Hey everyone it's Seth Rudetsky and I'm here with Keala Settle
Okay Tony nominee for Hands On a Hardbody brava. However now in Les Mis playing the b****y ass Madame Thenardier
First thing Keala told me is that she was not familiar really with the
Well you were sorta familiar with the score, but you just weren't you know
There were a couple of songs that I knew at karaoke bars, which I-and that was the potty break of karaoke
It's like if somebody got up and sang you know On My Own in no man's land, Kansas it was like well
It's time to pee
Wait so it wasn't even like you would sing them
No I didn't even know the words, but the second you hear
Well, it's time for the bathroom. and then just come back. I didn't even know the words
what she means Mr. Macintosh is she's a big fan of the show
I didn't know
The point is
She said that it began like opera where when you show up the first day of rehearsal you're apparently suppose to have the whole score
memorized but no one told you! am I correct in my assumption
Yeah, you are we showed up and the rest of the company knew the show except the leads
And so we all sat in the back and went well this may be our last day at work
So Keala was like
Here's all I know about the end of the day
at the end of the day I don't know all the lyrics, at the end of the day I was still trying
But they were really going through it ok so the ensemble's reaction were they like oh, we'll help you
It was not
It was: "Well. We'll sing the song again."
So we're like well. We just kind of like whispered underneath and kept just quickly turning pages
Why did nobody plank out the notes and be like here's how it goes
because it's such a popular show I think
and
because the probably 5/8 of the company that they had hired had already done it before and
We were the small we were the one percent that didn't know everything so
We kind of- but thank the Lord we have like you know
Sight singing skills and can actually plunk it out regardless Keala said that the entire company was glaring at the leads and Keala as you
Termed it
musical bullying
Or Broadway bullying. B squared. but the point is it's all good it actually it gets better
It does
My point is I thought Keala was amazing as Madame Thenardier because she decided to opt
Up the octave, so why don't I first show you an example of what Keala
does in the show I was
Riveted in the audience by the way am I the only person that's noticed that? I texted you immediately during intermission
I was like blah blah up the octave
No, you were the first person that actually used the proper nomenclature, saying up the octave Everybody else would go oh my gosh you sang so high
But you literally said "you took it up the octave" and I went yes! musician of the century!
So here's what she actually sings in the show what a cruel trick five six seven
what a cruel trick of nature landed me with such a louse. God knows how I've lasted living with this bastard in the house
literally up the octave
8 shows a week
she's so amazing as Madame Thenardier my question is was that the only role you coveted were you like I wanna play some of the
Other women in the show?
That was actually the only role. I didn't covet
I mean I walked in with so much material. I mean I first went on with Fantine's material
I totally want Keala to recreate her audition
And you also you did one your signature your signature spins on it, made it your own
absolutely because I again I'm not familiar with
You know the music, but I didn't want to play that role and give it the meat that I thought it required
Yeah, well your signature let's hear your signature why don't we just do it from the end of
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed
You didn't get a callback?
nothing
Alright, well what about like an ingenue did you ever do an ingenue?
Well, I guess Tracy was an ingenue did you want to be an ingenue?
Really? that's kind of- a it's an obvious
I am an ingenue. I've been in many auditions many times for I mean I was almost up for Kelli
O'Hara's role in Bridges of Madison County, but they looked elsewhere which is fine
Well you don't look Italian what about why we try it let's hear your what your Cosette audition was because
I literally happen to have Cosette right here
And I worked really hard on that because I know that they wanted kind of like a higher-pitched
timbre in that so
and also Marius he has to find you
absolutely and I don't want him to be looking all over the stage because he can't see me, he can't hear me
So I had to work really hard on that
make it clear where you are
for sure.
What about In My Life I'm no longer alone
In my life, I'm no longer alone now the love of my life is so near
Find me now
find me here
Yeah, cuz up the octave makes sense
He can't find you if you're whispering
it doesn't matter
They didn't they just- just
Made the final three? You didn't make the final three?
No
Right um. I just happen to have
by the way this is really gut wrenching for me
I know I don't wanna make you go through it again, but I think my audience needs to know how unfair it is casting isn't fair
it's fine it's fine
Um I think why don't we just do because you told me you did tell me you went in for Eponine
I think because we happen to have a guy. Why don't we have this? We have a guy here?
Why don't we have him play Marius to get you to the end of the scene?
Where you're kind of in his arms this guy here so um
There's my friend Robert something Roberto
close
um okay so why don't you do the ending scene where she's dying?
Just kind of hold her in your arms on the floor, so just kind of cradle okay. just do the death scene
I've seen the show
on the floor please
-I've never met him. --he's not equity
So you on the floor sir you're the reader and
so why don't you Keala. "and you will keep me close" I assumed you added your signature spin at the audition
Right yes
And of course at the time- the reader that I had knew all of the show had done it numerous times in dozens of countries
Okay, you will keep me close
no pressure.
We got one two and your death scene
and you will keep me safe and you will keep me close
and rain will make the flowers grow
And what and did you get bus and truck
nothing
ok well that's f***ed up. see ya