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
