From Hamilton to Magic Kingdom with Lexi Garcia Toye
Show Notes
Lexi Garcia-Toye is a distinguished dancer currently enchanting audiences with the Walt Disney World Company in Orlando, Florida. She previously performed in Broadway's "Hamilton," the touring productions of "Finding Neverland" and "Hamilton," as well as "Mamma Mia" at The Fireside Theater, "Whiskeyland" at the Orlando Fringe Festival, and "Le Cirque Bijou" on Norwegian Cruise Line.
In today’s episode, Lexi talks about the onset and recovery of her eating disorder, her magical connection to Finding Neverland, and her experience auditioning and performing in Hamilton.
She also discusses how the COVID pandemic altered the course of her life for the better, the difficulties and joys of working at Magic Kingdom, and how she is grateful and excited for the uncertainty of the future.
Follow along on Lexi’s journey: @lexi_toye
Transcript
Jessica Altchiler
Hello and welcome to the story project. I'm your host, Jessica ALTSCHULER, and today's guest is Alexi Garcia toy, a distinguished dancer currently in choosing audiences with the Walt Disney World company in Orlando, Florida. For BFA in dance from Marymount Manhattan College laid the foundation for a vibrant and varied career in the entertainment industry. Her impressive repertoire includes Broadway's Hamilton the touring productions of Hamilton and Finding Neverland, as well as Mamma Mia at the fireside theater, whiskey land at the Orlando Fringe Festival, and less Cirque VISU on her region cruise line. In today's episode, Lexi shares an outline of her life, including her experience auditioning and performing in Hamilton, how the COVID pandemic altered the course of her life for the better, and how she is grateful and excited for the uncertainty of the future. This episode does mention any disorders so please be mindful if that is a triggering topic for you. And now without further ado, here is Lexi Garcia Torre. Hello, all you beautiful people. I am here with one of my best friends and one of the most special, magical, brilliant, beautiful human beings who has ever walked this planet. And that is not an exaggeration. And no, I am not biased. This is Lexi Garcia toI Hi, Lex. Hey, Jessica. So we've been talking about doing some kind of podcast or like recording our conversations. Before I even had the idea for an official podcast. We've been talking about this forever. Because what we do is like, we might not talk for months and months and months and then we need to talk for like six hours and one night. I don't know. And then it's not enough. Oh my god. So that before we just like, dive in. I'm going to ask you the thing I asked everybody should which is what is your human bio? Okay, so what is the bio that exists off of your resume?
Lexi Garcia Toye
Right? Well, I'll start by saying I'm a Capricorn so it's hard not to go off the resume. I'm also a Gemini moon. So I'm in SE I got a lot of shadows and multiple personalities going on in there that I'm learning to embrace. I'm an Enneagram nine wing one, which means I made people pleasing perfectionist, which means this is going to be real interesting. All the juxtaposition, all the juxtaposition shit, it's gonna come on and off later. Um, what else? I mean like sit like, truly. For my millennials and older millennials out there. It's like, I am a like slithering. Hufflepuff like, if that makes any sense to people like it's, I'm a wildcard. I'm not that I'm 30 Holy shit. Now that I'm 30 I would say I've embraced the fact that I'm not this. I always wanted to be like that. Easygoing. Like, go with the flow. Anjanette like I was just like, like Zoe de Chanel. Kind of just like flipsie Fun Phoebe kind of character. I'm definitely not that I am definitely spicy. I am loud. I am passionate. I am an emotionally navigating human being who is always down to listen and hold herself accountable, but is going to pop the fuck off. First, I first I still need your reaction. Nothing I done that definitely I ever do is Dare I say like elegant or quote unquote, lady like wherever the fuck that means in 2024. I'm a daughter, a sister. I'm a wife. What? Best thing that happened to me, my God. And above all else, I am an ant to the greatest girls on the planet. And they are the thing that sparked me probably the most joy. And it's kind of interesting. I'm gonna go out on a total limb here and say that they also spark a lot of fear. I give the most props to moms everywhere. I am a mom. I'm a cat mom. So that I guess is my human bio. I'm a cat mom of three which is crazy. I'm a crazy cat lady. And leaving the house I'm always like, oh my god, are you okay? So I can't even imagine like the mothers who do what they do because as an aunt, I'm having my My nieces in the backseat are holding their hand or holding them fully physically when they asked for up and I just I want nothing but the best from them. And selfishly, I'm just going to be honest with you, because that's what I do when I see your face. I just, I want them to think I'm cool, which sounds so lame. I want them to like, I want to pave a better way for them. I think the moment my first niece Ava was born, I was like, like, because here's the thing, my sister, Gabby, She means the world to me, I but it's twisted, because we always joke or I always joke with her that like, she's the Elsa and on the ANA. Like, she's got her shit together. Everything she touches turns to gold, like I I'm the one that embarrasses her, it's not the other way around. So I've just kind of which honestly, now that I'm saying that I should check in and make sure she's okay. Because I just trusted that like archetype of her right? Like where it's just like, you've got it going on, you know what you're doing. Everything's great. And now these like new beings are born into the world during COVID On the last, and I just want to make sure I'm going out of my way above and beyond to recreate narrative, the narrative around what it is to be a woman what it is to be whether they want to be a full time mom, whether they want to be a full time like me, like I know, I don't think I'm ever like being a mom is in the cards for me. But I think both are beautiful lanes. And then their secret options see that I've recently learned by being a part of this cast, which is like being a full time mom and being a full time as Ben who has a career and a lot of these things no matter what path you choose. As a woman, I'm learning more and more and more and more is not accepted. So I'm like, okay, what can I do to change this narrative? Because I will not let my girls grow up in a world that won't let them shine whichever way they choose. So I think that's my human buyer.
Jessica Altchiler
That's, that really describes you. I think you did an excellent job. Thank
Lexi Garcia Toye
you. Because you know, as the nine people pleaser, I still need that stamp of validation.
Jessica Altchiler
So let's just tell people what that means. When you say with the cast. You're in right now you're seeing the full time mom and full time performer. So what cast is that? Oh my god, what are you doing?
Speaker 1
Oh my gosh. Okay. So I am currently a part of Mickey's magical friendship fair over at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida. And I have to tell you, it is the hardest job I've ever done. Hands down, no questions asked the hardest thing I've ever done. We do five shows a day. We are there from? Well, we clock in at nine. But again, as women, we have our wig prep, we have our makeup, you also have to warm up. So the time varies, aka earlier than nine and our last show gets out currently around like 430 ish. And the women, always the women, the women that I'm working with, they're unbelievable. They come from many different experiences and walks of life. And actually, right now I'm doing a little passion project where I just yesterday, just yesterday sent them out questions, asking them if they feel comfortable, they can answer none one all of them whatever and a to share with me a photo that they feel comfortable with me sharing. I have no idea where we're doing this. I don't know if it's Facebook, Instagram both. I don't know if it's I'm part of the diversity and inclusion team at Magic Kingdom entertainment under the leadership of Andrew Dorsey. I don't know if I'm gonna share it on the board there. I don't know. I'm working on how I want to do it. But I want to make sure if everyone else who's above me isn't going to take the time to recognize and celebrate what these women are bringing to the table. Then fuck I'm gonna because Okay, one of my best friends in the cast who I need you to meet at some point. Her name is Sarah. She is a full time mother. Her son just turned four and oh my god. They had a Toy Story themed birthday reach for this guy Sophia. She is also our equity lead, which means many things at the Magic Kingdom Under the Walt Disney World company. She's in charge of like scheduling. She's basically the way I can describe it is She is like the middle person of like the punching bag from the cast and then the punching bag from management. And then she's also like, a part of this area like outside of Disney. She does this aerialist company that like Disney Universal and other gigs hire. She's an aerialist herself like she's never not on her phone and she's not scrolling on anything. She is leading, she is loving, she is communicating. She was creating schedules and covering people's shifts today during lunch, my queue. So we're always working, never any breaks, and her phone rings, and she answers it. And it's her kids daycare, and they're discussing the schedule, she hangs up, she covers the shift, then we go out, we do the four o'clock show, then she doesn't go home yet she goes to that Ariel studio, then she goes home to her son and her husband and I just sit there being like, I get to dance next to you, mind you, this woman. She's probably one of the most committed and consistent and full out performers I've ever had the honor of sharing the stage with. So it's people like that, that I'm getting to work with. And so I'm like, Well, damn, I'm going to celebrate you. We have another mom in the cast. And she has a two year old daughter and oh my god follow her for her content alone. Because anytime she posted a video of her daughter is like, it's like therapy. Like you just you want to cry. She's so pure. And it just It blows my mind that these women are like no I I can do and be and have it all. But on the contrary, right there because there's always another side of the coin. And I worked with a woman on the first round of the contract, who was like, I'm actually pregnant with my second child. And you know what, I'm ready to be like a stay at home mom, I'm ready to dedicate my life's work to creating a life with them. And I love I'm going to call myself out and I'm probably going to be looked at possibly, like I it was a dickish motive in my brain. But I just I didn't know better. I wasn't able to do better. But I always thought like it was like career career career. Again, I'm gonna blame it on the Capricorn side of me. But I love that I got to I that I get to work with these kinds of people that open up my brain to not be so narrow, I think is the word. And there are a success comes in many different colors. So I can still look up to her. Because when I think of her, I'm like, Oh my God, you took a leap that would scare the absolute shit. I think that is bravery. That is courage. And that is still using your creative brain that you would use in the studio or on stage. Like you're creating a beautiful passionate life for your son's like, at such a young age to she's like mid 20s. And just, she knows what she wants. And she's going for it. And I just think that's so admirable. So these are the kinds of women that I get to work with. And I'll be damned if they don't get to be. So I like I will bring my own confetti cannon and shower over every single one of them. So did I actually answer your question? Or did I ramble?
Jessica Altchiler
You answered my question, but now is the time where you get to celebrate yourself? Oh, gosh, like you're trying to celebrate all of these people. So can you talk about your own journey of what you left and let go of to continue pursuing your dreams and how your dreams actually really evolved and how you I'm obviously like heavily prompting this because I know your story inside and out. But I am amazed in the same way. Your story and thank you how you started to really prioritize yourself and what you wanted. Not just what like the idea of what you want and then these ideas that you had for what your life was gonna be. So now you celebrate you.
Lexi Garcia Toye
Oh my god, I love you and I hate you all at the same time, but really only love. Okay, where should I start? Where should I start?
Jessica Altchiler
Let's just start at the beginning. It's a very good place to start. When you read you begin with ABC
Lexi Garcia Toye
sock, okay. Oh my god. Okay. Okay.
Jessica Altchiler
So how did you start dancing? And what was that like growing up for you?
Lexi Garcia Toye
It all began when I was three. But we can fast forward I promise. So basically, my mom is a super girly girl. So cute. Love her. And she was like, I want to see my daughter and a two two. Haha, that was your mistake. So we're the barber to do took my class. Loved it. Whatever I did the competition scene. My whole life. 18 years old. I made my what I call My forever friends, and I, obviously was the best thing that ever happen to me. Um, how much are we going in? What am I going into? What am I touching man
Jessica Altchiler
go into anything you want to touch because I'm like, oh my god, shoot.
Lexi Garcia Toye
Um, okay, so, obviously being a human is so freakin hard. Being human is so hard which is why I do not understand why people are not doing the work behind the scenes to do whatever they can to be mindful and kind and just as available or at least communicative in the most honest way to everybody they meet because existing period is hard, existing as a woman, holy shit existing as a woman who is dancing, forget about it. And then there is so much more that I personally haven't experienced that I don't ever want to touch upon. But I'm always wanting to learn about that. It just keeps going and going and going just keep peeling back that onion right? For me, a young dancer, I was like six or seven years old when I discovered it was time to like hate my body which is ironic as shit. When you love dance as much as you do. I fell into the diet culture as many of us I'm sure can empathize and understand. I got addicted to getting on the scale multiple times a day I got addicted to anorexia, bulimia overdosing on laxatives over exercising all of the things that by the time that I was 18, I call it my quote unquote, schedule that I would I would restrict as much as I could eating wise, then I would get hungry, obviously and binge eat, I would purge. And then I would go the gym that I was, oh my gosh, I have been in front of a gym. I was like subscribed. What's the word that you use? That I was attending? What's the word? I'm whatever are giving my money to a member, member member? God bless you, Jessica. Yes, I remember I was on the gym. And it was right next to a target. And unfortunately, as an 18 year old, as desperate as I was as much hatred as I have for my body, I would end up stealing laxatives from anywhere I could whether it was from that target that was next door to my gym to then over exercise and then just feel miserable. Or I would do it at sleepovers at people's houses if I could find that if I could get my hands on them if like the parents had them, whatever. So everything that was going on inside of my body was like discombobulated and a mess. But outside like I said, over nine I'm a people pleaser. I'm a performer. I really did my best to not let you know, it was my friend Hannah, that caught me and saved my life. Truly, I don't mean that lightly. She really saved my life. And so I started therapy. And naturally three sessions into the therapy. I was like, I'm fixed. Not true. Because as long as you're living, there's always work to be got to be done. And that's honestly the gift of it all that some days. I'm like, yeah, it's a gift. And some days I'm like, oh my god, fuck this, whatever. That's the balance, right? So at the time I was dueling doing dual enrollment, which was my junior and senior year of college, I dope junior and senior year of high school, I was attending college. And so I was going to receive my AAA degree along with my high school degree at the same time, because as a Capricorn, that saves money. It was free college, it made a lot of sense. So by the time I was graduating high school, the universities I was applying to were like, you have to declare a major. And I remember being hysterical and dramatic. And oh my God, how can you ask those? And honestly, 18 year old me was correct. How can you ask that of an 18 year old? I don't know what the fuck I want to do with my life. I'm 30 years old, and I'm still like, I wear a wig and get insurance. That's weird. What? Like, I don't know how to build a real people resume. That's weird, but whatever. So we'll get there, I'm sure. But my parents were like, every time I would try to declare a major to apply for a university. I would just break down. I was embarrassed. I was just a puddle of tears. And finally, I feel like begrudgingly my parents were like, they came to me on the side. They're like, did you know that you can get your BFA degree and dance? And I was like, huh, I didn't cry. I was like, that was kind of good. Let's do that. Mind you, everyone else. I've only been competing, which is like, yeah, we took ballet. We took jazz it was like I don't really know what I'm doing with my body. Never taken modern. I don't know what a lot. I don't know anything. But yeah, I mean I feel like I still don't but bless them. I mean, I would be nowhere without my mom and dad, but they they were like, alright, let's senior year of high school, which is very late now that I know. They're like, let's just try. Let's go audition for programs. Let's do this. So I think I auditioned for like seven different BFA programs, if I'm not mistaken. And there was something weird about Marymount, I like walked in, I saw the black and white tile, I saw the great hall. Mr. Pharaoh taught the ballet class. And I was like, I think this is where I'm supposed to be. I think this is I think this is it. And I didn't know it at the time. But my mom found out that I did not get into a program. My my grandma was babysitting the rest of my siblings back at home in Florida. We were in New York City and my mom was a an absolute mess. And she never let me know it. I mean, I could kind of feel something was weird. She said that we were both to remember the bathroom right outside of the great hall like that tight. It was like a two test horse. I mean, he tears she was in one and I was in one, I think or something like that. And so I wasn't looking at her and I must have asked her because she told me the story. And I was like you you feel weird. Is everything okay? And she was like, no, absolutely. Like, I'd go back in an audition and try to like, do the damn thing. And she did a really good job because I had no idea and meanwhile, she was just losing her mind and my grandma pool. Oh my god. She was like, I don't know if I can do this. Like, it was a rejection letter from Oh my god. It wasn't. It wasn't pace. I'm even blinking at the school programs. Now. It was purchase purchase. Study pair chess. And my grandma was heartbroken. My mom was heartbroken and I was blissfully doing ballet with Mr. Barrow in the Great Hall. Just being like this. So much fun. The students misses so big. He's crazy. And I like it. Like whatever. And they had us in the name tags and so the numbers and I was like I'm a person here. And whenever
Jessica Altchiler
you just winked
Lexi Garcia Toye
take a beat for a wing and then move on. Um, mind you, I this is how you and I think the sweet habits which also pause. Do you realize we kind of
Jessica Altchiler
do that is our anniversary.
Lexi Garcia Toye
My cat just freaked out. We got dumped we fall in love. Thank you, Nick. I gotta go see him in superstar. Anyway, we'll get to that I'm sure at some point or in another episode or whatever. You're not getting rid of me. But yeah, so Marymount is where I ended up, which was crazy. I still had a lot of work to do on the eating disorder and body dysmorphia, and self hatred Friday. I mean, truly up until. And it's I think it's going to be a work in progress until the day I drop dead. But I have found so much relief. Thanks to you, liberating me when you visited me last year being like, a lot of people seek out both a therapist and a psychiatrist. So I'm very grateful for this kind of full circle moment. But yeah, it was. It was hard. And then I ended up graduating a year early because I did come in with so many credits from receiving my associate's degree, and are sweet. She got out. I did and I saved a year but never forget the statement of the day before I graduated the day before I walked across that stage. It was like a pat pat. Like it's just a shame that you're leaving us a year early. You're really going to miss out on that Mary mount sparkle. And I remember being like if you don't think I should be going out into the real world. Why the fuck would you be telling me the day before I'm going across Lincoln Center and except my this is
Jessica Altchiler
a this was the head of the department that said it's correct.
Lexi Garcia Toye
And it was right after I had performed in one of the mainstage pieces. It was like we were we were gone when I was done. And I got to do those two cruise ships that you had mentioned and the first one that I ever did. It was funny because I mean, I was there the audition was like truly like 10am to 6pm and they did like jazz, improv contemporary partnering everything in between. And then the last part of that audition was singing and I had never sang in my life. I mean, I had never been honest with my voice in my life. I had never seen Happy birthday I had never seen in the shower, never seen in the car. I barely could ask a question without my voice shaking. and I got in there, they had a giant ass camera on me it was a panel of like three or four of them. And like in a total vulnerability hangover and a total like, I don't know, I think I was just so exposed that I word vomited at them and was like, I've never done this before. And I've had such a good time auditioning for you all day. I loved dancing with you all day, but I've never done this before. And they were like, don't worry. There's one shift in our entire fleet that the dancers have to say so like, if it's not a right fit, it's not a right fit. And I was like, yeah, yeah, Blackout. I don't know what the fuck happened. I have no idea what came out of my mouth. We had to sing diamonds are a girl's best friend. Ironically, Moulin Rouge, Nick Burch making his Broadway debut. You better get it? I'm so excited for him. I gotta go see him? Um, yeah, so then like a few weeks later, I get a phone call. And I'm going on a cruise ship which is awesome because I really wanted to go to New York for many reasons, one probably number one being the weather especially being a native Floridian um, it hurt my body so much. And I can't even talk about I can't and now that I know to more with like, the therapist that I fall in love with the the psychiatrists that have fallen in love with that I'm working with now. I'm like, Oh my God, no wonder it hurt my body. So much extra. No wonder your body so much extra. Like, we had things like things manifest in your body. And we're dancers and we're athletes and we're so like, and then on top of it, it's cold and then on top of it, we're not releasing things, Lord have mercy. But um, yeah, so I get to my first day of rehearsals, and our stage manager is like, Okay, you guys like tomorrow's first rehearsal just like where what you would wear to a singer call because we're gonna go over the songs first and then then we'll go into financing later on. And I remember being like what the fuck what I'm gonna get fired on my first job. What is going on imposter syndrome out the ass and rightfully so. And I'm looking around and bless them. They had no idea and like you guys would like, are you guys just dancers? And they like, they didn't know what was going on in my brain. So they were like, No, honey. Like, we're all triple threats. And I'm like, I better start packing my bags. Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god, this is so embarrassing. And fast forward. I learned actually full circle actually do what I just said. What had manifested in my body. Never asking questions. Never singing Happy Birthday, like mountings Happy Birthday to all the friends but never say never anything. Voice shaking when I would. Whatever, all of the things. Um, there was so much damage and mistrust within my body. That when I would go to sing, my body's reaction would be to cry. Now think about it at this point. How old are you when you graduate? I was like, I don't remember college. I don't remember. I was like, 2721.
Jessica Altchiler
Are
Lexi Garcia Toye
you proud? 2122. Right. So if I had been throwing up since I was like six or seven, and I'm 2122 the disconnect from my gut, to my heart to my head and then through this sweet little passageway that's allowing me to communicate with you right now. Yeah, there was just no trust. There was no support. God forbid I ever let my gut expand to actually take a proper breath. Like, wow. So yeah, I
Jessica Altchiler
know. So the physical damage the
Lexi Garcia Toye
physical damage. Correct. Anatomically like the berm, that my god it was just wild. So yeah, I think I don't know how I ever got so lucky. Because the cast that I got to work with on that first cruise ship. unbelievably talented. I mean, they've done everything under the sun, Broadway's tours, all the things and they could have bullied me, they could have berated me, they could have asked me like, why the fuck I was there. I mean, that's what I'm asking myself. And then and the music director, Liz, she came up to me. And I'll flash forward to the we were doing a sound check on the ship as we were installing the show, which is where you basically have to like, sing into the microphone, by yourself for a certain period of time until the sound engineers can get the balance right? And I cried into my microphone in front of everybody. And it was awful. And I can feel my body starting to cold sweat as I think about it. And if Liz and my cast weren't the people that they were, I would have dropped the dream entirely. But Liz came up to me She held my hands she got like, almost nose to nose to me and she said just keep going. And so I cry sing into my microphone. Nobody laughed. Nobody said anything. They just let me do it. And months went on. Because unfortunately for us because it was a cruise ship It was awesome. So not unfortunately, but like, for just revising, crying, um, the shows would change out so much that like, every time we would go to do a show, we would have to tack it every week. So every week I was doing that, even after like my musical, my music director laughed even after Liz left. So I was just with the cast, and they could have gotten nasty, and they never did. And I'll never forget the moment that like, it was awful. Like I still, to this day, I will not classify myself as like a singer yet yet is the key word. I will get there one day. But I say and my voice shook, but there were no tears. And the cheering that went on from my cast, like, and these guys are pros, they are beautiful. They could sing anything under the sun. And like they just celebrated me. And in that moment, I was like, I've got to keep going. Like there was such a high such a thrill of, even though it scared the shit out of me. It meant a lot to me. And even though I felt like I couldn't do it, I was like, there is a teeny tiny point 1% of me that was like this felt so good to overcome and to hurdle that like, I gotta keep fighting for it. So anyways, flash forward, I got back to the mainland, we did more auditions. And Hamilton had come out had made its way and it was a big deal. And I remember being like, what is that? I don't even know. And remember Pandora, Pandora was not the jewelry story people. It was low music situation love music app. And I remember the first song ironically, which is unbelievable to me. Like I was on the subway, and the first song that came on. It's quite a towel. It's rude. So I'm sitting down this up. I've no idea anything about the story. And I'm just crying because I can feel exactly what it's about. It's very brilliantly beautifully written and there was something in my gut. I was like, after the story I just told it's so funny to me. I'm like, What the fuck that it was like, Yeah, I want to make my Broadway debut in this. I want to make my Broadway debut in Hamilton. And it made no sense. I like I don't know, I don't know. So I'm going to try to like speed through this a bit. But I basically found a Broadway Dance Center class that was taught by the one the only Carla Garcia which whether she likes it or not. I claimed to be one of my mentors because she truly did change my life. And I was signed by her agent through one of those Broadway Dance Center classes Sophia and I call her my fairy godmother to her face. So she knows. And she actually she got me an appointment for the Phillip tour was about to rollout and they were looking I believe for like the swing dance captain. And I'll never forget, like getting to learn the material. For the first time I was like shaking there were like tears. In my eyes. I just could not believe I was getting to learn that material. Mind you. I still haven't seen the damn thing yet. And for some reason, I was like Broadway to Broadway to be ready to go. I don't know why. And I was fortunate enough. I remember Stephanie, which you know, and love. Holding my headshot and looking at me, as I'm doing my shot for the first time in my whole life. And like everything in my entire being was just on fire was electric. And I was just like, this is everything because every move had a monologue behind it. Every move. It was like, she was giving like an essay level response of like, why we were doing every single thing. And I was like, This is why it's brilliant. This is why it reaches so many people because whether you know it or not, there is an intention. But behind every snap in the way you snap at the beginning of the week, there's a different way that you snap at the end like it was mind boggling to me that somebody would take the time to craft something. So just for lack of a better term like special. And I got a call back and it was like on a Friday for like 10 to five and we did everything they filmed like we did my shot to get like kind of that like gritty Hip Hop field. And we did like what did I miss? Because there was like a soft shoe tab session there was room where it happens, which was like technical and Fossey base we did a couple of lifts like from helpless and things they had to sing which oh my god, you know how I feel about that. And then they like kind of just like played with my range. And I don't know if it was the adrenaline or what but I think they were just trying to find like the Yorktown downs to see like what you were working with. And I remember leaving the the studio and going into the bathroom and this is so cheesy, but I know you're gonna get it and my grandma my grandma's by Actually, this is her blanket. So I like go with it everywhere. Anything that's special. I tried to like, grab it hold on to it tight. She was just always the one that believed in me before anybody else did before my mom before myself before I even knew that this was something I was going to pursue. And I just remember like, high fiving the air being like, oh my god, I did it. I didn't cry. I feel I think I kind of feel it's confidence feels like, I think I feel confident. I left and then there is a whole different story that I don't want to waste your time with. But like, there was another dream show of mine at the time when I was in college. So a little bit of a rewarding to Finding Neverland. What's his face? You want to just tell it, you want to go for it? Okay? Unless
Jessica Altchiler
you don't want Oh, no, I
Lexi Garcia Toye
love it, if you will, and you can edit if anything is like too long and rambly because you know me once you like poke. The thing
Jessica Altchiler
is, yeah, but I like that. That's the whole point. Like, I just want to poke and keep opening the things up, you know,
Lexi Garcia Toye
open up. Okay, so back when I was rewind, went right before I graduated, my best friend my grandma's bike. She had passed away from a very brutal cancer. And her and I had this like very silly, strange connection, where my siblings and I, we were driving, I think to Universal Studios at the time, like we were younger, we were younger. And we were playing a game and it came up that Peter Pan was her favorite movie. And I vividly I don't remember much about my life, because I've traumatized myself through too much that I can't remember much. But I remember that. So I was in the car, we're on a forum or driving and she said that Peter Pan was her favorite movie. And I was like, Oh my God, my favorite movie is Peter Pan. This is the coolest thing ever. And then in true teenager fashion, I was like, Damn, how lame Am I that like, I'm so excited that I have the same favorite movie as my grandma. But it's just something that like replays in my brain over and over again, flash forward to college, Finding Neverland comes out, my grandma passes away right before I graduate. And she was my biggest cheerleader other than my mom. And I remember waking up in my apartment, which again, because I've traumatized myself out of most of my life, I think it was on 8689, something like that. I can't feel it. At first at something. I think 8989 Thank God for you see, thanks. And between second and third. And I remember just waking up and being like I'm gonna go for a walk. And I didn't think about it. And I just walked. And I kid you not whether you believe me or not, I found myself all the way down on 46th Street. And I'm standing in not outside, in the box office of the theater where Finding Neverland is currently playing and believe is playing on the screen. And it's like all the advertisements for the show. And I remember the sweet older gentleman who was working the box office was like, sweetie, can I help you? And I just turned and there were just like soft tears streaming down my face. And I was just like, no, like, I couldn't afford a ticket. I was in college. But I just I don't know, I just found myself there. And I over and I must have stood there for 30 minutes. I bless him. He never He didn't kick me out. He didn't ask me any questions. He just let me stand there and watch the screen over and over and over and kind of just softly guarded myself. And I just remember thinking like, I hope I can be a part of this in some way. And in my head because again, I don't know how anything works. I was just like, even if I'm just like a tree in the background, or just, I just have to be a part of this in some way. Well, fast forward all the way to where we just left off. And I had my Hamilton thing and whatever. And then my agent, aka my fairy godmother sends me on my next appointment. And it was for the Finding Neverland tour because it had just closed on Broadway and just going out on tour. And I remember receiving the sides, which if you're like my mom, she's like, Wait, what is that again? And I'm like the script besides the script. And it's actually really funny that we're going to talk about this because truly today at my lunch break, I was like scrolling through all the emails and the email with that attachment from Sophia came up and it like, like, it totally caught me by surprise. Like I took me a second to breathe again. And it was the dialogue between Peter and Wendy and she's like, why are you crying? And she's asking him and she's like, well, of course it's not gonna stick on. You're trying to stick on your shadow with soap and it's just so pure and it's so light and it's just to me, it just represents everything about like love and magic and believing and I remember getting to learn that choreographer choreography for the first time and there were only like seven of us in the room. And I got to partner with them. Fred who was the I think he was the Associate at the time or something. But he partnered every single one of us without complaining because there were no boys. It was just a female ensemble call. And then I so I left both of those calls. I got to experience both Hamilton and Finding Neverland choreography. I got to read sides from Finding Neverland for Peter Monday, which was mind boggling. And then my email by email blows up and it's Sofia letting me know that for both Hamilton and Finding Neverland right now. It's a no. And I was like, Okay, I got to learn it. I got to like, be in the room with people who were doing the damn thing. And, okay, all right, right now, it's not gonna keep on truckin. Right, like, of course, like, you're gonna be like, oh, man, like, that would have been cool, but also like, kind of far fetched and whatever, that's fine. While then I think like maybe like two weeks or so later, I'm in Times Square for a convention. And I get a phone call from my agent. And she says, you're going to go on tour with Finding Neverland, and you're going to understudy Peter. And I know it's disgusting. Because oh my gosh, germs. And we have just survived a global pandemic present day, but I hit the ground. And I just sobbed. I like ugly. I didn't care. And thank God is New York City. Nobody gives a shit what's going on. You got about parent. I've seen people with parents on their shoulder. I've like we've seen it all. So nobody really gave a shit about a young girl crying hands and feet and head down on the cement of Times Square. They're like, yeah, you probably have your forehead and piss but whatever. And yeah, so I got sent out on the road I was in, okay, my classmate trace who I work with that magic kingdom. He says it's Louisville, Kentucky. I'm learning the whole show from Melissa McCann, who I love dearly. And I got another phone call from I was on a break, I was getting ready for my put in which if you don't know theater, it's basically where everybody else gets to wear like their leggings. And they're, they're comfortable. They're kind of marking the show, whatever other whatever. And you're in full costume full wig full face, whatever. Getting used to what it would be like to be in the show before you do an actual show for an audience. And it's remarkable that people do this. It's so basically like you do eight shows a week and the week that you do it, put it in YouTube. I chose a week. So anyways, I'm getting ready to prepare for that. I've learned the whole show. I'm ready to go. I've turned on my wigs. I'm trying to whatever. And my agent calls me and she says you have to come home and I was like, oh my god, I got fired. I got impostor syndrome. She's a beautiful thing. And she was like, No, you have to come home because you're going to make your Broadway debut in Hamilton. And I was just like, Ah, why? Like, it makes me want to cry. Now thinking about it. I like it still felt like a really bad prank. Like you've been bamboozled. We just want to see how you react. And I was like, how, what when and she was like, again, she's my fairy godmother. She was like I spoke to I guess the casting team of Finding Neverland was like, we won't be able to sleep at night, if we stop this 23 year old from making her Broadway debut on Hamilton. So they spoke to the ensemble woman who is a dear friend of mine, Christina velinski. And they're like, if we release her and we find a new replacement for you, will you stay a little bit longer so that she can go do this? And she did. Because women supporting women is a really big fucking deal. So yeah, I flew back home. And I started learning Hilton. And I was getting to work with my mentor, whether she likes it or not Carla Garcia, and Eliza omen and Christina Mugler. And just so many people, I mean, I got to be there for like hobbies. Last show. I got to stand next to Mandy Gonzalez every night that I was like, don't freak out. Don't freak out. Don't freak out. Have I answered the question? Am I doing okay?
Jessica Altchiler
That's right. Amazing job. Okay. I want to make sure I'm actually actually I'm not going to validate that I'm Oh,
Lexi Garcia Toye
how dare you? How dare you?
Jessica Altchiler
It's whatever you feel. So
Lexi Garcia Toye
yeah, I got to do Hamilton. I got to do Finding Neverland in a way. And then we'll get to present day which is, well, actually my partner in the show, Neil. love him dearly. Oh, my Lord is such a special human being bless him. He. I mean, when I looked back at that Hamilton contract when I look back at most of my contracts, I my whole life, really the underlying theme of it all is well, validation, right? Like all I want is to feel special. Like I belong, like I'm important. And so when you're young, and that's unchecked, it's obnoxious. It's hard to be around. I understand that and oh my god, I apologize. To all of them for that, but also I empathize with my younger self because I'm like, I that's a primal human emotion as my older brother and would say, like, when he was trying to console me even though it's sounds funny, I'm like, Oh, you were, you're you were just telling me like, I'm not alone. But he would be like, you're not a snowflake. Basically, meaning like, you're not special. This is not new, this will never be new. This is this is normal. And so I'm slowly learning how to unpack that. Because sometimes I still like cringe and just want to be like, crawl under a rock because I'm like, Oh, my God. So embarrassing. But you know, if you don't look back at your young 20s and cringe did you do you're on your young 20s, right, I don't know. But I just wanted, I wanted to be loved by everyone. And they really dealt with me well, which is really kind but flash forward. There was a party because Broadway loves an excuse to throw a party, anytime anybody leaves, there's a party, whatever. And Neil's best friend was Teddy. And that's where my left is her husband? Yes. And that's where my life got significantly better. There was some ups and downs though in there, don't worry. And, um, okay, so Neil had texted me across the bar, and he was like, hey, and I like looked up. And he's like, come over here. So I was like, Oh, okay. And I came over and there was a boy sitting next to Neil, who was unbelievably cute, and very easy to talk to, which is not like me. And we talked all night, whatever. So that was 2018. And now we're married. 24. But, um, yeah, he changed my freakin life. Talk about someone who was patient, and kind and loving and just, I don't know, he made me feel special. And and he did. A he went above and beyond because I was able to probably show him my true self faster. And in such like, I don't know, he got like, slapped in the face by my bullshit really quick. And he was just kind of like, okay, this like, he just was like, just okay, like, if you're having a, he didn't realize it was a panic attack, but you'd be like, Okay, well, just like, when you figure it out, just text me so that I know you're safe. Like, just like little things like that. And I was like, wait a minute, you are very different than anyone I've ever met. So we were only dating. It took a while because I was very standoffish. I met him August of 2018. We didn't start dating officially until May of 2019. And then I went on tour in July. So we were not dating very long. And we went long distance and as you and I know, long distance doesn't always usually end up well. gallon times. So, but we made it work. We made it work. He actually came to my brother's wedding in October and met my whole family and everybody fell in love. Like, actually, last week, my cousin Sam was like, from the moment I met him, I was like, Oh yeah, that's like Lexi's person are gonna just chill life together. And I came back we moved in together November of 2019.
Jessica Altchiler
And what tour were you on?
Lexi Garcia Toye
I was on the Hamilton Phillip tour. So I got to which was so cool because I got to like work with Neil again, which meant a lot to me because I was like, Okay, I'm like finding myself a little bit more as a human hopefully I won't be like, as insane with like my beggars energy. I got to work with Aaron Albano, who is like Broadway royalty. I still can't believe I get to say that I worked with Aaron Albano, like it was so cool to be able to take the show on the road and to also do it again and I was woman to on Broadway but I was woman for on tour. So getting to do different choreography. In a show that I adored more than anything was such a gift. My God I learned. I learned a lot I got my ass kicked a lot of course tour is hard. Broadway is hard tour is hard. Being a part of theater is just fucking hard. But I learned so much. And I came back in November. We moved it and Teddy and I, he had booked me and girls so prom had closed and then Casey was like, We need somebody and Mean Girls and sent him right away, which I just still think is so badass. My husband is a badass, I love him. And so he wasn't mean girls at the time and the world was slowly caving in. We just had no idea. And there was one more dream show that I was climbing up climbing getting ready to go. I had made it all the way to the final round of wicked, but I almost didn't go I almost didn't go to the audition. I had gotten my period that morning. And I felt like shit. And I was like, in true Lexi fashion I had I, I had only auditioned for wicked one other time, and I got cut right after the first round. So in my Alexi brain, I was like, Well, I'm not mentioned the show, like I love the show. I would love to do a show, but I got cut the first round the first time, children, if you're listening, please erase that from your brain. Don't ever. Don't ever do something once I didn't know work out and be like, well, I guess it's not for me. I guess I'm not meant to do it now. Yes, you are. Just keep keep at it. If it's what you want. It's yours. It'll eventually happen. But anyway, I was ready to like, go to brunch and be like, ask for it. Meanwhile, my fairy godmother agent had gotten me the appointment for my third drink show. So like, that's disrespectful, I should do better. And luckily, I was with a friend at the time who was like just come, we'll get cut, then we'll go to brunch. We'll make our agents happy. We'll call it a day. It's like great. So like I said earlier, my human bio, I'm spicy. I'm knee jerk reactive. I'm standing with a friend and we just do the dance combo. And they're about to make the first cut. And I'm like, well never make it past this first round. Never meaning you know, the one other time I had auditions. And we're like, Oh, where are we gonna go to brunch? Where are we going to drink or if we're going to eat? When are we gonna do? It's a beautiful day. Like, we can go here, here and here afterwards. And they call my number. And I was like, wait, what, and my friend just looks at me. And she was like, Go Go, go go. Everybody else's packing up their stuff. I ended up like, I get to learn so much more of the choreography, I get to do some of the partnering with the dance captain at the time, my my brain is exploding. I go home, I'm talking a mile a minute to Teddy because when I did come home from the Hamilton Phillip tour in November, him and I had lived together we moved in together, which is fucking insane. Because I was always like, I need to date someone for like eight years, and then we'll move in for two years, and then maybe we'll get married. didn't do any of that. Anyway. So I go home, he like makes his whole meal because he cooks I don't. And we're like talking about or excited about it, I get another callback for the next day I get to go in, I get to do it again. It's amazing. And then Broderick shuts down. We're close for two weeks. So we're like, Alright, let's go to Florida, because Tony is actually from Tampa, and I'm from Orlando. So we never get to see our families because the Broadway schedule, you're only off one day a week, which means that's when you gotta hustle, you got to do your laundry, you got to do your grocery shopping, you got to somehow find a way to either like relax, go see a chiropractor, go see your massage therapist, whatever it is, because then it's a reset. Here we go again. So we were like, Let's go, let's go to the beach and nobody knowing like what we are actually, you know, what was actually approaching. And I will say I remember getting on the plane to go to Florida. And I don't even know what they were, I don't know what they identified as because they were covered and what I can only describe as like, the Monsters Inc suit when like there's a 23 night team. And they had up there to mask they were spraying down their seat. And it was like the first time that I was like, oh shit, we need to take this seriously. Remember, it's March March of 2020. And my girlfriend at the time was in Moulin Rouge and I had been hanging out with them and their cast and whatever, I go home, and one of the first Broadway cases that comes out positive for COVID was from Moulin Rouge. And the next day, my friend facetimes me from the ER from the hospital, and she's confined. She's surrounded by people in those monsters in suits covered and I can't tell what they are. And she was like, I've tested positive from COVID And I remember looking up for my phone and looking at my parents and just being like, Oh my fucking god, what have I done? So yeah, two weeks turned into two years turned into a husband and a house and a current current career at Walt Disney World as a dancer and I now I'm a I'm an aunt, like I said, have two unbelievable nieces that I am truly obsessed with. And I don't know what it's like to experience weather colder than 60 degrees. And yeah, so yeah, now I'm here I am dancing, and 170,000 degree heat where? Yes, I have nine different pairs, I think nine, I think nine different pairs of Leduc. Is that a melt on stage that have to get repaired? There is a tire tread is what I call it. underneath the low Dukkha that our shoe repair team puts underneath so that our feet don't burn. And when they like start to wither down, you can feel the sun on your toes and it burns and you know, it's time to turn your shoes in and make sure you have the other pair broken in. But yet, like it's the hardest thing I've ever done, but most incredible because when those gates open and I see all of Mainstreet and I see every age from 902 years old to 92 years old, freak out when we get to hug Mickey and Olaf Rapunzel and Princess Tiana like it's the coolest 23 minutes of my life, you got to do it five times a day. Truly hard as fuck. And you have to keep it consistent. You have to somehow find a way to make it genuine, which is really hard to do, because it's so amplified with joy, that if you go too far, it can probably look like mockery. And I would never like I'm a Disney psychopath I love. I love Walt Disney World. I love everything that the company brings. So it's like that's the last thing I'd ever want to do. And yeah, every single time you go out come hell or high water no matter how hot it is, no matter what's going on in your personal life. You see Main Street, you see either seven people who are bearing the heat with you, or like Christmas Eve when you Teddy Teddy compares it to like rock star status, which I think is the perfect way to describe it where you can't even see the ground. You can't even see the concrete. It's just floating heads. I mean, miles and miles and miles away. But then you got to remember right, like you have Cinderella Castle, right behind you. So you've got to dance larger than life, but not too large that you're mocking it. So it's like, an incredibly difficult and almost impossible task that I yeah, I'm tired. Yeah, I have really hard days. But the women that I get to work with, and the, the show that I get to do is I think what really keeps me going. And of course, my family and my husband above all else, like the quality of life that I get to live while still being an artist and a performer. Um, I always joke that it's the plot twist that I never saw coming like, and to circle circle, circle way, way back to my Enneagram nine my people pleaser Ness. It's an interesting thing. To tackle. When you use the word tackle, let's see if that's if that fits. It's an easy thing. It's a fun thing to try and tackle. Because people are like, Oh well, and people meaning people that I work with. And then normal people like I call them Muggles. But like either family, friends or whatever. Oh, you you went from Hamilton on Broadway, and now you're at Magic Kingdom. And it's really fun for me to be like, Yeah, and
it's the same. It's just not inside. And that's really hard. And you do it five times a day. It's a shorter show. You do it five times a day. But there are elements that I never saw coming, not just the weather, but I mean, learning this corporate world, which let me tell you, holy crap, just it's asking like the I'm two years in, and I still don't get how to play this game. It's a game. It's hard. And sometimes I'm like, I don't know if I want to do it anymore. Sometimes I daydream about going back to New York, sometimes I do daydream about going on tour. I don't know what's next. I don't know if they will, because every year, I'm a year to year contract, you're guaranteed nothing just like in this life, right? So I'm going to dance full out, I'm gonna give it my all. I'm gonna learn what I can, if it's another contract at Magic Kingdom must be meant to be. And if it's not, I can't wait to see what it is because the door that has opened for me, but like getting to be a Walt Disney World cast member like I just always say like, I'm living my grandmother's wildest dreams like, it's unbelievable. So I
Jessica Altchiler
am so grateful that we just got like, the Lexi story, but as I know, that is like, barely scratching the surface. So we're gonna pause here. Yeah, we're gonna come back for a part two. And we're gonna just dive in so much further. Thank you so much for sharing your story. I think there's infinite ways for people to connect to what you're saying and to be inspired by what you're saying. And just knowing you is not just a joy and a privilege but it's constant. Learning and exploration. So with that said, we're gonna pause and all of you listening. Thank you so much for listening and being here and we I promised that Lexi will be back with a part two and probably a part three, four or 567. So I'm honored. You mean the world? Thank you so much, you. Oh my gosh, I love you so much. Thank you so much for listening to the story project. It is a dream come true to get to share these stories with you. And I'm so grateful for every single guests and audience member. If you're enjoying the podcast, it would be such a great help if you could do a couple things. First is to follow the podcast on Spotify or Apple podcasts wherever you listen. The next would be to rate five stars and also give us a review. And finally, share any episodes that you like with the people that you love. This is a podcast for the community. And the hope is that it can reach as many people as possible from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for being here. Until next time,