Todd Newton learned the intricacies of being a game show host from the master, studying and talking to Bob Barker on the set of “The Price Is Right.”

And he’s carried on Barker’s legacy even longer than Drew Carey, who’s hosted the daytime game show since Barker retired in 2007. Newton has been involved with “The Price Is Right Live,” which comes to Powers Auditorium on Oct. 17, since its start in 2001.

In a phone interview last week, Newton talked about Barker, who died Aug. 26 at age 99, and the similarities and differences between the show audiences watch on television and the touring version.

The conversation has been edited for clarity and length.

TICKET: In the past you’ve described Bob Barker as your mentor. What impact did he have defining the role of the game show host in general and on your career specifically?

NEWTON: Obviously, for this tour, we’ve verbally and consciously dedicated it to Bob. This live show would not be in existence without Bob. He created this live version of “Price Is Right,” in his words, to take a little bit of Hollywood out to America for folks who didn’t have a chance to get to Hollywood because of families, careers and life in general. It was only supposed to be a couple of weeks on the West Coast and here we are two decades later. That speaks volumes to the impact he had.

To answer your question more specifically regarding my career, two men molded me as a game show host. Bob, of course, is one of them from the performance aspect. And the other, on the technical and production side, is Sandy Stewart, whose father, Bob Stewart, was one of the original creators of “Price Is Right.”

When I was a young man hosting a show on the Game Show Network, “Whammy! The All-New Press Your Luck,” it was produced by the same people who do “Price Is Right,” and they would get me into tapings two, three days a week so I could work with Bob and spend time with Bob.

What he taught me was not so much how to host a game show but how to get the most out of a contestant, how to make the most of the moment for the contestant. He often referred to it as hosting the game through the eyes of the contestant, much like you celebrate Christmas through the eyes of your child.

I have the good fortune to play Plinko or spin the big wheel every night, but for these contestants in Ohio, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, something they’ve been dreaming of, in some cases, for 30 or 40 years. Last night, we had a woman whose grandmother was on the original “Price Is Right” with Bill Cullen 50 or so years ago. She’s been thinking about that moment her entire life. It’s an honor to stand next to them and share that moment, and Bob is the one who taught me to savor that moment.

TICKET: How important was it to have that access and support at that point in your career?

NEWTON: I knew it was rare, that I was extremely fortunate. The older I get, the more I cherish it. It’s much easier as we get older to look back and appreciate the things we were able to experience. I look back and recall things here and there that really resonate with me.

One great example, I was at a taping where a woman went on stage with Bob to play Plinko. She won, and the crowd went absolutely crazy.

After the show, I was talking to Bob in his dressing room. He said, “I could have just said, ‘All right, we’re going to play Plinko with a chance to win $25,000. Let’s play.'” But he spent time getting to know her. And the more questions he asked, the more he found out.

She had just retired from the post office, been there 35 years. She had never taken a vacation. She saved every dime to buy Christmas gifts and birthday gifts for all of her grandchildren. She’d never done anything for herself. And the more he pulled out of her, the more the audience wanted her to win. That was an example of Bob making the game about her.

Whenever I get a contestant who is a little shy and intimidated by the lights or the audience, I just go down spend a little bit of time with them, and sooner or later something comes out, and now this person has 2,000 or 3,000 audience members rooting them on and that’s what makes “The Price Is Right” special.

TICKET: Another thing you have in common with Barker is an involvement with animal charities. Is that a coincidence or another way he influenced you?

NEWTON: He was a major influence on it. My wife at the time also was a big rescuer. Bob introduced me to several great animal rescues. With my kids we started our own pet rescue at the beginning of 2023 — LAF, which stands for Love, Animals, Family, the three pillars of a fulfilling life. The first animal we placed was a kitten, and it was such a rewarding feeling, knowing the kitten was safe and the family was one step closer to feeling complete.

TICKET: Did you grow up watching “The Price Is Right.”

NEWTON: I did. I grew up in St. Louis, and I really admired two men — Bob Barker during the day and Johnny Carson at night. When I was 12, 13 years old, I had no concept of what a host was, per se, but I did recognize the way Johnny Carson made my father laugh. There was a special kind of laugh that came from a Johnny Carson monologue, and I realized they were entertaining people being themselves or a slightly exaggerated version of themselves, and I wanted to do that.

I started my career in radio, as Bob and Johnny did, and I developed my hosting persona at E! Entertainment, which was a wonderful place that allowed you to fall on your face and do so with no repercussions. And I found my home with game shows.

TICKET: Game shows have a live audience, but the primary intent is to create something that will be viewed on television. How is doing “The Price Is Right Live!” different, when the sole focus is creating an entertaining live experience?

NEWTON: The wonderful thing about “Price Is Right,” whether it’s on TV or the live show, is that it’s six or seven games in one. It’s not your standard Q&A or trivia or “Deal or No Deal” type of thing. It could be Cliffhangers, Plinko, then the big wheel and the showcase.

The way we modify it for the live audience is we give more people in the audience a chance to come down to contestant row than the television show is able to do. There’s more potential for winning every few minutes, so now you’re on the edge of your seat waiting to hear if it’s your name that’s going to be called next.

We’re also not limited to 60 minutes, and there’s no commercial breaks. It’s a full night out, a 90-minute show, and it goes bam, bam, bam. We don’t give a chance to come up for air too much.

All of our contestants are chosen completely at random. Since we charge admission, everyone has to have an equal shot. It has to be a level playing field. Knowing you have just as much opportunity as the person in the front row, that gets you going. That keeps you engaged.

TICKET: What kind of prizes can audience members in Youngstown win?

NEWTON: A lot of us who are on the tour have been with the show a very long time. We all understand the franchise is and the brand we are representing. And to do that, you have to give the people what they want — cash and fabulous vacations, new cars and kitchen appliances. What would the “Price Is Right” be without the occasional kitchen appliance? Everything you’ve come to love from television you’ll see on our stage in Youngstown.

TICKET: If there are technical issues with the TV show, they can stop taping, fix the problem and restart. What kind of equipment failures or glitches have you had to deal with on the road and how did you handle it?

NEWTON: Things do happen. It’s a live show, so we roll with it.

The other night, there was a technical issue in one of the theaters. It was a house issue, not a stage issue, but we had to stall for 10, 15 minutes. I covered it by going out into the audience, talking to people, giving away some extra things. After 20-plus years, not a lot catches us off guard.

And I’m honest with people — “Oops, looks like we have to stop for a little bit.” People get it. “Price Is Right” has been a part of Americana for half a century now, and a certain degree of forgiveness and acceptance comes along with that.

TICKET: “The Price Is Right” is the most famous game show you’ve been involved with, but what do you think is the most underrated game show you’ve done?

NEWTON: I did a couple of shows that went straight to syndication that gave away a lot of money, which I really enjoy.

Right when “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” went on the air with Regis (Philbin), I was hosting a much smaller show called “Powerball Instant Millionaire.” We were on in maybe 25 cities across the country, and every week we were giving away a million dollars. We would often sit around thinking, “Over here is a show called ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?’ and they’re never giving away a million dollars, and we’re giving away a million bucks every single Saturday night.’ That show was great.

I hosted one with Billy Gardell called “Monopoly Millionaires Club” that was well produced and ran for two years, but it’s not at the forefront of the game show lover’s mind.

I love game shows and love being a part of them.

TICKET: Do you use your travels for “The Price Is Right Live” to film your Tattooed Traveler Dive Bar & Food Vlog?

NEWTON: Travel has always been a passion of mine. I travel internationally two, three times a year, and I’ve always documented my travels.

During the pandemic, I started a YouTube channel. If nothing else, I’d have the videos for posterity. During the writers’ strike, which thankfully just ended, a lot of producers were looking for unscripted programming that didn’t violate any of the strike issues but still got quality content on air. A producer friend of mine has a network that airs on Roku and Amazon Prime in 12 different countries, and he put it on. It’s a nice side hustle, as they say.

TICKET: So will you be exploring Youngstown while you’re here?

NEWTON: I plan on it. The crew of ours is putting in all the hustle and the sweat. I just show up for rehearsal and then spend the rest of the day exploring.

If you go …

WHAT: “The Price Is Right Live”

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 17

WHERE: Powers Auditorium, 260 W. Federal St., Youngstown

HOW MUCH: Tickets range from $27.90 to $51 and are available at the DeYor Performing Arts Center box office, online at experienceyourarts.org and by calling 330-259-9651.