October 7, 2024 • 56 mins
Filling in for Lance this week is 98 Degrees member and DWTS Season 2 champ Drew Lachey! His guest is the very first person who gave him frosted tips... his wife Lea Lachey!
Talk about couple goals! Drew and Lea have been together for over 30 years! Hear their meet-cute story that started when they were just little kids. Their relationship even survived Lea dumping Drew in sixth grade... although they both remember it differently! The couple also talks about how it affected them when 98 Degrees blew up, their dynamic working together on their non-profit organization Lachey Arts, and how an empathy exercise in one of their classes led to their new musical, label•less.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
This is Frosted Tips with Lance Bats and iHeartRadio podcast
What's going on Everybody? I'mrew Liche, a member of ninety
eight degrees, the Season two Dancing with the Stars Champion.
It was only eighteen years ago, and I've done a
couple of Broadway shows. I have, you know, kind of
(00:26):
been on reality TV a little bit. And today I'm
hosting Frosted Tips, and I thought it would be only
appropriate if I interviewed the person who, back in nineteen
ninety six was responsible for giving me my first Frosted Tips. Yeah.
(00:47):
She This is my beautiful wife, Leah Lasha.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Thank you, Jill, thank you so much. Thank you. So.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
How you doing today?
Speaker 2 (00:57):
I'm great.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
How are you? I'm doing great. I'm great. So I'm
going to ask you a couple of questions.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
I'm slightly terrified.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Well, the reason I wanted to interview you today is
because there are certain times as married couples where you,
I'll say we, but married couples in general might not
necessarily be as open and honest with each other as
they possibly could be, and not necessarily in a negative way,
just more of a you know, maybe not give compliments
(01:26):
when compliments might be deserved or might not be like, oh,
you know, that really does get on my nerves, you know,
you know those kind of things. So I thought I
might be able to take this opportunity to get you
on the record talking about how awesome I am.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
So this is why I'm here.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
That is the only reason is to feed my ego
and make me feel great about myself.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
You're not friend, I will be completely honest.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
I'm sure you will be. So let's just not daily diet.
Let's just jump jump right into it. So what is
it that you remember about our meeting? How do you
how do you remember our meeting?
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Like us? Yes? Like who else?
Speaker 1 (02:13):
What do you remember about me and Lance's meeting? You
weren't there?
Speaker 2 (02:15):
What?
Speaker 1 (02:16):
No?
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Me? Okay, well we were we were really young. I
mean so the first time I met you, I was
I was ten. We were ten? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (02:28):
What grade?
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Fifth grade?
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Fifth grade?
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (02:30):
Fifth grade?
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Where I mean the the biggest visual that I have
is English class or that might have been seventh grade.
I can't I don't remember. I do know that what
Drew may want some people to know he was a
new Kids on the Black fan and would which I
(02:53):
was to listen? That was my first concert. But he
was a skateboarder, and he would skate in his driveway
listening hang in talk.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
No, you weren't even that barely. You are telling a
story that Nick told me.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Well, I mean I remember, I remember you skateboarding. I
remember you like running down the hallway with like, you know,
your backpack on one.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Shoulder, very dashingly handsome.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Dashingly handsome. I mean like I have like bits and
pieces like memories from you know, ten eleven, twelve. But
then I think, I mean, I remember when we first
started dating, which was we were juniors in high school.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Okay, so I'll lead you a little bit.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Oh please lead me.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
I'll try and do it subtly.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
When when was the first time that we went out?
So terrified? But do you not remember?
Speaker 2 (03:53):
I mean, that's what I'm saying, is like junior in
high school.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
No, the first time we went out.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Oh, oh, are you're talking about when I dumped you?
Speaker 1 (04:02):
No, that was time we went out. The first time
we went out. I was in the sixth grade. Okay, jeez,
clearly not enough. So we were in the sixth grade,
and we were we were both part of the Cincinnai
(04:22):
Ballet Nutcracker, right.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
And then I and then I broke up with you.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
Yeah, but it was more like so she was going
out on the road to be a part of a
touring production of a theater show, and she left town
in the sixth grade, and so it was it was
more like, you know what, I can't do a long
distance relationship. You know, I think it is his best
if we take a break. That that wasn't really like
a dump. That was really like a breakup. That was
(04:47):
more just like, you know, I'm gonna be gone for Yeah,
you spread your wings, all spread mine and we'll see.
You know, if you love something, let it go and
if it returns to you. It was meant to be
kind of thing. So then that was the sixth grade.
Seventh grade, I banged up my knee and I was
on I was on crutches, and we had an in
(05:10):
school performance at the symphony. Like we were going to
go see the symphony, and I mean, you remember every
detail I do. And we were going to the symphony.
And before we went to the symphony, I said, hey, Leah,
you want to go out with me? She said, sure,
left you that'd be great. You're dationally handsome. Why wouldn't
I want to go out to you? Yes, And then
(05:31):
when we came back from the symphony back to school
two hours later, she told me that she didn't want
to go out with me anymore. And she just told me. So,
do you remember that? Yes, So that was where the
first two times we went out. Then the third time
we went out after you know, like.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
I don't remember the third die.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
The third time we went out was wed juniors. Oh okay, yeah, yeah, yeah, okay,
I do remember that. Yeah, so if she remembers that one,
that's well, because that we were together.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Yeah, you know, as the story goes.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Yeah, So you know, then from junior year on, we've
been on many many journeys together and you know, seeing
the world, and I had two beautiful children, and you know,
now they're grown up and you're just gonna be stuck
with me all over.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
I like being stuck with the act, just the two
of us.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
All right. So so we started dating as juniors in
high school. You started, you know, you went to college.
You quit college because you got hired, yes, as a
dancer by the Radio City Rockets.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
At that point, do you remember what I was doing?
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Yeah, you were working on an ambulance in New York
gold Stars.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
She remembers that she doesn't remember us going out, but
she remembers she remembers my job. All right, So when
once you started working for Radio City, and then I
started with driving the ambulance and I got the beep
on my beeper from Nick. He was in LA. I
was driving ambulance to New York. He beat me, and
(07:14):
I pulled the ambulance over. I went to a payper
and called him back and he said, hey, we're starting
this group. I want to join, And I said yes,
and I left New York where you were as well.
What what was that thought process like for you?
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Like, I mean I think I've always been a big dreamer,
you know that. So for me at that age nineteen
twenty twenty one, I mean, the world is at your fingertips,
So what an amazing opportunity. I mean I don't even
I don't even think the thought and it shouldn't really
when you're young, like that like cross your mind of
(07:51):
like oh man, this is a big jump, Like what
if it doesn't work, I say, go all in. So
I was thrilled. I was excited for you. I mean
I was I was clearly sad that we weren't going
to be this is what he wants. I was trying
every night. No, I was. Of course I was sad,
and we were long distance for years.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
But how sad?
Speaker 2 (08:14):
So sad? Just one so so so so so.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
Sad, so sad.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
No, of course it's hard. And then we kind of
bounced from like coast to coast and I'd be working
in LA and you were in New York, and then
vice versa, and then you guys, we were in Asia all
the time. I feel like, so that was you know,
that was a little crazy. But then we got married
really young, like now I will get that, and I'm like,
I can't believe we I mean we were twenty four.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Yeah, but yes, we were twenty four, but we had
already been together for eight years absolutely, so yeah, all right.
So when I moved out to LA and I started,
you know, singing before we even got signed, did you
have any idea of kind of what you were like
signing up for? Like now, no, I does anybody? No,
I mean I had no idea what I was signing
(09:02):
up for.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
So no, and I and I say this all the time,
like the world was the pop world. You know, boy
band and pop groups and all of that. I mean
it was. It was a wildly fun time and crazy.
But I can't imagine, like I always think, like we
didn't have social media, we didn't have that added stress.
(09:25):
So I just remember the time being fun. But you know,
did I like being on our honeymoon remember that?
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (09:35):
And we had to come back like what like two
days early from our honeymoon. Yeah, because the guys had
a video that they needed to shoot. So I think
that it's, you know, it's a little give and take
when you're in the business. I mean, I think once
you get older, you can kind of, you know, be like, hey,
I'm gonna set some boundaries. Now. Obviously when we started
having kids, there were a lot more boundaries that we set.
(09:56):
But when you're young, you're kind of like you're jumping
at any opportunity, you know.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
Yeah. So once once things started happening, like once we
got signed, once single started coming out, once you know,
people started adoring you. Adoring might be an understatement loving.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
I mean with the fact tat with the one year out,
remember that.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
It's so cute, that's how it works. Still got it, folks. No,
I mean like once once things start blowing up for us,
and and how did how did that affect.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
I mean, to be honest, as a as a young girl,
it was hard. I mean it was hard. I'd be
lying if I said it wasn't hard. I mean, I
even though I mean it's crazy to see that. Like,
I think we had a really good relationship, like in
those early stages, which I think again about all of
(10:57):
the things that were added onto our plate where the
relationship could have just crumbled right the long distance, the
the fans, the girls, all of that. But I mean
I had some nasty things said to me, and I
think sometimes, you know, in those early stages, I apologize
for those things. I'm just kidding, no, But I mean
(11:18):
I also think, like me, No, I think that the
guys I mean ninety eight obviously is family, and so
I feel like, you know, I always felt safe in
that bubble. But yeah, you have to you have to
have thick skin. I hate that term, but you do.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
I mean you do.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
You have to be able to kind of, you know,
brush stuff off.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
But you have great skin.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
You were dancing, you were performing, you were living your dream,
and you were dancing for music videos and rockets and
radio sitting and all that stuff, and I was doing
my my very you know, sophisticated boy band dancing.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
It's sophisticated because I choreographed it.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
So yes, yes, So if you could put if you
could put your one of your other dance numbers from
your career on me and set it and set it
on me? Who are you laughing? Which one? Would it be?
Speaker 2 (12:22):
Like? Anything?
Speaker 1 (12:23):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (12:24):
Okay, so definitely I would put you in a pair
of Laduca heels three inch I can do, and I
would have you do. I mean, name a combo that
that we do here at the studio. I would have
you do that.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
But oh, you have me to do one of these,
not even like back like I thought you were going
to throw it like.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
Oh no, I would have to do something now like
really current, throw yourself around on the floor, roll around,
kick your legs all that, because that would be we
should do that anyway, because that would be good. I
just want to see what it looks like. But I
also think if you're if you're talking back in the day,
I would put you one hundred percent in a Rockuet
(13:02):
kick line all right.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
For the record, my leg would not go very high
you would you would be on the end. I fully,
fully yes, because the short so it's especially the same
because I'm short, i'd.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Be on the end.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
I mean i'm too, but I will say that because
of my army experience, I can hold I can hold
a formation. I can I can if I can do
it in combat boots, I can do it in eels.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Come on, I feel like we're going to need to
try this, Okay, Okay, Well, that would be the challenge
I would have, because I think a lot of people
don't understand how incredibly difficult it is to work in
that line like that.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
It's hard on shoulder to shoulder. I got this, gotta
use your peripher roll legs ninety oh, then higher, and
I know what that foot would look like. It would
probably be sickle turn it. It's okay, it would work out. Okay.
Now there's some people that will kind of say, all right,
(14:05):
you guys have had kind of like this this storybook,
you know, romance, and my response that would be like, yeah,
she's married to me. Of course it's been fantastic for her.
I mean people might even say it's like a movie,
like made for like movies, you know, the high school
sweetheart stuff, the boy that did good.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
The boy that.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
You know what I'm saying. All right, So if they
made a movie about us, who do you think would
play you? And in return? And in return, but even
more importantly, which dashing leading man would play me?
Speaker 2 (14:53):
And it's like our life story.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
I mean, you can pick an era, you know.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
The Okay, Well, I mean I don't know. I honestly
never really thought thought about this, but I'm I'm kind
of I'm I'm obsessed with Pink, you know that, So
I can only hope that I'm as much of a
badass as she is. I also love Lady Gaga, so
that would be like right in there. So Pink, Lady Gaga,
(15:21):
if you want to play me, that'd be fantastic. You.
I don't.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
Who would you have play you?
Speaker 2 (15:31):
I want to hear, actually kind of want to hear
what you think?
Speaker 1 (15:36):
He'll be good?
Speaker 2 (15:37):
All right?
Speaker 1 (15:38):
So if mm hmm for somebody to play you, I
would say, like, like like a Rachel mcaddam's kind of
but like I think that's like, okay, I think that
would be a good fit. So after we were married
for a while and we were living in La We
lived in La for how long we started having a
(16:02):
family and you know, Dance with the Stars. It happened,
and you know, I had already done Brent, and we
were like, all right, where's our where where's our life? Like,
what's our life? And we decided we were going to
move back here to Cincinnati, big back home. What do
you think was the main reason for you.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
To makeamily being part of a community, like I love
our I love our community here, And I think that
that was probably not that we didn't like have our
tribe of people from the industry that that we adore
and still miss, you know, not living close to But
I think I was pregnant with Hudson and Izzy was
(16:50):
three and a half and so so and who is
Izzy our oldest daughter who is now yeah, in in college.
And then wis Hudson our son, our beloved son, who
was fourteen, our freshman in high school, freshman in high
school soccer and lacrosse player, which is crazy, No, I
(17:11):
think I think for me, we always said we were
super close to our grandparents, and it was weird to
even think about that we were going to be so
far and removed from them, and it was just going
to be kind of like oh here, you know, Grandma,
Grandpa visiting. You know, if we're lucky five times a year,
(17:32):
you know, I mean, whatever it is holiday wise. So yeah,
and I'm still like, I'm very very happy that we
made that decision.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
And once we moved back to Cincinnati, you know things
I'm not going to say, it was like, oh.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
No, it's a big, big decision, lots of adjustment.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
Yeah, and we took our time, we talked to people,
we tried to figure it out loud. I you know,
every time I talked to Tumbrs around still, I'm like, hey,
you're the reason I felt good moving back home, because
he was basically like, you can work from anywhere, you know,
you got to take care of your family and make
sure that your your family is the priority. So thanks Tom.
(18:14):
And then on top of that, once we came back,
we were always trying to like, all right, how do
we how do we make a difference in Cincinnati? How
do we make a change. How do we find out
who we are in this in this community? Because LA
and Cincinnati they might sound like they're very very similar,
you know, but there there there are some differences. Feel
(18:37):
other than Cincinnati losing to LA in the Super Bowl,
which I'm still we can't talk about. I'm still bitter
about I can't talk about that. Yeah, So you know,
we moved back, we started Lache Arts, which is our
nonprofit which has been going for twelve plus years. Now,
what type of change and difference do you feel like
(18:59):
that has made in our lives?
Speaker 2 (19:03):
Well, I think that I think the biggest change like
when you start out to do something like that and
just what you said like a like a give back mentality,
and it was more of like us getting involved with
the performing arts high school that you know, we graduated
from Nick and Justin graduated from and you know, it
starts like that and then all of a sudden you
realize that you're getting more than you could have ever
(19:26):
imagined out of something like this. And so I think
for us we kind of just not kind of we
still to this day pour our hearts and souls into
the share arts because we do we believe in this
next generation of artists. And so you know, when I
look back, I don't think that that's ultimately like I
didn't know at that time that that's what we would
(19:49):
be doing. So and then it's turned into our musical reveless.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
Yeah. So in twenty eighteen, as part of a Lache
Art's theater class, you know, we wrote we had our
students right down on pieces of paper ways that they
felt like they weren't being seen, or they weren't valued,
or they were discriminating against and we were just going
to drop them on the hat and shake them up
and honymously and have people pull them out and then
(20:18):
they were going to have to put themselves in someone
else's shoes.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
Yeah, was empathy exercise.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
Yeah, so from there, how did labels come out of
that exercise?
Speaker 2 (20:29):
Well, again, it was one of those things where we
had no idea what would come of it. And then
as we were reading those pieces of paper and crying
and for like, for me personally, I can one percent
say that the one that I read about my uncle
says that I belong in the kitchen and that's where
(20:51):
women belong. Is where I said, I'm sorry, like this
is actually this is actually happening. So I felt like
I was maybe a little out of touch with what
was going on. And so I don't know, I well,
you know how I think I think art moves people.
I think we can you know, learn from it. And
(21:11):
grow from it. And I think from that, with the
permission of that first class, which was the first cast
of label lists in twenty eighteen, we started to create
a show. And even then it wasn't like we didn't
set out to be like, oh, we're going to we're
gonna build a musical right and then it and I
say this all the time too, like the best stuff
(21:33):
happens organically and naturally and it just it just happened
and it makes sense.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
Yeah. So in twenty eighteen, we had all covers. You know,
we had literally every every every song, every subject that
we were trying to tackle, we used a cover song
to try and highlight it. You know, we used like
a Rachel plattin fight song is like the closer, We
used who Said by Selena go Man he was Beautiful
(22:01):
by Christina Aguilera, And you know, there's just a variety
of different of different songs since then, you know, we
went from you know, fourteen sixteen covers to seventeen songs,
but over sixty percent of them now our originals, so and.
Speaker 2 (22:21):
Written by our friends that are songwriters in the industry.
So it's actually also really cool because we get to
work with our friends.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Yeah, So Jamie Jones from Off for One wrote a song.
Paul Duncan, who is a very good friend of ours,
very successful songwriter, written for Yeah. He wrote I don't
even know what the count is now or co wrote
with me many songs. Aaron Space, who is another friend
(22:50):
of ours, wrote a song, and we still have a
couple of covers in there. But how do you feel
like putting the original music into the show has has
changed the trajectory of it.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
Oh, I mean the show, and the show has grown
immensely from that. So I feel like because when you
start to write your own material, then you're actually really
locking into that story you're telling. So it's so great
right to match it up with covers, and that's exciting
because people know the songs, and like you said, we
still have some covers in there. But I think when
(23:23):
you start writing those original pieces, you're really tapping into
those stories. So each cast member has a story in
the show, and it's a wide variety of everything from classism, bullying, racism, homophobia,
the list goes on mental health. And so I think
(23:43):
that when you're really truly listening to that person's story
or monologue, if you want to say in the show
and then it goes into that original song. There's nothing
like it.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
So as we go through all these different stories of
the cast, is there I mean, I know I have
ones that have that have hit me very, very hard.
Is there one one story that kind of stands out
to you as either like very moving or opened your eyes,
brought you something.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
I think that they I mean, I have to say this,
that they've They've all taught me lessons in different ways.
And each new cast member that comes in and you know,
tells their story and the show, you know, you you
start to look at the world differently, and that's the
whole point of the show, right is to put yourself
in their position and walk in their shoes. So obviously,
(24:51):
I I mean sexism self worth is huge for me
mental health. But I I think learning so much over
the years would be Alyssa's story. And Alyssa is in
a wheelchair and just really I think dives in to
(25:14):
her story of you know, see me for who I am.
I'm I'm I'm a person. But then the well I
adore her, but the day to day learning from her
in the rehearsal process of I mean, I was guilty
at the very beginning. And I will say, and this
is how you learn and grow of you know, people
(25:35):
are moving set pieces around and Alyssa said, what about me?
I can do that, and so it just kind of
it changes your mindset and it changes the way you know,
you view things. So I would say, I would say
Lissa's story, Yeah, yeah, I would agree she's a badast.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
Yeah. I mean I think there's like I catch myself
still like there's certain things that I think as society
we're all kind of still learning and you know, adjusting
to and you know, saying all right, male cast members
or female cast members, and you know, so just being like, oh,
(26:12):
you know, making it more inclusive to you know, a
non binary or people that might not identify with one
or the other, or just male presenting female presenting pronouns,
being more aware of that, and.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
Also just asking a question. I feel like I've learned
so much from the cast and this you know generation
of artists where they're just like, if you have a
question and you don't know how to address something, or
you don't know how to ask it, just calmly, just
just ask how how would you how would you like
me to address you. It's that simple. And I think
(26:49):
I think people when they start being fearful of things, right,
they shut down. And well, that's why I love the
show is I feel like it brings topics to light
in a very creative way and you leave the theater
going I can do that. I can, I can have
more empathy and it can be a better person.
Speaker 1 (27:09):
Yeah, and I mean I think, yeah, there's definitely stories
that have hit me, you know, harder than others, but
like just musically, like coming from like a song, a
song point of view, Clearly, the finale together is better.
I mean every time I he cries every time I do.
(27:31):
There's something about that song and when the cast comes
together and they sing it, there is such a sense
of community and love that it. Yeah, it makes me
cry every time. And I've seen the show hundreds and
I could, I could, I think about it hundreds and
hundreds of times. But then if I look at at
the you know, the show as a whole. I mean
(27:52):
you Are Seen, which is a song that kind of
that kind of goes with with a list of story.
I'm really proud of that one. I love the message
of that one. But there's the song Hands, which talks
about how you know, we're all making it's in our hands.
We have we have a choice, like we can, you know,
we have two options. And so that song to me always,
(28:15):
you know, makes me makes me think and feel because musically,
I feel like the arrangement is very beautiful and that
the lyrics are great, but I feel like just the
way the cast comes together and sings it together, that
one always always gets me emotional too.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
I love hearing that you get emotional too from it,
because there's nothing better than, you know, working and giving
your heart and soul again to the writing and the
music and the choreography and then feeling super proud of it.
Speaker 1 (28:46):
And when we were talking about songwriters, there's we love
you know one out and that's Yeah, a former student
of ours at Lache Arts who is an aspiring songwriter
kind of a prodigy. We we were looking for a
song to replace Beautiful by Christian Aguilera in the show,
(29:07):
and we went to her and she was eighteen at
the time, senior in high school. And the whole tead, Yeah,
the whole song is about you know, self worth and
when you look in the mirror, what do you see?
How do you feel? How do you feel about like
the pressures of you know, society and having to do
(29:27):
with beauty and what is what is the right size?
What is the right number? What is you know? All
that stuff? And she wrote a song that is so
moving and inspirational. Yeah, well, well, well beyond her years,
that song is so Yeah, so I hope she's as
proud of that song as she should be. All Right,
(29:48):
So we've been working on labels for over six years now.
Is there one moment that stands out to you as
like that is that is that moment of pride, that
is where yeah, something something happened where you just one
I mean, yeah, what what is? What is that that
biggest moment?
Speaker 2 (30:09):
I mean it's so hard to answer because again when
we started, never knew how much work. I mean, I
knew it would be hard, don't get me wrong, but
just all the ins and outs of like producing and
directing and choreographing and songs come in and out and
what works and what doesn't, and proud moments each each phase.
(30:32):
I'm proud because you know, catapultsy to the next level.
I think performing the show in New York and an
off Roaway theater in November was one of those moments
where deep down while I was crying and like hugging
our team, and you know, the audience just kind of
(30:53):
like leapt to their feet and there's nothing better than that,
and the energy in that room was incredible. But to
have just that little tiny dream, little tiny tiny dream,
and then to push push, push, push, and then to
get it to that that point is I will remember
that moment for the rest of my life.
Speaker 1 (31:12):
For me, there's you know, it was one moment during
one performance, and it was during the finale of this
last run Sinanta Plaus in the park and the finale
was going on, and it was getting like we were into
the It was in the bridge and then it was
building out of the bridge and and the whole cast
(31:33):
was coming forward, and this one lady that was kind
of sitting like a little bit house left and I
was at the sound booth and and Leah was Leah
was right there too. This one lady literally just jumped
out of her seats mid song, like the song was
still going on, and she literally just stood up and
(31:54):
put her hands towards towards the cast, like giving all
her love and energy back towards them. And then one
by one, the entire audience started popping up and literally
it was a standing ovation before the song song was
even over. Yeah, people were up out of their out
of their seats, like literally just giving so much love
(32:15):
and energy to the cast where it made me like like,
you're like, holy shit, and.
Speaker 2 (32:22):
Then we I have to say this to you and
I have to interject that, like the cast is so
brave and courageous and so to see to see their
reaction when something like that happens too. I mean we've
both been on stage as well, and so I can't
imagine what that is like to receive that. And then
(32:46):
I don't know if you remember that the one woman
jumped up and grabbed in a in a you know,
polite way. I was like, do we need security, but
just was so moved needed to hug one of the
cast members, I mean stage like so yeah during the show.
So I was like, oh, we might need to bring
in security out, but that or yeah, it's it's yeah,
(33:10):
like we said, so proud, it's amazing, all right.
Speaker 1 (33:13):
So we just finished up a run at the playoffs
in the Park. We just did a showcase in New
York City at Chelsea Table on stage Yeah, we have
a couple of things this fall. We're starting to book
out dates for a spring of twenty twenty five. If
there is one thing I love this question. There's one
(33:35):
thing that you want LABELSS to do, to accomplish, to
to be a place that you wanted to be performed, Oh,
be performed, be performed? Yes, Like where where is that dream?
What is that dream scenario?
Speaker 2 (33:50):
World domination?
Speaker 1 (33:51):
Okay, thank you, doctor Evil.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
I just believe in the message so much so I'm torn,
And I know you're going to say one place. I
can't pick one place because the you know, Big Dream
obviously is Broadway. Why why wouldn't it be that would
be incredible to just have the show sit down in York.
There's just that's just pure magic. But I also think
(34:18):
touring it is so important because the whole point of
the show is to get people to think outside of
the box. So I think the best way to do
that is touring it all of the country, all over
the world, right, and then I and then third the
West End London. I would love that. I would love
(34:40):
love that so so so basically the answers everywhere.
Speaker 1 (34:44):
So this is this is I think everybody's kind of
getting a glimpse into what I deal with on a
daily basis. So I ask a fairly simple question like
where would you where do you see the show going?
Speaker 2 (34:54):
That's not a simple question.
Speaker 1 (34:56):
That's simple.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
No, it's not because if I answer just one place, like,
that's not what I want.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
But it basically becomes oh, we're just going to take
over the world. That that is what? That is?
Speaker 2 (35:08):
What?
Speaker 1 (35:09):
Why not? I get? Yeah, So it's not just there's
never just a simple answer. And you know, people are
always asking, you know what what how do you guys
work together? So how do you how do you how
do you view our our our working relationship?
Speaker 2 (35:27):
Okay, so I do think that we I think we
work well together.
Speaker 1 (35:32):
Do you well, yes, no, I absolutely do. I think.
Speaker 2 (35:37):
But you're like, how do how.
Speaker 1 (35:38):
Do I view it?
Speaker 2 (35:39):
Like in in the process, in the room and the Yeah.
Speaker 1 (35:42):
Just so so everybody understands, we produce label less, we
direct label less. We produce it together. We directed together.
I write most of the the monologues. We have a
couple other writers on it, but mostly me. You do
(36:03):
all the choreography except for the racism section, which which
is my best friend. Yeah, we have multiple songwriters meeting
one of them. Then we also are the fundraisers, we
are the tech crew, We are whatever whatever has to
be done for the show.
Speaker 2 (36:23):
Now that's the story.
Speaker 1 (36:24):
We we do it. So it's not just like, oh,
we go to the office together and you.
Speaker 2 (36:30):
Know, it gets it gets stressful.
Speaker 1 (36:31):
Is that you're saying, Yes, I'm just trying to let
everybody know that it's not just like this, oh one
of us is in sales and the other one's distribution. No,
it is like and it's also the time.
Speaker 3 (36:44):
We would be lying if we said that the time
we would be lying if we didn't say that. There
were times that we were.
Speaker 2 (36:53):
Like like, right now.
Speaker 3 (36:56):
Well I can sell when you're mad, and Mike, one
of our cast members, says, it actually does a really
great Yeah, we'll have.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
To do it for you.
Speaker 2 (37:08):
But like when Drew gets mad when we were on
tour in the fall, and there were there were sometimes
that were very stressful getting the set up, you know,
in time and all that fun stuff, and you would
put your hands on your waist and just do the
pacing during sound check and then the and then like
walk up stage and then do the I was like,
(37:32):
it's pissed, he's pissed, and so you have to, you know,
keep it calm, keep it gone. And then I got
him a snack. It didn't help.
Speaker 1 (37:45):
How simple minded am I? It's like it's like like
Mango from Blazing Saddles, Mango bad unless you give like Mongo.
Speaker 2 (37:56):
Like well, diet cokes sometimes help.
Speaker 1 (37:59):
Yeah, some times, but not always.
Speaker 2 (38:02):
Pissed and rightfully, so you were pissed.
Speaker 1 (38:04):
We don't even need to go into all that things
were happening. Yeah, yeah, But honestly, I feel like we
work well together because we there's a mutual respect for
each other's contributions and skill set and what we bring
to the table. But I think also we are complimentary
to each other in the way that we approach situations.
(38:28):
Like you are very much a big idea person. That's
why you were like, oh, what how do you want
the show World Domination, Broadway, West End Boom. You know,
I am much more of a You're more macro in
your thinking like big, and I'm more micro, like, all right,
(38:49):
what are the fifteen steps that have to happen to
get to you know this first this first goal? And
I feel like because we were not both just dreaming big,
I mean, yes, we are, but we're able to compliment
each other because if I was, if it was just
on me, I would just literally be so caught up
in all the little details just to get to the
(39:09):
next show that I couldn't be focusing on what the
long term goal is. And you we are more long
term goal and you know, so you know, some of
the details might not be quite as important, you know.
So I feel like because we're kind of ying and yang,
it works. So a lot of our cast members in
(39:44):
labels started off in the Lache Arts program, so we've
been working with them and training them. Clearly, now the
cast has expanded. We got people from literally all over
the globe at this point. But if you had to
give those young performers, those young cast members one bit
of advice for you know, kind of taking on this
(40:10):
industry and their life in this industry, what would be.
Speaker 2 (40:14):
Again, I don't have just one answer, So I'll go
listen more. I mean, I think that's that's advice for
myself too. I think when you when you listen, you
you learn so much. But also to take every opportunity
you know and put your best foot forward so you know,
you never know how you leave one job, how it's
(40:38):
going to affect that next job because this industry is
so very small and we all know each other pretty much,
I mean, just right, I mean I think and then
and the third thing is, and I didn't do this
at nineteen or twenty because you know, it was probably
too nervous or scared or whatever. But that networking matters, right, Yeah,
(41:05):
I think.
Speaker 1 (41:06):
As long as you don't do it in a douchey way.
Speaker 2 (41:07):
Yeah, yeah, not in it, not not in that.
Speaker 1 (41:09):
God.
Speaker 2 (41:09):
No, I just think that, like, you know, if you're
if you're in that work environment, you're doing not only
good work, but and you also treat people the way
you want to be treated, you know. I think I
think we've been lucky in that for the most part.
That you know, we have for the most part cast
members that want to be in the room and want
(41:31):
to be a part of something that is, you know,
an original musical. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (41:34):
I think for me it would be you know, don't
don't tie your own self worth two? Which what job?
Oh god, you're working, you know, I mean I think
that's like.
Speaker 2 (41:48):
That's what you do, that is what you do in
your twenties.
Speaker 1 (41:50):
So let's be real, honestly, yeah. I mean I think
back in all the time, I was like, all right,
so you know it is you know Bastery and Sync
in US and you know, oh, they sold this many.
I'm like, oh man, we gotta we got to sell
that many now. And then it's like all right, there's
there was that. And then if you didn't get there,
you're like, oh man, or if your song didn't go
number one, your song went you know, broke top ten,
(42:11):
but you know somebody else it didn't. It didn't achieve
what you would initially hope to would achieve, you know,
not carrying that that weight of like yeah, it just
wasn't good enough, I'm not good enough, or you know,
take it one step further, like auditioning. You know, it's
there's so many different reasons why things can work or
(42:32):
not work. And so if you just train and you
work hard and you you do your best you can
in that room or whatever job, whatever job, interview, you know,
if you don't get it, you you have to be
okay with all right, I did everything I could. It
just didn't work out this time. As opposed to carrying that.
Speaker 2 (42:52):
Yes, that weight, I just think in your twenties, it's
so hard to hear that.
Speaker 1 (42:58):
Well, I'm staying I'm still in my twenties.
Speaker 2 (43:00):
M M. Yeah, yeah, you just reminded me of and
he I don't even know if he remembers saying this
to us because it was years ago, but I say
it all the time Donald Baison when he said stay
in your lane, and at the time, I don't even
nobody was referencing, but I say it all the time.
I'm like, just stay in your line, just stay in
(43:22):
your line. Do you work on you right?
Speaker 1 (43:25):
Yeah? Yeah, yeah, I agree.
Speaker 2 (43:27):
Mind your business. Now.
Speaker 1 (43:30):
When we when we started this interview, I said, one
of the reasons why I wanted to interview you was
because there might be some some opportunity to get straight
no bs answers to to some things.
Speaker 2 (43:46):
No, did I succeed?
Speaker 1 (43:48):
No, not really. You kind of danced around a couple
of things. But there is there's one question that I'm
kind of curious because we've been together for geez, how
long we've been married for twenty four years? Been together
for well, it'll be twenty four it'll be twenty four years. Yeah,
(44:10):
we've been so that means we've been together for thirty
two years.
Speaker 2 (44:14):
Good Lord, all mine together for seventy five years.
Speaker 1 (44:18):
All right, now in those thirty two years, you know
me fairly well. Is there is there anything? And I
know probably not, but is there anything I do that
just really annoys you?
Speaker 3 (44:35):
Like?
Speaker 1 (44:35):
Is there is there one? Is there one thing?
Speaker 2 (44:37):
That? There are two things that's like and you're not
going to say what? No, I get the two things
right now. The you know this, and so do all
the guys. Drew whistles and it is like I want
to claw his face off.
Speaker 1 (44:54):
I'm a really good whistler. I'm just I'm just saying no.
Speaker 2 (44:57):
See it actually makes me. I get so annoyed because
it's like a yodel whistle no like no, it's bad.
Speaker 1 (45:06):
As Billy Joe. Billy Joe's got a whole intro. You know,
it's all whistling, but it's.
Speaker 2 (45:10):
Always in the car. He's also started to add this
weird like foot tap with the yodel.
Speaker 1 (45:17):
You don't even know you do that with the yodel.
Speaker 2 (45:19):
Yoda whistle whistle, yoda, a yoda whistle with a foot
a strong foot tap while we're driving. I literally I
want to I see red. So that's the first thing.
The other thing, and I bet you there are other
people out there that are in relationships with people and
they do this Drew somehow. It's always at night, will
(45:39):
take like his socks off and leave them right by
the door of the bedroom. That is odd to me.
I'm like, can't you take those socks and put them
in the hamper? But I mean, I get on our
son about that song. I don't put it in the hamper.
I don't understand. It's like and so in the morning,
(46:01):
I'm like, what are the socks for? Are they no?
Speaker 1 (46:04):
No?
Speaker 2 (46:05):
Are the sock are you can put them on again?
Speaker 1 (46:07):
Like?
Speaker 2 (46:07):
Are they're dirty? Or you can put them on again?
Are you saving them? No?
Speaker 1 (46:10):
I probably wore the socks into the bedroom and as
opposed to walking like down back down to the hamper,
I just took them off there. Okay, So and in
the morning you walk past them and leave them. Well,
I was planning on coming back and getting them. I'm
sure just my eyes. It was dark in the room.
I didn't see them.
Speaker 2 (46:30):
This is not a one time occurrence. I'm this is
this is easily three or four times a week, easily,
And so I'm like, I just want to know.
Speaker 1 (46:38):
I don't know if I changed my socks three or
four times a week.
Speaker 2 (46:40):
So you take them off, you put them right there
by the door, you get in bed, you wake up
in the morning, you walk past them. So then when
I go back in the morning, because I always make
the bed every morning, I'm like, what do I do
with these? What I do with these socks?
Speaker 1 (46:57):
And what do you do with them?
Speaker 2 (46:57):
Put him in the hamper? But why there it is?
Speaker 1 (47:02):
You know what to do with it. I don't know.
Speaker 2 (47:04):
There it is.
Speaker 1 (47:05):
They don't bother me, sitting right there bother me. I
don't know. I don't know what to tell you. I
don't know. And there there is one conversation that we've.
Speaker 2 (47:15):
Try and get the industry under the with the socks.
Speaker 1 (47:21):
Damn you, Drew, you can't put your socks in the hamper.
Curse you to hell. No, We've had this conversation for
a long long time, and it's it's a common conversation
that a lot of married couples have. And you know,
it's the whole toilet seed thing. And so my I
(47:42):
get it. Why can't you put the toilet seat down?
I get it. You don't feel like that's because because
the toilet seats always down. So my question is, if
it is up to me to always put the toilet
seat down when you're done, why can't you put it up?
Speaker 2 (48:03):
I'm not doing that?
Speaker 1 (48:05):
Why not?
Speaker 2 (48:06):
It's just it feels wrong.
Speaker 1 (48:08):
So if I'm saving saving you from from either having
to touch the toilet sea or not looking and falling
into the.
Speaker 2 (48:17):
Toilet, but who's to say that if I do that
and I put it up and get it ready for you,
how do I know that you're in the next one?
But what if it's not me?
Speaker 1 (48:23):
How do I know you're going to be the next one?
But yet I still have to put the thing down.
Speaker 2 (48:27):
You're ridiculous.
Speaker 1 (48:28):
I'm just saying it. If it's a partnership, if it's
fifty to fifty, if I got to put it down,
why can't you put it up?
Speaker 2 (48:36):
I can get down with other things. But that to
me just sounds I mean, I get what you're saying,
but it's not it's just not gonna happen.
Speaker 1 (48:44):
See, it's not fair. This is this is not this
is not right. But you love me, I do. I'd
love you more if you put the toilet set up,
all right. So, a lot of a lot of our
experiences in the industry have have kind of been around
(49:06):
different reality shows, you know. So there was there was one.
There was one reality show that we were on, were on.
There was one that I was on dancing, you know.
There were been other ones that we participated in. Our
families done a ton of them, you know. There was
(49:28):
Nick and I did one about, you know, building a barn. Right,
So if you and I as a as a married couple,
we're competing on a reality show, which one do you
think it would be?
Speaker 2 (49:46):
Can you do? Can you do the one you've done before?
Because I feel like we'd crushed Dancing with the Stars?
Speaker 1 (49:53):
Okay?
Speaker 2 (49:54):
Is that? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (49:55):
Yeah, no, we we we would except for neither of
us a ballroom dan, So we would just be like
doing us but we wouldn't be like, oh and doing
the chowhaw, you know. It would be like, yeah, we
would just be out there, you know, kicking ass and
taking names. Okay, but so a different way. Let's take
that one off the table. What is there another one?
Speaker 2 (50:15):
I feel Okay, I love the like amazing race stuff,
but I know that I would be.
Speaker 1 (50:23):
So stressed out. Yeah I don't really. I do necessarily
think like you're great at many things, almost everything.
Speaker 2 (50:32):
That would be good at that. I feel like I would.
Speaker 1 (50:34):
I would be dirty. I would playing in the mud
and doing all that.
Speaker 2 (50:40):
That kind of episode where they're walking through Madrid, like
looking for a certain statue. Yeah, that's what I want
to do.
Speaker 1 (50:49):
Okay, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (50:50):
I like the traveling aspects and trying to figure out
like what plane, what train, what right? Like that I
think we would be good at.
Speaker 1 (50:57):
Yeah. So no, I don't want to no naked and afraid.
Speaker 2 (51:02):
Oh my god, no, please know that would no alone, No,
that would be horrible.
Speaker 1 (51:13):
Homestead Rescue we could do.
Speaker 2 (51:15):
Oh we do like Homestead Rescue.
Speaker 1 (51:17):
I'd have to grow my mustache out more, you would,
I do?
Speaker 2 (51:20):
You think that show's fascinating? But I don't know. That's
not like a it's not like competition. No, it's like
just like helping build, which I think is pretty cool. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (51:28):
So this year we are celebrating twenty four years of marriage,
which means next year is twenty five. Now we're already
you know, talking about, Okay, what are we gonna do
for our twenty fifth anniversary? It's a big one. But
if we look back in the past, is there one
(51:49):
Is there one date.
Speaker 2 (51:51):
You're gonna say one again. I hate doing just.
Speaker 1 (51:54):
One trip or moment that you know, one one room,
antic moment that you can like, We've.
Speaker 2 (52:02):
Had so many amazing trips. I don't know how to pick.
Speaker 1 (52:04):
What is there one that is like your favorite, like
one scenario when setting one spot that you're.
Speaker 2 (52:11):
Likerew, life is about me.
Speaker 1 (52:13):
That is why.
Speaker 2 (52:15):
That's why I married him. Okay, so we are going
to do something big twenty five. We will. We just
have to plan that.
Speaker 1 (52:23):
We have to plan.
Speaker 2 (52:24):
But I like when stuff is like loosely you know
what I mean, like a loose plan, like loosely scripted,
loosely scripted. And then I mean because I think because
we're always so busy and everything is so scheduled all
the time that when something is just like hey, we
got the whole day, like when we were in Dublin
(52:45):
comes to mind, like when it's like we only have
nowhere to be, we have no schedule to keep and
what are we in Dubling for? Okay, we were there
because he was working, but we were working.
Speaker 1 (52:56):
I was doing name that too, Yeah, and I competed
against how from from Backstreet and I won. All right,
I'll continue with your.
Speaker 2 (53:05):
Story, Okay, so.
Speaker 1 (53:10):
No.
Speaker 2 (53:10):
I mean, I just I like days where it's kind
of like it just just kind of flows right. Like
one of our favorite dates, and I know it's not
like this big, like you know, grandiose thing or travel thing,
because I don't think it needs to be is we
were downtown Cincinnati and it was snowing and it wasn't
planned and we had we had like a staycation kind
(53:33):
of thing planned downtown.
Speaker 1 (53:34):
And it was Valentine's Day, I remember.
Speaker 2 (53:36):
And one of our favorite restaurants here in Cincinnati Soto.
You know, every nobody could get to the restaurant because
it was like blizzard conditions, and so we were there
and we just kind of like walked past the street
and we had the whole place to ourselfs and we
just it's the it's the best restaurant. And we sat
there and just had a nice bottle of wine and
good food and just like nowhere to be And I think,
(53:58):
I don't know, connection like that is awesome.
Speaker 1 (54:01):
That was actually my favorite date that I was going
to say that you didn't know that I did, But
it was just like that, like it was so romantic,
Like the city was so quiet, because anytime you're in
an urban area and it's snowing. It's just quiet. It's
you know, you look up at the street lights you
see like the snow falling. And then it was literally
right across the street from like the hotel where we
were staying for our staycation, and we literally walked in
(54:24):
and this place is impossible to get into. It's always crowded,
it's always packed. And we literally walked in there and
there was like nobody in there and we just sat down.
We sat at the bar and yeah, it was awesome.
We sat at the corner of the bar, so it
was like we were just sitting like this the whole time,
just like eating and drinking and just relaxing and just
and nowhere to be and know where to be. Yeah,
(54:45):
it's the best. I think that, I think that would be.
Speaker 2 (54:47):
So what we're I think what we're getting to summing
it all up is the fact that we need to
do more of that.
Speaker 1 (54:52):
But that's laughing, more vacation.
Speaker 2 (54:54):
Because everything is so planned, not gonna happen for a second.
But maybe we need.
Speaker 1 (54:59):
To make it and we'll make it a priority. I'll
make it a party. All right. Well, I want to
say thank you for letting.
Speaker 2 (55:06):
Me interview you.
Speaker 1 (55:07):
Thank you for for making your agent, you know, make
this happen. Leah Lache and agent I. I hope that
the interview was as insightful and riveting for you as
it was for me, and I wish you nothing but
the best in the years to come, and with LABELSS
(55:30):
because it sounds fantastic and because I benefit from it
as well. No, but I love you and uh yeah,
If any other time you need a guest host for
Frosted Tips, you know where to find her. I have
(55:50):
a go on everybody. Hey, thanks for listening. Follow us
on Instagram at frost the Tips with Lance and Michael
Turchin and it's best for all your pop culture needs.
Speaker 2 (56:02):
And make sure to write his review and leave us
five stars six if you can see you next time.
This is Frosted Tips with Lance Bats and iHeartRadio podcast
What's going on Everybody? I'mrew Liche, a member of ninety
eight degrees, the Season two Dancing with the Stars Champion.
It was only eighteen years ago, and I've done a
couple of Broadway shows. I have, you know, kind of
(00:26):
been on reality TV a little bit. And today I'm
hosting Frosted Tips, and I thought it would be only
appropriate if I interviewed the person who, back in nineteen
ninety six was responsible for giving me my first Frosted Tips. Yeah.
(00:47):
She This is my beautiful wife, Leah Lasha.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Thank you, Jill, thank you so much. Thank you. So.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
How you doing today?
Speaker 2 (00:57):
I'm great.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
How are you? I'm doing great. I'm great. So I'm
going to ask you a couple of questions.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
I'm slightly terrified.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Well, the reason I wanted to interview you today is
because there are certain times as married couples where you,
I'll say we, but married couples in general might not
necessarily be as open and honest with each other as
they possibly could be, and not necessarily in a negative way,
just more of a you know, maybe not give compliments
(01:26):
when compliments might be deserved or might not be like, oh,
you know, that really does get on my nerves, you know,
you know those kind of things. So I thought I
might be able to take this opportunity to get you
on the record talking about how awesome I am.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
So this is why I'm here.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
That is the only reason is to feed my ego
and make me feel great about myself.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
You're not friend, I will be completely honest.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
I'm sure you will be. So let's just not daily diet.
Let's just jump jump right into it. So what is
it that you remember about our meeting? How do you
how do you remember our meeting?
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Like us? Yes? Like who else?
Speaker 1 (02:13):
What do you remember about me and Lance's meeting? You
weren't there?
Speaker 2 (02:15):
What?
Speaker 1 (02:16):
No?
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Me? Okay, well we were we were really young. I
mean so the first time I met you, I was
I was ten. We were ten? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (02:28):
What grade?
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Fifth grade?
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Fifth grade?
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (02:30):
Fifth grade?
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Where I mean the the biggest visual that I have
is English class or that might have been seventh grade.
I can't I don't remember. I do know that what
Drew may want some people to know he was a
new Kids on the Black fan and would which I
(02:53):
was to listen? That was my first concert. But he
was a skateboarder, and he would skate in his driveway
listening hang in talk.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
No, you weren't even that barely. You are telling a
story that Nick told me.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Well, I mean I remember, I remember you skateboarding. I
remember you like running down the hallway with like, you know,
your backpack on one.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Shoulder, very dashingly handsome.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Dashingly handsome. I mean like I have like bits and
pieces like memories from you know, ten eleven, twelve. But
then I think, I mean, I remember when we first
started dating, which was we were juniors in high school.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Okay, so I'll lead you a little bit.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Oh please lead me.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
I'll try and do it subtly.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
When when was the first time that we went out?
So terrified? But do you not remember?
Speaker 2 (03:53):
I mean, that's what I'm saying, is like junior in
high school.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
No, the first time we went out.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Oh, oh, are you're talking about when I dumped you?
Speaker 1 (04:02):
No, that was time we went out. The first time
we went out. I was in the sixth grade. Okay, jeez,
clearly not enough. So we were in the sixth grade,
and we were we were both part of the Cincinnai
(04:22):
Ballet Nutcracker, right.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
And then I and then I broke up with you.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
Yeah, but it was more like so she was going
out on the road to be a part of a
touring production of a theater show, and she left town
in the sixth grade, and so it was it was
more like, you know what, I can't do a long
distance relationship. You know, I think it is his best
if we take a break. That that wasn't really like
a dump. That was really like a breakup. That was
(04:47):
more just like, you know, I'm gonna be gone for Yeah,
you spread your wings, all spread mine and we'll see.
You know, if you love something, let it go and
if it returns to you. It was meant to be
kind of thing. So then that was the sixth grade.
Seventh grade, I banged up my knee and I was
on I was on crutches, and we had an in
(05:10):
school performance at the symphony. Like we were going to
go see the symphony, and I mean, you remember every
detail I do. And we were going to the symphony.
And before we went to the symphony, I said, hey, Leah,
you want to go out with me? She said, sure,
left you that'd be great. You're dationally handsome. Why wouldn't
I want to go out to you? Yes, And then
(05:31):
when we came back from the symphony back to school
two hours later, she told me that she didn't want
to go out with me anymore. And she just told me. So,
do you remember that? Yes, So that was where the
first two times we went out. Then the third time
we went out after you know, like.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
I don't remember the third die.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
The third time we went out was wed juniors. Oh okay, yeah, yeah, yeah, okay,
I do remember that. Yeah, so if she remembers that one,
that's well, because that we were together.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Yeah, you know, as the story goes.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Yeah, So you know, then from junior year on, we've
been on many many journeys together and you know, seeing
the world, and I had two beautiful children, and you know,
now they're grown up and you're just gonna be stuck
with me all over.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
I like being stuck with the act, just the two
of us.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
All right. So so we started dating as juniors in
high school. You started, you know, you went to college.
You quit college because you got hired, yes, as a
dancer by the Radio City Rockets.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
At that point, do you remember what I was doing?
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Yeah, you were working on an ambulance in New York
gold Stars.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
She remembers that she doesn't remember us going out, but
she remembers she remembers my job. All right, So when
once you started working for Radio City, and then I
started with driving the ambulance and I got the beep
on my beeper from Nick. He was in LA. I
was driving ambulance to New York. He beat me, and
(07:14):
I pulled the ambulance over. I went to a payper
and called him back and he said, hey, we're starting
this group. I want to join, And I said yes,
and I left New York where you were as well.
What what was that thought process like for you?
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Like, I mean I think I've always been a big dreamer,
you know that. So for me at that age nineteen
twenty twenty one, I mean, the world is at your fingertips,
So what an amazing opportunity. I mean I don't even
I don't even think the thought and it shouldn't really
when you're young, like that like cross your mind of
(07:51):
like oh man, this is a big jump, Like what
if it doesn't work, I say, go all in. So
I was thrilled. I was excited for you. I mean
I was I was clearly sad that we weren't going
to be this is what he wants. I was trying
every night. No, I was. Of course I was sad,
and we were long distance for years.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
But how sad?
Speaker 2 (08:14):
So sad? Just one so so so so so.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
Sad, so sad.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
No, of course it's hard. And then we kind of
bounced from like coast to coast and I'd be working
in LA and you were in New York, and then
vice versa, and then you guys, we were in Asia all
the time. I feel like, so that was you know,
that was a little crazy. But then we got married
really young, like now I will get that, and I'm like,
I can't believe we I mean we were twenty four.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Yeah, but yes, we were twenty four, but we had
already been together for eight years absolutely, so yeah, all right.
So when I moved out to LA and I started,
you know, singing before we even got signed, did you
have any idea of kind of what you were like
signing up for? Like now, no, I does anybody? No,
I mean I had no idea what I was signing
(09:02):
up for.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
So no, and I and I say this all the time,
like the world was the pop world. You know, boy
band and pop groups and all of that. I mean
it was. It was a wildly fun time and crazy.
But I can't imagine, like I always think, like we
didn't have social media, we didn't have that added stress.
(09:25):
So I just remember the time being fun. But you know,
did I like being on our honeymoon remember that?
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (09:35):
And we had to come back like what like two
days early from our honeymoon. Yeah, because the guys had
a video that they needed to shoot. So I think
that it's, you know, it's a little give and take
when you're in the business. I mean, I think once
you get older, you can kind of, you know, be like, hey,
I'm gonna set some boundaries. Now. Obviously when we started
having kids, there were a lot more boundaries that we set.
(09:56):
But when you're young, you're kind of like you're jumping
at any opportunity, you know.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
Yeah. So once once things started happening, like once we
got signed, once single started coming out, once you know,
people started adoring you. Adoring might be an understatement loving.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
I mean with the fact tat with the one year out,
remember that.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
It's so cute, that's how it works. Still got it, folks. No,
I mean like once once things start blowing up for us,
and and how did how did that affect.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
I mean, to be honest, as a as a young girl,
it was hard. I mean it was hard. I'd be
lying if I said it wasn't hard. I mean, I
even though I mean it's crazy to see that. Like,
I think we had a really good relationship, like in
those early stages, which I think again about all of
(10:57):
the things that were added onto our plate where the
relationship could have just crumbled right the long distance, the
the fans, the girls, all of that. But I mean
I had some nasty things said to me, and I
think sometimes, you know, in those early stages, I apologize
for those things. I'm just kidding, no, But I mean
(11:18):
I also think, like me, No, I think that the
guys I mean ninety eight obviously is family, and so
I feel like, you know, I always felt safe in
that bubble. But yeah, you have to you have to
have thick skin. I hate that term, but you do.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
I mean you do.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
You have to be able to kind of, you know,
brush stuff off.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
But you have great skin.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
You were dancing, you were performing, you were living your dream,
and you were dancing for music videos and rockets and
radio sitting and all that stuff, and I was doing
my my very you know, sophisticated boy band dancing.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
It's sophisticated because I choreographed it.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
So yes, yes, So if you could put if you
could put your one of your other dance numbers from
your career on me and set it and set it
on me? Who are you laughing? Which one? Would it be?
Speaker 2 (12:22):
Like? Anything?
Speaker 1 (12:23):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (12:24):
Okay, so definitely I would put you in a pair
of Laduca heels three inch I can do, and I
would have you do. I mean, name a combo that
that we do here at the studio. I would have
you do that.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
But oh, you have me to do one of these,
not even like back like I thought you were going
to throw it like.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
Oh no, I would have to do something now like
really current, throw yourself around on the floor, roll around,
kick your legs all that, because that would be we
should do that anyway, because that would be good. I
just want to see what it looks like. But I
also think if you're if you're talking back in the day,
I would put you one hundred percent in a Rockuet
(13:02):
kick line all right.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
For the record, my leg would not go very high
you would you would be on the end. I fully,
fully yes, because the short so it's especially the same
because I'm short, i'd.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Be on the end.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
I mean i'm too, but I will say that because
of my army experience, I can hold I can hold
a formation. I can I can if I can do
it in combat boots, I can do it in eels.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Come on, I feel like we're going to need to
try this, Okay, Okay, Well, that would be the challenge
I would have, because I think a lot of people
don't understand how incredibly difficult it is to work in
that line like that.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
It's hard on shoulder to shoulder. I got this, gotta
use your peripher roll legs ninety oh, then higher, and
I know what that foot would look like. It would
probably be sickle turn it. It's okay, it would work out. Okay.
Now there's some people that will kind of say, all right,
(14:05):
you guys have had kind of like this this storybook,
you know, romance, and my response that would be like, yeah,
she's married to me. Of course it's been fantastic for her.
I mean people might even say it's like a movie,
like made for like movies, you know, the high school
sweetheart stuff, the boy that did good.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
The boy that.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
You know what I'm saying. All right, So if they
made a movie about us, who do you think would
play you? And in return? And in return, but even
more importantly, which dashing leading man would play me?
Speaker 2 (14:53):
And it's like our life story.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
I mean, you can pick an era, you know.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
The Okay, Well, I mean I don't know. I honestly
never really thought thought about this, but I'm I'm kind
of I'm I'm obsessed with Pink, you know that, So
I can only hope that I'm as much of a
badass as she is. I also love Lady Gaga, so
that would be like right in there. So Pink, Lady Gaga,
(15:21):
if you want to play me, that'd be fantastic. You.
I don't.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
Who would you have play you?
Speaker 2 (15:31):
I want to hear, actually kind of want to hear
what you think?
Speaker 1 (15:36):
He'll be good?
Speaker 2 (15:37):
All right?
Speaker 1 (15:38):
So if mm hmm for somebody to play you, I
would say, like, like like a Rachel mcaddam's kind of
but like I think that's like, okay, I think that
would be a good fit. So after we were married
for a while and we were living in La We
lived in La for how long we started having a
(16:02):
family and you know, Dance with the Stars. It happened,
and you know, I had already done Brent, and we
were like, all right, where's our where where's our life? Like,
what's our life? And we decided we were going to
move back here to Cincinnati, big back home. What do
you think was the main reason for you.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
To makeamily being part of a community, like I love
our I love our community here, And I think that
that was probably not that we didn't like have our
tribe of people from the industry that that we adore
and still miss, you know, not living close to But
I think I was pregnant with Hudson and Izzy was
(16:50):
three and a half and so so and who is
Izzy our oldest daughter who is now yeah, in in college.
And then wis Hudson our son, our beloved son, who
was fourteen, our freshman in high school, freshman in high
school soccer and lacrosse player, which is crazy, No, I
(17:11):
think I think for me, we always said we were
super close to our grandparents, and it was weird to
even think about that we were going to be so
far and removed from them, and it was just going
to be kind of like oh here, you know, Grandma,
Grandpa visiting. You know, if we're lucky five times a year,
(17:32):
you know, I mean, whatever it is holiday wise. So yeah,
and I'm still like, I'm very very happy that we
made that decision.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
And once we moved back to Cincinnati, you know things
I'm not going to say, it was like, oh.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
No, it's a big, big decision, lots of adjustment.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
Yeah, and we took our time, we talked to people,
we tried to figure it out loud. I you know,
every time I talked to Tumbrs around still, I'm like, hey,
you're the reason I felt good moving back home, because
he was basically like, you can work from anywhere, you know,
you got to take care of your family and make
sure that your your family is the priority. So thanks Tom.
(18:14):
And then on top of that, once we came back,
we were always trying to like, all right, how do
we how do we make a difference in Cincinnati? How
do we make a change. How do we find out
who we are in this in this community? Because LA
and Cincinnati they might sound like they're very very similar,
you know, but there there there are some differences. Feel
(18:37):
other than Cincinnati losing to LA in the Super Bowl,
which I'm still we can't talk about. I'm still bitter
about I can't talk about that. Yeah, So you know,
we moved back, we started Lache Arts, which is our
nonprofit which has been going for twelve plus years. Now,
what type of change and difference do you feel like
(18:59):
that has made in our lives?
Speaker 2 (19:03):
Well, I think that I think the biggest change like
when you start out to do something like that and
just what you said like a like a give back mentality,
and it was more of like us getting involved with
the performing arts high school that you know, we graduated
from Nick and Justin graduated from and you know, it
starts like that and then all of a sudden you
realize that you're getting more than you could have ever
(19:26):
imagined out of something like this. And so I think
for us we kind of just not kind of we
still to this day pour our hearts and souls into
the share arts because we do we believe in this
next generation of artists. And so you know, when I
look back, I don't think that that's ultimately like I
didn't know at that time that that's what we would
(19:49):
be doing. So and then it's turned into our musical reveless.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
Yeah. So in twenty eighteen, as part of a Lache
Art's theater class, you know, we wrote we had our
students right down on pieces of paper ways that they
felt like they weren't being seen, or they weren't valued,
or they were discriminating against and we were just going
to drop them on the hat and shake them up
and honymously and have people pull them out and then
(20:18):
they were going to have to put themselves in someone
else's shoes.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
Yeah, was empathy exercise.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
Yeah, so from there, how did labels come out of
that exercise?
Speaker 2 (20:29):
Well, again, it was one of those things where we
had no idea what would come of it. And then
as we were reading those pieces of paper and crying
and for like, for me personally, I can one percent
say that the one that I read about my uncle
says that I belong in the kitchen and that's where
(20:51):
women belong. Is where I said, I'm sorry, like this
is actually this is actually happening. So I felt like
I was maybe a little out of touch with what
was going on. And so I don't know, I well,
you know how I think I think art moves people.
I think we can you know, learn from it. And
(21:11):
grow from it. And I think from that, with the
permission of that first class, which was the first cast
of label lists in twenty eighteen, we started to create
a show. And even then it wasn't like we didn't
set out to be like, oh, we're going to we're
gonna build a musical right and then it and I
say this all the time too, like the best stuff
(21:33):
happens organically and naturally and it just it just happened
and it makes sense.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
Yeah. So in twenty eighteen, we had all covers. You know,
we had literally every every every song, every subject that
we were trying to tackle, we used a cover song
to try and highlight it. You know, we used like
a Rachel plattin fight song is like the closer, We
used who Said by Selena go Man he was Beautiful
(22:01):
by Christina Aguilera, And you know, there's just a variety
of different of different songs since then, you know, we
went from you know, fourteen sixteen covers to seventeen songs,
but over sixty percent of them now our originals, so and.
Speaker 2 (22:21):
Written by our friends that are songwriters in the industry.
So it's actually also really cool because we get to
work with our friends.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Yeah, So Jamie Jones from Off for One wrote a song.
Paul Duncan, who is a very good friend of ours,
very successful songwriter, written for Yeah. He wrote I don't
even know what the count is now or co wrote
with me many songs. Aaron Space, who is another friend
(22:50):
of ours, wrote a song, and we still have a
couple of covers in there. But how do you feel
like putting the original music into the show has has
changed the trajectory of it.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
Oh, I mean the show, and the show has grown
immensely from that. So I feel like because when you
start to write your own material, then you're actually really
locking into that story you're telling. So it's so great
right to match it up with covers, and that's exciting
because people know the songs, and like you said, we
still have some covers in there. But I think when
(23:23):
you start writing those original pieces, you're really tapping into
those stories. So each cast member has a story in
the show, and it's a wide variety of everything from classism, bullying, racism, homophobia,
the list goes on mental health. And so I think
(23:43):
that when you're really truly listening to that person's story
or monologue, if you want to say in the show
and then it goes into that original song. There's nothing
like it.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
So as we go through all these different stories of
the cast, is there I mean, I know I have
ones that have that have hit me very, very hard.
Is there one one story that kind of stands out
to you as either like very moving or opened your eyes,
brought you something.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
I think that they I mean, I have to say this,
that they've They've all taught me lessons in different ways.
And each new cast member that comes in and you know,
tells their story and the show, you know, you you
start to look at the world differently, and that's the
whole point of the show, right is to put yourself
in their position and walk in their shoes. So obviously,
(24:51):
I I mean sexism self worth is huge for me
mental health. But I I think learning so much over
the years would be Alyssa's story. And Alyssa is in
a wheelchair and just really I think dives in to
(25:14):
her story of you know, see me for who I am.
I'm I'm I'm a person. But then the well I
adore her, but the day to day learning from her
in the rehearsal process of I mean, I was guilty
at the very beginning. And I will say, and this
is how you learn and grow of you know, people
(25:35):
are moving set pieces around and Alyssa said, what about me?
I can do that, and so it just kind of
it changes your mindset and it changes the way you know,
you view things. So I would say, I would say
Lissa's story, Yeah, yeah, I would agree she's a badast.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
Yeah. I mean I think there's like I catch myself
still like there's certain things that I think as society
we're all kind of still learning and you know, adjusting
to and you know, saying all right, male cast members
or female cast members, and you know, so just being like, oh,
(26:12):
you know, making it more inclusive to you know, a
non binary or people that might not identify with one
or the other, or just male presenting female presenting pronouns,
being more aware of that, and.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
Also just asking a question. I feel like I've learned
so much from the cast and this you know generation
of artists where they're just like, if you have a
question and you don't know how to address something, or
you don't know how to ask it, just calmly, just
just ask how how would you how would you like
me to address you. It's that simple. And I think
(26:49):
I think people when they start being fearful of things, right,
they shut down. And well, that's why I love the
show is I feel like it brings topics to light
in a very creative way and you leave the theater
going I can do that. I can, I can have
more empathy and it can be a better person.
Speaker 1 (27:09):
Yeah, and I mean I think, yeah, there's definitely stories
that have hit me, you know, harder than others, but
like just musically, like coming from like a song, a
song point of view, Clearly, the finale together is better.
I mean every time I he cries every time I do.
(27:31):
There's something about that song and when the cast comes
together and they sing it, there is such a sense
of community and love that it. Yeah, it makes me
cry every time. And I've seen the show hundreds and
I could, I could, I think about it hundreds and
hundreds of times. But then if I look at at
the you know, the show as a whole. I mean
(27:52):
you Are Seen, which is a song that kind of
that kind of goes with with a list of story.
I'm really proud of that one. I love the message
of that one. But there's the song Hands, which talks
about how you know, we're all making it's in our hands.
We have we have a choice, like we can, you know,
we have two options. And so that song to me always,
(28:15):
you know, makes me makes me think and feel because musically,
I feel like the arrangement is very beautiful and that
the lyrics are great, but I feel like just the
way the cast comes together and sings it together, that
one always always gets me emotional too.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
I love hearing that you get emotional too from it,
because there's nothing better than, you know, working and giving
your heart and soul again to the writing and the
music and the choreography and then feeling super proud of it.
Speaker 1 (28:46):
And when we were talking about songwriters, there's we love
you know one out and that's Yeah, a former student
of ours at Lache Arts who is an aspiring songwriter
kind of a prodigy. We we were looking for a
song to replace Beautiful by Christian Aguilera in the show,
(29:07):
and we went to her and she was eighteen at
the time, senior in high school. And the whole tead, Yeah,
the whole song is about you know, self worth and
when you look in the mirror, what do you see?
How do you feel? How do you feel about like
the pressures of you know, society and having to do
(29:27):
with beauty and what is what is the right size?
What is the right number? What is you know? All
that stuff? And she wrote a song that is so
moving and inspirational. Yeah, well, well, well beyond her years,
that song is so Yeah, so I hope she's as
proud of that song as she should be. All Right,
(29:48):
So we've been working on labels for over six years now.
Is there one moment that stands out to you as
like that is that is that moment of pride, that
is where yeah, something something happened where you just one
I mean, yeah, what what is? What is that that
biggest moment?
Speaker 2 (30:09):
I mean it's so hard to answer because again when
we started, never knew how much work. I mean, I
knew it would be hard, don't get me wrong, but
just all the ins and outs of like producing and
directing and choreographing and songs come in and out and
what works and what doesn't, and proud moments each each phase.
(30:32):
I'm proud because you know, catapultsy to the next level.
I think performing the show in New York and an
off Roaway theater in November was one of those moments
where deep down while I was crying and like hugging
our team, and you know, the audience just kind of
(30:53):
like leapt to their feet and there's nothing better than that,
and the energy in that room was incredible. But to
have just that little tiny dream, little tiny tiny dream,
and then to push push, push, push, and then to
get it to that that point is I will remember
that moment for the rest of my life.
Speaker 1 (31:12):
For me, there's you know, it was one moment during
one performance, and it was during the finale of this
last run Sinanta Plaus in the park and the finale
was going on, and it was getting like we were into
the It was in the bridge and then it was
building out of the bridge and and the whole cast
(31:33):
was coming forward, and this one lady that was kind
of sitting like a little bit house left and I
was at the sound booth and and Leah was Leah
was right there too. This one lady literally just jumped
out of her seats mid song, like the song was
still going on, and she literally just stood up and
(31:54):
put her hands towards towards the cast, like giving all
her love and energy back towards them. And then one
by one, the entire audience started popping up and literally
it was a standing ovation before the song song was
even over. Yeah, people were up out of their out
of their seats, like literally just giving so much love
(32:15):
and energy to the cast where it made me like like,
you're like, holy shit, and.
Speaker 2 (32:22):
Then we I have to say this to you and
I have to interject that, like the cast is so
brave and courageous and so to see to see their
reaction when something like that happens too. I mean we've
both been on stage as well, and so I can't
imagine what that is like to receive that. And then
(32:46):
I don't know if you remember that the one woman
jumped up and grabbed in a in a you know,
polite way. I was like, do we need security, but
just was so moved needed to hug one of the
cast members, I mean stage like so yeah during the show.
So I was like, oh, we might need to bring
in security out, but that or yeah, it's it's yeah,
(33:10):
like we said, so proud, it's amazing, all right.
Speaker 1 (33:13):
So we just finished up a run at the playoffs
in the Park. We just did a showcase in New
York City at Chelsea Table on stage Yeah, we have
a couple of things this fall. We're starting to book
out dates for a spring of twenty twenty five. If
there is one thing I love this question. There's one
(33:35):
thing that you want LABELSS to do, to accomplish, to
to be a place that you wanted to be performed, Oh,
be performed, be performed? Yes, Like where where is that dream?
What is that dream scenario?
Speaker 2 (33:50):
World domination?
Speaker 1 (33:51):
Okay, thank you, doctor Evil.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
I just believe in the message so much so I'm torn,
And I know you're going to say one place. I
can't pick one place because the you know, Big Dream
obviously is Broadway. Why why wouldn't it be that would
be incredible to just have the show sit down in York.
There's just that's just pure magic. But I also think
(34:18):
touring it is so important because the whole point of
the show is to get people to think outside of
the box. So I think the best way to do
that is touring it all of the country, all over
the world, right, and then I and then third the
West End London. I would love that. I would love
(34:40):
love that so so so basically the answers everywhere.
Speaker 1 (34:44):
So this is this is I think everybody's kind of
getting a glimpse into what I deal with on a
daily basis. So I ask a fairly simple question like
where would you where do you see the show going?
Speaker 2 (34:54):
That's not a simple question.
Speaker 1 (34:56):
That's simple.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
No, it's not because if I answer just one place, like,
that's not what I want.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
But it basically becomes oh, we're just going to take
over the world. That that is what? That is?
Speaker 2 (35:08):
What?
Speaker 1 (35:09):
Why not? I get? Yeah, So it's not just there's
never just a simple answer. And you know, people are
always asking, you know what what how do you guys
work together? So how do you how do you how
do you view our our our working relationship?
Speaker 2 (35:27):
Okay, so I do think that we I think we
work well together.
Speaker 1 (35:32):
Do you well, yes, no, I absolutely do. I think.
Speaker 2 (35:37):
But you're like, how do how.
Speaker 1 (35:38):
Do I view it?
Speaker 2 (35:39):
Like in in the process, in the room and the Yeah.
Speaker 1 (35:42):
Just so so everybody understands, we produce label less, we
direct label less. We produce it together. We directed together.
I write most of the the monologues. We have a
couple other writers on it, but mostly me. You do
(36:03):
all the choreography except for the racism section, which which
is my best friend. Yeah, we have multiple songwriters meeting
one of them. Then we also are the fundraisers, we
are the tech crew, We are whatever whatever has to
be done for the show.
Speaker 2 (36:23):
Now that's the story.
Speaker 1 (36:24):
We we do it. So it's not just like, oh,
we go to the office together and you.
Speaker 2 (36:30):
Know, it gets it gets stressful.
Speaker 1 (36:31):
Is that you're saying, Yes, I'm just trying to let
everybody know that it's not just like this, oh one
of us is in sales and the other one's distribution. No,
it is like and it's also the time.
Speaker 3 (36:44):
We would be lying if we said that the time
we would be lying if we didn't say that. There
were times that we were.
Speaker 2 (36:53):
Like like, right now.
Speaker 3 (36:56):
Well I can sell when you're mad, and Mike, one
of our cast members, says, it actually does a really
great Yeah, we'll have.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
To do it for you.
Speaker 2 (37:08):
But like when Drew gets mad when we were on
tour in the fall, and there were there were sometimes
that were very stressful getting the set up, you know,
in time and all that fun stuff, and you would
put your hands on your waist and just do the
pacing during sound check and then the and then like
walk up stage and then do the I was like,
(37:32):
it's pissed, he's pissed, and so you have to, you know,
keep it calm, keep it gone. And then I got
him a snack. It didn't help.
Speaker 1 (37:45):
How simple minded am I? It's like it's like like
Mango from Blazing Saddles, Mango bad unless you give like Mongo.
Speaker 2 (37:56):
Like well, diet cokes sometimes help.
Speaker 1 (37:59):
Yeah, some times, but not always.
Speaker 2 (38:02):
Pissed and rightfully, so you were pissed.
Speaker 1 (38:04):
We don't even need to go into all that things
were happening. Yeah, yeah, But honestly, I feel like we
work well together because we there's a mutual respect for
each other's contributions and skill set and what we bring
to the table. But I think also we are complimentary
to each other in the way that we approach situations.
(38:28):
Like you are very much a big idea person. That's
why you were like, oh, what how do you want
the show World Domination, Broadway, West End Boom. You know,
I am much more of a You're more macro in
your thinking like big, and I'm more micro, like, all right,
(38:49):
what are the fifteen steps that have to happen to
get to you know this first this first goal? And
I feel like because we were not both just dreaming big,
I mean, yes, we are, but we're able to compliment
each other because if I was, if it was just
on me, I would just literally be so caught up
in all the little details just to get to the
(39:09):
next show that I couldn't be focusing on what the
long term goal is. And you we are more long
term goal and you know, so you know, some of
the details might not be quite as important, you know.
So I feel like because we're kind of ying and yang,
it works. So a lot of our cast members in
(39:44):
labels started off in the Lache Arts program, so we've
been working with them and training them. Clearly, now the
cast has expanded. We got people from literally all over
the globe at this point. But if you had to
give those young performers, those young cast members one bit
of advice for you know, kind of taking on this
(40:10):
industry and their life in this industry, what would be.
Speaker 2 (40:14):
Again, I don't have just one answer, So I'll go
listen more. I mean, I think that's that's advice for
myself too. I think when you when you listen, you
you learn so much. But also to take every opportunity
you know and put your best foot forward so you know,
you never know how you leave one job, how it's
(40:38):
going to affect that next job because this industry is
so very small and we all know each other pretty much,
I mean, just right, I mean I think and then
and the third thing is, and I didn't do this
at nineteen or twenty because you know, it was probably
too nervous or scared or whatever. But that networking matters, right, Yeah,
(41:05):
I think.
Speaker 1 (41:06):
As long as you don't do it in a douchey way.
Speaker 2 (41:07):
Yeah, yeah, not in it, not not in that.
Speaker 1 (41:09):
God.
Speaker 2 (41:09):
No, I just think that, like, you know, if you're
if you're in that work environment, you're doing not only
good work, but and you also treat people the way
you want to be treated, you know. I think I
think we've been lucky in that for the most part.
That you know, we have for the most part cast
members that want to be in the room and want
(41:31):
to be a part of something that is, you know,
an original musical. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (41:34):
I think for me it would be you know, don't
don't tie your own self worth two? Which what job?
Oh god, you're working, you know, I mean I think
that's like.
Speaker 2 (41:48):
That's what you do, that is what you do in
your twenties.
Speaker 1 (41:50):
So let's be real, honestly, yeah. I mean I think
back in all the time, I was like, all right,
so you know it is you know Bastery and Sync
in US and you know, oh, they sold this many.
I'm like, oh man, we gotta we got to sell
that many now. And then it's like all right, there's
there was that. And then if you didn't get there,
you're like, oh man, or if your song didn't go
number one, your song went you know, broke top ten,
(42:11):
but you know somebody else it didn't. It didn't achieve
what you would initially hope to would achieve, you know,
not carrying that that weight of like yeah, it just
wasn't good enough, I'm not good enough, or you know,
take it one step further, like auditioning. You know, it's
there's so many different reasons why things can work or
(42:32):
not work. And so if you just train and you
work hard and you you do your best you can
in that room or whatever job, whatever job, interview, you know,
if you don't get it, you you have to be
okay with all right, I did everything I could. It
just didn't work out this time. As opposed to carrying that.
Speaker 2 (42:52):
Yes, that weight, I just think in your twenties, it's
so hard to hear that.
Speaker 1 (42:58):
Well, I'm staying I'm still in my twenties.
Speaker 2 (43:00):
M M. Yeah, yeah, you just reminded me of and
he I don't even know if he remembers saying this
to us because it was years ago, but I say
it all the time Donald Baison when he said stay
in your lane, and at the time, I don't even
nobody was referencing, but I say it all the time.
I'm like, just stay in your line, just stay in
(43:22):
your line. Do you work on you right?
Speaker 1 (43:25):
Yeah? Yeah, yeah, I agree.
Speaker 2 (43:27):
Mind your business. Now.
Speaker 1 (43:30):
When we when we started this interview, I said, one
of the reasons why I wanted to interview you was
because there might be some some opportunity to get straight
no bs answers to to some things.
Speaker 2 (43:46):
No, did I succeed?
Speaker 1 (43:48):
No, not really. You kind of danced around a couple
of things. But there is there's one question that I'm
kind of curious because we've been together for geez, how
long we've been married for twenty four years? Been together
for well, it'll be twenty four it'll be twenty four years. Yeah,
(44:10):
we've been so that means we've been together for thirty
two years.
Speaker 2 (44:14):
Good Lord, all mine together for seventy five years.
Speaker 1 (44:18):
All right, now in those thirty two years, you know
me fairly well. Is there is there anything? And I
know probably not, but is there anything I do that
just really annoys you?
Speaker 3 (44:35):
Like?
Speaker 1 (44:35):
Is there is there one? Is there one thing?
Speaker 2 (44:37):
That? There are two things that's like and you're not
going to say what? No, I get the two things
right now. The you know this, and so do all
the guys. Drew whistles and it is like I want
to claw his face off.
Speaker 1 (44:54):
I'm a really good whistler. I'm just I'm just saying no.
Speaker 2 (44:57):
See it actually makes me. I get so annoyed because
it's like a yodel whistle no like no, it's bad.
Speaker 1 (45:06):
As Billy Joe. Billy Joe's got a whole intro. You know,
it's all whistling, but it's.
Speaker 2 (45:10):
Always in the car. He's also started to add this
weird like foot tap with the yodel.
Speaker 1 (45:17):
You don't even know you do that with the yodel.
Speaker 2 (45:19):
Yoda whistle whistle, yoda, a yoda whistle with a foot
a strong foot tap while we're driving. I literally I
want to I see red. So that's the first thing.
The other thing, and I bet you there are other
people out there that are in relationships with people and
they do this Drew somehow. It's always at night, will
(45:39):
take like his socks off and leave them right by
the door of the bedroom. That is odd to me.
I'm like, can't you take those socks and put them
in the hamper? But I mean, I get on our
son about that song. I don't put it in the hamper.
I don't understand. It's like and so in the morning,
(46:01):
I'm like, what are the socks for? Are they no?
Speaker 1 (46:04):
No?
Speaker 2 (46:05):
Are the sock are you can put them on again?
Speaker 1 (46:07):
Like?
Speaker 2 (46:07):
Are they're dirty? Or you can put them on again?
Are you saving them? No?
Speaker 1 (46:10):
I probably wore the socks into the bedroom and as
opposed to walking like down back down to the hamper,
I just took them off there. Okay, So and in
the morning you walk past them and leave them. Well,
I was planning on coming back and getting them. I'm
sure just my eyes. It was dark in the room.
I didn't see them.
Speaker 2 (46:30):
This is not a one time occurrence. I'm this is
this is easily three or four times a week, easily,
And so I'm like, I just want to know.
Speaker 1 (46:38):
I don't know if I changed my socks three or
four times a week.
Speaker 2 (46:40):
So you take them off, you put them right there
by the door, you get in bed, you wake up
in the morning, you walk past them. So then when
I go back in the morning, because I always make
the bed every morning, I'm like, what do I do
with these? What I do with these socks?
Speaker 1 (46:57):
And what do you do with them?
Speaker 2 (46:57):
Put him in the hamper? But why there it is?
Speaker 1 (47:02):
You know what to do with it. I don't know.
Speaker 2 (47:04):
There it is.
Speaker 1 (47:05):
They don't bother me, sitting right there bother me. I
don't know. I don't know what to tell you. I
don't know. And there there is one conversation that we've.
Speaker 2 (47:15):
Try and get the industry under the with the socks.
Speaker 1 (47:21):
Damn you, Drew, you can't put your socks in the hamper.
Curse you to hell. No, We've had this conversation for
a long long time, and it's it's a common conversation
that a lot of married couples have. And you know,
it's the whole toilet seed thing. And so my I
(47:42):
get it. Why can't you put the toilet seat down?
I get it. You don't feel like that's because because
the toilet seats always down. So my question is, if
it is up to me to always put the toilet
seat down when you're done, why can't you put it up?
Speaker 2 (48:03):
I'm not doing that?
Speaker 1 (48:05):
Why not?
Speaker 2 (48:06):
It's just it feels wrong.
Speaker 1 (48:08):
So if I'm saving saving you from from either having
to touch the toilet sea or not looking and falling
into the.
Speaker 2 (48:17):
Toilet, but who's to say that if I do that
and I put it up and get it ready for you,
how do I know that you're in the next one?
But what if it's not me?
Speaker 1 (48:23):
How do I know you're going to be the next one?
But yet I still have to put the thing down.
Speaker 2 (48:27):
You're ridiculous.
Speaker 1 (48:28):
I'm just saying it. If it's a partnership, if it's
fifty to fifty, if I got to put it down,
why can't you put it up?
Speaker 2 (48:36):
I can get down with other things. But that to
me just sounds I mean, I get what you're saying,
but it's not it's just not gonna happen.
Speaker 1 (48:44):
See, it's not fair. This is this is not this
is not right. But you love me, I do. I'd
love you more if you put the toilet set up,
all right. So, a lot of a lot of our
experiences in the industry have have kind of been around
(49:06):
different reality shows, you know. So there was there was one.
There was one reality show that we were on, were on.
There was one that I was on dancing, you know.
There were been other ones that we participated in. Our
families done a ton of them, you know. There was
(49:28):
Nick and I did one about, you know, building a barn. Right,
So if you and I as a as a married couple,
we're competing on a reality show, which one do you
think it would be?
Speaker 2 (49:46):
Can you do? Can you do the one you've done before?
Because I feel like we'd crushed Dancing with the Stars?
Speaker 1 (49:53):
Okay?
Speaker 2 (49:54):
Is that? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (49:55):
Yeah, no, we we we would except for neither of
us a ballroom dan, So we would just be like
doing us but we wouldn't be like, oh and doing
the chowhaw, you know. It would be like, yeah, we
would just be out there, you know, kicking ass and
taking names. Okay, but so a different way. Let's take
that one off the table. What is there another one?
Speaker 2 (50:15):
I feel Okay, I love the like amazing race stuff,
but I know that I would be.
Speaker 1 (50:23):
So stressed out. Yeah I don't really. I do necessarily
think like you're great at many things, almost everything.
Speaker 2 (50:32):
That would be good at that. I feel like I would.
Speaker 1 (50:34):
I would be dirty. I would playing in the mud
and doing all that.
Speaker 2 (50:40):
That kind of episode where they're walking through Madrid, like
looking for a certain statue. Yeah, that's what I want
to do.
Speaker 1 (50:49):
Okay, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (50:50):
I like the traveling aspects and trying to figure out
like what plane, what train, what right? Like that I
think we would be good at.
Speaker 1 (50:57):
Yeah. So no, I don't want to no naked and afraid.
Speaker 2 (51:02):
Oh my god, no, please know that would no alone, No,
that would be horrible.
Speaker 1 (51:13):
Homestead Rescue we could do.
Speaker 2 (51:15):
Oh we do like Homestead Rescue.
Speaker 1 (51:17):
I'd have to grow my mustache out more, you would,
I do?
Speaker 2 (51:20):
You think that show's fascinating? But I don't know. That's
not like a it's not like competition. No, it's like
just like helping build, which I think is pretty cool. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (51:28):
So this year we are celebrating twenty four years of marriage,
which means next year is twenty five. Now we're already
you know, talking about, Okay, what are we gonna do
for our twenty fifth anniversary? It's a big one. But
if we look back in the past, is there one
(51:49):
Is there one date.
Speaker 2 (51:51):
You're gonna say one again. I hate doing just.
Speaker 1 (51:54):
One trip or moment that you know, one one room,
antic moment that you can like, We've.
Speaker 2 (52:02):
Had so many amazing trips. I don't know how to pick.
Speaker 1 (52:04):
What is there one that is like your favorite, like
one scenario when setting one spot that you're.
Speaker 2 (52:11):
Likerew, life is about me.
Speaker 1 (52:13):
That is why.
Speaker 2 (52:15):
That's why I married him. Okay, so we are going
to do something big twenty five. We will. We just
have to plan that.
Speaker 1 (52:23):
We have to plan.
Speaker 2 (52:24):
But I like when stuff is like loosely you know
what I mean, like a loose plan, like loosely scripted,
loosely scripted. And then I mean because I think because
we're always so busy and everything is so scheduled all
the time that when something is just like hey, we
got the whole day, like when we were in Dublin
(52:45):
comes to mind, like when it's like we only have
nowhere to be, we have no schedule to keep and
what are we in Dubling for? Okay, we were there
because he was working, but we were working.
Speaker 1 (52:56):
I was doing name that too, Yeah, and I competed
against how from from Backstreet and I won. All right,
I'll continue with your.
Speaker 2 (53:05):
Story, Okay, so.
Speaker 1 (53:10):
No.
Speaker 2 (53:10):
I mean, I just I like days where it's kind
of like it just just kind of flows right. Like
one of our favorite dates, and I know it's not
like this big, like you know, grandiose thing or travel thing,
because I don't think it needs to be is we
were downtown Cincinnati and it was snowing and it wasn't
planned and we had we had like a staycation kind
(53:33):
of thing planned downtown.
Speaker 1 (53:34):
And it was Valentine's Day, I remember.
Speaker 2 (53:36):
And one of our favorite restaurants here in Cincinnati Soto.
You know, every nobody could get to the restaurant because
it was like blizzard conditions, and so we were there
and we just kind of like walked past the street
and we had the whole place to ourselfs and we
just it's the it's the best restaurant. And we sat
there and just had a nice bottle of wine and
good food and just like nowhere to be And I think,
(53:58):
I don't know, connection like that is awesome.
Speaker 1 (54:01):
That was actually my favorite date that I was going
to say that you didn't know that I did, But
it was just like that, like it was so romantic,
Like the city was so quiet, because anytime you're in
an urban area and it's snowing. It's just quiet. It's
you know, you look up at the street lights you
see like the snow falling. And then it was literally
right across the street from like the hotel where we
were staying for our staycation, and we literally walked in
(54:24):
and this place is impossible to get into. It's always crowded,
it's always packed. And we literally walked in there and
there was like nobody in there and we just sat down.
We sat at the bar and yeah, it was awesome.
We sat at the corner of the bar, so it
was like we were just sitting like this the whole time,
just like eating and drinking and just relaxing and just
and nowhere to be and know where to be. Yeah,
(54:45):
it's the best. I think that, I think that would be.
Speaker 2 (54:47):
So what we're I think what we're getting to summing
it all up is the fact that we need to
do more of that.
Speaker 1 (54:52):
But that's laughing, more vacation.
Speaker 2 (54:54):
Because everything is so planned, not gonna happen for a second.
But maybe we need.
Speaker 1 (54:59):
To make it and we'll make it a priority. I'll
make it a party. All right. Well, I want to
say thank you for letting.
Speaker 2 (55:06):
Me interview you.
Speaker 1 (55:07):
Thank you for for making your agent, you know, make
this happen. Leah Lache and agent I. I hope that
the interview was as insightful and riveting for you as
it was for me, and I wish you nothing but
the best in the years to come, and with LABELSS
(55:30):
because it sounds fantastic and because I benefit from it
as well. No, but I love you and uh yeah,
If any other time you need a guest host for
Frosted Tips, you know where to find her. I have
(55:50):
a go on everybody. Hey, thanks for listening. Follow us
on Instagram at frost the Tips with Lance and Michael
Turchin and it's best for all your pop culture needs.
Speaker 2 (56:02):
And make sure to write his review and leave us
five stars six if you can see you next time.
Hosts And Creators
Lance Bass
Langston Kerman
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