Interview with Broadway and Screen Actress, Krystal Joy Brown

Full transcript of Interview with Broadway and Screen Actress, Krystal Joy Brown.

0:00KT: It's another week in the For Your Reference household, and we have another addition in our interview series. Oti. Mm-hmm. Love and splooshes and all of the accolades on stage and otherwise to Krystal Joy Brown. What a fun, fun interview we had. If you are so. Key. Make sure you go and check her out on Broadway in Hamilton. Uh, also Raising Kanan, uh, was a lot of fun. And make sure you check out Girlfriendship from the 1st of October. Play the interview

0:40KT: two time Fred Astaire Award nominee, Krystal Joy Brown made her acting debut in the National Tour of the hit Broadway musical Rent an embedded force in Broadway across five shows, including currently as Eliza in Hamilton Mustering Mid Song Applause during her big Number Burn each night Screen credits include Raising Kanan Equalizer, She-Ra Princesses of Power, and the upcoming Hallmark film Girlfriendship

1:10KT: in October from stage to screen, Krystal Joy Brown evokes all dynamics of the human experience. This extends to her activism in all forms, including Show Pride for Black Lives and Ham4Progress. A multi hyphenate in every sense. Thank you so much, Krystal Joy Brown, and welcome to the For Your Reference Podcast.

1:33Krystal: Well, that was by far my favorite intro ever. . Wow. Thank you. I'm gonna need you to write that down and send it to me so I can put it on my . Absolutely. You know, it's because like, you know, when you say it all together, it's like, wow, that's, as an artist and as an actor, you kind of just are always looking for the next thing.

1:54Krystal: As an activist, you're always looking at the world and being like, Oh gosh. I can never do enough to make, um, any sort of, any sort of change. So sometimes like hearing that you've done some things actually sounds really nice. You know what I'm mean? We're talking about you .

2:11Krystal: It's, it's easy to forget when you're doing eight shows a week, So, so that's awesome. And I'm so happy to be here with you guys and, and, and chat about all of these.

2:14Krystal: We're glad to have you. So, um, how did you get started in Broadway? Oh, man. I mean, as a kid, I, I kind of knew that I wanted to, I wanted to be in a medium where I got to do all the things that I loved to do, which was dancing, singing, and acting, and musical theater was really, The only place for that.

2:36Krystal: I mean, you could have some big, you know, uh, musical theater films, you know, but mainly it was like seeing stage in theater and I, I went to the ballet. My grandmother took me to the ballet when I was really young, and I, I saw like, that was kinda my, my true like, Professional first live theater experience.

2:56Krystal: And I was just like, Oh my gosh. Like this is, people are doing this. Like this is amazing. And then, um, and then I saw Rent on tour with my sister. We were at the, I'm from Virginia and we went to, um, the National Theater to see it and we camped out to see it. And I, it was like the first time that I had really seen.

3:15Krystal: A really diverse group of people. Okay. Living in the city of my dreams, New York City, you know, um, and in a community. And I was like, Oh my gosh. I saw myself in that. I saw the, the place that I wanted to live, which was New York, and I saw a bunch of artists, you know, trying to make it, which is like, um, which is that story.

3:34Krystal: And I was just like, this. This is what I need to do. This is what I wanna do. So I went to school in New York for musical theater. I went to AMDA and I graduated, like I did the whole thing in a year and a half. Cause I just knew I needed to just get to theater and get, to get to like learning the hard way, which is just experience.

3:52Krystal: Um, and, and I did the national tour of Rent playing Mimi. That was my first like professional gig. So I feel like as a child I manifested that in some weird way . But then, but then, Three or four years later, I got my Broadway debut in Hair. Um, I, I was the first person to replace and that was kind of a crazy experience cuz it was, I was an understudy.

4:13Krystal: I also had an onstage track and you know, a lot of the stuff is kind of trial by fire. And I learned that show I think in a week. And then I had to quickly learn my understudy, which was, um, understudying Dionne, who sings the opening number at Aqua. And I think I'd had about, I had about one rehearsal for that role, and so it was insane. Yeah, my first Broadway experience was nuts, but I learned so, so much, but I always kind of knew that I wanted to be able to do all of the things that I possibly could. Um, singing, dancing, and acting in one place.

4:35KT: And you talk about like, um, in Rent with a Diversity, and even now currently in Hamilton, you know, everyone that wasn't into musicals would download the soundtrack and really get into the fanfare of Hamilton and talking about casting, you know, different sort of actors, not just necessarily true to history.

5:06KT: Um, how does it feel being a part of such a production? And we would love to talk about the activism in a second, but how did it feel and how does it feel now being a part of such a monumental global shift?

5:17Krystal: Yeah, I mean, I remember when I first saw Hamilton in 2016 and when I first saw the lineup that we call it the timeline, where everyone in the first number stands across the stage.

5:27Krystal: It's a very iconic moment, and I just saw all of these colors, body shapes, heights. It was just the representation of what. You know what we are, you know, and what, what, just a large diaspora of all of us are. You know? Like I was just like, Wow, I see everything, you know? Yeah. And so rarely do I walk into a Broadway house and get to see that level of representation.

5:51Krystal: And so for me it was just like, Continuing to further that message. And every time I see, you know, a kid in the audience that looks like me, and I get to meet them in the, uh, uh, after the show and I get to meet them and, and have a one-on-one experience with them and them telling me what their dreams are.

6:07Krystal: I remember when I stood at the stage door and talked to the artist that I loved and. And got inspiration from them, you know, So it means, it means a lot to be a part of something that has this far of a reach that can reach across people who were never liked musical theater, thought it was so uncool. You know?

6:23Krystal: And I, I, you know, I like to be a part of those, um, those stories that kind of cross over, you know, like, yeah, like. Rent was a rock musical, right? So a lot of people came into it like loving that. Like didn't really necessarily love musical theater, the traditional musical theater, but they liked it from this kind of edgier stance.

6:40Krystal: And that's kind of what Hamilton has done. It's brought people in because of hip hop music and, and hip hop and black culture. So, um, it is, Culture, you know, its the culture, um, that I think it, it, it made a gateway for more people to be like, Oh, that's cool. Oh, it's about history. Oh, you know, like, continue to open doors in that way. So it's always amazing to, to be able to be a representative in that way.

7:02KT: So do you find that there's a difference between being on screen and stage performances? And if so, how do you navigate those two? Oh yeah, definitely. Cause like in a theater, you're trying to reach the person in the furthest seat.

7:21Krystal: You're trying to reach 2000 people, right? And so there is a bigness to theater and then there was a smallness to film. I, I've, like, I think that I have learned most things by fire, like just by trial and being like, Oof. You know, like, ok, that was a little big girl, like, pull it back. But, you know, um, and so there's so much specificity that in film, like you, you just have to do so much less.

7:44Krystal: And I, I'm so bad at doing less, so I'm always like, okay, I have to just trust, I have to have more trust, I think with film and tv, um, because also you. Do it again and again. Like I can do a show on Broadway and be like, Oh, that wasn't my best. But then I'm like, Oh, I can do it tomorrow. And hopefully like, yeah, you know, do it better the next time.

8:02Krystal: But with film and tv, it's, it's a long process, but it also takes so much time to set up. But then when it's your turn to do the scene, you have like maybe three takes, you know? So you kind of have to have this ability to let it go quicker and just be like, Okay, this is, I'm prepared and I trust myself.

8:21Krystal: Yeah. And so there's a different level of trust I think, that I have to have with film and tv, with myself and, um, I'm more intimate, um, like yeah, being more intimate with the camera, being more intimate with your partner. You're not yelling across the stage trying to like, make sure everyone can hear you, um, and understand all.

8:39Krystal: Bajillion words that you're trying to spit out. Um, so yeah, there it is an adjustment and it's something that I'm always like trying to figure out and also bring things in both worlds. You know, like maybe there, there can be a little bit more bigness in some film moments and, and TV moments and maybe there can be more simplicity in and tenderness and like, Specificity in the theater. So I'm learning from both and I try to keep doing, um, playing with all of the things, all the modalities of acting, you know, and, and seeing what, what hits.

9:00KT: Love it. And you talk about not yelling at your co-star. And I do love London Brown, and I am able to separate the actor from the character, even though I feel like.

9:22KT: Let's talk about Raising Kanan. Um, we love, love, love this show, and we love your character specifically. Um, talk, talk to us a bit about how it all came about and how was it filming? Cause we're seeing you every episode and we're like this. She's, Yeah, she's back.

9:40Krystal: Yeah. The craziest thing about. This series was that I was in Greece when I got the audition with my best, best girlfriend.

9:49Krystal: Well, it was like the fi that was, you know, the world was still pretty closed, but Greece was open. And so my best friend and I, who's an accountant, uh, went to Greece together and, and I was like, I got this audition. I was like, I don't even know this. I was like, I don't know. I don't, I don't even think I should do it.

10:06Krystal: Like I, I didn't even have really. Like supplies to do this self tape. And I'm with my friend who is not an actor at all, and um, and we were like, Okay, let's just, let's just do it. Let's just film it. So we filmed it together and I sent it in and I was like, Oh, well , you know, like, this is not gonna go anywhere.

10:25Krystal: And then three weeks later I get a call that's like, Hey, um, you've just got an offer. And I was like, Wait, what? I. So, so confused , and I was like amazed. And um, and then I got on on set and I, I'd already like seen the show. I know Patina Miller, like I know Hailey Kilgore, they're also Broadway, um, Broadway Legends at this point.

10:49Krystal: And, and I was just like, this is so cool, like to have, you know, a show that really is using Broadway actors and yeah. Um, And is also telling like an incredible story that's like really strong, very extraordinarily strong female, um, perspective, but then also like just the cinematography, like every single detail.

11:14Krystal: The, the show is, So detailed, which I loved, um, and which I love about it, is that they really go into the nitty gritty and it's also raw, but it's also a family story. And what I got really excited about with my character is that we're talking about mental health. Um, In this kind of, kind of roundabout way, in a very nineties way, it's not a very like 20, 22 way.

11:37Krystal: Like we're all talking about mental health now, but we, especially as a, as a black person growing up, like you just didn't talk about your mental health issues. You didn't talk about anger, you didn't talk about your, your resentments or what was going on with you. You just kind of, um, pushed it down, suppressed it, you know, and the fact that this was something that they.

11:58Krystal: Excited to start talking about in a way. Um, I mean maybe, maybe Renee is not always professional , but , she's, for the most part, you know, she's, um, she's out here trying to, you know, support and be a representative of Black, the. Black social workers and, and I think it's kind of interesting, perfect timing for how we're all kind of talking about mental health and yeah. What we can do to take care of ourselves. So it's an interesting way to speak that in there. And I think there's,

12:33KT: there's textbook therapy and there's. Marvin needs a bit more handling therapy .

12:40Krystal: Yeah.

12:40KT: You

12:41Krystal: know, like she is, she, you know, she, she has, she's very put together. Yeah. But she can turn honey. She can, she can talk to him in his language.

12:49Krystal: Yeah. But she can also, you know, keep it together and keep it very polish when need be. But she can get him together as well. And I think that that's like the fun thing about their dynamic. Um, Is that they kind of, they pull something out of each other that Yeah, I either one doesn't always get to show, She doesn't get to show her. I'm gonna snatch you upside all the time. . Mm-hmm. . And he doesn't get to show his kind of vulnerable, like, I'm working through this, I'm processing some of this stuff, Um, side.

13:09KT: And I think that's, I think that's part of when we talk about, not just in front of the screen, but behind the screen. When you have black people telling stories, naturally we're going to cover territory that was never covered when I guess they weren't writing their own stories.

13:33KT: Right. Um, and I think that's something beautiful about even the most recent episode, there was like a warning about like distasteful, like sort of portrayals. And we're like, Why would we. Something like that. And then obviously because they have like an Italian sort of presence, and it reminds me of, um mm-hmm.

13:52KT: it reminds me of is The Departed. Yeah. Where you have like the first 11 minutes, which is like a HR video for everyone and what not to say about women, about black people and that sort of thing. So to have that, and then you think about like other films that aren't necessarily written by black people that wouldn't even have that warning with all of that distasteful sort of language. There's, there's more of a care because the. Are the experiences, are the stories.

14:17Krystal: Yeah. It's so important for us to be telling our stories and to be writing for , you know, ourselves because, um, I also, I think there is a level of care, but it's also people of all walks of life having a better understanding too, because not the, not everybody on the creative team is of color, you know?

14:36Krystal: And so, It's every single person having an awareness and having care for, um, how people receive these things, how people are treated. Mm-hmm. . Um, and so it's, it's an entire collective team that is kind of shifted and is also going with that. It's not just, um, the black people doing the work, it. Everybody, you know, it's everybody that's, that's tired.

14:59Krystal: Um, that's making sure that that work is done and, and essential and, and at the forefront. Um, and, and a trigger warning is always nice, you know? Yeah. Um, and I think we have to because it's easy to become desensitized. You know, It's easy for us to forget our humanity. I think sometimes when we're just watching a lot of violence, we're watching a lot of, um, things like Breaking Bad or whatever, like we just are like ingesting so much, um, that we also wanna remind people like, this is maybe not how, how not to be, you know, or, you know, like have, have a moment to be like, Like fiction and yeah.

15:38Krystal: You know, we need to separate those two things and um, with real elements of reality, you know, like some of these things are true lived experiences. So it is, um, it's a delicate balance and I think that this show does it so beautifully and I think having a woman at the center of it is very helpful for that.

15:58KT: Yeah. So speaking of reality, you are involved in Show Your Pride for Black Lives and Ham4Progress. So how did you get started? How did you get involved? Um, tell us about, tell us a bit more about the, your endeavors in this. Yeah, so, um, I mean, I would say that Trayvon Martin's murder was like one of the first moments that I really was like, okay, I, I have to figure out a way.

16:23Krystal: I was doing Motown at the time and we did a big protest, um, in Times Square and I. 2020 was happening and it was like what I call the trifecta, um, Ahmaud Arbery, um, uh, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, George Floyd. It was just like, and we're all sitting there and just watching this and I think it was the first time that people couldn't look away and be like, Well, I'm busy.

16:49Krystal: You know, I'm doing this and be like, distracted. And it was. It became so untenable, um, that it was like, even though Covid was running rampant, like it was just like, I'm, I have to go to the streets, you know, I have to go outside and I have to go and be a body. I have to be a number, you know, so that people know, um, regardless of what happens, it became very like, Life and death because I want my children to grow up in a world where they're not terrified of the people we pay to protect them, but they're not terrified to, um, have conversations at school about their sexual identity or their, um, or race.

17:31Krystal: You know, I, I want them to feel like they are truly free. Um, and I, and I wanna feel free . Yeah. I wanna feel free to have. Those rights as well. And I don't wanna be scared every time I walk outside. So, you know, I was, it was June of 2020 and I was just like, Okay, gay pride's not gonna happen, obviously. And, and being a person who identifies as queer, I was like, how do I merge Broadway and Gay Pride?

18:01Krystal: And, and, and 11. Yeah, and I wanted it to, to coincide with, I wanted to, to coincide with, um, what would've been Gay Pride Weekend. And it was just a bunch of phone calls, a bunch of like, Okay, who can do this and who wants to help? We got all of these organizations together. I called my doctor and I was like, Will you do COVID testing?

18:23Krystal: And she was like, Absolutely. We got, um, we got how many organizations? We got the Gay Men's Health, we got. Um, and we got STD testing. We got so many things. Yeah. But the number one thing that I think we got was like this amazing community to come together at in Times Square. And we marched to Stonewall and we, um, and it was really just a colorful celebration of life and also incorporating Broadway in theater as best as we could.

18:51Krystal: I mean, we had a full stage and a full sound system. Um, I really truly don't know how we pulled it off, but we did. And it was just kind. Spark to be like, Okay, wow. Like we, I can do something. We can do things and we have to start voicing what's going on. So then we had a meeting with Hamilton, like, we have this massive platform, you know, what are we doing in this moment?

19:11Krystal: What can we do? And this show represents so many people that, you know, what, what do we wanna say with it? And we got together and we'd had, um, two people from each company come together. Cause we had like five. Five, uh, North American companies and we just started figuring out organizations to work with, like Until Freedom, VoteRiders.

19:32Krystal: And we started doing, um, letter writing parties. We started doing fundraisers and, um, for anything it was, we had a big vote in 2020 . So we were just like, Okay, how do we get people out to vote? How do we register people? How do we, um, what are our focuses? And then now we just are figuring out things to do in.

19:52Krystal: Various communities monthly. We have, we have things that we talk about to try to get people engaged in either democracy or understanding like, you know, certain cult uh, certain elements of API culture that you may not know or from the perspective of one of our castmates. Um, so it's been interesting like growing the social justice arm and like social awareness arm of the, of the company and just seeing where it can go and working with incredible people who are excited, obviously to work with the brand, but then also to do good and

20:23KT: talking about marching at Stonewall, understanding like the historical context because a lot of the activists for the queer movement were black trans women. So it's so important to know that history and also to be about it. Like if Hamilton is about revolution, Are about it. You know, we're here and we're out and we're helping.

20:43Krystal: Yeah. I mean it, And that was one of the things predominantly for, um, Pride for All Black Lives because there was the hashtag all Black Lives.

20:52Krystal: Yeah, I, we really wanted to talk about the trans. Uh, our trans siblings who do not get the level of press that, you know, our cis siblings do. Um, so that was one thing that we really wanted to shine us a, a spotlight on. And we had incredible performers and speakers, um, that kind of just continued to share their experiences and it's.

21:15Krystal: Traumatic, you know, but it's also that we have to hear these stories so that we can have a better understanding of, of what is going on and what is happening, you know, outside of our, our understanding. Right. And, and have a better and more compassion for what? Other people are experiencing, and we have to make sure that we have to give voice to as many people as possible.

21:35Krystal: That, to me, is a true free democracy. And you know, every corporation has a ways to go, like every company, you know, and, and putting your money where your mouth is and putting your practices and policies. Where your mouth is is important and it's always hard to hold people up to that standard, but I'm grateful that I'm in a position and I'm in, Like I feel as though I can hopefully continue to make some change across Broadway and in small ways, big ways, however I can because there is still a lot of work to do.

22:06KT: Yeah. Your multi talented, you know, and your music has been commissioned in TV shows. How does your creative process. Um, look like,

22:08Krystal: ooh, oh my gosh, my creative process looks insane. I, that's what it, I mean, I, I I could show you a script right now that I, I just, uh, every single word, especially if I'm playing someone real, I love to do research.

22:32Krystal: Like right now I'm working on, um, the Louis Armstrong musical and, um, And I'm playing a real person, and so I'm just like trying to find as much research as I possibly can. I do a lot of, if I'm creating the person, I do a lot of back, you know, backstory. I'm a, I'm a writer as well, so I like to write like, okay, like this is what, you know, this is where I'm from, this is where I grew up.

22:55Krystal: And then I go through and I really try to read the text as if. A writer, you know, like, what, what did the writer truly mean by this? And if I have access to the writer, you know, I wanna have those conversations as best as I can to be like, what, what's the intention here? Like what, um, how do you see this character?

23:12Krystal: And what was one of the amazing things about Hamilton is I got to have like a meeting with Ron Chernow who wrote the book that Lin read and got inspired by, and he. So beautifully and elegantly about Eliza and I, I was just like, I just got like that almost firsthand information about her. Um, but I dissect scripts.

23:33Krystal: Like it looks like hieroglyphic over the ultra red string. Oh, it's insane. Yeah. Yeah. I have, I have friends. So with filming like a movie or something, you film it all out. Order. Yeah. So you have to kind of keep order. So you do, it does look like a murder board. You know, like in your house. You're like, Wait, ok, that scene that happens here and this is this.

23:54Krystal: And that's, I have to remember to have this moment because sometimes you're like, you're jumping into a scene where you're like, Okay, it's three days later and you've had this fight and you're like, wait, you haven't had that fight yet. So I have to imagine what that fight would've felt like and how I'm gonna feel on the other end of it, you know?

24:07Krystal: Um, cuz things are just not always gonna line up chronologically. Um, so it's, it's interesting to kind of play with that and, and to. I like to dig into the text, like that's my favorite thing. I love Word. So it's just like, I wanna, I wanna know, and I wanna like ask the director really annoying questions, , you know, um, and, and just see like really what their vision is.

24:28Krystal: Like. I always, I feel like it's so collaborative and I try to be as collaborative as possible, so I wanna know like what their vision is for this moment so that I can hopefully give them. What they, what they envision and surprise them with something as well. You know, I'm assuming one of your pet peeves is like a cryptic text or like a Okay,

24:47Krystal: Yeah. I mean, well, it's fun because it's like, well, I mean, I'm never gonna do it the same way twice. You know? Like even with Hamilton, like as much as you can easily do, like, people always go, Oh, how do you do eight shows in a week and keep it fresh? It's like, Nothing is ever the same. Like you are never the same.

25:02Krystal: You know, you wake up that day and you're like a completely different person. You know, You're like, Oh my, note this, this no stuffy, Like, this hurts, that aches, you know, I don't feel good. You know, someone just sent you some crazy message. You're in a different head space, you know? Um, or you fought with your partner that day and you're just, you come in with a different energy every single day.

25:21Krystal: So it's always different. And so I try to, I try to keep things and try to do things. Um, as like, in the moment as possible, I, I think staying present is really important. It's like you can do all the research you want and then staying as present when you have someone like London, like you can't really craft that, you know, you have to just kind of play off what he's giving you, you know, like he's gonna give you a whole bunch of things and.

25:44Krystal: And sometimes like he will change up lines a little bit. He'll like add his things. He's constantly eating, you know, how does the eating make me feel? You know, it's, you really like, for me it's like playing off that really fun energy and seeing like what is he gonna do? And then, Playing off that and being the like, given the freedom.

26:04Krystal: Cuz sometimes they're like, Okay, we got the take now let's just do one. Yeah. Whatever. Like, you know, the scene, let's just do it for, for fun. And then a lot of times that's what they end up using because it's like the most improvd or organic, you know, moments and they wanna capture that like real reaction. So you do your research and then you kind of let it all.

26:24KT: Because even in the most recent episode that down, um, the diner scene, you were like, you'll remember this coffee. And then London Brown has got like all of his food around ,

26:35Krystal: right? Yeah. Full, I mean full meal. And it's like, No, we just came for coffee, but okay.

26:41Krystal: you know? Yeah. It's his thing. And like, I love when some actors. Like Brad Pitt always eats too. Like it's a, it's a really cool, not only device, but it's just like, yeah, it, I was like, Okay, how am I going to, how do I look at him when he is eating? You know? Like, do I judge it? Do I enjoy it like it does it? Does it aroused me at all? Like it's kind of fun to play with that. Like yeah, I be angry one the sexual attention. He's a very distracting person. .

27:12Krystal: Yeah. Yeah. He's a very beautiful man. So when you get a script for a film or tv, do you find it that it's easier with your, if you had a background to just memorize it all?

27:22Krystal: Well, it's so funny with film and tv. Like I typically, as much as I wanna memorize everything, like, and I, it depends on if something is like really, like if there's a big monologue. Mm-hmm. , because I tell you from NAYA 10 things I've ever done, you walk in that day, you've memorized, you've been sitting for six hours, memorizing things, and then they're like, New pages , and you're like, ah, you know, and you're, you're sitting in the makeup chair going, ok, um, let me try to memorize this.

27:52Krystal: And sometimes that helps. Just keep it really fresh, you know? Um, but it's like, yeah, you can try to memorize as much as you possibly can or for me. Um, but I, I also, and prepared for me. I'm like, What's my character? What's the arc? What's our relationship? And then within that, whatever has to change, can change.

28:11Krystal: And I feel like it can just kind of click, you know? And it's like, that's the great thing with film and TV too. If you don't get it right, they're like, Okay, do it again. And say the actual, you know, with, you know, you mess up Linman. Words and everyone in the audience is like, Yeah, we know it. . You know, like, yeah.

28:31Krystal: I, I one time messed up, um, really bad in Rent and I, but I have this like, amazing ability to fit in fake words to where it's supposed to go. So it'll sound like, um, like it'll sound like the writing, but it's not what's written. And I had someone at the after the show like say, Oh my gosh, did they rewrite that song?

28:55Krystal: I was like, No, no. I just made up words and put them in there in , and I'm, I'm, I'm sure that Jonathan Larson is turning in his grave right now and I will never do that again. But yeah, with theater you have to be so like, DLP, dead letter perfect. And with film and TV, there's something like you're trying to catch a moment, you know, so things kind of can roll off a little bit easier and things change, especially with TV shows.

29:21KT: So you were in The Equalizer. How was it working with Queen Latifah? I cried . We cried. We cried. Watching you .

29:32Krystal: I cried. I, I just, I I walked on set and she was like, Welcome to the family. And I just went, I just, I was like, I'm so sat and makeup for like, Two hours. And I was just like, I'm just so happy to be here and I think you're so amazing.

29:49Krystal: And she's like, I think you're amazing. And I was like, I can't do not say that. Like, you know, I was like, Let's just do the scene. And she was also one of those people like, kind of like London, where it's just like she's fast and loose, you know? Like. and she would get the script, she'd look at it and she'd be like, Yeah, yeah, yeah.

30:06Krystal: Okay. Yeah. Uhhuh, Uhhuh, Uhhuh. All right. And kinda just like put it away and be like, I'm gonna ingest this. Like it would be most of the script, but it would be her, you know? And like she would add her nuances, Orly like, This is how I think it should feel and move and like, and I. Working with her in that way because she was just like, she's like, Oh, she's just, she was easy, you know?

30:30Krystal: She was like, very welcoming. As nice as you think that she's actually going to be probably more so than she even needs to be. Um, you know, and, and just kind of like, like excited to do it. Like, she's like, Let's go, let's go. Like, she just has all of this energy and I truly don't know how. And, and she was just very like, supportive. So yeah, she's, she's Queen for a reason. .

30:54KT: Um, and lastly, you've got 100 in the world. You've got all the cast you want for a Broadway production of your, Oh my gosh, so far. What is it called?

31:03Krystal: What of my life so far? Wow. Oh my gosh. Okay. All the budget in the world, all the cast in the world, oh my God, who would even play me?

31:14Krystal: Would I play me ? Of course. Of um, Oh my God. Oh gosh. The first thing that came to me, the struggle is real. That doesn't sound uplifting. It's really, but it it cause like, it, it's constantly like, you're constantly pushing yourself, you know, like, um, and you're constantly, especially as a black artist, like I truly, truly believe that we have to work so much harder and we have to, to get really half as far and any industry, and particularly in art, you know, So I feel like yeah, it's um, Oh no, would be, And the show goes on because through all of the things, theater, storytelling, um, film and TV has always been my rock and my anchor.

32:02Krystal: And it's like that, that's my happy place. Getting to create and perform and, um, connect with people and connect. Really deep level is, is the, the best job for me in the world. And that's the moments where I think like I really find my, my peace and my joy and even when I can sit back and go, like when I get to see the audience afterwards, um, and meet, sometimes meet the audience.

32:28Krystal: And if someone's crying and they cry in my arms and we just like have a shared experience, it's like I can think of that moment when. You know, struggling, you know, when the struggle is real and be lifted up and go, Okay, you know, like this is why we do this. This is, there is something, um, really compelling and great in this, you know, world of storytelling and we need to tell more stories and we need to tell more diverse stories and. And continue to connect to our compassion and humanity.

32:55KT: Thank you so much for your time. You'll literally, every way you guys so much for having love to say it. Your literal sunshine.

33:03Krystal: You loved having it. Oh gosh. Well, thank you guys so much. You've been so awesome. Amazing questions and, and I really, really, really appreciate being.

33:13KT: Thank you. Thank you so much. So obviously on Broadway, Hamilton, um, Raising Kanan, Girlfriendship in October

33:21Krystal: on Yeah, October 1st.

33:23KT: Um, where else can we find you when you want us to find you on socials and that sort?

33:27Krystal: Oh, yes. Um, I am on Instagram at Krystal Joy Brown and TikTok at Only Kjb. And you can check out my website, thekjb.com.

33:37KT: Thank you so much. Thank you guys. You're wonderful. Thank you.