>> Ted: NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON, OUR VOTING AND ELECTION SERIES WITH CAMPAIGN FINANCING AND THE VARIETY OF WAYS TO GET OUT THE VOTE AND LATER IN THE HOUR, ARIZONA VETERANS ARE HONORED FOR THEIR SERVICE WITH A TRIP TO THE NATION'S CAPITOL.

WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

I'M TED SIGH UPONS.

THE JANUARY 6th COMMISSION TODAY SUBPOENAED DONALD TRUMP FOR PERSONAL TESTIMONY REGARDING THE 2021 ATTACK ON THE U.S. CAPITOL.

THE PANEL VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO COMPEL THE FORMER PRESIDENT TO APPEAR UNDER OATH.

>> THE CLERK WILL REPORT THE VOTE.

>> Mr. CHAIRMAN, ON THIS VOTE, THERE ARE NINE AYES AND ZERO NO'S.

>> THE RESOLUTION IS AGREED TO.

>> Ted: THE COMMITTEE VICE CHAIR, LIZ CHENEY, SAID IT WAS NECESSARY AS JANUARY 6th JANUARY 6th CENTRAL PLAYER.

>>> LIFE IN PRISON WITHOUT PATROL, THAT WAS A SENSE FOR NIKOLAS CRUZ.

THE JURY ANNOUNCED THE DECISION AFTER SEVEN HOURS OF DELIBERATION OVER THE COURSE OF TWO DAYS.

FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE VICTIMS NOT AT ALL PLEASED THAT THE GUNMAN AVOIDED THE DEATH PENALTY.

>> THE COST OF WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR FAMILIES, WE ARE ALL IN THIS POSITION NOW OF DOING THE WORK THAT WE DO AROUND THIS COUNTRY TO KEEP THIS FROM HAPPENING TO ANOTHER FAMILY AND THIS DECISION TODAY ONLY MAKES IT MORE LIKELY THAT THE NEXT MASS SHOOTING WILL BE ATTEMPTED.

>> TODAY'S RULING WAS YET ANOTHER GUT PUNCH FOR SO MANY OF US WHO DEVASTATINGLY LOST OUR LOVED ONES ON THAT TRAGIC VALENTINE'S DAY AT MARGORIE STONEMAN DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL.

17 BEAUTIFUL LIVES WERE CUT SHORT BY MURDER.

HEINOUS, PREPLANNED, TORTUROUS MURDER.

AND THE MONSTER THAT KILLED THEM GETS TO LIVE ANOTHER DAY.

>> Ted: UNDER FLORIDA LAW, A DEATH SENTENCE REQUIRES A UNANIMOUS VOTE BY THE JURY ON AT LEAST ONE COUNT.

THE JUDGE WILL FORMALLY SENTENCE CRUZ ON NOVEMBER 1st.

>>> THE U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR RECORDED 55% OF THE COUNTRY IS EXPERIENCING DROUGHT CONDITIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN SPREADING SINCE THE BEGINNING OF SEPTEMBER.

MORE THAN 133 MILLION PEOPLE NOW LIVE IN DROUGHT AREAS, THE HIGHEST NUMBER SINCE 2016, AND THE REPORT SHOWS THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER IS EXPERIENCING CRITICALLY LOW LEVELS AS MANY TRIBUTE TEARS, ILLINOIS, OHIO RIVERS.

>>> WE CONTINUE ON THE ELECTION PROCESS BY LOOKING AT HOW CAMPAIGN FINANCES WORKS AND THE IMPORTANCE THAT MONEY PLAYS IN POLITICS AND JOINING US NOW IS PARLIAMENT HILL ANALYST CHRIS HERSTAM.

HOW ARE CANDIDATES AND CAMPAIGNS FINANCED?

>> IT USED TO BE SIMPLE.

IF YOU WANT TO TAKE THE STATE LEGISLATURE, AS RECENT AS LIKE NINE, TEN YEARS AGO, YOU COULD PULL A CAMPAIGN FUNDING REPORT AT THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE AND LOOK AT AN INCUMBENT LEGISLATOR, DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN, AND 90% OF THE MONEY THEY GOT IN CONTRIBUTIONS WAS FROM REGISTERED LOBBYISTS THAT ARE AT THE CAPITOL ALL OF THE TIME.

IT WAS JUST THAT SIMPLE.

NOW IT'S DIFFERENT.

NOW BECAUSE ABOUT FIVE OR SIX OF THE LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS ARE COMPETITIVE AND THEY WILL DECIDE WHO'S GOING TO CONTROL THE LEGISLATOR, WHICH PARTY, YOU HAVE OUTSIDE GROUPS NOW THANKS TO CITIZENS UNITED, A SUPREME COURT DECISION IN 2010, WEALTHY PEOPLE, A VARIETY OF INTERESTS NATIONALLY, ET CETERA, THEY CAN POUR IN MONEY INTO ARIZONA AS LONG THEY DON'T COORDINATE WITH THE CANDIDATE OR THEIR POLITICAL PARTY.

THEY CAN FUND HALF A MILLION, MILLION DOLLAR EXPENDITURE AND THAT'S WHAT REALLY IMPACTS MOST OF THE RACES THAT COUNT THE MOST AND THE CANDIDATES HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THAT.

>> Ted: THE CANDIDATES HAVE NO CONTROL, BUT THE CAMPAIGNS, IN TERMSES OF TIME AND EFFORT FOR RAISING MONEY, MOISTURE HOW MUCH IS DEVOTED THERE?

>> FOR CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES AND FEDERAL CANDIDATES, A LOT OF TIME AND IT'S CALLED DIALING FOR DOLLARS.

I KNOW I'VE GOTTEN MANY OF THOSE PHONE CALLS FROM CONGRESSMEN THAT ACT LIKE THEY'RE FRIENDLY AND WANT TO SHOOT THE BREEZE WITH YOU AND UPDATE YOU ON WASHINGTON, D.C., BUT THE REAL REASON IS FOR MONEY.

AND THEY SPEND AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF TIME AND SEVERAL HOURS EVERY WORKING DAY CALLING ON PEOPLE TRYING TO RAISE MONEY.

BUT NOW YOU HAVE SOCIAL MEDIA THAT YOU CAN RAISE MONEY OUT OF WITH SMALLER CONTRIBUTIONS.

AND ONCE AGAIN, THESE INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES AND OUTSIDE GROUPS THAT HAVE NO LIMITATIONS ON HOW MUCH THEY SPEND, THEY GET INVOLVED IN THESE, AS WELL.

THE FUNDRAISING MECHANISMS IN ARIZONA HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY.

>> Ted: THE BIG GUYS AND THE SMALLER CALL, GRASS ROOT'S FUNDRAISING, DOES IT EXIST?

IS IT EFFECTIVE?

>> YES, IT DOES EXIST AND FOR CERTAIN CANDIDATES.

BERNIE SANDERS AT THE PRESIDENTIAL LEVEL.

MARK KELLY IS VERY SUCCESSFUL, WHERE YOU TEXT PEOPLE THAT ARE FROM YOUR PARTY'S REGISTRATION, USUALLY.

YOU CAN EMAIL THEM.

HEY, CAN YOU CHIP IN AND JUST GIVE ME $5?

IF YOU'RE GETTING THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE RESPONDING TO THAT AND YOU DESIGN -- YOUR CAMPAIGN CONSULTANTS APPEAL TO CERTAIN VOTERS.

SOCIAL MEDIA CAN ACTUALLY RAISE MONEY AT A GRASS ROOT'S LEVEL WITH SMALL CONTRIBUTIONS AND IT CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.

THERE ARE CERTAIN PEOPLE, THOUGH, LIKE MARK KELLY.

HE'S A FUNDRAISING MACHINE.

HE CAN GET IT FROM INDIVIDUALS LIKE I JUST DESCRIBED WITH SMALL CONTRIBUTIONS.

>> Ted: HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT?

>> IT'S EVERYTHING.

WE REALLY DON'T HAVE ELECTIONS ANYMORE LIKE YOU HEARD ABOUT IN EIGHTH GRAD GRADE C CIVIC'S CLASS.

>> Ted: CAN A WINNING MESSAGE OVERCOME A LACK OF FUNDS?

>> YES, BUT YOU NEED THE MONEY -- YOU NEED THE MONEY TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT.

SO YOUR MESSAGE HAS TO BE REALLY STRONG AND YOU HAVE TO GET A LOT OF FREE MEDIA COVERAGE TO MAKE IT WORK.

MOST OF THE TIME IT'S THE CANDIDATE THAT HAS THE MOST MONEY THAT CANNOT ONLY DELIVER THEIR MESSAGE, BUT SUCCESSFULLY ATTACK THEIR OPPONENTS.

>> Ted: THAT WOULD MEAN OCCASIONALLY A WEAKER CANDIDATE WITH A LESSER MESSAGE AND MORE MONEY WINS?

>> YES, OCCASIONALLY.

BUT AS I SAID, NORMALLY, THE CANDIDATE THAT CAN CONSISTENTLY RAISE THE MOST MONEY WILL MAKE IT THROUGH THE PRIMARY AND WIN THE GENERAL.

>> Ted: IS ALL OF THIS HEALTHY IN PICKS?

>> NO, IT'S NOT HEALTHY AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DISAGREE WITH ME AND THE ONLY WAY, THANKS TO CITIZEN'S UNITED AND THE BIG PEOPLE, WHETHER IT'S A DEMOCRATIC SOROS OR REPUBLICANS CHARLES KOCH AND THESE MILLIONAIRES, THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN COMBAT THAT IS TO HAVE A VIBRANT, HEALTHY, PUBLIC FINANCING SYSTEM.

IN ARIZONA, IT WAS CALLED CLEAN ELECTIONS.

IT WAS INSTITUTED IN A PROCESS BACK IN 1998.

THE PROBLEM IS, THEY HAVEN'T KEPT MOVING UP THE AMOUNT OF CLEAN ELECTION'S MONEY THAT GOES TO CANDIDATES WHO DON'T WANT TO SELL OUT TO SPECIAL INTERESTS, WHO WANT TO SORT OF BE THE Mr. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON.

THEY'RE NOT GETTING ENOUGH MONEY TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD WITH THE PRIVATE FUNDING.

>> Ted: WITH THAT IN MIND AND WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME, BUT TRENDS.

WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT WAS IN THE PAST AND WHAT'S IN THE FUTURE FOR FUNDRAISERRING?

>> FUNDRAISING?

>> THE ACTION NOW IS MOVING TO SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS.

YOU HAVE CONSERVATIVES AND AGGRESSIVES CONTRIBUTING TO SCHOOL BOARD RACING THAT ARE CANDIDATES THAT ARE PRO-PUBLIC EDUCATION AND ANTI-PUBLIC EDUCATION AND A LOT OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS RUN FOR THE LEGISLATURE IN OTHER OFFICES AND A LOT IS COMING FROM OUT OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

IT'S NOT GOOD, BUT THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING.

THE OTHER IS FASCINATING WHAT PROGRESSIVE WOMEN OF COLOR ARE DOING.

IN JUST THE AUGUST PRIMARY, 91 DEMOCRATS THAT RAN.

28 WERE WOMEN OF COLOR AND 21 OF THE 28 WERE VICTORIOUS AND MOST OF THE DISTRICTS ARE NONCOMPETITIVE IN A GENERAL AND THEY'RE IN.

THEY DID IT BY USING CLEAN ELECTIONS, PUBLIC FUNDING, EVEN AT THE LOWER LEVEL OF MONEY.

THEY HAD COMMUNITY TIES, COMMUNITY GRASS ROOT'S ORGANIZATIONS.

THEY DEFEATED MANY INCUMBENT DEMOCRATS THAT RAN WITH PRIVATE MONEY, WITH CHAMBER BUSINESS MONEY.

TO ME, THAT'S ENCOURAGING BECAUSE IT WILL SORT OF RENEW THE CONFIDENCE IN THE PUBLIC FINANCING PROCESS IF, IF THOSE DOLLAR AMOUNTS THAT CLEAN ELECTIONS GIVES TO CANDIDATES HAS MOVED UP SO THAT THOSE CANDIDATES THAT DON'T WANT TO BE AUCTIONED OFF, THAT THEY CAN USE PUBLIC FUNDS AND HAVE A REASONABLY LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.

>> Ted: CHRIS, GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> FOLLOW THE MONEY.

[ Laughter ] >> Ted: WILL DO.

AFTER THE BREAK, OUR VOTING IN ELECTION'S SERIES CONTINUESES ON A CONVERSATION ON WHAT IT TAKES TO GET PEOPLE OUT TO VOTE.

ELECTION DAY, IT WILL BE TO YOUR DETRIMENT.

THEY FOCUS ON IDENTIFYING WHO IN THEIR TARGET AUDIENCE ARE THEIR LIKELY VOTERS AND MAKING SURE THEIR REACHING OUT TO THEM UNTIL THEY CAN SEE THEY'VE VOTED.

>> Ted: CAN IT GET LOST TO GET OUT OF THE VOTE EFFORT?

>> IF A MIDTERM, YOU'RE A LOWER TURN-OUT AND EVERY VOTER YOU RIGHT MIND TO VOTE IS CRUCIAL AND CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE.

GO TV HAS CHANGED AND IT WAS MAKING GRANNY HAD A RIDE TO THE POLLS ON ELECTION DAY.

IT MAY BE THAT WAY WITH REPUBLICANS TELLING THEM TO ONLY VOTE ON ELECTION DAY BUT FOR DEMOCRATS, IT'S MAKE SURE MAKING FOLKS ARE SIGNED UP.

>> Ted: BEST WAY TO GET GET OUT OUT THE MESSAGES.

>> IT'S THE SAME WITH ANY CAMPAIGN MESSAGE.

FOR AN OLDER AUDIENCE, DO TV AND MAIL AND FOR AN OLDER AUDIENCE THAT DOESN'T CHECK IT, YOU HAVE TO -- WHEN YOU'RE DOING A STRONG GET-OUT-THE-VOTE, YOU HAVE TO REACH OUT.

>> Ted: ARE THERE NON-PARTISAN VOTES?

>> THE VAST MAJORITY IS THE CAMPAIGNS.

YOU ARE SEEING INCREASING FOLKS, ESPECIALLY MARGINALIZED THAT ARE FULLY ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS AND MORE VOTERS IS A GOOD THING.

SOMETHING I WOULD ADD, INCREASING THING THAT ESPECIALLY DEMOCRATS ARE DOING TO GET OUT THE VOTE IS UTILIZING A NETWORK ORGANIZING WHICH IS FINDING FOLKS WHO TAKE RESIDENT FOR THEIR NEIGHBORS, FRIENDS AND REMIND THEM, HEY, REMEMBER TO VOTE BECAUSE THAT'S MORE POWERFUL THAN A STRANGER CALLING THEM UP OR KNOCKING ON THE DOOR.

>> Ted: I HEAR GROUND GAME AND IS THIS A PART OF GROUND GAME?

>> DEFINITELY.

THEY HAVE A FIELD OPERATION, RIGHT, AND THE FIELD OPERATION THAT'S BEEN IN THE WORK FOR A YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF DEPENDING HOW LONG THE CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN RUNNING AND PUTTING THEM IN THEIR DATABASE AND FOLLOWING UP WITH THEM AND IT'S THIS FINAL MONTH OF EARLY VOTING LEADING UP TO ELECTION DAY AND MAKING SURE THEIR PEOPLE TURN OUT.

>> Ted: DIRECT MAIL, TEXTING, DOOR-TO-DOOR AND WHAT WORKS BEST AND WHAT IS OVERRATED?

>> IT'S A MIXTURE DEPENDING ON WHO YOU'RE TALKING TO AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT AS THE ELECTORATE CHANGES WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE AND WHAT I THINK MAKES THAT EFFECTIVE EFFECTIVE IS THE DATA DRIVEN ASPECT OF GET OUT THE VOTE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO EARLY BALLOTS.

WE CAN SEE FROM PUBLICALLY ACCESSIBLE BALLOT RETURN DATA WHO HAS GOT IT GOTTEN IT AND WHO HASN'T RETURNED IT.

IF IT'S TOO LATE, YOU KNOW, DROP IT OFF AT THE POLLING LOCATION.

>> Ted: BALLOT HARVESTING WANT WHAT IS IT AND HOW HAS THE PHRASE AND THE FEAR OF THE PHRASE EXPECT AND THE PERJORATIVE PHRASE?

>> IT'S ONE INDIVIDUAL COLLECTING BALLOTS, WHETHER GO DOOR-TO-DOOR WHETHER OUTSIDE OF THEIR FAMILY UNIT, TURNING IT IN AND THAT'S CREATED IN THIS CLIMATE, ELECTION INTEGRITY AND IF THOSE BALLOTS GET TURNED IN, ET CETERA.

THERE'S A LOT MORE SCRUTINY AND YOU SEE THIS WITH EARLY VOTING STARTING, PEOPLE WATCHING THE DROP-OFF BOXES TO MAKE SURE THERE'S TO FUNNY BUSINESS GOING ON.

THE STRATEGY IN AND OF ITSELF COUPLED WITH PERK KOA PERCOLATING.

>> THE BALLOT HARVESTING LAW, IT MAKES IT HARDER TO GET MORE FOLKS TO VOTE.

LET BE CLEAR THAT BALLOT HARVESTING IS A LAW THAT IS ADDRESSING A PROBLEM THAT DOESN'T EXIST.

THIS IDEA THAT PEOPLE WERE FRAUDULENTLY COLLECTING PLOTS BALLOTS DOESN'T REFLECT HOW HOW BALLOT SYSTEM IS.

YOU GIVE IT TO A VOLUNTEER AND IT NEVER GETS TURNED IN, YOU GET NOTIFIED.

THE PARTY, SPECIFIC DEMOCRATIC PARTIES IS FINDING WAYS AROUND THAT.

>> Ted: LORNA, AS FAR AS BUILDING VOTER SUPPORT, CAN YOU START TOO EARLY OR START TOO LATE?

>> YOU CAN START TOO LATE.

YOU CAP WASTE YOUR MONEY TOO EARLY AND RUN OUT, POTENTIALLY, BUT MAKING SURE THAW GET THAT YOU GET YOUR MESSAGE OUT AND KEEP IN CONTACT WITH THEM BUT NO STARTING TOO EARTH.

>> Ted: HOW OFTEN DOES TURN OUT TURN AN ELECTION?

>> OFTEN, AND ESPECIALLY THIS YEAR.

IT'S GOING TO BE WHO TURNS OUT AND WHO IS MORE EXCITED?

IS IT THE DEMOCRATS WHO ARE MOTIVATED BY THE NATIONAL TRENDS LIKE ROE OR THOSE ACTIVATED BY THE ELECTION FRAUD CONCERNS OR INFLATION AND WHOEVER GETS MORE OUT IN A TATE STATE LIKE ARIZONA.

>> Ted: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> TODAY, TED.

>> Ted: NORTH, THE MUSICAL EXPLORES BLACK AMERICAN LIFE AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD.

THE CHANDLER CENTER FOR THE ARTS WILL BE HOSTING THIS ON NOVEMBER 4th AND 5th.

AND HERE IS MICHELLE MAC LENNAN THE GENERAL DIRECTOR AND ASHLI ST. ARMANT, COMPOSER AND CREATOR.

MICHELLE, THIS WAS A CO-COMMISSION, WAS IT NOT?

>> IT WAS.

THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THE CHANDLER CENTER COMMISSIONED A NEW WORK AND WE DID THIS ALONG WITH THREE OTHER ART CENTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND IT WAS A WORK OF FOUR ART CENTERS COMING TOGETHER FOR THE WORK WE BELIEVE IN.

>> Ted: BEFORE WE GET TO ASHLI, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THIS WORK?

>> WELL, IT'S MEANINGFUL AND UPLIFTING AND SURPRISING.

I LEARNED A LOT WHEN I WATCHED IT AND CERTAINLY WAS MOVED BY THE BEAUTY OF THE MUSIC.

>> Ted: ASHLI, CONGRATULATIONS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Ted: JUST GETTING THIS DONE, MUST HAVE BEEN A FEAT IN AND OF ITSELF.

YOU COMPOSED THIS, CORRECT?

>> I CAME UP WITH THIS CONCEPT AND IT'S BEEN A WORK IN PROGRESS AND A LABOR OF LOVE, AS YOU COULD SAY, AND I POURED MY WHOLE HEART IN.

>> Ted: HOW DID YOU COME WITH THIS IDEA.

>> I HAVE TWO SONS AND IT WAS BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND I SAID, BOY, WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD?

AND THEY SAID, WHAT'S THAT.

I SAID THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND OUR UNDERSTANDING OF NOT ONLY THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN THIS TIME PERIOD AND BRING HUMANITY TO THIS EXPERIENCE AND I REFLECTED ON MY OWN EXPERIENCE AS A YOUNG BLACK PERSON LEARNING AND MY EXPERIENCE AS LIMITED AND ONE SIDED.

TED WHEN >> Ted: WHEN YOU COLLECTED THOSE STORIES AND HEARD ABOUT THEM, IT'S ONE THING TO BE MOVED BY THEM AND HOW DO YOU TURN THAT INTO ART?

>> CAREFULLY.

[ Laughter ] >> Ted: I[ Laughter ] >> IT'S COMMON TO TELL OUR STORIES AND SOME OF IT WAS VERY ORGANIC AND I'M A STORY-TELLER TO MUSICTHROUGH MUSIC.

>> Ted: MICHELLE, AS FAR AS THIS PRODUCTION, THERE ARE OTHER EVENTS, ARE THERE NOT?

TELL US ABOUT THAT.

>> WE HAD ASHLI AND THE CORE AND THEY'LL BE COMING IN TO PARTICIPATE WITH OUR YOUTH ART'S COUNT CRITICAL COUNCIL.

>> Ted: ASHLI, I WANT TO GET BACK TO THE CREATIVE PROCESS.

WHEN YOU WERE READING AND HEARING THESE, DID YOU SEE MOVEMENT?

DID YOU HEAR MUSIC?

I'M FASCINATED TO SEE HOW THAT BECAME THIS?

>> YES.

WELL, SO, MY MAIN CHARACTERS ARE FICTICIOUS AND THE EXPERIENCE HAPPENED TO REAL PEOPLE.

JAZZ IS PART OF WHO I AM.

MY FAMILY IS FROM NEW ORLEANS AND I SEE DASH BECAUSE IT'S -- I THINK OF TRYING TO ESCAPE AND CHANGING YOUR MIND ON A DIME AND THIS PIECE IS WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE SCENE AND WAS KIND OF MUSIC REFLECTING THAT.

IT'S COMPLICATED WITH RYTHMIC MOVEMENT AND A LOVE SOON THAT'S LIKE A BALLAD THAT YOU MIGHT HEAR FRANK SINATRA SING.

PEOPLE ARE COMPLICATED AND SO IS THE MUSIC IN THIS SONG.

>> Ted: WHEN YOU HAD THE FIRST RUN-THROUGH, WAS IT AS YOU ENVISIONED?

>> BETTER.

SO MUCH BETTER.

AND, YOU KNOW, MY FIRST TEARS WAS THE LOVE SONG AND I WASN'T EXPECTING THAT, BECAUSE FRANKLY, I SHARE ABOUT THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD HAS A LOT OF THEMES AND ABOUT A MOTHER AND HER SON AND I'M A MOM WITH SONS AND I EXPECTED THOSE TO MOVE ME THE MOST.

JUST HEARING A GUY SING ABOUT A GIRL HE LOVES MOVED ME, TOO.

THERE'S BEEN SURPRISES ALONG THE WAY AND WE'RE STILL REHEARSING REHEARSING AND STILL FINDING NEW THINGS EVERY DAY.

I CHECKED OUT OF REHEARSAL TO DO THIS ENTER RUE AND INTERVIEW.

YOU CONTINUE TO EXPLORE NEW THINGS.

>> Ted: MICHELLE, AS FAR AS PUTTING ON A PERFORMANCE AS ASHLI MENTIONED, THERE'S DIFFERENT TOPICS AND HOW DO YOU WEIGH THAT TO MAKE SURE THE AUDIENCE GETS SOMETHING, BUT IT'S STILL ENTERTAINMENT.

>> THAT'S WHERE YOU WORK WITH ARTISTS THAT YOU BELIEVE IN AND YOU WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE LIKE ASHLI ST. ARMANT AS AN ARTIST, WE ALIGN WITH PEOPLE WHO WE KNOW WHO CAN TO THAT IN A WAY THAT'S AUTHENTIC AND HONEST AND WELL-DONE.

WELL DONE.

THE EXCITING PART IS HOW INSPIRING IT IS.

IT'S SO JUSTIFY LIFTING, AND HOW INSPIRING IT IS.

>> Ted: A NATIONAL TOUR AND WHAT ABOUT BROADWAY?

>> OH, IT'S HAPPENING.

IT'S HAPPENING FOR SURE.

IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME, BUT WE GET TO LEARN AMAZING THINGS ALONG THE WAY AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE JOURNEY AND BROADWAY.

[ Laughter ] >> Ted: THE LIGHT LIGHTS.CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH.

AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

UP NEXT ON CRONKITE NEWS, HOW ONE NEW MOVIE IS WORKING TO INCREASE NATIVE AMERICAN REPRESENTATION ON FILM.