Walking The Dog with Emily Dean - Marisha Wallace (Part One)

Episode Date: December 10, 2024

Today we’re joined by the two-time Olivier Award nominated singer and actress Marisha Wallace!Marisha has the most incredible, powerful voice - so we spoke to her at home in order to preserve her precious instrument from the bad weather!Growing up on a hog farm in North Carolina, Marisha is no stranger to dogs... she tells us all about her favourite ever dog - a boxer called Chaos (who had a matching personality!) After starting singing at the age of five in the church - Marisha tells us about how she learned to use her talent as currency, before finding out she needed vocal surgery at the age of 17. Marisha's big break came in the US tour of Book of Mormon - before getting the call to make her West End debut playing Effy White in Dreamgirls, with only five days notice…On 11th March - Marisha is returning to the Adelphi Theatre for her biggest ever headline show. It's going to be an absolutely spectacular evening of music - and you can find out more information and get your tickets here!Marisha will be playing Sally Bowles in Cabaret from 28th January 2025 - get your tickets here!Marisha is also currently playing The Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood at The London Palladium - get your tickets here!Follow @marishawallace on InstagramFollow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I come back and I'm like, breathing hard because I've been dancing. And I look up and I was like, hey king, it's the king. In the wings. Hey King is genius. And he says, you look like you can use a stiff drink. This week on Walking the Dog, Raymond and I caught up with musical theater legend Marisha Wallace. And I can't wait for her to share her story with you because it's genuinely like the of a Hollywood musical.

She began singing at a really young age in her local church community in North Carolina and eventually moved to New York where she got stage roles in a handful of Broadway shows but it was a last minute out of the blue call

to fly over to the UK and replace the star of the West End show Dream Girls who'd fallen ill that totally changed her life and turned her into an overnight West End star. She's since gone on to rack up Olivier nominations for her performances in Oklahoma

and Guys and Dolls and even somehow found the time to enter the Celebrity Big Brother House earlier this year where she was frankly a total queen. I honestly adored Marisha and I know you will too. She's hilariously upfront and honest and just oozes warmth and charisma and this incredibly positive energy. She even sung to Ray. He's been pining for her ever since.

If you want more Marisha in your life, you're in luck because she's performing her biggest ever headline show at the Adelphi Theatre on March the 11th next day. year. It's going to be an amazing evening filled with some incredible songs and lots of special guests. So don't miss out and get booking your tickets now at wwwthetters.co.uk. And you can currently go and see Marisha in Panto at the Palladium, where she's starring in Robin Hood as the sheriff of course, until January the 12th. I really hope you enjoy my chat with Marisha. I'll stop talking now and hand over to the fabulous woman herself. Here's Marisha and Ray Ray.

I've got to say, Marisha, I think he's a little bit greedy because he can hear you eating toast. Babe, I think this is my most British thing I'm having toast and tea on this podcast. That was a bona fide, a bite of toast from London's glittering West End Star. You don't get that often to kick off a podcast. You get the real meme. You're getting the full real meme. I should say who I'm with. I'm with the very wonderful, Marisha Wallace.

Do you like Marisha or Marisha? Marisha. So you say Marish, Marisha, yes. Yeah, because I don't have an American accent, and I hear Americans are called Marisha Wallace. And I think, oh, no. Marish, yeah. And I'm such a fan of this woman's.

I'm so excited to be with her today. You're super busy at the moment, and we're going to get to that soon. I'm so sorry, you can hear my dog. kind of making snorting noises. It's because he wants my toes. I get it. I think it's the southern accent. He's absolutely fallen for it.

Oh, you know, I do need another boyfriend. Raymond, the dog. He's the nicest man who's ever lived in my house. He's the most trouble-free man. You know what? I need a dog. I'm actually buying a house just so I can get a dog. That's what I want.

But then everyone's... It's like, how are you going to take care of it? You know, how do you have time? Well, do you know what? People will say that to me. And often, someone said it to me recently who's got, you know, like several children. And they'll say, oh, I just wouldn't have the time. I wouldn't want to be held down by it.

You've got four children. We can just leave them at home as fine. Yeah. So I'm so thrilled to be able to chat to you today. This is, of course, walking the dog. You're a very, very busy woman. So I've grabbed you in a brief period when you've got some time to chat to us. And I would have met up with you for a dog walk.

I'm also a little worried about the weather and your instrument, I'm going to call it, which we need to preserve. Yes, we do. But you're getting to meet Raymond online. What do you make of Raymond? You know, Raymond looks very distinguished, which I think I like. Raymond is like giving like wisdom and a dog. I feel like I could go talk to Raymond and get some answers to the life's questions

And you were saying you don't have a dog yourself at the moment No, because I'm in a flat And I'm about to buy a house just so I can have a dog Because it's really hard to find flats So I'll let you have a dog This is in London that you're based, isn't it? Yeah, yeah But you weren't always in London

Because obviously you started life in, it was north Carolina. I was in Goldsboro, North Carolina, a hog farm that we were on. My grandparents were hog farmers, and they're also preachers. So they owned a church down the road. And then we also raised these massive hogs. We had hogs. We had chickens. We had vegetables. We had collard greens that we would do. So it's like very agricultural kind of place. Like all my grandparents like pulled tobacco for like 50 cents. Like my great-grandparents pulled tobacco or they pulled, you know, cucumbers or sallet greens, like straight from the earth. And it's crazy because I'm not even that old. So like it's wild that that was like my upbringing. It feels like it's like the 1800s.

It's crazy. Right. It does, doesn't it? But that's, you know, as you say, you're a millennial. Yeah. I'm only 39. But like I'd. kind of have an old soul because of it, I think, of how I grew up. It was very... That's what I mean. You're young. Yeah. And yet you had this... It does sound like something out of a novel or something.

It's really interesting. What was your childhood like, Marisha? Would you describe it as... Because as you said, it feels quite focused around the church as well, wasn't it? Yeah. So, like, my grandma was the pastor of our church, which was actually quite radical at that time, because women were not supposed to be the head of a church,

like especially that kind of church. The church I grew up in was very strict. Like you couldn't wear, well, you call it trousers. You couldn't wear pants. You couldn't wear makeup. You had to wear skirts down to your knees. You had to be fully covered. Women were like submissive and could not, you know,

you could listen to any music that wasn't gospel music. You couldn't watch things. it weren't, we couldn't go to the movies, we couldn't go. Like, it was very, very, very restrictive. And so for a woman to be a pastor was actually pretty radical for my, for my grandma to be a pastor. She ran this church. And she was this amazing singer. She was like Mahalia Jackson kind of singer. So she would go around to all the different cities and towns and sing. And that's where we sang. So my mom was a singer as well. My dad was a play guitar. My brother, played the drums. My sister played the drums. My brother played piano. So we were very musical

family. Wow. And your mom worked in, was it a textile factory she worked in? Yeah. Have I got that right? Yeah, she worked for this company called Excel Lindy's. So before all of the distribution moved over to China and to Asia, the small factories, like in these very small rural towns, is where things were made, like shower curtains and bed linens and things were were sewn and made there. And then when everything moved over, it became more like a distribution place. But she worked at this place for like 30 years. It's crazy.

And your dad, as you say, he was really interested in music and he built kind of like a studio almost, didn't he for you? Yeah. He also sounds like he did a number of things. Was he in the army and he was a Mason at some point? So he was in the army and he was in the army band as well. So like he made a band out of the, you know, the military guys that were there. And they would do like P-Funk and like funkadelic like music, like Earthwind and Fire,

which was quite radical too because it was against our religion. But he was like, this is the music that I like. So he kind of showed me that kind of music and made me fall in love because he had this amazing record collection, like vinals and stuff. But it was a mix of gospel. It was a mix of P. R&B, soul, Luther Vandros, things like that. And yes, and then he was also a brick mason. So after he left the military, he became a brick mason.

And he would brick hotels, houses by himself, with just a helper. So there are still, like, buildings in my town that he built by himself, brick them by himself. So I think that's where a lot of my work ethic comes from, because my dad would go brick a whole hotel by himself, and it's still standing today, which is wild. You were on the Hulk Farm, which I'm just loving. I just think that's, because your story is like something out of a musical anyway. It is a musical.

It is a musical. A Hulk Farm to West End stage. Did you have dogs, by the way, on the Hulk Farm? What's the attitude towards dogs on the Hulk Farm? We had loads. dogs. So my brother was obsessed with animals. Like, obsessed with animals. So we first had like chow chow, you know, like those big chow chow-chow dogs, which is so random jazz in a very hot climate. So I was like, why did we have chow chow chow? I was still very confused why we had chow's.

Because like the weather would be like a hundred degrees outside. We would have to cover them in like ice and water and we have to cut their hair off to make sure that they would stay cool or we have to bring them in the house I was going to why do we have chat shows but that's what we add and so we would have different ones

and those poor babies sometimes they wouldn't survive in that heat then he liked pit bulls so then we had pit bulls for a while which was wild oh he's getting a bit hardcore now Marish yeah but pit bulls are actually really nice

like we know that they're you know known to be vicious but it just depends on how they raise. Because, like, my aunt had one that would lay on me like one of the kids. So, like, all the kids would be with me and pit bulls. So I think pit bulls always get kind of a bad rap, but they're really great dogs. And then we had my favorite dog was a boxer named Chaos. And he would literally, was chaotic.

So, like, because we were in the country, we would hang out our clothes on the line. And so we would have a sheet on the line. And then one day we saw the sheet flying through the yard like a ghost. Chaos was wrapped in the sheet flying through the yard like Caspar's a friendly ghost. It was amazing. This dog was insane. I loved it. And we would have like a donut in our hand walking to the bus, catch the bus.

He would jump up and grab it out of your hand and start crying. Because it would be your breakfast and it's gone. You need him. Best argument. Oh, chaos. I love that chaos decided to completely live up to his name. Chaos was chaos. You know, he wasn't messing around.

No. If you're going to name someone that, Marisha, what do you expect? It has to be, like, he would wrap himself in the Christmas decorations of our neighbors. Like all the lights would be wrapped around him and he would be glowing, running through the yard. this dog was iconic I love this dog needs to be the subject of some sort of Disney film I know

I'm loving the sound of your childhood was there sort of rules and discipline and when man is important to your parents loads there was almost it was too many rules I hated all the rules but I was so obsessed with like not getting in trouble

so they kind of put it like a perfectionist bone in me, which in some ways I'm glad I grew up kind of strict because it kept me out of trouble. But then there was some other people in my family who had just pushed them the opposite way, where they just hate all the rules, so then they just broke every rule and went completely off the rails. So, but then I, but it also made me leave because I hated the restrictions of like not really being able to travel and everyone's scared of everything because that's what, you know, restrictive religion kind of lives off fear. And I didn't ever want to be afraid.

Like I just wanted to, I was like, well, if it's something that I shouldn't see, I probably should see it because that's kind of how I was. And I think that kind of propelled me to go discover this world that everyone's so afraid of. I was like, and also I felt like if I was going to teach people how to love God or minister to people in the way that that's how we were raised with our voice was that it was a ministry. I was like, I could affect more people if I leave this small town than if I'm just here, you know, sheltering my gift. If I could share it with people, then I think that would be more of what God wants for me. That's how I felt. And when you say your gift, was it clear from a young

age because you were singing from the age of five, weren't you? And was it, well, kind of performing from that age really? Was it clear from a very early age that you had this extraordinary singing voice? It's kind of just a part of your culture that makes sense. Like when you hear all these amazing singers like Pather Bell and Aretha Franklin, that was like all my aunts and uncles. Everybody sounded like that. Do you know what I mean? But it's just what they just didn't get out in the world and become that. But that type of singing was always around. So, So when you're five, my mom, I did my first solo in church. And it was like high stakes.

Like it was like, you got to be good, even at five. And I forgot the words of the song and I come off. And I was crying. And my mom was like, why did you forget the words? And I was like, I'm five. But that kind of like pressure to perform, like, if you can do that, you can really do anything. So I was up in front of people from the time I was five. So it just takes away that fear of performing.

So I always say the black church is like the best music conservatory you could go to because you're put up there and you're expected to be excellent, but you expect it to be amazing. So you just hone your craft and you want to get better and better and better. And that's so interesting that what you tell me about when your mom says, why did you forget the words and you say I'm five? And I'm interested in that because obviously now, you know, we've moved towards this, you know, and as you say, you're still sort of a young woman,

but how different things are, even in that brief time span, where now, you know, if a parent said that to a child, they'd probably the authorities would be called for something. Because it's like you're meant to say, well done, darling, you took part. Whereas your mum's like, why did you forget the words? Why did you forget the word? So you were held to quite high standards. very high. But all my life, though, also because I was just reading Kiki Palmer's book called Master of Me, and she was talking about being the first. When you're like the first, it's always going to be

difficult. You hold yourself to a standard because you have to impress. Like, you have to live up to that. My sister was the first to go to college in my family. And I wanted to live up to what she did. So I went to college. And then when I became the first to like make it, then I was like, okay, I got to be the first at this and I got to be the first at that and I got to be the first. And so it does put a lot of pressure on you, but it also pushes you in the same respect. I remember I had someone asked me, they were like, isn't that like a lot to put on yourself? But I was like, somebody had to be the first for me to get here. So I got to be the first for someone else.

And that's kind of how I've kind of lived my life. And it's been hard, but then it's also very rewarding as well. I'm getting the sense because you were a cheerleader, weren't you? And I'm thinking, were you, you, you've got this incredible charisma and you're very warm and brilliant company, you know, were you very popular? Did everyone want to hang out with you at school? I was. You know what?

I was not the finest girl in school. Like I was the most curvy girl on the cheerleading squad. I was the first black cheerleader at that school, which was crazy. So I was always the first, first black cheerleader. But then because I knew I was, I kind of represented all the black people, if that makes sense. I became like the student, the president of the class. And I was like the straight A student. I was the only black girl in like the smart class.

They called it the smart class then. Or I was the only black girl in the AP class, like in the higher classes. So I was popular. I knew that my talent could make me popular if that makes sense. So I was singing at school and people wanted to be a part of that. So I was quite popular in the fact that I, was talented. People knew me for my talent and I knew that my talent could gain me currency socially in the world. And I was on the Chalien Squad and I befriended all the popular girls,

but I still felt like I was a floater. So I was like in band and choir. So I kind of like floated around and kind of, you know, was like the student class president who kind of represented everyone and got to know everyone. So that did me well. That serviced me even in life now, I think. Yeah, so you were one of those people. You know, I call those people at school where they're like major players.

You know, like the year below would know who they are. Yeah. You struck me as a bit of a major player. I was, the teachers loved me. Like, I was like the teachers, like, conduit to the students. So that makes sense. Like, they knew they could count on me. Like, I would go to represent the school.

a lot at different like leadership like functions like they were preparing me to be a leader of the community if that made sense the teachers were incredible that I had they without my teachers I don't think I would be here today I had a teacher miss Grantham who took me to my auditions for college on her days off took me to my first Broadway show and said do that so that was school was very important to me being here It was a, you were doing an audition, weren't you, for, was it East Carolina? Mm-hmm. The university there for a musical, you know, to study music.

And it was fascinated me, this, that this professor came up to you after you'd audition and you didn't get in. And he said, told you why effectively, didn't they? Yeah. They said, there's something not right with your voice. Yeah. And he said, something's wrong with your voice, but you have something that, you said, you just have something. So I guess it's the 8 factor or the star quality. He saw it in me and chased me out.

And then I came back to the school and had a voice lesson with him. And he was like, yeah, your voice, there's something in it was as amazing. He's like, but there's something wrong with your voice. And then I went to this whole process of finding out what I was. Went to an E&T, went to an ear specialist, finally made it to the doctor that did my surgery. And he told me I had a cyst on my vocal cord. And that was from years of screaming as a cheerleader and then singing without any technique and singing at church every Sunday, loud and high. And you know what? Chaos didn't help. Trying to control chaos.

Scream at chaos. You know, I didn't have any training. I was 17, 16. Like, I just, you know, was doing everything full-tilt boogie. And, yeah, I had to get a vocal surgery at 17. I'd already been accepted to the university. But you have to have to. get accepted into the music school. So they didn't accept me, but he still helped me, which was crazy. And then when I got the surgery, I had to be quiet for three months. And also when I got the surgery, the doctor went in and I came out of the surgery. My mom was crying. And she said, the doctor said it looked like someone had already gone in and taken the sis out. And I remember right before I went to do the surgery, I was working at a church. I was acquired. The whole church is like 150 people put me in the center of the circle.

They all put their hands on me and prayed that I would get my voice back. And then that happened. It's crazy. Do you believe that the prayer help? I believe it. I just believe in the power of positive thought and energy anyway. Because I feel like the universe can hear you. I always say that.

Your words and your thoughts have such power over your body. body, your physical body. I know that when I manifest something, like a lot of the things that have happened to me, I have manifested in. Like, I've written them down. So if there's things that I want, I write it down, I say it out loud, but I also say it as as if it's already happened. Like I, that's kind of, but that comes from, you know, my church background, but like

in a spiritual way, I just believe that if we have a collective positive thought going towards something. Something in the universe has to change. We're not just made of, you know, atoms and like there's definitely something spiritual and the soul part of us that we kind of forget is there. We're all connected in that way as well. So as humans, if we can connect positively, some things can change. I really do think, and it has, and I've seen it happen and like miracles that have happened to me. Like I got my voice back. I was supposed to never, ever, again. And then here I am singing some of the hardest roles in the canon. And I don't know what people believe. And I always say, if you don't believe in anything, just believe in yourself.

And if you believe in yourself, things will happen. Yeah. And I think also what's interesting is that, you know, if you're right, and that was the case, though, and your voice was given back to you in some way, but then that's when the work begins. And do you know what I mean? It's interesting that actually you can get that, but it's not enough to just say, oh, well, I'm going to rely on, you know, the universe will look after me. It's like that that might lead you in the right direction, but you need that work ethic, which I feel was probably instilled in you from quite a young age. It sounds like. Well, that's what they always say. In the Bible, it says faith without works is dead. So if you have all the faith and you don't work, then it's dead. So you have to have the faith and the work that's, what I believe. Because if you have, you can also work all you want, but if you don't believe you're going to make it, I always say, how are you going to sell something that you don't believe in? How are you going to get somebody to buy something that you don't want to buy?

How are you going to get somebody to believe in something that you don't believe in yourself? Like, if you don't believe in yourself, how are you going to get someone to invest in you? So that's so true. Like that work ethic plus the faith really takes it to the next level, I think. And it's interesting now because you, you know, obviously, I suppose psychology moves on and sometimes people will say now, for example, I think the current thinking, because, you know, a lot of kids want to be stars and do what you do now. And most psychologists will say now that the worst thing you can ever say to a child is you're talented.

You've got a unique gift. Because actually what that allows a kid to do is saying, A, it will make them freeze and think, oh my God, I've got this gift, it's like a burden if I don't, you know, I don't to do with it, or it can make them think, oh, it's fine, I've got a gift, I don't need to try. So what you say now is you work so much harder than anyone else, and I'm so proud of that. Yeah. I'm so proud of you for that. This 90% work, 10% talent.

I'm not kidding. I'm not getting, because I've seen people who were not that talented or were mediocrely talented, who are flying. That's what I always tell people, like, are you kidding me? Like, the only thing that separates you and them is confidence and opportunity and a work ethic. It's really not rocket science because if you want it bad enough, you just got to outwork these people. I'm telling you. I'm going to outwork them.

I want to hurry up and get you famous and successful because you're a grafter as well. And I love reading about the stuff you did before you ended up getting these Broadway and then subsequently Western breaks. Yeah. And I love that you were a nanny. Yeah. And there's a brilliant detail, which I'm kind of obsessed with Marisha, which is you were a nanny in the same building as John Hamm. Yes. And then I got to meet John Hamm when I was doing waitress.

So taught me through this. I was a nanny in this, I was building, 50. for 50th and Broadway. And so kind of rich family? Very rich family. He's gorgeous little baby boy who I've loved. I actually need to find his mom again so I can see him again because he was the most, I loved this child like it was my own, loved him.

So I would go for a walk and take the baby out and then John Hamm would be coming down in his gray sweatpants looking amazing. And I literally would be walking the baby like, it's not my baby. It's not my. Promise. available available so I would see him in the elevator and I see him in the building like a little building and so then I was doing waitress in London and I was going out the stage door and someone grabs my arm and says oh my god you were amazing in the show and I look up I was like

oh my gosh John Hamm it's John Hamm oh my God did you tell him so then He's like, Marisha were amazing. He's like, so he's best friends with Jack McBrayer, who was in the show with me. And he was like, we're going out for drinks with Jack. Do you want to come with us? And I was like, yes. So I go out for drinks with John Am. And we're like kicking it.

He's just telling me everything. And I was like, I should be a nanny in your building. He was like, oh, he was like on 50th. I was like, yeah. He was like, I gave that apartment to my girlfriend. I was like, oh, great. And then we're standing on the road. This is why I love London.

We're standing on the corner. And these two girls come up and they're like, oh, my God, oh, my God. Oh, my God. And I was like, yes, John Hamm. And they're like, no, you were Effie White and Dreamgirls. They had no idea who he was. And he goes, yeah, she's really great. She's actually amazing.

Sorry. You kind of role model now. John. But then his reaction to that, that he was generous and wanted you to have your moment. You think, okay, you're good people. We like you, John. He was like actually, she is gross. You also worked in theme parks and, you know, there was one I heard you worked in. And it was a Hershey. This is a Hershey's Chocolate theme park. Hersy's Chocolate theme park. I was in a show called Ultimate Road Trip. We did five shows a day. five. It was crazy. It was like musical theater boot camp. Five shows a day, six days a week,

30 shows a week. I was going to say great training, right? Insane. It was the best training, but like I don't know how I did that. But after you do that, you're like, you can do anything. When they were like, oh, you only have to do eight on Broadway. I was like, oh, it's cake. Great. Was the Book of Mormon a big kind of break for you as well? That was the big break. So I actually went to an open call in New York. So like an open call is like where you don't have an agent, you're not,

because usually agents set you up an appointment with casting and then you go in. Open call is like a free for all. Anybody can go. Is that like a chorus line type thing where it's all a bit more scary? Yes. And there's no like you don't have to be in the union. anyone can go. So I went to that and I got a call back from that open call. And that's where I met Casey Nicola. So Casey Nicola is the director of Book of Mormon. And he was kind of on his come-up at

the time. Like Book of Mormon had only been open for six months on Broadway. And this was the national tour. And when we met, we were just like, it was like Kismet. Well, in my life, in this career, I always say God doesn't go. He sends people. and like people have been sent at every stage of my career to kind of guide me and help me and champion me to the next step. So when I got Book of Mormon, we went on the road, we went to Denver, and we just became fast friends. Me and Casey and his husband, and we hung out, and I was on the road with Book of Mormon in Boston. I had been on the road about a year, and that's when Casey told me at the bar,

hey, do you want to be in Aladdin on Broadway? And that's how I got my first Broadway show in a bar. I was like, is this a trick question? Okay. And that's how that happened. And he was like, I want to work with you on every project. And then we did for five years. I mean, another hugely significant moment in your performing career

was when you get the call to step in, to Dream Girls in the West End and come to London. And I was, because a member of the cast was ill, wasn't she? I believe she had pneumonia or something. And you literally, how long did you have to prepare? Because was it five days you had to learn the whole role? So step back. I've been working with Casey Nicola at this point for almost five years.

We were doing a show called Something Rotten on Broadway. And you were the fried egg. Yes. Eggie White. And I was saying, and I am telling you, I'm not going to be an omelet. No, no, no, no. That was my part. And I remember opening night, Tina Faye saw this part and fell into the aisle laughing because it was so great.

It was like iconic. So anyway. And we should say, so if you haven't seen Dream Girls, it's a very, it's a sort of parody of. Yes, as an egg. Yeah, yeah. So then. I'm actually in New York doing a workshop, and Stephen Schwartz, the writer of Wicked, is sitting across from me watching us present this new musical, which was like airplane the musical. You know, airplane, the movie? It was an airplane musical.

And I get a text and it says, hey, do you want to play Effie on the West End? Call me back. It was my agent. And I was like, I got to go. I left the room, called them, and they were like, we need you to get to London tonight. I was like, tonight. I was like, I can't. I had a concert I was doing. So I was like, I can't go tonight, but I could try to go on the weekend.

But it was Friday. And I went straight to my show and they were like, you have to leave something rotten tonight. So I go to my company manager and I was like, I'm leaving the show. And at that point, I didn't even know if I could tell them why I was leaving. And it was like, when are you leaving? And I was like, tonight. It's crazy. So I left the show.

I packed my bags. I had two days. And then I did the little concert, which turned into a goodbye party. And I flew to London. And they put me in the clothes of one of the understudies, like refit all the clothes onto me. Yes, on the day I arrived. I learned all the choreography at five days. And then I was on.

Nobody even knew I was in town Nobody knew who I was They only put it on a little slip of paper That somebody, they still Like my fans still have a slip of paper They put it, they insert it into the program Don't they? Yeah

So Amber Riley was playing the part And she's a big star So when they say Effie They set up like a star entrance Effie! And everyone goes, yay! And then I came out They went Effie And everyone went, oh

That was like no sound. And I was like, all right, I'm going to have to prove myself here. And then I did, and I'm telling you, and everyone stood. Every single person in the room stood. And they were like, what did I just witness? Because I knew I had to go and like, tear it up. And then I did. And I caught fire.

And then people were requesting when I was going to be on. I was only supposed to be there three weeks to cover this medical leave. And then I ended up staying and took over the role. I did it for two years. And that changed my life. And so many of my fans are still, some of my fans are still from the egg, the tabby. And then. The Eggie White days.

Eggie White. And then this was the catalyst for why I stayed here. And that was it. Did you, I mean, really interested when you talk about that moment, which I'm fascinated by that. That, because my parents sort of worked in show business. My mom was an understudy in the theatre a lot. Wow. I was very aware of, I guess that moment when you go on that the audience doesn't realize,

but how awful that is for a performer, you know, that actually, I mean, I literally think there should be a sign printed, because people just don't get it. They sort of dehumanize people on stage, and it should say, look, this person is coming on to step into these shoes. You know, be respectful. You know, make it easy for them. Be supportive. They don't do it well here in London.

On Broadway, they have to announce you like it would say. Like, there would be an announcement right before. It says the role of F.E. White would be played by Marisha Wallace, Poverba. But here they kind of really hide it. They just put it on like a little piece of paper. And everyone doesn't get programs here. So, yeah, they put it on a little sign, but they don't really, like, let you know what's going on. So you're really going into, like, dark waters.

But I will say, there's so many stars that this has happened to. And actually, I used to hear the tale of Sutton Foster all the time. So Sutton Foster was the understudy for the girl who was playing Millie and Thorley Modern Millie. She got sick. and then Sutton went on and she was so good she took over the role

went to Broadway and got a Tony Award and that was like always like a story that ran round around and Casey Nicola who was the director of Dreamgirls happened to be in that cast with Sutton Foster and told me that story

all the time and then the same thing happened to me it was wild but then you've got a bit of a track record of saying, okay, I'll do it. So did it. I'll get in a cab. And I find that interesting because you did a similar thing. I think it was a Remembrance Day festival or something. Yes. You literally got a phone call saying, do you know the White Cliffs of Dover? Can you sit? And I'd just be lying. I'd be like, yep, I know that. I just be lying, girl. And what time was the White Cliffs of Dover phone call?

Was it like just the full of event? I was sitting on this couch right here. I was about to go to a bruise brunch. Thank God I didn't know. And I was like, they were like, it's 11 o'clock. How fast can you get to the Royal Hour Hall? I was like, an hour? I don't really know.

Hour maybe. They said, do you know any British wartime songs? I was like, sure. It's definitely in the canon, the repertoire. And then they said, I said, well, which British wartime songs? So there's just so much time in between each question. I'm like, I need some answers. And so I go look up British wartime songs.

I was like, oh, Viralind. What's the name? Yeah, Viralyn, yeah. Viralyn. So I thought it was going to be well-mead again. So I just started learning that randomly because I just thought that was going to be the song. Right. And they come back, they were like, oh, it's White Cliffs of Dover.

I was like, oh, okay. But it was like a slim dog millionaire moment because I had did those cruise ships and stuff where I was in a top 40s band and I remember the 80-year-old British people would come up to me and be like, can you do White Cliffs with Dover? But it was an instrumental, so I didn't sing it, but I heard it a lot. So I knew the tune. So I jump in the cab, girl, I'm singing it in the cab. they'll be blue

like in the cap I'm still in pajamas now my hair is sticking on top of my head I get to the roll out of hall and everyone's it's like Zamunda do you remember like coming to America and then like

everyone's in the royal garb then like somebody had a tiger's head on their shoulder like the beef eaters are there I'm like dugging and diving under tubas and trombones to get to my dress room. I was like, excuse me? I'm just.

And then the conductor comes in. He's like, are you going to be the one singing song? I say, yes. In 45 minutes, I won't look like this. I look good. Just give you. And so we go into the room. And I'm covering Catherine Jenkins, by the way, because Catherine Jenkins can't make it.

And Captain Jenkins is a really good. friend of mine, like, she's like one of my really good duties now. Like, we work together. I love her. But, you know, Catherine Jenkins is giving, oh, like, she's giving tones. Like, and high tones. So, and I have to sing it in her key. I can't change the key. Because the orchestra's rehearsed, has it? Everybody's done everything, but I'm locking into what she's doing. So she had a sick key and then she had her key. So I could really kind of belt it in her sitkey. So I use a sit key. My stylist, by the way, is running through hair. It's on FaceTime. You like this. You like this. You like this. And I was like, girl, just pick.

Get that. And then my hairstyles, the makeup artist, everybody assembles, like the Avengers. And then 45 minutes I had. And then I was on. I sang it. So I did it with the band. And they were like, oh my God, your voice. Because I, you know, there was no time to be scared. There was no time. And I knew that doing that was going to be great for my career just because I'm saving the show. And then also it just kind of opened me up to that world. And then I smashed it.

And it was great in front of 10 million people during COVID. Like there was no one in the Royal Harbor Hall. They had cleared all the seats out. They had horses in there. Girl, it was crazy. I was like, how'd I go from my bed? And then after I finished the song, wait and sing, boom. They said, and now his majesty, Prince Charles.

I was literally like, what's happening? Where am I? There's horses. There's Prince Charles. There's going to be chaos coming on in a minute. I know those tigers. I was like, what's going on here? Did you meet Prince Charles, Marisha?

I've actually met him this year, which is what? Actually, last week. Last week. So I met him twice. I met him twice this year, three times, three times this year. So I did D-Day, D-Day, 80. Because I did that festival remembrance, I'm kind of like in that world. I was going to say, they're wheeling you out for all of these now.

I've done all. They love you now. I have done all. It's so great. I did Festival Remembrance again. I did Roald Variety. I just did D-Day 80 this year, the 80th celebration. and we did this huge number, sing, sing.

But I was, like, waiting to go on, and Prince William is just standing there. Like, we're at the backstage in the music festival. I was like, what's going on? Because he was waiting for his turn to go through his part. We lock our eyes, and I was like, hey. And he's like, hey. And we just start, there was no role protocol.

We just chad. We're talking about life. We'd chat about Kate. We chat about the kids. We chat about music. And then I was like, the music started. Boom, boom. I was like, sorry, Prince, I got to go.

I got a ghost stage. So I go to the no-pa. I come back and I'm like, breathing hard because I've been dancing. And I look up and I was like, hey, king, it's the king in the wings. Hey, King, it's genius. Hey, King. And he says, you look like you can use a stiff drink. And I said, King, do you got one because I need it.

And Queen Camilla had come to see Guys and Dolls. So I was like, I'm Adelaide. I was in Guys and Dolls. And she was like, oh, my God, I love Guys and Dolls. It was amazing. And then they invited me to Buckham Palace. So I went to a tea at Buckham Palace. Actually, that was before DJ80.

So that was before DJ80 because it was after Olivier's. And I got to meet her. And I said, I'm Adelaide because I was with Arlene Phillips. I was like, I was Adelaide. And she screams. Charles. Charles, come here. I want you to meet Miss Adela.

This is Camilla, right? This is Camilla. I'm like, am I getting a fan girl by the Queen King? This was crazy. I was gagged. When I did, I was gagged. I was beyond. So then, cut to Rorati this year, I got to sing God Save the King.

And when I got on that, well, first off, my zipper bra. right before I went on stage. So they had to sew me in to the dress. So I'm running on stage. I'm already like frazzled. And then they said, all rise for the king of England. And my soul left my body. Because I was literally like, oh, Marisha, you've gone from the hawk farm to this.

And I got, now I'm going to cry because I just like, you really can make your dreams come true. It doesn't really matter where you come from or how much money you have or like your talent will make space for you, your work ethic. Like, because sometimes I feel like in our industry, there's so many people that you see, you're like, man, they didn't work for that or they didn't get opportunities. But then to see that the good people do win too, like we can win too by run by run by run. I didn't have to step on anyone. I just kept my head down and worked. And I was like, wow.

And I looked up and it was like one of those mountain top moments where you get to the top of a mountain that you've been climbing and you can just see everything. And that was kind of what that moment was. It was just like, whoa. And I could see the view and everything just seems so clear. And I was just standing at the top of a mountain saying, God save the king, for the king.

And I was like, wow. And that was pretty incredible to do that, to fly like that. Yeah. And you link it, we haven't just met him. I mean, Camilla would have been saying, Charles, Charles, look who's on. You're what I'm going to call a royal favorite. Yeah, I was my royal appointment. And then I saw him after a royal variety and he goes, Marisha.

And I was like, you know my name? He says, Marisha, I heard you're getting your British citizenship. And I was like, thank you, Kay. And he was like, that's incredible because I don't even know if I'm going to pass that test. Do you know, this is like a film. It's like a Hollywood film about, you know, they always have that way. The woman comes over, the American comes over and is so refreshing and wins everyone over and busts up British society. This is the Marisha Waller story needs to be told by Disney.

Netflix, order that drama now. Yeah, that's it. I really hope you love part one of this week's Walking the Dog. If you want to hear the second part of our chat, it'll be out on Thursday, so whatever you do, don't miss it. And remember to subscribe so you can join us on our walks every week.