559 --> 00:17:52.400
And we know that that's not true.
00:17:52.640 --> 00:17:57.759
So, you know, in addition, I could go on and on the lessons to be learned in the show.
00:17:57.839 --> 00:18:02.240
And I hope that we get the opportunity at our table there to have open discussions.
00:18:02.400 --> 00:18:05.440
And, you know, who knows the collab might go after this.
00:18:05.519 --> 00:18:13.359
But I think that this message of be nice would resonate with the entire cast and the crew and the producers and directors of the show.
00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:23.440
So well, and I think the beauty of what we do as Broadway is we try to kind of open up this space that is welcoming to whether or not you're a greaser or a soche.
00:18:23.839 --> 00:18:26.000
But what we want to do is have that engagement.
00:18:26.160 --> 00:18:29.839
We want people to stop at your table and we're gonna do some cool things.
00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:30.880
Yeah, we are.
00:18:31.119 --> 00:18:32.640
Tell me a little more about what we're gonna do.
00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:36.400
So we're gonna have the opportunity to recreate a little bit of the set.
00:18:36.480 --> 00:18:37.599
It's gonna be our set, right?
00:18:37.759 --> 00:18:38.319
Yeah, Ken.
00:18:38.400 --> 00:18:38.559
Yeah.
00:18:38.799 --> 00:18:39.039
It is.
00:18:39.279 --> 00:18:45.759
So we've got some large tires that are gonna be on display that makes it look like a little bit of an alleyway.
00:18:46.319 --> 00:18:54.160
And um, we have already had two totally covered with signatures and ideas of how to stay gold.
00:18:54.319 --> 00:18:55.519
Oh, I love that.
00:18:55.680 --> 00:18:57.440
So those were amazing.
00:18:57.519 --> 00:19:00.240
So we passed it around to a few schools that were in.
00:19:00.319 --> 00:19:02.319
It wasn't our idea, how to stay gold.
00:19:02.559 --> 00:19:06.559
Kids weighed in on that, so we'll have one on display and with gold markers.
00:19:06.640 --> 00:19:06.799
Yeah.
00:19:06.960 --> 00:19:13.039
And we'll do that again and then move them to the Broadway, to the offices of our gals, right?
00:19:13.279 --> 00:19:13.680
I love that.
00:19:13.839 --> 00:19:14.000
Yeah.
00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:19.920
You know, the whole idea is to kind of just showcase that there are so many different ways to be nice.
00:19:20.079 --> 00:19:24.000
And I just I just love the idea that we we collectively came up with.
00:19:24.079 --> 00:19:33.759
You know, we were getting so excited just talking about how do we really spread that message so that when people leave the venue, they're gonna keep that in mind as they're heading out into the real world.
00:19:34.000 --> 00:19:35.759
Forever, you know, it just resonates.
00:19:35.839 --> 00:19:42.559
You see a good show, you get moved, and you go, wow, I want to listen to the music for the next four weeks.
00:19:42.720 --> 00:19:45.680
And then suddenly you're going, how can I take it one step further?
00:19:45.759 --> 00:19:50.000
And we hope people will click on and take the pledge, learn what the action plan is.
00:19:50.160 --> 00:19:52.960
I went through the notice stage, right?
00:19:53.359 --> 00:19:55.839
Um, but everybody could learn the plan.
00:19:56.160 --> 00:19:56.960
That is wonderful.
00:19:57.119 --> 00:20:00.799
Can I ask how you obviously light up when you're talking about this?
00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:04.160
And you know, I've talked to a lot of people, so obviously this is very special to you.
00:20:04.319 --> 00:20:08.960
Can you talk a little bit about why this started, why you started this organization, and why this is so important?
00:20:09.039 --> 00:20:12.079
I mean, besides the obvious, there's something personal to you though.
00:20:12.319 --> 00:20:14.160
Yeah, you know, a lot was personal.
00:20:14.319 --> 00:20:26.880
So I lived in a home with a mother that struggled with clinical depression, you know, very, very depressed depression, um, to the point she had actually psychotic features with her illness.
00:20:27.119 --> 00:20:30.720
So that was my high school, those years of growing up.
00:20:30.799 --> 00:20:34.799
Um, my sisters were off to college, so I really had to adjust.
00:20:35.039 --> 00:20:46.240
And, you know, I I might start to cry, but you know, I didn't know the philosophy or stay gold, but I had to do that because I could have gone in any direction at that point.
00:20:46.319 --> 00:20:49.440
I really had my freedom while my mom was in the hospital.
00:20:49.599 --> 00:20:53.839
Um, my grandmother would come in and stay with me while my mom was in the hospital.
00:20:54.079 --> 00:21:03.920
And um, I could have done anything I wanted to, but somehow I stayed true to who I was, um, a lot being my faith, a lot being my nationality, which I'm Greek.
00:21:04.160 --> 00:21:05.920
Um, so that was my story.
00:21:06.079 --> 00:21:14.640
And so when I was able and I began my work with the foundation, I worked line staff, and that's when I discovered what was going on in my house.
00:21:14.720 --> 00:21:18.799
And I was very comfortable then talking about it because we didn't talk about it as kids.
00:21:18.880 --> 00:21:20.400
But then I became in this field.
00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:22.079
I'm like, I'm talking about it.
00:21:22.240 --> 00:21:31.680
So we went out, we started creating that conversation of where other people could feel comfortable to talk about mental health, mental illness, and ultimately suicide.
00:21:31.920 --> 00:21:37.440
So 2010 is when Be Nice was created, and then nine months later, the action plan.
00:21:37.599 --> 00:21:42.640
And that's what makes it so unique and different, you know, that it's got this thing like go out and do this.
00:21:42.880 --> 00:21:52.319
And I am very passionate about it because just this morning I was writing letters of thanks to people who donated in memory of a loved one that died by suicide.
00:21:52.559 --> 00:21:55.119
I honestly don't want to write those.
00:21:55.200 --> 00:21:55.680
I don't want.
00:21:55.759 --> 00:22:00.000
I'm gonna thank people, but I don't want, I want to end that.
00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:09.839
And I think we all can take part in recognizing when somebody is at the at the start of struggling, and sometimes that's what it is, and not just depression.
00:22:10.079 --> 00:22:13.359
So, you know, we need to take that into consideration, the vulnerability.
00:22:13.440 --> 00:22:14.880
And thank you for that answer.
00:22:14.960 --> 00:22:17.680
That was very personal and very well constructed.
00:22:18.000 --> 00:22:18.400
You know what?
00:22:18.559 --> 00:22:20.720
And Chrissy, I've known you for years now.
00:22:20.799 --> 00:22:34.319
And every time I hear this story, and like Steve said, your passion for this and what you've done here in West Michigan to create a program early on for students to realize that yeah, the first step is just be nice, people.
00:22:34.559 --> 00:22:35.200
Be nice.
00:22:35.440 --> 00:22:36.000
It really is.
00:22:36.240 --> 00:22:40.480
If people want to learn more about your organization, they want to get involved, they want to volunteer.
00:22:40.559 --> 00:22:41.440
How do they do that?
00:22:41.680 --> 00:22:43.279
It's so easy.
00:22:43.519 --> 00:22:45.200
Be nice.org.
00:22:45.440 --> 00:22:45.920
Got it.
00:22:46.079 --> 00:22:46.799
It's easy.
00:22:46.960 --> 00:22:53.839
You can go on and take the pledge, which it doesn't mean a donation of pledging, it means to learn the plan and it takes 12 minutes.
00:22:54.000 --> 00:22:54.319
Love it.
00:22:54.480 --> 00:22:55.200
That's how cool it is.
00:22:55.279 --> 00:22:56.319
It's like CPR, right?
00:22:56.640 --> 00:22:57.759
Chrissy, thank you so much.
00:22:58.079 --> 00:22:58.880
Thank you for this.
00:22:59.359 --> 00:22:59.839
Appreciate it.
00:22:59.920 --> 00:23:00.880
I'm so excited.
00:23:01.119 --> 00:23:02.160
We're excited to have you here.
00:23:02.640 --> 00:23:03.920
Really, really, really pumped.
00:23:04.079 --> 00:23:08.160
Obviously, I show that in a lot of different ways, but I sure do.
00:23:08.319 --> 00:23:09.920
Thank you so much, my friend.
00:23:10.480 --> 00:23:15.279
The Outsiders makes its way to the stage on Tuesday, June 9th at DeVos Performance Hall.
00:23:15.440 --> 00:23:22.240
We also want to give a huge shout out to our season sponsor Meyer and our title sponsor, Fitzherbank, for making it all possible.
00:23:22.480 --> 00:23:33.279
Show sponsors AHC Hospitality, Barnes and Thornberg LLP, Crow, Harvey Automotive, Independent Bank, and Blacks Enterprises Inc.
00:23:33.680 --> 00:23:36.960
Thank you for joining us, and we'll see you at the show.
00:00:01.600 --> 00:00:10.240
From the cast on stage and cruise behind the curtain, two community partners supporting efforts to bring professional Broadway performances to West Michigan.
00:00:10.400 --> 00:00:14.800
Plus, all things in between, this is BGR's Backstage Buzz.
00:00:17.760 --> 00:00:23.039
Hey friends, I'm Jennifer Pasqua, Vice President of Marketing and Community Engagement at Broadway Grand Rapids.
00:00:23.280 --> 00:00:28.079
And I'm Steve Stecketty, producer, Broadway fan, and proud BGR ambassador.
00:00:28.320 --> 00:00:33.840
So there are stories, Steve, that stay with us long after we first experienced them and for generations.
00:00:34.000 --> 00:00:35.520
The Outsiders remember that book?
00:00:35.679 --> 00:00:36.000
I do.
00:00:36.159 --> 00:00:37.039
Do you remember the movie?
00:00:37.200 --> 00:00:37.920
I do actually.
00:00:38.000 --> 00:00:39.119
I remember the movie better than the book.
00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:40.240
Okay, okay.
00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:49.679
Well, of course, this beloved novel that many of us read in school has now been transformed into a Broadway musical that's capturing audiences across the country.
00:00:49.840 --> 00:00:57.359
And with a powerful score, breathtaking choreography, and an emotional story about family, friendship, and finding where you belong.
00:00:57.520 --> 00:01:01.359
The Outsiders has quickly become one of Broadway's most talked-about new musicals.
00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:01.920
You bet.
00:01:02.079 --> 00:01:14.400
Winner of four Tony Awards, including Best Musical, The Outsiders, brings the world of Pony Boy, Johnny, Soda Pop, and Curtis Brothers to life in a way that's both deeply moving and visually stunning.
00:01:14.480 --> 00:01:18.239
And I need to mention one of the producers, Angelina Jolie.
00:01:18.400 --> 00:01:18.879
Did you know that?
00:01:19.120 --> 00:01:26.239
I well, not to go into a long story, but as I was getting music for this, I saw this thing and Angelina Jolie was talking, and I was like, wow, okay.
00:01:26.719 --> 00:01:28.799
Whether you're a lifelong fan of S.C.
00:01:28.879 --> 00:01:36.400
Hinton's classic novel or discovering this story for the very first time, this production delivers an unforgettable theatrical experience.
00:01:36.640 --> 00:01:47.599
And today we are going behind the scenes with uh one of the cast members of the National Touring Company to talk about the show and how it's landing here in West Michigan.
00:01:47.920 --> 00:01:51.200
So joining us right now, we have Nolan White.
00:01:51.359 --> 00:01:55.760
And Nolan, we love it when we have some Michigan friends that are part of a tour.
00:01:55.920 --> 00:01:57.920
So tell me a little bit about your background.
00:01:58.159 --> 00:02:00.480
Well, I started performing in sixth grade.
00:02:00.560 --> 00:02:06.879
I was in a production of Your Good Man Carly Brown, and it took about everything in me to get over the audition nerves.
00:02:07.120 --> 00:02:08.960
I've been doing it ever since.
00:02:09.280 --> 00:02:12.400
So um that's sort of how I got started.
00:02:12.479 --> 00:02:18.960
But through high school, I just kept doing it, and eventually I decided, like, hey, this is what I want to do with my life.
00:02:19.199 --> 00:02:22.000
I uh went through the whole college audition process.
00:02:22.240 --> 00:02:26.800
I went to see the University of Michigan for a year, studying musical theater.
00:02:27.199 --> 00:02:42.800
And uh one weekend in January, I went to an outsider's open call with my mom, waited in line for like four hours with the chance to sing 16 bars of a song, and got really lucky.
00:02:43.039 --> 00:02:45.199
And here I am, I'm on tour.
00:02:45.520 --> 00:02:46.159
Awesome.
00:02:46.319 --> 00:02:49.280
Well, that is okay.
00:02:49.439 --> 00:02:50.400
That is lovely, though.
00:02:50.479 --> 00:02:54.000
Again, to have a Michigander, if you will, uh back into town.
00:02:54.080 --> 00:02:57.840
So let's just jump in with a couple questions about the show itself, if that's all right.
00:02:58.479 --> 00:03:10.479
Okay, so you play Pony Boy in what is a boy, about 60 or 70 year old, uh very famous show started off as a book, turned into a movie, and now a musical.
00:03:10.719 --> 00:03:16.240
And you, as Pony Boy, spend much of this story trying to understand where you belong in the world.
00:03:16.479 --> 00:03:23.199
Why do you think audiences nearly like 60 years after this originally came out still see themselves in this character?
00:03:23.439 --> 00:03:26.400
Oh, I think it's just a timeless story, first of all.
00:03:26.560 --> 00:03:32.400
I mean, it's a story that pretty much everyone reads in middle school and in the earlier years of high school.
00:03:32.560 --> 00:03:54.159
But the character of Pony Boy specifically and filmed is really I think it resonates with a lot of people because you know it's easy when you're growing up to feel cast aside and feel a little bit different and um not really know what your place is amongst your peers, um, especially at the age of 14, which is where Pony Boy is um in the story.
00:03:54.639 --> 00:04:04.719
So I think that's a a big point that a lot of people resonate with is just that finding that sense of belonging and it it's a really it's a fun character development.
00:04:05.199 --> 00:04:09.039
Yeah, speaking of character development, Nolan, I understand this is a very young show.
00:04:09.280 --> 00:04:10.800
Um how old are you?
00:04:10.960 --> 00:04:14.639
And how much of yourself did you bring into this role?
00:04:15.039 --> 00:04:18.319
I'm 20 and I uh I brought a lot of myself into this role.
00:04:18.399 --> 00:04:24.560
I think I um I definitely my humor airs on the on the dumber side.
00:04:24.720 --> 00:04:29.920
So um it's fun to get to tap back into that 14-year-old humor mindset.
00:04:30.000 --> 00:04:40.720
And uh I actually got a lot of my my dad and how I perceived my dad into the role because he grew up um in Oklahoma with not the strongest family structure ever.
00:04:40.879 --> 00:04:42.720
So pretty similar to Pony Boy.
00:04:42.959 --> 00:04:49.519
You know, he kind of just had to make it on his own and with his friends in a way, and he had an older brother who's the youngest.
00:04:49.680 --> 00:04:56.480
So I talked to my dad about his experience growing up and based a lot of how I see Pony Boy off of that.
00:04:56.800 --> 00:04:59.360
I said I think that's pretty cool that you were speaking with your father.
00:04:59.439 --> 00:05:04.800
Obviously, kind of grew up in a time, a simpler time that was a little closer to you know the lifestyle of these boys were.
00:05:04.959 --> 00:05:07.759
And you know, Pony Boy has always been, he's kind of a dreamer, right?
00:05:07.839 --> 00:05:10.720
He's kind of the one who sees beauty even in the difficult circumstances.
00:05:10.800 --> 00:05:12.959
He's kind of an anchor, you know, for characters.
00:05:13.120 --> 00:05:16.720
Uh in today's world of social media, constant distraction and things like that.
00:05:16.800 --> 00:05:20.480
Do you think there's something special and uh and relevant about that perspective?
00:05:20.800 --> 00:05:21.360
Absolutely.
00:05:21.439 --> 00:05:46.160
I think it's important for not just my generation, but all generations in this time of you know, this big technical technological social media boom to just get back to you know simpler times and spend some time off the screen and with your friends, because that's some of the most like you know, some of the times that I've cherished the most are you know with my friends and making memories in the real world.
00:05:46.240 --> 00:05:47.680
And I I think that's very important.
00:05:47.839 --> 00:06:01.199
And I think seeing, you know, young young people on stage doing that, portraying how you know friends back in the day used to just you know hang out until the sun goes down and come home late and just be kids.
00:06:01.360 --> 00:06:02.800
Like I think it's important.
00:06:02.959 --> 00:06:10.160
And it you know what it's similar to a lot of coming of age stories from you know all different time periods.
00:06:10.240 --> 00:06:17.279
Like it wouldn't be any it wouldn't be an interesting story if it was you know completely inside on a screen.
00:06:17.519 --> 00:06:19.040
That's what makes life special.
00:06:19.680 --> 00:06:20.399
Absolutely.
00:06:20.560 --> 00:06:26.879
So this is I'm not gonna give too much away, Nolan, because I think this is like the moment of the show that wows people.
00:06:26.959 --> 00:06:28.879
So you probably know what I'm talking about.
00:06:29.199 --> 00:06:37.199
But there is a moment in the show that uh incorporates some wonderful staging and people are going to be so impressed.
00:06:37.360 --> 00:06:42.560
I just want to know from you what is your dance experience background?
00:06:42.879 --> 00:06:54.160
Because when they yeah, because when they see this moment on you know, stage with all of you, uh, the choreography is just spectacular.
00:06:54.240 --> 00:06:56.480
That was a highlight for me when I saw this on the road.
00:06:56.560 --> 00:07:05.519
So um tell me a little bit more about you, Nolan, and what skill sets you had to really work on in order to get this role.
00:07:05.839 --> 00:07:06.879
That's a great question.
00:07:07.120 --> 00:07:12.639
Well, um, my mom is actually a dance teacher and has been a dancer all her whole life.
00:07:12.800 --> 00:07:19.680
She uh actually went on tour when she was around my age with uh country artist um Jody Jody Nathina.
00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:22.639
Um so she was one of her backup dancers back in the day.
00:07:22.959 --> 00:07:29.600
And uh I I grew up, you know, learning certain steps from her, and I always found it really fun to get up and dance.
00:07:29.680 --> 00:07:34.959
And I uh I remember this Michael Jackson Wii game I used to have that I just loved.
00:07:35.040 --> 00:07:37.920
So I took a lot of inspiration from him.
00:07:38.240 --> 00:07:38.879
I love it.
00:07:39.600 --> 00:07:45.839
I mean, yeah, I I was never a dancer at first, but as I've grown up, I've you know started to love it more and more.
00:07:46.000 --> 00:07:46.240
Yeah.
00:07:46.480 --> 00:07:49.199
And uh especially um stage combat.
00:07:49.279 --> 00:07:56.560
I I've been a huge you know fan of learning new stage combats and acrobatics.
00:07:56.639 --> 00:08:01.600
When I was a competitive humanist growing up, so I travel all over doing that when I was younger.
00:08:01.920 --> 00:08:03.040
Okay, so all that combined.
00:08:04.319 --> 00:08:04.959
Yeah, yeah.
00:08:05.199 --> 00:08:07.120
All that combined leads up to this moment.
00:08:07.199 --> 00:08:09.759
That's all I'm gonna say about it, because darn, it's good.
00:08:09.920 --> 00:08:10.800
It's good stuff.
00:08:11.040 --> 00:08:16.800
You know, at its heart, the outsiders uh you know wants people to kind of look past labels like Greaser and Soche.
00:08:16.959 --> 00:08:24.399
Obviously, today the you know, political climate, things are getting kind of divided and kind of polarized in the world, almost you know, similar to this show.
00:08:24.560 --> 00:08:33.519
If Pony Boy could speak directly to a teenager right now, an audience member, what do you what do you think he'd want them to understand about facing a world that's kind of getting increasingly divided?
00:08:33.840 --> 00:08:34.879
I think it's a great question.
00:08:35.039 --> 00:08:39.759
I think he doesn't really know the answer until the end of the show.
00:08:39.919 --> 00:08:46.080
And I think he learns a lot of that from Johnny throughout the story, because Johnny is such a resilient character.
00:08:46.159 --> 00:08:50.000
I mean, both Pony Boy and Johnny go through so much throughout the finish of the story.
00:08:50.320 --> 00:09:01.600
Um I think by the end of the show, what Pony Boy would give to someone who's wondering what to do is you know, just find that beauty in the fold.
00:09:02.080 --> 00:09:09.120
Um I mean there's a lyric in the show, finding beauty in the fold is the only way to keep them going on.
00:09:09.519 --> 00:09:17.600
So just be in the simple things and just take a moment to breathe every once in a while and um center yourself.
00:09:17.919 --> 00:09:28.320
And even though the world can feel like it's going 100 miles an hour 24-7, there are always moments that you can take to just be still and breathe.
00:09:28.559 --> 00:09:29.279
Oh, I love that.
00:09:29.360 --> 00:09:31.919
And that's gonna lead into my my one last question for you.
00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:41.679
I'm gonna keep it a little bit vague for anybody who hasn't seen any aspect of the show or the book or the movie, but there is a phrase uttered somewhere in the show that is uh stay gold.
00:09:41.840 --> 00:09:44.720
And that's all I'm gonna say about that, or the reasons why we're there.
00:09:44.960 --> 00:09:50.399
It's one of the most recognizable lines in American literature and soon to be in musical history, I'm guessing.
00:09:50.559 --> 00:09:55.360
Uh, after living with this character for so long, though, what does that mean to you personally?
00:09:55.519 --> 00:09:59.360
Again, if you can say it without getting into the minutia of the show.
00:09:59.919 --> 00:10:02.399
I I think the meaning changes for me a lot.
00:10:02.480 --> 00:10:10.559
You know, saying the line every single night for almost a year now, it's it's picked up so many different meanings.
00:10:10.639 --> 00:10:13.759
And honor honestly, for me, it has a sort of universal meaning.
00:10:13.919 --> 00:10:14.879
That it makes sense.
00:10:14.960 --> 00:10:17.039
Like it it means so many different things.
00:10:17.120 --> 00:10:34.320
But right now, and I think the core of it for me is um as I've been on the road, sometimes the time feels like it's just this amorphous thing where like sometimes it's at a standstill, and sometimes weeks fly by and it feels like minutes and it's crazy.
00:10:34.480 --> 00:10:50.159
So staying gold for me on the road has been just savoring every second, even if it's not a second that I necessarily want to be in, and realizing that time itself is really valuable.
00:10:50.639 --> 00:10:55.919
And yeah, just taking every moment and really living in it as much as possible.
00:10:56.000 --> 00:11:02.159
Because you know, sometimes, as Andy from the office said, you don't know you're in the good old days until you've left them.
00:11:02.399 --> 00:11:03.200
Absolutely.
00:11:03.519 --> 00:11:10.080
Nolan White, we so appreciate you taking the time, but we can't get you to leave us yet before we play a little game.
00:11:10.159 --> 00:11:11.039
Are you up for that?
00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:12.799
Oh, I'm always down for a game.
00:11:13.039 --> 00:11:17.120
All right, hang on, we'll be right back with Nolan after the break.
00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:22.720
I've never been out of Tosa before.
00:11:23.039 --> 00:11:26.559
I wonder what it would be like.
00:11:28.720 --> 00:11:33.440
I've never known anybody to leave.
00:11:33.840 --> 00:11:37.519
Most people get stuck for life.
00:11:38.240 --> 00:11:39.440
Welcome back, everyone.
00:11:39.519 --> 00:11:42.399
Now it is time for some game time.
00:11:42.720 --> 00:11:44.080
I think it's time for some game time.
00:11:44.159 --> 00:11:45.519
I don't know what we're gonna call this game.
00:11:45.600 --> 00:11:48.879
We're gonna call it uh vague plot points of our season this year.
00:11:48.960 --> 00:11:50.480
So, Nolan, if you're ready for it.
00:11:50.799 --> 00:11:52.159
That's a long title, Steve.
00:11:55.120 --> 00:11:56.480
Vague plot points of our season.
00:11:56.559 --> 00:12:06.720
And for anybody listening at home, if you're familiar with our season this year, we have The Lion King and Juliet, Kimberly Akimbo, The Great Gatsby, The Outsiders, Book of Mormon, and Water for Elephants.
00:12:06.799 --> 00:12:07.679
That's our season this year.
00:12:07.759 --> 00:12:08.799
You got all that, Nolan?
00:12:08.960 --> 00:12:09.200
Got it.
00:12:09.360 --> 00:12:09.600
Great.
00:12:09.679 --> 00:12:09.919
All right.
00:12:10.080 --> 00:12:16.720
We're gonna give you a vague sentence that's a plot of one of those shows and ask to see if you can identify each show from the sentence we give you.
00:12:16.799 --> 00:12:17.519
Does that sound all right?
00:12:17.759 --> 00:12:18.480
Sounds good to me.
00:12:18.879 --> 00:12:19.679
Here we go, Steve.
00:12:19.759 --> 00:12:20.080
Go first.
00:12:20.240 --> 00:12:20.960
I'll take the first one.
00:12:21.039 --> 00:12:21.360
Okay.
00:12:21.679 --> 00:12:25.919
A kingdom collapses because a child believes a lie.
00:12:26.159 --> 00:12:29.039
Oh, crud, I heard the kingdom, and I was like, oh, Shakespeare.
00:12:29.200 --> 00:12:31.919
Uh is it why again?
00:12:32.480 --> 00:12:32.879
Boom.
00:12:32.960 --> 00:12:33.440
There you go.
00:12:33.519 --> 00:12:34.320
Ding ding ding.
00:12:34.639 --> 00:12:40.240
Question number two an entire life is spent trying to arrive at a moment that has already passed.
00:12:42.240 --> 00:12:45.679
I'm gonna say this is about a gentleman who throws a lot of parties.
00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:47.039
Oh, Greg Gatsby.
00:12:47.200 --> 00:12:47.360
Yes.
00:12:47.519 --> 00:12:47.759
Boom.
00:12:48.080 --> 00:12:48.480
You got it.
00:12:48.559 --> 00:12:48.879
You got it.
00:12:49.200 --> 00:12:49.679
Gatsby.
00:12:49.919 --> 00:12:50.159
Okay.
00:12:50.320 --> 00:12:50.720
All right.
00:12:50.879 --> 00:12:56.639
Two boys witness the same sunset and accidentally dismantle a social hierarchy.
00:12:57.279 --> 00:12:58.320
Outsiders.
00:12:58.559 --> 00:12:59.039
Yes.
00:12:59.200 --> 00:13:01.519
I was gonna say, if you didn't get that one, we have to have a lot of time.
00:13:03.360 --> 00:13:04.639
We'd have to have a talk.
00:13:05.120 --> 00:13:09.120
A traveling illusion becomes more honest than the world outside it.
00:13:10.879 --> 00:13:11.600
Very good.
00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:12.559
Very good, sir.
00:13:12.639 --> 00:13:16.720
And I'm actually amazed at your memory just for the names of the shows because I think I probably forgot.
00:13:16.879 --> 00:13:17.279
All right.
00:13:17.440 --> 00:13:22.720
A fabricated story succeeds where sincere certainty fails.
00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:27.440
This is about a bunch of uh young people who knock on doors trying to quote unquote sell something.
00:13:27.840 --> 00:13:28.000
Yeah.
00:13:28.159 --> 00:13:28.960
Book of Mormon.
00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:29.679
There you go.
00:13:29.919 --> 00:13:30.559
Book of Mormon.
00:13:30.879 --> 00:13:31.440
Book of Mormon.
00:13:31.759 --> 00:13:32.559
Do we get them all, Steve?
00:13:32.799 --> 00:13:32.960
Nope.
00:13:33.120 --> 00:13:34.399
We have we have two more.
00:13:34.879 --> 00:13:39.600
History changes when a character stops cooperating with her author.
00:13:40.080 --> 00:13:41.519
I feel like you've been waiting for this one.
00:13:42.799 --> 00:13:43.360
Yes, it is.
00:13:43.440 --> 00:13:44.480
This is your moment.
00:13:44.799 --> 00:13:51.679
And last but not least, the the person most aware of mortality is the youngest person in the room.
00:13:52.080 --> 00:13:56.399
Now that's that's uh Kimberly Campbell.
00:13:56.480 --> 00:13:56.960
There you go.
00:13:57.200 --> 00:13:58.320
Oh, nice job, Nolan.
00:13:58.559 --> 00:13:59.120
Nolan, very well.
00:13:59.200 --> 00:14:00.639
We realize that's a little bit difficult.
00:14:00.799 --> 00:14:01.759
We absolutely did get there.
00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:04.399
And again, I'm amazed at your memory just for the names of the shows.
00:14:05.039 --> 00:14:05.519
For sure.
00:14:05.679 --> 00:14:09.759
Well, we we look forward to hanging out with you when you are here in West Michigan.
00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:11.679
You're coming home to Michigan.
00:14:12.000 --> 00:14:12.559
Coming home.
00:14:12.720 --> 00:14:12.960
All right.
00:14:13.120 --> 00:14:13.440
Awesome.
00:14:13.519 --> 00:14:17.679
We cannot wait to see you at the show, and uh, we look forward to the performance.
00:14:18.399 --> 00:14:21.039
So I'm really a mess.
00:14:21.440 --> 00:14:27.120
Every night I worry myself to sleep while you're watching cartoons.
00:14:28.879 --> 00:14:32.399
There ain't nothing I can do for you.
00:14:32.720 --> 00:14:36.799
I know that pony boy's really got a damn good heart.
00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:43.039
Something about him that really could take him far, but I keep holding him down.
00:14:44.639 --> 00:14:48.559
I've run this family right into the ground.
00:14:48.960 --> 00:14:52.320
One of the most memorable lines in The Outsiders is stay gold.
00:14:52.480 --> 00:14:57.039
To many people, that phrase represents holding on to hope and kindness in a difficult world.
00:14:57.279 --> 00:15:06.000
Yeah, and today joining us right here at the table, we've got Christy Buck, CEO and founder of Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan, Be Nice.
00:15:06.159 --> 00:15:13.519
And Christy, I'm so excited that we are working together to promote not only the show, but promoting Be Nice.
00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:14.399
Amen.
00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:22.559
If there was any musical that would go along with what Be Nice is, it is the outsiders in so many ways.
00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:34.159
So we're honored to be part of this and looking forward to that whole big week of sharing the message of what the outsiders brings, stay gold, along with the Mental Health Foundation.
00:15:34.240 --> 00:15:34.720
Be nice.
00:15:34.960 --> 00:15:36.960
Would you be able to elaborate a little bit on that?
00:15:37.279 --> 00:15:41.120
Some of those parallels that you're talking about, because that is a wonderful way to start the uh conversation.
00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:41.759
Sure.
00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:49.360
Um, it's been interesting because when I saw that the outsiders was coming, um, a good friend of our family is actually in the show.
00:15:49.519 --> 00:15:52.320
Oh, so he is Luke Sabracos.
00:15:52.639 --> 00:15:55.039
So immediately I knew I was going to go to the show.
00:15:55.279 --> 00:16:04.960
But then I know that the outsiders is used in many classrooms, especially in eighth grade, to bring about the discussion about how to stay gold.
00:16:05.120 --> 00:16:09.840
So our message with Be Nice is four simple steps, and it's notice, invite, challenge, and empower.
00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:21.360
And when I look at the show, and I know I've read the book, I've seen the movie, excited about the musical, um, the action plan is in throughout the outsiders.
00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:29.279
And so a lot of it has to do with the struggles, what were what was happening with the boys, what was happening in their lives at the time.
00:16:29.360 --> 00:16:33.200
And so many times kids go through similar experiences.
00:16:33.279 --> 00:16:45.120
And it doesn't matter what socioeconomic class you are, because we're going to get that view in the outsiders with both views, um, that there are struggles and there are challenges that kids face.
00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:57.120
And many times it's noticing and and be nice, those struggles and moving into invite myself into good conversations when I see folks struggling with these situations.
00:16:57.600 --> 00:17:05.920
So there's grief and there's stress, there's feelings of isolation on Pony Boy's sense where he has the loss of his parents.
00:17:06.160 --> 00:17:12.960
Um, Johnny shows signs of trauma and fear and low self-worth, do abuse at home.
00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:26.400
And so we might be entertained by this musical, but when you look deep within it, and I know I'll be bawling during the singing of so many of the songs because they touch on so many different things and challenges that kids go through.
00:17:26.640 --> 00:17:35.839
There's anger, there's risks, a lot of risk-taking behaviors, and then there's just emotional withdrawal after years of you know, kids really facing hard times.
00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:37.839
And then there's the conflict, right?
00:17:38.079 --> 00:17:50.400
The conflict of the greasers and the socias and um people who are judged often by their appearances and the stigma that goes along with that, also, that the kids with money must not be experiencing any difficulties in their life.
00:17:50.559 --> 00:17:52.400
And we know that that's not true.
00:17:52.640 --> 00:17:57.759
So, you know, in addition, I could go on and on the lessons to be learned in the show.
00:17:57.839 --> 00:18:02.240
And I hope that we get the opportunity at our table there to have open discussions.
00:18:02.400 --> 00:18:05.440
And, you know, who knows the collab might go after this.
00:18:05.519 --> 00:18:13.359
But I think that this message of be nice would resonate with the entire cast and the crew and the producers and directors of the show.
00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:23.440
So well, and I think the beauty of what we do as Broadway is we try to kind of open up this space that is welcoming to whether or not you're a greaser or a soche.
00:18:23.839 --> 00:18:26.000
But what we want to do is have that engagement.
00:18:26.160 --> 00:18:29.839
We want people to stop at your table and we're gonna do some cool things.
00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:30.880
Yeah, we are.
00:18:31.119 --> 00:18:32.640
Tell me a little more about what we're gonna do.
00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:36.400
So we're gonna have the opportunity to recreate a little bit of the set.
00:18:36.480 --> 00:18:37.599
It's gonna be our set, right?
00:18:37.759 --> 00:18:38.319
Yeah, Ken.
00:18:38.400 --> 00:18:38.559
Yeah.
00:18:38.799 --> 00:18:39.039
It is.
00:18:39.279 --> 00:18:45.759
So we've got some large tires that are gonna be on display that makes it look like a little bit of an alleyway.
00:18:46.319 --> 00:18:54.160
And um, we have already had two totally covered with signatures and ideas of how to stay gold.
00:18:54.319 --> 00:18:55.519
Oh, I love that.
00:18:55.680 --> 00:18:57.440
So those were amazing.
00:18:57.519 --> 00:19:00.240
So we passed it around to a few schools that were in.
00:19:00.319 --> 00:19:02.319
It wasn't our idea, how to stay gold.
00:19:02.559 --> 00:19:06.559
Kids weighed in on that, so we'll have one on display and with gold markers.
00:19:06.640 --> 00:19:06.799
Yeah.
00:19:06.960 --> 00:19:13.039
And we'll do that again and then move them to the Broadway, to the offices of our gals, right?
00:19:13.279 --> 00:19:13.680
I love that.
00:19:13.839 --> 00:19:14.000
Yeah.
00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:19.920
You know, the whole idea is to kind of just showcase that there are so many different ways to be nice.
00:19:20.079 --> 00:19:24.000
And I just I just love the idea that we we collectively came up with.
00:19:24.079 --> 00:19:33.759
You know, we were getting so excited just talking about how do we really spread that message so that when people leave the venue, they're gonna keep that in mind as they're heading out into the real world.
00:19:34.000 --> 00:19:35.759
Forever, you know, it just resonates.
00:19:35.839 --> 00:19:42.559
You see a good show, you get moved, and you go, wow, I want to listen to the music for the next four weeks.
00:19:42.720 --> 00:19:45.680
And then suddenly you're going, how can I take it one step further?
00:19:45.759 --> 00:19:50.000
And we hope people will click on and take the pledge, learn what the action plan is.
00:19:50.160 --> 00:19:52.960
I went through the notice stage, right?
00:19:53.359 --> 00:19:55.839
Um, but everybody could learn the plan.
00:19:56.160 --> 00:19:56.960
That is wonderful.
00:19:57.119 --> 00:20:00.799
Can I ask how you obviously light up when you're talking about this?
00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:04.160
And you know, I've talked to a lot of people, so obviously this is very special to you.
00:20:04.319 --> 00:20:08.960
Can you talk a little bit about why this started, why you started this organization, and why this is so important?
00:20:09.039 --> 00:20:12.079
I mean, besides the obvious, there's something personal to you though.
00:20:12.319 --> 00:20:14.160
Yeah, you know, a lot was personal.
00:20:14.319 --> 00:20:26.880
So I lived in a home with a mother that struggled with clinical depression, you know, very, very depressed depression, um, to the point she had actually psychotic features with her illness.
00:20:27.119 --> 00:20:30.720
So that was my high school, those years of growing up.
00:20:30.799 --> 00:20:34.799
Um, my sisters were off to college, so I really had to adjust.
00:20:35.039 --> 00:20:46.240
And, you know, I I might start to cry, but you know, I didn't know the philosophy or stay gold, but I had to do that because I could have gone in any direction at that point.
00:20:46.319 --> 00:20:49.440
I really had my freedom while my mom was in the hospital.
00:20:49.599 --> 00:20:53.839
Um, my grandmother would come in and stay with me while my mom was in the hospital.
00:20:54.079 --> 00:21:03.920
And um, I could have done anything I wanted to, but somehow I stayed true to who I was, um, a lot being my faith, a lot being my nationality, which I'm Greek.
00:21:04.160 --> 00:21:05.920
Um, so that was my story.
00:21:06.079 --> 00:21:14.640
And so when I was able and I began my work with the foundation, I worked line staff, and that's when I discovered what was going on in my house.
00:21:14.720 --> 00:21:18.799
And I was very comfortable then talking about it because we didn't talk about it as kids.
00:21:18.880 --> 00:21:20.400
But then I became in this field.
00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:22.079
I'm like, I'm talking about it.
00:21:22.240 --> 00:21:31.680
So we went out, we started creating that conversation of where other people could feel comfortable to talk about mental health, mental illness, and ultimately suicide.
00:21:31.920 --> 00:21:37.440
So 2010 is when Be Nice was created, and then nine months later, the action plan.
00:21:37.599 --> 00:21:42.640
And that's what makes it so unique and different, you know, that it's got this thing like go out and do this.
00:21:42.880 --> 00:21:52.319
And I am very passionate about it because just this morning I was writing letters of thanks to people who donated in memory of a loved one that died by suicide.
00:21:52.559 --> 00:21:55.119
I honestly don't want to write those.
00:21:55.200 --> 00:21:55.680
I don't want.
00:21:55.759 --> 00:22:00.000
I'm gonna thank people, but I don't want, I want to end that.
00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:09.839
And I think we all can take part in recognizing when somebody is at the at the start of struggling, and sometimes that's what it is, and not just depression.
00:22:10.079 --> 00:22:13.359
So, you know, we need to take that into consideration, the vulnerability.
00:22:13.440 --> 00:22:14.880
And thank you for that answer.
00:22:14.960 --> 00:22:17.680
That was very personal and very well constructed.
00:22:18.000 --> 00:22:18.400
You know what?
00:22:18.559 --> 00:22:20.720
And Chrissy, I've known you for years now.
00:22:20.799 --> 00:22:34.319
And every time I hear this story, and like Steve said, your passion for this and what you've done here in West Michigan to create a program early on for students to realize that yeah, the first step is just be nice, people.
00:22:34.559 --> 00:22:35.200
Be nice.
00:22:35.440 --> 00:22:36.000
It really is.
00:22:36.240 --> 00:22:40.480
If people want to learn more about your organization, they want to get involved, they want to volunteer.
00:22:40.559 --> 00:22:41.440
How do they do that?
00:22:41.680 --> 00:22:43.279
It's so easy.
00:22:43.519 --> 00:22:45.200
Be nice.org.
00:22:45.440 --> 00:22:45.920
Got it.
00:22:46.079 --> 00:22:46.799
It's easy.
00:22:46.960 --> 00:22:53.839
You can go on and take the pledge, which it doesn't mean a donation of pledging, it means to learn the plan and it takes 12 minutes.
00:22:54.000 --> 00:22:54.319
Love it.
00:22:54.480 --> 00:22:55.200
That's how cool it is.
00:22:55.279 --> 00:22:56.319
It's like CPR, right?
00:22:56.640 --> 00:22:57.759
Chrissy, thank you so much.
00:22:58.079 --> 00:22:58.880
Thank you for this.
00:22:59.359 --> 00:22:59.839
Appreciate it.
00:22:59.920 --> 00:23:00.880
I'm so excited.
00:23:01.119 --> 00:23:02.160
We're excited to have you here.
00:23:02.640 --> 00:23:03.920
Really, really, really pumped.
00:23:04.079 --> 00:23:08.160
Obviously, I show that in a lot of different ways, but I sure do.
00:23:08.319 --> 00:23:09.920
Thank you so much, my friend.
00:23:10.480 --> 00:23:15.279
The Outsiders makes its way to the stage on Tuesday, June 9th at DeVos Performance Hall.
00:23:15.440 --> 00:23:22.240
We also want to give a huge shout out to our season sponsor Meyer and our title sponsor, Fitzherbank, for making it all possible.
00:23:22.480 --> 00:23:33.279
Show sponsors AHC Hospitality, Barnes and Thornberg LLP, Crow, Harvey Automotive, Independent Bank, and Blacks Enterprises Inc.
00:23:33.680 --> 00:23:36.960
Thank you for joining us, and we'll see you at the show.
