Katie Lowes stopped by LIVE With Kelly & Ryan recently to discuss her Broadway debut alongside her husband Adam Shapiro—also making his Broadway debut—in the musical Waitress.

“We know a producer on the musical—Michael Roiff—and [composer] Sara Bareilles has been a longtime friend. And about two weeks ago, she sent us a text like, ‘How would you feel about debuting as Dawn and Ogie together?’” Lowes told Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest. “We didn’t respond for a while because we were horrified and scared. We auditioned a bunch of times and got the parts. And now we sing to each other and he is amazing.”

As of July 17, the pair now play onstage love interests: diner waitress Dawn and the man she meets online, Ogie. The pair had ten days to learn the show (customary for replacements). “The Broadway actors and musicians I'm working with—of course they can do it in ten days,” said Lowes of the quick timeline. “I’m having a panic attack today. I have a show tonight! I'm scared!”

Best known for her portrayal of Quinn on the ABC series Scandal, Lowes (and Shapiro) are big musical theatre fans and thrilled to join the theatre community. In fact, the two are co-founders of Los Angeles’ IAMA Theater Company, of which producer Shonda Rhimes became the inaugural Parton of the Arts.

READ: BEFORE SHE WAS A SCANDAL STAR KATIE LOWES SAVED HER ACTING CAREER BY FOUNDING IAMA

Watch the full video above.