
Trisha Paytas' Broadway Dreams Came True
By Ivan Guzman
Feb 03, 2025Trisha Paytas has always wanted things. For some, these goals — like becoming a pop star or being on Saturday Night Live — have seemed far-fetched or completely impossible. But some way or another, Paytas makes them happen.
The internet icon for the ages is the queen of hyperfixation. That’s the central theme of her Broadway debut, Trisha Paytas’ Big Broadway Dream, the one-night-only show happening tonight (February 3) at the St. James Theater in New York City — her latest manifestation come to fruition. Part musical, part live talk show, part fever dream, the show is a culmination of everything the star has been wanting her whole life.
“It should win a Tony Award,” Paytas tells PAPER. “It’s groundbreaking, in my opinion. It’s innovative.” When she announced the Broadway debut at her Trishmas show in December, it felt like another crazy milestone in the Trishaissance we’re currently living in; it sold out in under five minutes. Since then, there’s been an A-List cast of characters added to the show including Broadway legends like Sutton Foster and Ben Platt. “It is crazy because I was never cast in a show in my community theater, so to be like, ‘I want to be on Broadway,’ sounds absolutely insane,” Paytas says.
Playwright and director Skylar Fox got on board, and the rest is herstory. “The thing that I got totally entranced by and addicted to was the fact that Trisha is someone who has spoken the things she wants into the world with a deep amount of vulnerability and in an incredibly exposed way, and then has been met since with both support and insane vitriol,” Fox says. Still, through all the cancellations and attacks, she’s remained open and is now getting everything she’s ever wanted.
“The thing that I found myself asking was, ‘Is Trisha who we would all be if we didn’t feel shame about wanting things?,’” Fox says. “I’m excited to make a show about that: our complicated adult relationship with wanting things.” With less than eight hours til the curtains open, it’s crunch time for both the ensemble cast and Paytas herself to make history.
We caught up with Paytas during the first day of rehearsals last week to talk about wanting to move to New York to do Broadway full time and what to expect from tonight’s big show.
How are you? You just got to New York?
I’m in New York. Yes, I’m kind of losing my voice, so if I sound a little funny that’s why. But I’m here!
I feel like since I interviewed you last in December 2023, you’ve just skyrocketed in this crazy way.
Oh my gosh, thank you. It has been a crazy couple of years. I don't know what it is, but I feel happy.
What are your favorite things to do in New York?
Well, so far I’ve just been eating food. I like to see shows when I can. I was in rehearsals, so I couldn’t go. But I love to obviously see Broadway shows. Last time when I was here in December, I saw Death Becomes Her, Sunset Boulevard, Little Shop of Horrors, all the big ones. I like to see shows and I like to eat the food. And shop at the tourist shops, of course.
I feel like you love the classic New York tourist-y experience.
Oh, yeah. I love Times Square. I love the Benihana on 56th. I love anything that’s tourist-y.
How have the rehearsals for the show been?
It's been intense. I think that's why I lost my voice. My first one was yesterday, and I sang for maybe an hour and a half. I was like, damn. I’m gonna try to get honey or a vaporizer or something. I’m like, how the hell do people do this eight days a week? But the ensemble is so good, I got to meet with them yesterday. There are original songs in this, and they’re amazing. I got to hear [the songs] for the first time performed live, and I was literally bawling.
I heard you’ve been taking voice and dance lessons?
Yeah, I’ve been doing all of it. I’ve been doing voice and dance, and I actually feel like I have the confidence now. It’s my first time singing live with a band. I usually sing with a track, so I was really nervous. But after yesterday, I’m feeling really confident! I’m like, damn, I could sing with Sutton Foster, for sure!
I talked with Skylar [Fox], the director, and he basically explained how the show is inspired by this idea of wanting things. Obviously manifestation is such a huge thing with you. You’re the queen of wanting something and making it happen somehow.
It is definitely that. It’s still surreal to me that this is happening. I really am just a really regular person, so I feel like it could be anybody. It’s not like I’m super talented or super pretty or whatever. It’s just visualizing it and seeing it for yourself. I think so many people can do it, they just don’t believe it, you know?
What do you feel most confident about in the show, and what do you feel least confident about?
I'm most confident that the audience will love it, because my audience is so sweet that, at my shows, I could just forget the words completely and they will give me a standing ovation. So I know the audience will love it, because they expect the bare minimum. But because it's a full production and it’s so good, and obviously now we have all these A-List guest appearances. I mean, it's almost so good that they're gonna gag. So that's why I do it. Like, I am able to do it because of them, right? So I just want to have a good show for them. I know it's gonna be a good show. I'm confident in that. I'm least confident in obviously just my own abilities, you know. I'm working on it. Yesterday they really helped me get out of my head. I think I'm always a little fearful of just not being deserving of it. People train their whole lives for it, and I've never been able to sing amazingly. I'm a little insecure about my own skills, but I am working really, really hard, and I'm trying my best. I think it'll come together, and my confidence is getting there. Like I said, because it's my audience, I feel like I have that extra boost of confidence. But I mean, singing next to Rachel Zegler, obviously it’s intimidating.
I feel like you underestimate yourself. I think these A-List people also kind of see you as a huge celebrity.
I don't see it at all. To me, I idolize them. Obviously, Ben Platt I was obsessed with. Literally last year I was doing TikToks about how much I love him. And then I got invited to his concert, and I was so nervous. I thought he hated me. And then I was like, now he's performing in my show! Same thing with Rachel. I tweeted her when she was, like, 14 years old. I was tweeting her videos on YouTube. It's just so crazy to be here. I'm more excited than anything. And obviously Joy Woods who was in Gypsy is fabulous. It's just crazy to get to act with all these people. So that's where the insecurity comes in, but I'm trying to push it out of my head.
You’ve done a lot of this before, too. I remember the whole era on YouTube where you did the choreography in the dance studios, and obviously you’ve done big productions with your music videos. But I guess Broadway is a different beast.
There are just so many other creatives. Usually, with my music videos, I'm the boss, and whatever happens happens. But I don't want to let any of these people down, especially Skylar. Everyone is so great. I think it's just more pressure. I want to make sure everyone looks and feels good.
You’ve been traveling so much recently and been so busy. Are there any particular things you do to keep sane while traveling?
On planes, especially over to London, I’m always a little bit behind but I’m still really into Bridgerton right now. I just rewatch Bridgerton because it keeps me calm. It makes me feel like I’m in the 1800s and like nothing matters and technology doesn’t exist. But I also do a lot of journaling. Whether it’s poems or gratitude, or whatever. I do a ton of journaling to pass the time quickly. Last time, I journaled for two hours after I got home.
I haven’t been able to meditate because too much has been on my mind. I need to do it more, because I do miss it. I do love clearing my mind, but my mind has been going nonstop.
You channel Britney and other pop stars for your pop videos. For this Broadway show, who are you gonna be channeling on stage? Are there any icons you’ve been watching to get inspired for this?
I mean, I think I’m performing with one of them. I really do love Sutton Foster, truly. I’ve loved her since I saw her in Young Frankenstein and Thoroughly Modern Millie and Shrek. So that’s one of my big ones. I recently saw Megan Hilty in Death Becomes Her, so she’s my curvy inspiration where I’m just like, okay, I see myself there. Donny Osmond I’m obsessed with. He was my first Broadway show, so there’s a little Joseph tribute at the end. That’s my favorite musical of all time. He was the first person I sang with on my podcast, so I just love him so much. It’s all three of those Broadway icons.
Can you give us an idea of what to expect tonight?
Yeah, it’s definitely a mix of classic Broadway, a little bit of the podcast, because there are little interview segments, and it’s very niche. It’s very specific to me. They do this whole musical number at the beginning and the end that is about my career, which is so surreal. Because again, it’s crazy that it’s a Broadway musical about my life. It’s very weird. Think of it like a biopic, it’s like Trisha Paytas meets A Christmas Carol. It’s very Broadway and theatrical, but it’s also very current to podcasting and stuff. I don’t know how to describe it. It should win a Tony Award. It’s, like, groundbreaking in my opinion. It’s innovative.
It does seem like a first-of-its-kind type of thing. And obviously no one else is you, so that’s what makes it special.
That's what scares me a little bit, because it could be really great, which I think it's going to be really great, especially with my audience. But more with the Broadway world and the Broadway critics and stuff. Hopefully they like it, too. As I'm saying, it's a little pressure to be like, hey, let's make this good, but it is really good. I'm pretty confident in that.
Do you get noticed a lot in the streets of New York?
I do because I'm staying in Times Square. It's nice. At least it's good attention. I mean, it's not like someone's punching me in the face or anything. So yeah, it's so different. It's been nice. You know, you see those TikToks, and so I do get a little scared, but people have been very friendly and very nice. My director, Skylar, walks me home. He's like, six foot four, so he walks me back to my hotel.
Are the kids and Moses coming for this?
No, that's the only thing that I'm heartbroken about. They were supposed to come. It's just tough because my youngest is eight months old and my two-year-old is in classes, so it was too long to be away. Then Moses was supposed to fly out, but we just couldn't find anyone for the kids. So it's a little sad, but luckily it's live-streaming, so they can watch it. But yeah, I think that's the only thing that's missing. If I were to come back to do Broadway full-time, which is the goal, obviously we'd get an apartment and they'd come out with me. But that part's really hard, where I feel like I'm missing a piece of me.
So that’s the end goal for you, to do Broadway full-time?
I would love. And the show is manifesting that at the end. The big finale is manifesting the shows that I could be in. So, you know, fingers crossed. There's hopefully a way to be here full-time.
In your early videos, you manifested being on Broadway. What do you have to say to a 14-year-old kid who has a big dream but doesn’t know how to make it happen?
When there’s a will, there’s a way. When you have passion, you can make it happen. I don't even know the steps on how I got here. I just always knew there's a passion, and I think just talking about it and not being scared to ask for things. I always put things out into the world. I think people are just like, you sound crazy, obviously with SNL and everything. Again, how it happens, I don't know. The universe just finds a way to make it work. So you know, just ask for what you want, put it out there. It is crazy because I was never cast in a show in my community theater, so to be like, “I want to be on Broadway” sounds absolutely insane. The fact that it happened and it's my own show really is just a wild thing. You just have to believe in yourself. The universe will make it happen. Somebody will make it happen. You know, it'll work. So don't give up on it.
What will be your show day routine?
It’s a full day. Definitely meditation and journaling in the morning. I glam at 6 AM, Empire State Building at 9 AM, then we do tech all day because we only have the stage for one day. Sunset Boulevard is there every other day. We only have one day to get everything done. My dad will fly in for the show, so hopefully I can at least see him, but I don’t think there will be a minute to spare. Because then I have to change into glam for the show, so it’s gonna be a crazy day. As far as food, I like a good carbohydrate. I like to carbo-load before the show. I like a good pasta, you know?
That’s so sweet that your dad is coming. I feel like when I think of your dad, I always think of Elvis.
Yeah, that’s why I love Elvis. He’s such an Elvis fan, and he does [look like him] because he styles his hair like him. My dad and I always had a complicated relationship as a kid and were not close, but in the past five years since I met Moses and had my kids he’s been so wonderful. He’s such a different person and loves my kids so much. We’ve gotten closer. He’s come to all my live shows, and he always cries and gets emotional because he knows that it’s what I wanted to do. He was always kind of like, I don’t think that this is a possibility, so for him to see that it is is really amazing. He always apologizes. He told Moses, “I wish I could’ve been there more for Trisha.” So it’s just nice to have that full-circle moment and show my dad. It’s just nice because at the end of the day he is my dad. It’s just cool that he can see that I made it happen, and he’s very supportive now.
That’s the dream. I feel like I remember you talking about how your dad would be the one to take you to Michael Jackson’s house as a kid. And he lived in LA, right? While you mostly were in Illinois?
Yeah! Wow, you have a good memory.
Well, I’m a Trisha historian!
That’s crazy! That’s so specific. Yeah, he did. He tried his best. He took me to auditions, but he was new. I think at the time, people told him, “You know, this is not for Trisha.” I think he tried to make it realistic for me, but he did try.
Do you think your attraction to Hollywood and the entertainment world comes more from your dad's side or your mom’s side?
My mom did community theater in Illinois, but my dad always lived in LA so I would come visit him. He wasn’t in the industry, but I think he had that performance bug, too. He likes to sing. He was trying to make my dreams happen for me. I would come to LA, and he would take me to the Beverly Hill Hotel to hopefully see celebrities. He definitely tried, but I don’t think he knew how to do it. I wish I was a nepo baby. I wish I had some connections, but he had none, you know?
If you could describe this show in three words, what would they be? What emotions or feelings can fans expect to come out tonight?
I would say spectacular. It’s just huge. It’s so much. I also think it’s inspiring. I know it’s about myself and maybe I shouldn’t say that, but I was listening to the songs and the performers and I kind of cried. I teared up. They incorporated my kids into it and so many milestones from my life, and I just got teary eyed. I think it’s inspiring. Kind of a weird thing to say about yourself, but yeah. And finally, I think it’s just fantasy. It’s why I love theater. It’s an escape. It’s just this whole world. It’s my life, but just fantasy and wonderful. I think it’s just a feel good thing and a nice escape from everything that’s happening in the world to have fun and feel free.
Photography: Andrew Patino
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