M: Hello! Welcome! I’m so excited to chat with you today.  Please introduce yourself! 

H: Hi, I’m Hayley. She/her. Yeah. That’s it!

M: Thank you for being here with me, So we’ll begin with the beginning, how did you learn about AfterWork Theater? What were the circumstances surrounding finding it, and how did you decide to join?

H: So my journey to finding it actually started, I  have a friend, you know Brandon Fleisher?

M: I do!

H: So he’s been around the community for a long time, and we grew up together. We went to Hebrew school together, and we did Purim spiel for many years,honestly all through middle school and high school.

One time I was on a Zoom with him and our other friend Kevin, we all went to Hebrew school together, and we were just catching up in 2019. Brandon said, “Oh, I did this thing called AfterWork Theater. Hayley, you would love it. You should look into it.”

And I was like, oh yeah, I’ve heard about that. Because actually the very first time I heard about it was when I was interning at Bustle, and Emma Lord was working there. I was doing my little intern thing, talking to everybody, getting to know people, and she told me about it. That was like spring 2017.

Then two years later Brandon told me about it again, and I was like, you know what, this has to not be a coincidence. I’m going to see what this is about. I went on the website, saw they were doing Pippin, and Seussical, so I was like sure, I’ll sign up for Seussical. And the rest is kind of history.

M: Amazing how it was brought to you from so many angles.  So, you grew up with Brandon? Where do you hail from?

H: I hail from the great land of southern New Jersey. In a town called Marlton.

M: What county is that? For the New Jerseyans?

H: It’s in Burlington County. Near Cherry Hill, Camden County kind of.

M: So you’re like kinda a Philly girl then?

H: I mean, I’m not like a Philly girl. I’m a South Jersey girl, but,

M: Right, I always just think they just don’t have their own sports team

H: That’s true, that’s true. They have, like, the Camden River Sharks.

M: Oh, okay. Love a River Shark. Did you go to school in New Jersey?

H: I went to high school there, and then for college I went to Hofstra.

M: Oh! That’s on Long Island. What did you major in?

H: Yeah, and I majored in journalism and minored in theater. There was a time I considered double majoring, but it was too many credits and a lot of work, and I was like, nah.

: I totally hear that. Did you come right to the city after school? 

H: Not right away. I wanted to, but I did the Disney College Program after I graduated. So I went to Orlando for like six months and worked at Disney World.

Then in 2018 I was going back and forth to New York a lot for work. I was working at a radio station, and then I got a job at NBC on their media desk. I had two part-time jobs and was commuting, but also I was dating a guy who lived in Brooklyn, so I stayed at his place a lot.

Eventually in 2019 I got my own place. And funny story, one of my roommates was the very famous David Yaghutiel.

M: Who we love.

H: Who we love.

M: So that was post-AfterWork when you knew him?

H: Yes. My first show was Seussical, a boot camp in August 2019. I met Mary Kate Coletta, one of my best friends, and David, also one of my best friends. I needed a roommate, so I asked him to move in. It was short-lived,like two or three months, because then the pandemic happened.

M: We know how that went.

H: It was a time.

M: So, I know we have a lot of Disney people in the community, tell me about your Disney College Program experience. What did you do?

H: My job was extremely glamorous. I worked at the Magic Kingdom Auto Plaza, literally in the middle of the highway, selling parking in a bright yellow safety vest.

I wanted to be a character, of course. But honestly, it was a really good experience. I made a lot of friends, and I got to work with people outside the college program, retirees, immigrants, people who lived in the area. It was very eye-opening.

I also took classes through Disney housing, marketing, parks history, even a law-related class. I talked to people in different careers, like the head of entertainment at Epcot, who started in accounting.

I made the most of it. Even though it wasn’t the job people dream of, it helped me appreciate a different kind of essential work. And my hours were good, so I could go to the parks all the time.

M: So you went to school for journalism. What was baby Haley’s goal, and how did that turn out?

H: Baby Haley wanted to be a reporter, on air, red carpet, entertainment. I did some of that in college.

I wanted to work for The Today Show or Good Morning America, be a producer, interview famous people, travel, that was the dream.

After Disney, I worked in radio promotions, then at NBC logging video. I wanted to be in the field, though, producing content.

So I got a job at a company called Rude Media as a booking producer, that’s what I wanted, but I got laid off in December. It was my first layoff and felt like a failure, even though it wasn’t my fault.

Then I moved into reality TV casting at Sharp Entertainment (90 Day Fiancé). I started the day quarantine hit, moved back home, and worked remotely. It was tough,very manipulative, very focused on “what’s their drama?”

Then I worked on a home renovation show, traveling, interviewing people, doing everything from casting to crafty. That was amazing.

After that, I worked on The Kitchen on Food Network, did a bunch of smaller gigs, and eventually ended up at an investment firm doing marketing and learning SEO.

Then I tried PR briefly, got laid off again, and said, “fuck it, I’m going back into news.” I got a job at Fox News.

M: Fox News?!

H: Yeah. It was a learning experience. Say what you will, but they were good to employees. It challenged me as a journalist and opened my perspective.

I worked overnights, 11pm to 7am, which was brutal, but then I moved to the dayside, and eventually got laid off again, but it was a blessing.

Then I landed at Yahoo Finance, where I am now. A recruiter reached out, I interviewed, got hired quickly for a maternity leave fill-in, and they kept extending my contract. Now I’m a full-time staff member with a raise.

M: Yay! So Tell me a little about your current job.

H: I’m a booking producer at Yahoo Finance. I find guests for five hours of daily live coverage,markets, economy, crypto, and also podcasts.

I book for a podcast called Living Not So Fabulously, about LGBTQ+ people and finances. That’s been really fun because of the variety of guests.

M: That sounds so fun! Everyone should definitely check it out. Especially the episode featuring our very own Cam Lieberson! Okay, so let’s go back. Your beginning with AWT, you were looking for joy. Tell me about your first AfterWork experience.

H: It was so much fun. Because it was a boot camp, it was short, so we all got tight really quickly. It was summer, people were going out all the time, it was exactly what I needed.

I had taken an improv class and wanted to get back into theater. I felt pretty hooked.

M: Do you remember who was the first person you connected with?

H: Probably Carolina or Mary-Kate. I could tell immediately they were cool.

M: So since that first Seussical experience tell me all the shows you’ve been in since then.

H: So-: Chicago, Newsies, Newsies again, maybe that’s two shows?, then Shrek, a sing-out where the lights went out,

M: MMm yes, Ashley will tell you all about that trauma.

H: Yeah, then 9 to 5, which I had to drop because of my Fox job, then Something Rotten, another sing-out, Tarzan, Young Frankenstein, and now SpongeBob.

M: Love it! I also know you also have all these other creative pursuits in your life. Tell me about that.

H: Yeah, so I didn’t do comedy in college, I focused on journalism,but I always wanted to.

So I took my first improv class at The PIT in 2019, then more classes over Zoom during the pandemic, including stand-up. That’s where I learned to write jokes and found my style.

When I moved back to the city, I dove into the comedy scene, classes, jams, open mics. I did stand-up regularly, then got into sketch, formed an indie team, and we did monthly shows.  

It was like putting on a new play every month. At one point I was doing sketch, theater, and working overnights at Fox at the same time.

Now I focus more on sketch and improv. I just did a show with a new team.

I also wrote and filmed a short film, acted, directed, wrote it. “The Pickle” premiered in October. 

And now I take acting classes through the Beverly Hills Playhouse.

M: I’m exhausted just hearing about it,  where do you find the motivation?

H: It’s hard to start, that’s the hardest part. But for me its community. That’s what motivates me with both comedy and theater.

I love working toward something, performing, and creating art. Especially now, when the world is unpredictable and politics are weird, the way we fight back is by creating.

Even when I’m tired, I go to rehearsal because I know the feeling afterward will be euphoric.

M: I love that, so tell me a little bit about your family and where you live now.

H: As I said, I grew up in South Jersey, two parents, a younger brother, a dog. Pretty average.

My mom’s a social worker, my dad works in sales for a shelving company.

I always wanted to live in New York. My parents are from here, Brooklyn and Long Island, so I always had that connection.

Now I live in Astoria. I love it. I’ve been here for four years. It feels like home. I live with my boyfriend (now finance since the recording of this interview), he’s great.

M: What’s one place I should go in Astoria?

H: Greek food is unmatched. 

M: Yes, I went recently and was stoked to learn about the free desserts at the end of many Greek meals in Queens! 

H: I like Anassa, Taverna Kyclades. There’s a great Italian place called Il Nonno. The Biergarten has good German food and vibes. Pig Beach for barbecue.

I’ve become an Astoria tour guide. An AsTOURia Guide if you will. 

M: We’re starting a company, AsTOURia Guides.

H: Wait, actually though.

M: Besides creating new business ventures. Do you have any other hobbies?

H: I’m a scuba diver,I just went diving in Costa Rica for the first time in ten years.

I love traveling, dogs, trying new restaurants, seeing shows, watching movies. I love YouTube video essays analyzing culture.

I draw, and I had a painting phase during the pandemic.

M: That’s beautiful! Tell me a memorable AfterWork moment that you have.

H: Playing a Delancey brother in Newsies. At first I wasn’t happy because it was a small role, but we made it big. Ashley and I created these wild characters, voices, did a vlog series, did the curtain speech in character.

It showed me how much you can do with a role if you commit to it.

M: What are some of your other favorite roles?

H: I’ve had a nice time with every show I’ve been in, I always make the most of every experience. I had a lot of fun with Gingy, Terk in Tarzan, and being a horse in Young Frankenstein. It’s fun to be silly. 

M: That should really be our new tagline! “IT’S FUN TO BE SILLY!” Ok, thank you so much for sharing with me today, it is time for our rapid fire question! Ready?!

M: What’s something you’ve recently done for the first time?

H: Signed up for a 10K.

M: What makes you happy right now?

H: Singing, dogs, and being with people I love.

M: What superpower would you want if you could have any superpower?

H: Shapeshifting.

M: Favorite stage show and dream role?

H: Hadestown. Audrey in Little Shop.

M: Favorite food?

H: Sushi.

M: Favorite karaoke song?

H: “Defying Gravity.”

M: Favorite dinosaur?

H: Ankylosaurus.

M: Favorite Sunday activity (when there is no rehearsal)? 

H: Sleep and brunch.

M: What is your zodiac sign? And what’s the most sign thing about you?

H: I’m a Virgo. And I think that the most Virgo thing about me is, my people pleasy-ness. People think that we’re very Type-A, but we’re not. I mean, I’m not, I’m just quietly anxious and, like, making sure that everything is good and that everyone’s happy.

I love it. And finally, what is a piece of advice you would give to a newbie?

Just like don’t give a fuck. This is not that serious. And if you don’t get the part that you want, then think of it as training. And honestly take it as an opportunity to open doors that you never thought possible.

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