Dallas Summer Musicals North Texas Giving Day

The following is a sooner orgator production
It is 701 of the East Coast. It is 401 on the West Coast. It is the 17th of September in
the year of our Lord 2015. It is season 6, episode 7, 313 times now. You have heard me welcome
you to the Colombs podcast. Welcome. Whether you're live on Ustream with us right now,
whether you're listening on our archive or whether you subscribe on iTunes, we don't
care how you listen. We're just glad you're here. Now you're probably saying to yourself
wait a minute Rob, it's Thursday. It's a school night. What's going on man? We're used to
hearing you on Sundays. Well, we're going to mix it up on you a little bit this week. We had
to take last week off and we're going to talk about why here in just a minute. But right now,
we are live broadcasting live from House of Blues in the West End in Dallas, just south
of the arena for a very very special event that we're helping our friends at Dallas summer
musicals. You hear us talk about them all the time, especially if you subscribe on iTunes.
Tonight is a very big night. It's part of North Texas Giving Day, which is today. All over
Dallas, there are events going on for North Texas Giving Day. This is just one of them. This
is called the do something more event. What I love about this event is it doesn't just
benefit one program. There's a bunch of different programs that this particular event helps out.
High school musical theater rewards, which is their fifth year coming up. The Dallas summer
musical academy for the performing arts, seats for vets, seats for kids, the kids club, stage
right and hear us now. The fundraiser that's going on tonight until we go off the air is benefiting
all of those programs. And before I even get a chance to talk, we've already got a guess. But let me
introduce around the table. Sitting next to me is a man that always tends to outdress me.
He always raises it to the next level. He is Chad welcome sir. Good evening my friend. Good to see you.
Good to see you. We haven't done this in a minute. It's been a couple of weeks. Well, we took Labor Day
off and then I was out of town last weekend on a very special assignment. Joining me across the desk
as he tends to do is the official fact checker of this show and a man who's got his running shoes
on tonight. You may know him as fun, don, go, but as a mom and a man done for it. I'm going to call him
Don Ford. Welcome back to the show sir. This reminds me of the festival since stuff like that. But
in a kind of it. It's a festive environment. We're actually sitting outside the Cambridge Room.
The big party is going on in the Cambridge. I am pumped about tonight. This is incredible. And
somebody that might have had a little something to do with the party and the Cambridge Roop
joins us right now. He is the president of Dallas summer musicals. He is Michael Jenkins. Welcome to the
show sir. Thank you. Talk right into that thing. Throw the baby here. We're excited to have you here.
This is a big deal. It is a big deal. We got the call from our friend Francisco said,
why don't you guys come down to a live show for us? And we were like, that's not even a
brainer. Because you guys have been so wonderful to us. We just finished our first full season of
doing some reviews for you guys. What an amazing 75th season you guys have had. Well, for 75 years
we've become part of the cultural fabric of the city of Dallas. Oh, absolutely. And it's been
amazing journey. And tonight on this very special night and day we're raising money to continue
these programs for our children. You know, the seats for kids. We bring 2,000 children in
every year. We have the state-dryte program getting children out of gangs, the seats for kids.
And a number of kids club programs all benefited from those donations this evening.
And there's another group of people that you guys are benefiting tonight that we were just talking
about in pre-show that we're very excited about because Chad is one of said people. The seats were
vets. Absolutely. It's a program I started this year, actually. And we'll open a sound
of musical November the third. And obviously November the 11th is special night for
veterans days. And sound of music. My wife could not be more excited. That is her favorite musical
in the history of ever. And it's a 50th anniversary of the show. Oh, that's right. It is, isn't it?
Because I had the big shabang earlier this year. Our ABC did the deal with Julie Andrews
Right. Let's talk about a little bit more about this past season and what's led up to tonight.
I mean, any, I don't think there was one musical that we attended this year that was not
packed to the guilds. You guys had an amazing season. There were musicals this year that
absolutely melted my brain. And a sound quality in that theater. Not a bad scene at all. We've
spent over $750,000 on the new state of the art sound system. And it shows. Oh, it is absolutely
shows. And I mean, what goes into selecting? Well, actually, I work on these seasons
two to three years in advance. Wow. I'm working on 18 right now. Wow. Good. So when we program
these shows, not all of them even exist at the time that I program. No, they're all with that, though.
No, but we have to either create them or produce them on Broadway or invest in them,
make sure that Dallas audiences have the best shows possible here as soon as possible.
And the Dallas theater scene has really just in the last few years really come on strong.
You know, well, how many of the shows that we see this year probably at least two or three
that can straight from Broadway here. Yeah, absolutely. And they could have gone anywhere, but they
came here. They did. And some are still playing on Broadway. And some I think are even returning.
Yes, I'm not mistaken. Once they finish the national tour. And for those of you that are
sitting out there and you're saying to yourself, Rob, I'm not a big musical guy. Musicals aren't the
only thing that they hosted music Hall of Fair Park. We got to see a little show called the
illusionists that was absolutely more fun than I should have ever been allowed to have as an adult.
And what we did is we put together the seven greatest magicians. Yes, you did it.
Yes, you did it. You did it. All of the same show. And it was, I mean, I we walked out of there.
Just happy as clients. I can't tell you the last time. I bought that much merchandise from a show
that you came out of there loaded. I loaded down. I got the DVD for I got the DVD for my wife.
Because I know she's with big fans. She couldn't make it with us that day. You know, I
wore my T-shirt yesterday as a matter of fact. I did. I did. It was such a great show. And this year.
Well, this year, you know, we have Bridges of Madison County. We have Elph the Musical during
Christmas in the holiday period. Obviously, I've mentioned sound of music. And then we're bringing
Disney's The Little Mermaid, which we're producing and opened last Friday evening in Houston.
And it'll be in Dallas and and then wicked for the last time for a while. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.
Yeah, I think you just hit us both where we live on that one and then the dying to see a
ragtime bullets over Broadway and 40 seconds straight. What a solid lineup for this year. I mean,
it's like you set the bar and then the next year's like, oh, let's just go up another notch.
I mean, especially like when there's music looks like I didn't know that they made Bridges of Madison
County into a music. I had no idea until you guys and I saw that. I was like, okay, you now have my
love the music. I've been hearing it from the little samples over here at the table next to it's not
like that's Bridges. Wow. That's impressive. And the sound the scenery is spectacular as you might
imagine. It's speaking of scenery and I want to talk a little bit. Go back a little bit.
One of the musicals we saw this year from a scenery and a technological standpoint that I thought was
almost unmatched was dirty dancing the musicals. We sat there the whole that whole musical. The
three of us sat there just like technology moved so fast and this thing not only kept up
a little bit. It's almost ahead of the curve from what we saw. That's true. And we're actually going
into more LED scenery now where the scenery is projected and led as you mentioned, which was amazing.
You saw and you'll see more and more of that in the future. Let's talk a little bit about what's going
on, but 50 yards from us right now. I know it says in the press release that reservations
weren't required, but they're encouraged. How can people, you know, what's going to get
to take for people to get in the room tonight if they're listening right now? Come down. The house
of blows will give you an. Okay. Is there a better place to hold something like this? No. The
house of blues, the whole chain is amazing to me. But this this one specifically, I've been to a
couple of events here and it's just you don't feel crammed anywhere you go. We went to a show down
stairs in the music room probably three was three four years ago, more actually about five years
ago. And we were in the general admission area and you still felt like you had room to maneuver.
Absolutely. It's not like you're on top of everybody and we heard, I think we missed a performance in
the other room. Do we have several of them? Yeah, there's several of them. We have our DSM Academy,
which has four to five hundred students per year, started in 1999 and these were some of our
most senior and students and they were performing from the production of Pippin, which they did.
And then I had what you're singing right now is Kiran Jackson. Kiran Jackson is the most amazing
person. He was born in Carthage, Texas. His parents were into drugs. They both died of drug
overdose. He was on the street by himself, a lady from a church, a herd him and took him to her
garage apartment to live on the condition. He went to church every Sunday. She taught him to sing.
And he was a Carnegie Hall this past year and was going, we'll be in Lincoln Center next year.
Wow. Good, lower. And he's singing as we speak and he's the most amazing person.
And that's kind of a good segue into one of my favorite programs that you guys are doing, which is
stage right, which I'm a former youth director. So to hear you guys, because you come, I want people
to thank you to the president of the deal. He's just kind of off. You're out there every night
before the show comes on. You come out and you greet everybody and you're like not even up
in an ivory tower. You're out there circulating talking to people. Oh, we're doing whatever it needs
to be done when I'm not traveling. So actually my wife, even came in one night, a lady
was upset that she waited in Longline in her lady's room and missed the second act of the first
part. And my wife turned to me. She was in the office when the lady left. She said, you know,
we're in the theme park business as you know. Absolutely. She said, we'd deal with millions of
people. Aren't you fixed then? I said, why don't you fix it? She said, I will because it's the lady's
restrooms. So now we, so we can now move 1,700 women through in 20 minutes. Wow. And one night I was
standing outside the exit door and these two women who had no idea who I was. They came out and
they were stuck talking to each other and said, that was so much fun. Now, if we had time, we should
go through it again. I wish they could take over the parking lot. You know, so. But talk, I want to
talk, how do you talk a little bit about stage right and what it does? Stage right is a really
interesting program that we started in 2005 helping children who were in gangs get out of gangs
and and do the right thing. So the Dallas Police Department, gang division sponsors these children
and they send them to us. They go to the Phoenix House in the past for classes from 91 for four
Saturdays. If they miss one, they make it up if they miss two, they're out of the program. And this
year we just graduated, graduated since the program started at 618 students. And what they do is
they were out, they're out of the gangs, they're taught to not do graffiti, do the right thing,
et cetera, et cetera. And we bring them to the shows, they have lunch with the cast and each
cast member mentors them and stays with them. In fact, during our production of Srak, they fell
up playing the donkey, had mentored his child six years earlier. It was still in touch with them.
And see, he kind of glossed over something and I want to go back and emphasize this. Okay.
Six hundred and eighteen kids through the program. In one year, that's impressive. One year,
six hundred and eighteen kids off the streets, learning to be productive and use the creativity
in a positive way. And you said that before, one of the musicals we went to and I can't
remember which one it was and my jaw hit the floor. Well, you know, one child said to me,
I don't need to be in this program. I'm an artist. I do graffiti. And I said, well, you really
do need to be in it. And he said, well, come see my graffiti. So, um, I kind of was afraid to
to be because with you, but I did. And so I went and he said, see how great this is. I said,
yeah, it's terrific. Except for one problem, you do need an education because you misspelled the
words. And I mean, it just, any, any large theater company like this, because that was some
of musicals is not, you know, the corner theater. This is a big deal. And for you guys to be
able to take as many at-risk kids as you do and help them kind of turn that corner.
Because, you know, there's that window of age that if you catch them after that window,
it gets so difficult to help them break that cycle. And to have that many kids in one year
break that cycle, I cannot thank you enough personally as someone who's worked with youth before.
And I do prison ministry now and to see, to see something like that positive on the outside,
it's so amazing. Well, it's a teamwork of many, many people. And, uh, each year we bring in
2,000 children who have never, ever ever seen a live theater production before. And, um, it's, you know,
the stories are unbelievable. I remember some years ago, a little girl sitting in, um, in the
her seat. And just as the lights begin to go down, she stood up in her chair. I said, no,
you can't stand up. You might fall. You have to sit down. She said, I don't want to put my feet on the floor.
And I said, well, why not? She said at home when we turn out the lights, the mice come out. Oh, dear.
So these are children from not just South Dallas, but North South Eastern and West Dallas.
And they come and they get to experience something live theater. There's nothing like it in the world.
And for these kids to get that culture and get that good time at that plants that seed.
Absolutely. It's so awesome. And the fact that you, I mean, you guys do so much more than you even
have to for the city of Dallas. And, you know, sure I have a bias for living here.
But I think there's a lot of other cities that could take this model and really run with it like
Dallas has. You know, and there's a partnership that you guys are having this year with with our
friends over at Bass Hall and Fort Worth, which is very exciting. Uh, well, you know, it helps us
when I go to New York, even on a show where producing or investing in, we can get this show because we're
a two week city. So we're absolutely at the Tier A. Bass Hall, which is one week, sometimes
have to wait a while to get these shows. So if I can go to New York and say, I want three weeks for
Dallas, two in Dallas, one at Fort Worth, what happens then? We can market together because we don't
consider full worth competition. They're complimentary. Helps them get the show sooner and we can sometimes,
you know, reduce the cost for all of us by taking free weeks rather than two. And it's a win
win for everyone. And it's, and it's, it's, it's, and at that stages to the production, too, because
they're, their cast members don't have to, you know, write a bus for the 300 miles. They can actually
get, you know, get a hotel somewhere and like, Arlington where you're halfway and then you're
and your state put for three weeks, which is kind of unheard of. Unless you're on Broadway. And that's
a whole different ballgame. Right. And you're exactly right. That's exactly what they do. It's,
it's just, it's amazing how well an oil machine you guys are doing. And we, we couldn't appreciate
it more. You know, we get to act like maybe we're civilized everyone. Is there anything that we haven't
talked about that you want to make sure that we cover? No, I don't think so. You know, we're,
we stayed in Fair Park with the second largest attendance driver in Fair Park after the
State Fair of course. And we're very hopeful and believe that Fair Park's going to take an up pick
and become the focus and the future, which will help from musicals too. And again, maybe it's a
bias, but I'm a huge fan of the State Fair Texas. You know, and the fact that you guys get to be
right there in the middle of it, two years ago, we went to the State Fair on the last weekend to
see a concert. And the Lion King was in town at that time and we were going in as the matinee
was getting out. And we, we left as the evening show was getting out. It was a sea of people.
You know, you guys, the promotion machine behind it that gets to people in the door,
what I really like to see how many families all come together. Well, you know what I did on the
opening night of Lion King was everyone. There's 3,420 seats in the music hall, 1,711
on the floor. So it's almost equal. Yeah, it doesn't have. Yeah, it doesn't look like it,
but it is. And so everyone that came on opening night that bought a ticket on the ground floor
actually paid for a ticket in the balcony. So I was able to bring in 1700 children who had
never seen the show. And I was told, these children will be unruly, they'll be noisy, this won't work.
I said, believe me, trust me, we had 39 agencies in Dallas, bring these children. And when the
lights went down, it would bring tears to your eyes and chills up your neck. It was beautiful.
They said, quietly on the edge of their seats, and it was an amazing experience. And for their first
musical, you could do a lot worse than the greatness of the lion. Not a bad way to break yourself
into it. Also, if you can't get here and you still want to give to North Texas Giving Day,
you can go to North Texas GivingDay.org. And I believe on the website, they can actually choose
your program from there, can they have to give? So, because there's events all over Dallas tonight,
and you actually get to pick and choose which ones you give to. Again, or bias. Give to tell
this summer musicals. I'm glad you're bias. And thank you very much.
Oh, it's our honor to be here. Anything else you want to plug us? I don't want to keep it too long,
because you probably got an adoring public that wants a piece of your ear in there as well.
Well, I don't know if they want to talk to me, but it's a great group and having lots of fun
and raising lots of money for these very special programs. And thank you for your time,
and we're very grateful for all that you do for Dallas Summer Music. Oh, it's our honor to be here for you.
And we're very much looking forward to the new season kicking off here in just a few weeks.
Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, you just heard Michael Jenkins, the president of Dallas Summer
Musicals. And again, I'm going to say it. If you come to Dallas Summer Musicals, you're going to see it.
Yeah, he walks around. Like we walk it. Very wet. Right there. He's just out amongst the people,
which I absolutely love. I'm going to take a breath. Okay. You are listening to the clubhouse podcast.
We are alive right now on a very special episode, which is not on Sunday, which Thursday,
we are at the House of Blues in Dallas in the West End, helping out Dallas Summer musicals,
and they're doing something more event, which is part of North Texas Giving Day. Thank you so much, sir.
Such an honor. And, you know, I told you, Don's got his running shoes on.
Don's booking the guests. We may not get to our normal material tonight. And I have no issue with that.
No, no. That's not, that's not a problem. Because we've got another guest
sitting right in front of me. And, sir, I'm going to let you introduce yourself.
That's because my name is Strange, right? With a last name like Urban that's built up like 100,000
different ways. I feel your face. See, my last name is Clutz. I'm John Clutz. And, um, yeah,
so it's a name that made all three of the Clutz children very graceful people.
Dallas Summer musicals high school music theater awards choir. I have to take a breath after
I say that. Right? It's the Dallas Summer musicals high school musical theater awards. It's the
Tony awards for kids. And it's, um, I have a close friend whose daughter is in theater. They were
at the awards this year. Did they have a great time? Needless to say. I mean, I thought I
Instagrammed a lot this past weekend because this past weekend I was on special assignment and
Instagram the more than I've ever Instagrammed in my life. She was like, my, my feet was just gone.
It's unbelievable. And tell people that don't know a little bit more about it. Wow.
This is our fifth annual high school musical theater awards. Five years ago we started with
about 21 schools. Last year we had 61 schools. Last year we gave out $35,000 in scholarships.
That's $5,000 a kid. Nothing wrong with that. Unbelievable. We gave out 15 awards
times at least 10 nominees. What is that like I can't do math? Because I'm a theater person. Right?
So 150 or something. Right? I was a con major. I'm going to go with you. So nobody's going to
just be at us. Right? So 150 nominees in all kinds of categories. And it's just an amazing evening.
Now, how far reaching does geographically does do the nominations go? Okay. Like, so if you
want to go to the National Gemma Awards, which are the National High School Musical Theatre Awards
program and compete at that level, you have to win in one of the areas in our area that you
described is Dallas and the greater area of North Texas, right? So there are 11 continuous counties
of schools from all of those areas. As far south as Evelyn, I mean as far west as Evelyn. Okay.
As far east as Longview. Okay. And as far south as Wakeo. So you're looking at about
a radius of probably 250 miles. Oh, because we, since we're on the internet, we're all over the
world. So I want people to understand the geography. Absolutely. Right. Everything's bigger in Texas.
Right. We know that for sure. Right. So we'll say that El Paso is halfway between Dallas and Los Angeles.
That's right. It's unbelievable. I mean, it's crazy. Right. You know, you have desert to the west.
The pine woods to the east and Dallas in the middle. And we have both of those. That's right. It's awesome.
Yeah. No, it's amazing. It covers a huge territory. And it's growing every year. The largest
contributor. I think in the awards program in the nation is like a 95 school program. We're at a
71 school program. And you know, we're Texas, right? So we're going to try and like jump at their heels.
And a lot of amazing talent coming out of these schools. As I like to take kids with a
dream. Yeah. You know, I was a musician in high school. I was in the band. And you're, you're kind of
a different breed of cat when you're in that in the performing arts thing. And one thing that really hurts
my soul is how performing arts is shrinking. Right. You know, you call again. We should just call
this episode Rob's bias. But I love that. $8 million on a football stadium. And you want to cut
performing arts. Okay. That's an amazing story right there. One of the great stories is in one of the
programs that's part of one of the documentaries about this series is the man in charge of the program
was the football coach. See, I don't even know the word coach. He's the football coach, right?
He's the football director. He's the football coach. So the football coaches in charge of the
program, right? You know, they probably had a stadium. You know, with a few million dollars going on there,
the theater kids wanted a $4,000 lightboard. They weren't getting it. Okay. So somebody convinced
this guy to come to their high school musical theater awards. And at the end of that event,
he literally was in tears. Wow. He said, I get it. This is state championships for theater kids.
It's exactly what it is unbelievable. And what it's, and it's not just something where it's like
your sports bank what you have. Like this is a big deal. Kids are, it's, they're feel like they're at
the Tony Awards. They've got the gowns. They've got the right. We have a little bit that they walk.
It's amazing. Now, this is what this is the 10th year. No, fifth year, but I like the way you think.
Okay. I was like, again, math. I was a comment major. I was a comment major. But you know, you're
right though, it is like a turning award show. And I think one of the most exciting things for the
kid on several things. But it's a 25 piece professional pit orchestra. These kids come from their
high school orchestra. And I hate to say it, but you're in band. I was, we were, I mean, okay.
Our jazz band was number one in the state. But I'm not gonna, I'm not here to humble bracket. Where,
where, where, where, where, in South Florida. South East Florida. Uh, and then the Florida area.
Well, like I can't dispute that. Yeah, it's a, it's a whole different culture. But, but again,
there's still gonna be a difference between your best band in the state and a professional orchestra.
That's right there. Right. And like Michael Jenkins that you had on a moment ago, who has like 150
tones or something. Yeah, it's unbelievable. The man's created a program with the University of
York, Texas to help begin to train pit musicians again because it's a dying art. It really is.
You know, being a jazz musician, being, you know, the tonight show style musician, all of those things
are great. But to be a pit orchestra member is an amazing thing. And it's, it's a really lost art.
So we're involved in so many ways of education that all summer musicals. It's, it's unbelievable.
But the kids get to sing with this 25 piece professional orchestra on a stage that's like a 50
foot percinium stage, right? Oh, it's a, it's a gorgeous facility. It's, unbelievable. It's the biggest
theater in Big D. 3,200 seats or something. Something like that. Yeah, unbelievable amount of seats.
And what I love about music, Hallit Fair Park, is even though it's, of course, had to have
facelifts over the years because father time is undefeated. It's undefeated on my face, too,
brother, you ain't lying. I had 40 and went, oh, this happens. I would love to be 40 again.
And, but you walk into music Hallit Fair Park and you can feel that history in that building.
And we like we said a minute ago, there's not a bad seat in the entire joint. No, it's unbelievable.
And, you know, when you come to see here and see the sound of music, you have to hear the sound of
music in the music hall. You know, for years, there've been issues. My seats are really good
seats on opening night and they're down front and I can hear every word, but I can never make it
through act one without going to the restroom. And when I come back, I have to stand under that
mezzanine level and I can hear as well back there in that cave, I can hear it by someone.
Well, unbelievable, at a whisper. It's amazing. So, let's make sure that we, let's talk about the
season itself. When you start the nomination process, when does the season begin? When does the season end?
Well, we're already judging with our educators and professionals industry professionals,
schools as we speak. We've already had two high schools do their musicals. We have another one coming this weekend.
How big is the judging panel? The judging panel is three people. Okay. They're all professionals or educators.
So, they're industry professionals. I own a model in telemedgency. A lot of people are professional actors
and professional singers, dancers, choreographers, own dancers. Is it the same three that go to each
production or do you mix it up? No, we mix it up. So, how many, how many judges do you have?
Last total. It took the 35 judges to do this. And this year we're going to need more. Wow. Yeah,
it's amazing because we really want to take the time to give the kids the individual attention and
feedback that they need. And that's the most exciting thing for them, right? Like, you know,
if you are in the hinterland, so to speak, which, you know, Dallas used to be the hinterlands when I was at
kid. It was 250,000 people. Right. Like, seven and a half million people. You could actually
reflect? Drive to work in the morning. And it is in about a time. You know, everywhere I used to go
with 15 minutes now, it's like an hour and a half. You in line. So, you know, these kids get feedback from
true industry professionals. And it's exciting for them and it's exciting for us because they
we truly enjoy going to see these shows. You know, as a judge, I've gone to see shows that I had
never seen before. And I enjoyed them as much as I did if I had seen a gentleman's guide on Broadway
last year. I mean, because the kids are so involved. And now, today, in this world where there's
so many wonderful shows like the voice, et cetera, you know, it's kind of part of our culture now,
right? Absolutely. And it's exciting. The technology that's gotten so much more affordable, absolutely.
Then it was 10 years ago. These kids can really put on great performances that you're not just like,
oh, I have to go do this. You actually go, wait a minute, I get to go see this. And you get to see it
and a really good auditorium with really good lighting and really good effects. When is the cutoff
before the actual process starts? I'm not the program director. Tracy Jordan, who's an amazing
guy who just the people love him, the kids, the teachers, everyone. I think the cutoff is October
second, early October. Okay. And that's plenty of time before, because the awards are what March
April. March April. Okay. April 14th. I knew it's as the spring was starting to really kick.
April, did I say April 14th, April 14th, April 14th, 2016. Okay. Yeah. Excellent.
Gonna put you on the spot here. Yes, sir. Name the musical that when you see it come across your
desk, you say to your other judges, I'm doing this one. The one I haven't seen. Is there one that
you that you know is out there that you haven't seen that you're really looking forward to see?
Not as of yet. I've seen a lot in my years, but I, okay. Sorry, the director and manager of the
high school musical theater awards, Tracy Jordan just walked up. But to say, speak of the devil,
there you go. Hey, how are you doing? How are you, sir? I'm great, great. Welcome, delighted to be here.
It's an honor to have you sitting with us. What's the most important? What's the most unusual show
that you have seen come across your desk this year that we don't see a lot or haven't heard a lot
or don't know a lot about? Well, like when I saw curtains a few years ago, I'd never seen that show
and it was amazing to see that show and to see high school kids perform such a convoluted plot
and make sense of it for us. Okay, I say I walked past the theater on Broadway that we showed
what? That's closer than I had gotten. You know, I'm going to back up a year to last year, but I
got to say and I feel kind of funny saying this on the air, but you're in town. You're in,
that two words are three. It's a, depending on the spelling, it was going to be I'm in town,
but I'm in wasn't available. But I think what you guys do is so awesome because it, these kids
get the opportunity to not only get their exposure on a bigger scale, but they get that experience
that, hey, you know what? Yes, we had a great time and we worked real hard and you have your
theater department, that's your high school and maybe we go to a UIL kind of thing. But now we get to
do this really big. And there's no way that those kids don't walk out of there and there's no
way they sleep for three days because of all the adrenaline. Oh, God, I have to trace the
I have to tell my story really quick. I was standing off stage right when the kids came off the stage,
right? So they're performing on this 42. What is it? 42 feet wide? Percenium. 60. 60.
100 percenium. 100. 100. What? Huge percenium stage, right? And they're rehearsing all day long
and the theaters black and then suddenly they're there and the audience is full and you can kind of
almost see the faces and the audience and these kids literally would finish their number
and literally walk off stage with their hands, both hands, class, over their eyes,
literally shaking like, oh my God, I can't believe I just did that. It's unbelievable to watch.
Well there's nothing, there's nothing more exciting than being on that huge stage
with a full orchestra in the pit, playing to over 3,000 people out in the house screaming and yelling
and cheering you on. Oh, he'll doubt. No bigger, no bigger adrenaline rush, really.
And then when you finish and you hear that reaction. Yeah. So you need to ask us a question.
Is there one I'm missing? Yeah, the question is, how do Tracy Jordan and John
cleats no one another? Oh my God. Oh yeah, do you now have my attention? I'm going to,
what kind of how many years can I say without hurting your fear? Wow. Oh, what the hell?
30 years. 30 years. I've known the gentleman who's literally standing on my left for 30
something years and the reason I know this man and the reason this program is a true story.
It's a true story. Please do. It's because I was the lead in my high school musical in 1982,
which one? Just me, Kate. Oh, okay. And at Hawkeye and St. Marks, because we did
musicals together back in the school and the boys school. Yeah, for those of you that
some pretty famous people come out of Hawkeye as well. Well, Victoria Clarke, a huge Broadway
star who I just saw a few weeks ago. A couple of actually last October I saw her outside of
Cinderella where she was playing the fairy godmother. She's amazing to her first high school
musical for Victoria Clarke was Maine. She was the lead in Maine. Wow. That's how she got her star.
Amazing. Tommy Lee Jones went to my school, Owen Wilson, a bunch of crazy people. And me. No,
ticket. Anyway, but the important part of the story is not them. The important part of the story is
Hawkeye is still hired professional dancers and Tracy Jordan is an amazing talent and an
amazing dancer and an amazing guy. And 32 years ago, I was dancing in my high school musical
and Tracy Jordan this man on my left was dancing with me. Wow. Yeah, so we met
doing a high school musical. 32 years ago. And here we are today, both professional and
our entire high school musical. Full circle. Absolutely. And that's a cool story because
you get to you have that experience. You've been in those shoes and one thing that any
halfway so for expecting kid does when they graduate is one of the things I want to do is I
want to give back to that thing that made me who I am. You guys are actually doing it.
Well, it's a great first circle for me. My first high school musical at Kimball High School,
out in Oak Cliff. Tom Hughes of Dallas Summer Musicals would come out. He was friends
had done a college with my high school choir director and would come out and cast our shows.
He cast me in my first role in a high school musical a few years later. He cast me. He gave me
my first professional job at the musical. Now the summer musicals. So flash forward 30 minutes
a year and after having had a professional career Michael Jenkins brings me back to DSM to
put together and run our high school musical theater award program. So it's just a wonderful
full circle. And we and we remet one night at Tommy Tune. Tommy Tune was performing here at the
music hall and backstage I turned around and there was Tracy 32 years later. And John looked exactly
the same. I look exactly the same. I can't say that. I've gained an oldson twin and lost most of my
hair. I'm a radio you can say it and we believe you. That is well documented on this show.
Yeah, people want to go and they want to know more. They can actually get to where you guys are
from the Dallas summer musicals website if I'm not mistaken. Yes, right. Right. If you look, if you're
on the Dallas summer musicals website, you'll say a little button. It says DSM high school musical theater
awards and they can click on that. It'll take them over to our website. And we're actually working
on our roster of shows for this year for all the high schools that are participating with this.
We put up a roster on the website that has their performance dates. So you can go at and pick
which one do you want to see? That's also because now the general public they get that much
more exposure. Oh, I want to see this. I was just talking to a guest inside who's already lined up
to see four musicals and she told me that she's this is you know somebody who's just a regular human
being folks who sees at least eight high school musicals a year. I'm like you want to judge.
Why not? That's awesome. It's an amazing opportunity in your own community to see an amazing show.
You talked about the judge and there was a question I meant to ask and it triggered it again.
Do the schools know when you come? Yes, yes. Okay. So it's not like a secret shop or kind of a
thing. They know this performance on this date, there will be judges in the building. That is correct.
We actually give the teachers because sometimes they double cast their shows. So we give them
the opportunity to tell us which night you want us to come. Okay. Yeah. All right. Because that's
always something I've wondered is, you know, do you just kind of sneak in the back when the
lights go down and do it with your patty? You know, we could try and sneak in and they are
not this yet. You hear I'm saying whispering, yes, him is here. He is in his ear.
He's a better disguise. He's feeling too. Yeah. And another amazing and the boosters for all of these
schools and the parents and the support and the way these schools get together. I'll tell you one of the
neatest things about the show is that the nine of the show you hear all these schools cheering for
one another. Yeah. They go to see each other's shows, right? And these are, and these are, you know,
and I know what you're exactly what you're talking about from when I was young. Where you're starting
to come? You know, we're having, you know, I can use my marching band as a, as a point of reference.
We're standing side by side with with schools that we would just assume throw rocks at and you're
hearing them get their ratings and you're supporting them. And that's, you know, because you realize
at some point, yes, we are in this thing together. Yeah. It was like when we were in UIO1,
when I was in theater in high school. And we would sit there and cheer on every, right? Everyone
play the one. Exactly. Because you know what goes into that thing. Yeah. Because you know how much you
pull it and switch for exactly. And you know what they went through and they know what you went through.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's tremendous, tremendous. And these kids, all of them, are really
going to be your, your leaders of the future. They all excel. They are working in countless hours of
rehearsal while still keeping up their homework and their grades. Do you any lion?
He that this is the man, Tracy knows it all. You guys, I want to, can you ask him,
what happens to the winners that come out of our high school musical theater awards and get to
go to New York? Yeah. That's a really exciting card. I saw that I heard a couple of things mentioned
before one of the musicals this year about that. And I'm going to let you talk about it. You know,
this is, this is really fantastic. We, um, to back up just slightly, uh, you're talking about
the response from the community. We started our first year four years ago with 30 schools.
By now this year, we are the second largest program in the country with 65 schools,
71 productions entered. And we are the, yeah, for, uh, for the national high school musical theater
awards for North Texas. So we, uh, we reach out as far west as Abelene, as far north and east
as the border, as far south as Waco. And we send, uh, panels of judges out all across North Texas,
looking at these kids. And, uh, the wonderful thing is, even though you're in a small town,
it's not necessarily, oh, people think, oh, well, you're not going to see anything good outside
big deal. That's not true. Some of the work being done out across North Texas, and, and,
otherwise, small town is amazing. It's professional. Tell it is, too. And we talked about this,
the area just a little while ago before you came on. For those of you that aren't geographically
inclined, much like me, I never had to take geography, let me give you a frame of reference. In that
area, geographically that was just mentioned, you can think most of New England in that area.
That's true. That's how big the area that you guys cover is. Our region is bigger than some
state programs across the country. Exactly. So our best actor and best actress winner,
we actually take them to New York, uh, pay all their expenses for a week in New York competing in
the National High School Musical Theatre Awards where they are meeting kids from all across the
country. And it's much like we were talking about uh, rival schools here there to watch them bond
with these kids from across the country. And you're really seeing the best, most talented kids
from across the country. And you know that anyone or any number of these kids will be working
professionals. I'll just say, I know that they'll want to be crossing their paths later down because
they're so talented. They're going to wind up in productions together. So we, there are kids
leaving college programs. In fact, one in Florida, going right into touring shows. Yeah, yeah,
and but we can say we can say that we are giving these kids their Broadway debut because we
take them up to New York and they are at the men's coffee at a we're lying king plays right there on
time square and for the first time in New York on a Broadway stage. And we give them that opportunity.
And while they're there, they're being looked at by some of the biggest producers and head of the
Broadway league and casting agents. Uh, and they've already plucked kids out of that environment.
Not any of ours yet. But just wait a minute. One year, even didn't Michael Feinstein,
didn't, didn't he actually like come and help the kids like, yeah, it's a tremendous opportunity
because every day during that week, they are at lunchtime. They have a visit from some big working
Broadway personality that they sit down with them and get to do Q and A with them and
and have their pictures made with them. It's it's just a fantastic opportunity for these kids.
All right, I had it when I was not there. Just a recap. The award themselves coming up April 14th,
before the the voting season as the kids like to call it is currently going on for one,
another couple of weeks. And not on all signups. We're we're signing up schools. Okay,
frustration goes through October 2nd. Okay. We actually have two weeks for some of all competing
schools this week. Highland Park High School and Pierce High School are doing their musicals,
their fall musical this week. Pierce actually does two, one in the spring and one in the fall.
Okay. As do a few schools. And then through the end of February, we're judging schools,
we'll announce nominees March 14th and then get ready for the most exciting night of theater.
You'll spend all of your long on the 14th of April. Circle it on your calendar's kids.
You don't want to miss this gentleman. Thank you so much for coming in. Go enjoy the part of
Oh, don't much got John, the photographers want to picture of you and tear on together on the show real quick.
Okay. Okay. We're not ugly after all. I love that.
Make sure you visit our website www.theclubhousepodcast.com. Find out everything you need to know
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Thank you. Charlotte Parker's on Pinterest because we are morally obligated to say that.
And Jules Womack is probably at the house waiting to get a full report when you get home.
So she is indeed. All right. We want to do the picture. We do the photo op first.
Oh, we got it perfect because
Oh, thank you so much. We're such an honor to have you guys here. Now,
this is what we call a call back in the comedic community because what our next guest does it know
is that he's already been talked about on the show. Uh-oh. We're going to let you introduce yourself
to the masses. Sir, please do. My name is Karan Jackson. I'm happy to be here. I'm privileged to be here
to sing and to uplift people and just hang out and have a good time. Well, you are the bars already said
for you, sir, because Michael Jenkins sat with us earlier and spoke nothing but wonderful things
about you, told us a little bit of your story, which is amazing. It is. Go ahead. Just share
with us how you got to hear. Um, it's, it's, it's incredible. I am just, I'm overwhelmed. Tonight
it's such a great night. Um, we're racing a ton of money. So I'm really, really happy for some amazing
programs. For some amazing programs, these programs allow kids that grew up like myself from
lower, um, economic and social backgrounds to come and see world premieres and Broadway shows
that they would never ever be able to see. Um, these teachers show up for these young kids and
and inspire them and text them and just push them to be great people. So I'm really, really excited
to be here. I'm really happy. So, so this is a happy interview just so you know, but I was, you know,
raised without a foundation, you know, and all honesty, my parents were drug addicts. Um, you know,
I'm a Christian guy, so I have to say honor that my mother and father. Everyone has a disposition
about something in life. And it's an introduced to it. It could take you out. My parents both
died from drugs. And, um, you know, it just kind of left me and my sisters to a world that
many of you were there. It's, um, I'm the baby. I'm the baby. Even though even though I'm a ginormous person,
I'm a baby. I'm the baby of the group and I have two older sisters. Okay. And it just left us to a
world to kind of fit for ourselves. Um, I'm very grateful to, um, to have people that that were
wonderful Christian people that saw me and took me in and just kind of showed me a different way
to go. Um, at the time, I didn't care if I lived or died, so it really didn't matter to me. Um,
so God kind of placed me with the right people. He does that. He does that all the time.
That, and they just kind of nursed me back to life and, um, and taught me how to sing. How old were
you when you found your voice? Oh, I was old. Like, I was fast. That's funny. That's a careful, careful.
If it's a bit of video, medium, medium, the one that his face had said that was absolutely brilliant.
Because I know, you know, John King, who was, um, you know, the family that took me in,
and Joyce, you know, John King was like, 80, six now. So, um, but at the time, I was right around 20,
20 years old. So, what, what that means is that I came to music late in life. And so, but that's kind of
you actually came to it right on time. I think that was the plan that was there for you. Come on now.
You heard me? I'm all right now. I'm about to jump over. Oh, dear God. Yeah, because if you saw me,
you know, I could not jump on my chair. But the thing is, you know, that's where the success comes from.
Because I didn't fight Joyce Hughes, who taught me how to sing, you know,
um, Lloyd Sonye, I did not fight these people and say, hey, that's not what my teacher said.
I just listened and did it. And I'm talking about it just went. I mean, it just shot and went everywhere.
I, um, I went to Baylor University. I love Baylor sickum bears. I've done world premieres of
operas, um, but the main thing is, and I'm very happy to have Michael Jenkins in my life.
I'm very happy to have someone of his caliber that has nine Tony Awards to believe in you and to
think that you're special. And a genuine quality human being. Seriously, he sat down with these two
shrubs and sat with us for 20 minutes. I mean, come on. You know, it is not a game with him. You know,
when I, when I first met him, um, he, he just kind of promised me the moon in the stars.
And I just thought, okay, this, there's some trickery. Right exactly. But he's really a
beautiful man. And he really, he, he means what he says. And I'm, I'm just very grateful for a gift
that, um, that is from God. It's for God's people. And I'm grateful to be a vessel. You know,
to come here tonight and to be able to tell my story and in hopes of raising money that, um,
Dallas, some of the musicals can continue to do what they do for these young people. It's really
extraordinary. It makes the life worth living. And it's, it's unfortunate that it's unique. But it's
cool that it's unique. You know what? Is that makes sense? What I'm saying right there? That it
shouldn't be unique, but the fact that we have it is more than enough. It's exactly. And, you know,
you know, in today, I'm gonna, I don't know why this is coming to me. But, you know, Facebook and all
these different places will just make you think that the world is horrible. And racism is just
so rampant and it's everywhere and it probably is. But my story is, why people found me on the street,
why people took me in. This is the truth. It's not, it's not a bad thing. I mean,
I mean, the black people just weren't there. But, but these white people nurse me back to life
and, and also more than a shirt or a car or a food and all honesty that gave me the gift of
Jesus, which was surpassed all of life. And I'm, I'm just so, so grateful. Michael Jenkins
to come into my life and just to be who he is and to just have wisdom. You know, everyone needs
someone to just show up for them. Absolutely. You know, my parents being on drugs and stuff,
that's what I wanted my whole life. It's just for someone to show up for me. When my parents
didn't show up for me, I thought, well, if they don't care, then I don't care. So I threw in the
towel on my own life. I didn't realize it was my life. So I made a lot of mistakes. And then
once I realized it was my life, it was time to clean up. But I didn't know how to do it. And
these wonderful people kind of showed me the way. And I'm just, you know, I don't know what it is.
Not a little, oh, I folk, but they also people. But the main thing there is it's up to us as
people to turn that around. Right. It's up to us as people to get rid of the negativity. You know,
I make it, I make it a point on my social media. If it's funny, we can all laugh together. Right.
But I will, I go out of my way to make sure that I don't put anything negative out there. If I'm
having a crappy day, my whole thing is I look to my God and I go, there's somebody had a much
worse day than me about 2,000 years ago on a Friday. So I'm okay. That's real. That's real. And
in all things, you know, I always, whenever I'm having a crappy day, I just say, I trust you,
guys. Because as a man, you know, we look, you know, when once we look in the mirror, if I can say this,
we look for a man made vices to help take the pressure off of us. But if you look to God,
where the pressure should be, you don't have to do drugs and all this kind of stuff. Because
the pressure is on the right person. One of my favorite lyrics in the last five years comes from
casting crowns, where it says, stop holding on and just be held. Yes. Oh my God. Christian robbers.
Okay. Christian robbers. One of my best friends. She just texted me that the other day. I thought I
was an original. It's a, it's a gorgeous song. It's been casting crowns. And it's a gorgeous song.
I think absolutely amazing song. And for you to come through that, come out the other side of
that. And now you're giving back to that next generation. Because that's what we're supposed to do.
That's what we've been assigned to do. You don't keep it to yourself. A blessing isn't for you to
keep. The blessing is for you to give out. And you're, I mean, look where you've come from.
Or what you've come to, you did the world premiere of Moby Dick. I know. I know. You can
you've been, what's the old saying? How do I get to Carnegie Hall practice practice practice practice
practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice. And you did
Carnegie next year, Lincoln Center. I know. I know. Right. You just, you look back and you go,
this is where I've come from. And if I can do this, and I can share my story with other people.
And then you take time out to come here tonight to give back to that which gave to you. That to me
speaks volumes. Because we talked about this a little while ago with the other two guys that were here.
That as people, all we should want to do is give back to those who gave to us.
It's very simple. And to be able to do that, you know, we're talking about, I'm in a band.
I say we do prison ministry. And it is the most humbling thing I've ever done in my life.
And that feeling you get when you see those people that clicks in their heads or when you're going
and you're, you're playing to youth groups and seeing these people doing, you know, and now that's
a certain even in the church. If you're doing something positive within the community. I agree. I agree.
To help fight that negativity that's out there. And you, my friend, are doing it on a whole different
level. It, it makes my life worth living. And you know, it's just humbling. It really is humbling.
There's a song. Can I say, let me, I'm done. Hold on. There you go. First off, oh, you're on.
I'm back. I'm back. You know, I've been running around on you. That's what I usually do here.
I was going back and forth. This guy could belt. Oh, we could hear. We heard him from here.
We were going to sound check. I'm like, in my, the hair on my next step. I don't even like that. Even Michael Jenkins said,
you know who you're hearing right now. He gave us the nickel tour of the story. Yeah, when the prep. What did I tell you?
If you wanted, I feel it. Go for it. You want to see, there's a song that, um, go for it.
We, there already is what to see here. It's a little lady taught me how to sing and time in a thing. It's old school song.
Go ahead. We got nothing but time or eight o'clock whichever comes first. I love it.
Um, this is, if I can help somebody. Okay. Okay. I'm picking a pitch out of thin air. Okay.
If I can have somebody as I pass along. If I can cheer somebody with a word or song.
If I can show somebody, he is driving wrong. Then my living shall not be in vain.
Then my living shall not be in vain.
Then my living shall not be in vain. If I can help somebody as I pass along. Then my living shall not be in vain.
There you go. Drop the mic. No, no, not literally, but not a horde, drop the mic.
Here's the first person they ever sing on our song. Yes, yes, yes. We played recorded versions of me, but we've never done anything live.
That's the first time in five years, I'm in it. Four months. I hope it sounds decent. Oh, great. Levels were perfect. Everything was fine here.
Let's do some shameless plugs because we're all about shameless self-promotion. Where can people find out more about you, my friend?
I love this. So the funny thing is, even though I'm a singer and I sing all over the place, I'm actually a missionary.
So I'm a full-time missionary with a BGCT. You can go over there. You can find my little page, Karan Jackson, with hope one eight ministries.
I'm a hope ministry. That's why I do. I go on through the streets and I just try to spread love.
And I like to spread it in the Christian way, but spread it in any way that I can.
Shows coming up. The Lincoln Center is coming up. I'm very, very excited about that. I'll be doing something with Michael Jenkins.
You can find me at church near you. Look me up on Facebook, Karan Jackson, on Facebook.
I already did. We have a mutual friend. Oh, who is it? Dan Baker, he and I went to high school together.
No, Dan can sing. Yes, he can. Dan, Dan. That's all you, sir. I don't know what I'm going to believe.
Sure, they're down. You know what's interesting is that Dan is in the singing men of North Texas,
which I am also in that group. And they have a concert tonight, which I am not at,
because I'm here right now with Michael Jenkins. But they'll miss me. Someone is doing my solo tonight.
Good luck wherever that person is. And but I'll see you next month where we're going to be.
I'm just, this is the thing. I'm just grateful. I mean, my life could,
someone in there actually asked me, oh my god, you know, what would you do? What would you want to do
if you weren't singing? And the answer to that is, and I mean this very seriously,
is that I would probably be dead. That's just where life was headed for me. So many people that
grew up the way I grew up. We know what it is to sell drugs on the corner. We know we're going to get
some jury, some girls, and probably the car. You know, we don't know what it is to go to school.
We don't know what the dream is. We don't think our lives are going to last that long. So,
you know, and then once you've been hustling for so long, you don't understand what a nine to five is,
because I think I should have made $10 when I could have made $2,000. But the thing is,
and this is for all my people out there, my people, my prostitutes, my pants, my drug dealers, those are my
people. Having peace of mind. How do you sleep at night? You know, being able to sleep at night
and know that everything you have you worked for, and no one can come and take it from you.
You know, I'm just grateful for God in my life. I love John Tang. I love Carlos Del Jr.,
Joyce Hughes, Michael Jenkins, Lewis on your heart, Crystal Phillips. Every tomorrow show.
Sure, and Keaton. I just love all of you. I love my sisters. I'm just a grateful person. I'm not
an angry black man with a chip on my shoulder. I'm just grateful. And I love God. And thanks for
having me. It was an honor for you to be here. We want to let you get back to the party so you can show
yourself. Because I'm going to shake it down. Go on, Jackson. Okay. He said one more song. Okay,
what do you make it happen? Okay, one more song. Here we go. All right. What do you want to hear me saying?
I have no clue. Just do whatever comes natural to you. I'm going to hear you. I'm going to hear you.
I'll do, um, um, that's life. There we go. That's what all the people say. You're out in high and
April. Shot down in me. When I know I'm going to change that tune. When I'm back on top,
back on top in June. Hey, that's life. And as funny as it may seem. Some people give their kicks
up. Stoping on a dream. But I don't let it. Don't let it get me down. Because it's fun.
Keep spinning around. I've been a puppet, a popper, a pirate, a poet, a pawn in a king. I've been
up down and over and out. And I know a thing is home. I find myself laying to let all my
face, I just pick myself up and get back in the race. That's life. Get back in the race, people.
Love you guys. Thanks for having me. Thank you, sir, for being here. That was awesome.
Okay, we're next. Thank you so much, sir. Trying to multitasking over here.
Karan Jackson, ladies and gentlemen, I got belted, man. My God. And the hits. Keep coming.
Karan, thank you, sir. Keep doing what you do. We loved it. Don's back with us now. We have
another guest. We're not going to get to any of our material. And I totally okay with it. I'm so
tired. It goes so much faster. This is our material. Do you have a count? Do you
make it to your material? Joining us now, is my paper correct, Don? Are we good?
We're 10. 10 men's hell. Chairman of the board elect for the next year of the Dallas
Summer musicals. Welcome to the show, sir. So the next year is coming right up on us. I mean,
we're, we're, gosh, what? A month away. The first show is in November. Yeah, we're just a
little over a month away. And they are hitting the ground running. Yes, sir. We really haven't even,
we kind of breeze through earlier. What this, this season's going to bring. And if you
live anywhere near Dallas Fort Worth, get you checkbook. That's all I'm saying. Get you checkbook,
get season tickets because you're not going to want to miss any of this stuff. And before you do that,
get your butt down here to house a blues and help them raise some money because it is North
Texas Giving Day. Our worst case, go to North Texas GivingDay.com.
.org. It's not over. It's not over. It's not over. It's not over. Search for Dallas Summer musicals
and you can make your pledge tonight. And that's, and that's so grand. Get your tickets later.
Because we talked about this earlier. There are events all over Dallas for North Texas Giving Day.
Right. And if you can't make them, you can go online and earmark your money to one of those charities.
We're saying we personally believe you should do it for Dallas Summer musicals. But again, we're
biased. Because it's a good bias. They are biased. Are we just right? You know what?
I'm going with him. I'm going with him. Our first show that we got press with
withdrew Joanne Holt was Mamma Mia. Mamma Mia. And ever since, you know, by your net,
you know, almost two. And you haven't lived till you've seen Don get his boogie on during Mamma Mia.
Do we have time to do that before we leave? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.
Steve, you heard that. Oh, dear Lord. Yeah. Oh, he was all over dude. But you guys have been so
incredible. We saw such incredible things in the last year. A Christmas story. Hello.
Ralphie. The gut. The leg was there. You had the legs was my picture with the leg leg. Oh, yeah. I have a picture.
It's on my Instagram. But I'll be back after go. You know what? I'm like these things later by.
But this year, I mean, starting up sound of music, followed by elf the musical, which last year played in
Fort Worth this year playing in Dallas, which I'm very excited for. And plus it happens in December.
Well, the Christmas season is my favorite time here. That is definitely my favorite time of
year. My daughter and I still start singing Christmas songs in July. See, I have to wait. I have to keep it
out until the day after Thanksgiving because I just, it makes me look to, it gives me that anticipation.
Like, because I've got like 400, 500 Christmas songs in my iPod. And once we hit the
day after Thanksgiving, that's all I listen to in two Christmas day. I really am there. Bridges of Madison
County, which is a very, very new musical, which I'm very much looking forward to because it
takes place in the state I was born in. Okay. I was actually up in Iowa last year. And most of
those Bridges are gone, I'm being told. There's a few of them left, but not a lot of them. The
little mermaid could I be more excited about this, especially given my special assignment that I was
just on that we still haven't talked about. Yeah. Okay, hang on. Tell me about your special
list. Last weekend, kind of, it was kind of a last minute spur of the moment phone call I got.
I was at Disney World last weekend. Okay. For a festival called Night of Joy, which is the
thing I went to a lot as a kid because I grew up in South Florida. So, you know, my house to Disney
World was like here to Austin. Like it was, it was, it was a quick trip you could do. I was raised
in Southern California. I could sit in my front yard and I was Disneyland fireworks. And so,
got to go to Orlando for the weekend and spend some time at Disneyland. I haven't been to Disney
since my wife and my honeymoon 12 years ago. So, it's been a while and I got to hang out with my
niece and nephew who I haven't seen in seven years. They didn't know I was coming. So, when I got off
the plane, my nephew saw me and it was like, yes, I have a ride buddy for the next two days. And then
my niece saw me and she had her friend, but we had a great time and we're going to go more
in depth into that trip. And we, I probably next week after next show because there's so much to
talk about. There's just so far ahead of the curve on everything. You can go to my Instagram account,
which is yes, that robber of an eye Instagram to more in that three-day span, then my entire
Instagram account combined. Got to see some great concerts. One of the bands that was there,
it's going to be here at House of Blues tomorrow night. It's called Veredia. They're a very new band,
very, very good band, kind of a harder rock edge to them. It's all, it's all, it's not a choice
all Christian concerts. It's all Christian artists. Mercy me, Jeremy Camp, a crazy skillet.
For Aunt Jessica Batastelli, big daddy, we've Colton Dixon, rent collective. I am they,
the list just goes on and on and on. So I saw Veredia there. I was like, oh, they're going to be
in Dallas on Friday. So they'll be here at House of Blues. Wicked is coming back. I know that
your house is just like, my wife is just like, this is happening. Your wife and you are very
excited, sir. Oh gosh. Ragtime, which ragtime's one that I was a fan of as a kid. I've never seen it.
I'm looking forward to it. I've seen the movie. I've never seen the movie myself.
Which is going to be fun. Bullets over Broadway. Just that's fun. That's a fun fun musical. And then
wrapping up with the classic known as 40 Second Street. We were just talking about, you know,
this is the 76 season. You are getting ready to take the reins. What's up, Don?
Jane Shane, who's the vice president of a development. That's correct. Yeah, she is joining us right
now. Also. Okay. Wow. Please. She's got rapid tickets. She's got rapid tickets.
I've got lots of rice. She's got the key to everything tonight. The big prizes.
Hi, guys. Oh, how are you? Great. We were just talking about how this past season was the 75
season. You're getting ready to take the reins in this thing. Clearly going to be the best season ever.
Yeah. Are there any butterflies about what's coming up? Because you're getting ready to
chair of this thing or I can have you kind of been around it enough. It's like, look, this will just be
just put on an old pair of shoes and roll in with it. Well, like any volunteer assignment,
you have no idea what you're getting into when you get into it. You hate a lot. If you've ever
volunteered for anything, you know that. So I don't take over officially until January 1, but
I probably have three meetings a week related to DSM. Every one of them's worth it. We're
working towards a great goal. Butterflies, not really. I'm just excited. Butterflies have excitement
right. Nothing wrong with that. No, not at all. I mean, you should always have those because they always say
if the butterflies go away, you've got to find something else to do, especially in this business.
Yeah. Because every night is nothing but excitement. You know, when we've gotten to go to these
musicals this year, I'm like a seven-year-old on Christmas morning. It's just like, I get to go see
this. Like, I got to go see dirty dancing the musical. Are you serious? I got to go see Rogers and
Hammerstein's Cinderella, which was amazing. And didn't you like the little twist in that
where you thought, wait a minute, he's not supposed to be, he's not supposed to pick up that shoe.
There is an every production. It's hop-knock. Yeah. Like you. Yeah. It's, it's just, you, if somebody
blindfolded you and put you in Fair Park and then you'd have thought, oh, somebody flew me
into New York and put me in a Broadway theater. Like, that's what I love about Dallas summer
musicals. Nothing is halfway. We just talked about how I just got back from Disney. Nothing is
halfway. And it's, and that's all over Dallas. The art scene in this town is insane. But,
you know, Michael Jenkins spent time training with Walt and Roy Disney. Did you know that?
There you go. Done. He didn't mention it because we didn't talk about the fact that I was there.
It all makes sense then. It absolutely does. I mean, nothing, everything is so top-notch.
Everybody is so accessible. You know, when we go to these things, they're like, oh, look who this?
Look who this? You know, it's, people aren't locked away in an ivory tower. They're out because
they want to, they want to know what's going on. They want to make things better. They want you to
feel like a guest. Yeah. And when you, you can sit, just sit there and you can just talk to anybody.
Yeah. And it's amazing. And I'm very excited about this new season. What are you most looking
forward to? If you've got to pick a favorite child here. Oh, well, I'd love to come to the shows
where the little girls go crazy. And this season, it's going to be the little mermaid. Yes.
And you will see little mermaids in the audience. How many Cinderella Princesses did we see
with their light-opened slippers as they were running up and down the aisle? People go, they totally
get into the show they're going to see. And it's a big event for them. And the little girls just
and if you could just bottle that ability to watch it through their eyes, you would make a bazillion
dollars. I think it's going to happen the same way. Oh, absolutely. Like every time it comes,
it's just like, it's a great show. Kind of make a little mermaid. Little mermaid gets the edge
for me. Well, I'm just saying you're going to see little girls do that. I'm just saying just
from a production standpoint, that's the one I'm really, really looking forward to. Of course,
wicked is what it is. Like, you put wicked in a category by itself and then everybody competes
for second place. But little mermaid's the one that sticks out to me. Just before the elf,
because, you know, as we talked about Christmas is my time of year. I love that. I love the movie
elf and I think that's going to be a great production. I think bullets over Broadway is going to be fun
just because it's going to be different. Yeah, and it is what it is now. I want to talk a little
bit about Christmas because it was a question that we had. We went to the press event last year
when they announced a Christmas story. Is it going to rotate back in? Yes. Because I saw her, I thought
they said it was a 40-year contract. And then I was like, wait a minute, it's elf this year. It's not
Christmas story this year. So is it just kind of one of those we reserve the right to do it when we
want to do it and we're going to rotate it through. So there'll be some time passes and you'll want
to see it again. Okay, because we were a little, I don't want to say it 40 years in a row. Okay,
not even if I live that long, I don't want to see it. And then see the double insert on that to me is
I watch it every year. Like, there's two Christmas movies. I have to watch every year. It's a
Christmas story and it's Christmas vacation. That's the list. You know, I'm not a big,
it's a wonderful life guy because we watched it all the time growing up. And it's just like
those two I love. I have to fill in diheart and leave the weapon just because. But those are
fringe Christmas movies. The day we have lethal weapon the musical, I'm not saying that I won't be
hard to roll it out. You know, there was body of the musical. Yeah. It didn't last for you
it was there. Spider-Man turned off the dark. That happened. That happened, sir. And that's your
leader. A few too many injuries on that. Yeah, that's what destroyed that production. But she falls
back on the Lion King and across the universe. So she's okay. Julie Taymore gets a pack. Pretty much.
Anything else that you guys want to talk about? Why we're sitting here? Because this work here for you guys.
Let's see. The talk right into that, sir. Everybody can hear me. The fun of talking about it
in the drive home where you just have conversation back. How did they do that? Where did they
good? How did they dance forever and spin and fly? The walk through the parking lot is where
we're always starts for us. Yeah, dear God and heaven. It's really wonderful. And that one thing I
please do, sir. The one I would love to see at DSM, the Irish musical look.
One, come on once. Once. The one we saw, that's once. That's once. That's once. That was very
confused. I'm like, what did you see with the we weren't there for? But yeah, I will love to see once.
That would be incredible. That was, that was. Yeah, that's what he's talking about. Yeah,
we saw it last season at another facility. It's just the one that really I think caused
us the most conversation on the way home was dirty dancing. And we talked about that earlier
from the technological standpoint. And they kind of had two worlds collide. There's a moment in
the very beginning. And it's a spoiler alert if you're going to go see dirty into the musical.
Just spoiler alert in three, two, don't say the one. In the very beginning of the dining hall
on the on state's left. When the guy says, wait, there's something wrong with my soup.
I am a huge coming to America van. John Landis has crashed this podcast. Literally,
he just showed up and started talking at the middle of the Dallas International Film Festival.
He's sitting next to me. And I just elbow him. He's like, what? I go, this is fix it to happen.
Yeah. And as soon as he says, try the soup. I'm like, this is a, I just looked at him alone.
They're not delighted in that one moment. And I was like, oh, that was the one that I think we
had the most conversation about because for on so many levels, that one was in its own category.
Oh, when the curtain dropped on act one was the biggest goosebump moment of my of this season
for me. The way that cried to me ended with the fade up. I couldn't even describe it. I don't
know why it just spoke to me in the moment where they walked into the cabin and then walked
back in because they were able to change it. The way they were able to project the field.
Yeah. Yeah. On the, yeah. It just, it just blows my mind. How much the techno,
techno, techno, techno, techno. I can't even talk today. Technology. Technology.
But then you look at something like Rodgers and Hammerstein Cinderella or the King and I.
Yeah. That kept that classic style with just enough technology so that it wasn't overpowering
that old style. Like the opening of the King and I reminded me of watching the old movie.
We're the, the, you had the picture and then the title kind of faded into the sun.
And I was like, okay, now I'm seven again watching this on channel 19 on Wednesday afternoon.
Or that's what got me into musicals. The King and I is what got it started for me.
When my mother showed me something when I was like seven.
Well, we put a lot of thought into making the season very diverse. So it's not just all traditional
things or all brand brand new things. It's an intentional mixture of things that will appeal
to a broad range of people. And with the, the programs that people that are giving money to funding
tonight, it brings that diversity to a new generation. We all, you know, chat it's a theater kid.
I'm a band kid. We are all, we are all, can point to that moment where it clicked with us that
this is, this is the path I want to go down. We have those people that were in our lives that
put us in that place. And for these kids, some of these kids without these programs don't get that
opportunity. They don't get that person that's going to come into their life and be that turning
point for them. And that's what I love so much about North Texas giving day and about the
Swaray that we're having here at House of Blues tonight. One of the new programs seats for
events. Yeah. We talked about it earlier. I mean, you know, chat is a veteran. And
well, thank you for that, by the way. You know, it was my pleasure to serve. Also the, what's
stage right here is now is one that we don't, we haven't talked enough about. Here is now is
helping provide the technology for people that need those, those earpieces so they can hear what's going
on better. That's what they say. There's several different ways that they do here is now. One of them is
there are like headphones you can wear that pick up the sound, but also a lot of the modern hearing aids
can through Bluetooth can actually pick up the sound. And people who've never heard a musical
are coming in. They brought a group of kids inside them up in the balcony. And they were kids who had
never heard a musical. And they and their parents would come out with tears streaming down their face
because for the first time in their lives, they heard, can you imagine what that would be like?
Oh my gosh, just that, and that moment that you get to spend with them and to see, just to
see it click in their heads like this is, so this is really cool. This is, you know,
if we don't foster the next generation, we can't rely on someone else to do it.
Nice. That's right. And that's what I love about. I mean, that was someone
musicals could just be what it is. And it would still be successful. But this just
next level. Yes. Because we realize that we need these kids to foster through. And so when we're all
old and gray and telling kids to get off our lawn in there, what do you think the hair is so short
it hides the gray that we know that it's in good hands. Yeah. And then we have great people
like you guys that are willing to mentor those kids and be so active in what's going on.
Because like you said, this is a volunteer thing. Yeah. I mean, it's a lot of work, but it's worth it.
That's the thing. It's got to be worth it and it is. And there's so many great volunteers that
work with the productions when they come to town. I have a friend of mine that I'm hoping
comes by tonight who works with the group that does the stewardship for the for the
cast that does the hospitality for the host. And the guilt. That's exactly as I remember the name.
Yeah. That's all right. And so I'm hoping she comes by tonight because I wanted to sit down and talk
with us too because that's a really important program because these people that are in these
productions. They don't have to have a home because their home is in a bus or in a hotel room.
And to have a group like that who, you know, what come by will make it dinner. You don't have to eat
at, you know, denies again. You know, just those are the unsung heroes. And they bring them each of
those cast members and every one of the shows gets a cast bag. It's like a travel bag that has
stuff about Dallas. There's water bottles, snacks, all kinds of cool stuff that they just don't
get any of that kind of treatment in other cities. And that's what, that's one of the things that
makes DSM specials in the cast to come here. And it affects the performance too. You see how much
fun they're having. You know, when we saw Mamma Mia, the lady that played the female lead,
you could tell like she was an understudy because there was a, there was a family problem with
this family tragedy with the girl that was the first lead. But you could see like how much fun she
was having is like, this is what, this is what this is. And you can tell the difference. Do you know
that the cast parties at the guild puts on? Please do. I mean, I've heard that serve some of
it, but sharing with our worldwide audience. So the opening night of every show, there's a cast
party either at a nice restaurant or at some rich person's house. And we always go to the rich
people house because those are a lot cooler. They're a lot more fun. But they start after the shows,
they don't start till pretty late. The cast comes in, they're still energized because they've been
running on adrenaline. There's a nice dinner, it's an open bar. And you get a chance to actually
talk to all of the actors in the shows. And it's just a really, really funny evening for us,
you know, normal people, I guess. I'm not, I'm not claiming to be a normal person, but some of the
we can never make that. It's a relative. Yeah, exactly. But the actors in the cast really have a chance
to talk to, you know, people from the audience and just be treated nicely. It's a good thing. It's a
real good thing. And they just, they get that feeling of home. Yeah. Because when you're on the, I did
a job where I was on the road a lot for about two or three years. And to just have that feeling of home.
Like, I don't have to go back to somewhere where I have to left my little credit card that
gets me into what's supposed to be my house for a week. Yeah. To have, and then again, that makes the
productions want to come here. And when you can, the partnership with Bass Hall, we were talking about
that earlier, where they can have a longer run and stay in the same place. That's attractive to them.
It helps us and Fort Worthgate show sooner because we can commit to a larger group of weeks,
frankly, as a good thing for everybody. And my Michael Jenkins was saying, I'm already playing an
18 now. Yeah. You have to be that far ahead of the curve because that makes things go so much smoother.
Right. Now, let me ask you this, when the productions come to town, how many times average do you
see a production when it comes to town? Usually, I personally only see one. Okay. But when,
when you're when wicked was here, I saw three times during the time it was here because of entertaining,
various different people associated with the board. But usually I just go see one. Now, you may not be able
to answer this next question, but I'm going to ask you anyway. All right. You won't check me on facts.
The very first show I ever saw it down with summer musicals. My wife took me after she saw it on Broadway,
because she felt bad that she went without me. Okay. Was spam a lot. Is it coming back?
I can't answer that. Okay. There you go. I think you may not be able to answer this question.
It is one of the, I would answer it if I knew the answer. I just don't know.
So yeah, I'm telling you, it is one of my favorite things to watch because I grew up on the Holy Grail.
And there are about to release a 40th anniversary DVD set that's going to have a catapult in it.
85. That was my college years when they were on TV. So yeah, we spent a lot of time watching
money. Five times. So yeah, we saw that here. She saw it on Broadway, and then she took me when she
came home. But that's that's one. I'm hoping to look forward to very soon. But again, a strong
76 season that ticks off in about six weeks. Can I throw a one more thing in please, too? That's
over here for it. The one reputation that we've had at the Fair Park Music Hall is that the sound
is bad. And I have to tell you, we've got a board member, Ganon Berry, Epstein, who has put a lot of his
time and his money into completely redoing the sound system. Oh, it's phenomenal.
Unbelievable. Good. Now, so we sometimes people say, well, I don't go to Fair Park because
you know, the sound sound is good. And that was true years ago. It is not true. It is not true.
It is not true. This past season's been amazing. So if that could be anybody away, they need to know
they should come in here the real thing. And we are, we are sound and visual officiianados. And
there were times, of course, like when white when the curtain goes out, there's a little bit of
adjustment. But once that adjustment hits, it within seconds, it is tight as a drum. And that
sound system, again, that's keeping you away, trust me. From as a guy who is very picky about audio
and visual. As you can see. It's a bit of AV geeks since I was six. When I was pushing projectors
into classrooms in elementary school, it's top notch. And not just because we know the people behind
it and their friends of the show. It is literally top notch. You can't beat it. I'm going to go
let you enjoy the party, sir. Thank you so much. Appreciate it for coming. And we got more guests.
They just don't have the cavalcade of stars happening tonight. Joining us right now,
the director of development, Jim Jenner, talk right into that mic, sir. Hello, everyone. How are
you? Welcome to the show. We're well, how are you? I'm doing great. Doing great. We've had
a absolutely spectacular day. It's been a very long day, so bear with me. Oh, absolutely. What time did
it start for you this morning? 2 a.m. Woo! We were down in Victory Plaza. I was dressed as Buddy
the Elf. Nice. My team was just up like the little mermaid and Elfaba from Wicked. And we were
out there, promoting, promoting. We had our big DS and M letter cutouts, and we were trying
to get on the news. I just saw that. I just saw that. I just saw that. I just saw that. Did you guys make
you a channel? I found there. Did you guys make the day break show? Yeah, you know, I talked right into
that. Thanks a lot. I haven't had a chance to get home and watch my DVR yet. I will be interested
to see whether we did because my arms were so exhausted afterwards, just from holding the letters
up all that. But it's today is such an amazing day to see how this city, this region, comes together
and gives to nonprofits. And as Buddy the Elf, I was thinking of two of my favorite lines
from the movie, which is, everyone should be on Santa's list, but I kept saying everyone should
be on the giving list. Absolutely. And the second was, I saw Santa in the audience and this morning
and I was like, look, they're Santa, I know him. So I kept hoping that I would end up on the TV
to do that, but they didn't give me the opportunity. And what I, the fact that we have this thing,
because everybody could do their own little deal and whatnot. But the fact that we have North
Texas Giving Day, where you have the opportunity, everybody has the opportunity to go out, go to
North Texas GivingDay.org if you don't want to leave the house. I mean, it is a school night.
I get it, you know, but you can still give. Now, of course, again,
make sure that that gift goes to Dallas, some were musicals because we're biased, but there's
so many great nonprofits. And I don't think we've actually said that yet on tonight's show.
Dallas summer musicals is a nonprofit organization. And it's something that I think people so
easily forget because they think of us as a ticket organization. They think of us like the Dallas
Cowboys or the Dallas Mavs, which sell tickets out the door. And so do we, and they are very,
very helpful for us. But one of the things that we also do is we invest in our community. We invest
in the next generation. And we saw that here tonight here at the House of Blues. We hired our academy
kids out performing and singing. We heard them, so we were setting up for pressure. Yeah, one of them
gave this heartfelt testimony that you couldn't, I mean, I couldn't even ask for. I couldn't have scripted it.
I mean, she inspired tears in our audience. And it's like, because that's what we're really here for.
And that's why I'm at Dallas summer musicals. I work at Dallas summer musicals. I like the
shows. My girlfriend loves them more than I do. And you know, sometimes I love them, sometimes I
kind of want to fall asleep. But what I believe in is that we are investing in an art
every single day. And that investment in the future in creativity is so important. And if
who wouldn't give to that? Absolutely. How could you not give to that? Because the dividend
it pays are so beautiful. Yeah, absolutely. And they can't be quantified. It's really hard to come
up with a calculator or a scanner that you can hold up. Even in our 21st century sophisticated world,
where you have, I mean, we had a plumbing issue at my home over the weekend. This guy came out
with this spectrometer thing and he told me where there was water. There wasn't. I was like,
how the hell can you do that? And I'm sorry. I'm not a junior. Yeah. I know it's amazing.
Or PG. So it's a whole, it's cool. And I'm wondering, you know, it's like how we could get to that.
How could we, how do we share that story? And it's things like tonight. It's that kind of testimony.
Agreed. Where you have a nine year old or a 10 year old up there talking about how
she would have never had the courage to go on stage and sing if she hadn't had these great
mentors and Kevin and Ty who run our academy. And I'm so, so grateful that we have talented people
like that and so glad that we have an organization that believes in that because not every
art organization does. I agree. You know, so I'm just so tickets. And again, we've talked about this
all night about it's that next generation that has to foster this thing and take it to that next place.
And that you just complete the cycle and DSM and that's so much in kids. And you have to
because some of these kids, like you said, otherwise would never have known what the would,
it would take them longer to find their joy. You know, let's get, let's get them on the path now.
Let's get them going now, find your, you know, and it doesn't have to be, maybe your gift is
backstage run in lights or building sets. We've seen some amazing pippins, sets, were insane.
And some of the sets that we've seen this year, those don't just spontaneously generate.
You know, these are things that people have put their lives into and just, you know,
I just, nice work if you can get it. Yeah. Just how people, and I've used their creativity
to make sets that had that movement. But we need those creative minds. And the only thing
is we're going to find those creative minds are in this next generation. And I think it's so
important that we find people that are willing to support that an investing creativity. And I think
that that's what tonight was about as well is that, you know, I mean, one of the things about
Dallas, summer musicals is being, we're a 75-year-old cornerstone performing our organization in the
city of Dallas. And I would say for the city of Dallas, but our, you know, our, our, our patrons,
our subscribers, you know, our, typically baby boomers. And I find that in my age, you know,
the honest, I'm 35 years old. I asked my friends in the last time they were at the musical
was, it's been a while. And so that's part of what tonight was about. And my team came to me and said,
hey, there's this in our Texas Giving Day. And this is their first rodeo. This is my seventh.
I've been with North Texas Giving Day since the first one. And I remember we didn't really
get a whole lot of money that night. And I was just pointing, but I've, I've had mixed, you know,
kind of experiences with it. I think this year is going to be incredible. But my team came to me and
said, we want to do an event at the House of Blues. And I said, no. And I said, why? Why would we do that?
And they said, because we want to attract younger people. We want to attract people to come
and have an experience that's, you know, it's one of the things I sell all the time. The DSM experience
is there's nothing like the music hall at Fair Park. There's nothing like Adele,
some of the musical show. There's nothing like our programs. But you have to come and you have to
experience it. And sometimes you have to be reminded. And in other cases, you have to be introduced.
And that's what my team is very, they're, they're young, they're generation wise. And they really
want to engage, you know, their friends, their colleagues, their peers, and a lot of them came tonight
to support them. And also, we'll come to our shows this next season because they're curious
about where their friend works. And what this music hall is all about in Fair Park, they've never
heard of it. It's been spending all their time at Tates in uptown or the local, you know,
burger bar or whatever. And it's like, there's something great about Fair Park. I mean, it's the last
remaining exposition site in the United States. Really? Yes. I mean, the white city in Chicago,
it's gone. It's burned. It all disappeared. Seattle, all gone. We still have that thing. I mean,
we have the original art district in so many ways. And I say that a lot. And then let's contentious
and political. And I'll probably get in trouble if I go on too long on that. But it's like,
I believe that. I mean, we used to have this wonderful thing. And why don't we go back to it?
What if we went back to it? And what if we invest in it? Because art doesn't all have to be in
one art district. It can be spread out throughout the city. And it quite frankly is. Some of the
greatest things in the city in New Texas. Again, going back to New Texas, giving day and the region.
Absolutely. Our things that are spread out across. I mean, if you've been to the Irving,
you know, theater center, amazing. You've been to the water tower theater, amazing. If you've been
a rover drama works and every scene, one of their shows up in Plano, amazing. Well, there's a white rock,
what's the one on white rock lake? Is it a bath house? Yes, it's a cultural bath house. We were there,
a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot because almost a year ago, coming up on it. Yeah, I wish I could
remember the name of the production. They won, they won the 1953 prize at North Park this afternoon.
It was a, oh, wow. CFTO is as these pop-up gifts and I went up there trying to see if we might
get a chance and we didn't. So if anybody wants to get involved, how can they get a hold of you?
You know, my email is online. You know, I'm a Dallas Army Musicals website. Yeah, okay.
Dallas Army Musicals website, fire, Facebook. We have a, it's info at DallasSummer Musicals.org.
You know, you can email me, Jay Jenner, be happy to talk with you, see if there are ways
that we can get you involved. Another thing I want to mention while I'm on here, George,
one of the things I'm trying to kind of bring to Dallas Army Musicals is kind of social enterprise.
So we're working in a couple of new things this year, one of which is a community performance,
which will be in March of 2016 during the Little Mermaid. Okay. Where we are trying to,
I'm, I'm not ready to say it entirely yet. Okay. But my dream is to give away the music
call for one performance. Ooh, all 3, 420 seats. Nice. And I could certainly use some, you know,
sort of feedback, support volunteers. There's lots of different things that go into that because
we're looking at six months. Oh wow. And another that we're working on is investing in military
families. It's called Seats for Vets. Wish that the new program this year, which is one of
the beneficiaries tonight. Yeah, absolutely. And it's something that Michael shared a bit of his
passion with me when I first started last November. And I just told the agreed and we're trying
to look for partners because one of the things I've learned about North Texas, I'm not a native,
I'm from Michigan, Detroit area, is that there are 1.7 million veterans in the state of Texas.
And North Texas is a number one recruiting region for the five branches of the military in the United
States currently right now. Did you know that, sir? No, I did not. And why, why shouldn't we be
doing something for that? You know, do you know where you are? Absolutely. You know the snowball
express, are you familiar with that here? That'd be a good podcast for you guys. The snowball
express is American Airlines Partnership. And maybe Southwest, now I'm prophet of the great
fine Texas. They bring the, right there. They bring the victims of the fallen or the families
of fallen soldiers to Dallas for four or five days from all over the country. And it's completely
free. And with their children. And they have this sort of like therapeutic kind of experience where
they all get together and do activities together, whether it be sea of musical, go to the Parone
Museum. And one of the things in you may have experienced this and not even known it is trying to get
up 75 one day and you were like, wow, I just waited to get up 75 for now and 15 minutes,
it's because they closed it because when the snowball expresses in town and these families on
these buses, they drive on the freeways on and comfort. Nice. And I think what what an honor
to you. Yeah, we were looking at that. Yeah. And if you ever want to interview them,
they would be, yeah, they're, they're touching wonderful organization. And I, I don't know if
the nation knows about them enough yet. Let's get them out there. Yeah, you should.
Jim Jenner. Yeah. Director of development. Go enjoy the party sir. Thank you guys.
Because we've got another guest we're going to talk to. Excellent. Appreciate it. Appreciate you.
One of my more favorite angles is coming up right now because we talked a little earlier about the
guild. Yes. One of my dear friends is a member of the guild. And I get to see her every once in
a while when we go to the musicals. But joining us right now is the president of the guild.
He's also on the executive committee of Dallas Summer Musicals. Also an actor,
which helps indeed. Steve Burn, welcome sir. Steve Beane Beane. Yes. Sometimes Don's handwriting
fools me. It's okay. It's all right, dude. That's the worst thing I'm dealing with today. I'm way ahead
of the curve. This would be welcome. Thank you. Glad to be here. How are things going for you guys?
Because I know you guys have a, you're kind of candy corner to we are out here in the lobby
outside the Cambridge room. Well, we are starting our season as well. So we just started with our
membership drive. We are where we need to be at this point with the season starting in November.
We're actually the organization that does all of the opening night parties. And then one of the
things we do in Dallas that probably nobody else does is when the shows have two shows on a day,
we feed the cast between performances. And that's something that's like way above and beyond.
It is. And as an actor, I always like to be fed and they like to be fed. As a podcaster, I like to be
fed. I don't know. But this is a really cool thing. Renee Tibbett is a good friend of mine.
Love her to death. And I was hoping she was going to swing by tonight, but they weren't sure they
could find us in her. Yeah, beautiful little baby too. And she tells me about the stories about
the yellow and the things you guys do. And I, it's just, I'm being honest, it warms my heart.
Well, we had a founder's day past president celebration just a couple of months ago. And we
started as an organization in the early 60s to support the Dallas summer musicals. And we actually
had several of the founders there and about 12 to 15 of the past presidents. Wow. So that was
and because of that, there's quite a few people that came that are now re-interested
and getting back involved. How many members you currently have? Around 200 each year. Wow.
That was way more than I was expecting here. Well, and it's an organization where you can be as
as involved as you want, or you can just pay your dues and get a parking sticker, you know.
Fair enough. As far as the active members, is it something that, because you guys do a lot.
I mean, you do a lot a lot for these casts and crew. Is it a rotating thing or
do you kind of have a core group of people that kind of do the same thing all of the time?
We have a board of directors and we have 35 members of the board. We have just voted to
extend that to 40 because there's so many people that want to be involved. Outstanding. And I would
say that's the core, but just because you're a member and not on the board here again, you can be
as involved as you want or not. Not only do are we involved with each task that comes through town,
but we're very much involved with the Dallas summer musicals, high school musical theater award.
Which is awesome. I'm judging at J.J. Pierce, just Saturday. What are they doing this Saturday?
Because they mentioned the Pierce, but they didn't say what they were doing. They are doing,
are they doing? Oh, they're doing Swiny Todd. Oh. Oh. And you're a big fan. You're
your daughter, both big fan to that. Yes. Yes, I am. We are. Yes. That's why I have not
performed in. So I enjoy seeing it. But it's we're involved with the high school musical theater awards.
We're involved with the scholarships. So we're very involved. It takes a lot of time and
as many people that can get involved who love theater. A lot of the people in the Guild are actors
themselves, but you don't have to be. There's a lot of people who just enjoy. If you've got a
heart for serving people. Sure. You know, if you're somebody that's ever been on the road and you know
how it feels to be living out of a suitcase and to just want that feeling of home, even if it's
for an evening. Yes. You should get involved in the Guild because that's what you're giving to
these cast. Absolutely. And as a sidebar here, as you say, when you're on the road,
your your family is the show that you're in. Absolutely. But you do still have another family and
there's other things that happen in your life goes on. And some very dear friends of mine,
he was on the road with Srek and they lost their unborn child out here. And so they started an
organization called Gideon's feet. I've heard of that. I have to. It's Brian Gonzalez and Ashley
Puckett Gonzalez. And the organization is there to help actors in need. And you know, Brian
had to go back out on the road. And it it helps people through crisis. It helps actors that are
ill. I had to have a have surgery on my heart valve about three years ago and it was Gideon's feet
that they arranged people to feed me. Wow. To run errands. They signed everybody up. So that is
that's another organization that a lot of us are involved with. That is a great thing to check out.
So if you go online and Google Gideon's feet, you're going to find Gideon's feet.org.
That's why the Facebook page. And it's it's actors helping actors. It's what it is.
Now as far as the Guild goes, is can people join it anytime or is there a membership window?
No, you can join at any time. Once the season has gotten started, then you can get a discount
because one of the the perks of being in the Guild is going to the opening night parties.
Nice. We have different levels of membership if you join at the $500 level.
Is that per year? That is per year. Okay. You get an invitation for two to every party.
And then you get to host one of the parties and bring four of your friends to that party.
Well, one of the things you get to do is get your picture taken with the cast and everything. So it's
it's a nice little perk. And obviously 40 bucks a month or something like that.
Oh, it's very rich. Yeah. Yeah. And I don't know if I'd call that a little perk. That's a pretty
pretty big perk. I'm going to lie in your bread and it's really right.
But in some of the cast, you know, there's a lot of people that are getting started in their careers,
but then they have an awful lot of people that are stars that come through and
that could have been one of the biggest face melting moments we had from this season when
we realized that it was Adrienne Barbo in Pippin. Yeah. We were just like, who is that lady?
She looks really for me. And I looked at her saying, it sounds like Adrienne Barbo, but there's no way
that's her. And I looked at her program. It's a very firm person. We both just went,
she looks fantastic. I'm ashamed to call myself a critic at this point. I should have known.
Well, I was doing crazy for you at the Garland Summer Musicals, directed by Bob Schur at the time
that Dippin came through and Bob had directed Adrienne many, many years ago. So it's a small world.
Yeah. And it's just, and a lot of these casters such a wonderful people would even be around.
They're all wonderful. You know, they really are in, you get that feeling when you're around
them that it's, you know what? These are just people that are following their dream and they're
having a good time. You know, we had a member of a cast now following me on Twitter just because
we did a review of their play. You know, and it's, the guild gets to do that on such a
more concentrated level than to be a member of that guild gives you that feeling of community
with them and it helps to have that sense of community amongst themselves. Right. And you get to
feed them and you get to become friends with them. You've met them all an opening night. By the time
they leave, you've a lot of times struck up some friendships with them too. And it is a small world.
There's not anybody that comes through town that I don't talk to that doesn't know somebody that's
a friend of mine that I've done a show with. And then you just like I'm having a Kevin Bacon moment,
right? Yeah. Yeah. I'm, I'm two steps removed from Kevin.
It's a matter of fact. Okay. Give it to us. Give us the two steps.
Actually, he did JFK with Carol Ferreby and Carol Ferreby and I played opposite each other in
a moment. Don't. Wow. Actually, aren't we like two or three steps now?
John Land is crashed our podcast a few months ago during the Dallas International Film Festival.
It's everybody's only here. Yeah. I think at this point that gives us that just that much closer.
Yes. So people want to get involved. We are all about shameless self promotion. Tell them how they
can get involved. Well, for one thing, if you're on Facebook, we do have a Facebook page,
Dallas Summer Musicals Guild. You can also go to the Dallas Summer Musicals page, Dallas
Summer Musicals.org. And there is a drop down that says getting involved. And then there's the Dallas
Summer Musicals Guild. And it has our application and everything. And I'm going to put all of these on
our, the Dallas Summer Musicals link has been put on our Facebook page probably. Dallas Summer Musical
would, I believe, is also on our website. I bet I should know. I'm not putting that straight. Well,
no, this, but it's saying on our Facebook page, I'm putting it in. Absolutely. Yes. When I took
over his president two years ago, we had like 60 people on the Dallas Summer Musicals Guild
Facebook page that I like this. I said, I want a thousand by the time that I go out of August
out of office. And we're up to about 600. So anybody who's listening to this, go to the Dallas
Summer Musicals Guild, Facebook page, and like us. I will do that as soon as we get off air.
You have my, you have my like for sure. All right. Go enjoy the rest of your evening,
so I was such an honor to have you here. Support the guild. Absolutely. Because I have like,
I have a one step relationship to the guild. So. And support the Dallas Summer Musicals. Absolutely.
Is it is North, Dallas Summer Musicals? There is no guild. That's a fair point. That is a fair point.
Thank you. Thank you, sir. You are listening to the clubhouse podcast. We're doing a special
addition tonight. Live at the House of Blues in Dallas for North Texas Giving Day,
helping support the Dallas Summer Musicals. I'm glad down got me like a soda and a water.
If you turn through one of my, I burn through the soda. I'm on pathway burn through the water.
You know, we're still got 15 minutes to go. There's a lot going on here, sir.
And you know what, I'm okay. We just throw into the run, run, cheat to the side. Just kind of
reforming this. Yeah, it's kind of unnecessary. Well, we do want to remind you that our next show
coming up Sunday night will be the WWE night of champions unofficial official pre show.
Because it is paper view weekend, sir. So hard to believe. Well, you know, we were off for two weeks.
So it just, it just kind of sneaks up on you. Like you kind of push it out of your head. And then the next thing,
you know, oh, it's time for another one. And then we'll have a regular show that we
got after that. And we may be off on October 11th. That's my wedding anniversary. So I've got to talk to the
lovely and talented Mrs. Irvin to see if there is a, if there's a plan for that. Okay.
Because sometimes she doesn't think about that until I say something to her. And then it's, oh, yeah,
we have to do this. It's like, oh, yeah, we were going to. I'm like, oh, we were. Oh, oh, oh.
Oh, this is the one we've been waiting on.
The hardest working man in show business is bringing us the hardest working man in show business.
Don. Yeah. I'm going to let you introduce our, our final guest of the evening. This is one of our best
friends of the show. Would PR director, would you say, or just, I end all the PR's on the public.
This is Francesco, who how many times is we have we think on that show on our special
editions from the DSM? I've lost count. Yeah. I mean, that was some of musicals has been so good to us.
And you know what, before you keep going, I got to say thank you guys. It is our honor to be here.
We're having more fun than any two individuals should be allowed to have right now. You guys do a wonderful job.
And you know covering this event. I mean, everybody's time me. Who are these guys?
Our wives ask the same question sometimes. I don't know. I don't have a wife. I said,
I was, I was coaching the chat in myself. Well, it's not your medium. So you have to. That is true.
So how's, how's it been in there tonight? Because we're actually out at kind of in the,
because you're called the four year as the kids like to call it. Well, I mean, this is, this is our first
event, you know, that we do like this for Nord Texas Giving Day. And I got to say, I think we did an amazing job.
I mean, our development team, they're, they're incredible. You know, and just the amount of people
coming in and just the reaction. Because I believe that the fact that, you know, we're showing the
donors today, what they're, you know, giving their money towards. And I think it's a loop account.
And I have not seen one person walk out that wasn't happy. That wasn't excited about what just
they just walked out of. People are walking by waving right now and just the smiles. That's
what you want. Because season 76 is going to be huge. It is. It is. We have an incredible season.
I got to say, personally, I think it's one of our best ones yet, you know, with just Nord Texas
Day views, our own production of the little mermaid. Oh, so we're eating this already for that.
It's a big blockbuster shows like wicked. Oh, it doesn't get better than that. I haven't seen wicked
in a, I think I'm one of the 19 people in America that has not seen wicked. So I'm one of them
to have. So I will be able to check that off the list later. I was a March of next year.
April. Well, Mermaid's in March. April 20th of May 22nd. I'm looking at the poster right now.
So actually, that's a hell. That's a heck of a run. Yeah, it's not. But you got to have that many
shows for a show like that. I mean, that's a sell out. You know, it's because it's such a good show.
And it's such, it's such a good show because of the message. Let me, let me tell you something
friends and neighbors, you think the Garth Brooks ticket debacle was tough to get tickets.
Wait until this thing hits. Oh, yeah. And because there are, I know people that are like,
I would watch that musical every day for the rest of natural time, if I could. You know what?
Our special reviews. We have things. We always make a point to think that we always do. And
because of DSM, there has been so much stuff I've never would have seen. Brother, you ain't
lying because I'm right there with you. Yeah. They, and every production is incredible in a sound
in that place. There's not a bad seat in the house. That's been the underlying theme of
everybody we've had on the show tonight has been about the sound in Fair Park music hall. And
they're not lying. It's that good. Yeah. Yeah. But we cannot thank you enough for how
generously been to us with, you know, Dallas, some are musicals. I'm a part of a good
man in show business right there. Yeah. I mean, it's just how do you find time to sleep with
everything you do? You know, I asked myself the same question, but I think, you know, I was thought
from the best. And I went home. We got to always thank her. She's the one that started this ball
role in with us. Yeah. She's, she's my mentor, my ex-boss, and my theater mom. So she's wonderful.
And what we love is that we're actually going to other productions around the city. We went to
a production about two months ago. And I looked behind us and there you were. It's like, oh,
it's just goes right behind us. We're good. You know, you got to show love just to theater in general.
Exactly. Yeah. It's about the arts of Dallas. Yeah. It's not an exclusionary thing. And that's what
I love about it is there's so much that sense of community. And now with the partnership with
Bass Hall and Fort Worth, that community just got even bigger. Exactly. And it's just,
you know, we've gotten into this thing right at the right time. I think. Yeah. Yeah. You know,
so much going on, like we talked earlier about bridges of Madison County. That's a brand new thing.
And we got to talk to them and, you know, see about a friendship with them, too. You know, but
well, it doesn't matter. Oh, we're not worried about that. I don't know. Now look at there when it gets
going. Oh, yeah. Yeah. I mean, but still we're so happy with what we get here with the DSM. And
so if I'm doing my math correctly, there's not a show during the State Fair this year.
That's right. You're correct. Was there one? There wasn't one last year either. Two years ago,
I know there was because we talked earlier on the show that we went to a concert on the last
thing in the fair, the Lion King. Lion King was the last one. And I was actually a part of it
as an intern. Oh, really. Yes. And that was the last show. But I believe in the future,
we're going to have probably a special. It's not necessarily, you know, one of our season shows.
Okay. But as for right now, we're just letting people enjoy the fair and everything that they
have to offer. And for people that don't live in Dallas, you have to understand that Fair Park is a
behemoth of a piece of property. It's man. His historic. Yeah. There's museums. There, you know,
the State Fair happens when it happens. The cotton bowl is their original cotton bowl. Yeah. The original
cotton bowl, of course. You've got Texas OU there. I mean, yeah. Well, yeah, they do.
Oh, you Texas there for sure. But it's so much more than just the State Fair. And the music
hall is right smack dab in the middle of it. And it's such a gorgeous facility. Something
we were talking about earlier is when you go into the music hall. Because of course,
there's been facelifts over time because that's just what it is. It's you feel that history
still in there. There's not a bad seat in the entire place. You know, whether you're down,
right, whether you're sitting right behind me or extra, if you're the last row of the balcony,
every seat in that place gives you a great view of what's going on. And the amount of work that
is put into all of these productions. You know, we talked about just the polar opposite styles of
like the King and I versus dirty dancing versus the illusionists. Yeah. We talked about the illusionists,
too. Yeah. But it was all, it's all still amazing. There's literally something for everybody
with Dallas summer musicals. And that's what I think is great. Yeah, I mean, you know, it's such a
wonderful venue like you said. And a lot of history, you know, we've been there forever,
younger than I've existed. And, you know, we just, I think the fact that we stick to family entertainment
and, you know, bringing those shows a Broadway here to Dallas is really what kept us going.
We're, I believe we're a staple in the community now. Oh, absolutely. There's no doubt in my mind.
Yeah, you're, you're like a major protein when it comes to, you know, if you're okay. So we've
asked almost everybody this question and some people are answering it and some people are not.
But I'm going to ask you anyway. Looking at this season, can you pick a favorite child?
Let's see. It was just so tough.
Everybody said, you know, I got, I got to tell you. I mean, I have a love for wicked because
it was my first musical really. But Chad first musical go while he's thinking the one he just said,
looking was your first. Oh, no, no, no, no, I thought you meant the one I'm looking forward to
them out. The first musical you ever saw that you weren't in. Yeah, because I was in school.
Probably well, you count college. Whatever your first one that you saw that you weren't in was.
That's what I'm asking. Best of the whole house of Texas is in Richland. Really?
When my sister was in it freshman year. Now sophomore year in college. No, senior year in high school,
Broward Center for the Performing Arts, right on the intercoastal,
Phantom of the Opera. Really. Drop the mic. For me,
it was some point. We got taken to the opera, to the Fair Park Opera when I was in elementary school.
Yeah, fun. And I was, you know, such a great production. But, you know, now really thinking about it.
I think it's going to be a little mermaid. And just because of the fact that we're still
involved in that, you know, producing the show ourselves that we just get so close to the cast and
there's something about it that just, you know, just, it's a local production. So you kind of have a
little bit of a bias because it's local and not national. Right, right. Absolutely.
So when I'm sitting there watching the show, I connect, you know, I have that connection with the
cast and everything like that. So I feel like it's more special to me. But I think the fact that
other little girl, you know, if we can make them forget about whatever is going on in their lives
and just have one of those moments where they're very happy. I think we've done our job.
Well, we cannot thank you enough for tonight. We cannot thank you enough for everything you
done for us. I know you're a busy man. So we're going to finish the best, you know, with you
tonight's. And we're looking forward to the next season. Yes. And again, we cannot thank you enough
for everything you do for us. Well, more than you ever have to. Yes, I mean, you know, really appreciate
appreciate everything that you guys do. And we're going to keep doing it as we're going to show
lettuce. That's it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's a partnership. Totally. Dallas some of musicals.org. Go there
now. Go there often. Get season tickets. North Texas Giving Day.org. If you can't be here,
you still have an opportunity to give. That's what this day is all about helping out non-profits all over
Dallas. There's events all over the city. This is the one that matters. Tell them say, this is the
one that matters. And I'm not afraid to say it. Any, any plugs you want to throw out there, my friend?
Well, I mean, just, you know, you haven't told 12 o'clock. That's right. Get it in for three hours
and four minutes if you're listening live and if you're on the archive or if you're on iTunes,
find a way to give money. Another way. And aside from that, just really check out our programs.
You know, our educational and community outreach programs because we're more than show,
you know, we're more than that. We, we have an incredible programs which I'm sure you've been
talking about. Oh, absolutely. So yeah, just check them out and they're all there on the website.
So you can find out more about them too. Some great programs and not only helping kids, helping veterans,
giving people opportunities that they wouldn't have otherwise. And making Dallas better.
Absolutely. All right, gentlemen, we ready to do the project. Yeah, we're going to wrap this
puppy up. All right. Visit our website, www dot the clubhouse podcast.com. Find out everything
you need to know and some stuff you don't. Like our Facebook page, look up the clubhouse podcast on Facebook
but the word podcast on the end or it's something completely different. Follow this show on Twitter at
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spelled ERV. I and I am at chat in PG69. I'm at fondango and you can email me at Don at the clubhouse
podcast.com. Dallas over musicals at DS musicals on Twitter. You can email Don. We love doing
these live remote shows. We'll do it for you too. Email Don for information on that. You can email
me if you'd like questions, comments, concerns, tell me to go pound sand. I am Rob at the clubhouse
podcast.com. I have chat at the clubhouse podcast.com. Charlotte Parker is on Pinterest because
we are morally obligated to say that. And Jules Wormick, she's showing the crib. There she is.
Our normal show every Sunday night, seven Eastern, four Pacific year one stop shop for all
things sports entertainment. Sunday night, the unofficial official, www, night of champions,
free show will be on. So until then, for Chad, for Francisco, for Don, for the Empire, I'm Rob,
the clubhouse is closed. Britney Palmer appearance. The show's done. I'm just saying.
The preceding was a sooner or later production.