♪ ♪ And all my instincts, they return ♪ ♪ And the grand facade so soon will burn ♪ ♪ Without a noise Without my pride ♪ KELLI: The first show I did was Rock of Ages Off-Broadway.

I originated the role of Sherri.

I was in Wicked , and then two years ago I originated the role of Lara in Doctor Zhivago on Broadway.

♪ A time to tell you how I... ♪ JARROD: I made my Broadway debut when I was nine, in Les Miserable.

I played Gavroche.

♪ This is my school, my high society ♪ ♪ Here in the slums of Saint Michele ♪ And I did a sitcom pilot in California when I was 15 and after that I was like, I just can't do this anymore, I quit.

♪ I've a very strange feeling I've never felt before ♪ ♪ Tis a kind of a grind of depression ♪ And I, I went to school and I worked real hard.

I went to Princeton and I was studying Economics and Finance and Chinese, and then I had a like a nervous breakdown.

♪ My pulses leap madly without any cause ♪ I quit again and I moved home and I didn't know what to do with my life.

So I went to the Atlantic Theater Company Conservatory for two and a half years, where I was cast in Jersey Boys to play Frankie Valli in the tour.

♪ Begging, Begging you ♪ So I ended up in Jersey Boys for a year in San Francisco and then a year in Chicago and then four years on Broadway.

Jersey Boys did very well even during the recession and it took a really amazing woman to say, "You've been in this long enough.

"Why don't you leave the show?"

I wanted to give him the opportunity to take a risk and to know that we would be fine, no matter what.

And then a couple of months later we did the show Beautiful: The Carole King musical , in San Francisco and it went to Broadway and was a big hit.

We see enough theatre, we see enough cabaret and concert work, and as far as I'm concerned the stuff that's most appealing, the stuff that's most exciting, is when the person who's on stage is getting deep about their life.

KELLI: I think what helps is that it's not so much our show as a story about two human beings who fell in love.

It's kind of everyone's story.

And I think as artists we have to be a reflection for people of their own lives and I, and I hope that that's what's happening with the audience, is that they're seeing their own story told out with our specifics.

♪ We can work it out ♪ ♪ Whoa oh oh-h-h-h-h-h ♪ (cheering and applause) Ladies and Gentlemen, Jarrod Spector and Kelli Barrett!

(cheering and applause) ♪ ♪ For once in my life I have someone who needs me ♪ ♪ Someone I've needed so long ♪ ♪ For once unafraid, I can go where life leads me ♪ ♪ Somehow I know I'll be strong ♪ ♪ For once I can touch what my heart used to dream of ♪ ♪ long before I knew ♪ ♪ Oh oh someone warm like you ♪ (someone warm like you) ♪ Could make my dreams come true yeah ♪ ♪ Honey, honey, I can see the stars all the way from here ♪ ♪ Can't you see the glow on the windowpane?

♪ ♪ I can feel the sun would never go near ♪ ♪ Every time you touch me I just melt away ♪ ♪ And everybody asks me why I'm smiling out from ear to ear ♪ ♪ (You see, love hurts) That I know ♪ ♪ (turn it to feel good) ♪ ♪ Nothing's perfect but it's worth it ♪ ♪ I'm still fighting through my tears ♪ ♪ Finally I put me first ♪ ♪ Oh, for once in my life, I won't let sorrow hurt me ♪ ♪ Not like it's hurt me before ♪ ♪ For once I have something I know won't desert me ♪ ♪ I'm not alone anymore ♪ ♪ For once I can say ♪ ♪ This is mine you can't take it ♪ ♪ As long as I know I have love I can make it ♪ ♪ For once in my life I have someone who needs me ♪ ♪ (Someone who needs me) ♪ ♪ Oh yeah ♪ ♪ (Someone who needs me) ♪ ♪ Baby it's you ♪ ♪ You're the one I love (I love) ♪ ♪ You're the one I need (I need) ♪ ♪ You're the only one I see (ooh ooh ooh ooh) ♪ ♪ Come on, baby, it's you (it's you) ♪ ♪ You're the one that's gives your all ♪ ♪ You're the one I always call ♪ ♪ When I need to make everything stop!

♪ ♪ Oh-oh!

♪ Seen a lot of things in this old world ♪ ♪ When I touched them they did nothing, girl ♪ ♪ Ohhhh, baby ♪ ♪ Here I am, signed, sealed delivered, I'm yours ♪ ♪ Whoa I'm yours ♪ ♪ Oh yeah ♪ ♪ Oh-wee baby set my soul on fire ♪ ♪ That's how I know your my one and only desire ♪ ♪ Whoo baby, here I am, signed, sealed delivered I'm yours ♪ ♪ Here I am, baby ♪ ♪ Signed, sealed delivered, I'm yours ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Whoa-oh ♪ ♪ Here I am, baby ♪ ♪ Whoa-oh ♪ ♪ Signed, sealed delivered ♪ ♪ Baby it's you ♪ ♪ You're the one I love ♪ ♪ You're the one I need ♪ ♪ You're the only one I see ♪ ♪ Come on, baby, it's you ♪ ♪ You're the one that gives your all ♪ ♪ You're the one I'll always call ♪ ♪ When I need to make everything stop ♪ ♪ Finally you put my love on top ♪ ♪ Baby, cause you're the one that I love ♪ ♪ Baby, you're all I need ♪ ♪ You're the only one I see ♪ ♪ Come on, baby, it's you ♪ ♪ You're the one that gives your all ♪ ♪ You're the one who always calls ♪ ♪ When I need you make everything stop ♪ ♪ Finally you put you my love on top ♪ ♪ Baby cuz you're the one that I love ♪ ♪ Baby you're all I need ♪ ♪ You're the only one that I see ♪ ♪ Come on, baby, it's you ♪ ♪ You're the one that gives your all ♪ ♪ You're the one that always calls ♪ ♪ When I need you make everything stop ♪ ♪ For once in my life I have someone who needs me ♪ ♪ For once in my life I have someone who put my love on top ♪ (cheering and applause) So it was the summer of 2013, Kelli and I had just gotten engaged-we were madly in love.

But as it turns out, you need more than just love to throw a wedding.

So I went to one of those how-to websites to help us get started on the process, and Step 1 on TheKnot.com is to write the story of your love.

The first tab up was "How did you get together?"

Now, because we both had crazy schedules at the time I was in Wicked and auditioning like a madwoman.

Right, and I was doing Beautiful: the Carole King musical , out in San Francisco.

We didn't have a whole lot of time to sit down together to write this.

So unbeknownst to the other person, and in accordance with our Type A personalities, we each took it upon ourselves to write our story.

♪ I've a very strange feeling I've never felt before ♪ ♪ Tis a kind of a grind of depression ♪ ♪ My heart's acting strangely, it feels rather sore ♪ ♪ At least it gives me that impression ♪ ♪ My pulses leap madly without any cause ♪ ♪ Believe me I'm telling you truly ♪ ♪ I'm gay without pause, then sad without cause ♪ ♪ My spirits are truly unruly ♪ It was 10:00 a.m. on a Monday morning.

First day of school at a reading of a new musical.

My buddy Adam, who was the music director and had asked me to participate, told me that I was going to go crazy over the woman they'd cast to play opposite me.

But I know Adam.

He loves women.

All women.

Every woman.

Right.

In fact there's not a woman in this room, if you meet Adam after...

Right, you get, you get the idea.

So as you can imagine, I really didn't pay all that much attention to it.

And then she walked in the room.

♪ I've just seen a face ♪ ♪ I can't forget the time or place ♪ ♪ That we just met She's just the girl for me ♪ ♪ And I want all the world to see ♪ ♪ We've met Mm mm mm mm ♪ ♪ Had it been another day ♪ ♪ I might have looked the other way ♪ ♪ And I'd have never been aware ♪ ♪ But as it is I'll dream of her tonight ♪ ♪ Di-di-di-dida-di ♪ ♪ Falling, yes I am falling ♪ ♪ And she keeps calling me back again ♪ ♪ I have never known ♪ ♪ The like of this, I've been alone ♪ ♪ And I have missed things And kept out of sight ♪ ♪ But other girls were never quite like this ♪ ♪ Di-di-di-dida-di ♪ ♪ Falling, yes I am falling ♪ ♪ And she keeps calling me back again ♪ (cheering and applause) It was 10:00 a.m. on a Monday morning.

First day of school for a reading of a show that I had already done a previous reading of.

I was excited to see the people that I had worked with from last time, and Adam warned me that I was gonna go crazy for the voice of this new guy playing opposite me.

When I walk in the room, he's the first one I see.

♪ Oh, ah, no, no, no-no Adam.

It wasn't like that.

No, it was 10:00 a.m. on a Monday morning.

I was going to work.

I wasn't speed dating.

I wasn't in that head space.

Anyway, we started the day rehearsing this duet that our characters sing when they first meet and fall in love.

The first thing that really struck me about him was his voice.

♪ ♪ If I didn't have a dime and I didn't take the time ♪ ♪ To play the jukebox ♪ ♪ Whoa, Saturday night would have been a sad ♪ ♪ And lonely night for me ♪ ♪ And if you weren't standing there ♪ ♪ Ruby lips and auburn hair, beside the jukebox ♪ ♪ Whoa, I would've lost my chance ♪ ♪ To hold you while you danced with me, mm mm ♪ ♪ While the records turn (and turn) and turn (and turn) ♪ ♪ we danced (we danced) and learned (and learned) ♪ ♪ Our hearts (our hearts) had yearned (had yearned) ♪ ♪ for this ♪ ♪ 'Neath the moon we walked (and walked) ♪ ♪ We walked (and walked) and talked (and talked) ♪ ♪ Of love (of love) and then (oo-oo-oo-ooh) ♪ ♪ we ki-i-i-issed ♪ And then there it was in the script.

The ultimate stage direction.

The one that might shape our fates and change our destinies.

Those two magic.

Annoying.

- Little words.

They kiss.

Ah.

So I turned to our director, Leigh Silverman, and I was like, "Hey, there's a kiss in this "script right after the song.

"It says that they kiss.

"This kiss, is this something, this kiss, "do you want us to kiss?

"Is this something we should rehearse, any time, "any day, every day, or like right now?"

DIRECTOR: No, we're just gonna read the stage directions.

Oh, thank God.

Because I could see that he was nervous and hoping we didn't have to do it.

And honestly, these reading kisses are so awkward, right?

Damn it So the rest of the week was pretty standards as readings go.

Jarrod was nice enough but painfully shy.

I think he said a total of six words to me outside of the scripted dialogue.

Where are you from?

Oh, Virginia.

Where are you from?

Philadelphia.

I went to college in Philadelphia.

Um, so do you live in the Outer Burroughs, or Manhattan?

Harlem.

Uptown!

Cool!

Harlem has a rich cultural history.

Good talk.

I must have tried a hundred times to talk to her, okay?

Look, I admit, I was a little overwhelmed by her talent and her beauty.

But I persevered nonetheless, and it was brutal.

She was clearly not interested.

So I conspired to get the entire cast to go out to lunch together just so that I could spend some time with Kelli.

We went to a nearby Whole Foods.

Ooh, I remember.

They had my favorite salad and we sat by the window.

Yeah.

They had her favorite salad.

Hi, so I'd like the Chop-Chop Salad but instead of spinach can I have a mix of kale and romaine?

And not a ton of lettuce, cuz I like a lot of toppings.

Okay.

Swap lentils for quinoa, add avocado, cherry tomatoes, carrots, olives, no red onion but scallions, and instead of ranch can I have balsamic vinaigrette but on the side?

Oh and can you add some salt and pepper?

And really turn those suckers cuz one grind just isn't gettin' it done, am I right?

Okay, so she's kind of a picky eater.

You've got to try it.

It's so good.

Yeah, sure.

I'll have what she's having.

Oh, and no chicken, sub tofu, and no cheese I'm vegan.

What?

She's vegan.

Oh hell no (audience laughter) was my first reaction.

And then I thought, okay, she's a vegan.

It's not the easiest thing but it's not the end of the world, and we all have our crosses to bear, and this is the first real flaw that I've seen.

So my crush continued, unrequited might I add, as we headed back to the theater to give the presentation of this show that we'd worked on all week.

Now at the presentation we learned some very valuable pieces of information based on who was in the audience.

We had a mutual friend, Heather, who was sitting right next to Kelli's impossibly cool, tortured musician boyfriend.

(guitar solo) (laughter) KELLI and JARROD: Not him.

Heather, who was sitting in between my boyfriend and Jarrod's Suzy Homemaker girlfriend of five years that he was probably going to marry.

Yes, I admit it, I had a girlfriend, okay?

Now just allow me to explain please.

We didn't have a normal relationship.

In fact, in one of my least proud moments we had this conversation.

FEMALE VOICE: Hey, so I don't want to break up but I do want to sleep with other people.

So I think we should sleep with other people when we're in different cities.

So tomorrow I'm leaving to go to Chicago to see some family for like a week.

Hey, that's another city.

Bye!

(laughter) Yeah.

As I think about it, my girlfriend-let's call her Bertha.

Okay, Bertha.

Derfla.

No, that's not even a name.

Alright.

Gertrude.

There's something wrong with you.

Gertrude.

Gertrude was always, you know, off in some other city "visiting family."

So I knew that the reading was coming to an end and Kelli and I were going to go our separate ways.

So I made one last-ditch effort-I called that mutual friend of ours, Heather, to see if maybe, just maybe, Kelli was in a similar state of limbo with Tortured Artist Boy.

She wasn't.

According to Heather, who guessed right away why I was calling, Kelli was in a very happy and committed relationship.

♪ ♪ mmmm-mmm-mmm-mmmmm ♪ ♪ An angel's smile is what you sell ♪ ♪ You promised my heaven then you put me through Hell ♪ ♪ Chains of love got a hold on me ♪ ♪ When passions a prison, and you can't break free ♪ ♪ Ohhhhhh-ohhhhh-ohhh you're a loaded gun ♪ ♪ Ohhhhhhh-ohhhh there's nowhere to run ♪ ♪ No one can save me ♪ ♪ The damage is done ♪ ♪ Shot through the heart ♪ ♪ And your to blame ♪ ♪ Honey you give love a bad name ♪ ♪ I play my part as you play your game ♪ ♪ You give love a bad name ♪ ♪ You give love a bad, bad name ♪ ♪ Ohhhh-ohhh-ohhhhh ♪ ♪ Shot through the heart ♪ ♪ And your to blame ♪ ♪ You give love a bad name ♪ ♪ I play my part as you play your game ♪ ♪ You give love a bad name ♪ ♪ You give looooooooovvve ♪ ♪ Youu-uuuu give loooooo-vvve ♪ ♪ Bad, Bad name ♪ (cheering and applause) My relationship was far from perfect.

My boyfriend-let's call him Billy.

Butthead.

Billy Butthead?

No, just Butthead.

No.

JARROD: Fine.

Dick.

(laughter) My boyfriend Richard and I were very serious and I thought he might be the one, but he was a lot of work.

He had a lot of issues, and taking care of those became a second full-time job for me.

And honestly, I was just so head over heels for him I thought we could work it out and go the distance.

JARROD: So eight months went by, during which time I did what any normal person would do-I stalked her on Facebook.

And just about the time I think this whole thing is out of my system, we get a call.

They want us back to do a workshop of that same show.

And I'm walking in to the first day of rehearsal and I'm thinking, I'm fine.

I am over it.

♪ Here we go again.

So the first day, my buddy Dominick suggests that we go to lunch at a local spot called Luke's Lobster Bar.

Kelli says, - Ooh!

I've been really wanting to try Luke's.

The food's supposed to be great and I hear the owner is really cute.

DOMINICK: Dude!

JARROD: I know!

She wants to eat shellfish and butter?

She's not a vegan!

What?

No.

Dude, she's single.

What?

She just said, "I heard the owner's really cute."

That was for you!

She wants you to know that she's single!

She likes you!

(laughter) N-, really?

Dude, I'm telling you.

♪ Do-do-do Do-do-do Do-do ♪ JARROD: Could this be true?

♪ (Do-do-do Do-do-do- Do-do) ♪ I mean not single and now on top of it she's not a vegan and she's dropping hints?

And as if that wasn't enough, we get back to the rehearsal room to start working on that same first duet.

DIRECTOR: Oh, by the way, where it says "Kiss" in the script, this time we're gonna go ahead and do the kiss.

Uh!

♪ Do-do Do-do-do Do-do-do do-do ♪ ♪ You don't have to be beautiful ♪ ♪ to turn me on ♪ ♪ I just need your body baby mmmmmm ♪ ♪ From dusk till dawn ♪ ♪ You don't need experience ♪ ♪ to turn me out ♪ ♪ You just leave it all up to me ♪ ♪ I'm gonna show you what it's all about ♪ ♪ You don't have to be rich ♪ ♪ to be my girl ♪ ♪ You don't have to be cool ♪ ♪ to rule my world ♪ ♪ Ain't no particular sign I'm more compatible with ♪ ♪ I just want your extra time ♪ ♪ I'm gonna kiss the girl, she's so pretty ♪ ♪ Too hot ♪ ♪ Call the police and the fireman ♪ ♪ Too hot ♪ ♪ Make a dragon wanna retire, man ♪ ♪ I'm too hot ♪ ♪ You're gonna say my name, you know who I am ♪ ♪ I'm too hot ♪ ♪ You gotta not talk dirty, baby ♪ ♪ If you wanna impress me ♪ ♪ You can't be too flirty, mama ♪ ♪ I know how to undress me, Yeah ♪ ♪ I want to be your fantasy ♪ ♪ And maybe you can be mine ♪ ♪ You can just leave it all up to me ♪ ♪ We're gonna have a good time, Yeah ♪ ♪ You don't have to be rich ♪ ♪ to be my girl ♪ ♪ You don't have to be cool ♪ ♪ to rule my world ♪ ♪ Ain't no particular sign I'm more compatible with ♪ ♪ I just want your extra time and your ♪ ♪ Come on girls, hit your hallelujah (ooh) ♪ ♪ Girls hit your hallelujah (ooh) ♪ ♪ Girls hit your hallelujah (ooh) ♪ ♪ 'Cause uptown funk gon' give it to you (ooh) ♪ ♪ 'Cause uptown funk gon' give it to you ♪ ♪ 'Cause uptown funk gon' give it to you ♪ ♪ Saturday night and we're in the spot ♪ ♪ Don't believe me just watch come on ♪ ♪ Do-do-do Do-do-do Do-do.

♪ Don't believe me just watch, come on ♪ ♪ Do-do-do Do-do-do Do-do.

♪ Don't believe me just watch ♪ ♪ Don't believe me just watch ♪ ♪ Don't believe me just watch ♪ ♪ Don't believe me just watch ♪ ♪ Hey, hey, hey, hey!

♪ ♪ Oh uptown funk you up, uptown funk you up ♪ ♪ Uptown funk you up, uptown funk you up ♪ ♪ Come on!

Come on!

♪ ♪ Uptown funk you up, uptown funk you up ♪ ♪ Uptown funk you up ♪ ♪ You don't have to be rich ♪ ♪ To be my girl ♪ ♪ Don't have to be cool ♪ ♪ To rule my world ♪ ♪ Ain't no particular sign I'm more compatible with ♪ ♪ I just want your extra time and yo-o-o-our kiss!

♪ (cheering and applause) And then it happened, our first kiss.

KELLI: And it was standard stage kiss.

Awful.

It was the passionless dead fish message I needed to understand that quite simply she wasn't interested.

You weren't interested.

She wasn't interested.

Dead fish message?

JARROD: Yeah, and it was fine.

It was fine.

Honestly, it took the pressure off.

We still had two weeks of rehearsal and this made it easier to be cordial.

So a couple of days later, it was our lunch break, and I found Kelli in the rehearsal room noodling something at the piano and I asked her what she was working on.

And she said, Oh, I've got a callback for the lead in a Broadway musical and I am stuck.

Oh, you want me to take you through it?

Oh, yeah, that'd be great.

Just from bar three, you can skip the intro.

♪ I don't like you but I love you ♪ ♪ Seems that I'm always thinking of you ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, you treat me badly ♪ ♪ I love you madly ♪ ♪ You've really got a hold on me ♪ ♪ (You've really got a hold on me) ♪ ♪ You really got a hold on me ♪ ♪ (You really got a hold on me) ♪ ♪ I love you and all I want you to do is just hold me ♪ ♪ (Hold me) ♪ ♪ Hold me Hold me ♪ Yeah, but I can't do it like that because they're asking for a unique vocal take, which is code for we don't know what we want so you do the work.

Okay.

Well first I think you could take it a little higher.

Oh yeah, no, we could go higher than that.

Yeah, for sure.

Even, in fact, I think when you get to the end of that first verse, as you go into the second one, you should go up the octave.

KELLI: What?

Yeah.

When you get to, it should be like um, ♪ I don't want you but I need yo-oo-ou ♪ You know, just Aretha Franklin the crap out of it up there like that.

I'm sorry, what about Aretha Franklin?

Okay, so this song is about this guy who's got his claws dug into you and this is your chance to wail about how you're gonna bust out of that.

Just close your eyes.

Think about the lyric and your action and just play the scene.

One, two.

♪ ♪ I don't like you ♪ ♪ B ut I love you ♪ ♪ Seems that I'm always ♪ ♪ Thinking of you ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh ♪ ♪ You treat me badly ♪ ♪ I love you madly ♪ ♪ You really got a hold on me ♪ ♪ (You really got a hold on me) ♪ ♪ You really got a hold on me ♪ ♪ (You really got a hold on me) ♪ ♪ Baby!

♪ ♪ Yeh I don't want you ♪ Whoo!

♪ But I need you ♪ ♪ I don't wanna kiss you ♪ ♪ But I need to ♪ ♪ Oh, Oh, Oh ♪ ♪ You do me wrong now ♪ ♪ My love is strong now ♪ ♪ You really got a hold on me ♪ ♪ (You really got a hold on me) ♪ ♪ You really got a hold on me ♪ ♪ (You really got a hold on me) ♪ ♪ Baby!

♪ ♪ I love you and all I want you to do ♪ ♪ is just hold me, hold me, hold me, hold me ♪ ♪ Hold me, hold me, hold me, hold me, hold me, hold me ♪ ♪ hold me-ee-ee-ee ♪ ♪ (cheering and applause) Well, he was right.

I booked it!

And the rest of the workshop went a lot better than last time.

We exchanged numbers so that we could go over stuff for rehearsal and we ended up playing a lot of Words with Friends.

And I realized that Jarrod actually wasn't shy, he was really funny, oh, and so thoughtful.

I remember I had this terrible cold and he brought me this big drink one day and he said, I know you haven't been feeling well.

Take it from someone who's done more than a thousand shows of Jersey Boys -this is like a magic healing elixir.

And he brought me that same drink every day until I was better.

I remember that.

I remember she said, When are you gonna quit that job?

What job?

Jersey Boys .

You are so much more than a Frankie Valli impersonator.

You need to go get your Tony Award.

Usually people are impressed that I played the role for that long.

(laughter) And here was someone who thought that that wasn't enough for me.

So it was a couple of weeks later, it was Christmas Eve and I didn't have a performance because it's like the one night of the year that Broadway allows you to be with your loved ones.

GERTRUDE: Hey!

So I'm spending Christmas with my cousins in Cabo.

I'll see you in a week.

Via con dios.

(laughter) But nonetheless, I was alone.

A lonely Jew on Christmas, putting together a TV stand and eating Chinese food, like you do.

That's when I got the alert on my phone that Kelli had played a turn on Words with Friends and I lit up and then I thought, huh, I wonder if she's as lonely as I am.

Meanwhile, I was home for the Holidays, which in my family can be tricky.

Everyone was at each other and tensions were high and I was doing my best to keep it all together.

That's right when Richard, who had annihilated me with the worst breakup ever two months prior, decided that Christmas Eve would be the perfect time to send me an epic email barrage of "I'm sorry," and "I still love you."

You see, he still wanted me, just not yet, so he needed to put me on a shelf like a Christmas elf.

Alone in the bottom bunk of my younger brother's bedroom I get this text: JARROD: Hey, I just wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas.

KELLI: Hey!

Thank you and Merry...Chanukah!"

JARROD: Thanks.

Hope you're having a nice night.

Actually, I'm heading to a bar to get drunk.

By myself.

JARROD: I didn't think twice.

I knew she needed someone, and so I just called her on the phone.

And right away I could hear that she'd been crying, and everything that she'd been going through just came pouring out.

♪ Did I disappoint you ♪ ♪ Or leave a bad taste in your mouth?

♪ ♪ You act like you never had love ♪ ♪ And you want me to go without ♪ ♪ Well, it's too late tonight ♪ ♪ To drag the past out into the light ♪ ♪ We're one, but we're not the same ♪ ♪ We get to carry each other, carry each other ♪ ♪ One ♪ ♪ One ♪ ♪ Ooooooooonne, Ooooooonnnee ♪ ♪ Well did I ask too much?

More than a lot ♪ ♪ You gave me nothing, now it's all I got ♪ ♪ We're one, but we're not the same ♪ ♪ See we hurt each other, then we do it again ♪ ♪ You say love is a temple, love is a higher law ♪ ♪ Love is a temple, love is a higher law ♪ ♪ You ask for me to enter, but then you make me crawl ♪ ♪ And I can't keep holding on to what you got ♪ ♪ When all you got is hurt ♪ ♪ One love, one blood ♪ ♪ One life, you got to do what you should ♪ ♪ One life with each other ♪ ♪ My sisters, my brothers ♪ ♪ One life, but we're not the same ♪ ♪ We get to carry each other, carry each other ♪ ♪ Ooooooooonnnee ohhhhh ohhh ♪ ♪ Oooooooonnnee, Oooooo-ooooo-one ♪ (cheering and applause) ♪ Getting to know you ♪ ♪ Getting to know all about you ♪ ♪ Getting to like you ♪ ♪ Getting to hope you like me ♪ After that Christmas Eve phone call, our real courtship began.

- Friendship.

Right, friendship.

Over the next eight months we spent lunches and dinners, trying new restaurants together.

We'd call each other on the phone so we could watch DVR-ed episodes of Jeopardy at the same time.

And there were some nights where we just hung out until the sun came up.

Like she said-friend stuff.

♪ Getting to know you ♪ ♪ Getting to feel free and easy ♪ ♪ When I am with you ♪ ♪ Getting to know what to say ♪ So one night of this absolutely, completely, entirely platonic relationship, after dinner and a bunch of glasses of wine, we, we decided to go for a walk, cause you know, we just didn't want the night to end.

And Kelli mentioned that she needed new headphones.

So we started out toward the 24 hour Apple store.

It was one of those perfect New York spring nights.

2:00 a.m., the street's deserted.

I remember thinking how comfortable I felt, how lucky I was to have this man in my life I could be completely myself with.

♪ You've got a friend in me ♪ ♪ You've got a friend in me ♪ ♪ When the road looks rough ahead ♪ ♪ And you're miles and miles ♪ ♪ From your nice warm bed ♪ ♪ You just remember what you're old pal said ♪ ♪ Boy you've got a friend in me ♪ ♪ You've got a friend in me ♪ ♪ ♪ You've got a friend in me ♪ ♪ You've got a friend in me ♪ ♪ You've got your troubles and I've got 'em, too ♪ ♪ There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you ♪ ♪ We stick together and we'll see it through ♪ ♪ Boy, you've got a friend in me ♪ ♪ You've got a friend in me ♪ ♪ Some other folks might be ♪ ♪ a little bit smarter than I am ♪ ♪ Bigger and stronger, too, maybe ♪ ♪ But none of them will ever love you ♪ ♪ The way I do, it's me and you, boy ♪ ♪ JARROD: So we get to the store.

She's over inspecting the headphones and I was looking at the iPads.

And I'll never forget this moment.

I was leaning against a pole watching this beautiful dork read every word on every box, comparing every detail in the most meticulous way.

And I kept telling myself, we're just friends.

♪ Wise men say only fools rush in ♪ ♪ But I can't help falling in love with you ♪ ♪ Shall I stay?

♪ ♪ Would it be a sin ♪ ♪ If I can't help falling in love with you?

♪ ♪ Like the river flows surely to the sea ♪ ♪ Darling so it goes ♪ ♪ Some things are meant to be ♪ (Kelli sings You've Got a Friend in Me as Jarrod continues) ♪ Take my hand, take my whole life too ♪ ♪ Because I can't help falling in love with you ♪ ♪ Because I can't help falling in love with you ♪ (cheering and applause) So as you can imagine, I'm feeling pretty conflicted.

My buddy Dom doesn't help.

Dude, I don't understand this relationship.

What do you mean?

You find her attractive?

- Yes.

You enjoy spending time with her?

Yes.

And you're not sleeping with her?

No.

We're just friends.

Dude you realize men and women can never be friends.

Are you saying we're more than friends and I don't know about it?

No, what I'm saying is you want to be more than friends but you haven't told her yet.

Now tell me, when you two are together what do you like to do?

I don't know everything.

We text all the time.

We hang out.

The other night we saw Anything Goes.

Oh, Okay good, good.

When she left the theater was she singing All Through the Night ?

KELLI: ♪ It's friendship, friendship, just the perfect..♪ DOM: Damn.

You're in the Friend Zone.

I thought you just said you don't believe men and women can be friends.

That's right.

They can't.

What are you sayin'?

Dude, what I'm saying is you're not friends, you're in the Friend Zone.

Now this an amendment to my earlier rule.

I'm going to kill you.

No, wait, hold on.

What about your girlfriend, ah, Gertrude?

What about her?

GERTRUDE: Hey!

So I'm going with my mom on a yoga retreat to India.

I'll see you in a month.

Namaste!

(laughter) Yeah, that's not an issue.

Alright, look, if you want to get out of the Friend Zone, you're gonna have to make a bold move, alright?

You're gonna have to just walk right on up to her!

Look her in the face and be like, "Baby, I want to pound your veal!"

(laughter) You are the Angel of Death.

So I called my parents.

I got my dad on the phone.

I figured the two of them would give me the calm and sobering advice that I needed.

I laid everything out for them and my Pop said, ♪ Listen, boy, I don't want to see you ♪ ♪ let a good thing slip away ♪ KELLI: Chuck, what's he saying?

♪ You know I don't like watching ♪ ♪ Anybody make the same mistakes I made ♪ ♪ She's a real nice girl, she's always there for you ♪ Just give me the phone.

- Alright your mother... ♪ But a nice girl wouldn't tell you what you should do ♪ ♪ Now, listen boy, I'm sure that you think you got it all ♪ ♪ Under control (all under control) ♪ ♪ You don't want somebody tellin' you ♪ ♪ The way to stay in someone's soul ♪ ♪ You're a big boy now and you'll never let her go ♪ ♪ (you know you'll never let her go) ♪ ♪ And that's just the kind of thing she ought to know ♪ Just pick up on the other line.

♪ Tell her about it, tell her everything you feel ♪ ♪ Give her every reason to accept that you're for real ♪ ♪ Tell her about it ♪ ♪ Tell her all your crazy dreams ♪ ♪ Let her know you need her ♪ ♪ Let her know how much she means ♪ ♪ Tell her about it (tell her about it) ♪ ♪ Tell her how you feel right now ♪ Just tell her about it (tell her about it) ♪ The girl don't want to wait too long ♪ ♪ Tell her about it ♪ Mom, Dad, Mom.

♪ Just tell her about it ♪ - Mom ♪ (Before it gets too late) ♪ (phone dial tone) If I hadn't hung up, they'd still be talking now.

But I heard them and I knew that I had to do something.

Now as luck would have it, we were about to go to Vassar to finally do a full production of that same show that had started it all.

So I figured I'm gonna call Kelli on the phone, I'm gonna ask her to ride up with me, and on the way I'll tell her everything.

Hey!

- Oh, hey J.

Look, I can't talk right now.

I'm going to a date.

Look, his name is Daniel-you don't know him and it's only a third date.

That's why I didn't tell you, cuz I didn't want to jinx it.

But I did it.

Aren't you proud of me?

I'm finally back on the horse.

It only took nine months.

Kelli, don't go out with him.

Go out with me.

Well, J, I can't cancel on him at the last minute.

Call Dom, see if he wants to hang out.

I will see you on Monday.

N-.

♪ ♪ You give you hand to me ♪ ♪ And then you say hello ♪ ♪ And I can hardly speak ♪ ♪ My heart is beating so ♪ ♪ And anyone can tell ♪ ♪ You think you know me well ♪ ♪ But you don't know me ♪ ♪ ♪ Well, you don't know me ♪ ♪ (applause) After two agonizing days filled with images of Kelli's new torrid affair with this Daniel person, and all the ways that I might murder him, we finally get up to Vassar, and at the first rehearsal we're handed a new duet for our characters to sing.

It's the last song they sing to each other before Jarrod's character ultimately dies in my arms, and it perfectly encompasses everything they've needed to say the whole show.

♪ Ain't it a crime ♪ ♪ I know I've wasted so much precious time ♪ ♪ So much precious time ♪ ♪ You gave me real love, a beautiful fling ♪ ♪ I gave you nothing but heartache and pain ♪ ♪ Baby, believe me, it won't happen again ♪ ♪ Cause I need you (need you) ♪ ♪ I Need you ♪ ♪ I need you ♪ ♪ Need you ♪ ♪ And I promise that ♪ ♪ I-I-I'll take good care of you ♪ ♪ I-I-I'll take good care of you ♪ And then it clicked-the best friend who wanted to take good care of me had been the one all along!

♪ So let me take away the pain, babe ♪ ♪ I need you!

♪ ♪ Let me hide those teardrops, too ♪ ♪ Cause you know every day and every night, my love ♪ ♪ I'm gonna, I'm gonna stand by you ♪ ♪ And I-I-I-I-I'll take good care of you ♪ ♪ I-I-I-I'll take good care of you ♪ ♪ I-I-I-I'll take good care of you ♪ ♪ (applause) DIRECTOR: No, hey guys?

Guys, there's no kiss at the end of this.

Alright, I'll see you in rehearsal tomorrow.

♪ So that's not the way it happened at all.

JARROD: Here's what actually happened.

KELLI: Okay.

We left rehearsal that day.

Understanding something had clearly shifted in our relationship.

And we went out to dinner and had way too many drinks.

You know, the way any romance starts, with a lot of alcohol.

- Right.

But Dom was at dinner with us.

So we couldn't really get into it.

So it wasn't until fully inebriated back at the dorm.... That I told her how I felt.

Over the course of about five hours.

Yes, it was more like a round table discussion.

Well, we had to weigh the pros and cons.

Yes, Kelli had to weigh all the pros and cons.

I just weighed the pros and believe me, it took a lot of convincing.

What is this gonna mean for our friendship?

What if we try this and it doesn't work out?

I don't want to lose my best friend.

We'll always be friends.

I'm not going anywhere.

Oh, and you know I'm still hung up over my ex.

I know but it's fine.

I totally, completely understand.

We'll go slow.

Uh!

And poor Daniel.

I don't want him to think I was leading him on.

that guy.

(laughter) What am I even talking about?

You have a girlfriend.

I could never do that to another woman.

Right.

Um, so the thing about that relationship is, um.

GERTRUDE: Hey!

So listen, I'm gonna go live on a kibbutz in Tel Aviv until I find myself.

It might take a while.

Shalom.

So that part took about two hours to explain and then the next three hours.... You know, what?

I don't think they need the whole story.

This is what 80's music is for.

♪ I can't fight this feeling any longer ♪ ♪ And yet I'm still afraid to let it show ♪ ♪ What started out as friendship has grown stronger ♪ ♪ I only wish I had the strength to let it flow ♪ ♪ And even as I wander ♪ ♪ I'm keeping you in sight ♪ ♪ You're a candle in the window ♪ ♪ On a cold, dark winter's night ♪ ♪ And I'm getting closer than I ever thought I might ♪ ♪ I got a take a little time, ♪ ♪ a little time to think things over ♪ ♪ I better read between the lines, ♪ ♪ in case I need it when I'm older ♪ ♪ In my life there's been heartache and pain ♪ ♪ I don't know if I can face it again ♪ ♪ Can't stop now, I've traveled so far ♪ ♪ to change this lonely life ♪ ♪ Well, I can't fight this feeling anymore ♪ ♪ I want to know what love is ♪ ♪ I've forgotten what I started fighting for ♪ ♪ Want you to show me ♪ ♪ Yeah, and if I have to crawl upon the floor ♪ ♪ I wanna feel what love is ♪ ♪ Come crashing through the door ♪ Come on!

♪ Baby I can't fight this feeling anymore ♪ (applause) So flash forward to our engagement and writing our "How We Got Together" stories separately.

Now when we realized we'd both done it, we compared them, which is when we saw... Just how shockingly different they were.

Yeah.

Turns out I was in my own little romantic comedy.

And I got the dream girl.

But it wasn't like that for her.

So what does that mean?

I mean at some point will she realize that she did not get her dream guy?

♪ You say you don't think you are beautiful ♪ ♪ Look in my eyes ♪ And I knew he had had a crush on me.

But to read it all out like that, how intensely he fell for someone that I know I am not.

I am a messy human with a lifetime of scars and insecurities.

♪ You never have known you were beautiful ♪ ♪ Look in my eyes ♪ So we went to therapy.

And we realized that your partner really does know you better than you know yourself.

Everyone is afraid that their partner will discover that they're some kind of fraud because our versions of ourselves are totally warped.

But the right person will love your particular brand of crazy.

When Kelli looks at me she sees way more than I ever could.

I mean without her strength and support I could never have, for instance, left Jersey Boys after six years without another job lined up.

But with her encouragement I did.

And in a few months I got a new job.

And a Tony nomination.

Yeah.

(applause) And he taught me that I didn't have to be the one taking care of everyone else all the time.

That maybe it was my turn.

♪ Love I get so lost, sometimes ♪ ♪ Days pass and this emptiness fills my heart ♪ ♪ When I want to run away ♪ ♪ I drive off in my car ♪ ♪ But whichever way I go ♪ ♪ I come back to the place you are ♪ ♪ And all my instincts, they return ♪ ♪ And the grand facade, so soon will burn ♪ ♪ Without a noise, without my pride ♪ ♪ I reach out from the insi-i-i-i-i-de ♪ ♪ In your eyes ♪ ♪ The light the heat (In your eyes) ♪ ♪ I am complete (In your eyes) ♪ ♪ To see a doorway (In your eyes) ♪ ♪ To a thousand churches (In your eyes) ♪ ♪ Resolution (In your eyes) ♪ ♪ Of all my foolish certains (In your eyes) ♪ ♪ Oh I see the light and the heat ♪ ♪ Your eyes ♪ ♪ Oh I wanna be that, (in your eyes) ♪ ♪ I wanna touch the light ♪ ♪ The heat I see in your eyes ♪ ♪ ♪ Love, I don't like to see so much pain ♪ ♪ So much wasted and this moment keeps slipping away ♪ ♪ I get so tired working so hard for our survival ♪ ♪ I look to the time with you to keep me awake and alive ♪ ♪ And all my instincts, they return ♪ ♪ And the grand facade, so soon will burn ♪ ♪ Without a noise, without my pride ♪ ♪ I reach out from the inside ♪ ♪ In your eyes ♪ ♪ In your eyes ♪ ♪ In your eyes ♪ ♪ In your eyes ♪ ♪ In your eyes ♪ ♪ In your eyes ♪ (cheering and applause) ♪ Hey!

♪ Try to see it my way ♪ ♪ Do I have to keep on talking till I can't go on?

♪ ♪ While you see it your way (Hey) ♪ ♪ At the risk of knowing that our love may soon be gone ♪ ♪ We can work it out ♪ ♪ We can work it out ♪ We're gonna introduce this unbelievable group of musicians!

On the saxophone, the birthday boy, Dave Mann.

♪ Whoo!

And on guitar, playing my boyfriend, that's Aurelien Budynek.

♪ Slaying that bass, that's Mark Verdino.

♪ And our music director, pianist and arranger extraordinaire, that's Adam Ben-David.

♪ JARROD: Whoo!

Rockin' the kit, that's my brother Damien Bassman.

Give it to them Damien!

♪ JARROD: Whoo!

KELLI: And these beautiful vocalists and actors to my left, playing Leigh Silverman and Gertrude, that's Rachel Stern!

(applause) And playing my boyfriend as well and Dominick, that's John Edwards.

(applause) ♪ Try to see it my way ♪ ♪ Only time will tell if I am right or if I'm wrong ♪ ♪ When you see it your way ♪ ♪ Maybe there's a chance that we may fall apart before too long ♪ ♪ We can work it out ♪ ♪ We can work it out ♪ ♪ Whoa oh oh-h-h-h-h-h ♪ (cheering and applause) Whelen Engineering Company.

Whelen is a proud sponsor of The Kate and wishes to voice its ongoing support for Connecticut Public Television, the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, and the Michael J.

Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.