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Episode 19: Jonathan Demar on the Importance of Intimacy and Meaningful Collaboration
83 Plays4 years ago
We are joined by this talented producer, singer-songwriter, and native New-Yorker for a discussion on how to design a fulfilling career and a supportive peer group alongside.
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Transcript
Introduction to Doorknob Comments podcast
00:00:04
Speaker
It is about keeping your circle full and full of people that'll make you better. Thank you for joining us on doorknob comments, a podcast that we created to discuss all things involving mental health. We take the view that psychiatry is not just about the absence of illness, but rather the positive qualities, presence of health and strong relationships and all the wonderful things that make life worth living.
Meet the Hosts and Guest Introduction
00:00:31
Speaker
I'm Dr. Farah White. And I'm Dr. Grant Brenner.
00:00:33
Speaker
And today we are very pleased to have producer and actor Jonathan Demar join us. Jonathan is an accomplished actor and producer who has performed in Christmas Carol on Broadway and as a producer is involved in 9 to 5 and Be More Chill and has won a Tony for his work.
00:00:54
Speaker
on Hadestown, which is an amazing musical.
Insights on 'The Right Intimacy' and Pandemic Impact
00:00:58
Speaker
My family has seen it and loves it, and we sing all the songs from it. And it's very timely, even though I understand it was written before recent events. It really struck a chord. And most recently has been working on his own music, including a really wonderful song, which you just heard a sample of, called The Right Intimacy, which is doing really well. It's getting tons of interest in the last few weeks since its release.
00:01:24
Speaker
And we will give you a link where you can listen to the full version. And I understand you're also working toward an EP there. So welcome. Yes, I am. Well, first of all, thank you for having me. It's really awesome to be on your show and nice to connect. It feels great to be like on Zoom during quarantine.
00:01:43
Speaker
Which is like now we're like in month nine. So that doesn't feel as weird as it used to when we started this. Well, that's I mean, that's all we do. You know, we're doing all of our work via via teletherapy. So, you know, we've gotten very used to it as a lot of people have as well.
00:02:00
Speaker
Well, you know, it's funny because my mom's a doctor, and she's a pediatric specialist in rheumatology, and she does everything telemedicine. So yeah, she's been doing that a lot. And I've seen her do it. And I mean, she's remarkable. But yeah, a lot of doctors who don't necessarily need to be in the office are really kind of doing that work. So it's been crazy. For me, this time has been really reflective. You know, it's funny, we just had this big campaign
Pre-Pandemic Projects and Broadway Impact
00:02:25
Speaker
of, like, what were you doing right before the pandemic? I had produced a reading that had Natalia Dyer in it, like, back in January that we were looking to, you know, kind of move forward. Development-wise, I
00:02:41
Speaker
had Hadestown running on Broadway as a co-producer. And ironically, the last live thing I saw was Reeve Carney at Green Room 42, who plays Orpheus in our show. So it's, you know, it's just kind of crazy. All of this stuff was happening. And I think for a lot of artists, we were all just busy. And then all of a sudden it's like, our world has shut down. And so what can you do? And I think for me, like the biggest thing I've been trying to do is
00:03:07
Speaker
clue into what i possibly can do as a producer but what other sides of me as i you know you had mentioned i had been a performer and i did that mostly as a kid and christmas carol was my broadway show and it was just the best experience because
Career Transition and Personal Growth
00:03:23
Speaker
what better way to get your Broadway debut than be part of something that means so much to so many people and have a family like atmosphere. And so that was a real incredible experience. And, you know, for me, I've always wanted to get back into that world. And I had, you know, always been in training. I'd been working on my voice and all of that stuff. But this was like the opportune time to jump and like make something of my own.
00:03:49
Speaker
with all of this free time that I have. So I've been keeping myself very busy. I would say this week I didn't realize how overwhelmed I was. And that's when you know the pandemic is getting to you in the best way possible.
Exploring Intimacy and Relationships
00:04:03
Speaker
How did you develop the song, The Right Intimacy? What is that based on? Because that's a big topic for people, finding the right type of connection. And I didn't really think about it when I was releasing it, like how relevant it would be in a pandemic. But you know, it's crazy with songs because sometimes you're just kind of doing it out of your own head and you're like,
00:04:24
Speaker
this actually can be universally appealing because of the theme. I had always, for me in a relationship, in any sort of relationship, whether it's a friendship or dating someone, you always want to try to find someone who really fits what your
00:04:43
Speaker
not just what you're going after, but the feeling of what you're going after. And I always thought to myself that the right intimacy was like just the right feelings, you know, where everything sort of added up. That's the kind of person I would want in my life. And so I brought this idea to my good friend, Tucker Murray-Caplow, who is an incredible writer. You know, he and I just sort of developed it out and
00:05:09
Speaker
We got the song to where it is today. He also does background vocals on the single. It was just very much from that place where I was figuring out what I wanted to say, who is the right person for me? Because we go on dating, we try to figure all this out, but who is the right person? I just thought, I've been looking for the right intimacy. Intimacy is also a word that's used in theater to discuss feeling comfortable with someone or somebody.
00:05:39
Speaker
What I love about it too is a lot of times people think that any intimacy is the right intimacy or that it's universally good. I think there's such thing as the wrong intimacy where you feel this connection, but it's actually really scary, kind of underscores that there are a lot of feelings that can be both positive, but then there are ones that can be, I don't know, kind of uncomfortable as well.
00:06:04
Speaker
Well, it's funny because you could meet somebody that you think is the most amazing human being and then all of a sudden it just kind of turns around and you're like, uh, you know, I think we all do meet people in our lives that, you know, at one point we think so highly of, and then that could change at any minute. And it really, it just has to be, it's a comfortability factor, I think. And that's kind of where I see it, but yeah, it's very interesting point.
00:06:30
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, I think it can change in the sort of therapeutic process. It definitely changes, right? Grant, do you want to talk a little bit about that? Sometimes people will like idealize, well, it could be a therapist or it could be someone that they're dating. And then when they realize that that person doesn't live up to a fantasy, who we hope they were.
00:06:48
Speaker
That's one of the things that I like about the idea of the right intimacy. You know, the goal is not to meet the one, but is to, you know, get into a type of intimacy that works. And I wonder if that helps in a way. The problem is the early buzz when you meet someone, especially if you share some kind of unresolved issues, you know, or you see on dating sites like, oh, you have the same favorite movie that I do, like, oh my God, it's
00:07:15
Speaker
a shirt. It's like we were fated to be together and it's like, no, we just actually happened to like the same book, but people are so desperate for something. But that's the superficial stuff, right? A lot of people like that book, but you want to feel like someone knows you.
00:07:32
Speaker
and like you don't have to work to be known. Absolutely, absolutely. I think you just like said it better and I actually love the fact that you brought up it's like the right comfortability because when I wrote this song it actually was about in some ways finding kind of the right
00:07:49
Speaker
human, I didn't really know. And that's still something, you know, we all tried to see. I think for me, the right intimacy is about, you know, if it fits. And so the comfortability factor is a big one. But I have, yeah, I've certainly had those experiences where I've met people where I relate on certain things, you have to feel like you can relate to them on a deeper level. And if you can't, it's hard to have a relationship, I think.
00:08:18
Speaker
Reminds me of the right stuff as well. But how do you know who a person really is? Exactly. I think you have to find out I you know for me as a producer I think the funniest thing is like I am so curious into what people are thinking and Who they are where they come from. I enjoy meeting people I enjoy like having a conversation whether it be over a coffee or a drink
00:08:41
Speaker
just to find out what makes somebody tick. That's always been interesting. The kinds of people that I end up becoming close friends with are the ones where I feel a bond and a sense of I understand where you're coming from and there's that comfortable factor that you just can't find with anybody else.
The Power of Storytelling and Theater's Impact
00:09:02
Speaker
But I do love, and it does go back to being in the theater, we're telling stories all the time. And how do you tell them? That does certainly play into the song a little bit. That's interesting that you sort of bring it up because last week we were speaking to someone, a friend who has
00:09:21
Speaker
really 10 years of experience in entertainment and sort of managing actors and is now going back to school to become a therapist. And she spoke a lot. Oh, amazing. Yeah, yeah. About the overlap and about, you know, what live theater means to people and bringing that story, you know, kind of to fruition and sharing it. Is it something that you miss a lot?
00:09:45
Speaker
Oh, sure. I mean, I remember it's so funny. I mean, I remember being the last time I was in the theater was we opened Be More Chill in the West End in the UK.
00:09:57
Speaker
It's just the palpable excitement. I mean, as I mentioned, I was at Reeve Carney's Green Room show before all of this kind of went down and you could just feel, I mean, whether it's in a small space, whether it's in a room working with actors or whether you're in a theater, there's an electricity, there's nothing like live theater. So, you know, it's been, what's been, it's been hard for me to really come to the sense of, do I want to do that?
00:10:22
Speaker
Now it's just becoming easier because i know there's going to be a light at the end of the tunnel and there's a reason that streaming works you have to use it to get a point across if you're just using it to put stuff out there and it doesn't touch someone.
00:10:38
Speaker
then I don't really see the purpose for that. You know, I do miss that live feeling of just being in an audience, sitting in that cushy seat and or sitting in that chair in the room and just enjoying other people's work and being collaborative together in one space. I think that's like the most magical thing about what we do as artists. And so I really, really do miss that.
00:11:05
Speaker
there's really no comparison at the end of the day because you get to see how it all unfolds right in front of you and that experience cannot be replicated ever again. That's only at one time it'll ever be done and you're either were there or you weren't. You know the expression that they're like you had to have seen it to believe it.
00:11:29
Speaker
Well, there you go. It's almost like existential. Exactly. Yes. Very much so. It only happens once in the whole history of the entire universe, which is amazing when you think about it.
00:11:41
Speaker
Right. And I think knowing that and the whole ritual really of going to the theater, because it's something that I bring my kids a lot and my older son really loved to be more chill. I thought it was great. Yeah, I thought it brought up a lot of important issues. He's sort of like in his early adolescence. And we can talk a little bit about the plot. It's it's interesting, especially now, given what kids go through to sort of. Oh, my God.
00:12:06
Speaker
on trend and cool. It just gives a lot more weight than, here, watch this movie. You can put on a movie. It's any movie. You can rewind it. You can fast forward it and go make popcorn and come back. And it's still there, which is probably what a lot of people like about film, which is what makes live theater special.
'Be More Chill' and Teen Popularity Issues
00:12:26
Speaker
Well, you were talking about Be More Chill and I think it's really incredible what Joe Iconis, Joe Trace, and this creative team did in really telling a story that I think hits the dichotomy of what being a teenager is all about.
00:12:42
Speaker
The story of Be More Chill was really unconventional. I mean, truly, I heard about the Two River Run back in like 2015 and people were crowding to go to the theater and like what a cult thing it has become. And then the cast recording, you know, they put it out there and all of a sudden it gets all of these streams.
00:13:04
Speaker
And, you know, it's just remarkable. And I think as, like, Joe Iconis would say, they didn't know what was going on. Nobody, you know, kind of fudged the system. You know, because when I was offered to work on the off-Broadway show, there was just so much press behind it already. It was really insane. And, you know, obviously we sold out off-Broadway for that run. We had to extend a week because it'd become one of the hottest tickets in town. I mean, everybody wanted to go see the show. And when we got to Broadway,
00:13:32
Speaker
That momentum sort of carried forward and I think what's been great about it is that yeah kids are very inspired I get a lot of psychologists reach out to me about the show because I think they're very you know they see this as like an exercise for what how relatable it is to just being a good human being.
00:13:54
Speaker
Be More Chill is about a kid who just does not fit in. He is trying to figure out every way to be popular in this school. And one day he's introduced to this concept of the squip, which he can take and it'll just make him amazing.
00:14:10
Speaker
And what happens is actually this whip ends up taking over in ways that he did not expect. And it really is a show about what it really, not just like the idea of social media, but what would you really do to be popular?
00:14:30
Speaker
I mean, what would you do as a human being to get to that point, even if it meant, you know, taking something that would, you know, make you this cool guy? And like, what were the consequences about that? To not give too much away. So that's kind of the basic story of Be More Chill. It's based on a novel by Ned Vizzetti.
00:14:52
Speaker
I think that sounds like a nearly universal issue. I certainly remember how painful it was in many ways for me in high school and that sort of willow the wisp of popularity and how important it seems when you're younger and how in some ways unimportant it is as you get older.
00:15:11
Speaker
It's unimportant in the reality of an adult society, but I think that definitely leaves an imprint on people who have felt like outsiders or felt like they didn't fit in versus people who come out of high school with all the confidence in the world. Being cool is pretty awesome probably.
00:15:30
Speaker
and also realizing where kids are at that time because they're worried about so much. But it all comes down to the basic facts of kindness and respect. I think what was great about the show is that they were able to illustrate so well, but not just that, we were able to bring a new audience to Broadway that hadn't been seen before.
00:15:52
Speaker
And I think that was an accomplishment I can feel proud of having been a part of that team of just, you know, being part of like that experience. So when I say like George Salazar and you have like a young kid, they're probably freaking out right now when I mentioned his name because he's like a freaking superstar. And I'm just like, I'm thrilled for him. I'm thrilled for everybody in that cast because
00:16:17
Speaker
They're just amazing. Not only they're great in the show, but they're good humans just outside of it. It was just a good company of people. And you want to have that anytime you're working on a show. So overall, the experience was just great on that note. But these guys have become superstars in their own right because of Be More Chill. And it's really become this thing that just blew up.
00:16:41
Speaker
Who knew, you know, back in 2015 when they did this production in New Jersey that that's the things I love about theater where it can like once it catches on, it really catches on. What are your thoughts about like child stars? Because I know that must be a huge impact on science development.
Child Actors and Social Media Influence
00:17:02
Speaker
You know, that's so, you know, I grew up performing and obviously it was very interesting to see the intricacies of being a kid in the industry. I have two parents who are doctors. So they did this because I loved it.
00:17:20
Speaker
they wouldn't be doing it otherwise. I think they believe, and I don't think, by the way, being a child actor is right for every person because it's tough and you have to give a lot of yourself to it. I was very lucky that there was a school in New York called the Professional Children's School.
00:17:40
Speaker
that allowed me to not only perform but to do my academia and they were able to work with me to balance that and I mean the alum list goes on and on. I could go on all for like an hour telling you who but it's it's really remarkable but they were just a wonderful school for me and you know they encouraged me to go to college like so many other students have and I went to Emory and
00:18:06
Speaker
So that was really helpful. That's a great school. I was very lucky that I was involved in shows where it was all about being grounded and having people around that actually were doing the work. And it was also a family kind of vibe. Surely I did those one or two day things, but they don't really have an effect on you. People might answer that differently. But I think what was great about A Christmas Carol was
00:18:35
Speaker
It was a month. It was a Broadway credit. I got my equity card. But there were never any scandals. Nobody was doing anything backstage that was weird. And I don't really know what happens in other shows, quite frankly, because I never really was part of that. My experience at Christmas Carol was just completely wonderful. Everyone was just incredibly generous with their time. They very much wanted
00:19:02
Speaker
it to be a good experience for everybody. And you give credit to like that entire team. Yeah, it was a very wholesome experience, but you did learn a lot. I mean, I think the biggest thing about being a kid is you had to be professional, regardless what age you were, what role you were, you had to act like a professional. And I feel like that experience gave me an understanding of
00:19:26
Speaker
what it was like and there were other experiences before that but being on Broadway. That's something that sticks with you because the stakes are high you're performing for people that paid good money to see it's not about you it's about the show and so anything else.
00:19:42
Speaker
really doesn't matter you come in with whatever you have and you do the show and you're lucky to be there because it's something you wanted to do you know i think i have never had those experiences but obviously i think is kids we all feel certain emotions right we you know we go through them so you're in that area.
00:20:03
Speaker
Obviously, they're always going to be heightened. The difference now is like we have Instagram and Facebook and Twitter. And I think that's like very dangerous in a lot of ways because I never really get the idea of like promoting oneself as a kid. I just I never was used to that. We never were. So we just kind of did what we did and loved what we did.
00:20:24
Speaker
And not to say that kids don't do that these days, but there's certainly more of an influencer type of model that I think is a little dangerous and, you know, but I think getting to your question of like what it was like, for me it was very wholesome because I had parents who I felt really wanted the best for me.
00:20:45
Speaker
and because they were doctors you know they saw it from that side of things and I was very lucky to have support like that but you know they made sure I didn't go on tour they made sure everything was in the city if it was a film or television it had to be appropriate you know in the sense that like nothing too crazy that I wasn't like
00:21:08
Speaker
working constantly and constantly. There are those people that get burned out. And that's scary. That's really scary. And those, I think, are the kind of the kids who have those problems, who are surrounded by that consistently. I had to give myself a life because otherwise, you know, I don't think I would be the person today if I didn't have that balance. I honestly don't believe that. But, you know, I think it is important to understand, like,
00:21:33
Speaker
what it is you're getting into before you get into, and I would say for like parents, if you believe your child is talented and you're doing it for that reason, go for it. But for any other reason, it's a lot of work. It really is. And I admire the parents who I meet these days who have kids on Broadway because the world has changed so much since I did it, for sure.
00:21:59
Speaker
Yeah, I think from what I wonder about, especially now, is it doesn't sound like your mom was like the typical stage mom. Not at all. Super invested. Not at all. What rolls you landed. But I think now, when you talked about social medias, I sort of see kids who are a part of either the mom is an influencer or- Oh my God.
00:22:27
Speaker
like this really strange dynamic for me because you don't know how much of that is kind of consensual, you don't know really what's getting put out there and why. And so it does have me like a little bit concerned because it's this very new frontier and we don't know what the repercussions are. No, and I think what's even scarier is like what in 10 years you look back at that and you're like, shit, I regret posting that.
00:22:56
Speaker
I don't think anybody's going to be like thrilled. You know, it's a, we started with, you know, my generation, we started with Facebook, like in high school and all I remember as funny. And I look at memories and I'm like, Jonathan is doing this and this and it'd be so silly. But like when you can post photos and do all of that,
00:23:16
Speaker
I know hashtags and be anybody in the world can see that stuff so it's you have to try to lightly especially when you're a kid on social media i think and there's a lot of bullying and i i i think it just is really sickening you that and
00:23:33
Speaker
There's a lot of cyberbullying and there's bullying on these online game platforms too. My kids always tell us stories. So, you know, we're, we're sensitive to bullying games, games like Roblox and Minecraft and about me or about us among us among us is the game among us.
00:23:52
Speaker
I know of it, but you know, I gotta be honest, I'm not a big gamer as I used to be. I was like the generation where we had Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis. Yeah, totally. And that was really cool. And then you kind of grew out of it and were like, okay, what am I really doing here? Well, among us is interesting because my kids are 10.
00:24:11
Speaker
our kids, my wife and I, they're 10 year old twins. And this game among us, like a group of people play and they're on a mission, but one person is a defector and you don't know who it is. So when you get your assignments in the beginning, one person is the traitor. And so you have to learn how to deceive everyone on your team. It's really, I guess, engaging for the people who play it, but I'm thinking, well, what is it training kids to do?
00:24:40
Speaker
probably be successful but be diabolical I don't know diabolical or Machiavellian manipulation I mean and to make you sort of paranoid that other people really have some ulterior motive which it's a dark place to go
00:24:57
Speaker
especially with, you know, what we're talking about, kind of. I'm intrigued. I was going to ask you, how did you get into producing? But I'm intrigued about more what you were saying, what it's like to be a producer in terms of being able to really get to know people and the psychology of it, of course.
Journey from Acting to Producing
00:25:15
Speaker
Well, I think producing for me started with the fact that I love being in rooms. As an actor, like, as a kid, I was always curious how things worked. In fact, they complained when I was in middle school that I asked too many questions. And I, you know, that was just part of my DNA, I guess. Made me kind of a weird kid, but that's another story. But, you know, I've always been curious about this miscellaneous stuff, like how does it work? Is there a curtain in the show? Blah, blah, blah.
00:25:42
Speaker
You know there was one day in the Christmas Carol process and a Christmas Carol by the way is directed why should say choreographed it was originally directed by Mike Ocarin who passed away many many years ago because he passed away with leukemia and was married to Susan Stroman who choreographed the show so.
00:25:59
Speaker
Strow took over both direction and choreography in a huge way and had associates there. I saw her work with some dancers on a bit of a break. I was going to the bathroom and I snuck in just to watch and I thought to myself, oh my God, that's exactly what I want to do. I want to be behind the table in some way.
00:26:17
Speaker
I suggested when I was growing up, you should be a director because of his eye and all of that. But I just I don't know why it didn't appeal to me as much. But I think producing was just something that kind of just felt I loved organizing things.
00:26:32
Speaker
So if you're a good organizer and you love bringing people together, that's like one of the greatest parts of being a producer. And when I was in college, I had the good fortune of like bringing celebrity guests to this internet radio show that was like really small. People were starting to talk about it and we were, you know, getting people to come in and I would set up their questions. I would think about, I would put that to the host and so we could set up this whole thing. I would do the research. So.
00:26:57
Speaker
I was always just fascinated by people, as I was mentioning in the beginning. And, you know, when I graduated and the goal was to actually go back into performing, I was not in a place where I could really audition because I was like more of a bass baritone, and that's a little weird. For a 22-year-old to, you know, be doing that, I was looking to intern with a producer and this guy named Van Dean, who runs Broadway Records,
00:27:22
Speaker
was someone that I was in touch with and he offered me the opportunity to raise money for a play called The Velocity of Autumn that started Stell Parsons and Steven Spinella. I read the script in two to three hours and I was blown away and I said sign me up. I ended up raising some of the money I needed to and you know as that started coming along I got more offers for other shows and I was like oh my god this is so cool. Like I get to be involved in things that perhaps I wouldn't be able to be in and meet all these people and get all these connections and
00:27:52
Speaker
you know be part of something once that started to build you know i've been able to do shows that i love and you know set that takes and i think for me being a producer it was really just a simple conversation of asking questions a good friend of mine and a mentor by the name of david zippel who is fantastic lyricist
00:28:13
Speaker
said to me one day, why don't you ask anybody if they need an associate producer? And so I actually called up van. I said, you know, if you're ever looking for that, let me know. The day later, he's like, actually, I just got out of a meeting. Do you want to be a co producer on a Broadway show? And I was like, what? Like, when is that? And I did no idea like what that entailed. And it all went from there. And you know, that the rest is sort of history.
00:28:35
Speaker
What kind of advice would you give to people that are looking either to get into production, directing? Because you have so many, I think, facets of your career that could be valuable. What are the right qualities? Are you thinking of changing careers, Farah? Yeah, yeah.
00:28:56
Speaker
All are welcome. I think you would be welcomed with open arms. I don't know. I have a lot of feelings. I ask a lot of questions. What are the feelings? I'm very intrusive, you know, part of what I do. Unfortunately, that's one quality, but yeah, we don't have to talk about that.
00:29:17
Speaker
know who you are because I think these days, especially when you want to put yourself out there, know the kind of person you are, know the kind of value you bring to the table, whether you are raising money or the kind of projects you like to work on. I think that's really important and it's important to have taste. Another thing that's important is to
00:29:37
Speaker
really have a reputation of being courteous and nice to people because I think at the end of the day, you know, if you do one thing that just somebody, you know, it just goes the wrong way, that could kind of destroy that path. So it's always good to leave as many paths open and just be, just be kind to others because this is a, it's, it really isn't brain surgery what we do.
00:30:03
Speaker
Essentially we're trying to make art and we're trying to make people happy or feel emotions and so I think it's important. Find your tribe. Find the people that support you. Find the people that make you feel like what you're doing is worth it and that you feel like what they're doing is worth it. Talk to them about ideas. Collaborate.
00:30:23
Speaker
you know that's where good things start and you know stay grounded this business can take you in a lot of different directions there are a lot of personalities but if you know who you are as a human being you're gonna do just fine i think.
00:30:37
Speaker
I think that's excellent advice. And I think figuring out and knowing who one is as a human being and being grounded is not easy for everyone. And it's good to hear it. You can't hear it and work on it enough. And by the way, that's not to say that's who you should be for the rest of your life. People evolve. That's the other thing I think it is important as an artist or producer.
00:31:00
Speaker
you're gonna evolve over time. I am certainly not the same person I was four years ago because a lot of life experiences have happened to me. And I've met people who have changed my perception on things. It is about keeping your circle full and full of people that'll make you better. I think it was somebody who told me, it's like, surround yourself with people that look at success and are really like go getters. And I tend to really admire those people because
00:31:29
Speaker
They know what they want, but they also are in it for the right reason. And I think that's like really important to just be able to have that around you at all times. I think that's the right energy. People who are in it for the right reasons and who love what they're doing and working with a group of people. It's incredible how it stimulates creativity.
Activism and Social Issues in Theater
00:31:51
Speaker
Are you working on anything in addition to the EP?
00:31:53
Speaker
Well on developing stuff I'm actually executive producing a show that's in development written by the team that wrote Jingle Jangle it's called Legal Aid and we're working on that developing that probably you know next year and that'll be very exciting and yeah upcoming EP looking like a summer release some writing songs and I'm
00:32:16
Speaker
kind of figuring out what I want to do. And it's been a combination of a wonderful learning experience and just a joy to be able to express my feelings through song. So that's been exciting. Potentially, there's a benefit that I'm going to be executive producing that's in the works for Alzheimer's. So that's going to be really fun. We're already starting to make some approaches and I'm very excited by it. It's founded by a good friend of mine from the cast of Hadestown.
00:32:45
Speaker
you know when those details are announced i can't wait to share that more but honestly just keeping myself active and busy you know i'm trying to keep myself open to whatever. Lies ahead and so besides all that getting my exercise in that's you know upcoming running in the park as much as possible i've been doing like three to four miles a day which i'm very happy about.
00:33:08
Speaker
Wow. Which has been life changing for me because I used to run in the gym on the treadmill and that's wonderful. But I usually avoided outside because running kills your feet. So I've been very like trying to be active and it's tiring. I mean, you know, I'm hoping to get out there and do I've been very involved in the Black Lives Matter movement and in fact was part of a bunch of protests in New York City. So I'm hoping to get back out there and to find more of a platform where I can
00:33:37
Speaker
be there for the for my black brothers and sisters and for the black trans community who I think really need support right now. And I do think Black Lives Matter is something that we need to keep pushing on for as long as we possibly can until
00:33:53
Speaker
there is that sort of freedom for everybody. Because until black lives matter, nobody else really matters in the sense. So I'm pushing on that and figuring out ways to be involved in that cause. And yeah, that's pretty much my life right now.
00:34:08
Speaker
Sounds like some really important stuff. That's so important. I read a study recently that was looking at how for Black women, racism for Black men and women causes accelerated cellular aging. It affects telomere length. I saw a study that was looking at how education can protect against telomere aging, but they found that for Black women who were highly educated, when they were out of work,
00:34:37
Speaker
they aged faster which makes sense and maybe it was connected with more racism you know on the hiring trail as well right when you know you're qualified yeah and the practices i think have changed i mean i know for the theater community they're being more aware although i think there's still work to be done and considering you know like we're not going to get to a tourist state until 2025 i heard so like we can now actually produce original content
00:35:02
Speaker
that speaks to people. And I think Broadway really has a platform where they can do that right now. They really have an opportunity to get in front of the issue and really help bring in new playwrights and new directors and bring in, you know, trans performers, female performers, writers, directors, all of that, because
00:35:27
Speaker
I think we have to get to a place of equality, of equity. The word I always think of is equity, which has been used a lot. It's not really equality, it's equity. And until we get that in the rooms, I don't think we're reflecting truly what theater is in this current age.
00:35:48
Speaker
I think the arts lead the charge in a lot of ways, though politically, of course, we have a vice president who's a woman of color, which is remarkable. Which I'm so excited about. I mean, yeah, and oh my God, her debate performance was just, to Pence, was just incredible. I'm looking forward to seeing her on the stage and just killing it with Joe Biden.
00:36:10
Speaker
She's very supportive of him, but I'm looking forward to seeing her really come into her own as well. And I also read that I think DC or Marvel has a transgendered flesh for the first time. Oh, that's great. Yeah, I think anything to make progress, you know, I have a good friend who is trans and they just made this character on the show that they are on Netflix, I believe has become a trans character.
00:36:39
Speaker
And it's been very much celebrated and I am super proud of them because I know that that's not been an easy road to get there. And to see that reflected not just in theater, but on television and film is, it's terrific, it really is. It's so important to think how fortunate we are.
00:37:01
Speaker
Yeah, a hundred percent. Oh my God. I think we're, we're, we're being much more open-minded than we used to be. That's for sure. And I can be, I feel pride to be a producer in the days like where all of this is happening. I feel like we're having a renaissance happening right now. And it's great to see what people are creating and to be part of that creation in one way or another.
00:37:25
Speaker
a historic moment on a lot of levels. Yeah, it's very historic. And I'm sure for you to like just seeing what's going on in your it just must be so fascinating. Yes. Well, Dr. White is a doctor as well. Oh, that's right. That's right. Okay. Well, you know why I said that because I know, you know, Grant a bit more. So yeah, you know, obviously, but I'm a doctor. So he gets a pass.
00:37:54
Speaker
I thought right. Well said. Well said. How about
Personal Reflections and Mental Health Discussion
00:38:01
Speaker
your dad? You said your your mother was a pediatric rheumatologist, right? So my mom is. Yes, she is in rheumatology. My dad is a retired dermatologist. He retired at the beginning of the pandemic.
00:38:13
Speaker
But this was something that he was going to do for a while. But I think the pandemic was sort of like, you can't see patients, you know. It's hard, yeah. You need a better camera. Well, for me, I'm on the board of a group called Vibrant Emotional Health.
00:38:29
Speaker
And we have a disaster response team called Crisis and Emotional Care Team. And that's been very gratifying for me to be able to give something back in the disaster health arena. And especially we're seeing high rates of mental health issues with the pandemic. And this virus in particular seems to do something biologically. But well, we're coming to the end of our time. It's gone really fast. It's been such a pleasure.
00:38:55
Speaker
And I remember when I met you at the engagement party where we met, I remember how wonderful your voice was. And so it's nice to hear your voice again. And our listeners get to enjoy that, but they won't see the video. I wonder if- We're a good friend, Jude Obermuir and his lovely wife, Claire. And I know they're going to get married very soon. And I'm very excited for that.
00:39:17
Speaker
That's right. We will hope to interview Jude at some point because he's also incredibly talented. And I know my daughter, my daughter wants to be a flower girl, but I don't know if that's going to happen. Yeah. Jude and I have been friends for years and he musical directed my cabaret show and he's the sole cabaret show I did at the Green Room last year and I did it
00:39:40
Speaker
kind of a rough version at the duplex back in 20, I'd say 2016. You know, he was a part of that. And he's just a fantastic musical director. Honestly, it's just such a thrill to be able to work with someone like that, that kind of genius, but also just, he's a wonderful guy with a great personality, who's just the nicest person you could ever have in your life.
Conclusion and Listener Engagement
00:40:05
Speaker
And, you know, I'm
00:40:06
Speaker
grateful to call not just a collaborator but a friend so it's uh it's cool that we connected that way Grant and I'm uh yeah absolutely so yeah he's unbelievable do you want to do a couple of these fun cards to wrap up oh my goodness i almost forgot about them just saying i wonder what's going to happen when you get through all the cards if you'll ever get sick of it or if it's different every time because you get different answers
00:40:32
Speaker
Oh, yeah. Yeah, there's a fair number of them. And if you don't want to answer, they're not super personal. But of course, feel free to decline. I'm just going to fan them. And you can say when. Stop. OK, this will be a good one, I think. What are three crucial routines that you keep? Ooh, that's a good one. I'd say going to the gym, watching the news at night, and texting a friend. Yeah, I like to do that.
00:41:02
Speaker
Not everyone is a texter, huh? In my circle of people, it's all about texting, so we're just too busy.
00:41:09
Speaker
I think texting is an art. I mean, my best friend from college is a physicist. I'm not good at it, by the way. It's a skill you have to develop. I honestly, I don't know how, some of my friends are really good at it. I'm like, oh my God. Well, my friend and I, we do these very long runs of puns. Ah. My physicist friend and I. Oh my God. We'll just keep going and going. It's like improv kind of. I heard about an app recently. Have you guys heard of the Marco Polo app?
00:41:38
Speaker
Oh my God. I have it. I've never used it. I used it last year. It's so fun. I'm always about connecting to people. So I use that app obsessively. And one person's like, you invited me to join Marco Polo. I'm like, yeah, if you want to.
00:41:53
Speaker
What is that? I just love that it is very much a it's a you basically record a video message. It's like like Snapchat kind of kind of it's direct to the person. Right. I really love it. I haven't explored it, but I just it sounded sounded kind of fun.
00:42:14
Speaker
My cousin, Stacy Sherman is a user experience expert and a lot of times, instead of sending me like a thank you email, she'll send me a little video clip which is a nice touch. It's more personal. Yeah. So where can we find you? Where can people find the right intimacy? Where can they work more about you?
00:42:36
Speaker
Well, you can find the single on Spotify, iTunes, anywhere you get music. You can go to my Instagram, that's Instagram.com slash Jonathan DeMar. I'm on Twitter and my Facebook is, I believe, is Facebook.com slash Jonathan DeMar page. So you can find out what I'm up to and keep tabs on me, I guess, as they say in this world of technology. So, yeah.
00:43:04
Speaker
Well, thank you so much. Thanks for your time today and your willingness to think it was awesome. Thank you for having me. This was so much fun. I really appreciate it.
00:43:13
Speaker
Yeah, we'll check back in with you later on. If you'll come back on, we'd love to hear how things... I would absolutely love it. Yes, please. And maybe we can get you to produce the podcast at some point. Never know. Never know. You never know. Thanks very much, Jonathan. It was great speaking. My pleasure. Thank you so much. You too.
00:43:41
Speaker
One disclaimer, this podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of psychiatry or any type of medicine. It's not a substitute for professional and individual treatment services and no doctor patient relationship is formed. If you feel that you may be in crisis, please don't delay in securing mental health treatment.