Eddie Weaver, Cast Member of Florida Studio Theatre's "The 70s: More Than a Decade", Joins the Club

Robyn Bell: I love it when a cast member from one of the many shows playing at Florida Studio Theatre can join me on the podcast. And today I am very excited for us to meet Eddie Weaver, who is performing an FST show, the seventies, more than a decade. It is running now until February 12th, 2023. FSTs Court Cabaret. And if you are a child of the seventies, like me, this show is not to be missed. Eddie Weaver, welcome to the Club .

Eddie Weaver: Thank you for having me. I'm so excited to be here.

Robyn Bell: So, Eddie, let's start from birth. 

Eddie Weaver: Okay. Let's start from the very beginning. 

Robyn Bell: Yeah. Tell us about yourself. How'd you come to be this performer here in this show at Florida Studio Theatre?

Eddie Weaver: Yeah, so um, I'm from Atlanta, Georgia. 

Robyn Bell: Woo. The atl. 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah. Yeah. Born and raised. So I started really young, like I was singing from a tyke, a little guy and 

Robyn Bell: church. 

Eddie Weaver: Church.

Robyn Bell: Yeah. Yeah. Yep. Man. 

Eddie Weaver: You know, all the greats come from church . 

Robyn Bell: Yeah. You're not kidding. 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah. So yeah, I started performing when I was really, really young. Started in church. I sang in choir in school. 

Robyn Bell: Like middle school, high school. 

Eddie Weaver: Mm-hmm. Elementary School, all of that. I started real young, so 

Robyn Bell: like, but that would be like classical style choir, like likeor class kind of thing. 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah. I guess the classical side of that really didn't come in until like middle school, elementary school, you know, we were singing like, you know, the happy birthday, like, you know, , you're just the, the, yes, the random, you know, songs.

Robyn Bell: But then you, you, you like learn how to read music and actually perform in a mm-hmm. concert choir, as we would call it. Alright. 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I picked up all of those skills. 

Robyn Bell: Did you do any musical theatre stuff in school at your school?

Eddie Weaver: Yes. So actually I went, when I was in school I went to a performing arts high school. That's when I started to get into like theatre and stuff. Before it was just strictly singing and the choir and doing pieces here and there. 

Robyn Bell: Mm-hmm. What, what's the name of your high school? 

Eddie Weaver: Martha Ellen Stillwell School of the Arts. 

Robyn Bell: There you go. In Atlanta in, 

Eddie Weaver: well, it's in Clayton County, so it's kind of outside of Atlanta, about 20 minutes, but Yeah, so I started doing musical Theatre then. I guess really, I was talking to my aunt about this the other day actually. She reminded me my first like, I guess stage show was Mother Goose in her nursery rhymes, and I was little boy blue. So I guess technically that was my first stage performance with like musical Theatre. 

Robyn Bell: Don't you ever forget it.

Eddie Weaver: And you know what? I won't now ever since my brought it up, it's, it's ingrained in my mind now, but. Yeah, my first musical theatre show show was Cinderella. I played Charles the Cat. He turned into the coach driver. And it was a great time, great time. But like the, the moment I knew that, This is what I wanted to do. We did Rag Time in my high school. 

Robyn Bell: Oh, wow. And I, that's all a tough show. 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah. It is a tough show, but it's a great show. It's such a, such a beautiful show. I was Booker t Washington in that show. Okay. And at the end of the first act, it's this song till we reach that day. And like at the very end of the song, everybody comes together and like, Till you reach that and it's like this just overwhelming feeling. And I started to, well up on stage cuz I'm like, oh my gosh, I've never experienced like this before.

Robyn Bell: No. And that like me, same sort of thing happened when I was in high school at a summer camp. I said, This is what you said to yourself. I bet. 

Eddie Weaver: Mm-hmm. , 

Robyn Bell: I have to do this every day of my life. 

Eddie Weaver: Yep. 

Robyn Bell: Yep. 

Eddie Weaver: Mm-hmm. . 

Robyn Bell: And there it all starts 

Eddie Weaver: and there it starts. The rest is history, honestly. But yeah. So from that moment on, I was like, this is what I want to do. Yeah. Like, this is where I want to go with my life. And ever since I've been making those, that step in that direction. 

Robyn Bell: So you graduated high school from this performing arts high school? Yes. You go right into college?

Eddie Weaver: Yes. So I went directly into college. I went to Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia.

Robyn Bell: Yep. And 

Eddie Weaver: um, 

Robyn Bell: Schwab School of Music. 

Eddie Weaver: Yes. You're familiar. You're familiar. , you know, you know, 

Robyn Bell: I used to actually live in Ringold, Georgia. 

Eddie Weaver: Oh, okay. Yeah. 

Robyn Bell: I taught high school band in Rossville, Georgia. 

Eddie Weaver: Oh, okay. 

Robyn Bell: And we sent students all over the state to camps. Honor band type things. And so, and I actually went to some conducting workshops at the Schwab School of Music.

Eddie Weaver: Okay, so you're kind of like a fellow Georgia Peach. Mm-hmm. But. Yeah, so I went to Columbus State University. I got my degree in Theatre performance, a BA in Theatre Performance. 

Robyn Bell: Good for you. 

Eddie Weaver: Thank you. Thank you. I appreciate it. And I just graduated last year, actually, last May. So after, directly after that though, I went to Florida Studio Theatre as an acting apprentice.

Robyn Bell: And um, okay, hold on. How did you get that apprenticeship? How, how did that come about?

Eddie Weaver: Okay, so. They have this thing called Sctc, the Southeastern Theatre Conference. 

Robyn Bell: Yes. 

Eddie Weaver: And um, it's like a big cattle call of like all these college kids trying to get like summer stock work and like just professional work in general. And they're coming together and they're doing this audition for these companies. Mm-hmm. . And if the companies are interested, they'll call you back and they'll do the cold call back process with you and you go from there and get the job.

Robyn Bell: Were, were you offered. More callbacks from just Florida Studio, 

Eddie Weaver: Like outside of Florida Studio Theatre? Yes. Yeah, there were. Okay. But I knew Florida Studio Theatre was the one 

Robyn Bell: I was about to ask, how did you make that pick? 

Eddie Weaver: So a lot of the offers that I was getting they weren't. Long contracts. So they were like, you know, a month or two, three months with Florida Studio Theatre. The acting apprenticeship offer that I received was for a year long contract. And so I wanted to, I knew that I wanted to be in a program that would keep me working and, you know, keep me in my field and, constantly working on my craft. And so I think Florida Studio Theatre was the best choice for me. 

Robyn Bell: Did you know about this particular Theatre company when you went to the SETC? 

Eddie Weaver: So we get a company booklet whenever you go to SETC and it like includes all the companies. And so when I was perusing the little booklet, I was like, okay, these are the companies that I could see myself working for in Florida Studio Theatre was one of those companies that I was like, okay. They offer this, they offer that. I'll check it off. 

Robyn Bell: And did you realize at the time when you got the job, the apprenticeship and you came here, that sort of Sarasota was this crazy cultural arts little town?

Eddie Weaver: I had no idea. See, I, like I said, I'm from Georgia, so like mm-hmm. , I barely got outside of Georgia . The couple of times that I didn't get outside of Georgia was for SETC, cuz usually it's held in, one of the states in the southeast. And so the year that I went, it was in Kentucky and um, That was,

Robyn Bell: well, that's not too far from Georgia.

Eddie Weaver: It isn't. It really isn't . It's still the South, so It is, yes. But yeah, one of the reasons why I chose Florida Studio Theatre, like I said, was just because it, it kept me in the arts and in the field, and I was so happy when I got down to Sarasota because like you said, it's such a booming community of, the arts. There was literally arts at every corner of, Sarasota. So, 

Robyn Bell: and when you say literally it, you turn, there's another, you turn and there's another, and did this apprenticeship provide you housing? 

Eddie Weaver: It did. It did, yeah. 

Robyn Bell: Very nice. 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah. So that was also another plus, like I, I had a roof over my head.

Robyn Bell: Mm-hmm. ,

Eddie Weaver: I was getting paid nicely. So,

Robyn Bell: and you just finished your bachelor's degree? Mm-hmm. . And this, I mean, it won't turn into a master's degree, but it was a whole year long of more intensive training than what you had.

Eddie Weaver: Right, right, right, right. Yeah. So the thing about like my collegiate career was it was such a educational space.

Robyn Bell: Mm-hmm. 

Eddie Weaver: like I was, I guess, don't get me wrong, Florida Studio Theatre, the acting apprenticeship, you're still learning, but you're in a more professional setting, so it's like you're already in the professional theatre world now, so you're 

Robyn Bell: not taking tests and doing final exams and 

Eddie Weaver: Exactly, exactly.

Robyn Bell: No math.

Eddie Weaver: Right. None of that. No core classes and none of that. Yeah. It's strictly, you know, your craft and, and you honing in on what you want to do. 

Robyn Bell: And so last year at fst, what as the, as the acting apprentice, what all were you able to participate in? 

Eddie Weaver: So I did an array of things. My first production with FST was On the Road Again, that was like a, the first touring children's cabaret show, if you will.

Robyn Bell: Okay. 

Eddie Weaver: It was like a, a compilation of songs and we went on tour. We went all over Sarasota County , we sang these songs for these kids and they loved it. They loved it. 

Robyn Bell: Oh, I bet. Mm-hmm. , because you got 'em outta class. Yeah. , no, no, because it was really good quality stuff. And oftentimes I find here with, for instance, with the SCF music students. Mm-hmm. , was it a year or so ago, I took them to see Great Balls of fire. We, we had lined up a special performance by that cast for, for just our students at like 11 o'clock on a Friday morning. Yes. and our students, cuz we're a two year college, we're a community college. Our students are all from this area. And Eddie, I can't tell you, they were all like, we had no idea this was even here. We'd never seen this, we'd never been, I was shocked. Mm-hmm. , but this is what I'm finding out. Right. And so FST does a great job of taking that show on the road to those students who really would never know about these cultural offerings otherwise.

Eddie Weaver: Right. 

Robyn Bell: Yeah. I thought that was really rewarding.

Eddie Weaver: Mm-hmm. , it definitely is. That's one thing I will say about Florida Studio Theatre. They're really good about reaching out in the community and like mm-hmm. , you know, making sure theatre's accessible to everybody. So 

Robyn Bell: what else did you do besides On the Road Again? 

Eddie Weaver: Okay, so I did On the Road Again, 

Robyn Bell: which I don't not, you don't look like a Willie Nelson to me, . Just kidding. 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah, it was four of us On the Road Again, so, you know, one of us had to, we, we stepped in, well, Willie Nelson's shoes and 

Robyn Bell: how many acting apprentices are there each year?

Eddie Weaver: 12. There are 12.

Robyn Bell: Okay. So you were one of 12 that got, or was, is it like six and six is like a rotating, or No, it's just one year.

Eddie Weaver: Yeah, so it's just one year. So they have , two contracts. Right. So they have the year long contracted and then they have a eight month contract. Mm-hmm. . And I was in the year long contract, which included the summer tour. So literally right after I graduated, I had about a. Of like free time. And then I came directly to Florida Studio Theatre and started On the Road Again. And from there we ran that show all summer until I think about August, and then that's when the rest of the Acting Apprentice group comes in.

Robyn Bell: Okay. 

Eddie Weaver: So it'll be, it was, it'll start with like four people doing the summer tour and then the other. Eight people come in. So in August, that's when we got the rest of our cohort of acting apprentices. And um, after that we started to go into our main stage for children's theatre which I had the pleasure of again, being in Cinderella, but this time yeah. This time I was one of the stepsisters, Barb. Yeah, it was a lot of fun. A lot of fun. I was in,

Robyn Bell: I bet, 

Eddie Weaver: full drag. I had the wig, the dress, the heels. It was awesome. My great. 

Robyn Bell: Tear it up, right? 

Eddie Weaver: Tearing it up. 

Robyn Bell: Those shoes are not comfortable. You have really large feet too. I'm looking . 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah, I wear an 11. So 

Robyn Bell: the slippers did not fit you?

Eddie Weaver: Yeah, definitely not. Definitely not. 

Robyn Bell: That is a hoot. Mm-hmm. . Now, as part of that apprenticeship program, you are paid? 

Eddie Weaver: Yes. 

Robyn Bell: A little, A little stiped, I guess. 

Eddie Weaver: Yes. 

Robyn Bell: And you get all the experience? 

Eddie Weaver: Yes. 

Robyn Bell: And you're in shows, but are you also getting backstage or administrative experience, or you're just acting? 

Eddie Weaver: Oh, of course. Yeah. 

Robyn Bell: Okay. 

Eddie Weaver: So we were hands on with a lot of things. So we got to work in the box office. We worked house managing. We worked with the marketing department with development. We get. A little bit of everything in the theatre world. That's also another plus about Florida Studio Theatre. You kind of get to not only focus on, performing or focus on tech, you get to also explore these other avenues of theatre and, you know, you get to see the administrative side of theatre, you get to see the financial side of Theatre. You get to see it all. Mm-hmm. so. 

Robyn Bell: And, and I know you wanna be a performer, right?

Eddie Weaver: Mm-hmm. , 

Robyn Bell: this is, this is your goal in life. But did you find another area of the arts that was like, you know, I could probably do that. 

Eddie Weaver: Oh yeah. 

Robyn Bell: Yeah. 

Eddie Weaver: Oh yeah. 

Robyn Bell: What is that? 

Eddie Weaver: I definitely could see myself being like a house manager, just cuz like I. People. I love talking to people. I love working with people. So I could see myself house managing. I could see myself working in the box office again. I love to talk. So yeah. . Yeah, I I can definitely carry a good conversation. So I think I, I found other avenues of theatre that I could explore if the, you know, the performance doesn't work out.

Robyn Bell: That's very interesting to me. Mm-hmm. and plus, as performers, if we really want to make it, we need to have those ancillary skills to mm-hmm. put that. Piece of the puzzle together. 

Eddie Weaver: Right. 

Robyn Bell: And when you are auditioning for shows, or maybe one day you wanna open up your own company mm-hmm. . Right. And now you have that experience. You know how all those little cogs in that wheel work. 

Eddie Weaver: Right. Right, right, right. 

Robyn Bell: Interesting. 

Eddie Weaver: Mm-hmm. . And as an acting apprentice, we actually got the chance to work with Richard. We had a, Richard is the 

Robyn Bell: Richard Hopkins. 

Eddie Weaver: Mm-hmm. Richard Hopkins. He's the. Creative artistic director. 

Robyn Bell: He's the Grand Poobah.

Eddie Weaver: Yeah, he is the top tier. He's the, the head honcho. So we got to sit down with him and, you know, talk, talk about how the inner workings of a theatre work. . And we got to experience that and get his input and his insight. Cuz you know, he's been running this Florida Studio Theatre and it's, Florida Studio Theatre is a massive. Complex, a massive campus. There are five theatre spaces and a restaurant, you know, 

Robyn Bell: and they have it all going all at one time.

Eddie Weaver: All at one time. And so it can get pretty hectic, but, you know, sitting down and talking to him about his experience and what he's done and mm-hmm. , it's very eye opening. And it lets you know, cuz one of the things that I do want to do is I want to at some open my own theatre company in Atlanta, because the part of Atlanta that I grew up in, we really don't have a lot of access to, performing arts like that. And so one of my goals in life is to start up my own theatre company 

Robyn Bell: Nice.

Eddie Weaver: In Atlanta and, you know, 

Robyn Bell: educational outreach, getting those. High school students in learning and then sending them on their way. Plus, probably producing big shows for patrons to come and 

Eddie Weaver: Right. 

Robyn Bell: You know, they gotta spend their money somewhere. Why not with you? 

Eddie Weaver: Exactly. 

Robyn Bell: a hundred percent right. And you're putting something great out into the world. So that's really inspirational. Eddie, do you play any musical instruments? 

Eddie Weaver: No, unfortunately not. I would love to though.

Robyn Bell: Did you have to learn peck around on piano or anything in college? Mm-hmm. ? 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah, so I took two years of piano and so I did like the basics of, you know, tickling the IIes and whatnot. But you, 

Robyn Bell: you know where middle C is 

Eddie Weaver: Exactly. I can tell you where middle C is and I can um, read music a little bit. So like, if you let me sit with some music, I can tap it out on the piano, but I'm not that skilled at piano. I wish I was though. 

Robyn Bell: Yeah, if you walked in my office and said I wanna play instrument, I might put you on string bass.

Eddie Weaver: String bass. 

Robyn Bell: Yes. I think that you might be a really good string bass player.

Eddie Weaver: You know what, I actually was an orchestra in middle school. But I played the viola. I played the viola. Yeah. W 

Robyn Bell: oh, wait, wait, wait. Oh yeah. I have it.

Eddie Weaver: I love that. 

Robyn Bell: I dropped it on. You 

Eddie Weaver: had to 

Robyn Bell: So while you're here, you were the acting apprentice. They provided you housing, , then your apprenticeship ends. Do you? Yeah. Do you go back to Atlanta?

Eddie Weaver: Yeah. So, my apprenticeship ended in June, so the beginning of June I left and went back to Atlanta.

Robyn Bell: I, but that was a sad day.

Eddie Weaver: It was, it really was. Especially cuz like I was here for a whole year and

Robyn Bell: you build a relationship and connections. Yeah. Mm-hmm. 

Eddie Weaver: and so it was. And some of my friends stayed at Florida Studio Theatre and I had the option to stay at Florida Studio Theatre, but I wanted to, explore those other options and see what, was out there 

Robyn Bell: and look at here. You're right back. 

Eddie Weaver: Right back. A couple months later 

Robyn Bell: they had a casting call. You auditioned for the show. 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah, so actually I received an email cuz the thing about Florida Studio Theatre is once you work with Florida Studio Theatre, they have a whole database that they keep if you might be someone that they are considering for a show, they'll reach out and say, you know, hey, we're doing this. You should send in a self tape for this. , so I got an email and it was like, Hey, Planning on doing this cabaret show. If you're interested, please send in the self tape. So I sent in the self tape it was a whole process. I had to send in, I think three or four videos of myself singing and from there 

Robyn Bell: as if they already didn't know how great you are.

Eddie Weaver: Right. You know? I understand though. I understand. It's the whole casting process, so I get it. And you know, they're probably looking at other people too. So I ended up having to send in a couple of videos, but at the end of the day, they emailed me and when they were like, Hey, we wanna offer you the role in the cabaret show, and here I am, 

Robyn Bell: and the moral of the story. Check your email, 

Eddie Weaver: right? ? Yeah. 

Robyn Bell: A lot of people miss out. They don't check their emails. 

Eddie Weaver: Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. You gotta stay on top of those emails cuz you never know what's in there. 

Robyn Bell: Since you left Sarasota in June mm-hmm. , had you had any work in between or this was your first sort of official engagement?

Eddie Weaver: So I actually did I worked on a production of Songs for a New World over the summer. . Within those couple of months. But unfortunately I wasn't able to finish that contract cuz I had to, you know, come here where, my FST family is. 

Robyn Bell: That's right. Yeah. And you have family back in Atlanta?

Eddie Weaver: I do. 

Robyn Bell: Did any of them, were they able to come down that your, of your apprenticeship and watch any of the shows and stuff? 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah, so actually I was under studying one of their cabaret shows last year, the Wanderers. And so my family, they made the decision to come down and see Cinderella cuz at the time the Wanderers was happening, Cinderella was also simultaneously happening.

Robyn Bell: Fun. 

Eddie Weaver: So yeah, so I got the opportunity to go on for the Wanderers the same weekend that my family came down. So they got to see me in not only Cinderella, in my full drag . They also got to see me in another cabaret show last year called The Wanderers, which was like a fifties doop. 

Robyn Bell: Yep, I remember. I saw it was great.

Eddie Weaver: Yeah. So I was in that,

Robyn Bell: I'm looking at you, Eddie, cuz you got, you know, some facial hair going on. Mm-hmm. not for Cinderella. Did you have to shave it off? 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah, I had to shave it off. 

Robyn Bell: Bummer. 

Eddie Weaver: And I'm bald too. I know the people can't see me, but I'm balded so I had to shake my beard. So I was like a potato. It was, it was a whole thing. But it came back. It came back . 

Robyn Bell: Did your, did your family enjoy their time here on the Sun Coast? 

Eddie Weaver: Oh, they did. They did. They came down twice, actually. So they came down earlier in the year to see On the Road Again. But unfortunately, the day that they came, it rained so. Oh, they couldn't see it. And it was an outside show. Yeah. So they couldn't see it that day, but they didn't, 

Robyn Bell: it rains a lot in the summer here. Yeah. That's why they call it the tropics. 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah. . Yeah. It does. It it was, it was a time. Yeah. But um, yeah, so they didn't get to see On the Road Again, but thankfully, fortunately, when they came down the second time, they got to see Cinderellas and the Wanderers.

Robyn Bell: Cool. Cool. Yeah. Well, this show that you're in The Seventies, More Than a Decade, it is a cast of four. Mm-hmm. . So it's you, Brianna Barnes Michael James Burn. Mm-hmm. and Janine Jones. Mm-hmm. . All very talented folks. Tell us how the four of you work together on this show, and like, who's singing what parts, and like, tell us about sort of the rehearsal and the meshing process of the quartet.

Eddie Weaver: Of course. Yeah. So our cabaret show, they're all developed at fst, so it's constantly, Especially in the rehearsal process. Everything's constantly changing and you know, we're trying to figure out who's gonna sing what, who's gonna sing this? My cast is amazing. All of them are phenomenal. The three others, they're chef's kiss. That's so good.

Robyn Bell: Let's just say FST doesn't hire anything other than top quality, that's you're here.

Eddie Weaver: Right, right, right, right. Of course. Yeah. But yeah, so the rehearsal process was amazing. We were in there for three weeks before we opened and we were trying to figure out everything figure out who's gonna sing what, who's gonna sing this. And it was a lot of cutting and adding, cutting and adding. And so that keeps you on your toes as an actor too, because you know, you're constantly having to. Adjust with the script. And so it was a lot of fun, a lot of fun developing the cabaret. 

Robyn Bell: And I can hear from you talking, I assume you're kind of a tenor voice. 

Eddie Weaver: Am 

Robyn Bell: a singer. Yes. Yeah. And so what I like about these cabaret shows is that there's ensemble group stuff, but then there is also a. Tunes where each of you are featured, maybe even more than once. Mm-hmm. , what songs are you featured on? I'm gonna guess the Freddie Mercury stuff. 

Eddie Weaver: I am singing Freddie Mercury. So the thing is Michael and I both are tenors, so Okay. But I am a lower 10 than him. I'm a ten two. He's a ten one. Got it. And so I do sing. The meat of the Yeah. Harmonies. I sing the bottom stuff. . I sing Don't stop me now. Don't stop me now. , 

Robyn Bell: wait. Give us some more. What is that? 

Eddie Weaver: Okay. I'm a shooting star, leaping through the sky like a tiger defying the laws of gravity. 

Robyn Bell: What's that from? 

Eddie Weaver: That is, don't stop Me now. By Freddie Mercury. I'm trying to think what is it from though. I know I've heard it in something, but probably, yeah. But you know, Freddie Mercury, literally a god amongst man. He's so good.

Robyn Bell: Right, right. What other songs are you featured in? 

Eddie Weaver: So I sing Let's get it on. Marvin Gay. 

Robyn Bell: Oh, mm-hmm. . I hear that a hundred percent.

Eddie Weaver: Yeah, I sing. Let's get on. 

Robyn Bell: Let's do it together. 

Eddie Weaver: Okay, let's get it. Let's get it on.

Let's get it on.

Robyn Bell: Oh, man. Yeah. . I'm there tonight. What time's show? Did I notice? Oh, yes. . 

Eddie Weaver: Well, we have one seven 30 tonight if you wanna come through, but um, yeah, so I sing. Let's get it on. I sing Won't Get Fool again. From the who. 

Robyn Bell: That's kind of more British edgy.

Eddie Weaver: Yeah. Rock

Robyn Bell: food. It was a, it was the song for Criminal Minds or something, right? 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah. Csi. 

Robyn Bell: Yeah. Csi. 

Eddie Weaver: Csi. Mm-hmm. .

Robyn Bell: I get 'em more confused.

Eddie Weaver: Yeah. Well see, the thing is, when I first heard the song, I was like, I know this from somewhere. I don't know where I know it from, but lo and behold, it was csi. But that song is like one of my, the whole war medley is like one of my favorite parts in the show because Michael is also singing, he sings Bobo O'Reilly, so, oh, out here in the field? Mm-hmm. and Michael has such. Booming rock voice. It just puts you in that, that mood. And so once I come on, after him and sing, won't get fooled again. It's like

Robyn Bell: you've been transported. 

Eddie Weaver: Exactly. Yeah, exactly. 

Robyn Bell: Cool. 

Eddie Weaver: So yeah, I sing. Won't get fooled again. I sing. Lean on Me. Yeah. Nice. The Withers. Mm-hmm. , We have a whole TV medley of, 

Robyn Bell: I wanna talk about that. Yeah. I am fascinated with this TV medley because when I think about putting on shows like for my pops orchestras mm-hmm. , and I'm thinking about tunes that we can play in a theme I need to go there because the TV shows and their music is ingrained in our culture. It's a big deal. So tell us about this medley. 

Eddie Weaver: The TV medley. I, it's, I love it. I love it

Robyn Bell: when I think about shows from the seventies. I'm like, it, the music was the best thing about it. 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah. So um, the TV medley is theme songs of all these seventies TV shows put together in this like one big compilation. So we, and so 

Robyn Bell: all in the family. 

Eddie Weaver: All in the family, 

Robyn Bell: the Jeffersons, 

Eddie Weaver: the Jefferson. 

Robyn Bell: Moving on up. 

Moving on up to, to Lisa. Yeah. Oh. That's just like, the love 

Eddie Weaver: I sing that one. The love boat. Yeah. 

Robyn Bell: Eddie. 

Eddie Weaver: Yes. Yes. It says, 

Robyn Bell: and Okay. The girls do. Laverne and Shirley. 

Eddie Weaver: Oh, they do? Okay. Mm-hmm. . Yeah, . Although Michael and I are singing back up on that song.

Robyn Bell: Okay. Mm-hmm. . All right. Good times. Oh, what a great tune that was for that show, Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. Mm-hmm. . 

Eddie Weaver: I do that one as. 

Robyn Bell: Okay. 

Eddie Weaver: Put on my card again. Stood up. Mm-hmm. . It's pretty believable. 

Robyn Bell: Yeah. and welcome back Carter. You know, with John Travolta. Gray tune. Yeah. And then the Muppet show like. I saw this list and I said, genius. Mm-hmm. , what a great little, and it's a medley.

Eddie Weaver: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So we have fabulous writers Sarah Durham, Rebecca Richard, they all put this show together and we had Jim Prosser, who was also our pianist, right. He composed everything and arranged everything and put it all together. And Jim's mind is, Phenomenal. I'm, that man is a genius. Literally he can take any piece of music and put it on with another piece of music and just make it sound like it was seamless. 

Robyn Bell: Seamless, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He's amazing. I've been to a lot of the shows he's done there.

Eddie Weaver: Mm-hmm.

Robyn Bell: Quite a talent they have there. And that's what makes it all work. Yeah. You know, when I, when I look at the, the list of songs in that TV medley, I can hear them all in my head, but I know they're not in the same key or the same style. Yeah. And you have to have a spot on a ranger. Mm-hmm. to make those transitions put in the right key for you. Singers, right? Mm-hmm. , were you doing a lot of that, those three weeks of rehearsals sort of changing and let's 

Eddie Weaver: Yep. 

Robyn Bell: Pull this up or drop this down. 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah. And it's so impressive to watch Jim work cuz We would say, okay, something doesn't work. Right. And Catherine, who was our director, wonderful.

Robyn Bell: Catherine Randazzo. 

Eddie Weaver: Mm-hmm. , Catherine Randazzo, 

Robyn Bell: who I've worked with on a couple of projects used to teach here at State College of Florida. Oh wow. Mm-hmm. . 

Eddie Weaver: I didn't know that. 

Robyn Bell: Yep. She's great.

Eddie Weaver: Yeah, she's amazing. So we would be in rehearsal and Catherine would say, okay, well, I'm not sure about this. And so she would throw out another song and Jim would be like, Hmm. He would pull out his iPad, look it up, listen to it a little bit, and then he'd be like, okay. And just like go to town and just start playing. And it's crazy. 

Robyn Bell: How do you do that? 

Eddie Weaver: Right? It's crazy, but literally, Watching Jim just look up a song, take it and put it in. Like while he's eating a granola bar. Just casually, just casually, you know, 

Robyn Bell: don't forget the granola bar. That's what makes it great, 

Eddie Weaver: honestly. 

Robyn Bell: Well there are a total of 30 selections in the show. Mm-hmm. two halves including some amazing Carol King tunes. Queen and Freddie Mercury, we talked about my personal favorite, Donna Summer.

Eddie Weaver: Mm-hmm. . 

Robyn Bell: Oh, she's fantastic. 

Eddie Weaver: I love Donna. 

Robyn Bell: Do you have a particular song or two that you're really enjoying? Maybe either performing or maybe just listening to one you don't perform in, and one you're like, I can't wait for this part of the show. 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah, so one of my favorite songs to perform is Won't Get Fooled again, just cuz of that rock aspect and that I, because I don't sing rock typically, but like just getting that opportunity to go on stage and sing Rock it. Something about it. 

Robyn Bell: Well there was power chords and that. Drums 

Eddie Weaver: and, yeah. Yeah. It's something about it. I love performing that song every night, but one of the songs that I love listening to is The Way We Were by Janie Jones. Janie's voice is like butter. It's so rich and just, it makes you feel warm inside. Yeah. And so I love watching her just go on stage and do her thing and. It literally encapsulate everyone in the audience. Everyone is almost in tears breaking down from Janie singing and it's just a wonderful thing to watch every night. 

Robyn Bell: And I noticed Ellie Mooney has been your choreographer. So tell us about these dance moves, cuz it's a small stage up there.

Eddie Weaver: It is. It is. Yeah. And so this is actually, I believe, one of the most dance heavy cabarets that they've done.. It's the disco specifically is a lot of dancing. Cuz you know, you can't, you can't not dance with disco. You have to, 

Robyn Bell: you can't. I mean, if you aren't dancing to disco, there's something wrong with you.

Eddie Weaver: Exactly. . Mm-hmm. . So for this show, actually I learned how to do the hustle. I had never done the hustle before. 

Robyn Bell: You didn't think I knew that one. 

Eddie Weaver: You got it. You got it. I knew. I knew you got it . 

Robyn Bell: And so there's actual dance moves to the hustle. 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah, there are. 

Robyn Bell: See, I only know the notes. I don't know the dance. You'll have to show me later.

Eddie Weaver: I'll show you later. I got you. 

Robyn Bell: I don't wanna pull a muscle though, so. Yeah. 

Eddie Weaver: Well it's, I'm, it took me a minute to learn it, so we'll see. We'll see. 

Robyn Bell: But now you've got it. You'll have the rest of your life. 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah. It's, it's ingrained in me now. I literally do the hustle in Publix walking down. I'm like, here we. But yeah, it's a lot of fun, a lot of fun, a lot of dancing. Ellie Moony is amazing. She's such a, a amazing choreographer cuz she was also working on directing Charlotte's Web at the time. So she's juggling all these things and she still will come in and rehearsal and have a whole number choreographing her head and just coming and show us. And it, it was a beautiful thing. 

Robyn Bell: Do you like dancing? 

Eddie Weaver: I do actually, now that's, I'm not the best. See, 

Robyn Bell: I didn't ask if you're good at it. I asked if you enjoyed it. 

Eddie Weaver: I enjoy it. I definitely enjoy it. 

Robyn Bell: Good. Excellent. Could it'd be exciting to watch. Mm-hmm. . What are some other at tunes that you get to dance to?

Eddie Weaver: So we dance in our opening number, which is um, listen to the music by Casey and the sunshine. Okay. So we dance with that. We dance with, that's the way. Uhhuh, Uhhuh lying. Uhhuh Uhhuh . 

Robyn Bell: And do the, does the audience, I'm sure they're really receptive to this, they get up and dance with you a little bit?

Eddie Weaver: Oh yeah. Especially in the, at the disco medley, like we look up sometimes and it, it'll be groups of people just standing up doing their thing in the back, cutting the rug. So yeah, it's a, it's a lot of fun 

Robyn Bell: and the crowds have been good.

Eddie Weaver: Oh yeah. Yeah. Very receptive.

Robyn Bell: What's the, what's the crowd favorite? Like you, is there a point in the show where you see the crowd, like they're kind of going over the top? Which ones are they digging?

Eddie Weaver: Let's get it on. I think let's get Oh, 

Robyn Bell: that's cuz of you, Eddie. 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah. . They love, let's get it on. 

Robyn Bell: No, we already sang that song. Games . 

Eddie Weaver: They love that one. They typically love war medley. Two war medley. Gets 'em, gets 'em going. Yeah. They also really, really enjoy disco. They're always up dancing for disco. They love, let it be. I will survive every night. Every night. I will survive Getson two 

Robyn Bell: every night. 

Eddie Weaver: Mm-hmm. Gloria, gain 

Robyn Bell: what else? . People think that's Donna Summer.

Eddie Weaver: People do think that's Donna Summer. 

Robyn Bell: It's not.

Eddie Weaver: I'm not gonna lie. I was surprised to find out that it wasn't Donna Summer. 

Robyn Bell: It is not. Mm-hmm. . Now, I know Jim is playing the piano Yes. And his arrangements, but obviously you can't do this with just piano, so you got a pretty strong backing track for drums and, and wins and all that. Tell, tell us how that works.

Eddie Weaver: So Jim, again, , he builds those tracks. So he uses a program where he'll go in and he'll select a guitar sound, and he'll add the guitar sound, and then he'll come in and then he'll add the drums, and then he'll add. You know, symbols and he's literally over there building it all on his like midi piano. 

Robyn Bell: Amazing.

Eddie Weaver: His tracks are so good. You would think that they're like, it's a live band. Exactly. 

Robyn Bell: Yeah. But this ensures that tempos are the same every night. Mm-hmm. , this ensures that balance and blend is there for the back band. 

Eddie Weaver: Right. 

Robyn Bell: Very cool. 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah. 

Robyn Bell: So it's like from October to February 12th. How many shows you do? A nine shows a week? Yeah, we do nine shows a week. We have like 60. How many shows total? 

Eddie Weaver: It's 171 shows.

Robyn Bell: 171 shows. Mm-hmm. . 

Eddie Weaver: And that's excluding like the dress runs and the previews and stuff. 

Robyn Bell: Right now, because the audience is different every night. It's different for you as the performers. 

Eddie Weaver: Mm-hmm. , definitely. 

Robyn Bell: How, how are you though, Eddie, keeping it fresh through this run? Cause you're kinda in the middle of it, right?

Eddie Weaver: Yeah. 

Robyn Bell: How are you keeping this fresh? 

Eddie Weaver: So, with my fabulous cast we always find a way to, you know, liven things up on stage and, and keep it new and fresh to us. So, you know, sometimes lines might be delivered a little bit differently, like an inflection might be different here. Or, you know, something just to keep us on our toes and keep us going. I know Jim, he has lines in the show too, so he'll, he'll switch it up sometimes and, throw something in there. But we try to keep it, fresh and new you don't want to get stale. Stagnant.

Robyn Bell: Yeah. And your costumes. 

Eddie Weaver: Oh yeah, our costumes. Fabulous. Yeah. We have a, an amazing costume department April, she was our costume designer for the show. And uh, 

Robyn Bell: April Andrew Carswell. 

Eddie Weaver: There we go. April, Andrew Carswell, 

Robyn Bell: I, it written down here. 

Eddie Weaver: Perfect. 

Robyn Bell: Shout out April. 

Eddie Weaver: Shout out to April. She was fabulous too. She came up with all the concept ideas for what we're gonna look like on stage. Our costuming department, they translated that into our clothes and we all look great. Especially second act like we're kind of in Abba style clothing.

Robyn Bell: Mm-hmm. Dancing Queen. Yeah. 

Eddie Weaver: That's also another song we sing in the show. 

Robyn Bell: Oh. I would be up dancing to that. 

Eddie Weaver: Oh, that's a great song. It gets him up dancing. That's in like our disco medley too. So it gets him up, gets him riled up.

Robyn Bell: Okay, so here's a behind the scenes tidbit. Mm. How do you go about getting those costumes like dry cleaned and keeping 'em fresh?

Eddie Weaver: That's a good question cuz they can get a little ripe . So

Robyn Bell: it's a lot of work up there. 

Eddie Weaver: It is, it is. So we have a stage manager, Sam Powers, he's awesome. He does our laundry and so he'll wash our clothes for us. 

Robyn Bell: Whoa. 

Eddie Weaver: Which right. Shout out to Sam Sam's. But yeah, he'll wash our clothes for us and he'll get 'em dry. Cleaned my suits cuz I wear like a suit vest and suit pants.

Robyn Bell: Yeah. 

Eddie Weaver: My suits get dry out, which is like a dry cleaning at home adjacent I guess. And so they get dry ied and they get sprayed down. And it's the whole process. They, it's they stay fresh. Yeah. 

Robyn Bell: But it's not like they make you two costumes so that you're wearing one while one gets washed or, 

Eddie Weaver: well, we do have, we have doubles. So we have doubles of our costumes. 

Robyn Bell: Perfect. 

Eddie Weaver: So we'll have, we have two sets of Or Act one and act two costumes. But since mine is a suit, I really only have like one suit pants and one suit vest. But I do have doubles of the shirts and doubles of my act two shirts as well. 

Robyn Bell: Okay. And shoes, they provided shoes.

Eddie Weaver: They do, they do. We have state shoes

Robyn Bell: because you got dance. So me some dancing shoes. 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah, I have a pair of Stacy Adams, actually, they're pretty nice. 

Robyn Bell: Is that a name brand? 

Eddie Weaver: They, yeah, it's like a name brand dress shirt. Oh yeah. 

Robyn Bell: I'm so sorry Eddie. I'm terrible about this. 

Eddie Weaver: It's okay. It's okay. Honestly. I mean, how would you know?

You know, 

Robyn Bell: I'm gonna go look it up though. Maybe I'll buy me a pier. 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah, they're really nice. 

Robyn Bell: They are. They just men's I.

Eddie Weaver: You know what? I don't know. I think Stacy Adams, I think they have both. Okay. I think 

Robyn Bell: they have both. We'll check it out. Yeah, we'll check that out. All right. Now here is the ultimate question.

Eddie Weaver: Mm-hmm. ,

Robyn Bell: because as a conductor, 

Eddie Weaver: yes. 

Robyn Bell: If we have a performance with my pop's orchestra, sometimes people get sick and that's okay. We can kind of, if we have eight violins, one can be sick. I can never get. The show would not go on if I'm sick. 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah. 

Robyn Bell: There's four of you. You're integral to the entire show.

Eddie Weaver: Yes. 

Robyn Bell: What happens when somebody catches the flu or has a running note? Yeah. What do you do ? Do you have like a plan B? 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah, so we actually have understudies, 

Robyn Bell: oh. Thank goodness. 

Eddie Weaver: We have wonderful under studies. Yeah, we have. Cam. She's our female understudy. She's our female swing. And then we have Sammy Pello, and he's our male swing. And so, 

Robyn Bell: okay. 

Eddie Weaver: If something does happen, god forbid, knock on wood. 

Robyn Bell: And so a swing is learning both parts in case one of you 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, so Cam learns both of the female parts. Sam learns both of the men parts, and if something does happen, they will come in, we'll do a put in rehearsal before the show, they'll come in.

Robyn Bell: I would be so nervous. . 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah. Yeah. It's like it's nervewracking, but you gotta use that to. Power you through and just 

Robyn Bell: completely 

Eddie Weaver: push you through. 

Robyn Bell: Now, we should also say playing at the same time at fst, they're producing the show. Something Rotten. Mm-hmm. and also just started a Place in the Sun, which is a tribute to Stevie Wonder.

Eddie Weaver: Mm-hmm. . 

Robyn Bell: So there's some other cast members in those. Shows, are you guys interacting and meeting each other? Are you making some more connections that way? 

Eddie Weaver: Yes, we are. We actually um, just went out for dinner with the Stevie Wonder Cast and they're awesome. They're all talented as well, and they all like play the piano, play different instruments. And something ro we actually share a dressing room space with them, so we're always interacting and mingling with them as well. 

Robyn Bell: That is an added bonus to something like this because you're meeting your cast people, but that collaboration at FST on so many levels and you never know where your next job's coming from.

Eddie Weaver: Mm-hmm. . 

Robyn Bell: Right. And to be able to meet all these other performers in your business and from all over the country, really, it must be really, 

Eddie Weaver: Oh yeah, it, it's awesome. Like you get to connect with so many different people and you get to network and Yeah. You know, build genuine connections and friendships with these people. So it's awesome. One of my friends, actually, Travis, he was in the Wanderers last year. He's in Something Rotten this year as well. So, and then you get to see. Familiar faces and Right. It's, it's, it's awesome. 

Robyn Bell: Now you said something about going out to dinner, so mm-hmm. , I am very interested on this podcast and making sure anybody that listens, knows where people that come to town to visit, what those spots that they kind of, you know, land on. These are my favorite restaurants and my favorite coffee shops. Something. Mm-hmm. . So what are some of. The places cuz you've been in Sarasota longer than most people from FST that I talk to. They're here for short stays. Because of your apprenticeship, you're kind of a resident now. Let's just be honest that you should not start, I'm a sarasoto paying you taxes here and all this sort of stuff, so tell us what are from your, some of your favorite spots to go or take your family to when they come to town. 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah, so one of my favorite, favorite spots is Yoders. I love Yoders. Oh my gosh. The food there. Smacks. It's so good. It's so,

Robyn Bell: I had someone on the other day with dope. I was like, oh, can we say that? I didn't know what that meant, but now I had to look it up. Yeah, yeah. 

Eddie Weaver: with the food at Yoders. In the pie. 

Robyn Bell: In the pie. Oh my God. What's your favorite pie?

Eddie Weaver: Okay, so there's a seasonal pie. The pumpkin cream pie.

Robyn Bell: I'm going there today.

Eddie Weaver: Oh my gosh. 

Robyn Bell: As soon as we're done, I'm gonna run. Get it . 

Eddie Weaver: It's so good. It's so, so good. All their pies are good, but that pumpkin cream pie. Phenomenal. 

Robyn Bell: And let's just shout out to the Amish. They know what they're doing. 

Eddie Weaver: They do. They know their way around the kitchen. I will. Yeah. They, they, they can do it. . . 

Robyn Bell: All right. Yoders, where else?

Eddie Weaver: Oh, Yoders. I love Classico. Classico is, you know, 

Robyn Bell: that's our go-to place after shows. Yep. Yep. 

Eddie Weaver: Classico. 

Robyn Bell: The pizza is amazing there.

Eddie Weaver: Oh my gosh. And the pasta. Yeah. Well, they do it all. They do it all. 

Robyn Bell: The burger. You had the burger. 

Eddie Weaver: I have not had their burger. 

Robyn Bell: Delicious. 

Eddie Weaver: Oh my gosh. Yeah. Okay. Next time I go, I'm gonna get their burger. Mm-hmm. . Um, Which, yeah, I love that. Actually, one of the places that. I, we don't have in Georgia. Pdq. PDQ 

Robyn Bell: is actually really good. It's a little chicken place. 

Eddie Weaver: Mm-hmm. . 

Robyn Bell: Yeah. 

Eddie Weaver: They're sauces. Top tier. Like I have never had sauces like that. They're so good. I'm so serious. Like I, I was really taking it back when I had pdq. Cause I was like's 

Robyn Bell: not Zaxby's people. 

Eddie Weaver: It's, it is not, it's not, it's on a whole nother level. And they have waffle fries too.

Robyn Bell: Okay. So full disclosure. Mm-hmm. . I have never been to a pdq and. I think I'm gonna go because of you.

Eddie Weaver: Oh, you gotta go. Oh my gosh. You gotta, you have to experience it

Robyn Bell: a hundred percent. What about, do you drink coffee or breakfast?

Eddie Weaver: Yeah, so I do. Okay. Here's the thing with coffee, I drank a lot of coffee in college and I had to stop because I felt myself becoming very dependent on coffee. And I was like, 

Robyn Bell: you were addicted. 

Eddie Weaver: I was, I was. I would not go like 

Robyn Bell: You went through coffee rehab, Eddie. 

Eddie Weaver: Mm-hmm. . I did. I had to slow down, but buddy Brew. Is an amazing coffee place. Yeah. They have great coffee there. And it's right across the way from the Theatre, so it's literally a walking distance. Buddy Brew, there's another place called um, green Zebra. 

Robyn Bell: Yes. Uhhuh. 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah, I go there. That's good. Yeah, they, they're good. 

Robyn Bell: Now, I know they keep you really busy, but have you had any opportunities to see any other cultural events or any, any other organizations while you've been here? 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah, so I. Year, when I was an acting apprentice, I saw Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, I saw their production of, from Birmingham, Broadway. The Nell Carter story. Mm-hmm. . And that was phenomenal. So, so good. And then I saw, I've seen a couple of productions at Urbanite Theatre too. 

Robyn Bell: Yeah, they're, they're amazing. 

Eddie Weaver: They're really good too. I saw. Skeptic in a Bruja. 

Robyn Bell: Yes. Which I always saw that. 

Eddie Weaver: Mm-hmm.

Robyn Bell: fun. 

Eddie Weaver: It's such a good show and I love like scary Theatre, so it's 

Robyn Bell: perfect for you. 

Eddie Weaver: It's perfect. Right up my alley. 

Robyn Bell: Now going, going forward in your career, cuz you were talking about Urbanite, and I know you said you have a degree in Theatre.

Eddie Weaver: Mm-hmm. . 

Robyn Bell: So, but you obviously are a very talented musician and singer but do you do straight plays as well, or you're all mm-hmm. . Okay. 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah, I do, I do. Typically, I lean more towards musicals, but I do still do straight plays. The last straight play I was in was Detroit 67 yeah. By Dominique Moore, so mm-hmm. it's a great show. So I, I, I still do, I dabble in the straight plays

Robyn Bell: and it's important Right. For people in your industry to be able to do both, because you never know when a casting call comes. 

Eddie Weaver: Right. 

Robyn Bell: Maybe it's a straight play where you land next and we see you at Urbanite doing something.

Eddie Weaver: Right. 

Robyn Bell: Or maybe you end up a Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe doing something with them down the road. 

Eddie Weaver: Right. 

Robyn Bell: Or maybe we see you on Broadway one day. 

Eddie Weaver: Exactly. Fingers crossed. That's, 

Robyn Bell: is that a goal? 

Eddie Weaver: I'm trying to go. It is. It is. For literally since I was young, I was like, I gotta be on Broadway. 

Robyn Bell: This is a very transient life for you.

Eddie Weaver: Mm-hmm. . 

Robyn Bell: Right. Because you're really, you don't have a home base right now. Yeah. You Atlanta's where you're from. Mm-hmm. when you finish or run in February here at fst. What's next for Eddie? 

Eddie Weaver: You know, that's a good question, actually. I do have a contract lined up. I'm gonna be doing Guys and dolls back in Columbus, Georgia.

Robyn Bell: Okay. Nice. 

Eddie Weaver: Thank you. Thank you. I'm gonna be nicely, nicely Johnson, so. Yeah, 

Robyn Bell: yeah. Good. 

Eddie Weaver: So we shall see. 

Robyn Bell: And, and that's what it's about. I mean, you're in a show, but you're hustling to get the next one. Right.

Eddie Weaver: Exactly. Exactly. You always have to keep your eye on what's next, what you know, what's next to come 

Robyn Bell: and make yourself available to go anywhere.

Eddie Weaver: Exactly. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So. Actually submitting, hopefully. Fingers crossed, I'm gonna submit for a Broadway show this weekend. Yeah. So 

Robyn Bell: how exciting. What show can you 

Eddie Weaver: uh, Shucked. Yeah. 

Robyn Bell: Okay.

Eddie Weaver: It's a new musical happening. I'm gonna submit a self tape for that. So fingers, fingers crossed. Yeah. 

Robyn Bell: Sounds interesting.

Eddie Weaver: Yeah. 

Robyn Bell: What about you ever do any Porgy and Bess stuff? Gershwin? 

Eddie Weaver: Oh my gosh. I love Porgy and Best, but I've never been in it though. I would love to though. It's a great show.

Robyn Bell: Maybe I have you come with my pops. We do a, 

Eddie Weaver: oh my gosh. 

Robyn Bell: Gershwin show and do some Porgy and Bess stuff. 

Eddie Weaver: Yes. Oh, please. I would love that.

Robyn Bell: See, this is how a plan comes in place. Mr. Ed , save me a date. Yes. Well, congratulations. Eddie Weaver.

Eddie Weaver: Oh, thank you. , 

Robyn Bell: you are now officially part of the club, so if any of our listeners wanna follow your career, like on social media, where can they find you?

Eddie Weaver: Yeah, so my Instagram is um, at Eddie Jihad, e d d i e j I h a d. Facebook, just Edward Weaver. 

Robyn Bell: Oh, Edward. Edward. 

Eddie Weaver: Edward is my, yeah, that's my government name. 

Robyn Bell: Government name. 

Eddie Weaver: Yeah. 

Robyn Bell: Do you Tik Tok? 

Eddie Weaver: See the thing is, Okay.

Robyn Bell: I haven't gotten into it yet. 

Eddie Weaver: I haven't, I haven't really. I posted a couple videos like way back when on TikTok, but I really am not as active on TikTok as I need to be. It's my next thing. 

Robyn Bell: It's a lot, right? It's a lot.

Eddie Weaver: It's so hard to navigate, but I'm learning. 

Robyn Bell: Well, we will put links to all of your. Places in our show notes so people can go right there and follow your career. And you, my friends can see Eddie and the three other cast members of Florida Studio Theatre Show The Seventies More Than a Decade. It's playing at the John C. Court Cabaret now through February 12th. You can get tickets@floridastudioTheatre.org and then go get your seventies groove on. Eddie, thank you so much for joining me today to tell us all about it. I'm really looking forward to seeing you in the show, and I've really enjoyed meeting you today.

Eddie Weaver: Oh my gosh, I've enjoyed meeting you. Thank you for having me. This is my first time ever doing a podcast, so, 

Robyn Bell: but you win the prize . 

Eddie Weaver: Such a great experience. Thank you. 

Robyn Bell: Yeah, take care. 

Eddie Weaver: You too.