[MUSIC PLAYING]
ALAN: I'm Alan with the
Talks at Google team.
Thanks for coming out and
sharing your Thursday--
I forget what day it is--
Thursday afternoon with us.
We got a great little Q&A
performance here for you.
Inspired by the beloved
film, "Anastasia"
transports us from the
twilight of the Russian Empire
to the euphoria of
Paris in the 1920s,
as a brave young woman
sets out to discover
that mystery of her past pursued
by a ruthless Soviet officer
determined to silence her.
Anya enlists the aid of a
dashing, common, and lovable ex
aristocrat.
Together they embark
on an epic journey
to help find her home,
love, and family.
We're going to kick this
off with a little sizzle.
And then go straight into a
little bit of performance.
[VIDEO PLAYBACK]
- Now on Broadway,
from the Tony award
winning creators of "Ragtime,"
a brand new journey beings.
"Anastasia," the
musical, on Broadway.
Visit AnastasiaBroadway.com.
Get your tickets today.
[END PLAYBACK]
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: [SINGING "ONCE
 UPON A DECEMBER"]
[APPLAUSE]
JOHN BOLTON: It's
been a long time.
I hope Lily's happy to see me.
How could she not be?
[SINGING "WE'LL GO FROM THERE"]
[APPLAUSE]
ALAN: Thank you all for coming.
Let's go down the line here
and introduce yourselves
and who you are in the show.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: My
name is Christy Altomare
and I play Anya in "Anastasia."
JOHN BOLTON: I'm John Bolton.
I play Vlad.
ZACH ADKINS: And
I'm Zach Adkins.
I'm the understudy for
Dmitry in the ensemble.
ALAN: How much of the original
movies did the three of you
actually know about before
getting cast in this?
Cause it was based
on two movies, right?
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Yes.
The 1956 with Ingrid
Bergman and Yul Brynner.
And then, the cartoon
with Liz Callaway and--
ZACH ADKINS: Meg Ryan.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Meg Ryan.
JOHN BOLTON: John
Cusack, Kelsey Grammer.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Oh yeah.
Bernadette Peters.
ALAN: Oh really?
Yeah.
ZACH ADKINS: That's right.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE:
She played Lily.
JOHN BOLTON: I knew more
about the history, though.
The like, the actual--
because my parents had the
book "Nicholas and Alexandra"
when I was a kid.
And it hit true
crime, sort of, hit
the demise of the Romanovs,
and of course, Russian history.
And there were photographs,
and there's kids in this story.
I'm like, oh,
there's kids in it.
And I didn't know they
were all murdered.
But there were--
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: And
"Nicholas and Alexandra," that
was a movie as well, wasn't it?
JOHN BOLTON: A movie of
the '70s, sure, yeah.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Yeah.
So lot of-- I mean, American
culture, it's very interesting.
We know a lot about
this Romanov story.
It's kind of infamous, in a way.
JOHN BOLTON: Timeless.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Timeless.
JOHN BOLTON: And an
eternal mystery, truly.
Even though many
of the questions
have been fairly recently
answered in terms of DNA,
there's still a mystery to it.
And our production
takes the sort
of myth of the whole idea of
the facts of what happens.
Pursues the fairy tale aspect
of it, the myth aspect of it.
ALAN: And so this production,
gosh, the first reading
I could find record
of was April 24--
oh sorry, in 2012.
You guys opened April 24, 2017.
So the original production
had Angela Lansbury in it.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Yes.
ALAN: Sorry, the
original reading.
And so how did--
were any of you in it
from the beginning?
Can you speak about
the history of how
it got to where it is now?
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: I
don't think any of us
were in it from the
very, very beginning.
ALAN: But you were in
it from the workshops?
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Well--
JOHN BOLTON: We did out of town.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: We did
the Hartford out of town.
But I remember, I mean,
we had-- this show
had been kicked around
for quite some time.
I would say about
three years maybe.
And so there were
lots of readings.
And I'd gone in a few times.
And they'd always say, oh, she's
too young, she's too young.
So my last audition, I was
like, wearing long skirt--
like, I tried to look as old
and mature as-- and they said,
you're old enough now.
So grateful.
Grateful.
ZACH ADKINS: I mean,
kind of speak to that.
When you're developing
a musical, it takes--
I mean, I don't think I
know of a musical that
didn't take at least eight
years to be brought to Broadway.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Yeah.
ZACH ADKINS: So when
you're doing these readings
and workshops, a lot of the
projects you work on early on
will take many, many years and
many, many different creative
team changes even before you'll
see the final product of what
you get.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: You can
even age out of the part
that you played in a reading
in the very beginning stages.
Yeah, that happens.
ALAN: Or age into it.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Or age
into it like in my case.
ZACH ADKINS: Even more so,
there was a conversation had
in rehearsals where
Stephen even mentioned
that he was trying to reconnect
with that '90s Stephen Flaherty
to figure out what
the sound was.
When he was writing the movie
back in the '90s, or '80s even,
what that sound was.
Because he's progressed
so much as a composer.
JOHN BOLTON: It's
20 years later.
ZACH ADKINS: He was
like, oh how did I
write when I was 30-something?
And it was a really interesting
conversation to have.
JOHN BOLTON: Because
you may know,
they wrote a bunch of new
songs for the stage version.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: So many more.
JOHN BOLTON: Five or
six from the film--
ALAN: Yeah and it was 24
new ones or something?
JOHN BOLTON: It's a bunch.
There's a lot-- things
like reprises and stuff.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: So
you think, oh, it's
just going to be an
exact replication.
There's so much that's
changed and there's so much--
I mean, if you
love our composers,
the new music is unbelievable.
JOHN BOLTON: It's beautiful.
ALAN: Even the bad guy.
The bad guy's totally
different from the movie.
So there's no Rasputin, right?
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Yeah.
There's a handsome,
dark character.
ALAN: Oh you like him, huh?
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Well,
there's-- it leaves it up
to interpretation, you know?
ALAN: I was going to
ask you later if--
do you want to
set up the context
for your possible
relationship with--
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: With Gleb?
ALAN: With Gleb, yeah.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE:
Well, so, what I really
love about this
musical is that it does
tie in real Russian history.
And, as we all know,
during that time period,
the fall of the
Bolshevik Revolution,
which is where they went from
a monarchy to king and queen
to communism.
And you have this
guy that's kind
of working his way up the ranks,
this evil character, Gleb.
And he's not really evil.
He's just a misunderstood guy.
His family-- well
I mean, his family.
His dad, you find-- you
come to find out his dad
was a part of the firing
squad for the Romanov family.
So he has a lot of guilt
inside of him dealing
with you know, and then,
dealing with his family
and what is honor and
what is the right thing
to do versus the wrong thing
to do when you're ordered
to kill a bunch of kids?
So so over time,
he runs into Anya.
And then, he kind of
has a crush on her.
And also, it's kind of like--
I think-- I feel like it's a
little bit like the hunchback,
where, if you know anything
about the hunchback,
how it's kind of
like, he loves--
the bad guy loves Esmerelda
but also hates her.
So it's kind of like this.
He loves her, but he also wants
to kill her at the same time.
ALAN: And the Bolsheviks.
Yeah.
Yeah.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Yeah.
It's like he-- Gleb is in
love with her, but also.
Yeah.
ALAN: So why-- but
why do you think
the choice was made
to actually switch
the character completely?
Just a magical sorcerer
was not going play?
JOHN BOLTON: Well, Rasputin
was not a magical sorcerer,
for those of you that--
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: The
real Rasputin existed.
JOHN BOLTON: --that
only know the cartoon.
He wasn't a jolly ne'er do well.
He was a pretty
despicable human being.
And he was long dead,
actually dead, had
been taken out by some of the--
not the Tsar, but those
directly underneath the Tsar.
Because Rasputin was getting--
was way too close
to the royal family.
He had the empress, Tsarina
Alexandra, under his thumb,
in terms of, only I
can take care of you
your young, sick boy.
Because there were
the four daughters.
And the youngest boy
was a hemophiliac.
And so Alexandra wanted to
do everything she could.
And a friend of hers said,
get this mystic guy in.
And all of a sudden, he was
hanging out in the grand
duchess's--
the daughters'
bedrooms late at night.
And a lot of the court
said, get him out.
And so they murdered him.
They had him brutally killed.
And so he's-- if you
know the history,
he's long dead when the
events of the show start.
So I think that was the initial
way to create a more real--
ALAN: I didn't know
that historically,
that it was different like that.
That makes a lot of
sense to change it up.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE:
And it makes sense,
because the whole
thing is it took
a long time for him to die.
Like, cause they think
he's this mystic.
So they kept trying to
kill him in real life,
and he couldn't die.
So I think they used
that for the cartoon.
It's like kind of a joke that
he's not really dead yet.
Cause in real life-- anyway.
ZACH ADKINS: I mean, if you
are a fan of the movie, though,
the theme--
Rasputin sings "In the
Dark of the Night."
I mean, it comes
up multiple times.
Actually, it's the theme
of a song called "Stay,
I Pray You" in our show,
which is a beautiful group
number talking about leaving
your country for the last time.
And so if you do
come see the show,
and you love Rasputin and
those numbers, they're there.
You have to really,
really key in on that.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Same
thing with "At The Beginning
With You."
Some little underscoring.
ALAN: So the characters
are obviously well
known, both, I
guess, historically,
and from the movies now.
Do you find that
people are always
trying to compare
you, like your roles
now to what was in the
movies, the characters?
JOHN BOLTON: Well I think they--
they tend to say that we got it.
But, you know, I like to
think that we acknowledged
the character in the film.
They're animated
characters in the film.
But certainly, the vocal,
the voice performance
is what we can take.
Certainly what I took cues from.
Kelsey Grammer's--
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: We honor it.
JOHN BOLTON: You honor it.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: You honor it.
You don't--
JOHN BOLTON: But to do a slavish
imitation doesn't serve anyone,
really.
And so I honor it.
And, and--
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: I honor it.
JOHN BOLTON: Add my
own stuff into it.
ZACH ADKINS: I think once
you're seeing the show, you
kind of forget it was a movie.
When you're sitting
in the theater,
you know, you come in
with this expectation.
But once it starts,
we kind of pull you
in a lot of directions
right at the beginning.
And we send you a million
different directions,
a million different thoughts.
And you don't really
think about, oh wait.
Well what happened in the movie?
You know?
JOHN BOLTON: It's very much its
own theatrical event as opposed
to any sort of slavish
recreation of--
CHRISTY ALTOMARE:
Exact recreation.
JOHN BOLTON: --of
either of the films.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: It's not.
ALAN: Well yeah.
I want to talk about the
set too for a second.
Because the set itself is--
gosh, I don't even know
how to describe it.
There's like this
massive arc made of--
you know, it's supposed to
be this marble thing or--
it's a castle, it's the
city, it's the walkway,
it's all this multi-purpose
set that doesn't move,
but yet rotates and changes.
What was-- like, you guys,
when you first saw it,
what did you think of it?
CHRISTY ALTOMARE:
That first day.
JOHN BOLTON:
Absolutely thrilling.
It's basically
508 or something--
506, 508 TV monitors.
The entire back wall.
And each monitor is responsible
for its own tiny little piece
of the--
CHRISTY ALTOMARE:
The whole picture.
JOHN BOLTON: --visual puzzle.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE:
Like a puzzle, yeah.
JOHN BOLTON: And they're able to
do some really amazing things.
I believe we're
the only Broadway
show that uses that technology.
I know it's been used at
Radio City Music Hall.
But I believe we're
the first to use it.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: And do
you remember that first day
that he came in and showed us
what we were going to-- what
the show was going to be?
JOHN BOLTON: He would show
it to us on an iPhone.
And then say,
here's what's going
to be happening behind you.
You know, time it out.
Go!
But yes, there were days
where they brought us
all into the audience
and said, you
need to sit and watch
what's going on.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: So
you know how cool.
JOHN BOLTON: And
it's really amazing.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE:
It's pretty cool.
JOHN BOLTON: It's
really spectacular.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Yeah.
JOHN BOLTON: We do a
really cool view of Paris.
They actually sent our
videographer, video designer,
Erin Ryan, went to Paris and
filmed a lot of the locations.
Because Act 2 takes
place all in Paris.
And they put together this
amazing video sequence
of a whirlwind
tour through Paris,
including an elevator ride to
the top of the Eiffel Tower.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: And you feel
like you're going to the top.
JOHN BOLTON: You're
feel like you're going.
And the train-- there's
a train ride we take,
which was the trio we--
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: You feel
like you're on the train.
JOHN BOLTON: It's
on the train, and--
ALAN: The train itself is
moving and spinning, yeah.
JOHN BOLTON: Spinning around.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: And
you're moving with it, yeah.
ALAN: That was probably
one of my favorite scene,
like that and the
ballet too, the--
watching the train and
everything moving around it.
Because like, you
get the perspective,
and the video changes with
the perspective as the train
is-- it's phenomenal.
Go see it.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: It's so cool.
It's so cool.
ALAN: Yeah, so the costumes too.
Let's talk about the costumes.
ZACH ADKINS: Oh yeah.
JOHN BOLTON: Oh my gosh.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Linda Cho.
ALAN: Beautiful.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: So beautiful.
ALAN: Like, period, accurate.
Amazing.
Do you trip on them?
JOHN BOLTON: Yeah.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: No.
JOHN BOLTON: You don't?
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: You do?
Oh I've tripped.
JOHN BOLTON: I've trip on yours.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: I
tripped the other day.
I don't even know
what I'm saying.
Yes.
It happens.
But--
JOHN BOLTON: But not enough.
I mean, they're well-maintained.
We have an amazing team
of wardrobe staff dressers
backstage.
And each piece is handmade.
They didn't just go somewhere
to go to Barney's Rack
and buy it or something.
I mean, each one is designed--
CHRISTY ALTOMARE:
The rhinestones--
JOHN BOLTON: Hundreds.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Themselves.
Like, I remember, the
assistant was saying,
we've been up for
three days sewing
in rhinestones on your dress.
And it really is.
When you look at it, there's
just rhinestones every-- it's
beautiful.
JOHN BOLTON: And the tsarina,
Alexandra, her first dress,
when she first
comes out, seconds
after the curtain goes up,
the audience literally gasps.
And often applauds.
ZACH ADKINS: I
think she mentioned
the crown she actually
wears in the show
is about 12 to 14 pounds.
So she has a lot going
on on top of her head.
JOHN BOLTON: And the
dress is 50 pounds.
ZACH ADKINS: Yeah.
She's--
ALAN: Is it really?
JOHN BOLTON: Yeah.
ALAN: Wow.
ZACH ADKINS: I mean, not to
take away, because me and John--
CHRISTY ALTOMARE:
My dress is heavier.
ZACH ADKINS: We
start the show and--
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Well, it is!
My red dress--my red
dress is actually--
JOHN BOLTON: That's true.
And you don't have straps.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE:
No, it's strapless.
JOHN BOLTON: We start the show
in about 80 pounds of fur.
ZACH ADKINS: That we
make Russia look so cold.
And I assure you, when you
get under those lights,
I've never sweated
more in my life.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: My favorite
is Derek, who's not here.
Like, he'll be halfway
through the show,
and if I just go like this, it's
like mat-- it's like so sweaty,
you know, when you're at
the point where just the top
of your hand is sweating.
Yeah.
JOHN BOLTON: But no, the
clothes are stunning.
And she, Linda Cho,
our amazing designer,
has been rightfully lauded
for not just her detail
to historical accuracy,
but for the whimsy
and the true artistry of making
it her own and theatrical.
It's stunning, stunning clothes.
We're lucky to wear them.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE:
We're so lucky.
ZACH ADKINS: I mean,
the attention to detail.
I do an ensemble
track in the show.
And I change my
socks four times.
Just my socks.
To different colors
and different patterns.
That's how-- and
everyone across the board
does that, which is just fun.
It's the little
details like that.
ALAN: I was going to ask you
about the ensemble bit of it.
Because you go on every night
regardless of whether or not
you're in as one
of the leads here.
So you play four different
characters total?
Or it it just four
different socks you share--
ZACH ADKINS: Four socks.
ALAN: Four characters
who share socks.
ZACH ADKINS: I have
filled out the ensemble
in many different
aspects where we
have a great group of people.
And I might play, I think,
seven different characters
in the ensemble
throughout the show.
They're all like
little bit parts.
On the train, I
have a small scene.
I'm a smoker.
I'm a mean guy.
So it's fun.
It's fun.
Because we are
around 230 shows, I
think, since we
officially opened.
And sometimes, you get
into the groove, and then
all of a sudden, I get
to do a different part.
And it's really fun.
And it's a nice change up.
Nice change of pace.
So I enjoy the gig.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE:
He's a great Dmitry.
ALAN: How much notice
do you get normally?
ZACH ADKINS: Typically, if I'm
lucky, someone has a vacation,
and then I'll know
months in advance.
But it can be three
hours before the show,
30 minutes before the show.
Or in a lot of cases--
not a lot of cases.
But it's happened.
Intermission will
be the latest you'll
go on, where that
first act happens,
and the actor's like, nope.
And so, they'll let you know.
And they'll be like, hey, you're
going to grab the second act.
And be like, OK.
So.
ALAN: If you're going in the
second act, who's mean guy?
ZACH ADKINS: Mean guy,
well we all are like,
three people deep.
So everybody has someone
behind them to step up.
We are dripping with talent.
ALAN: Dripping with talent.
And fur sweat.
[LAUGHTER]
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Fur sweat.
ALAN: The response
from the audience.
I want you to talk
about that a little bit.
Is it different
that you find from,
like, maybe children
and young adults, who
are less familiar with
the movies versus people
that are a little bit
older who do know it?
JOHN BOLTON: Well they
certainly always love it.
They always go nuts.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE:
Yeah, they go nuts.
JOHN BOLTON: It's an
instantaneous pat on the back.
And of course, for any actor,
and incredibly satisfying.
But sure, the young people
certainly like the kissing.
Almost as some act of
horror for some of them.
But they love it, and
scream and hoot and holler.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: It's crazy
how this show has a little bit
of something for everyone.
It depends on-- you know, my
generation knows the cartoon.
But then there's the generations
who don't and they just
love the story.
And then there's people who
really love the history.
So you get a little
bit of everything.
Yeah.
JOHN BOLTON: But we
don't get kid kids.
We don't get like,
the itty bitties.
It's not really for them.
It's like teenagers and up.
You know, tweens and up.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Yeah.
JOHN BOLTON: And
it's, I would think,
mostly young women who grew up
with the film, loving the film.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: They say you
brought my childhood to life.
Because they will
have stories of,
I sat every night after--
or after school every day,
I'd sit with my mother
and watch this movie.
So you see people have a really
deep connection to this one.
JOHN BOLTON: Absolutely.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Yeah.
ALAN: That's interesting
you said that you don't
have like tiny, tiny ones.
I would expect that--
JOHN BOLTON: No.
ZACH ADKINS: It's not
really right for--
CHRISTY ALTOMARE:
Yes, there are some.
ZACH ADKINS: I mean, but it--
JOHN BOLTON: Not like--
ZACH ADKINS: Comparatively,
to other shows,
we would consider
family shows, I
would say that we have
an older demographic.
ALAN: Is there any bit of
audience feedback that's like,
stuck out in your mind over
the 200-something shows?
JOHN BOLTON: Thank you.
Thank you for making
this a stage show.
I've been waiting for
this for 20 years,
is the time we hear the
most, and the thing that
is the most satisfying to hear.
And thank you for doing
it right is what is what--
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Yes.
And for me, once in
a while, somebody
from Russia who is much older
will come up and take my hand
and say--
ALAN: You have so much sweat.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE:
It's so sweaty.
[LAUGHTER]
Thank you.
They'll say thank you so much.
You brought my husband
back to Russia.
And they'll have
tears in their eyes.
So there's that too.
ALAN: And they send you candy.
We were talking
about it earlier.
ZACH ADKINS: Oh yeah.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Yes.
The candy is the
best part of the job.
ALAN: So you have a
little bit of sweet tooth.
We were talking
about this at lunch.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Yes.
I love candy.
And especially now,
I'm discovering candy
from around the world.
Because people from all over the
world come to see "Anastasia."
And they'll bring their candy.
And so, I've been
getting a lot of candy,
specifically from Russia because
the show takes place in Russia.
The first act.
And it's a Russian story.
So I have got a lot
of Russian candy.
JOHN BOLTON: Keep sending
it, because it's good.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE:
It's really good.
Yeah, if you haven't
had Russian candy--
JOHN BOLTON: It's very good.
ALAN: Or stand outside
the stage door.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Or just
stand outside the stage door.
ALAN: Zach, this is
your Broadway debut.
ZACH ADKINS: Yup.
ALAN: Congratulations.
ZACH ADKINS: My first show.
ALAN: Yes, yes.
[APPLAUSE]
What was it like for you
to step out on stage like--
you only have one first, right?
Like, what was your
first time going on?
ZACH ADKINS: I think the better
story is the first time going
on for Dmitry.
Where I had toured for a year
with another national tour
from a different show.
And I was also an
understudy in that.
So when you start to understudy,
when you get that call,
you know, you do a
lot of preparation.
We're in rehearsal every
week, the understudies.
And we're working towards it.
And it's a lot like being
shot out of a cannon.
There's a lot of adrenaline.
And you have to be really
aware of how you're
monitoring your adrenaline
and how intense you come off
right away.
You'll settle into it.
But, and so, it's
all about keeping
a lid on it, and because
Broadway is all about ease.
And so I'm a younger guy, so I
can get really excited really
easily.
So it's really important
that right before the show,
I have this guy next to me.
And we just kind of calm down.
And then, we're like,
what's the story?
What's important?
What's our relationship?
What's our relationship?
And it's about focusing on that.
And I think it's
really important
because these relationships
are why people love the show.
So you know, if there's
any kind of disconnect,
if I'm thinking about how
I'm looking or how I sound,
they won't believe it, you know?
It has to be about genuine
connections on stage.
So with these guys
who do it every night
with Derek, who's amazing.
I have to find my own
connections with them.
And it's not about
doing what Derek does.
Because Derek is
true to himself.
So I have to go out there
and do what Zach is.
So my Dmitry's a little more
softer, a little more goofy.
And it's about being
believable as an understudy.
And it's fun.
Because I get to work with so
many different incarnations
of the show already.
Yeah.
ALAN: That's phenomenal.
And, I guess, if you go on--
I guess, do you go
on frequently or not?
Or is it--
ZACH ADKINS: Just in
the last few months,
I've really been frequent.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE:
You've been on a lot.
ALAN: And then, have you
ever forgotten anything?
ZACH ADKINS: Oh yeah.
ALAN: I've always wondered if--
ZACH ADKINS: The song
we're about to do,
I dropped a whole verse of
last two times I was-- not--
two shows ago.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE:
Not a whole verse.
ALAN: A half of verse.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: You
would have never noticed.
JOHN BOLTON: You did
it with conviction.
ZACH ADKINS: There you go.
JOHN BOLTON: You dropped
it with conviction
ZACH ADKINS: Because,
I mean, sometimes,
as an understudy, so
this would be like,
I've done maybe 10
shows performance.
But I've maybe done 10
rehearsals, runs, of the show.
So this is 20 times doing it.
And once you start getting
comfortable with material,
as you probably know, once you
start to memorize something,
you have this second layer
happening underneath it.
You're like, oh,
I'm saying this.
But I'm thinking about 10 other
things that's about to happen.
And that's what happened
during "Petersburg."
I was like, OK, the
turntable's about to turn.
I have to jump up on this bench.
And I go, oh.
What's the line?
What am I saying?
This is my solo.
Like, what am I doing?
There's 1,100 people
out there, and I'm
looking at Christy like--
[LAUGHTER]
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: But
yeah, it was great.
JOHN BOLTON: We had
a version of that
during previews, where
we were rehearsing
one version of the
show during the day
and performing another
version of the show at night.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE:
That was for you.
JOHN BOLTON: That was--
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: He
had a completely--
didn't you have
like a completely--
JOHN BOLTON: Oh
yeah, we completely
redid the whole Paris sequence.
But all of us, in
terms of little lines
here, verse changes,
lyric changes there.
You know, you're rehearsing
one thing during the day
and performing the other, for
a paying audience at night.
So that's a little
terrifying sometimes.
ALAN: And the other two, I
assume both of you are perfect?
Yes.
ZACH ADKINS: Always.
ALAN: Always, always.
Yes.
JOHN BOLTON: Usually.
No.
ALAN: Christy, you had a lot
of theater credits yourself.
And you know, you're on
tour as you're off Broadway.
And of course, "Mamma
Mia" on Broadway.
So has your career changed--
how has your career changed,
I guess, since becoming Anya?
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: This
is a huge step for me.
I mean, I've been--
I've been so lucky
enough throughout my life
to get to play so many
amazing leading roles.
But it's every actor's dream,
I don't care who they are,
to get to originate.
Because, it's like
you're the first person
to put your stamp
on a character.
And this is my dream.
And to have it be this
show, and these songs that I
love so much, and this role.
It's just like everything
snapped into place.
And there's just no words.
I'm just so grateful.
And in a way, as you know,
career wise, you know,
I didn't expect
it to be as crazy.
Because I've always played--
I've played leads
before, you know?
So but it's completely
different from doing originate--
originating a role is completely
different from replacing,
in that there's so many
press events, like this.
And there are so many--
you're put out in the
public eye more often.
You're at photo
shoots sometimes.
Or you're, you know, little--
yeah.
Yeah.
There's photo shoots.
And there's all of these things,
all these events and things.
And it's crazy.
There's definitely a lot more
buzz and excitement around it.
Yeah.
ALAN: Yeah.
That's incredible.
And then, to stay
grounded, I guess,
I was reading something that
you learned the ukulele?
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Oh yeah.
I play the ukulele.
I play the guitar.
I write songs.
ALAN: Do you?
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Yeah.
Yeah.
ALAN: Do you keep
yourself, I guess, focused?
I would think that with all
the whirlwind of everything
going around you that you
would need like something
to center yourself.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Yeah.
It's definitely
been a challenge.
And I think the best--
the best thing--
the best advice I
could give for anyone
ever in this situation
is to look at people before you.
I think, right before
I went into this show,
I went out to lunch
with Sierra Boggess,
who played the original
"Little Mermaid."
ALAN: Really?
CHRISTY ALTOMARE:
And I, you know,
I questioned anyone
who has done this
before me, anyone who's ever--
I hung out with Laura Osnes, who
was just here for "Bandstand."
Or you know--
ALAN: She was in for
"Cinderella" too.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE:
Yeah, she was--
she was Cinderella.
So talking to other
people was really helpful.
And they all had their
own little helpful hints,
and like, little advice.
Things that got them through
and gave them a cool head.
ALAN: That's really cool.
If any of you guys in the
audience have questions,
start lining up at the
mics in the aisles.
John?
JOHN BOLTON: Yes, sir?
ALAN: You've got great
Broadway credits as well.
Including one of my
favorites, "Dames at Sea"--
JOHN BOLTON: Oh gosh.
ALAN: "Guys and Dolls,"
"Spamalot," "How to Succeed."
JOHN BOLTON: "Spamalot" was fun.
ALAN: So what attracted
you to "Anastasia"?
JOHN BOLTON: Oh gosh.
Well, just the work.
I knew it was
going to be a big--
I figured it was
going to be pretty
big fancy show, because
it was the same director,
choreographer, and
designers of a show
that I have great
admiration for,
called "A Gentleman's
Guide to Love and Murder."
And I knew I wanted to
work with that team.
And so they sent
me the materials
for the character, Vlad.
And I thought, I think I know
who this guy is, or could be.
And I rented the film
on Netflix, the cartoon,
because I'd never
seen it, and just
to get the flavor of Mr.
Grammer's vocal performance
in my head.
And I went in and,
you know, I figure
my attitude is, you keep showing
up, you do your homework,
you do your best.
Once in a while, it's
your turn to get the job.
And that has served me
pretty well for 25 years.
And it was my turn
to get the job.
And I auditioned last.
I went right after
Christy and Derek.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE:
We were together.
JOHN BOLTON: Yeah, And they
called me 20 minutes later
and said, you're
going to get an offer.
And that never happens.
So it just seemed like it
was serendipitous, in a way.
And it's been such a pleasure.
Because I grew up loving
all the old cast albums.
My parents had all the records
of "The Music Man" and "South
Pacific," and "Sound of
Music," all just the classic
shows that we had.
And, you know, I've
originated other roles.
But this is probably
one of two most--
I enjoyed "A Christmas Story."
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Oh come
on, "A Christmas Story."
JOHN BOLTON: "A
Christmas Story" was fun.
But I got to play the dad in "A
Christmas Story" on Broadway.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: So good.
JOHN BOLTON: Which
was a lot of fun.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: A big
kick line with the legs.
JOHN BOLTON: But
this one is special
because it's a really nice team.
And I love-- I love doing it.
And you know, just to--
the fact that some
kid now is listening
to us on an original cast
album like we used to do,
it's really thrilling.
That's the real thrill for us.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Yeah.
ALAN: And you also have been a
headliner at the New York Pops
Philharmonic.
JOHN BOLTON: I have.
Sure.
Yeah.
ALAN: So could you explain what
that is for those who may not
have seen those concerts?
JOHN BOLTON: Oh well, OK.
The New York Pops is an
amazing A-list orchestra
that plays at Carnegie Hall.
And because I have--
because of my association with
"A Christmas Story," perhaps,
I am eternally Christmas
Guy, apparently.
And so I host their,
and perform in,
their annual Christmas concert,
which is for young people.
This past year, we did
"Twas The Night Before
Christmas," which I memorized,
thank you very much.
And the past year was
the anniversary of-- it
was the 50th anniversary of
"Charlie Brown Christmas."
So here's the New York Pops,
this huge, amazing orchestra
playing that amazing
Vince Guaraldi score.
It was just thrilling to
be on stage with that.
And the year before was
the 50th anniversary
of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed
Reindeer Christmas Special."
So we did all the
music from those.
And it's a thrill.
And Carnegie Hall was
"Guys and Dolls" as well.
So always a pleasure to
work there, a thrill.
ALAN: So do you
enjoy having to, I
guess, the full orchestra
literally on stage with you,
behind you?
Or underneath the stage
and supporting you?
Stage versus--
JOHN BOLTON: As long as I
can hear them, I'm happy.
And as long as I can--
well the challenge
with the orchestra at
the New York Pops is,
the conductor is behind you.
And because of unions
and the way things are,
you've rehearsed it
once with the orchestra.
And then it's sold
out Carnegie Hall.
Go.
So that can be a bit
terrifying and it usually
involves a lot of
homework on my end.
But so I like the comfort
of having the orchestra
right there in front of me.
ALAN: And you can actually--
the conductor, you can
see from stage, right?
JOHN BOLTON: Sure, like,
you know, you can see him
without looking right at him.
You see the hand going.
We also have these
monitors mounted
on the lower part of the
balcony that the audience
doesn't see where we have a
good shot of the conductor.
ALAN: Yeah, and do
you enjoy, I guess,
the straight concert
style stand and sing,
or do you like being an anim--
you seem like an animated guy.
JOHN BOLTON: I like both.
You know, shake it up,
do a little of each.
But the concerts, sometimes
right before you go on,
you think-- they're
usually a one off,
like, you do it once or twice
with very little rehearsal.
And you, right
before you go on, you
think, why did I
say yes to this?
I'm absolutely mortified.
But I like a mix of both.
Because then you do it,
and hopefully it goes well.
And you wind up
being proud of it.
I like both.
I like everything.
I want to do it all.
AUDIENCE: I want to thank
you so much for coming.
"Anastasia" was my
favorite movie growing up.
And then, I just moved
to New York and it
as my first Broadway show.
JOHN BOLTON: Oh my gosh.
AUDIENCE: Thank you
so much for making
it a wonderful experience.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Thank you.
AUDIENCE: I would just love to
know from the three of you what
is the moment of the show
you most look forward to?
You know, before the
curtain comes up,
what are you excited to
have happen on stage?
JOHN BOLTON: This is--
ZACH ADKINS: I have one.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: You say it.
JOHN BOLTON: Go!
ZACH ADKINS: I only get to
go on every once in a while.
So my favorite part is, I get
to make fun of John onstage
during "Learn to Do It."
And the line is, oh--
because Christy's
character is mad
that we're pushing her
too hard to be a princess.
And--
JOHN BOLTON: This is
your favorite part?
ZACH ADKINS: This
is my favorite thing
because it makes John laugh.
And if you make a
funny person laugh,
it makes you feel really good.
So--
[LAUGHTER]
--and so, with "Learn to Do It."
And I got a note, I
was on for the week.
And I-- they were
like, oh, well, you're
not mimicking John's bow.
The line is, "you're
bowing and kowtowing."
It's all those years of
bowing and kowtowing.
That's why he can't stand
up straight anymore.
And I asked John, and I was
like, can you show me your bow?
And he goes, oh, it's
the "Annie" pose.
JOHN BOLTON: But I was joking.
I didn't know you were serious.
ZACH ADKINS: Oh, I
was very serious.
Wait!
Will you do it?
Will you do the "Annie" pose?
Yes!
And we get out there
during "Learn to Do It."
And I just, I was like,
oh it's all these years
of bowing and kowtowing.
And he broke.
And I was having a good time.
And that's my favorite moment.
My favorite moment now is to
think of something else that
would make him laugh.
Because making him
laugh makes me laugh.
So.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Making
John laugh is pretty fun.
ZACH ADKINS: Yeah.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE:
I'm not going to lie.
[LAUGHS] Sorry, John.
Once in a while,
you make John laugh.
And it's funny.
JOHN BOLTON: But you try
not to have the audience--
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: No, no.
It's always tasteful.
JOHN BOLTON: It's spoiling the
show, you don't want to do it.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: No, John
never spoils the show.
JOHN BOLTON: I'd never do that.
My favorite part, actually, I
love doing the train sequence.
Because it's the happy village,
happy travelers, and we're
all hopeful.
And I love doing the number with
Caroline, the big tango we do.
The amazing Caroline
O'Connor plays
Lily, who I sing about
in what you just heard.
And we have a good
time together.
But my favorite part of
the show is getting ready.
I know that sounds
so silly, but our--
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: It's so fun.
JOHN BOLTON: Our dressing
rooms are Ramin, me, Derek.
And we always blast
like, '70s or '80s rock.
And it's just, we just have
a good time getting ready.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Yeah,
I'll order dip usually.
Like, I get to work.
And then, there's like, this
dip that I order for the cast.
My room ends up being
like, the green room
for the cast, because we
don't have a green room
like, an area for the
cast to congregate.
So my room is larger.
So we have--
I'll have snacks and
candy for everyone.
And I buy this dip and
we eat it with pretzels.
And it never gets old.
We've been eating it--
ZACH ADKINS: For weeks.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: For many--
since the beginning.
JOHN BOLTON: Now
they just deliver it.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: No, no, no.
It's funny.
Cause last time, they were
like, you should use the app.
Because I've been
using Seamless.
But they have their
own special app.
They're like, 10% off
if you use the app.
Cause I buy so much of this dip.
And it just makes me
so happy as people
come in one after the next
before the show starts.
JOHN BOLTON: But we
can't be, you know,
pounding this garlic
stuff all show.
Because as you know, I
make out with Caroline
for an extended period
during the show.
And you guys kiss.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: I
have a toothbrush.
JOHN BOLTON: Oh, OK.
[LAUGHTER]
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: No, my
breath is pretty bad--
[LAUGHS] My breath is
pretty bad the whole show.
JOHN BOLTON: We can tell when
she's been pounding that dip.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: I
also like to eat--
I also like to eat--
ZACH ADKINS: She
always apologizes.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: --green
salad during the show
so my breath smells like
onion most of the time.
ZACH ADKINS: It's a
really intense moment,
and she'll whisper, actually.
JOHN BOLTON: But now--
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: I'm so sorry.
[LAUGHTER]
I am so sorry.
I'm very professional.
ALAN: Yeah.
OK.
Yes.
AUDIENCE: Uh, hi.
I wanted to ask about the
process of recording the cast
albums.
And like, how does that work?
Do you do it in a studio?
Or like, how is it
different for you
than like, performing on stage?
JOHN BOLTON: Well, we did
it in a very famous studio
on 53rd Street.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Avatar.
JOHN BOLTON: Avatar
Studios, it's called now.
But it's where like Springsteen
recorded "Born to Run."
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Is that
really where Springsteen
recorded "Born to Run"?
JOHN BOLTON: Yeah.
ZACH ADKINS: Lots of albums--
JOHN BOLTON: "Born in the
USA," that whole--that whole,
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Yeah.
JOHN BOLTON: Well,
many, many iconic--
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Did
you see that documentary?
JOHN BOLTON: But it's--
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: So good.
JOHN BOLTON: It's so good.
But no.
We go into a recording studio.
It's usually, we have a
separate producer for that.
Wonderful guy named Van Dean
who works at Broadway Records.
There's usually a bidding--
a bidding war to
see which company
is going to release the CD.
Or you know, the cast album.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE:
And it's one day.
JOHN BOLTON: And
we do it in a day.
And they augmented our-- we
already have a fairly large
orchestra from--
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Just a voc--
I mean, for the actors.
JOHN BOLTON: We
added a few pieces.
And you go in.
You do it piece
by piece in a day.
And--
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Yeah.
JOHN BOLTON: You
know, we recorded
"Learn to Do It," which
we do three people running
around the stage like crazy.
We're in-- Christy was
in this room over here.
I'm in this room over here.
And Derek was over here.
And we're on with the cans.
So you hear everything.
And the orchestra
is playing live.
There.
And--
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Yeah.
But I remember, after we did
it, the next couple of days,
I kept going to the
writers and being
like, if you want me to come
back in, like, and just sing
"Journey to the Past"
a couple more times.
And they're like, no we got
it, we got it, we got it.
And I didn't leave them.
And then when I heard the album,
they just did a fantastic job.
JOHN BOLTON: But also, they
try to elicit more color
from your voice.
Because the audience doesn't--
the listening audience
doesn't have the benefit
of the visual, obviously.
So for a lot of things,
they were like, say that--
say that word like it
sounds, or like it feels.
Because we don't have the
benefit of the visuals.
So it's a different thing.
But it sure is a fun thing.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE:
Yeah it's cool.
ALAN: I've actually--
in all these things
that I've interviewed all
these Broadway events,
I've never asked that.
That's a very interesting thing.
I had no idea you
guys do that in a day.
ZACH ADKINS: Yeah.
I would say the hardest thing
is, what he was talking about,
putting the color in your voice.
You know?
Really communicating the
idea without your face.
JOHN BOLTON: Yeah.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: It's crazy.
ALAN: That's amazing.
All right.
Well we-- we have a
little bit of time left.
I want to get to
these last two songs.
But before we go, is there--
is there one feeling?
Is there one just
moment that you
wish people will take away, hope
people will take away with them
after seeing this show?
How do you hope their
lives are changed?
JOHN BOLTON: Well, we're a
lot of people's first Broadway
show.
Hello.
And so I hope they come back.
Not just to our show.
But that they see, we are
a classic Broadway show.
You know, we're not trying
to rewrite anything.
But it's a classic,
beautifully designed
Broadway show with great tunes
and we think, exciting story.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: And in
this crazy world, to escape--
JOHN BOLTON: To escape.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: --and to
just feel that sense of warmth
inside is--
JOHN BOLTON: Yeah.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE:
It's a nice feeling.
JOHN BOLTON: And you see your
money, your ticket money,
on stage, in terms of the
amazing sets and costumes.
And so I would say, yeah.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: It's worth
the price of admission.
JOHN BOLTON: It's worth
it-- come check out
a classic Broadway show.
ZACH ADKINS: And the nostalgia.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: The nostalgia.
ALAN: Yeah the nostalgia,
at the movies, yeah.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE:
You're transported.
ALAN: Well, we've got
one more question here.
AUDIENCE: I wanted to ask,
since you're all obviously
very successful,
which is really great,
but what was your like,
trigger, like, did you see like,
your first Broadway
show or something
that you knew you
wanted to do this, or be
in this line of work?
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: Yes.
Who wants to start?
I could start.
JOHN BOLTON: Go ahead.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE:
So I guess my--
I think it's an
interesting thing.
When I was really
little, I used to run
around singing all the time.
And I would make
a stage anywhere.
If I was at the beach, I
would throw a towel down
and stand on it and
scream, this is my stage.
And luckily, I had parents
who just fed that, and gave me
lots of lessons and gave me
the opportunity to do this
and told me that it
was possible to do
anything I wanted in my life.
And I think that a lot
of times, you know,
people aren't as lucky.
And I was just lucky
that it was something
I loved from childhood and
my parents just kept saying,
you can do it.
You can do it.
It wasn't one specific
show or anything.
I just always sort of--
it was in me from childhood.
JOHN BOLTON: Cool.
A similar thing.
Grew up with the music of
the shows in the house.
And then, when I was
very young, my parents
took me along to New York and
we saw "The Wiz" and "Annie."
And I, with "Annie,"
there were kids on stage.
Oh my god.
They're my age.
Look what they're doing.
This looks like the life.
And so that's sort
of planted it.
ALAN: No school!
JOHN BOLTON: So a different
kind of school, that's for sure.
But no, I majored in
journalism in college.
I have a BA in journalism.
Because it was never
really an option.
No one ever said, do
you want to do this?
And when I was in high school,
I certainly wasn't ready.
I did high school musicals.
But you know, I did my best.
At best, I had energy.
That was about the
most that could
be said about any
performance skill I had.
So it was never an option.
So I majored in journalism.
But during college, I did a lot
of regional theater, community
theater, in the
Rochester, New York area.
And learned from some people.
And decided to put my toe
in the water in New York.
And here it is, a
few years later.
So.
Yeah.
ZACH ADKINS: I was
actually a late bloomer.
I didn't really-- I
started theater as a hobby
in high school.
Didn't really get into
it till my junior year.
And senior year was
kind of rolling around.
And I had another
option on the table.
So it was either kind
of jump in and start
auditioning for these college
programs, or kind of walk away.
So I had a mentor that
really believed in me.
And she pushed me, and she
got my material together.
And I went to all these
colleges and I auditioned.
I went to college.
And got a bachelor's of music.
And I moved here.
And it was really just--
the thing about this
business is it's
about being at the right
place at the right time.
And then, having talent.
Or having a good work ethic.
And there's no one thing.
It's a lot of it,
I account to luck.
And a lot of it, it's
just about being prepared.
So I kind of just
got swept up into it
when I was a senior
in high school
and never really looked back.
And so, I do remember
one specific--
I used to go--
I'm from Cleveland, Ohio.
And so I went to the
touring shows in Cleveland
all the time when I
was in high school.
And there was one production.
I was sitting out there with
my girlfriend at the time.
And I turned to her,
and I went, you know, I
think I could handle
myself with these people.
I think I could
be at their level.
I see myself as an equal.
And from then on, I
was like, all right.
We're going to go for it.
You know?
No looking back.
Either you do it or you don't.
So.
ALAN: Cool.
Yeah, so everyone visit them.
AnastasiaBroadway.com,
@AnastasiaBway
on Twitter and Instagram.
Of course, at the Broadhurst
Theater 235 West 44th Street.
Yeah, we'll get-- we'll finish
this off with two more songs.
But everybody help me
thank them for coming on.
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: And thank you!
You're amazing.
ZACH ADKINS:
[SINGING "MY PETERSBURG"]
[APPLAUSE]
CHRISTY ALTOMARE: [SINGING
 "HEART, DON'T FAIL ME NOW"]
[APPLAUSE]
