Ep272 - Antoine L. Smith, Swing on US National Tour 5 & Berry Gordy in MJ The Musical

“CATS really showed me how important it was to be a team player and how to take care of each other on stage and off stage as much as you can.” This episode features Antoine L. Smith who was a swing on the US. National Tour 5 of CATS. Hear Antoine discuss his lifelong connection to the show after watching the VHS daily in college and becoming inspired by Ken Page’s Old Deuteronomy. Antoine describes auditioning via open call, joining a brand-new tour cast, and the intense self-driven work required of swings, including felinity coaching and learning multiple tracks like Old Deuteronomy, Bustopher Jones, and Gus. He shares his character backstory for Old Deuteronomy, his belief that Deuteronomy always knows the Jellicle choice, and a memorable mid-show emergency where he had minutes to get into intricate makeup and costume. 00:50 First CATS Obsession 08:29 Old Deuteronomy Backstory 09:48 Jellicle Choice Theory 12:39 Importance of Swings 16:52 Tour Chaos 24:49 Discovering The Jellicle Ball 36:27 Rapid Fire Check out Antoine on Instagram: @antoinelsmith32 Check out MJ The Musical on Social Media: @mjthemusical Check out MJ The Musical's website: newyork.mjthemusical.com Produced by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alan Seales⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Broadway Podcast Network⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Social Media: @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TheWrongCatDied Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices