( ENSPIRE Entertainment ) Bringing the Heat: Gracie Cashman
ENSPIRE Contributor: Mayleen Marrero
Meet Gracie Cashman, the up-and-coming star on The Story of My Number, the newest show on the YES Network. This likable and talented on-air host has a long history of being connected with sports and entertainment royalty. As the daughter of a former Yankees general manager and the granddaughter of a trailblazing cable TV pioneer, Gracie can leave her impact on the broadcast industry. Gracie’s incredible family history will motivate her to achieve greatness on stage and screen.
Hailing from Connecticut, Gracie’s passion for theater and music started early on. She amazed fans at Giants and Yankees games with her moving performances of the National Anthem. This gifted performer continued to develop her skills at Northwestern University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Theater. Gracie captivated audiences as the lovely host of the reality show “The Tryout” with her charming personality. She will now amaze audiences again when she plays in a TV film that will be released this year.
Beyond the world of statistics, The Story of My Number, presented by the New York Lottery, will provide personal stories that will improve people’s understanding of obstacles faced, successes accomplished, and expectations of excellence. With commentary, vivid images, and exclusive interviews with Gracie, the series brings incredible visualizes to these statistical landmarks. Great New York Yankees players like Aaron Boone, Don Mattingly, Andy Pettitte, CC Sabathia, Tino Martinez, and Nick Swisher will be seated next to Gracie.
Growing up within the Yankees family, Gracie has a unique opportunity to bring out the best in the Yankees icons, allowing them the confidence to share their incredible story with the world. Not only is her connection with the baseball players unique, but her grandfather was also a visionary in the cable TV industry, which helped Gracie succeed on stage and in films.
When she’s not gracing screens, Gracie sets the stage, presenting her talents at renowned locations like 54 Below, where she recently impressed crowds with her solo debut. Besides her creative talents, Gracie uses her platform to encourage activism and promote awareness of women’s health and reproductive rights.
ENSPIRE had the incredible opportunity to interview Gracie Cashman, and here is what she had to say.
- What was your favorite part about hosting a show based on sports?
“It has been really cool to blend baseball, something I grew up around and pretty definitively shaped me in a lot of ways, with performing, something I have been passionate about and studied and practiced and worked in since I was 10 years old. I was definitely a “theater kid” and there was a lot of this stereotype growing up that that couldn’t be more different from sports or this assumption that I didn’t know anything about them, so it’s been really cool to blend those worlds a bit.”
- Can you tell us some of the most memorable moments you experienced as a host?
“Getting to film with Nick Swisher was big for me. He has always been such a wonderful role model, we have a very close family friendship, and when he was playing, there was no bigger Nick Swisher fan than Gracie Cashman. So getting to have that experience with him was really amazing.”
- How do you think your experience as a host has prepared you for other roles or opportunities in the entertainment industry?
“Hosting is really interesting because, while we don’t film live, in a lot of ways that feeling of urgency is still there. Filming a movie with other actors, when they yell cut, you can totally turn off. On a movie set, or even in a live theater setting, it isn’t my job to maintain another actor’s energy for them (outside of just respecting their needs). In hosting, it is 100% my job to make sure that even if we hold for any reason (mostly noise interference when filming at the stadium which can be really frustrating) that I don’t get frustrated and that I’m maintaining this energy off camera that they feel comfortable and awake around so we don’t lose any energy or momentum. And while it’s a different forum, I think I will try to carry some of that into my next movie project because it’s so much easier to keep the momentum up.”
- You’re set to star in a TV film later this year, can you give us any hints about the project? What drew you to the role, and what do you think audiences will take away from it?
“It is a Christmas movie and I love love love the holiday season. I’ve always been drawn (as a consumer) to that style of art but I’ve never really gotten to be part of making one. So, I was really drawn to the family values, the Christmas magic, it just seemed like something I would absolutely have turned on to watch myself this holiday season. Plus, I play the villain (which at 5 feet tall I don’t get to do very often) so I was really excited about that as well.”
- How did your background in the sports industry prepare you for your role as the host of “The Story of My Number”, and what do you think sets you apart from other hosts in the sports broadcasting industry?
“Mostly I think I have a really unique perspective on the industry. I recently started a TikTok series telling stories of where we were during major moments in baseball history because I think people totally forget that at the end of the day, this is their job. It’s just a small piece of the pie that is their life. For example, the famous Chuck Knoblauch error in 1998 (arguing that the runner was inside the baseline while the ball was still in play) was on in the delivery room while I was being born. So my dad, the GM at the time, wasn’t even at the stadium at all and I’m sure he answered questions about the baseball side of it, what they would do next etc. but he was literally having his first child while that happened. So I think coming into it with that lens is pretty unique. Plus, I think it has helped that all of the previous interviewees I had met before, sometimes even knew very well, so there’s a different level of trust there that they feel they can let their guard down a bit more.”
- You’ve had the opportunity to work with some legendary Yankees players on the show. Can you tell us about some of the most memorable moments or stories you’ve learned from them during filming?
“The show is deeply deeply researched and we have a wonderful team of researchers and writers who dig up everything they possibly can. But even with all that, sometimes we ask a question that we don’t know the answer to. We asked Tino Martinez about playing for team USA in the Baseball World Cup in Cuba. And we couldn’t find really any information on this, so we thought his answer would be pretty basic… he went on to tell probably the craziest baseball story I have ever heard. You can see my face in the episode, I look like a codfish, my jaw is on the floor. You’ll have to watch the episode to get the full story, but I’ll tell you it involves Fidel Castro.”
- Your grandfather was a pioneer in the cable TV industry, do you think his influence has played a role in your own career path, and if so, how?
“Yes and no. Unfortunately he passed away when I was about 10 so I didn’t really have any concept of how successful he was or really understanding of what his job was at that time. But what I do know is that every single person I have come in contact with who met him, talks about what a remarkably kind person he was. I’ve had strangers approach me and tell me these wonderful stories of how he helped them. I actually just heard one from someone while we were filming The Story of My Number and I didn’t even realize my grandfather had any involvement with YES. So I think it’s definitely impacted me to see someone who’s been gone from the physical world for 15 years but the ripple effects of his kindness and generosity are still here. That’s pretty amazing. As my mom’s father he obviously had a huge part in shaping who she is and who my aunts (who I’m very close to) are, I think he gave my dad a lot of advice and had a huge impact on how he conducts himself professionally, so I think I would say it mostly influences how I do business and conduct myself as a professional person and serves as a moral homing compass.”
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