Daniel Does DFW Theater
Take a listen as Daniel interviews local DFW Theater artists on... Daniel Does DFW Theater! Watch this Vodcast at: www.youtube.com/@danieldoesdfw
Daniel Does DFW Theater
Taking the Long Road (with J Dontray Davis)
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Ever been struck by the allure of the limelight, or wondered what it takes to follow your dreams to the stage? Sit back and lend an ear as Daniel join forces with the remarkable J Dontray—Jeremy Davis to some—as we stroll down the winding road of his performing arts career. From the defining moment of a name change to the relentless commutes for a dream role in "Legally Blonde, the Musical," Jay's story is a testament to the dedication and resilience needed to make it in the theater world.
Wrapping up with a flourish, we share a few musical notes that embody the spirit of giving and receiving. Our rendition of "When You're Good to Mama" is sure to leave a tap in your toe and a tune in your heart, reminding us all that in the grand stage of life, the kindness we extend often finds its way back to us. So, if you're craving a peek behind the curtain or seeking inspiration from those who've dared to chase the spotlight, you won't want to miss a beat of this episode.
Creative Team: Daniel Hernandez, Amanda Sims, Natalie Hinds, & Aly Badalamenti
Music By: Elise Wattman
If you want to catch all the action, you can watch the full episode video at YouTube.com/@DanielDoesDFW. Follow us on Instagram and Tik Tok: @DanielDoesDFW
Hi guys and welcome back to Daniel Does DFW Theater. I'm Daniel. Is that a surprise to you? I hope not, because we're multiple episodes in Mom. Thanks for continuing to watch. Today we have a really exciting guest on my show one of my really really good friends. We've just become super close in the past couple of months. Really it feels like it's just been. We knew immediately that we were going to be besties from the first time that we met. But today on the show I have, he's actually a double named person, so I don't get it. I mean, I may go by a different name from now on too, but I have Jay Dontre, or also known as Jeremy Davis. Everybody, yay. Thank you so much for coming on the show today. Thank you for having me, Of course.
Speaker 2So what is your name? So my name is Jeremy Davis. Okay, when I decided to go equity oh sorry, I forgot to mention she. Equity, yeah, part of the union Somebody had already had Jeremy Davis. It was this 70-year-old man who had done like 30 Broadway shows. So every time critics would come, did you date him? No, but you know.
Speaker 3I like him. That's why I was like 70-year-old man.
Speaker 2That's why. But like, but 70 old man. But I'm telling you, and every time the critics would come to the theater, they would always put him and when you click on the name, it would be this old man. So I was like, okay, I gotta find another name. So my middle name is Dontre. So I decided to keep my first initial, my middle name and my last name.
Speaker 1Yeah, keep my first initial, my middle name and my last name, Because it wouldn't make sense to have somebody 60 and somebody 70 with the same name.
Speaker 2Oh, you know what I'm going to pray for you he needs it.
Speaker 1I know you were to get on your knees, so you know what?
Speaker 2I knew you were that girl. I knew you were that girl. It's okay though.
Speaker 1No, okay, so that explains it. So tell me more about the equity part. Let's let's kind of backtrack here. So when did you become back?
Speaker 2so, uh, I became equity in 2019. Okay, um, I moved to dallas not even knowing that there was a possible chance that you could be a part of the union. I'm from a very small town, waco, right, well, I'm from ahead, texas, but I moved to Waco in the fifth grade. You give what?
Speaker 3You know what?
Speaker 2Um no, I can't curse on this, so I have to be like-.
Speaker 1Yeah, you can't, I can.
Speaker 3I can tell the shit I want.
Speaker 1Oh, but yeah. Um, I've been all around Texas. I've never heard of Mehed. Yeah.
Speaker 2Mehed M-E-X-I-H-E-D yes, m-e-x-i-n, where there's more cows than people. So of course it's true. My mom was like we gotta get up out of here, okay. So that's what happened and that's the truth. I moved from Ahea to Waco, texas, in the fifth grade and I was a wee little lad but still serving it all my life.
Speaker 1Have you been out your whole life as well? I came out in the eighth grade, oh my gosh.
Speaker 2And I went full balls to the wall. Was that difficult in the 50s? I don't know. You tell me tramp. Yes, so we're not gonna curse but we're gonna call the host a tramp with endearment.
Speaker 1Yeah, honestly, it's only with love, with endearment.
Speaker 2Believe it or not, it wasn't as hard. My family was like pass the butter.
Speaker 3That's it at the dinner table like honey, we knew, we knew you. It wasn't as hard. My family was like pass the butter.
Speaker 2That's it At the dinner table like honey. We knew. We knew you were wearing your auntie's payless shoes walking up and down the hallway as a runway, like we knew that was happening.
Speaker 1I love that and the fact that they were just so open.
Speaker 2Yeah well, my mother. I was raised by all women. You gotta keep that in mind. My mother is the oldest of four girls and my grandmother, so I was surrounded by women. It was bound to happen. The femininity was just strong strong black women. Make sure you know that.
Speaker 1I feel that so much because, yes, my dad was very much a part of my life, but I felt like he worked all the time to support us, and so it was just me, my mom and my life. But I felt like he worked all the time right to support us, and so it was just me, my mom and my sister. And so I'm like, how did y'all not expect this? Like y'all took me out shopping with y'all and like made me discuss what y'all were wearing, like of course this was going to happen at some point, and hung out with all my aunts. I did, oh, did you when?
Speaker 3Anyway, so, as I was saying, yes, please continue.
Speaker 1So you moved in fifth grade here to the area, Did you? I moved to Waco, oh you moved to Waco?
Speaker 2Yes, you're right, and the sun didn't shine as bright for me there. I loved it. I had a great childhood, a great upbringing. I mean, you know, I was a cheerleader, I did all these fun things, but the funny thing is I never was in theater.
Speaker 1What can we go back to young Jay at that point what did you think you wanted to be Like? What was your dream job? I honestly didn't have a dream job. Really. Did you think you'd just be like a farmer, like everybody else in the town?
Speaker 2Well, I thought I was going to go to the community college, like everybody else did, and get me a good old job at the Sonics, with the S on the end of Sonics, Sonics. It just you know, being in that time period too, you know I graduated in 2007. So we're talking you know mid 2000s on.
Speaker 2You know I graduated in 2007, so we're talking, you know, mid-2000s on, you know, down. No, we're the same age. Yeah, I graduated 2007 as well, so you know it. Back in that time I just knew I wanted to do what made me happy. Um, so it was for me living in Waco during the week, going to school, going to Mahea on the weekends, spending time with my grandmother and my aunts, going to church singing in the choir, that's it. You know. You go to church. You do what you're told. My grandmother owned a beauty shop, so I was always in there helping her listen to all the old folks gossip. You know what's going on on the corner. That's it. And I loved it, you know. And to me I was content. Until I got to high school I did band and I was a cheerleader, and in band I decided to do Color Guard. I was known as the Charles Barkley of Color Guard. By the way, suede pants and all suede pants, betty Crocker's up in the air, all of it.
Speaker 2You know we are now cutting to a photo of that I actually may have a couple of them actually, um, and I would walk through the halls and I would tell these stories about things that happened on the weekend that really were stories that I heard in the beauty shop, but but I would just make them bigger, you know. And the theater teacher you know, teachers would always stand outside the doors in between the passing periods and I would always pass by. I wasn't thinking about theater, I had friends that were in theater. But I'm just going by telling my stories and one day her name is Mandy Connor she said come here, have you ever thought about auditioning for musical theater? And I was like musical theater. Mind you, I'm an only child, so I already have a big imagination because it's just me at home, so I don't have any brothers, any sisters, any of that. So I decided to do it.
Speaker 2Zombie Prom was the first show. Zombie Prom, guys, it really is a fun show, honestly, it really is. So I auditioned and got in the good old chorus, you know, third person to the left and the back, but I still gave it my all, you know, and I got hit by the bug immediately. But even in that it was just high school theater. So it was one act, play, it was the one musical we did a year and luckily I was able to kind of audition even though I wasn't in the theater class. So I was the fly one walking around with my T-shirt on on Fridays Like, yeah, I'm not in theater and I'm still in the show.
Speaker 1Yes, I'm that good, you know and did you ever get any big roles while you were in high school or I?
Speaker 2did. My first big role was audrey too, in little shop of horrors and I played that role too.
Speaker 1Did you my senior year kindred spirit? Well, I was my junior year kindred spirits.
Speaker 2Yeah, I did that exact role, and the second role it or not, is something that's actually coming full circle is I was the Wiz in the Wiz and I was very upset because I wanted to be the lion so bad. But when I walked in and she had painted my whole face on these two big doors that opened to reveal the Wiz. I was like, oh, I'm good, the show was named after me. Duh, I'm good, you know you know, but it was.
Speaker 2It was that, um, being a young, you know, black boy, gay, out open, proud, not caring what anybody thought, you know that got me through school without being bullied, I will say so.
Speaker 1I was not out in high school, but theater was such a safe space for me that like I just felt so comfortable and like real with all of those people who, like me, were just acting like something else. Yeah right, and so I see where that like really drew you in and made you feel comfortable and real in that moment. So I appreciate that and I value that a lot. So you said you felt you're coming full circle with the whiz yeah, I.
Finding Purpose Through Theater Journey
Speaker 2I felt like I'm coming full circle in a sense that a lot of those songs in that musical I've auditioned with that now present day have led me to be able to make this a career. You know, and back then I didn't know that. You know, I'm just oh, this is a song, I'm gonna sing my butt off, you know, and call it a day. But now I see the significance in that, you know, looking back and being able to say I didn't know if I could go back and tell my younger self then where I would be right now and how confident in myself and my skin, even being a plus size guy, still being able to go out and compete with everybody else and get booked, you know, consistently, not once a year, but all the time. It's just, it's a beautiful thing.
Speaker 1Yeah, if you don't play. Evilene one day.
Speaker 1Don't nobody bring me no bad news, Well and I love that you've really taken that and kind of give it your whole life purpose. Yeah, in a sense right. Um, and actually speaking of purpose, why don't we head on over to the piano and we can hear, uh, jay's first song with us today? Um, so we're gonna scoot on over and maybe get some avenue q in our lives. We'll'll see you in a bit. Have you ever done Avenue Q before? I haven't. You have not what. I think that this would be a fun show to do.
Speaker 2Yeah, I really. It's on my bucket list. Is it really? It really is. I just want to be in the show. You have too much time. You know what Purpose it's that little flame that lights a fire Under your ass.
Speaker 3Purpose. It keeps you going strong, like a car On a full tank of gas. Everyone else has a purpose, so it's mine.
Speaker 2Oh, look, here's a penny. It's from the year I was born.
Speaker 3It's a sign. I don't know how I know, but I'm gonna find my purpose. I don't know where I'm gonna look, but I'm gonna find my purpose. Gotta find out. Don't wanna wait. Got to be sure that my life will be great. Gotta find my purpose Before it's too late. Whoa, whoa, I'm gonna find my purpose. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm gonna find my purpose. Could be far, could be near, could take a week, a month or a year. At a job, smoking grass, maybe at a pottery class. Could it be? Yes, it could. Something's coming, something good. I'm going to find my purpose. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm going to find it. What can it be? Where will it be? My purpose in life is a mystery. Gotta find my purpose. Gotta find me. Gotta find your purpose. I'm gonna find my purpose. Gotta find your purpose. Purpose, purpose, purpose, purpose. Yeah, yeah, I gotta find me.
Speaker 1So let's get back into Jay for a minute. And so you were in Waco. And then how did you get here?
Speaker 2What made you decide Dallas is the place where I need to be, Okay so my junior year my theater teacher did the costumes for the local community theater Waco Civic Community Theater, and they were doing Sepsico. And so she was like, yeah, waco, civic Community Theater. And they were doing Subtical. And so she was like, yeah, subtical, the musical Dr Seuss. So she was like hey guys, for some extra credit. If y'all audition whoever gets cast, I'll give you guys some extra credit, you know, for being in the show.
Speaker 2Well, I went because I had nothing else. I mean, like I said, I'm an only child. You know, my mom worked three jobs, three. So I was like you know, let me go try it out. So I worked it out with my mom. She was like I can drop you off, you know.
Speaker 2And I got in, I auditioned and I got cast as a Wicca Shembrother for a show outside of high school. I didn't know anything about musical, but and that's a nice substantial role, yeah, I mean, and there's three of us. You know, some schools do it with 16 people, but there's just, you know, three Wicca Shembrothers and the other two were adults and I was a kid, high school kid, and it was something about that show and the camaraderie and the people there and I was like this. Is it Like I go to school every day with my, with my you know classmates and you get to know them. But I'm feeling like I'm in a professional field right now, Like, wow, this is so cool that all of these adults are doing this show. And so I went on to do Seussical and I left because you know, we didn't like play and you can't do, you know. So I finished that show and after I graduated I went back. I did, I think, seven consecutive seasons there, seven consecutive seasons there, wow, free. This is full-time community theater where you build the sets, where you do everything, costumes, everything, and I, just I was like I know the sun is not shining bright for me here in Waco. I've got to figure something out which led me to getting on the road.
Speaker 2One day I looked up auditions in Dallas, texas, and Garland Civic Theater was auditioning for Legally Blonde, the Musical. Let me tell you how much, how bad, I wanted this role. I just wanted to be in the show. I drive. I'm still living in Waco. I drive to Garland, I walk in. No one's ever seen me before. So everyone's already looking around like who is this? I go in. Picture this, I walk in. Thank you, sophia Petrillo. I walk in Now, come close. I walk in, I sing, I leave right, I'm sitting out in the foyer. The director comes in, comes out to this restroom and he's like here and hands me a side for Professor Callahan. I had done lots of leads by this time at Waco Civic Theater, but he hands me and I'm thinking I'm in DFW and they're handing me Professor Callahan. Oh my God, fast forward two weeks. I get cast as Professor Callahan.
Speaker 2Blood in the water, sir. In the water, darling, I'm still living in Waco. I drove every day from Waco to and did not tell anyone that I did not live here. Every day I drove back and forth.
Speaker 1And those were dirt roads back then. So like two, three hours, a person carriage, that's a hour and a half of driving the very first day of rehearsal.
Speaker 2I'm driving and I get a blowout.
Speaker 3I have to change my own tire.
Speaker 2For the first time in my life I changed my own tire. I was that determined to get to that theater, that determined to do this show, because in my mind I had already told everybody back in Waco y'all, I got cast in Dallas and this is great. Now I wasn't getting paid nothing, but it was just a country bumpkin like me who was determined to make it. I look, I go back to Waco now and there are still people that were just starting out in the theater when I was there that are still there and I was like y'all, there's something better for me. I know, I know there's something better for me. You have to put in the work. You know they say, faith without works is dead. You got to do the work. So I drove back and forth every day. Every day Got done with that show. Which leads me to my second audition in DFW, which was at Theater Arlington for Rent. Oh, I walk in, I'm still living in. Oh, I walk in, I'm still living in Waco. I drive here, I walk in, I sing, I get called back for Collins and I'm like I'm getting it. I know I'm getting it. I was the only person that was called back for Collins.
Speaker 2I'm scoping out, I'm looking, I'm sitting in the corner, I'm minding my own business. Callbacks happen, boom. I walk in. I'm like I'm going to give y'all Santa Fe down. I'm about to give it to you, right? I hear this jovial voice from beyond the doors. I mean so deep that I'm like what's that? So I'm sitting there talking. I'm like, yeah, I'm called back for college. I know I'm getting college because I was not going to call back. And to, this beautiful soul named Major Attaway walked in the doors. I said hold on, I was here all day.
Speaker 3There was a call back.
Speaker 2he wasn't here. They said that's because he was doing another show at a place called Plaza Theater at the time. So he walked in and I was like, well, let me, let me go on and go home. Let me get my little ham sandwich from Subway on the way home and go on back to Waco, because I know I'm not going to get it, especially when you open this mouth and sing. I was like, because that voice is booming. If you want to know who Major Attaway is, come to Theater Arlington and look at the stars out in the front. That'll tell you exactly who he is. Or look up Aladdin or Little Shop.
Speaker 1Yeah, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2Little Shop on Broadway, I mean, and we became friends from that callback and you know it's just like you know.
Speaker 3Yeah.
Speaker 1I love Major. I visited him twice recently as I was taking trips up to New York and just hanging out with him. He's such a jovial person, just a good energy, that I enjoy hanging out with. He's hilarious and sings like nobody's business. I'm talking If I could hit the notes that Major could hit.
Speaker 2And I'm going to tell you something about Major. I'm going to tell you something about Major. Major can see something in you that you can't see in yourself. I met him and he knew that I had come from Waco. We had this discussion and he was like I tell you what? This is what you need to do, because I'm finally seeing someone that looks like me, someone that looks like me, that I, in my mind. He was a star back then, you know, and he was like well, this is how you, this is how you maneuver, this is how you navigate through DFW to find where you need to go.
Journey of Determination and Sacrifice
Speaker 2Two weeks later, I dropped everything I had in Waco and I left and I moved into a hotel room in Dallas and I stayed in a hotel for three years. I stayed at the Crowne Plaza on Mockingbird Lane and 35 for three years and nobody ever knew that I didn't. I was houseless. That's how much this meant to me. I did a plethora. I probably. Well, now I have a thank Lord above. I mean I have a place to live. You probably will now have them. Thank Lord above. I mean I have a place to live. You know I'm doing really great now, but I must have did 16 or 17 shows living out of a hotel room and no one had. No one had not one thing. Nobody in Waco knew. My mom didn't even know that I was living in a hotel. She thought you know and I don't. And I look back on that now and I'm like how did I do that for that long? But it was the drive and the determination that I wanted to be somebody. I was like I don't care what I have to do, it's not about having a story or a testimony. At the end I saw myself being here and I had to do what I had to do to get here and, mind you, I moved to Dallas in 2012. I didn't get my first equity contract until 2015.
Speaker 2And that was a big thing for me, you know, and but I I mean I did so many shows. I did Rent, I was living in a hotel room. I did Shrek living in a hotel room. Nobody knew, and it was very cathartic for me because I had a place to it, was thinking back on it now still just very cathartic for me because I had a place to it, was it, was it, was it's I, thinking back on it now still just gives me like, oh my God, I, you know, when I see people nowadays and you know this cause you, you're in the theater world when you see people that have a sense of entitlement and you go into an audition and you see people who walk in and think, because they are who they are, that they're owed the role, it's like you.
Speaker 2You couldn't even begin to walk a mile in a person like myself's shoes, you know, or anyone. We all have done, sacrificed and done what we needed to do for this craft because we love it so much. Whether you're, you know, or anyone, we all have done, sacrificed and done what we needed to do for this craft because we love it so much. Whether you're, you know, teaching a hundred million voice lessons a year, you know, never having any time off or, like me, eating literally Hot Pockets, living in a hotel room. But I was happy, I was content. I was like I'm going to rehearsal every night.
Speaker 2The term I was content. I was like I'm going to rehearsal every night. The term I can't. I have rehearsal was on my lips every day of the year, which, in my mind, I was winning. It was crazy Because you were doing what you loved and that's all that mattered and I would do it. I would go back to my hotel, I would be content and I would get up and do it the next day, and it was. I would be content and I would get up and do it the next day, and it was. I lasted one day at Chili's. I got through the initial, I got through the initial training and then one day, yeah.
Speaker 1Goodness, you know.
Speaker 1That just explains so much of your character to me, knowing that piece, because I do see you as someone that's just so humble, right, and you meet people where they are at.
Speaker 1And that's what I really love and appreciate about you is that you don't really expect anything, right, you will take what people have to offer and you're like I accept that you know we'll take what people have to offer and you're like I accept that you know and um, but at the same time, you hold yourself and you have this confidence about you that, like I said, just explains it all, because you've built literally from the ground everything you have today, yeah, and so it makes sense why you can hold yourself the way that you do, because you're proud of who you are and where you've come from and where you're at now Even more so. So, speaking of doing all those shows and everything, we're going to head on over to the piano for a little bit so we can do one of Jeremy's audition cuts really quickly, which is one of my favorite songs as well and takes you back to that full circle moment, because it's something from the Wiz. We'll be back, tell me.
Speaker 2Jay, how do you feel? You know, I feel good in 2024.
Speaker 1Do you? Yeah, it's going to be a good year, I feel it too.
Speaker 2Yeah, I feel it too, I really do.
Speaker 1I do. Good, I'm glad. Well, let's do a song, let's do your little audition cut here. Oh, that's got me lining up bookings. You heard it here first, only on Daniel Does DMW. It's the truth. I mean, that's all I'm saying. All right, let's go for it.
Speaker 3What would I do if I could suddenly feel and know once again what I feel? His ring. I could cry, I could smile, I might lay back for a while. Oh, tell me what. What would I do if I could feel I can?
Speaker 2feel that was it. Feel it, girl. I felt it. It was down in here somewhere, but I felt it. I really did. It was right up in here, could you feel that?
Speaker 1Yes, oh, you said you couldn't feel it earlier, so I was just wondering. Making sure, just making sure, no, okay, so let's get into the spillage of the tea, just a little bit of that, the tea-a-ter. The tea-a-ter tea, the tea-a-ter tea, the tea-a-ter tea. So tell me about that time that you worked for Watertown.
Speaker 2Which time? Because I worked for.
Speaker 3Okay, let me just, let me just.
Speaker 2Let me just go ahead, get your popcorn. The beginning stages of Water Tower were amazing. I mean Tony Schultz was there, a lot of other fun people were working in the front office and they really gave me a big start there. I did a really wonderful show called Ballad of Little Joe there, which was a lot of fun. I auditioned for a show there called Sister Act, who played Dolores Hattime Cherish Robinson. Cherish. Thank you, who did a great job.
Speaker 3Yes, so musically inclined, oh yes definitely musically inclined.
Speaker 2I'm going to tell you where the ouch came in from that, and it was. I did the audition. I got called back for Sweaty Eddie and which being a big guy.
Speaker 3I'm like I can play any role you know, as long as your imagination can take you, there, I can play.
Speaker 2I can play any role you could have played Dolores okay, I mean, I'm telling you you would have taken them to heaven. Oh, yes, I would have Very nice. So they called me in. I read with every Dolores. They narrowed it down. I read with all the Dolores again, which were only two my friend Kim and Cherish. It was down to those two.
Speaker 1I was reading Sweaty, eddie, sorry. Now I'm thinking of Kim in that role too.
Speaker 2She's played it before at Dutch Apple in Pennsylvania and I saw her and she was fabulous. They sent me home and I walked out thinking I know I got this, it's Sweaty, eddie. I know I got this role, so the cast list comes, well, I get an offer for the ensemble, and that would have been fine because I take whatever I can get. You take whatever you can get in this industry.
Speaker 2Maybe you could play the priest Until the audition notice came back out that they were looking for another sweaty Eddie. That was the kicker for me, and in that moment I think that was my fifth show at Water Tower. In that moment I was taken aback because I was like I know I just read and did the thing in the room Y'all offer me ensemble. And then you post another audition notice saying that you're looking for a sweaty Eddie. Ok, maybe I'm not what you're looking for.
Speaker 1And then major book, the role.
Speaker 2That would have been some tea, that would have been some Peter Peter.
Speaker 3Puffin.
Speaker 2Eater tea right there. No, I did the show because I'm a firm believer in if I start something and I get cast, I finish it. The last week of shows I was applying for Actors Equity Association. That was the show that turned me to go equity because I felt like, you know, here we are and we all do this, we all give our all, give our all, give our all, and to not only be told that you're not good enough, but then to be slapped in the face with oh, by the way, we're still looking for and, by the way, the person who ended up playing the role, jamal Houston, was amazing. He's a friend of mine. He was great. He was fantastic in the role. But to me that's what I call senior.
Speaker 1You know, big shoot and I was like uh-uh, actors equity and voila with that, though, are you involved with actors equity as well in a broader sense, or what else do you do?
Speaker 2I am uh, I'm a co-chair along with um max warner. Uh, we are the currently the co-chairs right now for the gb, which is the Geographically Based Committees, which means that we are in charge of DFW, making sure that everyone who's equity if they have any questions, if they need to be pointed in the right direction, they need to speak with anybody that's up in the heads that we get them that proper information. We also are in charge of the gatherings, the meetings, making sure that we have some plans in the works this year, like Tony Watch Party, where we're going to all get together and it's about just the camaraderie and making sure that they know that someone's behind them. It's hard when you join the Actors' Equity Association or the union. It's an elite of actors. Now I will say there are some that are not equity, that are just as great. Here's looking at you.
Speaker 1Oh no, you know who I'm talking about. Join.
Speaker 2It's not too late, but you know it's fun. This was the secondary goal that I had. Once I got to Dallas I was like now I've got to be equity, because back then, to be equity, you were the baby. I'm equity, I'm good, you know, and it's fun, it's great. And to nod my head to Kasa as well, I have to give all props to Vonda K Bowling, who was my in.
Speaker 1I would just like to say I think I've said Vonda's name in every single one of my podcasts. Love you, Vonda.
Speaker 2Yay band, you know it, Yay band, Because apparently she is that much of a force in our she's that she's the it girl. Yeah, she's that girl. She really is and she's like oh, come over and I auditioned for shrek and got in and honestly, by the grace, I mean by just because grace and mercy it's, you know, and unfortunately I I lost my grandmother in May of 2023. And she got to see my one man show that I did. It underrated at Circle, which I heard had really good reviews. Yeah, stay tuned.
Speaker 1Is he going to come back?
Speaker 2We don't know, maybe here, maybe there and maybe everywhere. You never know.
Theatrical Tales and Triumphs
Speaker 1But we'll be back very soon. Did you play the guitar in that as well? No, I did not. Okay, because who is it about? It's about.
Speaker 2Blind Lemon Jefferson, whose side note is from my hometown.
Speaker 1Stop, so you have a connection to it.
Speaker 2I had no idea who he was. From my hometown. He's also a Libra. When he passed away he was 33 years old. When I first got the role I was 33 years old, so many kindreds and he's a musician. He's the first blind musician to be signed Now. He was founded in DeBellum and he was signed to RCA Records and he was blind. Unfortunately, he died of a heart attack at a train station in Chicago and they brought, sent his body home and they had robbed him. All of his, everything was missing. When they when his body and on top of that, when his body got finally got to the train station, it sat there because nobody knew that it was there. So it and I have to pay respects to Akeem Babatunde for that I worked at Lyric and I did a show with him at Lyric called Abyssinia and he was like hey, I got something else for you and before I knew it, you know I was doing Lonesome Blues.
Speaker 1Yeah, I would love to see. I didn't get to see it when you did it at Circle Because you did it in conjunction with two theaters.
Speaker 1I think I did it at circle because I you did it in conjunction with two theaters I think it's the time I did it under main and then I took it over to circle. That's what it was. Yeah, and I just heard that it was phenomenal that you knocked it out of the park. So that's something that, if you bring that back, I mean let us know, we will post that wherever we can to make sure that that is announced, or whatever. Um, all right, I need your, your jay dantre. I need some more tea. What's your name? Uh, tell me whatever you want to spill. Spill me some tea, give me something what you want to know.
Speaker 1I got some tea. Tell me it doesn't. You don't have to name the theater or the place. Tell me the worst show. Oh my God, I had to move on that one. I'm so sorry.
Speaker 2Get the reposition.
Speaker 1Reposition those butt cheeks.
Speaker 2The worst show that I've ever been in.
Speaker 1Oh yeah, let's do that. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2The worst show that I've ever been in.
Speaker 1I lasted two weeks Wait. You dropped Uh-huh. What happened to you when I got my contract?
Speaker 2and the name of the previous show was still on my contract and I was told I had to sell 20 tickets and work the concession stands, as well as buy my own costumes. You're going to bleep that out, right?
Speaker 3I don't want nobody coming for my name.
Speaker 2Okay, I don't want nobody coming for my name, but I've done a lot of work at a theater that is well known in Fort Worth, texas, called Jubilee Theater, and I have to say there was a couple of oinkies in that one. Yeah, and it's not the show as much as it is the direction and the production staff and it's the chaos that doesn't that the show happens. In spite of that, you know what I mean. But we all go through it. We all go through it. Oh, here's some tea. Oh, we all do it, don't cancel me, we all do it.
Speaker 2By this time I had done four shows in Dallas. Don't cancel me, we all do it. I walked by this time I had done four shows in Dallas. You can tell me nothing. I thought I was that cats me out. I walked in and was like hey, I'm auditioning for Mr. And they were like okay, cool. And I said and, by the way, when I finish here, I have a couple of people that want to audition me for a national tour, so if you want to get me, go ahead and get me now and that was not true.
Speaker 2It was not true and I'm apologizing now, but I did do a very good job as mister, an outstanding job. So much that when I came out of the stage door, people did not want to talk to me Because they thought I was an abuser. But I walked in and I was like, look, I'm trying to get in where I can fit in At this time. You come, you have a little, you know, sometimes you have a little point in your life when you're feeling yourself.
Speaker 1Every night.
Speaker 2You know, and so I walked in and I was like, if y'all want me, y'all better grab me while it gets good, because I got a couple auditions with some national tours and I'll be gone.
Speaker 1Did they tell you the same day?
Speaker 2No, they told me two days later. That was after I called them back and said hey, do y'all want me or? Not Like I'm trying to. I was pretty much playing my own like agent at that time. I much play my own like agent at that time. I told a little white lie. A little white lie, it was now this was juicy. I actually got two roles like that, but you did it twice you, so it was so nice I had to do it twice I didn't think it was okay.
Speaker 2I was young. Young. I've learned from my wicked ways, I've turned from those wicked ways and I really try to do everything. Now. I ground everything. If it's for me, it's for me. If it's not, it's not. And through that I met some people that have been lifelong friends of mine. I felt like, you know, sometimes you have the devil and the angel. I felt like, you know, sometimes you have the devil and the angel. I felt like that they morphed and they were telling me to do that because they knew that that was going to take me on the trajectory that I needed to go. Because after that happened, it was like I met Fonda, I got to start working at Water Tower, I got to start working at Lyric, I mean, it just goes on and on. I met some of the most amazing people that led me over to Casa. Now I'm at Casa. You know I did.
Speaker 2I did a whole juicy really quick. Can I tell you this really quick story? Picture it I go to the general calls. They call people back from the generals that they wanted to see and I was not included. I said, oh no, honey, you're going to see me, you're going to see me. So I go back to the second audition that they had. I get in. We auditioned for an entire year oh, that's right, an entire year. Oh, that's right, an entire year for this. Dallas, my first time auditioning at Dallas Theater Center. We're talking about working with the best, the MD from Showtime at the Apollo, like Ricky Tripp, who's been in Hamilton and in the Heights and all of these. I mean you know, and I got in. Out of all of my friends who auditioned, I was the one who I was the first one cut at the final callback after a whole year of auditioning. The first one cut at the final callback where I sang. Make them hear you for joel d, joel farrell, love you, joel d joel farrell.
Speaker 1And joel, did he tell you that he had national tour?
Speaker 2But, um, I did that and I got in and that taught me a lesson. I was able to work with Marisha Wallace, who's now over in West End, and guys and dolls, and you know, before that, the viral tape, that the viral sensation of her singing her and I'm telling you I recorded that she talked me into. I have the original in my phone. I went up to the third floor during the show and recorded her for her to send that off. It now has like six or seven million views from what she posted. Like I got to rub elbows at all of these people that. Let me know there's a place for me to be.
Broadway on a Tuesday Showcase
Speaker 2Everyone doesn't want to go to Broadway. You know Broadway is great but it's not the end, all be all for everyone. We're trying to survive here. So I auditioned, I got in that and it was one of the best things, the best ever for me. But I mean, sometimes you got to do a little bit to get to where you got to go. I would agree. I told a couple of white lines, that's it. That's it.
Speaker 1So, speaking of you making connections and talking with people and being friends with people, let's talk about your best friend, right? We've mentioned her a couple of times, but I want to make sure that we do give her a big shout out to Miss Kim.
Speaker 2I love you, Kim Marie Billings.
Speaker 1It's my bestie, because I want to also talk about this passion project and like it's becoming a full force now, more than a passion project, really.
Speaker 2Let's talk a little bit about Boat Broadway on a Tuesday.
Speaker 1Exactly.
Speaker 2So tell me your part in that. So I'm co-producer of broadway on a tuesday, um which was developed by kim kim marie billings back in uh in 2016 um when did you join? Well, I've been there since the inception of it, but I came on as co-producer last year at the start of January. You know we did our January 10th comeback and she talked me into coming on board. I started as a marketing manager and moved up to co-producer and it's been fabulous. I mean, we have some of the best hosts, you would know right.
Speaker 1Mr Host, congratulations, thank you. Yeah, I am now a current host of Boat, so I'm excited about that, excited to get to work with you and work with Kim. Right, we just passed our sixth anniversary that we all performed at, which was Summit, which I mean.
Speaker 2I know it's eight years, but yeah, it's really eight, but with the pandemic it's six because we were down for two years. Of course, the panorama.
Speaker 1So, but tell me, why you love doing that. What is it about? Boat, you know.
Speaker 2Boat opens up a different side for me. It's a side where I actually kind of become a scout, almost, if you will, where I get to sit back and watch. I mean, for people who don't know what Boat is, it's Broadway on a Tuesday and it is a local artist showcase, so artists from DFW and the surrounding areas get to come. They sing up-tempo Broadway tunes. There's lots of, you know, good food and craft cocktails. The host bar is Alexander's on Cedar Springs. It's great. I mean, we have a black, don't you agree? We have a black.
Speaker 1I mean, I never thought I would want to turn up on a Tuesday, but I mean, my friend has almost wrecked her car, leaving me. But that's a good turn up.
Speaker 2That's a turn up of all turn ups right there.
Speaker 1But if I can, I mean we have a website now.
Speaker 2Yeah, plug it please. Wwwbradleyonatuesdaycom. If you go to the website, it will tell you everything you need to know. Please submit, come sing with us, you'll have a great time. I mean it's, yeah, it's, it's a safe space it really is.
Speaker 1Yeah, and I so. And with going to plug, you know, with Jeremy as well, that we are always looking for local people to perform and sing. So, yes, submit, that's all you have to do to sing on that boat stage. It's not. Yes, sometimes we have cast nights where it's specifically for shows that are happening in the area, but I would say maybe like 70% of the time it really is local artists showcase where you can sing, right, dmw local artists can sing. Or if you want to come in from out of town and drive all the way from Waco Look yeah, termination Then you can do that too. But no, definitely for sure, and I love seeing Jeremy's there every week.
Speaker 2Yeah, and it's great. You meet people from all walks of life and even if you just want to sharpen your skills, you know it's, it's. You have a song you want to try out. You want to see the audience response, reaction, audition song. You know, now it's the whole thing. That little 32 bar cut. You need to sing the whole song memory, memorize it now. But it's, it's a, it's a fun thing?
Speaker 1Yeah, no for sure. And I think I mean there's some new and exciting things happening with Boat as well, like this year we started the Shadowcast shows and stuff like that, and I think that there's more in the works as well that you know.
Speaker 2Kim and Jay are probably going to roll out this year that hopefully we can help announce here as well and we've been very fortunate to bring on a whole new roster of hosts to add to the ones we already have, and there's, I mean there's, there's something for every genre and I and that's what I love I love that the hosts that we have brought on are are top tier, super tier, and it's just going to be a blast. I could do without two of them Stop.
Speaker 3I'm just kidding. Please don't castle them.
Speaker 1I was going to say a name and we'd bleep it out, but then everyone would get scared.
Speaker 3So I ain't going to do it.
Speaker 2You know what I'm going to do Grab yours, click, click. You know what?
Speaker 1I'm gonna do grab yours, goodness gracious, no, um, but thank you for being on the show today. I really appreciate your time. Um, you know, and your want to do. I mean, jay. Jay was the type of person that I texted, hey, what do you think about this? And immediately was like like yeah, there's no question. So I didn't have to track you down or do anything. So I appreciate your time today and your openness.
Speaker 1Thank you for having me yeah of course, but before we leave he is going to sing one more song for us, so we're going to flip over to that, but before we do that, I want to make sure we plug all the socials. So make sure you follow us on Instagram, on TikTok and on YouTube, which is probably where you're watching it today at DanielDoesDFW, and then also you can catch us on our Facebook page at DanielDoesDFW as well.
Speaker 1So remember to always hang on to those te tea cups because we're spilling the tea and we'll see you next time on Daniel Does DFW Theater.
Speaker 3Bye any of the chickies in my pen, they'll tell you I'm the biggest mother in. I love them all and all of them love me, because the system works, the system called reciprocity. God, a little motto always sees me through when you're good to mama mama's the two of you there's a lot of things I'm prepared to do. You do one for mama, she'll do one for you. They say that life is changed for tat, and that's the way I live. So I deserve a lot of tat for what I've got to give. Don't you know that this hair washes that one too? When you're good to mama, mama's good to you. When they pass that basket, folks contribute too. You put in for mama, she'll put up for you. There's a lot of favors I'm prepared to do. You do one for mama, she'll do one for you.
Speaker 3The folks to tap the ladder Are the ones the world adores. So boost me up my latter kid and I'll boost you up yours. Let's all stroke together Like the Princeton crew. When you're stroking my heart and I'm stroking you, mama, mama's choking you. So it's the one conclusion I can bring this number to when you're gone tomorrow. Mama, mama's got to yell Ha Highs. Right, how did this sound?
Speaker 1Was it good?
Speaker 2Yeah, so good Cut. I was trying to do this to the.
