This episode features triple-threat performer and now director, Tia Altinay. Tia’s resume is fully loaded, including the national tours of Bombay Dreams, High School Musical, Mary Poppins, and Hamilton, as well as Broadway’s Mary Poppins, A Christmas Story, Aladdin, and Some Like it Hot. Just over a year ago, Tia experienced a true nightmare during a performance. Her story of overcoming and thriving during recovery is truly inspirational. I cannot wait to see her back onstage soon, and I hope you’ll enjoy hearing her story.
Find Tia!
on IG @tiaaltinay
Theme music written by Rachel Dean and orchestrated by Katie Coleman
Audio engineer Lane Sanders
Special thanks to the following folks from the SIX Boleyn Company for lending their voices to the intro:
Dylan Dineen
Sarah Ortiz
Jane Cardona
Kaitlin Ciccarelli
Mike Rukstad
Kami Lujan
Jillian Bartels
Find us!
on IG @howtosucceedintheater
https://howtosucceedintheater.buzzsprout.com
This episode features triple-threat performer and now director, Tia Altinay. Tia’s resume is fully loaded, including the national tours of Bombay Dreams, High School Musical, Mary Poppins, and Hamilton, as well as Broadway’s Mary Poppins, A Christmas Story, Aladdin, and Some Like it Hot. Just over a year ago, Tia experienced a true nightmare during a performance. Her story of overcoming and thriving during recovery is truly inspirational. I cannot wait to see her back onstage soon, and I hope you’ll enjoy hearing her story.
Find Tia!
on IG @tiaaltinay
Theme music written by Rachel Dean and orchestrated by Katie Coleman
Audio engineer Lane Sanders
Special thanks to the following folks from the SIX Boleyn Company for lending their voices to the intro:
Dylan Dineen
Sarah Ortiz
Jane Cardona
Kaitlin Ciccarelli
Mike Rukstad
Kami Lujan
Jillian Bartels
Find us!
on IG @howtosucceedintheater
https://howtosucceedintheater.buzzsprout.com
00:36.21
howtosucceed
How is the audition prep going.
00:56.50
Tia
It's stressful I really hate this new Diy I was talking to someone else too like.
00:58.98
howtosucceed
Yeah.
01:05.72
howtosucceed
Yeah, yeah.
01:15.80
Tia
Like as the actor like you make yourself crazy too because I'm watching the videos I hate every one. You know what? I mean like you do it again again, you do it again and then all sudden. Your voice is blown out because like no one's supposed to be seeing lungs for like 3 hours and then also like you nitpick everything so you're like oh I like.
01:21.87
howtosucceed
Um, of course right? Yeah, totally. Ah.
01:33.40
Tia
Beginning of this one but the the end of this one and like maybe I can get it and it's just like you make yourself crazy when normally you just go into the room and do your best and then call it a debt. Wow this.
01:40.17
howtosucceed
But once oh absolutely, that's it's terrible I I have only had to well I guess I've had to audition for a couple like tours and it was like send us videos but like for Hamilton oh my god I like.
01:51.96
Tia
You a lot.
01:58.80
howtosucceed
Locked myself in a room for like a week because it was 5 excerpts that I had to send in and 2 were like rapping and playing at the same time because you know the pianists like have to do that? Yeah yeah for because they're like that in in rehearsals like the it's a rehearsal pianist job to like do so that's part of the audition and.
02:07.23
Tia
Mudvora.
02:11.33
Tia
Oh oh yeah.
02:17.91
howtosucceed
I like hundreds of videos and then I swore that like the the best 1 was like completely un like ah unrealistic like there's no way. That's how I would normally do it that was like such like the perfect the one time I got it perfect. But. You know with videos. You're just like yeah ah yeah.
02:37.15
Tia
That's like then like some people are really good with editing they can just like fix things which I'm not I'm not that girl I'm literally just like like last night I was like maybe I could like splice these 2 things together and did it and it was like super choppy and I was like I don't know what I'm trying to do like that's not me like I don't know how to.
02:51.23
howtosucceed
Right? Yeah oh God Do people do that? Do people like splice it together.
02:54.56
Tia
Like any is be like the take is the take we do and some people do like um like they have like an ah like a simple like Auto Tune Basically you know what I mean like like they can like fix themselves a little bit nothing like like not like full Studio Auto Tune but like you know like this simple like.
03:08.96
howtosucceed
Um, oh my God sir.
03:14.17
Tia
Kind of like how people do face tune for like um Instagram they have like little but those are all people that like and also we were talking about um microphone differences and stuff some people have like a whole setup because like like if they're podcasters for instance like you guys have like better microphone. Um, it just feels like.
03:16.94
howtosucceed
That's crazy. Yeah.
03:27.29
howtosucceed
Totally right? Oh my God So unfair. Totally yeah in a world where there's already not enough. Yeah.
03:33.32
Tia
There's so many more variables and it just feels less equity happening. You know what I mean it just feels completely unfair. So I blame my union. Great. Thank you Don.
03:45.62
howtosucceed
Yeah, yeah, I'll edit all of this out. Um.
03:52.98
Tia
But also like you will put it on record. The union is going to shit. Um they yeah just it's just um, it's too much the actor. It's just so much and and to be fair after working on the other side.
03:57.84
howtosucceed
Ah, maybe I'll just keep little bits of it. Um.
04:11.30
howtosucceed
Her.
04:11.96
Tia
The table I get it from a producer's standpoint or even from a casting standpoint. Of course they don't pay for the room. They don't want to take their time to go into the room all day and sit there and watch you know like like want to watch the videos on their time on their you know so it really is equities in my opinion. The onus is on.
04:17.51
howtosucceed
Um, yeah.
04:20.62
howtosucceed
Sit right worse.
04:31.78
howtosucceed
Um, that's true.
04:32.80
Tia
Because they should have protected us from this because of course the producers aren't going to want to do that and of course casting doesn't want to pay for the rooms and pay for the accompanist. You know all the all the thing I mean like after this weekend I will have spent um 1 like $300
04:38.39
howtosucceed
Right? yeah.
04:49.68
howtosucceed
Sure the hours right.
04:50.75
Tia
Of my own money in just pianists and then $60 in rooms which is like who the hell has three hundred and sixty extra dollars like I really don't even have it I'm just doing it. You know and that it yields something but it could yield nothing.
05:00.70
howtosucceed
Sure Yeah, like.
05:06.51
Tia
Because that's really the name of the game right? Like how many auditions do you go on and then you don't get like most of them.
05:10.50
howtosucceed
I Feel like they could really easily send you a backing track to use.
05:15.95
Tia
Sometimes they do and to be fair, Some do that but for me this is also just for me.
05:23.18
howtosucceed
Ah, yeah, oh.
05:34.27
Tia
I Need to play it with somebody and like work on it. It's just like how my processes? Um, but yeah, and so often the backing tracks are like that weird synthesized sound that like do you know what? I mean like.
05:35.26
howtosucceed
Um, right for sure. Yeah, yeah, yeah, because even if you use the backing track. You still want to like that time to run it.
05:48.42
howtosucceed
Oh God Yeah yeah, totally like yeah.
05:52.73
Tia
Whatever that is that midi or whatever and I'm like what is it just doesn't It's not um, there's no like energy behind it. It is I've had like this weekend I've been like so crabby. But.
06:00.59
howtosucceed
Oh My God that sounds exhausting. And yeah, and you're I was like looking up all of that you've done because I don't I Only know about a couple of things and you've done like so many shows. So Even for right? That's the thing That's so crazy is like I would.
06:16.68
Tia
Um, give me a schly them over this. But.
06:25.75
howtosucceed
I'm sure that and that's kind of like the point of this podcast is like to show the reality and you know a lot of people are like oh like my life will be I will have made it when I'm on Broadway but like yeah yeah for like that month or you know that year five years if you're lucky but like. You have been in so many Broadway shows and and you have a whole career ahead of you still and like you're still. Yeah yeah, well a career of some kind.
06:51.22
Tia
Hopefully yeah, but that's like to be fair, that's literally the the I think one of the hardest parts about this business that you kind of know when you're younger, but you're just not focused on and you shouldn't be focused on this when you're younger, but like. Just comes into focus very um, clearly whenever the older you get is that you no matter how many credits you have in this business will always start back on 0 like if your show closes. You are right back to the audition room.
07:15.90
howtosucceed
Yeah
07:24.68
Tia
There's very few people you know the audras you know stuff like that that like get ah literal offer onlys for things that are massive and even you know being on the other side of the table now some of those girls that came in you know that literally had to audition. They also have these huge like roll after roll after roll on Broadway so it isn't even like.
07:27.70
howtosucceed
Smart.
07:36.63
howtosucceed
Thank you? yeah. Right.
07:43.96
Tia
You do have to be at Audra status. It isn't like you could be a minus like you. There's there's literally only a few people that get big world in them. You know you you have to be a Sutton Foster you know and everybody else that that does not have a tony nomination or even.
07:47.55
howtosucceed
Yeah, yeah, maybe like 5 people right? um.
08:02.70
Tia
Some of them that do there's still like well we're choosing between this Tony nominated girl on this Tony nominated girl. So we'll just have them come in and see how they do or whatever like it's 1 artists careers because you are only as good as the moment that you're in there is no.
08:03.66
howtosucceed
Um, right? yeah.
08:09.50
howtosucceed
Right? right.
08:17.81
howtosucceed
Yes, ah right? yeah.
08:19.83
Tia
Carry over for some reason and that's honestly where the burnout comes I think for a lot of people where they finally say I've had it I'm I'm ready to move on because in almost every other career you build upon what you've done before you know like if you're if you're anything. Even even if you're working ah ah at Mcdonald's.
08:34.20
howtosucceed
That's your take.
08:39.68
Tia
You know you might make your way from dishwasher to um, cook to front of house. You know could like the front worker you know and and each time you get a little bit more money like there no buildup upon in our career career like it's plus you your show was great. You were amazing. It closed.
08:42.98
howtosucceed
Um, right? Yeah yeah, that is not true. Yeah.
08:57.27
Tia
And now you are right back at Ripley Grier like in that holding room you know waiting for your number to get called. It's really truly a career of passion because no sane person when they're right behind what.
09:01.65
howtosucceed
But absolutely on my um, right.
09:12.94
howtosucceed
Ah, well and then I also wonder like someone like Audra like she's not always in a broadway show and she when she's not she's probably out doing concerts traveling all the way all around the world and like still hustling.
09:18.56
Tia
More.
09:27.13
Tia
That's so true I actually it's funny I don't know why Audra is probably on my brain cause I just saw a picture of her actually with Andy um I what? but um, ah ah, but I just saw a picture of her on Instagram.
09:31.75
howtosucceed
Oh yeah, oh yeah.
09:40.20
Tia
And it was after ah, a pops concert she was doing like a C Cincinnati pops and I and I was just like well there she is like she's obviously non broader right now and she's doing it to your point. She's doing a concert and it's like the hustle is just and to a certain extent I'm sure she loves it. You know concerts are I think.
09:40.43
howtosucceed
Ah.
09:42.59
howtosucceed
Okay.
09:48.65
howtosucceed
Yeah.
09:59.17
Tia
Very enjoyable for people and and obviously very lucrative. But um, a lot of work I mean it's just you up there just trying to make everybody happy for 2 hours I mean or an hour however long um but yeah to your point. Yes, like literally yesterday I saw this picture my my friend went and I was like oh look at her. She's Cincinnati pops.
09:59.36
howtosucceed
Sure who yeah.
10:08.99
howtosucceed
Um, yeah, yeah, right I know and it's possible that like tomorrow night she'll be at the like the Cleveland you know like.
10:18.60
Tia
You know.
10:23.73
howtosucceed
Who know it'd be interesting to look at her schedule and and see if it looks like nice.
10:23.98
Tia
Ah.
10:28.49
Tia
I mean they definitely pop around I I have a very dear friend that used to be on Broadway Print again to the point principal and um, she started doing those pops concerts and never looked back. Wow.
10:35.98
howtosucceed
Um, yeah, oh really like she likes that great.
10:45.38
Tia
Likes that life better because it's really hard but it's only hard for a weekend and it's more lucrative so she can um work really hard for a weekend and then you know the H O is a week schedule is rough. It's brutal I've never actually known how brutal it was.
10:51.90
howtosucceed
And um, interesting.
10:57.30
howtosucceed
Brutal. Yeah.
11:04.10
Tia
Until I was injured until yeah, like until last year when I got injured and all of a sudden I was on my couch I was like oh my gosh like we worked a lot like all these and and after I got a little bit more healed and I could go to things like I could I could go to birthday parties I could go to weddings I could.
11:07.60
howtosucceed
Um, oh yeah.
11:18.74
howtosucceed
Ah.
11:23.95
Tia
You know pop in and check on my mom um without to ask for a personal day. You know all of a sudden I was like oh wow like this? Yeah, but it's been years because I mean I've been very blessed to have worked my whole adulthood. You know I haven't had I think the biggest break. Well the biggest break I've had is now my injury a year
11:24.23
howtosucceed
Yeah, oh my God Oh I can do things.
11:37.22
howtosucceed
Yeah, right.
11:43.90
Tia
But before that um, four months was my longest time not working which is really a blessing first now I'm realizing it's been a little bit of a curse because I don't know how to hustle or do the gig I've never had to but but a blessing you know, ah in this last year is
11:46.27
howtosucceed
Oh Wow Yeah yeah, right? interesting.
12:03.49
Tia
Really kind of opening my eyes and being like oh Wow like you should be really proud of yourself. You have worked really hard. But also you do need to start taking a little bit more time for yourself.
12:13.39
howtosucceed
I Yeah like how.
12:16.40
Tia
I know I know take more time for yourself. But also don't forget you have bills. Yeah.
12:20.55
howtosucceed
Yeah, yeah, and I also wondered during that four month period if because like in hindsight you're like oh that I should have really done a lot and like relaxed lotter in those four months but you were probably like oh my god what's my next thing.
12:36.13
Tia
Oh okay, so then this is the gag so also blessing again I had four months off but I had something coming up I already knew so close so Mary Poppins closed on Broadway and I was like okay Mary's clothes that bad but I was going into Aladdin which was going to be the next show in the movie.
12:40.76
howtosucceed
Ah.
12:43.26
howtosucceed
Oh that's nice Aha Oh amazing. Okay, so you could.
12:55.55
Tia
Know I already knew and I already had the coming park. So I really wasn't stressed and on top of that those four months I was actually getting I was getting married so I was planning and and facilitating my wedding that time so I was distressed and like completely just like me to not be in you know to mean all the things but um.
13:01.90
howtosucceed
Oh okay, great. So that worked out. Yeah, how good sir. Yeah.
13:14.83
Tia
But also I was so young like I just didn't I I think that I just didn't view things in this I mean no one does no one views things. Well you should hope that no one views things in their you know youth the same role they do now I mean that was a lot ago. But um, yeah, it's just.
13:21.34
howtosucceed
Um, yeah, right right? Well wait.
13:30.34
howtosucceed
And it is. It's true, many ways. The yeah, the post covid.
13:30.89
Tia
Ah, different world and now you know having this year off and we are in a different world of we were just talking about self tapes and you know I feel like you know before it was my mom had to like get on Netflix and now I'm like trying to like ask friends like younger friends like how do you do yourself tapes like. I feel like a grandma all of a sudden It's so crazy. It feels like in an inequitable in an inequitable time. There is further inequities in the fact that the people that are older and not even and by older I don't even mean I mean yes, there are older people 6070 s whatever but I mean older like even 40 s like are.
13:51.28
howtosucceed
Um, and.
13:59.30
howtosucceed
And then.
14:05.20
howtosucceed
Ah, yeah, absolutely.
14:08.36
Tia
Disadvantage because technologically speaking we don't understand at the same level someone that's auditioning that's in their twenty s and they just can whip up their selfie light and all the things that they just already already did in high school. You know that probably just something they did for fun. Everybody has a Youtube channel and like well they.
14:21.73
howtosucceed
Um, right? Yeah, of course they have that That's interesting. Yeah I just got the idea. Maybe I should look into this especially right now because I have lots of free time to like purchase.
14:27.12
Tia
There's like you know people in our 40 s are like what.
14:37.79
howtosucceed
That equipment and then just like set it up in a room like if I like rent out a room for all day and just say okay, everyone like just I'll be here from these hours I've got it all set up like pop your phone in here if that would be like a service that people would use.
14:49.29
Tia
Um, and.
14:53.71
Tia
Some of the studios have started like I know Ripley I haven't looked into it and I don't know which studio because you know there's so many um buildings of Ripley now. Um I don't know like with but I know they have at least 1 room that is set up for taping for self tapes.
14:59.98
howtosucceed
Um, yeah, right? yeah.
15:09.86
Tia
But I don't know like what the increase. Obviously it's a more expensive rule. You know I don't know if they're charged you know because you can get a room for $20 ah you know Whipley but I don't know if like with that room if they're like oh and it's $50 you know I don't know what exactly.
15:10.52
howtosucceed
Yeah, interesting look up. Right.
15:22.46
howtosucceed
Yeah, yeah, exactly and you still have to get a pianist or whatever. Just wow.
15:29.14
Tia
Or a reader. What's the other thing that's hard even if I don't need a this which actually costs you know money of course because there's a talent there a reader is just it could be really anybody. But you know I feel like I don't know it made me kind of sad one day I was doing a a thing and my girlfriend helped me but she's not an actor like at all like.
15:36.45
howtosucceed
Ah, yeah.
15:45.90
howtosucceed
Yeah, yeah, I love you. But yeah.
15:47.90
Tia
Like not even a little bit and and her reading is God Bless her she was trying to help me but I was like oh God is well this is not helpful. Um, but in my mind was like yeah I was like I love you But like who knew that it was hard to read like things off of a page. Um, but I was thinking I was like this is. So like there's a lot of single people out there right and like and some people get embarrassed to ask other people for audition help like again with an inequity. It's just it's not really fair for casting to be like oh yeah and read these sides. Okay so what? if.
16:11.68
howtosucceed
Ah, if yeah.
16:23.11
howtosucceed
How so on right? yeah.
16:23.89
Tia
People don't have a girlfriend or a boyfriend to help home. Why do they have a friend to ask for a like how do people get reading. It's really, um, it's it almost like if we're speaking on like mental health and in this business which is already like most of us are hanging 1 by a thread. Um, it's like it's like another point.
16:36.95
howtosucceed
Um, yeah, right.
16:43.85
Tia
That draws loneliness to your attention or you know it's just like another thing you have vulnerable about that is just really not fair. We're already trying to just do our best in the audition and now I have to be vulnerable enough to act in front of my friends or ah which is really hard for a lot of us right or sing in front of my friend which.
16:45.50
howtosucceed
Um, yes, yes, like that's true. Yeah.
16:57.86
howtosucceed
Right.
17:03.82
howtosucceed
Yeah.
17:03.85
Tia
You know is really difficult or I have I have to now do this scene dramatically and ask a friend to help me and and twofold. Maybe I'm worried this is just the nature of the business. Maybe I'm worried that my friend is going to call her agent and like try and get herself in for it. You know what? I mean because maybe he's not being seen for it or the other flip side.
17:16.80
howtosucceed
Go on sure.
17:23.51
Tia
Just being vulnerable in front of your friend or having her see you know flaws. It's just not fair. But.
17:25.68
howtosucceed
Um, yeah.
17:28.92
howtosucceed
Yeah, well and then also that friend is going to be like how did you go like did you get a call like asking all these questions and you and you just kind of want to like send it in and forget it and you're like I don't know I don't like I have to leave that from my brain.
17:36.42
Tia
My girlfriend does that she's always like so how did it go like what did they say and I'm like that's not how it worked Yes I was like no it works just leave me alone. Don't ask me and she's like well why i' was just concerned I was like I know like what I'm telling yeah I was like I was like that's a.
17:47.56
howtosucceed
Yeah, ah.
17:51.23
howtosucceed
Ah, right being supportive. Yeah.
17:56.32
Tia
Is not supportive I don't want to think about it once it gets sent in I Just want to forget about it and move move forward I feel like I just said but so much negative about the business I was like sometimes I like it feel.
18:02.30
howtosucceed
Um, totally oh my god okay, yeah, yeah, so well I okay I want to hear about like your first couple like your first. Broadway show and how and that how that came to be and then um I also definitely want to talk about the injury and the recovery and the sort of how you're moving forward but we'll keep it positive but how old were it how old were you when you were in your first broadway show. Oh really.
18:27.99
Tia
Um, I know I was like positive.
18:37.11
Tia
I was old like considered old. Anyways, yeah, um, well old definitely by today's standards gosh the kids I feel like just keep eating longer I was 30 I was not yeah I was 30 probably show I was 30 Mary Poppins I spent a good.
18:39.61
howtosucceed
Oh okay, you um, ah oh okay, and what show is that Okay, cool.
18:53.28
Tia
Not a good I spent almost all of my twenty s on tour. Yeah I was mom mia and then um I did mom mia then I did bombay dreams then I did high school musical. Um, and then I did the Mary Poppins tour the the first national and.
18:54.31
howtosucceed
I see okay and what was your first tour. Oh wow.
19:07.93
howtosucceed
Okay, yeah.
19:12.96
Tia
Um, then that's how I transitioned and then I was a replacement for Mary Poppins on Broadway. Yeah.
19:16.17
howtosucceed
I see okay and then what did you do after Mary Poppins
19:24.70
Tia
After Mary Poppins I did Aladdin and then after Aladdin I did Hamilton and then after Hamilton I did like some paper mill stuff like that and then um, actually went back into Aladdin as Jasmine like after the pandemic.
19:29.45
howtosucceed
Her.
19:38.43
howtosucceed
Yeah, when was that when was that when you were Jasmine.
19:41.63
Tia
That was a that was 202022 twenty two I'm terrible with dates and numbers.
19:49.30
howtosucceed
I feel like I'm sure I played it when you were Jasmine because I I've been a sub there since yeah when when did it op reb reopen was it 21 at the end of 21 yeah that's when I started subbing there.
20:02.97
Tia
21 I want to say won it reopened it was the summer that I was Jasmine um, and that was before right before I went into some like ah yeah.
20:07.10
howtosucceed
So I'm sure I played for you? Oh nice. Okay, yeah, okay oh my gosh and your original cast of Aladdin and some like it hot cool.
20:19.28
Tia
And I am original cast That's the other thing. This replacement thing is so interesting I've been original cast of pretty much everything I've done even if it was a tour I was original cast of the tour So like very pop is first national so we were all coming in together. So the replacement thing.
20:31.64
howtosucceed
Of the tour. Great! Thanks yeah.
20:39.10
Tia
Is not something oh is and I did a Christmas story on Broadway I took a leave. Ah yeah I took a leave that was like actually a really cool kizmate situation where Mary Poppins gave me a leave of absence. Ah Mary Poppins on Broadway gave me a leave of absence to do a Christmas story on Broadway it was limited. You know they knew.
20:41.23
howtosucceed
Oh cool.
20:51.40
howtosucceed
Um, oh yeah, nice. Yeah.
20:57.94
Tia
Finite amount of time and so I went you know just up the street and did another broadway show and then came back into Mary Poppins after which was to blessing. Um I agree.
21:02.33
howtosucceed
Oh my God see there are some things that the industry does right.
21:11.41
Tia
And honestly to be fair people. There's a lot to be said about capitalism and Broadway and and of course the capitalism conversation with Broadway will always include Disney because it's big money but sometimes often with Disney especially because they do have um the ability to.
21:18.52
howtosucceed
Yeah.
21:30.70
howtosucceed
Yeah, totally yeah, right? Yeah, that's cool.
21:30.41
Tia
Get more funding. Always you know or how there you know you know I want their but I understand that they have more behind them. Um, they're able to be more flexible with things like that. They're not so concerned or worried and I have found them to always be completely charitable and lovely and gracious with me.
21:50.19
howtosucceed
That's great. Yeah, yeah, yeah, right? Oh my gosh. Yeah.
21:50.26
Tia
Um, and I'm I'm I'm a pro Disney ah girl as far as and you know the check will always clear. You're not going to be fighting for your coins like some of these other producers like a horrible will show like last season that people are still like missing money from I'm lasting everybody right now.
22:06.14
howtosucceed
Oh my God Ah what show were you in oh Paradise Square Yeah, what show were you in pre Ko like what did did did something get shut down that you were in.
22:09.99
Tia
Um, what is it Paradise Paradise Whatever yeah like pre.
22:21.87
Tia
It would have been Aladdin you know I feel like it's funny every there's so many things that are so fresh in my mind about that time and also so many things that are just like yeah just complete.
22:23.28
howtosucceed
Okay, so you're in Aladdin before and after.
22:33.17
howtosucceed
Oh yeah, we like blocked out I'm surprised you don't remember that but I'm sure it'll come to you.
22:42.14
Tia
Well, that's why I'm like what was I doing oh you know what I was on I was going to join I was about to go back into Aladdin I wasn't in a show. That's why um I was um.
22:49.90
howtosucceed
Okay, okay, yeah.
22:57.21
Tia
I was doing workshops of some like it hot. Um I'm just trying to think of like the beginning because I I remember the beginning of the pandemic very well because I remember I was dating someone that lived in Florida and I was ah I was very much like New York is
22:58.16
howtosucceed
So so cool.
23:11.34
howtosucceed
Wow.
23:15.69
Tia
Weird maybe I'll just fly there for a few days like that kind of you like yeah you know yeah because like New York is like and also like New York is being weird like well like I had no yeah and of course since he lived in Florida you know Florida was not being weird because Florida was being Florida you know.
23:18.24
howtosucceed
Oh my god yeah, just a few days right? Ah come on New York
23:30.54
howtosucceed
Um, yeah, where it is is great. Ah, just a few days. Yeah right? Oh my gosh. Okay.
23:34.40
Tia
They were like just come on down here I'm like yeah, we'll just like hang out on the beach like I like obviously did not what I was in for not for a few days. Well of course those few days turned into a few months ended up being down there for a few but um, yeah, that was weird life.
23:49.41
howtosucceed
Yeah, um, yeah I know right one a time. Okay, so you were original cast of some like it hot and how long were you in that show. Ah.
23:52.47
Tia
Know.
24:00.44
Tia
Yes, a blip of ah it doesn't feel like a blip though. That's what's weird. Um, so I um I did ah I did workshops and all of that of the show and then um.
24:13.34
howtosucceed
My home.
24:17.17
Tia
We started our Broadway Rehearsal process I did all of that. Um, we went into tech I did all of tech and we were going into our previews we were gonna have we were having our first preview and ah if you've seen the opening number it was like this big you know dance. Lallapalooza and I did a flip and with my partner and I heard something pop in my brain I was like I was like that's weird but I could still move I was still dancing I did like several more 8 counts of movement.
24:37.40
howtosucceed
Um, yeah.
24:52.56
Tia
Including like a slide under my partner's leg like literally doing it like I was like in it and then then the next like um lift I had to do you know you do any lift. You have to jump and I was I tried to jump and like I couldn't and I was like confused and my partner was looking at me and I was looking at him and we were just kind of like and I was like.
25:03.97
howtosucceed
Ah, hello you.
25:08.46
howtosucceed
Oh my god.
25:11.83
Tia
And again I wasn't in any pain I just was confused I was like my body is like not working and I couldn't figure out what was happening so obviously in anything you're like get off stage and so I literally did like a grape vine off the stage and.
25:16.54
howtosucceed
My god.
25:24.56
howtosucceed
Ah.
25:25.19
Tia
And literally just and like but then when I got off the stage I fell into a stage hand like my my legs weren't working where I and this channel was like ha and I was like I something's weird something I Just can't like so long story long Apparently when I flipped when I landed I I must have land either landed too hard or you know.
25:28.78
howtosucceed
Yeah, oh my god.
25:43.32
Tia
Whatever I don't know what happened no one knows what happened but I ruptured my Acl so in that moment onstage in front of all of my peers because also we had gotten tickets that day. So I'd given away like 4 tickets like all these that you know I and I had a billion friends in the audience and I ruptured my Acl which was.
25:48.22
howtosucceed
Oh um, ah will know oh my God in a.
26:02.30
Tia
In the opening number which was terrible. Um, and I didn't know I didn't I didn't make it to opening neck I did not it was like a status I felt like I did all the work with like the workshops and like tech and all of those like just terrible like like rehearsals and exhaustion and.
26:05.35
howtosucceed
Previews You didn't even make it to opening night. Ah.
26:13.86
howtosucceed
Um, yeah.
26:20.43
Tia
And do this number scratch that number do it like I feel like I did all of that and then did not even make it to opening night which was really devastating at the time now I'm fine. But in the moment it was devastable.
26:31.52
howtosucceed
Ah, yeah I mean honestly I feel like this is so many people's worst nightmare Well I think with dancers yeah and like with dancers I think they all know that like their time will be up at some point like you can't.
26:37.45
Tia
Um, it absolutely.
26:47.26
howtosucceed
Really be a dancer forever The way you could be a singer forever and then there's always this threat of like injury and yeah.
26:54.64
Tia
Um, and I think that I had been living ah in a dream world really because um I didn't think about injury because I had never been injured like it just had never happened to me like it's just that consummate like kind of childlike thinking where like it's not going to happen to me.
27:04.99
howtosucceed
Um, my God Yes sure.
27:10.69
Tia
You know, like that's that that does happen but it's not going to happen to me kind of energy. Um, yeah, it wasn't have I'm fine and and I always knew that I wouldn't be dancing forever but I actually always put it in the category of like I stopped wanting to do certain things.
27:12.90
howtosucceed
Yeah, yeah, like you're strong and kick killing it. Yeah.
27:27.47
howtosucceed
Sure yeah.
27:28.86
Tia
Like I didn't want to be on 0 doing fuittes anymore. So I knew that that would change because of my my desires and wants and needs but not because I'd be forced out of it I never saw myself having to be forced out of it. Um, which was just nobody wants to be faced with that and.
27:39.37
howtosucceed
Um, yeah, oh my God Um yeah.
27:47.13
Tia
Was just scary I had never had surgery like that before you know, just like the logistic but that kind of thing and again going back to like being alone I wasn't um I wasn't really with anybody you know I didn't have anybody to take care of me. Ah, it's like something that you need somebody to help you. So um, you know.
27:56.57
howtosucceed
Now.
28:05.23
Tia
Surgery whenever you get something major especially on your leg and you know getting in and out of bed was hard because of my this high and like getting to the bathroom and like you know, just like need help I literally my friend my friend Travis um would come over every day and help me which god bless him like I if I ever strike it rich like he's.
28:10.20
howtosucceed
Um, hey my God so were you.
28:18.79
howtosucceed
Oh my God Yeah yeah.
28:24.70
Tia
1 of the first people that's on sort of street. But um, he helped me and also to be fair, he's one of the um so this is the other thing so it was completely devastating I couldn't believe it could happen to me and then once people started hearing what had happened to me people started telling me that it also had happened to them and that's the.
28:40.79
howtosucceed
Um, hello.
28:43.65
Tia
The gag for me is that this actually is quite common. It does happen to a lot of people and we all keep secret because we're completely ashamed because it feels like a mark on your you know inestrious ah resume as a dancer which is really shit like it's just another.
28:49.80
howtosucceed
Ah.
28:54.53
howtosucceed
Oh god.
29:03.30
Tia
Ah, high expectation that we put on ourselves in this business that like even if you get injured and at this high level that you have to still appear to be ah subhuman and and have you know so it's it's so this person that helped me he actually he's had 2
29:06.33
howtosucceed
Um, yeah.
29:14.15
howtosucceed
Oh my God right.
29:22.14
Tia
He had one he had he's had 2 knee surgeries both Knees blown and he's also had um, a bicep surgery. Yeah super crazy. Um, and he's now off the stage. He's like I don't want to do this anymore like I'm he's like now fully investing in being an associate but um.
29:26.30
howtosucceed
Ah, oh wow.
29:38.79
howtosucceed
Um.
29:39.39
Tia
He's one of the few people that like I did know had had surgery so he also understood the level of help I'd need so he would comether and live in Harlem. He lives in Chelsea like it's not close. Oh my gosh. He's a dream and he would literally every day and help me because I just and also my mental state was holding on by a thread like.
29:42.80
howtosucceed
Right? Well oh oh my gosh. That's so nice of him's wow. Yeah.
29:57.76
Tia
My brand new last year show that I thought I was going to be a part of all my friends been like doing shows eight shows a week now and like you know people were getting ready for to do the Thanksgiving parade and I was getting ready to do surgery I had surgery two days before the parade and everybody's like you know I had to go like go off Instagram because you know it just.
29:57.80
howtosucceed
Um, right? yeah.
30:09.10
howtosucceed
My God Oh no, yeah so depressing. Wow yeah.
30:16.58
Tia
Not great for me on top of the fact that it won't do well on pain medication. So um, pain medication with social media just was like not a good thing So I just like I was like all social media I like wasn't watching anything I was just fully just like in a dark room crying and like putting ice packs on my knees. But.
30:28.19
howtosucceed
Yeah I like a hundred wow what a what a time for growth.
30:35.84
Tia
But it was crazy and I was like and it just had to be in the winter with everything's dark like it just was like the big storm. But obviously I'm laughing now because I really am okay and also I have full use you know? Well I think.
30:44.40
howtosucceed
Um, ah oh my god I know you see great and that was a year ago
30:53.79
Tia
It was a year ago a year and and a year and see a year and like three months ago and I feel I actually just was helping on a project a few days ago and I was dancing in a room and I was like it dawned on me that it was the first time that I was dancing that I wasn't thinking about my knee and that has been.
30:58.69
howtosucceed
Ah, okay.
31:10.20
howtosucceed
Love.
31:12.95
Tia
Ah, long tech so because I have been dancing but um I'm very careful with my knee and that was the first time excuse me that was thank you. That was the first time that I was in a room and not completely highly focused on. Don't hurt your knee don't you don't hurt your knee.
31:19.25
howtosucceed
Yeah, yeah.
31:28.59
howtosucceed
Right? Which of course means you're like babying and using one leg more than the other and that could cause another thing both. Yeah oh my god.
31:32.29
Tia
I was literally. Yeah I was starting to have hip problems because I was only just like bound on my other leg. Basically for most of all and this was the first time I was like oh my gosh I'm dancing I'm like not thinking about my knee and it feels fine. It gets stiff in all of that. But um.
31:45.14
howtosucceed
Amazing.
31:51.93
Tia
I Also haven't been dancing so like now the stiffness and whatnot comes from Oh will anybody that hasn't used their body in that you know if you take a yoga class and you haven't taken yoga for a while like you're gonna be sore. That's just what it is So yeah, so now if you like um.
32:01.22
howtosucceed
Totally right? So what's the recovery like for for something like that.
32:09.75
Tia
So the recovery is they don't actually release you until a year so I had no opportunity to go back into the show before a year was out teddy please. That's my that's my dog boy. So the doctor.
32:17.85
howtosucceed
Wait That's that's that's theest dog Teddy Ah, it's so cute. Um wait So the show released you for a year with the doctors like okay, got it.
32:29.29
Tia
So the surgeon yeah, the surgeon um, when they sign on and say like hey like you can't go back into the show. They will not sign you back into the show until a year is up so ah because the standard recovery for Acl is a year of time which is just insane. Also if you go back to.
32:38.60
howtosucceed
Oh my God So that's standard recovery. That's crazy.
32:49.16
Tia
Shows don't always last year that's kind of what happened to me so I feel completely ready fully recovered while my show has closed. So I so happy so freaking happy ready to like again ready to um, ready to hit my bow and all of the things. It's really you know I during this I like I said ah.
32:50.62
howtosucceed
Um, yeah.
32:56.10
howtosucceed
That's great. They feel that way they feel recovered half great. Thank god.
33:08.86
Tia
Other people this happens to and I have had like um, 3 other people call me during this year that have ruptured their Acl on Broadway and um and they reached out to me obviously because they knew that I knew what they were going through. Um.
33:12.17
howtosucceed
No God yeah.
33:21.50
Tia
And 1 of them is is in Mj so I'm like okay so she has a year that she needs to do her recovery and stuff and I'm and I am hoping for her sake that like her show's still open which I think mj will be but um, it's that thing like it's such a gamble you just don't know. But yeah, it's a year of recovery. Um for your knee and then it's.
33:29.90
howtosucceed
Yeah.
33:39.93
Tia
I was in pt 3 times a week um just trying to get my knee to move again because I also ah ah tore my meniscus whenever I ruptured mycl though it was like a double repair and I basically just blew out a honey but actually going back to um, how much I worked.
33:41.22
howtosucceed
The.
33:47.19
howtosucceed
Oh My gosh. Is that a call of.
33:58.98
Tia
And how I never had any more than four months off at that 1 time when I was getting married I think my body was like remember when I told you I needed a break which I never I mean obviously all the pandemic I had the pandemic year of course. But um, but ah I think my body just you know it was a blessing and a curse. It was such a blessing to keep working but also I didn't.
33:59.42
howtosucceed
Um, yeah, yeah, yeah here. Yeah sure. Yeah.
34:18.94
Tia
Ever take any time they fully take stock of of do I need a are my knees hurting are are my like you know and Acl is one of those mysterious injuries like my surgeon is like it's a mysterious injury. It's something that happens to twelve year olds and it also happens to forty year olds like it isn't it isn't.
34:19.64
howtosucceed
Never rested. Yeah um.
34:28.36
howtosucceed
My.
34:36.37
howtosucceed
Um, my God right? Um God sure.
34:37.50
Tia
He's like he's like I've literally operated on a twelve year old for acl rupture happened at recess. So it isn't something it isn't necessarily wear and tear. It can be but but it isn't necessarily. He's like how much wear and tear could a twelve year old have you know he's all. It's awesome thing that um, he's like it's also mysterious because.
34:50.34
howtosucceed
Yeah.
34:56.23
Tia
It is an injury that um football players get and that dancers can duplicate without being hit so football players usually get it because they're hit like someone like you know, write them and and tweaks their knee knee. Oddly he's like dancers usually get it on their own. They didn't nothing ran into them. They will.
35:00.63
howtosucceed
Um, like um, right? yeah.
35:13.63
howtosucceed
Um, right like from dancing. Wow Oh my God Yeah yes.
35:14.77
Tia
Dancers force and the way they can like forcefully like do their body will create the same impact as a football player running into another football player so that just tells you why we're late's why we need to take our bodies and you know the the level.
35:31.60
howtosucceed
Absolutely.
35:34.39
Tia
Um, of stress but also ah elevated kind of movement that we are are executing 8 times a week on a broadway stage you know, which which is intense. You know which is why whatever.
35:44.63
howtosucceed
Yes, yeah.
35:50.98
Tia
Do eight shows and at the end of their h show week. They're like I'm freaking exhausted and it's like yeah because your body is like in you know it's treading water for years and yeah and like Tv has all the things. It's like really just.
35:54.90
howtosucceed
Absolutely yeah, right? and like your day off is the day you like do your laundry and get grocery like it's not like you're lying on the couch all day. Yeah.
36:10.59
Tia
Sleep for a day but like Wow you want a party you know it's just like we're We're high intensity people.
36:11.99
howtosucceed
Oh My gosh. Yeah, that's that's a lot and I wonder too if it's something where like really we should be doing seven shows a week or dancers maybe should be treated differently than other tracks.
36:28.35
Tia
I a hundred percent think that there should not be any sort of 8 show a week I think that we should have two days off like every other person in the entire country deserves a weekend. It doesn't need to be Saturday Sunday it could be other but I do think that we absolutely deserve a weekend just like everybody else.
36:34.56
howtosucceed
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
36:43.62
howtosucceed
Yeah.
36:46.72
Tia
I think our bodies need it more than other people. Um I think that some people think oh, it's just 2 hours a day. It's like it's 2 hours plus and you're and you are starting your regimen to be able to attain those 2 hours right from when you wake up like.
36:57.50
howtosucceed
Yeah.
37:03.61
howtosucceed
Sure. Absolutely.
37:06.38
Tia
Can just do whatever you want all day and still expect to be high intensity at Eight o'clock at night when everybody else in the city is winding down you are ramping up. You know it's completely counter. It's like when people are like oh I'm gonna have my nightcap. We're literally like putting in pin curls and like let's go were just.
37:15.40
howtosucceed
Um, yeah, yeah.
37:21.51
howtosucceed
All right? just getting started.
37:25.98
Tia
I did I mean it's a completely. You know this Hamilton is the longest and people ah often say Hamilton's like super hard and I've done Aladdin and I've done Hamilton and for me Aladdin was exhausting Hamilton was not exhausting.
37:27.20
howtosucceed
Yeah, and some shows are 3 hours to the Hamilton is not 2 hours
37:37.90
howtosucceed
Yeah.
37:43.71
Tia
I I look at them completely different Aladdin was like a sprint and Hamilton is a marathon like the reason why? um they're their book I should say there I shouldn't say that that Hamilton wasn't exhausting. They're differently exhausting Aladdin is like.
37:46.87
howtosucceed
And.
37:59.96
Tia
When you step on that stage no matter what number you're doing you need to be at 120 like you have to think that is the nature of the show. That's the nature of the choreography you need to be giving one hundred and twenty percent for every number that you do which is exhausting and then you go back and you can sit right? Hamilton on the other hand. It's much more. The movement is.
38:02.76
howtosucceed
Right? Yeah, you yeah yeah.
38:19.36
Tia
Most of the numbers are much more like smooth and easy or so sometimes you're just standing there right? like with a quill in your hand or something like that. But it's 3 hours it's a marathon like you have going like I would look sometimes I would just like look at like the.
38:20.63
howtosucceed
Um, you right? Yeah yeah.
38:34.34
Tia
You know how much we had left and I was like oh my gosh like Philip hasn't even died yet like what's a happening like this like I was in the ensemble and I covered Piggy Maria yeah
38:41.55
howtosucceed
Um, what were you peggy What? what role were you? Okay, Okay, so the ensemble is real busy.
38:50.26
Tia
So busy we never are offs stage. There's like 1 moment where we're off stage during like take a break and other than that you're just like on stage and my track happened to be 1 of those tracks it was like standing in the shadows often and ah it just was um.
39:02.12
howtosucceed
Um, yeah.
39:07.69
Tia
Really one of the highlights of my career honestly but also just freaking and thing I was like this show's not even almost over like we are willop has not died like letting it. We got a lot to go so it's like a marathon I would be exhausted because it was like a marathon like you had to pace yourself whereas Aladdin.
39:09.30
howtosucceed
Um, yeah.
39:19.10
howtosucceed
So much to come. Ah, yeah yeah.
39:27.28
Tia
It's a shorter show. But damn if I didn't have to give 100 and like frickin 50% every time on stage and that is equally exhausting, especially coming from a resting state.
39:29.54
howtosucceed
Yeah. Totally that's really interesting. But so how have you? how else have you combated this last year that you've been doing some other kinds of work like getting more into directing in that kind of thing. Oh yeah.
39:48.40
Tia
Sorry so say that again, ask me against I.
39:53.73
howtosucceed
So this year when you've taken a break from dancing. How have you filled your time and I know that you've pivoted into directing a little bit talk about that.
40:01.94
Tia
Yes, so associate work has always been something that I had had my eye on ah namely associate directing. Ah even more so than ah than associate choreography. Um I.
40:07.58
howtosucceed
Um, yeah.
40:15.36
howtosucceed
Um, yeah, well.
40:17.67
Tia
Got the opportunity through a friend to meet with a director that was looking for an associate and all they had so many projects that he does have like a co-director that he works with. But um, they have so many projects that they're just feeling overwhelmed which is you know a Happy problem. Um.
40:24.19
howtosucceed
Ah.
40:30.34
howtosucceed
Yeah.
40:35.84
Tia
I Met with them I hit it off with them and I started working with them and um, it's been a really interesting journey especially because I have had so much experience on stage so to be offstage and see like what the.
40:39.97
howtosucceed
That's amazing.
40:45.20
howtosucceed
Yeah.
40:53.65
Tia
What that kind of world looks like a lot of it was um as as I pictured or as I thought and the other half of it was definitely like oh I didn't even think about that and especially in the direct world. 1 of the main things is ah you know we went through a tech process already together and I was so struck by.
41:02.17
howtosucceed
Yeah.
41:07.65
howtosucceed
Yeah, yeah.
41:11.76
Tia
The fact that as the director you are obviously you know this right? The director's responsible for all departments. We know that and they're you know, but they're literally receiving information from all departments which is so overwhelming and they're having to manage all the departments. So.
41:19.90
howtosucceed
Um, right? yeah right.
41:26.33
Tia
You know if I was like an associate on just choreography Really my whole goal is just to make sure the choreography looks good and stays good. It's just choreography choreography chorography I'm literally sitting there with him and we're listening to well choreography needs time and lighting needs time and the music department wants this and the day and I'm like every freakin department is.
41:29.56
howtosucceed
Um, yeah, yeah, yeah.
41:42.20
howtosucceed
Um, oh because that's their job. Yeah.
41:45.12
Tia
Advocating for themselves as they should be and you're just like and that's their job and you're like oh my gosh like this is There's so there's so much more to directing than just like advocating for the actors and and and what the scene work the story. It's like on top of making sure that like the actors actually.
41:55.21
howtosucceed
And the story. Absolutely.
42:02.57
Tia
It's kind of funny in a tech process. That's the last thing on your list is like the actors and how they're doing. You can see that like some need help but you're like I don't have that because lighting Q number looks crazy like you're really looking at like lighting.
42:07.57
howtosucceed
Um, yeah, right, You're prioritizing constantly? yeah.
42:17.34
Tia
Yeah, you're looking at every every other department. It's so interesting and then obviously when you go back, You can be like okay, let's like this this acting beat isn't great, but it's a really, It's been a really interesting process in how many balls are in the air always for for the directors and that every department should be advocating for their.
42:24.70
howtosucceed
Right.
42:30.13
howtosucceed
Yeah.
42:36.63
Tia
For themselves. They do advocate for themselves and and they're never gonna get not ah every department is never gonna get with you know, like Choreography Iss like well we need more time on stage. It's like well I'm sorry we don't have time for that because we're working on. You know these fights or whatever. So the fight department is going to get that time and it's just so many so many pieces to the puzzle also difference.
42:42.30
howtosucceed
Um, yeah.
42:49.44
howtosucceed
Um, right literally.
42:56.19
Tia
Since we're working on 2 different projects together. 1 project is an established been done a million times show. Obviously they're going to do their been on it and it's a new fresh take and all of that. But the actual script is is pretty much in place. Um, ah whereas this other project that we're working on is completely new. Um.
43:01.22
howtosucceed
Yeah.
43:06.77
howtosucceed
Not changing my right.
43:15.39
howtosucceed
Yeah, everything. Yeah right.
43:15.74
Tia
New music New you know, like set everything like everything's new. Costumes had never been seen before you know and that's it's really interesting to see the differences between directing something established and there is a pressure on like expectation of the audience and what they think they're coming to see because in their minds. They think they know.
43:28.20
howtosucceed
Yeah.
43:35.56
Tia
And then on the other end so the audience coming into something completely fresh and new. So it's completely your idea which seems more freeing but there's also a pressure on that as well because you have to make the audience is respond product. So yeah, super.
43:42.74
howtosucceed
Um, right? Yeah, absolutely, That's really that's so cool to be a part of that. Yeah.
43:54.69
Tia
I love it. 1 of my favorite going back to like my career onstage and being always in ah original productions. My favorite part of doing being on my favorite part of being on stage has always been the creation of new work. So.
44:01.44
howtosucceed
The.
44:10.13
howtosucceed
Yeah.
44:12.40
Tia
It's always fun to perform and then bow at the end and of course I love that. But really, my favorite part was always in the studio learning New material trying out new material. Oh that doesn't work cut that you know we're gonna add this. Okay, we know we sing this song worked. We're scrapping that we're got a new. We got a new wedding song and there's always a wedding right? There's always a wedding. Um.
44:25.40
howtosucceed
Um, yeah.
44:30.90
howtosucceed
Um, yeah, but.
44:32.26
Tia
Like we're going to do a new wedding song. You know all that it's always been. We were part so ah, being a part of these productions and being able to be a part of it from an even earlier stage like even earlier than being in the room like literally just sitting at the table or being on a Zoom.
44:34.90
howtosucceed
Um, yeah, um.
44:50.43
Tia
Is me being able to do my favorite part of of being part of a show and I'm getting to be a part of that process even earlier which I love.
44:51.28
howtosucceed
Ah, so ah.
44:56.53
howtosucceed
Yeah, that's really cool. Do you think that your work or what you've learned in this associate work will translate to to approaching your next like onstage project differently or like how you audition differently.
45:11.95
Tia
It's definitely changed how I audition. Um I think actors sometimes think that like the room's against them like when they walk in I think that they're like.
45:13.27
howtosucceed
And.
45:20.86
howtosucceed
Um, right? Oh yeah.
45:23.10
Tia
Because it is daunting your're 1 person and often there could be ten fifty I remember for my aladdin final callback. There was 3 rows of people sitting there staring at me and that goes back to like you know it was crazy I were I literally was like there are 3 rows of people like staring at me and it was it was it was dauntful. You know and I was like.
45:31.51
howtosucceed
Um, ah oh my God and.
45:37.77
howtosucceed
Wow! yeah.
45:42.20
Tia
Gosh So many people and and in your mind because it's like that many people against one you're you're looking at it that way you're like it's an against one and I you have to prove but really now that I'm on the other side. It's like no we we are begging hoping and pleading who are.
45:53.68
howtosucceed
Um, that's true, right.
45:56.40
howtosucceed
Yeah, we want you to be for baked. Yeah because yeah.
46:00.98
Tia
Want you to be great. You know and so I think I already like come in to a room a lot more positive than I used to and which then makes me more relaxed which is nice. Um, yeah and I think also um.
46:08.39
howtosucceed
Um, yeah, that's so nice to hear and to think about.
46:19.91
Tia
I have learned and it's something that you tell yourself, but it's really ah and it's really come into focus a little bit more is that it The best idea is just to come in as yourself when you try and duplicate. Yeah when you try and duplicate like someone else's sound or someone else's um, acting beats or it's just.
46:28.47
howtosucceed
Absolutely.
46:40.62
Tia
It's inauthentic and also you you are never going to do it as well as that person. So therefore you're not doing it as well as need need it needs to be so it's always just like the better idea to do what you do well and if that's what they want.
46:47.50
howtosucceed
Um, yeah, yeah, exactly right? Yeah and it's not really sustainable to like.
46:55.86
Tia
Then that's what they will hire and if what you do well is not going to work for that then it's not going to work for that. You know, just but do you.
47:05.90
howtosucceed
Be pretending to be somebody else because ah my last guest el Morgan Lee um, this was a great episode. She was talking about like double acting when she was younger just like feeling like she had to show up as this person that she wasn't approaching this material that she was working on.
47:05.67
Tia
For.
47:23.60
Tia
That yet.
47:23.90
howtosucceed
Like she was acting twice. But so if you're like trying to copy you know Ethel Merman singing this song or whatever that's like double acted like you need to just be you singing this song.
47:37.36
Tia
And period that's like a great way to look at it like it's like double acting is is I completely resonate with that and it's it's too. It's um, it's just too complicated and I feel like 1 of the things that what is with like like being in ah on the audition side is like.
47:42.41
howtosucceed
Yeah, too much.
47:49.42
howtosucceed
A.
47:55.29
Tia
Simplest version usually wins Anyways, when you're trying to come in with all of these different things and things and things it's like we just want to see you do what you do, We just want using. We just want to see you act. We don't need off with other stuff.
47:56.50
howtosucceed
Her.
48:04.54
howtosucceed
You absolutely right? It's too much. Yeah, um, this has been amazing. 1 last question so that I try to ask everyone is if somebody is looking to have success in theater which can look a lot of different ways. Um, what is something that they should keep in mind besides being yourself because we have already established. Yeah.
48:24.75
Tia
I know I was like the big. Oh yeah, what is something that should keep good like literally right now I'm so highly focused on just bringing myself to things. So let's see what up.
48:36.23
howtosucceed
Yeah, that's good or like how maybe how how is a way that you can work on doing that.
48:49.55
Tia
I Think that um one of the biggest things that I have to keep in mind and it just doesn't seem to go away. It doesn't matter if you're starting your career or you're finding success that perseverance like the word perseverance just keeps coming to my mind because this business.
48:58.96
howtosucceed
Her. Yeah, yeah.
49:06.54
Tia
Can just be so brutal and um, it just can take such a toll on your self-esteem and ah I think it takes a toll on our self-esteem because we do start to identify Actually that's actually it I think that what you could take away is that you are more.
49:19.00
howtosucceed
Her.
49:25.68
Tia
Then what you're auditioning for or you are more than the shows that you have booked because we wrap our self-esteem in these in these shows in these characters like I am in Hamilton I um booked Gatsby I don't know I'm just trying like whatever felt you know? ah I am alphaba.
49:27.37
howtosucceed
Of yes.
49:38.80
howtosucceed
Um, right? Yeah whatever. Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah.
49:45.80
Tia
You know we just ourselves in these these characters and these woes and when they close and you're struggling to book another job you you are. You're all of a sudden like but I'm alphabe but but I'm but I was in Hamilton Ram yes who am I so all of sudden you're floating so it's.
49:55.85
howtosucceed
Right? Or who am I now? Yeah yeah.
50:04.12
Tia
Ah, a skill but certainly worth investigating, not completely tying yourself up in I am X show or I am X character because they're all fleeting whether or not you choose to leave or the show closes.
50:14.61
howtosucceed
Yes.
50:23.23
Tia
And then who are you because we we are in this lovely career of passion where you know most people ah introduce themselves as an actor as a dancer as a Broadway performer. Um, we are not like ah most people that work. Ah.
50:24.38
howtosucceed
Yes.
50:31.82
howtosucceed
Right.
50:40.84
Tia
There's only a few other careers I feel like doctors do it doctors are like hi. My name is so and so yes I'm a doctor or my and my name is doctor. So and so there's only a few other careers that like you yeah athletes and ah, you know like their identity is.
50:42.19
howtosucceed
Yeah, yeah, yeah, maybe like athletes to like professional thing. Yeah celebrities. Yes.
50:56.33
Tia
You know what their career but most people like you could be a kickass accountant and normally you don't introduce yourself as a cpa you know you, you're not doing that you're like hi. My name is Becky and you like whatever I don't I don't know why her name is um, but um, yeah, we love Becky the accountant.
51:04.77
howtosucceed
Um, yeah I Love to do these things? Yeah yeah, we love Becky the accountant.
51:16.20
Tia
Um, but but but because we are just it's a career of passion. You know it is hard. There is a certain amount of like craziness that like you have to have in order to keep going and persevering. It's welcome to me ask be while consuming some people's acting style is even like if I'm going to play this character I really have to like.
51:26.87
howtosucceed
Um, yeah, it's all consuming to just the the day to day I know I feel these feelings. Yeah yeah, totally.
51:35.97
Tia
Yeah, feel these feelings I have to try this in order to know what it is in order to be able to do. You know we all have different you know is it meta like you know what? I mean like everybody has like whatever they're doing but um I Really so ah would would It's a caution but it's also I would really implore a younger.
51:44.18
howtosucceed
Hey.
51:53.46
howtosucceed
Um, me on right.
51:54.62
Tia
Starting out or even people that have forgotten it that are older to really root themselves in something that is not the show that is not the character you're playing ah because because it will go away and you will be left ah as something as that thing on your resume. Absolutely.
52:01.83
howtosucceed
Yes.
52:11.45
howtosucceed
You yes.
52:12.89
Tia
But you are so much more than that you are so much more than that and I don't know what that more is you find it for yourself. You know you you are fill in the blank. Um, but holding on from that is going to root you ah much more than attaching yourself to these shows and characters that.
52:18.42
howtosucceed
Right? Yeah, just that valuing yourself. Yeah yeah, you know they will for a little while. But.
52:32.80
Tia
Will not love you back? ah.
52:37.50
howtosucceed
And you are such a model of that perseverance and and you've really had to learn that lesson of like oh it all just disappeared one day and now it'll come back, but you know yeah.
52:44.56
Tia
It all. You know you think you can have it all planned I had everything planned out I had um some like it hot I had ah it all planned out how long out in my mind I had I was gonna do the show I had in my mind. How long I was gonna be on the show and I knew exactly what I was gonna do After. And it all literally disappeared in an 8 count. It was gone and my whole life My whole life changed. Um, and it's not terrible but it is just the truth that my whole life changed and in that moment I really did have to like kind of take a hard look at myself and be like.
53:04.25
howtosucceed
Oh my God yeah.
53:20.33
Tia
Oh okay, so if I'm not on stage eight shows a week. What am I which yeah, who am I like do I do I have any friends that aren't on like it just was very do I have anything else to talk about like what else is there and I've been figuring that out for a year
53:23.94
howtosucceed
Who am I right. Know guys right? Yeah yeah, and I think a lot of us got a little dose of that with covered the code shut down but it was happening all of us at the same time we had each other.
53:39.87
Tia
And it has actually been quite a blessing I've been able to meet other people outside of the business I've been able to do things I haven't been able to do in years. It's um, actually turned into a blessing