NBC’s new show “Rise” premieres today at 10/9c.
From Jason Katims, executive producer and showrunner of Friday Night Lights and Hamilton producer Jeffrey Seller comes a heartening new drama about finding inspiration in unexpected places. When dedicated teacher Lou Mazzuchelli (Josh Radnor) sheds his own self-doubt and takes over the school’s lackluster theater department, he galvanizes not only the faculty and students but the entire working-class town.
On Thursday evening, I attended the Cinema Society premiere of the show at The Landmark at 57 West theater.
Almost the entire cast and creators were in attendance despite the snow storm. Bruce Evans, head of current programming at NBC thanked everyone for coming. “We’ve been incredibly excited about Rise ever since we first heard the pitch. When you have the amazingly talented creator and showrunner Jason Katims on board, you know you can’t go wrong. Also helps tremendously to have from a little show called Hamilton the immensely successful executive producer Jeffrey Seller, as well as his producing partner Flody Suarez, a veteran of the TV business, and someone I’ve had the great fortune of knowing since he was an NBC programming executive like myself, and when he oversaw a little show you also might have heard of called E.R. The ensemble cast of Rise, as I’m sure you’re aware, is truly exceptional. And when you include their musical performances, this show truly does wow you. To give the cast and crew their proper due, it’s now my great pleasure to introduce your executive producers, Jason Katims, Jeffrey Seller, and Flody Suarez.”
Jason Katims also made remarks. “So, for the past year or so I’ve had the privilege of working with the incredible community of Rise, bringing this aspirational, emotional, at times provocative, and always beautiful story to television. I’ve had incredible partners, and champions, who’ve had my back the entire time … Bob Greenblatt, who couldn’t be here tonight and everybody at NBC Universal, my producing partners Jeffrey Sellers, Flody Suarez, my wife Kathy’s here, … the incredible man who inspired this whole thing Lou Volpe and his biographer [Michael Sokolove] who wrote that beautiful book [Drama High], and of course, our cast, Josh Radnor, Rosie Perez, the rest of our unbelievably talented and gifted cast and crew. I thank all of you for the gift of your partnership … I’m not sure I’ve ever been as excited as I’ve been for this premiere. I’ve been trying to figure out why that is, and I think maybe it’s because of the insane borage of promos I keep seeing on NBC … But I think the excitement actually comes from something else. Something about the core of the stories we get to tell on the show. We’re living in such a challenging time right now, a time when our country is so deeply divided when more than ever we are questioning the moral fiber of our leaders, a time when as a country we seem to have lost our forward momentum and are sliding backward. I think this is a time that above all else, we need to be reminded of the power of the human spirit. The power of what is possible on a grassroots level. The power of what can happen when one frustrated teacher in a public high school in an economically depressed steel mill town outside Pittsburgh, decides to no longer just be a cog in a machine. Decides to no longer just watch it all happen around him. When he decides to take responsibility for his school, his town, and his life. When he decides to take action, to say f— it. I’m doing this for my school, for my community, for myself, this is the story of Rise.”
A fun after-party followed at Legacy Records. The brand new venue is elegant and the food is amazing. The next day we attended NBC’s mid-season cocktail party at The Four Seasons Midtown. Check out our exclusive interview with the show’s stars Auli’i Cravalho and Rosie Perez.
The Knockturnal: What is the best part about working on a show that involves musical theater?
Auli’i Cravalho: For me, as a high school student, working on musical theater means working with a troupe and I have the most amazing cast, Rosie Perez included. And I also get to work with actors who — while we’re all playing high school — the rest of them are actually, like, 23 to 26, so there’s something to learn from them as far as the musical aspect and acting aspect. And then, we also get to goof off because we’re around the same age.
Rosie Perez: Well since I play the assistant drama director, I don’t really participate that much, except for if I’m teaching them something like a step or lines. But for me, what was great, was watching them learn a play and act as if they’re learning the play all within the same breath. It was really, really amazing and Josh and I would sit there and we would lean in to act like we’re whispering into each other’s ears and we were going, “Oh my god! They’re so amazing!” You know, so, it was fun, it was nice.
The Knockturnal: Have you learned anything from these young kids on set?
Rosie Perez: The latest moves. I watch them! I think for me 30 years in the business … and being a woman and being a person of color, it would sometimes bring me to tears when I would go home to see such a diverse cast. Seriously because when I started out, it was tough. It was so hard. And everybody was telling me just to basically white-wash myself. And when I see these kids, it’s not even an issue for them. They’re just themselves. They are who they are. You know? And that’s a beautiful thing. So, for me, it was kind of emotional, watching the younger cast.
The Knockturnal: What did you take away from working with Ms. Rosie?
Auli’i Cravalho: This being my first major live-action acting thing, I get to watch this amazing woman be. And I say that because there’s a difference between acting and being and I hate to call acting “acting” because when you act, everyone knows it. But there is a difference when there is a heartfelt emotion and there is a love and there is a passion and as I look to Rosie as Tracy, I do see a teacher in every way, shape, and form.
Rosie Perez: I was in the music industry for a very, very long time. You know A&R directors would actually call me in and say, “does this group have it? Does this artist have it?” Yeah. L.A. Reid asked me about a rap group and I said, “you need to sign these people!” And he said, “but, they’re so weird and different.” I said, “I know, you need to sign ’em.” And that group was Outkast… And, I’m telling you, when I saw this young lady for the first time open her mouth and sing? I don’t know if you remember that, from the table read? And I was crying. And I was like, this is star quality, right here. Star quality! She has it. She has that thing that we used to look for.
The Knockturnal: Speak about the challenges of playing Lilette.
Auli’i Cravalho: Well, for my character, Lilette Suarez, she has a really interesting home dynamic. Specifically, with her mom, there’s this power struggle of who’s the adult and sometimes, who’s teaching who. It’s the two of them against the world and there’s undoubtedly so much love between the two. But no parent and daughter relationship can ever be perfect. You actually get to see that, which I think is really beautiful on screen, ’cause it’s so real. But … with myself, I have a wonderful relationship with my mother. She’s my rock, she is my strength when I am in New York City, so far away from the island home, Hawaii, that I grew up in … she is home for me. So, to get into the headspace of my character, Lilette, who is looking for a parent. And for me, as Auli’i I had to completely step away from what I’ve grown into and who I am because I know that I am everything because of my mother. So [there are] differences … and I love Lilette for that.
The Knockturnal: What do you hope people take away from watching the show?
Auli’i Cravalho: I hope that people take away the fact that they are who they are, not who their parents peg them to be. Not the box that others would love them to fit into … they are wholly and beautifully themselves. And that means, you are different, and you’re eclectic, and you might be a little weird and you might be part of the theater troupe. But being a theater geek is freakin’ awesome, too! So, embrace it because, really, this generation that I’m a part of, I’m so proud of them because they’re using their voice and they’re using their stance and they’re making change. And you can only do that by truly being yourself.
Rosie Perez: I want people to take away exactly what she stated because the show showcases the power of the arts. And the power of the arts allows a child to find their voice. And to also allow them to dive into the discovery … that it’s okay to trip up, to fail, to get back up and try again. And the arts provides that. And with all the turmoil in the world today, empathy is at a loss. And the arts develops the emotional intelligence in a human being. And, so, I hope they understand that. And the politics … in regards to arts in schools, I hope they start really thinking about it and taking it seriously.