Manatee Performing Arts Center's "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying"

Manatee Performing Arts Center's

Sarah Yonko, Chris Cordero, and Mike Nolan join the club to talk about their careers as community musical theatre performers, lives outside of the theatre hall, and performances in the upcoming run of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, playing at the Manatee Performing Arts Center August 11 through August 21.

Directed and choreographed by Rick Kerby, music directed by Rick Bogner, and featuring Alex Zickafoose as J. Pierrepont Finch, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying chronicles the rise of Finch from window washer to chairman of the board of the World Wide Wicket Company.

Listen to this week's episode of the Suncoast Culture Club podcast as Sarah, Chris, and Mike describe this musical, how their characters interplay in the story, and give us a tease of their favorites songs and most fun parts of the production. Come along and join the club!

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Transcript

Robyn Bell: The Manatee performing arts center opens the 20 22 20 23 Manatee players musical series with the show, how to succeed in business without really trying beginning August 11th through August 21st and here today to tell us about the production and give us. All the insider trading scoop is Sarah Yonko playing the love interest. Part of Rosemary Pilkington, Chris Cordero playing the comic foil, Bud Frump and Mike Nolan playing the part of JB Biggley, Sarah, Chris, and Mike. Welcome to the club. 

Mike Nolan: Thank you. 

Chris Cordero: Thanks so much. 

Robyn Bell: Okay. Quick rundown from each of you. Tell us about yourself, where you grew up. How did you fall in love with theater and musicals? And how did you land at the Manatee performing arts center? Sarah, let's start with you. 

Sarah Yonko: Well, I grew up in upstate New York and I did theater as a child and went on to earn a degree in theater, my bachelor of arts. 

Robyn Bell: where'd you go to college 

Sarah Yonko: Wagner college on Staten island? It's a wonderful school and it it's very well known for. A strong musical theater program that is a bachelor of arts. Okay. And not a bachelor of fine arts. It's actually, it's a BA yes. And it's a, it's very reputable still, and today. And, and I had a great time there and, um, I lived in New York for almost nine years and then I found my way to Florida. 2006 ish. Okay. Ended up in Sarasota and then six years later, auditioned for production of legally blonde at Manatee players. And this production I think, is about I'm estimating my 25th show with Manatee players. 

Robyn Bell: Wow. 25. 

Sarah Yonko: Yes. 

Robyn Bell: Wow. 

Sarah Yonko: I mean, I do many a year. Mike does as well. You know, three to four year, depending on the year.

Robyn Bell: Yeah. And is that a full time gig for you? Do you have a real like me? I have a real job. Do you have a real job? 

Sarah Yonko: Oh yes. I, I have a very real job. I work for a CPA firm in Sarasota that's nine to five and then I. As many shows as I feel comfortable doing.

Robyn Bell: Right. 

Sarah Yonko: And then I also work at a church, as a cantorial soloist in Venice. So 

Robyn Bell: very nice. And that is the spirit of community theater. We go to a day job and then we go at night and do what we love to do. 

Sarah Yonko: Mm-hmm 

Robyn Bell: and this as someone who runs a community orchestra and is involved with a community band and a community college, that's what it's all about. So good for you. 

Sarah Yonko: Yes. 

Robyn Bell: Oh great. Chris, how about you? Tell us a little bit about yourself. 

Chris Cordero: Well, I too am from New York. So I grew up there as well, closer to the city. So right outside the city in Rockland county Westchester, I fell in love with the arts, as a young kid. So I was actually an instrumentalist. So my primary instrument was the violin. But it quickly went into vocals. So, uh, I kind of fell in love with theater and musical theater specifically, and just always loved singing and dancing and all that fun stuff. But 

Robyn Bell: do you still play the violin at all? 

Chris Cordero: I do not. Okay. I do not. So primarily as a vocalist at this point, 

Robyn Bell: and you went to college, 

Chris Cordero: I did go to college, but my, my path. Separate from totally different from performance. I was a biology major. 

Robyn Bell: Oh, wow. 

Chris Cordero: So yeah, I went into biology. I got my bachelors of science in biology and I went pre-med so I'm an optometrist by trade um, so after graduating college and so I always did community theater, so I was part of the, uh, St. Luke's Roosevelt. Theater group that really started the first educational, um, it's called the night star program. 

Robyn Bell: Okay. 

Chris Cordero: But they did the first like aids awareness, educational theater programs that traveled out to all of the different public schools in New York city. Hmm. So I was involved in that and just kind of fell in love. With performance continued my love in performance, I should say.

Robyn Bell: And so you too have this career in optometry and you, you work kind of on the insurance side of it now, don't you? 

Chris Cordero: I do. I fell into corporate optometry and corporate healthcare maybe 11 years ago or so. So I'm prior military. So that's actually how I got into optometry. 

Robyn Bell: Thank you for your service. 

Chris Cordero: Oh, glad to serve 

Robyn Bell: what, what branch 

Chris Cordero: air force. 

Robyn Bell: Okay. 

Chris Cordero: Yeah, 

Robyn Bell: the only theme song that's in six eight. 

Chris Cordero: yes. Yeah. yes, it is. I will blindly agree with that.

Robyn Bell: Yes. It's in six, eight, the little bouncy feel. And so your career allows you too, to have a real job, as they say, in, the corporate world and do musicals in the, evening and sing and stuff. Yes, 

Chris Cordero: absolutely. 

Robyn Bell: And how many shows have you done with the Manatee performing arts? 

Chris Cordero: This is my very first show. 

Robyn Bell: Okay. 

Chris Cordero: With Manatee players. 

Robyn Bell: And are you based out of Bradenton? Sarasota? 

Chris Cordero: I am not. 

Robyn Bell: Okay. 

Chris Cordero: I travel from Tampa. 

Robyn Bell: Wow. 

Chris Cordero: Yeah. So most of my community theater experience in Florida has been in Pinellas and in Hillsborough.

Robyn Bell: Okay. 

Chris Cordero: So I've done a number of shows at Francis Wilson mm-hmm and then I traveled out to the Tampa side. So I most recently did a show with mad theater, over at the Shimberg Playhouse assassin. 

Robyn Bell: And just like the Bradenton Sarasota area, they have a very thriving community theater, programs in the Tampa area. Yes. 

Chris Cordero: More so than I ever would've thought. Yeah. So getting out there and just meeting more people, seeing more shows, seeing what opportunities are available, it's, uh, a much smaller community than. Then you would assume, right. Because there's so many theaters out there, but there's so much overlap in terms of performers.

Robyn Bell: Yeah. That's awesome. All right, Mike, how about you, Mike? I, for our listeners, Mike has a really cool star wars shirt on. I just want you to know, so your stock went way up with me, but, uh, alright. Tell us about yourself, Mike. 

Mike Nolan: This is the way. Yeah, well, uh, I also started in community theater when I was, , in high school, in, uh, Erie, Pennsylvania, which was a great place to grow up because they had a great community theater and I was in high school and my English class said, all right, if you come and be an usher for Romeo and Juliet, you get extra credit. Mm-hmm . So I showed up, I ushered, I watched the play and I thought to myself, I can do that. Yeah. So auditioned for the next play, which was Greece. I performed all through high school, both at the high school and all as the community theater, which was a really great play. By the time I, I left high school, I had like 10 shows under my, my belt. Then I went to Penn state for acting. 

Robyn Bell: All right. 

Mike Nolan: Graduated, 

Robyn Bell: Nittany, Lyons, 

Mike Nolan: Nittany, lyons, the offense state. And then I made my way to New York. I think we were must have been there at the same time. Sarah. I swear because 

Sarah Yonko: probably

Mike Nolan: it was right up there. Did that for four years did a lot of underground. We rehearsed it in my studio in Queens type shows. 

Robyn Bell: Okay. 

Mike Nolan: And then, and then I decided I, I needed to do more. So I went to Florida state for my master's in theater. So I have a master's in theater, history and criticism. So if anyone is ever. Faced with the bout of insomnia. You could always read my thesis.

Robyn Bell: I say about my doctoral dissertation too. I said, if you can't go to sleep, please hear read. 

Mike Nolan: no, I did mine on, uh, Kurt Weil. 

Robyn Bell: Oh yes. That three penny opera. Yes, 

Mike Nolan: actually, I, I did one of his on one of his lesser known shows, Johnny Johnson. Okay. Only because no one was writing about it and I think, oh, someone needs to write about this.

Robyn Bell: Yes. 

Mike Nolan: So that's what I did. 

Robyn Bell: All right. And so you finished a master's degree and then where do you land in the world? 

Mike Nolan: I showed up here. Bradenton and Sarasota do a little teaching. I've been teaching in a while, but hooked up with Manatee players back when they were in the old riverfront theater. So that little postage stamp of beloved 

Robyn Bell: now a wonderful, beautiful hotel in, uh, Oak and stone bar above. Okay. Yeah, 

Mike Nolan: I think it was cinderella was my first show. And so I, that was 19 years ago. 

Robyn Bell: Wow. 

Mike Nolan: So I. I haven't quite done a show every season. I usually do one or two a year last year after, uh, COVID had kind of put the kibosh on things. I think I kind of went overboard and I did three shows right. To row. Boom, boom, boom. 

Robyn Bell: Well, we were all so thirsty to do stuff, right, 

Mike Nolan: exactly. Exactly. I was making it for lost time. So, 

Robyn Bell: and do you have a day job? 

Mike Nolan: Yes, I do. I work for a medical equipment company and the nice thing is this past year, as work has changed, I'm now working from.

Robyn Bell: Oh nice. 

Mike Nolan: Which is fantastic. 

Robyn Bell: So you can have your script here, study a little bit, do a little work. No, no, no. We would never do that. 

Mike Nolan: Yeah. My only office mate right now is a 70 pound bulldog. 

Robyn Bell: Oh, what's his name? 

Mike Nolan: His name is Haas. 

Robyn Bell: Oh, I love that. 

Mike Nolan: Like Haas Cartright 

Robyn Bell: yes. Or like I'm a Haas 

Mike Nolan: yeah, exactly. 

Robyn Bell: Yeah. That's very, very awesome. Well, it's nice to meet the all three of you in a, you know, sort of that upper New York area, Pennsylvania, and, you know, everybody finds their way to Florida. And as we said, the Tampa. Sarasota Bradenton area. There is so much work here for community performers. It it's just fantastic. So let's talk about this show and your roles in the show. So, Chris, I wanna put it to you, give us a synopsis of how to succeed in business without really trying. So if you're on an elevator nobody's ever heard of this show before, what do you tell 'em? 

Chris Cordero: So a synopsis of the show is that everybody in the corporate business world kind of has different motivations and different processes and thought processes in terms of how to succeed and what success looks like for them really. This is a period show. So the success of a business. Is kind of different from the success of maybe a secretary, right? Mm-hmm so where they're looking at in terms of where they want their life to go, in terms of their personal life and in terms of their business life. It's kind of different, right? Mm-hmm, so different motivations and how they go about executing on those motivations are a little bit different as well, depending on their characters, I'd say, 

Robyn Bell: and this show's very satirical about that. Right? 

Chris Cordero: Very 

Robyn Bell: making fun of all the different personalities and the way to climb that corporate ladder.

Chris Cordero: Absolutely 

Robyn Bell: great. And Sarah, talk to us about your character first of all, let me ask, have you ever played this show before in this charact? 

Sarah Yonko: Actually have. 

Robyn Bell: Okay. 

Sarah Yonko: Um, I think was about 10 years ago. Venice theater did this production and it was my second community theater production in the area. And it was a blast. So when I saw Manatee players was doing it, I thought, oh, I'll do that one again. 

Robyn Bell: Yes,

Sarah Yonko: definitely. So I was lucky enough to be cast again as in the same role 

Robyn Bell: Uhhuh. 

Sarah Yonko: And my role is Rosemary Pilkington and she is a secretary for the worldwide wicket corporation. And she, has her site set on a new gentleman who's shown up. To get a job and she meets him on his first day of arriving and she's drawn by his. energy, enthusiasm and his, stick to itness 

Robyn Bell: mm-hmm 

Sarah Yonko: you know? And so, 

Robyn Bell: and this would be Alex Zickafoose's character. 

Sarah Yonko: Yes. 

Robyn Bell: Yes. Alex, a good friend of the podcast in the state college of Florida. Yep.

Sarah Yonko: Yes. Yes. He plays J. Pierrepont Finch.

Robyn Bell: Okay. 

Sarah Yonko: And he is following a book that he has as far as the steps in order to, to rise to the top. So throughout the play, he's referring to this book and, um, he's gonna follow the formula. And go through the steps and this is what's gonna, you know, there are things about meeting, your boss's secretary or the yep. The, you know, boss's nephew, it kind of like anyone he meets that has something to say about, Ooh, watch out and be careful don't fall into that hole, you know? You hear the reader, you hear the, the author's voice mm-hmm throughout the performance. And then, whenever he's in a jam, he pulls out the book and, and, uh, 

Robyn Bell: It it's we bust out into a song.

Sarah Yonko: Yes. beautiful music. Classic Broadway sound beautiful. 

Robyn Bell: Yep. 

Sarah Yonko: Catchy tunes. , I love almost every song in the show.

Robyn Bell: Well, that's good, but you're gonna have to pick one before our time is over. Not yet, but you gotta pick one. Okay. Mike JB Biggley. How does he fit into all this? 

Mike Nolan: JB Biggley is the president of worldwide wickets. And he's kind of, as I described to him To a friend of mine, he's kind of like a confident idiot.

Robyn Bell: Okay. 

Mike Nolan: In that

Robyn Bell: I know many of those 

Mike Nolan: I kind of modeled him a little bit of Roger Sterling from madman, which is that the period? But also a little bit of Michael Scott from the office off. 

Robyn Bell: Oh yeah, yeah. Yeah. 

Mike Nolan: Where it's just that, um, his plot revolves around. he has a girlfriend he's married, but he has someone that he's seen on the side. Who's played by the amazing Amanda LA. Who's doing kind of like a miss Adelaide Jean Hagan type thing going on. She's fantastic. He has promised her that he's gonna get her a job in the company as a secretary, and she's really ill fitted for that comically. She's fantastic. And so he's trying to sort of. Keep her in line, but at the same time, keep her happy. And the same time dealing with his nephew, bud, who is 

Robyn Bell: who's Chris 

Mike Nolan: who's. Chris who's his wife's sister's son. So he's got 

Robyn Bell: nephew, 

Mike Nolan: his nephew. Yes. We've gotten him a job and has to do with him. So it's been a lot of fun because sometimes the best roles for me. I feel like when I just kind of get to release my ID. Yeah. and just be as annoying and loud as possible. 

Robyn Bell: So, and this is it for you bullseye. 

Mike Nolan: And the funny thing is I did this show about 23 years ago. I was a stock boy. 

Robyn Bell: Okay. 

Mike Nolan: And now I'm the president. So it's taken 20 some years.

You've letter stuck in the organization.

Robyn Bell: Congratulations. 

Mike Nolan: that sounds so wonderful. 

Robyn Bell: all right, Chris, you are the nephew. I, and, uh, you know, sort of the, your character sort of the comic relief fella, right? 

Chris Cordero: This is a dramatic role. Yes. I didn't know about comedic relief, but so I play Bud Frump. Who is 

Robyn Bell: put a perfect name, 

vote for Frump, I guess. 

Chris Cordero: Right. And I guess he kind of talks like this. I, I suppose, but he's, um, he's entitled, so he's an entitled, mama's boy, that leverages his relationships. Through marriage and he's entitled to getting a promotion, right? So he feels that he should be president one day or at least close to, and he will step on everyone and everything that is in his way. So he just wants, all of the attention 

Robyn Bell: and he's not following the book. 

Chris Cordero: Oh, he, he would want somebody to read the book to him instead of him reading the book. , 

Robyn Bell: you've enjoyed developing this character. 

Chris Cordero: This is not a character. This is just who I am and how I live at this point. No, I'm kidding. It's so much fun. 

Robyn Bell: Yeah. 

Chris Cordero: Just to even see the cast, you know, my fellow castmates, smiling and laughing at my ridiculous voice or the ridiculous antics that I'm doing on stage. It's just, it's a joy,

Robyn Bell: let's say Rick Kerby, the director, and also the artistic producer of the Manatee performing arts center. And he's a wonderful choreographer. So he's when you talk about the dancing and stuff, but he has allowed you Chris with this character and maybe you Mike as well to really take on your own this where he's like, I want a funny voice, or how has that. 

Chris Cordero: I, I think I brought the voice and kind of just some mannerisms, I mean, pulling from, different characters out there. And just kind of making it my own. Uh, I, I suppose, 

Mike Nolan: right. Yeah. Rick is really organic when absolutely when creating a character, he kind of just lets you do it and then course corrects. I think you'd probably agree. So 

Sarah Yonko: I agree. , he picks who he wants in the roles and then he lets you put your spin on it.

Robyn Bell: Mm-hmm 

Sarah Yonko: and if it needs guidance, he will definitely. Come to your aid, but he, I think he wants it to come from you. 

Robyn Bell: And that's a very positive environment to be in as a community, performer. 

Chris Cordero: I was also going say that it's evolved throughout the rehearsal process as well. So I think that. What you walk in thinking, it's going to be like, once you start interacting with your fellow castmates, it almost evolves into something that fits like a puzzle. 

Mike Nolan: It's that beautiful alchemy that happens. 

Chris Cordero: That's what it is. That's what it is. So, 

Robyn Bell: now do all three of you get to sing selections, , 

Sarah Yonko: oh yes. 

Robyn Bell: Sarah. Talk about your, musical output for this show. 

Sarah Yonko: I primarily have, well, my theme song, you would say is called, happy to keep his dinner warm. And it's her philosophy on, you know, her coworker says, , if you marry this man and he gets what he wants, you'll never see him. He'll be at the office and you're gonna be home. And she says, That's what I want. that is what I want. That's okay. That's what she wants. And, uh, she wants to be the homemaker. She wants to have the house tidy and have the kids and be ready for him when he comes home and take care of him. And, I think that's not for everyone.

Robyn Bell: Mm-hmm , 

Sarah Yonko: but that's for Rosemary. That's what she wants. That's what she looks forward to. 

Robyn Bell: And when you wake up in the middle of the night, is that the tune you have running in your head? 

Sarah Yonko: Um, no, it's usually a different song than I'm not even in. Okay. It's usually coffee break or something.

Mike Nolan: Same thing with me. I always 

Robyn Bell: break. Yeah. 

Mike Nolan: Have the song stuck in my head that someone else says

Sarah Yonko: it's always somebody else's song that you get stuck in your head, I guess maybe cuz you don't get to do it or something, I sing that song. Multiple times throughout the performance and little, little variations, 

Robyn Bell: kinda like a leitmotif idea.

Sarah Yonko: Yes, exactly. Yeah. Yes. And they all, they're all called different things in the score, but it's pretty much the, 

Robyn Bell: the same tune. 

Sarah Yonko: Yeah. Mm-hmm and then I sing a few, I sing a, duet with Finch and that gets reprised and I sing, uh, another song with the women of the show. That's very funny. and I just, I love the music so much. I love it. 

Robyn Bell: What about you, Mike? What do you have was some music you, you get to sing? 

Mike Nolan: Well, I get to a song in the second act when, uh, Biggley's girlfriend is threatening to leave her. And so he pulls out this huge. Romantic Victor, Herbert style, mm-hmm number and just fawning over her, trying to get her back. And it works for a while until he screws it up. I run so, and I, and I said to someone earlier that this would be a song that bugs bunny would sing in the beginning of an episode mm-hmm before Elmer FUD shows up and like, where will I find a treasure? You know, like that. So, but, but it's very romantic, very language, very 

Robyn Bell: schmaltzy, 

Mike Nolan: Shmo, incredib, incredibly schmaltzy. 

Robyn Bell: Yeah. 

Mike Nolan: And he it's coming from a place of total BS. Yeah. so cuz he's just trying to keep her from leaving. 

Robyn Bell: Yeah. Yeah. All right, good. 

Mike Nolan: So that's a lot of fun, Chris. What's your favorite song? You get to sing.

Chris Cordero: Well, I get to sing, the reprise to, I guess, one of the more popular songs in the show, company way. So that that's really fun because again, it's, a kind of a different motivation of why Bud Frump wants to kind of follow the company way versus everybody else, I suppose. But my. Song in the show is actually one that Sarah gets to sing. It's the all female song, right? Mm-hmm um, Paris original. Okay. It's really funny. And I don't wanna give it away, but there's just a funny bit as to why, all the, ladies are on stage. 

Robyn Bell: well, I can't wait to see that. 

Sarah Yonko: It's fun. 

Robyn Bell: okay. So talking about the music, rick Bogner is doing the musical direction for this show and, so is this have a live orchestra or we're doing tracks 

Mike Nolan: live orchestra.

Sarah Yonko: We have live musicians. 

Robyn Bell: Live orchestra. 

Sarah Yonko: Yes. 

Robyn Bell: Fantastic. 

Sarah Yonko: Yes. 

Robyn Bell: Do you know how many people are in the, or. 

Sarah Yonko: I believe it's five. 

Robyn Bell: Okay. 

Mike Nolan: Something like that. 

Robyn Bell: Have they been rehearsing with you yet? 

Sarah Yonko: Not yet.

Robyn Bell: Don't you think that's just amazing when you get to get off of the tracks or just the piano compliment?

Sarah Yonko: Yes. 

Robyn Bell: And have the whole orchestra there. 

Sarah Yonko: Yes.

Chris Cordero: Feels real. 

Mike Nolan: Absolutely. 

Robyn Bell: It is a very special moment. We do our shows here at the college and everybody rehearses separately until that last week. Mm-hmm it's like, wow, it's just spectacular. Probably another week of rehearsals before you get with the orchestra. 

Sarah Yonko: Yes. 

Robyn Bell: Yeah, that'll be super cool. Do you have each of you a favorite moment in the show outside of the music, but like when something sort of truly spectacular happens, maybe we don't even expect it. You're like, oh, I can't wait for this scene.

Sarah Yonko: I think mine's Paris original. Because I get to have my, my little moment, my little, like, kind of almost like a dream moment kind of almost fantasy thing. Yeah. And then it plays out and in a fun way with the rest of the cast and I, I just, I think it's fun. Very frivolous and carefree. And it's not really. Serious or, super heavy. It's just, it's just fun. 

Robyn Bell: Would you characterize the whole show like that? Fun and frivolous and carefree? 

Sarah Yonko: I think so. 

Robyn Bell: Yeah. 

Sarah Yonko: I think it's, it's not deep. I mean, you can be thoughtful about it, I guess, but it's not deep. It's just kind of like step into another world. Another time. 

Robyn Bell: It's a really nice balance to the next show that's scheduled to rent. 

Sarah Yonko: Yes. 

Robyn Bell: Yeah. you know, it really is a nice, nice balance. What about the two of you? Either one of you have a favorite moment in the show. 

Chris Cordero: I'll say that the show is it's almost like a live cartoon, mm-hmm so, um, that's a good way to describe all the characters are kind of bigger than life Biggley than life um, but I think that my favorite parts of the show are there's almost these stop times where Finch Alex's character gets to kind of break the fourth wall and interacts even in silence with the audience. And I'll just say, Bud Frump gets a moment of that as well. And I'd say that that's probably my favorite moment.

Robyn Bell: Yeah. 

Mike Nolan: Honestly, any, scene I have with Amanda who plays, Hedy LaRue is hysterical because we both get the chance to play some real comic beats yeah. To it. But I'm also really enjoying, uh, my scenes with, with Alex as Finch, because. There's this kind of thing where they're almost trying to con each other. And so that's a real, that's a lot of fun to play. 

Robyn Bell: Yeah. So the interplay you really like working with another person in the interplay are those two. 

Mike Nolan: Yeah, absolutely. And that's, and that's, that's just like essence, like you were saying before, how things change, you know, I have an. And the idea how something's gonna go, but then Alex is gonna do something or a Amanda's gonna do something or mm-hmm Chris is gonna do something and something else happens. And it's like, oh, this is good. 

Robyn Bell: Yeah. So let's talk about the sets and the costumes, sort of the ancillary things that really bring in all the life that we don't, we don't see how the sausage is made. You know, we just sit there in the audience and hope there it is. So any kind of particular special things going on for the.

Sarah Yonko: we have a fairly new costume designer. At the theater. Karen Brady. and this will be her first full show. I believe she helped on Titanic and she did all the kids camp shows, which were adorable. But this is her first kind of main stage production that she gets to do from start to finish. And I had my fitting and everything was fun. And, and, so period, , 

Robyn Bell: does anybody get to wear any cool wigs or they do anything special with your. 

Sarah Yonko: Oh, yeah. I'll, I'll wear like a, a flip, a sixties flip yeah. Wig and, and, um, really some of the fashions are kind of. Vintage E some of the things that she found in stock mm-hmm . So there evoked the era with matching gloves and purses and , pill, box hats, and some really wonderful pieces that she managed to like dig through the whole collection. And she was like, I found this, 

Robyn Bell: I would imagine that outfitting, a woman for a sixties show is more fun than outfitting the, the man in just the Plano suit.

Mike Nolan: Oh. But my have a nice three P. Blue pin Stripe suit that I'm in love with. 

Robyn Bell: Yes. You gonna take it home with you? 

Mike Nolan: Where did that go? Michael? 

Chris Cordero: I don't know. Bud's suit is pretty nice. Yeah. At least some would say so. Yeah. 

Robyn Bell: But do you both have your own hair? 

Chris Cordero: I'm using my own hair.

Robyn Bell: Okay. It's good hair each. 

Mike Nolan: Well, I'm blessed with the gorgeous head of hair. 

Robyn Bell: This is true. 

Mike Nolan: I'm not putting anything on. 

Robyn Bell: This is true. Excellent. 

Mike Nolan: I am gonna do a little gray because, um, 

Robyn Bell: well you gotta look old. 

Mike Nolan: Well, well, well I'm 50. 

Robyn Bell: Oh wow. 

Mike Nolan: I don't, I have that a little gray 

Robyn Bell: and uh, you have briefcase, you carry and kind of the business suit stuff. Are there a lot of, scene changes and, set changes? 

Chris Cordero: There are. Yeah. Um, it's really cool because we have elevators. How are we gonna do that on stage? You'll have to come see it, but yeah, we have elevators on stage where, uh, the cast comes in and out of the elevators. 

Robyn Bell: All right. Was there any particular challenge about doing this show that you had to put forth a little bit more effort than you expected?

Sarah Yonko: I didn't only because I kind of remembered most of it. . Which was, we never really sure. 10 years is, you know, 

Robyn Bell: that's a long time. Yeah. 

Sarah Yonko: But turns out I did remember most of it. So actually it was fun in that way that then I can feel like I can really think. What I'm saying, I'm not trying to, cram and get this learned and get it under my belt. Right. It's more like I can relax a little bit and be a little more creative and be a little more thoughtful. And mm-hmm and. There's freedom in that mean usually you don't have so much time to learn all your materials. So it was nice. 

Robyn Bell: Yeah. 

Sarah Yonko: To kind of refresh 

Robyn Bell: as a conductor. You know, I do band and orchestra conducting it's the same if I've done a piece of music 10 or 12 years ago, and I pull it out again, it's new and fresh to me, but because I've done it before, I feel like I can dig deeper. It's the same that you're talking about. 

Sarah Yonko: Yes. 

Robyn Bell: It's a good feeling. 

Sarah Yonko: It is. It's it's fun. It's definitely fun. 

Robyn Bell: Okay. I have some quick questions for you and we're gonna go around the room this way. 

Mike Nolan: Okay. 

Robyn Bell: So Mike, Chris, Sarah. Alright. Opening night or closing night 

Mike Nolan: opening night, the. 

Chris Cordero: Closing night 

Sarah Yonko: opening night, 

Robyn Bell: closing night, you should have said closing night, the party 

Mike Nolan: well, there's a party opening night too. So 

Robyn Bell: you guys like the energy of that? Oh, this is our first time with a live audience. And you, you like, I 

Chris Cordero: like the deep breath. 

Robyn Bell: Yes. 

Chris Cordero: The breath of relief. 

Robyn Bell: Yes. I've conducted many musicals in my life. And I'm I'm with you, Chris. I'm a closing night kind of gal as well. Okay. Hats that fit or shoes that fit shoes. 

Mike Nolan: Shoes. 

Sarah Yonko: Definitely. She . 

Robyn Bell: So do you all three get some dancing in this show?

Chris Cordero: Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Everybody gets, 

Robyn Bell: it's so hard to do with shoes that don't fit, right. Oh, and do you have to be in kind of like 60 secretarial shoes? 

Sarah Yonko: We're wearing theater shoes. 

Robyn Bell: Okay.

Sarah Yonko: Like character shoes and. Own my own pair. So they're mine and they fit and they feel good. Yes. So I, I have a collection of shoes for almost any scenario because I don't wanna be faced with that challenge. If you have a pair of shoes that doesn't fit, you can't do your best. 

Robyn Bell: So yeah, I was at a show not long ago and one of the poor performers had blisters and. You could tell, you could see the bandaids and stuff. You're like, oh, poor things. I know that feeling. So mm-hmm,

Chris Cordero: it's hard. It's hard enough to dance in shoes that do fit.

Robyn Bell: Right, right.

Chris Cordero: A little that shoes that don't fit. 

Robyn Bell: Okay. Favorite musical of all time. Oh, this is a hard one. 

Mike Nolan: Les Miserables 

Robyn Bell: Les Mis!!. 

Chris Cordero: Miss saigon. 

Robyn Bell: Oh, rag time. 

Sarah Yonko: Rag time. 

Robyn Bell: Oh my God. I love that one. I love rag time. I was not expecting that or here's, a kicker. I ask kind of a lot of people, west side story or Hamilton.

Mike Nolan: Oh, I've loved west side story for all my life. 

Robyn Bell: Right. 

Mike Nolan: But I love Hamilton too. 

Chris Cordero: west side story. 

Robyn Bell: Good 

Sarah Yonko: west side story. It's a three for,

Mike Nolan: and we did that. 

Sarah Yonko: We did, you've done Mike and I did the west side together a few years ago. 

Robyn Bell: Well, congratulations, Sarah, Chris and Mike you are now officially part of the club. You can see these three cats in the Manatee performing arts center production of how to succeed in business without really trying running August 11th through August 21. At the Manatee performing arts center, you can get your tickets by going to Manatee performing art center.com or through our Suncoast culture club podcast, calendar of events page. I wanna thank all three of you. Joining me today and wish you the best during the round of the show. I'm really looking forward to seeing it. 

Mike Nolan: Thank you for, 

Chris Cordero: thank you. 

Sarah Yonko: Thank you for having us.