Video: Steven Levenson & Danielle Sanchez-Witzel on Writing UP HERE

What made this so special for both of you

We'll start with Danielle. Well, I'm a huge Broadway musical fan with zero, with zero talent, zero ability

but I have always been moved. Rent did it for me. I'm one of those television writers where Rent was the one and spoke to me

and I never looked back. So to be able to collaborate with this team, Stephen, Tommy, Bobby, Kristen

it really was a dream. I never thought my career would take me into any sort of Broadway musical

space. And so for me, I have to say just being, being so close to the genius that is the four of

them and learning what it takes to kind of motivate a song, you know, it's a gift. I will be forever

grateful for this experience because of it. So for me, that's what made the show so special

from a personal standpoint. For me, it's like any other musical in that like the most exciting

and the most really almost miraculous thing is when you hear a new song for the first time

which we got to hear, I guess, I'm trying to count. Like, there were probably 20 altogether, including cut songs and getting to

especially hear songs from Bobby and Kristen, who are obviously some of the best songwriters out there

like to get to just these songs were coming in all the time

And the experience of creating characters on the page, bringing them to life

but then suddenly Bobby and Kristen would bring in this whole other dimension

of the character that obviously we can't access as script writers, but then you see it and you're like

oh, of course that's how Miguel sounds in song. Of course that's how Lindsay sounds

And it's just there's something, it's unlike anything else getting to hear those songs

What I love about this is this is the perfect melding of Broadway musical comedy with television comedy

Put together, I think it's just brilliant. Danielle, would you like to write a Broadway musical

I mean that is such a I so I that is so funny you asking me because like instantly I want to say yes And then I like could you Am I But the true answer if I if I answering answering from my heart is yes I would love to write a Broadway musical Because like I said just being such a fan of the genre and always being moved by live theater

it could be bad live theater. It could be good live theater. You know, I'm just always moved by what it takes and the people are being willing to stand

on a stage and do that. And so, I mean, the true answer is yes, I would love to

But of course, immediately my head characters, my inner voice says, can you? This isn't your space to do that, you know, but absolutely 100%

I would love to say that. Oh, I can imagine you two writing a musical together now

Talk about collaborating, Stephen. Talk about collaborating with Danielle. We're collaborating with Danielle for the first 18 months of our collaboration

We never met at all. COVID-Zoom. We started working together in August 2020, I want to say

Yeah, maybe July. Yeah. We met on Zoom. And then we proceeded to spend

every day together for, you know, six to eight hours a day

And it was, it was really delightful because we really, you know, we kind of started off

I think, thinking that we knew, or I certainly thought I knew what we had

And then as we went, it was sort of like, oh, we're going to have to invent something a little

bit brand new here, trying to figure out not only how to do a musical on television that

really feels like a musical and not just a show with songs, but all

also how to do a show where characters have voices inside their heads that other people can't see where the conflict is often motivated by internal dramas rather than external

There were all sorts of fun and exciting and terrifying challenges. And so it really, you know, it took a lot longer than I think most TV shows take to develop

Absolutely. And it was a lot of Tommy Kale who was kind of our, you know, our captain, like talking Stephen and I down and being like, this

hard you guys don't worry that it's taking with of course it's taking this long you're trying to

take internal conflict and make it the external story you know so there i really appreciate collaborating with tommy on that because so many you and I would be in such a just an absolute like undoing of like but what then how do we hold on to it What tangible about this Obviously always guided by Bobby and Kristen original idea which we were so inspired by and totally you know wanted to make it work But there were so many days where we were just like I don know how it works Sometimes it would be like you guys is that right It okay Mr Chill So we we kind of learned

that we always knew we were on the right track when Bobby and Kristen would write music

Basically, we would talk forever and ever and ever, and Bobby and Kristen would talk with us

and, you know, they might try to write something. It would be really hard

but then we would have a conversation, and they'd come back 12 hours later with a song

and that's when we knew, okay, okay, we've got something. We're actually, we're all speaking the same language

We're giving them enough material that they can actually expand and make it

bigger and realer. So that was when it started really moving. And conversely, if they, if they were having a hard time

we always went back to ourselves and said there's something wrong. We didn't launch it, right? There's something wrong

Not to say that everything they do is perfect, but everything they do is perfect. And so it was like, it was like when something didn't work

we were like, okay, we have to look at ourselves. We have to look at the story. We have to look at the character

How come it's just not, which is amazing. I've never worked with songwriters before, but I know they are, you know

the top of the top. And it's like, okay, they can just create these songs

If they can't do it right now, something in the storytelling moment is wrong

And we were, I mean, that was almost always the case. I mean, really, like, truly

So amazing to see them work. Did we wake up at the same

I've been up since four. I've been thinking a lot about this

New York is where real writers live. And I am starting to think that I

I am a real writer. Why don't you tell me? Do not say it. Careful now

Keep it to yourself Lens I just have all these voices in my head all the time Now you done it Nice pants Thanks

They're new. I mean they're not. New. I wear them a lot. Sounds like they have a very rich history

I know exactly what you're going to say. I wasn't going to say anything. Just enjoying the view. You don't need her. Mama's here. Okay, that's creepy

I came to know a Come back and inside out That's when you can really trust someone

To understand what you are all about I came here to focus on myself

This could be a life-changing opportunity You have no reason to believe that

What about this reason? It's funny, the devil's actually a very misunderstood card

Did you always want to be a writer? I think I always knew I had something to say

but just afraid no one wanted to hear it. She doesn't like you

She just thinks you're rich. Hey, don't listen to her. You're doing great, buddy. What are you thinking about

Nothing. I've listened to so many different people telling me who I should be

What are you doing? It's different with Lindsay, because she's special. That is actually very sweet

It's time to give up and come home. I belong in the city

been hit by three cabs. At very low speeds. All those voices floating in her head, saying no

in a million different ways, they don't see what I do. She doesn't appreciate you

She doesn't deserve you. This isn't your life. This is my life

I am sick and tired of everyone telling me what I'm supposed to do. Ooh

I need to find my own story. You're gonna be okay? I can handle it

Come on