Transcript
Speaker: Thank you.
Speaker: Hello everyone!
Speaker: It's Rosa here bringing you an extra special mini episode of Sunday on the Pod.
Speaker: Flo and I were super lucky this week to sit down with our wonderful friend and incredible performer, Corey Mitchell, who, aww, very excitingly,
Speaker: It was part of the London debut cast of Mean Girls the Musical as Swing and his first cover, Mr Duval.
Speaker: I mean, as soon as the casting news was announced, we knew we had to get Corey on for an interview to tie in with our own episode on Mean Girls.
Speaker: And we are just so grateful that he agreed.
Speaker: He's such a great support to the show.
Speaker: I mean, you'll always find him getting involved in our polls and our quizzes on our Instagram.
Speaker: And Flo and I, we've actually both been super lucky in the past to have worked with Corey on a project.
Speaker: And he's just such a pleasure to work with.
Speaker: and to just be around his energy is just so infectious as you'll hear in the interview and his talent is just beyond belief I mean the boy is no stranger to a West End stage so without further ado here's our interview with the wonderful Corey Mitchell where we chat all about his career so far how rehearsals are going for Mean Girls ahead of the show opening in June and a little bit about his favourite musical shows enjoy
Speaker: Hello!
Speaker: So happy and excited because we have Corey Mitchell with us today, especially hot off of our Mean Girl episode which dropped last month, available now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Speaker: Corey is an incredibly talented, multifaceted performer who Flo and I have had the pleasure of working with in the past and we are so excited to grab him just before he opens the London debut of Mean Girls the Musical as Swing and first cover Mr. DeVal.
Speaker: So Corey, without further ado, introduce yourself for the pod.
Speaker: Who are you and what do you do?
Speaker: Hi, um, God, such a, such a lovely introduction.
Speaker: I was like, oh, um, uh, hi, my name's, um, that's me.
Speaker: That's me you're talking about.
Speaker: Um, hi, my name's Corey.
Speaker: Um, like Rosa said, um, I'm a performer.
Speaker: I'm just about to open, uh, Mean Girls in the London West End, um, a swing and DeVol, um,
Speaker: Yeah, I'm originally from Yorkshire and I've been performing about 10 years in London.
Speaker: Almost 10 years, like eight, nine years in London.
Speaker: And yeah.
Speaker: Just fresh off a run at Mrs Doubtfire the musical.
Speaker: Yes, just finished doing Mrs Doubtfire at the Shaftesbury Theatre.
Speaker: We're doing that for a year from its Manchester tryout to the London theatre.
Speaker: debut and it had a crazy success which was lovely like all sorts of like families came to watch it and it was so nice to see the movie be made into a musical and it do justice because I think on Broadway the run closed early due to Covid damn you Covid
Speaker: And then it, so they were worried when it came over here, but no, it was really lovely and it was such a lovely like family and stuff.
Speaker: So that was great.
Speaker: And was it like, it must've been so interesting to have been part of something from its kind of like try out phase all the way through to its West End run.
Speaker: Like, did you enjoy being part of that, that whole process?
Speaker: Well, I actually wasn't, which was strange.
Speaker: It was strange, but it was okay.
Speaker: Because I was on Mamma Mia UK tour, and when the tryouts happened, I was doing that so that they couldn't align.
Speaker: But then some people...
Speaker: from the tryout, either didn't want to come to London or they'd got another job doing something else.
Speaker: So a few positions became available.
Speaker: So then from there, I auditioned.
Speaker: And then I came into a team that was like seven, eight already ready from Manchester.
Speaker: So then I came into the rehearsal process and
Speaker: It can be daunting, but it did not feel like that at all coming into this.
Speaker: They were so loving and the key word that I'll take away from Doubtfire is joy because everyone was like, joy, joy.
Speaker: That's how we would communicate.
Speaker: It's a very, very strange language.
Speaker: But yeah, so the majority of the working out stuff was in Manchester and then they were like, oh, we've kind of got a solid version in London.
Speaker: So I just kind of did that.
Speaker: And I mean, like, what do you do on that first day?
Speaker: Because, I mean, you're obviously going into something where they've all kind of rehearsed, they've been performing.
Speaker: So really what they're doing is maybe rehearsing for different formations for, like, a different thesis.
Speaker: And it just must be so daunting.
Speaker: Like, what's the first day like?
Speaker: Any advice for performers?
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: I think, like, the first thing you have to think is just, like,
Speaker: they know, the whole team knows, everybody knows, like, they're not like, five, six, seven, go!
Speaker: Yeah, they're not like a chorus line in you.
Speaker: No, it's not that situation, it's more like, everyone wants everyone to succeed, so it will be in terms of like,
Speaker: The OG cast won't come in till the afternoon and the morning is spent with the new people either doing the choreography or doing the singing.
Speaker: I think we had a week before where we were doing just singing.
Speaker: So we were up to scratch with the original cast.
Speaker: So by the time they came in, we were on the same level.
Speaker: So it felt very much like that in terms of like gelling the new with the old together.
Speaker: Yeah, I mean, gosh, fair play to you because as someone who's kind of an ex-performer now and who still works in theatre as a kind of writer, producer and director, I mean, I think the hardest role has got to be the performer.
Speaker: it's just got so so scary into the bravery needed to kind of go into a room where you know that everyone else knows exactly what they're doing and you've only got a couple of hours to figure it out i mean the vulnerability needed there it is very much like that as well and when they're like oh let's do a run and like everyone like goes to their opening positions and you're like oh oh okay i was like it's
Speaker: Here we go.
Speaker: Here we go.
Speaker: You guys, like, know your stuff.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: Three, two, one.
Speaker: And then it just goes.
Speaker: And then you're fine.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Like, there may be a few mistakes.
Speaker: They may be like, oh, you went in this place or sort of things.
Speaker: But it's nothing, like, major.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And if it ever is, they're like, stop.
Speaker: And then they're like, let's figure it out.
Speaker: Not stop.
Speaker: Why did you do that?
Speaker: You're so ridiculous.
Speaker: Get out of the room.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: You have a fear that it's going to be like.
Speaker: Everyone has the fear.
Speaker: Everyone has that fear, like,
Speaker: Oh, they're going to kick me out.
Speaker: Like, I am not.
Speaker: I am so out of my depth.
Speaker: But that's just like whatever it is talking in the back of your head.
Speaker: But it goes after like a few hours.
Speaker: That's the best feeling in the world as well, I think, when you're really, really nervous about doing something and then you do it, then you're like, oh yeah, I'm actually really good at this.
Speaker: That went really, really well.
Speaker: Like, I can do this.
Speaker: It's like when you come out of a job, an interview or an audition and you're like, oh, I actually really smashed that.
Speaker: Like, I actually might be good at what I want to do for about 50 minutes and then obviously imposterous.
Speaker: I was...
Speaker: I think probably the most scariest part of that process would probably be the audition, right?
Speaker: That would probably be the most scary part, going into the room.
Speaker: And then, I don't know, maybe it's just me.
Speaker: I feel like when you get the job, you're like, ooh, I'm a bit nervous, but not nearly as nervous as I was for the audition.
Speaker: Oh, no, mine's the opposite.
Speaker: Mine's like the audition.
Speaker: I'm like, it's a yes or no answer.
Speaker: Yeah, I think it's like you go into the audition, it's like, here's an hour, an hour and a half of my time.
Speaker: I might get recalled.
Speaker: I might do this and that.
Speaker: And then I'm like, okay, that's absolutely fine.
Speaker: It is what it is.
Speaker: If I get the job, I do.
Speaker: If I don't, da, da, da, da.
Speaker: When you get the job, then you're like, okay, this is like on the daily.
Speaker: Like you might have like a bad day and then you're like, oh my God, the next, if I have three consecutive bad days,
Speaker: then in your head you think, it's never happened by the way, but in your head you think the microscope is on you.
Speaker: Because if you have one bad audition, you're like, ooh, that was a bad audition.
Speaker: On to the next one.
Speaker: If you're in the same contract and you're going, that was a bad day,
Speaker: that was a bad day yeah that was a bad day you're like oh that's so odd i've literally never i've never ever thought like that but now now i will now i'll be like oh my god that was three god i've just found like a new performer welcome welcome to the world looking to the world of booking a job and then continuing having anxiety just
Speaker: Keep some rolling.
Speaker: Yeah, I think I'm similar.
Speaker: Like, I'm really good at an interview, an audition, writing a draft about something.
Speaker: And then once you've fixed it, it's like, oh, I filled them.
Speaker: I can't do this.
Speaker: I filled them into thinking that I can do this thing and I actually can't do it.
Speaker: But I feel like first day is always the hardest, you know.
Speaker: So you've done Mrs. Doubtfire.
Speaker: I would also love to hear more about any other projects that you've done, any other shows, what you've worked on, why you found them special.
Speaker: You, of course, don't need to mention You'll Be Okay, the project that you worked on with me and Flo.
Speaker: Well, I may as well start with the thing that I did with you and Flo.
Speaker: So that was You'll Be Okay.
Speaker: We did a workshop at the Goldsmiths University.
Speaker: And that was really, really fun.
Speaker: There was many reasons why that was fun.
Speaker: It was fun because it was the first time I'd ever done something of that caliber of like new writing, new music, being in a room, creating it, creating the characters.
Speaker: Well, not creating the characters yourself.
Speaker: But developing the characters, that's the word.
Speaker: And I don't know, I just felt like there was never a bad idea and there was never a moment
Speaker: It might have felt like it for you, but for us, there was no pressure at all.
Speaker: There was no pressure when we were doing the scenes, when we were doing anything like that, when we were learning movement.
Speaker: There was never anything.
Speaker: It was just like, oh, this is a really, really fun time.
Speaker: So that's really nice to hear.
Speaker: I think that's like a philosophy that I try and build into the rehearsal rooms that there shouldn't really be a bad idea.
Speaker: And, you know, everyone should be having as nice, as nice of a time as possible.
Speaker: And it should be a place for creative energy to flow, which is obviously a bit cringe.
Speaker: But yeah, I know that it's work and we're working towards a performance or something like that, but you should be able to go to work and have a good time.
Speaker: And, you know, I want to go to work and have a nice time as well.
Speaker: Exactly.
Speaker: I can't, I honestly, I can't remember, I cannot remember a moment because I'm just trying to replay it in my head.
Speaker: I can't think of a moment where I was like, God, this isn't working and I wish they would figure it out.
Speaker: There was never one of them moments.
Speaker: It was, it was just like, oh, this is,
Speaker: Yep, the next scene, this is fun.
Speaker: We're laughing.
Speaker: Like every, I remember laughing a lot.
Speaker: I remember laughing a lot.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: I was like, oh, that's really good.
Speaker: Do you remember us singing through windows?
Speaker: Do you remember singing through a window?
Speaker: Ah!
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: That was really fun.
Speaker: That was really fun.
Speaker: So anyone that doesn't know, because it was COVID, we love COVID, we were basically told that we could sit in the same room together, but we couldn't sing in the same room together because singing spread particles, whereas just talking to each other didn't.
Speaker: So we, as the actors, had to stand outside and sing through open windows
Speaker: and like the pianist and then everyone else inside being like sounds great and it was the most odd experience ever.
Speaker: It was so bizarre.
Speaker: I would like to say those were rules put upon us by the institution we weren't just arbitrarily doing that but it was kind of fun though.
Speaker: It was all Rosa, Rosa came up with it that time.
Speaker: I like to run my rehearsal rooms really fun but also I like to put large obstacles in the way.
Speaker: Oh, that was a very special time.
Speaker: Yeah, no, it was great.
Speaker: Is there anything else that you've got going on that you've enjoyed working on?
Speaker: Because you've been a bit focused on musicals the last couple of years, haven't you?
Speaker: Yeah, I think that's it.
Speaker: I think, well, my first, another musical, but it was Starlight will always be a special one.
Speaker: Starlight Express.
Speaker: Because...
Speaker: It was my first job.
Speaker: It was away from the UK.
Speaker: And it was such like a shift to everything that I thought college had prepared you for.
Speaker: Right.
Speaker: So I was like, college prepare you in the nicest way to be like,
Speaker: You do college.
Speaker: This is back in the day.
Speaker: It's changed very much now.
Speaker: But back in the day, it was like, you do college.
Speaker: And then after that, you audition and it's West End.
Speaker: And that's it.
Speaker: And after that, then it is kind of like a murky gray area of like, well, what if you don't get West End?
Speaker: So when Starlight came along, I was like, OK, this isn't West End that college had.
Speaker: Like being like, this is what you're going to get.
Speaker: So I was like, okay, cool.
Speaker: But it does sound like an exciting opportunity.
Speaker: And I didn't know much about it.
Speaker: Even to the point where I didn't know it was in German until I got out there.
Speaker: and I was like, oh, we're singing in German, I was like, oh my god, oh my god, that would have been so stressful, that would have been so stressful, because the audition was in English, the songs were in English, the soundtrack online is in English, so you just like listen, and you're like, oh my god, I'm so excited to do the show, like Pumping Iron, ACDC, all these songs sounded so cool, and I was like, oh, it's,
Speaker: it's German.
Speaker: So then, cause we saw in our schedule, me and my best friend now, it was like, we had a phonetics lesson together and we were like, Oh, maybe it's like when they need to work on our American accents or whatever.
Speaker: Nope.
Speaker: Your German accent.
Speaker: It was for our German accents.
Speaker: So no, that was fun.
Speaker: And the like purpose built arena as well was really cool.
Speaker: And,
Speaker: I mean, that just must be amazing for anyone who doesn't know Starlight.
Speaker: It's a road escape, baby.
Speaker: Yes, you are constantly on eight wheels at all times.
Speaker: And are you excited because it's coming back to London, isn't it?
Speaker: Yes, I am.
Speaker: Because a few of the people that I did Germany with are doing the Starlight company as well.
Speaker: So I'm really excited to see them do it as well.
Speaker: And
Speaker: I don't know what the old man Weber has got up his sleeve.
Speaker: The old man Weber.
Speaker: But he wants to do something exciting.
Speaker: So I'm interested to see what the exciting thing is that he wants to do at the Chupador.
Speaker: Because I know in Germany, the latest thing they did was for the main song, Stalat Express, they've added in drones now.
Speaker: So there's like these drone lights that like fly around Rusty as he sings his big bit.
Speaker: And it looks really cool.
Speaker: It's like a light show.
Speaker: And that's something they've added here down there.
Speaker: So I don't know whether in London they're going to do something like that.
Speaker: I've tried to speak to all the cast.
Speaker: I've been like, tell me, tell me, tell me.
Speaker: No, we can't.
Speaker: It's a secret.
Speaker: We're not allowed to say.
Speaker: Oh, God.
Speaker: That definitely means it's something big then.
Speaker: Uh-huh.
Speaker: Oh, when I saw that it was coming back, I was honestly, I was like, Peter is back, baby.
Speaker: It's like, I mean, it's 80s, it's rock.
Speaker: It's so cool.
Speaker: And I kind of feel like Andrew Lloyd Webber went through a phase where he was just like, yeah, cats.
Speaker: Yeah, roller skates.
Speaker: Yeah, like just pulling absolutely anything out of the bag and just hoping it would stick.
Speaker: It really does.
Speaker: This will do.
Speaker: This will do.
Speaker: So you are currently rehearsing for the London debut of Mean Girls the musical.
Speaker: Can you tell us how rehearsals are going?
Speaker: Yes, so rehearsals are... I didn't think it was going to be as full out as it is.
Speaker: Like, I thought it was...
Speaker: Because you hear the music, I've heard the soundtrack and we've all listened to the soundtrack.
Speaker: And you think it's going to be like a, just kind of a, in my head anyway, I thought it was like kind of just a walk across, like sing and we're all at school and that sort of thing.
Speaker: It's not.
Speaker: Every number is like a dance number.
Speaker: Like it's similar to Wicked.
Speaker: I'd say it's similar in the sense of like, a lot is happening with the main people as they're doing their stuff.
Speaker: But if you ever watch Wicked, this is for the listeners as well, if you ever watch Wicked, instead of watching that Elphaba and Glinda, which is very hard not to, sometimes just watch what the students are doing at the side.
Speaker: Because they'll be doing a full choreo of lifts and all sorts of craziness.
Speaker: And you're like, oh, there's a full-on dance going on behind.
Speaker: But because it seems so seamless, you don't really notice it.
Speaker: So that happens a lot in...
Speaker: Mean Girls in terms of like the leads will be the two leads will be at the front and then there's a bit like where we have to like push classroom desks on and do all that sort of stuff and you're like oh if you actually look at that it's because I'm a swing so I'm watching it and I was like oh that seems kind of hard and I was like I got the like stuff and I tried it with the chair and I was like oh no that is very difficult that is very difficult to do but
Speaker: Because the team from Broadway have come over to London, like Tina, Jeff, Nell, Mary Mitchell, I'm not forgetting everyone, Jonathan and Casey, all of them have come over to be in the London room.
Speaker: um there's like a lot of new and exciting things that they're putting in and changing like tina's very he is very exciting to watch like um when we was doing like a run through and stuff she was like um because it's her work she like wrote the book she'll be listening to people say stuff and she'll be critical of her own work she's like no no that doesn't work anymore like from the 20 like
Speaker: She's like, mm-hmm, that joke doesn't work anymore.
Speaker: Try this one.
Speaker: And she'll be very quick and do it on the spot.
Speaker: And she's like, try this joke instead, see if this works.
Speaker: So that's very cool.
Speaker: Well, that's what we were kind of saying in our episode, that what we kind of think is so brilliant about the show and about Tina Fey is that they, because it's had such a long life from the original movie to the Broadway show, to then the movie of the musical, and then now this transfer, is they've been able to just kind of reinvent the show.
Speaker: so many times and they're able to kind of get ahead of any kind of offensive things or or maybe things perhaps not aging well because they can just rewrite it and they can keep evolving it and just keep it fresh and it must be so fulfilling for tina i'd imagine and the rest of the team to yeah know it constantly be able to reworking and redrafting and and rewriting and and keep it so fresh and i think you can feel that in the room as well it's very much like
Speaker: someone will try an idea and the excitement is like still there for them they're like oh let's try this and it's very like high energy like let's try this and it's like they do it and it's like yeah brilliant we like it oh no that's rubbish why would we do that and then it's like okay let's scrap that let's move on to the next thing let's try this instead um so that's really cool how they're all doing that in the room and um it's it's interesting as well because sometimes they're referring to the broadway one but i
Speaker: I'll say personally, it doesn't feel like we're doing a carbon copy of that.
Speaker: Oh, that's really cool.
Speaker: It feels like it is a London production of it.
Speaker: I think if you put the two of them together side by side, you would see like huge differences because they're referring to things, but they're like, oh, I didn't, I, I, not, they don't like it, but they're either like, I envision it like this in London.
Speaker: Why don't we try this instead?
Speaker: And it's like, ah, okay.
Speaker: And then you're like, okay, this isn't what I saw on the slime tutorial online, but I like it.
Speaker: So then they do stuff like that.
Speaker: That must be quite refreshing though, because like a lot of West End stuff is very much like you stand here, you stand there, this is how we've done it for 10 years.
Speaker: So it must feel quite refreshing to be like, no, this is like a living, breathing organism.
Speaker: Like we can kind of chop and change.
Speaker: Oh, 100%.
Speaker: Yeah, it does feel like that.
Speaker: It does really feel like...
Speaker: I know it has been on Broadway and it has done the US tour, but it still feels like we're doing a brand new musical.
Speaker: I don't know how to explain it.
Speaker: Which is so good for commercial theatre.
Speaker: I feel like sometimes with commercial theatre you're like, here we go again.
Speaker: I kind of can predict how this Wicked's going to look because it's been the same.
Speaker: Not that I don't love Wicked, because I do, but you're like, I kind of want to see a revamp of it.
Speaker: So yeah, it's exciting that they're doing that with this.
Speaker: It's like the freshness that you get with a revival, but it's a transfer.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Oh my goodness, it's so exciting.
Speaker: What are you most excited about for the show?
Speaker: And what do you think audiences should be on the lookout for when they all flock to the Savoy, these are Indian?
Speaker: The... The plastics are insane.
Speaker: The plastics are insane.
Speaker: Like...
Speaker: It's so weird, like, it's so weird, like, having the 2004 film and having those, like, iconic characters in a musical in front of you.
Speaker: It's so, like, even, um, World Burn.
Speaker: To watch, everyone's listened to World Burn.
Speaker: Everyone's listened to it on Spotify.
Speaker: Everyone's listened to Rene Rapp's version.
Speaker: Everyone's listened to Taylor Lordamans.
Speaker: Everyone's listened to all different versions of it.
Speaker: But when...
Speaker: you see Georgina do it you're like oh it's your own oh it's brilliant oh that's amazing and then Gretchen does her thing and you're like oh oh it's it's so similar to the 2004 but I really like how you're doing it and then Karen the thing I like Karen has so many like if you ever come and watch it multiple times listeners
Speaker: One show, watch the whole show, and then another time, just watch Karen.
Speaker: Because the stuff she does just in the corner, like, there's one bit where she's, like, putting candy canes on her nose, like, and just completely oblivious to the scene that's going on around her.
Speaker: And she's just in her own world.
Speaker: And I'm just like, that's incredible.
Speaker: The KD is incredible.
Speaker: It's, like, Lindsay Lohan upgraded...
Speaker: Oh.
Speaker: It's so good.
Speaker: What else is there?
Speaker: Yeah, I think the characters are going to be what people are going to be most excited about because they're still staying true to the film and the musical and the movie musical, but it just feels so much, in my opinion, better.
Speaker: That's so cool.
Speaker: Like...
Speaker: Especially from the movie, I feel like it's elevated so much into the musical and I feel like, oh, this works.
Speaker: And I can see the dots that have been done and it's very, very clever.
Speaker: It's so it's such an interesting show because the film, the original film is so iconic and it was kind of part of the cultural zeitgeist for so long.
Speaker: You know, those characters, they're referenced all the time, like a Regina George type or a Damien.
Speaker: Like they have become archetypes of archetypes almost, you know.
Speaker: And it must be so cool for the cast members who are playing those roles.
Speaker: Like, it must be so nerve-wracking, but it just must be so exciting.
Speaker: Like, I don't want to be... Actually, no, I'm going to say it.
Speaker: It's like getting to play musical theatre Macbeth.
Speaker: Like, you're getting to play Regina George, the Regina George.
Speaker: Mm-hmm.
Speaker: Yeah, no.
Speaker: I love that you just compared Regina George with Macbeth.
Speaker: And I'd do it again.
Speaker: Yeah, you know what?
Speaker: I'll stand by that.
Speaker: No, you know what?
Speaker: I think I would rather play Regina George than Macbeth.
Speaker: And what about the original?
Speaker: Are you a fan of the original film?
Speaker: The original film, yes.
Speaker: Yeah, very much so.
Speaker: It's one of the... There's like a few 2000s films that I always...
Speaker: do watch.
Speaker: I think they're very random actually.
Speaker: I think it's like Mean Girls, The Grinch.
Speaker: Classic, yeah.
Speaker: And what's another 2000 films?
Speaker: Daddy Daycare?
Speaker: Is that a 2000 film?
Speaker: Oh, I love that film.
Speaker: I love that.
Speaker: It's so funny.
Speaker: It's so funny.
Speaker: And I feel like it's so underrated.
Speaker: I feel like no one ever talks about it.
Speaker: I'm like, it's such a good movie.
Speaker: I mean the two vegetables when they dress up and they're phoenix the broccoli and the carrot but also I love the bit with the kids in the kitchen where the kid with the glasses is like I like dolphins, write that down I love that whole section it's so funny it's so brilliant and it's such a clever concept you know what, I'm going to watch that tonight I love that movie yes it is one for the list oh it's so good
Speaker: But yeah, I have like these like three niche ones.
Speaker: And then I don't know.
Speaker: That's just always stuck with me.
Speaker: Like everyone always makes references from it.
Speaker: Like, and it's just like, so everyday, like things that you can say, even from fetch to army fans, army pants and flip flops to everybody.
Speaker: I must say, everyone must've said she doesn't even go here.
Speaker: Everyone gets a reference.
Speaker: I mean, I've always been a fan on Danny DeVito.
Speaker: I love your work.
Speaker: That is just so funny to me.
Speaker: Oh, it's great.
Speaker: No, it is really good.
Speaker: Oh, God.
Speaker: So when your agent says, look, Mean Girls in the Musical, they're looking for people.
Speaker: Was it a show that was already on your radar?
Speaker: Were there songs that you'd liked from it?
Speaker: It wasn't on my radar.
Speaker: I'm trying to think of it.
Speaker: We knew it was coming, but I never had it on my radar just because when you think of, well, personally, this is my thing.
Speaker: When I thought of Mean Girls, I think of, like, you think of the plastics, you think of Mrs. Norbury, Mrs. George.
Speaker: So I was looking at it and I was like, oh, what could I actually do in it?
Speaker: So then I, because I didn't know how much the male ensemble were in it.
Speaker: So I was like, okay.
Speaker: So then an audition came through for Swing.
Speaker: I was like, let me just double check and see how much I'll be doing.
Speaker: So the Swing came through and then the cover came through.
Speaker: And I was like, oh, I know Principal Duvall.
Speaker: I was like, oh, I know him from the thing with the arm cast.
Speaker: And I was like, ah.
Speaker: And then my thing was like, am I too young to play that?
Speaker: So I went in and I was like, I'm just going to go and give it my best impression.
Speaker: I'm going to go very strong.
Speaker: And it could be very strong and wrong.
Speaker: It could be very strong and... I love it strong.
Speaker: I can't remember what the line was, but as soon as I said the first line, and I was like, this could go, I could hear like crickets from the panel or they could laugh because I've made such a choice.
Speaker: Luckily, I made the choice that was
Speaker: correct and they were laughing and I was like, there was just an instant relief.
Speaker: I was like, okay, I've done the right thing here.
Speaker: And then I, when I audition for stuff as well, this is just for me personally, I like to see how well I get on with the cast, the creative, sorry.
Speaker: And they were just all very like warming and I enjoyed going into the audition room.
Speaker: I never felt like scared or worried or anything like that.
Speaker: And I think that's a big thing for me.
Speaker: I'm like, oh, I actually really enjoy this team.
Speaker: because I'll be working with you for however long I'll be working with you.
Speaker: So I'm like, this team is very fantastic.
Speaker: Yeah, that's like a thing that I always say to people actually is like job interviews or auditions, they are just as much for you as it is for the panel.
Speaker: So when you go in there, you know, you want to see are these people that you want to work with?
Speaker: Is this an environment that you think you're going to thrive in?
Speaker: Yes, you want to go in with the attitude of, you know, I'm going to impress them and I'm going to be positive and I want to give them something that they want to see me deliver and I want to get this role.
Speaker: But also you want to see, are these people that I want to work with?
Speaker: Is this a job that I'm going to be happy in?
Speaker: And actually, do I think this role is right for me?
Speaker: So it's just great to hear you as a performer have that agency when you go into a room.
Speaker: It does take a while.
Speaker: I didn't always have it.
Speaker: I didn't always have this, you know, just like, oh, anything, anything.
Speaker: Like kind of like Oliver, like, please, sir, can I have some more?
Speaker: Kind of.
Speaker: When you go into an audition room and you're like, oh, but wait, like it is a two way thing because we are as well as performing is like great and it is a job as well.
Speaker: So you wouldn't go to a job interview of something that you're like, oh, I absolutely do not like this job at all.
Speaker: So then you're like, oh, why would you do the same?
Speaker: Just because it's a performing job and it's seen as not less than, but it's seen as something more like frivolous.
Speaker: but in i mean yeah they love to say that it's like you do a day yeah give it a go go and try it just wake up at 7 30 on a morning just try it to do a full day of rehearsals to then come back with seven script changes please try it
Speaker: So last thing on Mean Girls then, I'd love to hear what is your favourite song and what is the one that you are most excited for audiences to see?
Speaker: I would say my favourite song is... There's two, there's two that I like.
Speaker: The emotional one is I think Icy Stars.
Speaker: so the end one I think it's just I don't know I feel for me I feel like it's an excellent song um to have from the moment where Lindsay Lohan breaks the crown because they were like if you were to make it into a musical how would you make that moment even more iconic than her breaking just a tiny plastic crown and I think the song does it well with the lyrics and everything that's in it um
Speaker: But then another one that I think once you see the whole picture for when everyone comes and watches it, I think one that's been my favourite is What's Wrong With Me.
Speaker: Oh, interesting.
Speaker: Because I think the problem with What's Wrong With Me, with the way it is, is because when it's on the cast recording, you just hear the song and it sounds like a very pretty song.
Speaker: Mm-hmm.
Speaker: But then in the context of the show, it actually really, really works and is really funny and has a different meaning behind it, which is very, very clever.
Speaker: So that one, when I watch it, I'm like, ah, I can't wait for this.
Speaker: And there's like a scene that goes on in it, but obviously with recordings, they don't have scenes.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: It's just like the song all the way through.
Speaker: So when the scene in between is happening as well, you're like, oh, this is actually a very, very good scene.
Speaker: It's not the 11 o'clock number, it's like the four o'clock number.
Speaker: The four o'clock number, I love that.
Speaker: There's so many songs like that when you listen to on soundtracks and you're like, oh, it's actually my skip song.
Speaker: And then when you see it live and you see it performed, you're like, oh, oh my God, it just like completely elevates that.
Speaker: Like I always think that with Tell Her I Love Her from Year in Town, that used to be my go-to skip on that soundtrack.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: and then I saw it once and it was just so funny one of the most hilarious numbers I've ever seen live but when you listen to it it's just a bit flat but when you see the context of it suddenly it just all melds together it's just genius yeah I'm so excited to come and watch I cannot wait no it'll be fun can't wait
Speaker: Alright, to close out then, a couple of quickfire questions on the genre of musical theatre.
Speaker: We want to know, what is your favourite musical and why?
Speaker: And you can't do that thing that people love to do where they say, oh no, I couldn't possibly pick one.
Speaker: You get one and then maybe you get a silly one as well.
Speaker: My favourite musical and why?
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: My favourite musical and why... This is a... It's a heart.
Speaker: I don't want to...
Speaker: My favourite musical, it's because you said, and I don't want to hear.
Speaker: Can I be broken you?
Speaker: No, yeah, because you said, I don't want to hear, oh, there's so many.
Speaker: There are so many.
Speaker: So I'm trying to just think of one.
Speaker: I'm going to say Into the Woods by Sontai.
Speaker: Oh, solid choice.
Speaker: Yes, because I saw it on Broadway.
Speaker: I saw it on Broadway with the Sarah Bareilles, Brian Darcy James, Bettina Miller.
Speaker: And I loved the soundtrack before.
Speaker: And I think what's so clever, what he's done with the lyrics and the music from Act 1 and Act 2, I just think he's woven it so cleverly.
Speaker: Even from like with Children Will Listen to... Oh, what's the Baker's Wife song?
Speaker: Moment in the Woods.
Speaker: Moment in the Woods.
Speaker: There's just so many connections between every song.
Speaker: You're like, ah, that works there.
Speaker: And that interlinks with that.
Speaker: And it's like, oh, you've made this beautiful story.
Speaker: But also you've added real humor with Agony.
Speaker: Oh my God, so funny.
Speaker: Which is really funny to hear on the soundtrack, but hilarious to see in person.
Speaker: Like, I think we heard, who is it?
Speaker: Is it Joshua Henry and Gavin Creel?
Speaker: Oh my God, Joshua Henry, by the way, my favorite musical theater male performer of all time.
Speaker: His voice in every soundtrack that I've listened to, like Carousel, Violet, the whole shebang, Into the Woods, he's so beautiful.
Speaker: And when you hear it live as well, it's like he came around the corner, ripped off the mic and was like, I'll do it acoustic.
Speaker: Because it was so bellowing.
Speaker: I was like,
Speaker: This is heaven.
Speaker: I am in heaven this moment in time.
Speaker: But yeah, Into the Woods would be the one.
Speaker: Into the Woods because of the music, the fairytale-isms to them, and...
Speaker: the interwovenness that Sontime has created.
Speaker: It is such an underrated show.
Speaker: Like, that musical is one that I am just continually learning about.
Speaker: Like, every time I listen to the soundtrack, it feels like a new connection is made or like a new layer is unveiled.
Speaker: Like, it is just so rich.
Speaker: And actually...
Speaker: Controversial.
Speaker: It used to be my least favorite song in Time.
Speaker: And then I went through a phase where I was like, I understand it now.
Speaker: And like, honestly, anything that's to do with intergenerational trauma, like count me in for some reason.
Speaker: I just, oh, I love that show so much.
Speaker: I'd also love to know any kind of burning, unpopular opinions you have on musicals that you want to bring to the floor here.
Speaker: Yes.
Speaker: Oh, it's so...
Speaker: It's so, it's not bad.
Speaker: It's not bad.
Speaker: It's funny, but it's not, shouldn't be funny.
Speaker: So basically, I think my popular take is I am not the biggest fan of Angela Weber musicals and movie musicals.
Speaker: However... You're in the right place.
Speaker: You're in the right place.
Speaker: But that's been my whole career.
Speaker: Of course.
Speaker: My whole career has been Andrew Loebbe musicals and movie musicals.
Speaker: So maybe we will cut this bit so that your agent doesn't hear this next bit.
Speaker: Oh no, I've told my agent.
Speaker: I tell my agent every day and I'm like, how do we keep on getting movie musicals or Andrew Loebbe?
Speaker: In fairness, you're in the category of movie and musicals that you've been in are the very good ones.
Speaker: There are some really bad ones out there.
Speaker: You've not been in, what is it?
Speaker: Silence of the Lambs, the musical.
Speaker: You're not pulling that out of the bag.
Speaker: Is that a musical?
Speaker: Oh, yeah.
Speaker: It's kind of like a parody show, but it's really, really bad.
Speaker: Oh my god.
Speaker: Yeah, so, like, you're in a good calibre, you know?
Speaker: Yeah, but you know that now we've put it out there.
Speaker: Yeah, but now that we've put it out there in the universe, Corey will definitely get an audition like two weeks of time and be like, oh my god, because Hannibal Lecter, it's done.
Speaker: When the Instagram comes and it's like a question mark is, who's our Hannibal Lecter?
Speaker: And your headshot's like... Yeah, I'll text you both and I'll be like, guys, it's me.
Speaker: Yeah, screw you.
Speaker: Yeah, you're doing a turn for Hannibal Lecter and then you're jumping onto Ghost... What's it called again?
Speaker: Ghost 22, whatever it's called.
Speaker: oh god well before you go Corey and this is a very selfish question for us we want to know what musical you think the pod should cover next um you what is it you haven't done any Sondheim have you have you done any Sondheim we have done Sweeney Todd yeah and we've done West Side Story but I think to be honest we would do a redo on that because that was very very early on
Speaker: So, mine would be like a Sontai, because not, well, this is my ranking.
Speaker: Maybe it will change.
Speaker: Maybe it will change.
Speaker: Maybe I'll have an epiphany.
Speaker: But them two are my lowest Sontai ones.
Speaker: Really?
Speaker: The West Side Story and Sweeney Todd are my lowest.
Speaker: Oh, wow.
Speaker: So, is your top, so your top is Into the Woods?
Speaker: Into the Woods, Company.
Speaker: Absolutely.
Speaker: I listened to one the other day and I really, really liked it.
Speaker: And that's changed because I didn't used to.
Speaker: A Little Night Music.
Speaker: Oh, I love A Little Night Music.
Speaker: I mean, A Weekend in the Country, sign me up.
Speaker: It's brilliant, right?
Speaker: It's the best song ever.
Speaker: It's brilliant.
Speaker: It's so good.
Speaker: Because I watched Old Friends and I'd never really heard a proper version of A Weekend in the Country with everyone acting it out and the separate groups.
Speaker: And then it all intermingles.
Speaker: And then Sondheim does this clever thing where everyone speaks over the top of each other.
Speaker: And it's like, oh, madness.
Speaker: And then they all come together.
Speaker: And it's like, oh.
Speaker: I know, he's so good.
Speaker: This is why he is a genius.
Speaker: Yeah, I mean, it's perfection.
Speaker: And I love that bit as well, where is it like Franklin or Henry or something?
Speaker: I mean, he just comes in out of nowhere and he's like, Maureen in the country.
Speaker: Oh, I love that so much.
Speaker: um so yeah either that one or oh this is a fun one actually a funny thing on a funny thing happened on the way to the forum oh yeah controversial people either really love that or they oh they hate it yes and is it is it right am i right that there's something like they only came up with the opening number like a week before the show actually opened a week before yes
Speaker: And it's, so Sondheim hasn't ever hit a thousand performances on Broadway.
Speaker: Really?
Speaker: I never knew that.
Speaker: So any show that has ever been produced for him or done is under a thousand.
Speaker: And the only one that's ever been close was A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum because of Nathan Lane.
Speaker: And it was like 949.
Speaker: So that's the closest it's ever been.
Speaker: Wow.
Speaker: I never knew that.
Speaker: Mm-hmm.
Speaker: Oh my God, there's so many.
Speaker: It could be like a subcategory of Sondheim because then you've got the whole backstory of Merrily We Roll Along.
Speaker: I get so excited at Sondheim.
Speaker: Oh, there's so many.
Speaker: And then you've got Passion.
Speaker: Passion?
Speaker: No one ever talks about Passion, actually.
Speaker: No one talks about Passion.
Speaker: I just love him so much.
Speaker: What about Frogs?
Speaker: What about Frogs?
Speaker: I love Frogs.
Speaker: Him to Dionysus.
Speaker: Come on.
Speaker: Frogs is great.
Speaker: And then the, I think two days, on the 17th of May, the Here We Are soundtrack was released on Spotify.
Speaker: Oh my god, really?
Speaker: God, where have I been living?
Speaker: That's getting noted down for later.
Speaker: Getting right on my Spotify saying, like, go.
Speaker: Oh god, my Spotify raps always so embarrassing because it's just like, you're in the top 1% of Sondheim listeners.
Speaker: And then, oh my god, it was so embarrassing last year because it was Nicholas Brutell who's the Succession composer.
Speaker: Oh my god.
Speaker: I was like the top 0.25 and I got like a personalized message from him.
Speaker: It was, and it was only because I'd been listening to L to the OG, which is the rap that Kendall does in season two, I think it is.
Speaker: But I was just listening to that like nonstop when I was like super stressed because it was the only thing I could listen to.
Speaker: How many times?
Speaker: How many times have you had to listen to that?
Speaker: I think I know all the words to that.
Speaker: That's great.
Speaker: That is great.
Speaker: Oh my God.
Speaker: Well, thank you so much for coming on, Corey.
Speaker: It's just been an utter blast having you here.
Speaker: And when we do cover frogs, you can be our fourth co-host.
Speaker: Thank you so much.
Speaker: Thank you.
Speaker: Bye.
Speaker: Bye.
Speaker: I mean, how brilliant was that?
Speaker: Thanks so much again to Corey for giving up his time to speak with us and for just being such a wonderful person and performer.
Speaker: You can keep up with Corey on Instagram at Corey Mitch and you can catch the London debut of Mean Girls the Musical at the Savoy Theatre from the 5th of June, now booking until February 2025.
Speaker: We hope you enjoyed this extra special episode of Sunday on the Pod.
Speaker: If you want to hear more interviews from the pod, please do let us know via our socials.
Speaker: We're at Sunday on the pod on Insta and X and you can also keep up with us via our Facebook page which is just Sunday on the pod.
Speaker: You can also help out the show by rating and reviewing us wherever you listen.
Speaker: Every review helps.
Speaker: I think that's all my plug so only thing left to say is we will see you on the next one.
Speaker: Bye!
![Sondheim! The Birthday Concert [Casey and Rosa's Version] - Part 2](https://media.zencastr.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=320,quality=85/image-files/6328b4d65e0394314b97508d/7fece278-2cd0-43b5-b5e4-ef0f1b02b9cf.png)
![Sondheim! The Birthday Concert [Casey and Rosa's Version] - Part 1](https://media.zencastr.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=320,quality=85/image-files/6328b4d65e0394314b97508d/ccefc715-dfe5-4604-907d-b5aa43ee4c2c.png)
