Video: Carolee Carmello Is Having a Great Adventure

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It's the Roundtable with me, Robert Bannon. Well, welcome to The Roundtable, everybody

My name is Robert Bannon. You're listening to us right here on Broadway World. And if you're a Broadway fan and a Broadway Nista like I sure am

and you're here on a Friday, and it's the Friday edition exclusive, I love our next guest so much

Her voice literally, I feel like raised me. I think if you go to YouTube right now and you see 28,000 streams of any time I am there from

Ellergies, I think 27,000 of them are me. I just boo-hoo cry with our next guest

And I'm in Detroit. And in Detroit right now, coming to the legendary Fisher Theater, Kimberly Akimbo is on its way

And Caroline Carmel is going to be here. And we're all going to be their opening night. I'm bringing the whole family because I'm from New Jersey

So I get every joke in this whole show. Detroit World Tour

I'm so excited and honored. Welcome to the Roundtable. Thank you so much

Thanks for being here. Yes. Well, I'm so excited. I want people to get their tickets right now

If you go Kimberlyakimbo the Musical.com and you're touring around the entire country

Yes. This show makes me boo-hoo cry. And I want to. It's so cute

cute. How's it been telling this story? Oh, it's just such a wonderful heartwarming

life-affirming message, you know, that God knows the country needs that right now

So I'm thrilled that we're getting to tell the story all around the country. We're in Cincinnati

right now, and then we'll be in Pittsburgh, and then we'll be with you in Detroit. I can't wait

You know, it's funny. I was at the Fisher yesterday to see parade, which you may have heard a little

something about. I've heard of it. How was it? It was pretty fantastic

It was pretty amazing. And then I was deep diving, getting ready to talk to you and listening to your versions of that iconic score

Your voice is so gorgeous. Oh, thanks. That score is so amazing

When was the moment you were like, I think I can sing and I think I want this to be my career

Oh, gosh. Very late. I mean, I think I sang in the grade school choir

I have a memory of when I was in second grade doing a solo in the Christmas concert and feeling like pretty proud of myself

But then there was a big gap between second grade and after college when I moved to New York to try to pursue this as a career

And there were many years after that where I was like, I don't know, maybe this isn't right

Because I went to school for business administration. So it was never on my radar to be, you know, in the theater at all

And it just sort of happened asked backwards. So there were many years after college when I was kind of like

I think I'm going to go back and get my MBA and go back to my first path

But here I am 40-something years later still on the road. The University of Albany, I read that in your bio

Like, you were in a musical theater baby. You were not in college for me

No, and I never went to, we were talking about this last night at the stage door

I never went to any of those theater camps, French woods or, you know, stage door, whatever they are

Yeah, it wasn't, it wasn't anything that I was aware of. Like, I guess I wasn't exposed to it

I mean, I saw movie musicals on TV, you know, Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music and whatever, West Side Story movie

but it never occurred to me that people made a living doing this on stage

So it wasn until the summer after college that I got a summer job and it was sort of exposed to New York actors who really were you know well in all of it And they were like move to New York It so great And I was really hesitant but I tried it and I still am plugging away And do you remember a city of angels

Broadway debut and doing, do you remember the moment when you get the call that your Broadway debut

was going to happen and that this was this was your career now? I still think I wasn't

totally committed. I think there were many times, even after I was

you know, had my debut on Broadway that I've thought, yeah, this was a fun little dally and so now I have

to go back to reality. Anytime there was a, you know, a big break when I didn't have a job

I would always sort of consider whether it was time to, you know, go back to corporate life. I mean

go back. I never started it because I really didn't, didn't really go into the business world

after college, I just sort of started in theater. But yeah, I don't think that was the moment

I remember even like 20 years later, people would say, when did you decide that you were here to stay

And I was like, I still haven't decided. I don't know. I might go back

Well, it's funny because when I was reading articles about you, it's funny when I see things that say, like

I thought I was going to retire. I thought I was done. You're never going to, we're never going to let you go

We need you. Well, there will be a point when I can't do eight shows a week anymore, but so far, so far I'm still able to handle it

Well, we're talking, of course, the tour, you know, playing Kimberly, being on the road and embodying this character

I joked about being from New Jersey. I know you're a Jersey girl now, too. Yes, I live in Bergen County, which is all the references

And I grew up in Bergen County, literally a town away from where I believe you are, and I grew up in Fort Lee, New Jersey

and we're a stone's throw yeah i can meet you on broad avenue and we could have a cup of coffee anytime

when i saw this on broadway i laughed out loud from the beginning of the show through all the

iterations of the jokes if you are but it is a story universally across the country you don't have to be

from jersey to be moved by this tale no that's absolutely true but some of those very specific jokes

are going over the heads of, you know, the Ohio and Nebraska audiences

I'm glad that you're going to appreciate some of them in Detroit. That'll be really nice

Well, when I'm here, when I see the show, everybody, if you hear chuckle on opening

night about a jersey joke, then you know that. You'll know that I'm there. I'm front and center and ready to be there

So for you and this cast, Jim has been here. Justin has been here

And Justin will be here for part of the run in Detroit. And then this amazing group of performers

So what is it like on the road you all live together and share your lives together every night

Yeah, it becomes, I mean, I've done tours before, and it's a very different experience from doing a show on Broadway

because you don't go home to your normal life and your family and your own apartment or house

I mean, we become each other's social network, and we see each other at work

We see each other in, you know, whatever touristy, things we're doing in the town. So you definitely depend on your cast a little more than you would

on Broadway. And this is a really nice group of people, thank goodness. And everybody's so young

So it's, you know, I was worried being, you know, a woman in my 60s, how I was going to be able to

kind of relate to and hang out with all these 20-somethings. But they're great. They're all so smart

so talented, really nice people. Really. hardworking. And so yeah, we're having a great time. Well, I can't wait for people to see it. I can't wait to

bring my partner and the family. We're all coming out because you're going to have a blast everybody

So you, Tony Award nominations, Drama Desk Award, like all the things that you've won. I took

some pictures in no particular order. Everybody. Because there's a dozen plus, what is the 16 Broadway

show something 16 yep Wow 16 Broadway shows shows In no order I found some favorites like this show Oh Tuck Everlasting

This beautiful score, this beautiful story. We teach the book in school

Yes. Such a sweet story. Unfortunately, didn't last very long on Broadway

but yeah, people talk to me about it at the stage store all the time

People love that score. They love the story. And I think the show gets done in regional theaters and schools, so it'll have a life

They're finding the slime tutorials videos, the secret videos of you singing, I'm sure

and taking your runs and there's secret videos up there of you doing it

And it's so gorgeous. It's such a beautiful show. Oh, I haven't seen them, but I believe you

I saw you in this. I love to find a little man or a little Adam's family

It's now the most done show regionally and in community schools. Boy, that show is so popular

It's in schools. Yeah, it's amazing. Oh, Sister Act with Raven. Look at Raven

I had a great time doing that. And Lestat. Lestat. The infamous Lestat

You're in town. Which is now you're in town. The city center version running at this show

It's such a musical theater. Damn, people love the score to your town

Oh, my God. It's by far the funniest show I've ever been a part of

That book is so funny. And I'm glad they're doing it again

Hopefully it'll have a revival soon. Absolutely. We have a little 17-7

Yeah, my second version of 1776. As relevant as ever today as it is, all of these shows are as relevant as ever

I love that. I love that show so much. I always loved it. That was one of those movies that I was talking about earlier that I used to watch as a kid and just thought

I never really thought about the fact that it was musical theater. I just thought it was so entertaining and exciting and to have a story where you know what the ending is

but you still are on the edge of your seat. I just think that's brilliant

That is brilliant. And then we have a little norm and a sweetie moments

Yeah, that was such a fun. production, such a unique version of Sweeney with just eight of us, I think, and three musicians

in this teeny, tiny little space. And it was so powerful. And you know what? I loved most about that

was that we didn't wear microphones. And I just, I felt so free to not have like, you know

first of all, all the gear strapped to me for a microphone, but to just have control over the sound and not

have somebody on a board who's, you know, bringing me in and out and raising levels. And I just

loved, you know, I guess it goes back to the old-fashioned version of musical theater where you just

sing and you just control the volume yourself. And we talked about this show before

about, of course, parade. Oh, yeah. And the tour and talk about relevance. Yeah. Rest in peace

Brent Carver. He was so brilliant in that show. And the writing, the book by Alfred Yer

and of course the score, Jason Robert Brown's score is so, oh my God, it's so evocative and it's so

powerful and, like you said, very relevant. I saw this too. Do you know how many shows you did in Mamma Mia

I don't know how many, but I'm going to say about 1,600 because I was there for four years

so I can't do the exact math in my head. but yeah, it was a lot of versions of dancing queen

I saw it with my aunt and uncle who had never come to a Broadway show

They don't like to go into New York. And they had to see Mamma Mia

And I took them and we sat there and we saw you and they said

the lady with the red hair has the most beautiful voice I said you think so That 1600 winner takes it all That a lot of singing That true yeah eight times a week People love that show I not sure I even to this day understand

but there's some like deep connection to those Abba songs. And it was one of those shows that

was just an escape for people and they would come back over and over again. It was, it was

It's a joy bomb. It's just a, it's a party. It's a good time. And then, of course, recently, that's Cinderella, which you are so freaking fantastic in this show, everybody

Oh, I've never seen that picture. That's fun. You know what? We had a good time, despite the fact that we got crucified and called the dumpster fire and everything else under the sun. It was a really fun experience and a great cast. I really enjoy

It was disappointing the way it turned out, but you know, you can't win them all

Well, when you go on to this, the Broadway world, you go on the message boards, people root and cheer and they want you, they love you, they love your voice

Like our Broadway family out here that watches these shows, they are always like, she deserves all the accolades, all the respect, all those

You have been singing your teeth out for, for all these shows. Thank you

And while we're here, you know, television as well. Oh, remember when, SAG nominated, you know, classic, uh

piece of TV history as well. Yes, written by Rupert Holmes, who's done a lot of Broadway shows as well

So talented. He's been here and his stories are amazing. I bet. Yeah. I'm exhausted. I'm so tired for you. Oh, I need a nap after this career

People can follow you. They could stay up to date with you over on Instagram and see what's coming up and what's next

Yeah, I try to keep. you know, give some fun, like, backstage things on Instagram so people can know what's going on on the tour

We're having a really good time. I hope we're, whatever city you're watching from, I hope we come to, you know, a theater near you

And I know we're going to be in Detroit soon, so I'll get to see you there. I'll be there. Broadway and Detroit.com, the legendary Fisher Theater

Do you have, is it a big routine to get ready for you to get in the costume and the wig and the hair

Or do you have people that they really take care of you and you get dressed up and you get out there

Um, it's not, you know, I'm not a big one for like pre-show routines so much. I mean, I, I pin curl my hair and I put on my little bit of makeup and, and the wig and lots of layers of clothing. Um, yeah, it's, it's not, it's not a big prep, but, um, but the show itself is a workout because I, I don't get off stage very much. And, uh, I just try to stay hydrated and, and keep myself healthy

if I can, which is a little more challenging on the road than it would be at home

Well, I promise you, everybody, within the sound of our voice, that you want to go on a great

adventure, then this is the show, this is the show for you. And if you need a little bit of joy and happiness and your heartwarming moment in this

crazy, scary world that we're living in, this is the ticket. You are giving so much joy, your life and career

There's so many theater fans and entertainment fans who have just been in awe of your talent

and you spend your time away from home and away from your family to give us joy

And we owe you the biggest debt of gratitude because you make our days every time we buy a ticket to come see

you sing, and perform for us. I appreciate that so much. Thank you. Thank you for being great audiences

I know everybody who's watching your show is going to love the show and be a supportive audience

So I really appreciate that. Kimberly Akimbo, everybody, comes to Detroit and is coming across the entire country with the one

and only, Carolie Carmelo, and it's been such an honor to have you here. We'll be following

get your tickets, find out all of the dates at Kimberly Akembo, the musical.com, and we'll see you

on the road. And I'll have to bring you a coney dog or some Detroit-o soda. I'll have to welcome

you to the Motor City. Oh, thank you. I'd appreciate that. We can't wait. Thank you so much

for spending time with us today. You're welcome. Nice to talk to you