A Musical Theatre Podcast

Today we're ushering in Black History Month with an episode dedicated to FINIAN'S RAINBOW, a 1947 musical with a pitch perfect score ("Old Devil Moon," anyone?), zany satirical book, and surprisingly groundbreaking history. Broadway cast alum from the 2009 revival Joe Aaron Reid (CHICAGO, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, IF/THEN) joins us for a magically delicious conversation you won't want to miss. Follow Joe on Instagram and Threads to catch his latest projects and see his cute kids. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to check out our HEATHERS episode that includes a great discussion on musical satire and our SHUFFLE ALONG episode celebrating one of the most important musicals in black theatre history. Be sure to follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and X for more great content. As a PATREON! subscriber this month, you can take another trip with us to "The Flop Shop" for only $1 and vote for what musical we'll cover on the regular feed in March! Don't forget about our TeePublic Store where we give our profits to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Above all, thank you for being part of this wonderful podcasting community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a tale as old as "dressing like merchandise from Bed Bath & Beyond." This week we're looking at the blockbuster musical BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, a show that changed Broadway (to steal a line from another musical megahit with a strong female protagonist) "for good." Original cast member Kim Huber (SUNSET BOULEVARD, MARIE CHRISTINE) joins us to provide context, insight, and hilarious anecdotes to a show that rightfully deserves all three. Tune in and feel "human again." Looking to send Kim a message? You can always find her on Facebook. If you liked this episode, you'll definitely enjoy our episode on THE LITTLE MERMAID featuring original cast member Chelsea Morgan Stock. The best way to support "A Musical Theatre Podcast" is to give us a nice rating and review! For more great content, follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and X. Bonus episodes are released every month on PATREON! for only $1. You can also go shopping at our TeePublic Store, the profits from which we donate to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. More than anything, thank you for being part of this wonderful podcasting community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's our last episode of 2023, just in time for Christmas, just like the new film version of the stage musical THE COLOR PURPLE. It's a piece that has only deepened in our cultural psyche since it premiered on Broadway in 2005, but for those who experienced "the purple effect" from the beginning, this has always been a monumental work. Actress, teacher, and motivational speaker Angela Robinson (PLAY ON!, WONDERFUL TOWN, "The Haves and Have Nots") was one of those artists. Enjoy as she brings the healing of this incredible story to all of our hearts. What a gift! Follow Angela on all of her socials to see more inspirational and creative content: Instagram Facebook TikTok YouTube Looking to give "A Musical Theatre Podcast" something for the holidays? Consider leaving us a nice review and rating wherever you listen. You can also subscribe to PATREON! for only $1 to receive a bonus "mystery episode" this month. Don't forget us on Instagram, TikTok, and X. We also have our TeePublic Store, our profits of which we donate to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. More than anything, know how grateful we are to have you in this wonderful podcasting community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

And now for this year's, "Musical You Didn't Know is Actually a Christmas Musical..." THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD. This 1985 crowd pleaser is maybe the first (if not only) Broadway musical who's ending depended completely on the audience (and we're not just talking about the length of the curtain call). Put on your detective caps and join author and podcaster Eila Mell (Designing Broadway, The Tony Awards) as we discuss the history of the show, comb through the evidence of the plot, and vote for who we think "did it." Follow Eila on Instagram @eilamell and visit Amazon to buy Designing Broadway and preorder The Tony Awards. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and X. For only $1 a month, you can subscribe to PATREON! (where you'll receive a holiday gift next week!). And don't forget about our TeePublic Store for the holidays. The profits we receive are donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. More than anything, thank you for being part of this wonderful podcasting community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If two's company and three's a crowd, then what's four? A party? Well then that's what we've got this week, and the party's theme is the musical NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812. Kyle, Jeremy, and Dana from the musical mockumentary series "Act of Faith" join us to prove just how much they love this unique, electropop opera from 2016. And whether you're already in with or late to Tolstoy (cue Jeff), you'll feel right at home. Who's bringing the pierogies? Give some love to "Act of Faith" by watching their show and following them on socials. Visit actoffaithshow.com to find out how! Remember the best way to support our show is to give us a nice rating and review! Don't forget to check out more great content on our Instagram, TikTok, and X accounts. Subscribe to PATREON! for only $1 a month to receive bonus episodes including great conversations that didn't make it into this week's episode. We also have new designs in our TeePublic Store, the profits from which we donate to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. More than anything, thank you for being part of this wonderful podcasting community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Coming in at a healthy 1 hour and 40 minutes, this match, I mean episode, on DEAR EVAN HANSEN explores it all. In one corner, a podcast host fighting for empathy. In another, a podcast host fighting for justice. Who will win?! We couldn't have asked for a better guest this week than talented performer and host of The Roundtable on the Broadway Podcast Network, Robert Bannon. Robert brings humor, heart, and curiosity to this conversation (and musical) filled with subjects that otherwise might feel scary or unapproachable. Pop in the ear buds and enjoy. All you'll see is sky. Follow Robert on his... socials: Instagram and TikTok. For links to his latest album "Rewind," visit his website robertbannon.com. Don't forget to give us a wave through your window on Instagram, X, and TikTok. We also have PATREON! where for only $1 a month you can receive bonus episodes. And find brand new designs on our TeePublic Store, the profits of which we receive are donate to Broadway Cares/Equity Fight AIDS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Time to celebrate (and modulate) this year's spooky season with an episode on the gothic pop musical sensation JEKYLL & HYDE. Not only is this listener request's road to Broadway an epic journey, so is our guest's relationship to it. Rebecca Spencer originated the role of Lisa (Emma) Carew in the world premiere of JEKYLL & HYDE in 1990 only then to find herself coming full circle with the show on Broadway in 1997. Becky grew up both literally and figuratively with this musical and possesses one of the most infectious laughs in the business, so this week you're in store for much more treat than trick! Explore Becky's extensive photo gallery, listen to her albums, and so much more by visiting her website www.rebeccaspencer.com And check out the promo for her upcoming November concert celebrating the lyrics of Alan and Marilyn Bergman. Remember the best way to support "A Musical Theatre Podcast" is by giving us a nice review and rating wherever you're listening! Be sure to check us out on Instagram, TikTok, and X for more great Becky stories we couldn't fit into our regular episode. You can also subscribe to PATREON! where for only $1 a month you'll receive bonus episodes made exclusively for you. Don't forget about our TeePublic Store where profits we receive will be donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Most of all, thank you for being part of this beautiful podcasting community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

PIPPIN. It's a musical with a lot to discuss which is probably why so many of you have requested it! This week, we welcome two wonderful guests with "magic to do" that will help make it happen. Podcaster and author Chris Adams (Out for Blood) joins us from the UK to talk about the hills & valleys and eagles & rivers that went into making a musical as fascinating as it is entertaining. Then, Tony-winner John Rubinstein (Children of a Lesser God, Ragtime, and the original "Pippin" himself) brings context (and first hand accounts) to the original production, including what it was like to be in a rehearsal room with Bob Fosse. Spoiler alert: he never yelled. Order Chris' new book Out for Blood: A Cultural History of Carrie the Musical. Follow the podcast on Instagram at @outforbloodpodcast or listen to it from the beginning on Broadway Podcast Network. See John in his latest play Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground, playing Off-Broadway in New York during the month of October. Visit eisenhowertheplay.com for more information. Be sure to follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and X for more great content. If you'd like to support the show, the best way to do so is by giving us a nice rating and review wherever you listen! You can also subscribe to PATREON! where for only $1 a month you'll receive bonus episodes made exclusively for you. Don't forget about our TeePublic Store where profits we receive will be donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. More than anything, know how grateful we are you're part of this podcasting community and remember you can "pull a Catherine" whenever you like! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A great musical will often grow and change as its audience does, and as the people of Maui continue the long road of processing the recent devastation left by deadly wildfires, we realized it was time to relook at the musical COME FROM AWAY. In this newly edited reissue from 2020, Jeff not only speaks with original Broadway cast member Geno Carr about the magic of creating COME FROM AWAY, he also welcomes actress, director, and born & raised Maui girl Hōkū Pavao for an updated conversation exploring the similarities between the selfless responses on the islands of Newfoundland and Maui. Hear first hand about the spirit of Aloha and how it has ruled this recent Maui tragedy with a whisper. For a deeper look into the complexities of Hawai'i and its relationship to the western musical theatre art form, make sure you're subscribed to PATREON! to receive our latest bonus episode also featuring Hōkū. Looking for ways to help the island of Maui? Here is the list of vetted Go Fund Me and Venmo accounts of Lahaina survivors: Help Maui Rise Kāko'o Maui Fund- from the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, this fund supports local organizations doing everything from providing legal advice to securing internet for the west side of Maui. Hawai'i Community Foundation- the Maui Strong Fund works in close collaboration with state and county leaders, nonprofit organizations, and community members. A Few Local Businesses Jeff loves that could use your support- Maui Ku'ia Estate Chocolate, Ululani's Shave Ice, Leoda's Pie Shop We'll definitely be posting more throughout the week, so don't forget to follow "A Musical Theatre Podcast" on Instagram, X, and TikTok. Mahalo for being part of this wonderful podcasting 'ohana! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

IMPORTANT: In the wake of the Maui fires this past month, thank you for your patience as Jeff prioritized his schedule. We hope you enjoy this new episode of "A Musical Theatre Podcast." In the year 1966, many iconic characters arrived on Broadway, among them: Mame Dennis, Don Quixote, and the focus of today's episode, Charity Hope Valentine. Her musical SWEET CHARITY allowed both Bob Fosse to continue his journey as a daring theatre artist as well as countless women to shine in the title role. One of them joins us this week. Dylis Croman (Broadway's CHICAGO, DANCIN', FOSSE) is a true triple threat who learned the Fosse style at the hand of the great Ann Reinking. Tune in as Dylis shares thoughts on her time with the 2000s revival of SWEET CHARITY and tells one of the greatest stories we've ever heard on the podcast. Follow Dylis on Instagram at @dycro33 and look for her as Roxie Hart in CHICAGO this Labor Day Weekend at the Ambassador Theater on Broadway. Want to support "A Musical Theatre Podcast?" Give us a nice rating and review wherever you might be listening! You can also follow us on Instagram, X, and TikTok for more great content. For only $1 a month, you can subscribe to PATREON! to receive bonus episodes (and a new theme song). Don't forget about our TeePublic Store where the profits our designs bring us go to Broadway Cares: Equity Fights AIDS. More than anything, thank you for being part of this wonderful podcasting community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2017, the original cast album of BE MORE CHILL was one of the most streamed cast recordings of the year, and it had yet to premiere on Broadway. In fact, it hadn't been performed since its world premiere in New Jersey two years earlier! The epic story of how this modern Faustian musical became a fan favorite is one for the ages, and this week, we have its composer to tell us the tale. Tony-nominated for writing the music and lyrics of BE MORE CHILL, Joe Iconis joins us to review his hit musical that teaches how to make peace with the "voices in our head." Don't miss Joe's new musical THE UNTITLED UNAUTHORIZED HUNTER S. THOMPSON MUSICAL playing this summer at LaJolla Playhouse. For tickets, visit https://lajollaplayhouse.org/show/hunter-s-thompson-musical/ You can also follow Joe on Instagram and TikTok to learn about his latest shows and performances. Remember the best way to help "A Musical Theatre Podcast" is to leave a nice review and rating wherever you might be listening. For more content, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. You can also subscribe to PATREON! for bonus episodes made exclusively for you! Be sure to submit your designs for our TeePublic Store! We'll be picking a new design this summer, and all profits we receive from orders will be donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. More than anything, thank you for being part of this wonderful podcasting community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chances are if you're alive in 2023, you've been to Urinetown... the place not the musical. That's because despite being a hit back in 2001, the near apocalyptic state that URINETOWN: THE MUSICAL hilariously captures is somehow more relatable than ever: greedy corporate CEO's, environmental disasters, progressives with grand platitudes... sound familiar? This week professor, director, and choreographer Kikau Alvaro is our guest to explore this brilliantly unique piece of musical theatre that inspires us to create art (no matter how weird it may seem) and laugh our way into having tough conversations. Follow Kikau on Instagram and Twitter where you'll find info on his podcast "Carefully Taught." You can also see what he's up to at University of the Arts by visiting https://www.uarts.edu/kikau-alvaro Want to support "A Musical Theatre Podcast?" Be sure to leave us a nice rating and review! You can also follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok for more great content. For only $1 a month you can receive bonus episodes on PATREON! And don't forget about our TeePublic Store where the profits we receive are donated to Broadway Cares: Equity Fights AIDS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

PASSION has maybe the most complex approach to exploring love in all of Musical Theatre, so of course the legends Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine were behind it. Here this week to discuss these collaborators and their evocative "passion project" is Ben Rimalower, whose latest project is a podcast spotlighting another of their collaborations, INTO THE WOODS. Warning: this episode requires you to access "the feels," so let that unibrow go and pop in those earbuds, cuz we're going full Fosca! Check out Ben on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok, and listen to his podcast "Giants in the Sky: How Sondheim and Lapine went Into the Woods" on the Broadway Podcast Network. Remember the best way to support "A Musical Theatre Podcast" is to give a nice rating or review wherever you listen! You can also subscribe to PATREON! for only $1 a month (we have a brand new episode for subscribers next week!), and don't forget to follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok for more great content. We also have our TeePublic Store, the profits of which are donated to Broadway Cares: Equity Fights AIDS. Above all, thank you for being part of this wonderful podcasting community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

CARNIVAL! is a 1961 musical that is simultaneously beautiful, hopeful, sad, and a great exercise for us in 2023. Set those literal minds on standby as Tony-winner Debbie Gravitte (JEROME ROBBINS' BROADWAY, ZORBA, CHICAGO) joins us to remember this special piece from our musical theatre history and the 2002 Encores! production in which she starred with Brian Stokes Mitchell and, fresh off "The Princess Diaries," future Oscar-winner Anne Hathaway. Apologies in advance if you can't get "Love Makes the World Go Round" out of your head. Learn more about Debbie and her production company by visiting debbiegravitte.com Thank you so much for tuning in! Be sure to leave us a nice review and rating wherever you're listening! You can also follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok for more great content. For only $1 a month, subscribe to PATREON! to receive bonus episodes including our recent Tony Awards specials. Finally, don't forget about our TeePublic Store where the profits we receive are donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. We're so happy you're part of this great podcasting community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A brand new episode mid week?? What is happening? Short answer: The Tony Awards. This Sunday we celebrate the most recent Broadway season by honoring the best of the best, and it just so happens our guest this week is one of the nominees! Taylor J. Williams has helped create more Broadway musicals than most of us have seen in person, and he also happens to be a life long "Renthead." Who better, then, to discuss the journey of being a musical theatre artist as told through the singular voice of Jonathan Larson? Buckle up, "come to your senses," and enjoy this conversation that covers everything from Subway sandwiches to Lin Manuel Miranda's grammar obsession. Remember to send some good thoughts to Taylor this week, especially concerning "Best Sound Design of a Play!" You can find out more about him at taylorjwilliams.com. You can also find him on Instagram @taylorjwmusic. Be sure to follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok for more great content. We also have bonus episodes waiting for you at PATREON! for only $1 a month. Don't forget about our TeePublic Store, the profits from which we donate to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. And if you want to be one of Jeff's favorite listeners, leave us a nice rating and review wherever you're listening. Above all, thank you for being part of this wonderful podcasting community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The musical WAITRESS emerged from the 2016 Broadway season (supposedly dominated by HAMILTON) as something similar to its protagonist's famous pies: a hit on the outside thanks to secret ingredients on the inside. One of those ingredients happens to be this week's guest, Tony-winning actress Jessie Mueller (BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL, CAROUSEL, ON A CLEAR DAY...) Listen as Jessie revisits one of her most iconic stage roles and discusses the power of baking, human stories, and, of course, Sara Bareilles. For more information about the musical "My Heart Says Go" and its brand new studio album featuring Jessie, please visit https://hawkinsandjay.wixsite.com/myheartsaysgo or @myheartsaysgomusical on Instagram. Remember the best way to support the show is to give us a nice review and rating wherever you're tuning in! You can also follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok for more great content or subscribe to PATREON! for only $1 a month to receive exclusive bonus episodes. Don't forget about our TeePublic Store, where all profits we receive are donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Most of all, thank you for being a part of this wonderful podcasting community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today "A Musical Theatre Podcast" welcomes its first orchestrator! John Clancy (SHREK THE MUSICAL, MEAN GIRLS, THE PROM) has been a long time collaborator with composer Jeanine Tesori and was just nominated for a Tony Award for his work on their new musical KIMBERLY AKIMBO. It isn't often that we get to cover musicals from our current theatre history on the show, so don't miss this special conversation about a very special musical. Guaranteed you'll want to pause the episode to go listen to the cast recording. Get tickets to see KIMBERLY AKIMBO playing on Broadway right now! kimberlyakimbothemusical.com Want to support the pod? Leave us a nice rating and review! You can also follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. For only $1 a month, you can subscribe to PATREON! to receive bonus episodes. We also have a TeePublic Store where the profits we receive will be donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. More than anything thank you for being a part of this wonderful podcasting community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1974, a teenage Robert Viagas (future founding editor of Playbill.com) entered a Broadway theatre and watched the brand new musical from the legendary team of HELLO, DOLLY! Twenty five years later, a teenage Jeffrey Scott Parsons listened to that musical's original cast recording and couldn't figure out why MACK & MABEL was a flop. In this week's episode, Robert and Jeff discuss the enigma that will always be MACK & MABEL including its incredible score, fascinating real life inspiration, and the unsung heroes of musicals that work. Read up on Robert's lectures and more on his website, and don't forget to order his newest book, Good Morning, Olive: Haunted Theatres of Broadway and Beyond. If you're a fan of "A Musical Theatre Podcast," give us a nice review and rating! You can also follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. Don't forget about PATREON! where you can gain access to bonus episodes for only $1 a month, and drop by our TeePublic Store where all the profits we earn are donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Above all, thank you for being part of this great podcasting community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mel Brooks' valentine to musical theatre THE PRODUCERS broke all kinds of Broadway records offstage in 2001, while onstage its zany characters wrote the book on how one should not behave in professional theatre. This week we sit down with longtime "Max Bialystock" Michael Kostroff and his writing partner Julie Garnyè to discuss comedy, goose step chorus lines, and their new book "The Stage Actors' Handbook" (ie- how one should behave in professional theatre). Together everyone laughs (a lot) and discusses whether this 12-time Tony-winning musical will stand the test of time. What do you think? Find out how you can order your copy of "The Stage Actors Handbook" now at https://www.thestageactorshandbook.com/. You can also learn more about Michael at his website https://www.michaelkostroff.com/ and Julie at her website https://www.juliegarnye.com Remember the best way to help the show is by leaving us a nice review and rating! You can also follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok to share us with your friends. If you're thirsty for more, you can subscribe to PATREON! for only $1 a month and gain access to bonus episodes. And don't forget our TeePublic Store, our profits of which are donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Most of all, thank you so much for being a part of this great podcasting community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MAN OF LA MANCHA may be almost 60 years old, but get ready to hear it in a whole new light. New York's Broadway Bimbo Kiki Ball-Change joins us to discuss the "drag" of Don Quixote, and what the hope of "The Impossible Dream" can symbolize for each new generation, including the current queer one. This is a funny and profound conversation about a musical that can stand the test of time. Follow the amazing Kiki Ball-Change on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok and be sure to visit her live whenever possible! Remember the best way to support the podcast is to rate it and leave us a nice review! For more great content you can follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. We also have PATREON! where for only $1 a month you get exclusive bonus episodes. And if you want to wear your podcast love, visit our TeePublic Store, our profits of which go to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To quote listener Casey in her request for us to cover SHREK THE MUSICAL, "This show has absolutely no right being as good as it is." And she's right. Even with two Pulitzer Prize winning writers behind it, you might be shocked to find how deep the psychology of "the first musical with a fart song" actually goes. This week fellow podcaster Martín Acuña joins us from Bogotá, Colombia to discuss fairy tales, animation, and what happened when they all came to Broadway in the form of a big, green ogre. Listen to Martín's podcast Backstage Talk wherever you listen to podcasts and follow him on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. The best way to support "A Musical Theatre Podcast" is by giving us a nice rating and review! Also be sure to follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter for more great content. If you're thirsty for more, we've got bonus episodes each month on PATREON! for only $1 a month. And don't forget about our TeePublic Store. The profits we receive from purchases there are donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Most of all, thank you for being part of this wonderful podcasting community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do a Jeffrey Scott Parsons, Caseen Gaines, and Audra McDonald all make it to adulthood without knowing SHUFFLE ALONG? This isn't the beginning of a comedic bit by Miller & Lyles; it's the beginning of a wonderful conversation about a game changing musical too few people know about. Author of the new book "When Broadway Was Black" Caseen Gaines joins us this week on a trip back to 1921 and a musical theatre landscape rich in history and, possibly, modern cultural prophecies. This episode is guaranteed to build new bridges between our musical theatre past and future. Order Caseen's book "When Broadway Was Black" at whenbroadwaywasblack.com and follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok (where he's killing it!) Don't forget to follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. If you want to be awesome, subscribe to PATREON! for only $1 a month and don't forget about our TeePublic Store, the profits of which go to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Most of all, thank you for being part of the wonderful podcasting community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephen Sondheim's COMPANY is often defined as the first "concept musical" in theatre history, but this week we explore how universal this legendary musical is. Here to help us are Nikki Renee Daniels ("Jenny" from the recent Tony-winning Broadway revival, and the first Black woman to play "Bobbie"), and Teri Ralston ("Jenny" from the original Tony-winning Broadway production). While their experiences (and productions) may have been separated by 50 years, the intention to use this musical as a way to understand both relationships and what it takes to "be alive" remains unchanged. Find out more about Nikki Renee Daniels at her website nikkireneedaniels.com and enjoy the amazing vocals she shares on her Instagram, Twitter and TikTok accounts. Teri Ralston lives in Southern California and performs regularly. Be on the look out for any opportunity to catch her live! Be sure to share "A Musical Theatre Podcast" with your friends and family! Connect with us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. Don't forget to subscribe to PATREON! for only $1 a month to support the show and receive bonus episodes. We also have our TeePublic Store filled with designs that support Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. More than anything, thank you for being part of this wonderful podcasting community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There would be no OKLAHOMA! without SHOW BOAT. Hard stop. So why does the former get the glory of marking the beginning of modern musical theatre? Today, historian and author Thomas S. Hischak joins us to discuss the singular splash of the 1927 epic musical SHOW BOAT, and how its creators set out to make a truly American musical. Whether or not you know all the lyrics to "Ol' Man River" by heart, you'll want to after listening to this episode. To learn more about Tom, including his award-winning books and plays, visit https://www.thomashischak.com/ Remember for this month only, you get a free year of PATREON! if you write us a nice review and send a photo of it to [email protected]! Don't forget to follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. We also have our TeePublic Store with lots of fun designs, the profits of which we donate to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Most of all, thank you so much for being part of this podcasting community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you've ever listened to "A Musical Theatre Podcast," you already know a little bit about THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK. Find out how by tuning into our first episode of 2023 featuring one of the original "West End Witches," Lucie Arnaz (Broadway's THEY'RE PLAYING OUR SONG, DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS, PIPPIN). Lucie gives us a generous look inside the creation of this sexy, magic-filled show and shares how she found musical theatre while growing up with television legend parents, Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball. Packed with funny stories and fascinating insights, this is definitely an episode you've been "wishing" for. Follow Lucie and see her upcoming tour dates by visiting luciearnaz.com New for January 2023, leave us a nice review and get a free year of PATREON! full of bonus episodes. Simply post the review, take a screenshot, and email it to [email protected]. Also be sure to follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. Don't forget about our TeePublic Store, the profits of which are donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Most of all, thank you for being part of this wonderful podcasting community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the name of "Merry Christmas" and the holiday season, welcome to Israel! In 1961, MILK AND HONEY premiered on Broadway and brought with it the first major musical theatre representation of Jewish life as well as an introduction to a little, off-Broadway composer named Jerry Herman. Musical theatre creator, educator, and podcast host David Armstrong joins us to discuss this lesser known show with a giant sized cultural footprint. Enjoy your holidays everyone, and thank you for a beautiful 2022. Shalom! Follow David and his podcast Broadway Nation on Instagram at @davidatbroadwaynation and listen to it on the Broadway Podcast Network. Be sure to share, review and subscribe to "A Musical Theatre Podcast!" You can follow us on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. For only $1 a month, you can subscribe to PATREON! to support the regular show and receive monthly bonus episodes. Don't forget about our TeePublic Store, the profits of which are donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Most of all, thank you for being a part of this beautiful podcasting community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

THE SECRET GARDEN is a timeless story with a lot of layers, just like our two guests who were gracious enough to discuss it with us this week. Tony-winning Daisy Eagan ("Mary Lennox," herself) and John Cameron Mitchell (do you think of him as "Hedwig" first, or Dickon?) enjoy a mini reunion in this episode that has a bit of everything, including "earth." Come to the garden, and stay for the "T!" Daisy's podcast Strange and Unexplained with Daisy Eagan is available wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also follow her on Instagram @daisyeagan or learn more about her career at daisyeagan.com Follow John on Instagram @johncameronmitchell to witness all the creativity, including the recent benefit of REM music for Planned Parenthood that he mentions in the episode. Be sure to share "A Musical Theatre Podcast" with your friends and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. We have PATREON! that brings you bonus content for only $1 a month. Don't forget about our TeePublic Store that benefits Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Above all, thank you for being part of this podcasting community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While it may have flopped on Broadway, DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES was a winner in Europe and our recent poll on PATREON! So if you're thinking you're too sophisticated for this episode, get ready to realize all the fun you've been missing while you've been rolling your eyes. Talented performer and podcast host Jake Saenz (Fear the Talking Queers) joins us this week for an irreverent discussion on the joys of treasure in trash, learning from mistakes, and singing goth pop at the top of your lungs. Learn more about Jake's podcast by checking out their Instagram @fearthetalkingqueers. While you're at it, give Jake a follow at @hellajaked. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. For only $1 a month, you can subscribe to PATREON! to support the regular show and receive bonus content. We also have a TeePublic Store where all our proceeds will be donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. More than anything, thank you for being part of this podcasting community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS ran for only two months on Broadway at the end of 2010, but in that short time it managed to spark controversy that not only brought protestors outside the theatre, but 12 Tony nominations the following Spring. Luckily our special guest this week is able to provide us with some context. Original off-Broadway and Broadway cast member Josh Breckenridge (COME FROM AWAY, THE BOOK OF MORMON) joins us to jump into some very difficult conversations with one intention in mind: to help us understand "the boys." Follow Josh on Instagram @j.breckenridge.music and visit his website at j-breckenridge.com. He can currently be heard on the new BPN comedy ROLLING CALLS. Be sure to share "A Musical Theatre Podcast" with your friends by leaving us a nice review or following us on Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok. You can also subscribe to PATREON! for only $1 a month and receive bonus content each month. Don't forget about our TeePublic Store that benefits Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Most of all, thank you for being part of this wonderful podcasting community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No need for cute introductory copy here. This week we are simply honored that Tony Award winning composing team Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens (RAGTIME, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, ANASTASIA) stopped by to discuss their beautiful musical A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE. Don't miss this fun and poignant conversation about the power of theatre, community, and Terrence McNally's Bloomingdale visits. Also, feel free to weigh in on whether you pronounce it "Salomay" or "Salohmee." ;) Classic Stage Company's current revival of A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE directed by John Doyle runs through December 18th. (Run! Don't walk!) Tickets and more information are available at classicstage.org Be sure to share "A Musical Theatre Podcast" with your friends and, while you're at it, leave us a nice review and rating! For more great content follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. We also have a TeePublic store where we donate all our profits to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Don't forget about PATREON! where for only $1 you support the regular show and receive bonus content including an upcoming Halloween special! Most of all, thank you for being part of this podcasting community. Thank you, Ralph. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The only thing more challenging than securing a big hit on Broadway is figuring out how to follow it up with another big hit. For the team of the juggernaut musical HAIRSPRAY, that follow up was a musical adaptation of Stephen Spielberg's hit film CATCH ME IF YOU CAN. And while this story of America's famed juvenile conman may not have been the resounding success they'd hoped for, there is still plenty to sing about. This week we welcome original Broadway cast member Jay Armstrong Johnson (HAIR, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA) to stroll down memory lane and explore the soul of Frank Abagnale Jr, the glory of an amazing female ensemble, and... maypoles?? Special thanks to our listeners for requesting this title! Follow Jay on Instagram @jay_a_johnson to learn about his latest projects and, just in time for Halloween, get your tickets to his annual I Put a Spell on You (benefitting BC/EFA) which will be live this year at Sony Hall! Be sure to share "A Musical Theatre Podcast" with your friends by following us on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok! For only $1 a month, you can subscribe to PATREON! to support the show and receive bonus episodes. And don't forget about our TeePublic store, the profits from which are donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. As always, thank you for being part of this podcast community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Never has a child changed the world so much by asking for seconds. The musical OLIVER! is somewhat of an outlier in 1960s musical theatre that's as dark as it is joyful and filled to the brim with wonderful characters. Here to discuss it this week is another wonderful character: historical chef, author and YouTube sensation Max Miller! Max dives into his love of musicals as he and Jeff discuss Charles Dickens, gruel, and how one could sing the catchiest tunes amidst the most impoverished conditions. Watch new episodes of Tasting History with Max Miller every Tuesday on YouTube. Here's his episode on little Oliver's favorite dish: What is Gruel? You can also follow Max on Instagram @tastinghistorywithmaxmiller Also, be sure to share "A Musical Theatre Podcast" with your friends and family and leave us a nice review! You can follow us on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. We also have PATREON! where for only $1 a month you get bonus content that we don't cover on the regular show. Check out our TeePublic Store where all of the profits we receive are donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fight AIDS. Most of all, thank you for being part of this wonderful podcasting community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How on earth do you name a brand new musical SOMETHING ROTTEN, open it cold on Broadway and somehow still have a hit? Short answer: magic. Long answer: listen to this week's episode with original Tony-nominated Nostradamus, Brad Oscar! Brad dusts off his soothsayer powers to tell us everything about this show that loves musicals as much as it "hates" Shakespeare. Follow Brad on Instagram @bradoscar64 and don't miss him this week at 54 Below in Charles Kirsch's Backstage Babble LIVE on September 6th! Be sure to rate, review and share "A Musical Theatre Podcast" with your friends! Connect with us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. You can subscribe to PATREON! for only $1 and receive exclusive content. We also have a TeePublic store where 100% of the profits we receive will be donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Above all, thank you for being part of this wonderful podcasting community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here's a little something to help you through the end of your week! Jeff brings you a mini episode spotlighting the latest offering on PATREON! in which author Adam Abraham drops by to talk about the release of his new book exploring the Cultural History of the musical Little Shop of Horrors. "Attack of the Monster Musical" is a must read, and this conversation is a must listen. Listen to the full episode and all other exclusive offerings on PATREON! for only $1 a month by subscribing to patreon.com/amusicalpodcast Follow Adam on Instagram at @abraham.author to see the amazing photos and art work that didn't make it into the book. Order "Attack of the Monster Musical" at https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/attack-of-the-monster-musical-9781350179325/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Well, it didn't take 100 years, but today is finally the day BRIGADOON comes to life on the podcast! Here to discuss the magical beauty of this 1947 musical is a Tony nominee from the 1980 revival, actor and educator Meg Bussert (BRIGADOON, CAMELOT, DAMN YANKEES). Tune in to hear Meg's first hand accounts of working alongside true musical theatre legends (including Alan Jay Lerner and Agnes de Mille), and learn what a legend like this story can teach us about the time in which it was written. One thing's for certain, if the last time you listened to BRIGADOON was in high school, you're missing out. Catch Meg Bussert as part of the all star lineup at Charles Kirsch's Backstage Babble LIVE Learn more about her wonderful career at megbussert.com Share "A Musical Theatre Podcast" with your friends! We're on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. Subscribe to PATREON! for only $1 a month and receive bonus content as a thank you. Check out our TeePublic Store where the profits we receive will be donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Finally, don't forget how grateful we are to be in this podcasting community with YOU! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

RAISIN was named the Best Musical of 1974. Have you seen it? Can you sing a song from it? Here to argue why our answers to both of these questions should be "yes" is director, puppeteer, historian, and archivist Jerrell L Henderson. Tune in to hear how this musical adaptation of A RAISIN IN THE SUN is filled with integrity, history, and legendary star power. It's the next best thing to experiencing it live! Take advantage of Jerrell's incredible work by following either his professional Instagram account @directnu15 or his vinyl record account @black_theatre_vinyl_archive Be sure to like and review "A Musical Theatre Podcast" and share it with your friends. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. We're also on TikTok and have a TeePublic Store where profits go to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Don't forget about PATREON! For only $1 a month, you support the show and receive bonus episodes. Above all, thank you for being part of this wonderful podcast community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It might be the oldest title we cover on "A Musical Theatre Podcast" thanks to some well written listener requests! THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE found incredible success on Broadway over a century after it premiered there in 1879. Here to discuss composing team Gilbert & Sullivan and how PIRATES and their other iconic works changed everything is teacher and performer Gina Morgano. Join Jeff and Gina for this copyright free episode, and "boy oh boy" do they hope you break into song. Learn more about Gina by visiting her website www.ginamorgano.com and follow her on Instagram @ginamorgano Be sure to rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Connect with us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. You can subscribe to PATREON! for only $1 a month to receive bonus content as a special thank you. Visit our TeePublic store, and any profits we receive will be donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's been a rough month, so we're taking a Christmas in July vacation this week to discuss one of the very few holiday musicals to be nominated for Best Musical at the Tony Awards: A CHRISTMAS STORY. Joining us for a conversation about this wild and nostalgic look at the Christmas season is a guest who was with this show from version 1.0 to Broadway to the Live TV special and everything in between. It's Grammy-nominated musical director, Ian Eisendrath! Together Jeff and Ian talk presents, winter chaos, and the joy of making kids' dreams come true. Here's hoping we all take a moment this week to make some cookies with someone we love. Follow Ian on Instagram at @ianeisendrathmusic and check out his website at www.ianeisendrath.com Be sure to share "A Musical Theatre Podcast" with your friends! You can follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok for more great content. For only $1 a month, you can subscribe to PATREON! and not only support the show but receive bonus episodes. We have a TeePublic Store with many designs, and the profits we receive from them will be donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Thank you so much for being part of our podcasting community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Pride month, and we're celebrating with the drag mother of musicals: LA CAGE AUX FOLLES. Joining us to explore this traditional yet groundbreaking milestone is original Broadway cast member David Engel (FOREVER PLAID, SEUSSICAL, PUTTING IT TOGETHER). Please enjoy all the charming first hand accounts you could ever wish for plus a crash course in French and a beautiful reminder that 1983 was both the best of times and not. Guaranteed you'll be ready to "face life with a little guts and lots of glitter." David can currently be seen in THE CHER SHOW at the Ogunquit Playhouse www.ogunquitplayhouse.org Be sure to rate, review and share "A Musical Theatre Podcast" with your friends! Connect with us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. You can subscribe to PATREON! for only $1 a month to support the show and receive bonus content. Don't forget to check out our new designs in our TeePublic Store. As always, thank you for being part of this beautiful podcasting family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recently we chose five musicals from our listener request list that had all won the "Best Musical Tony Award" and allowed our social media followers to vote on which we should cover to celebrate next week's 2022 Tony Ceremony. The winner? Kander & Ebb's "darksical" KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN. Not only was this musical groundbreaking when it opened on Broadway in 1993, but it also has one of the most unique journeys to the Best Musical trophy in Tony history! Joining us to discuss this complex show is original cast member and "Molina expert" Joshua Finkel. We also get a visit from the very talented Richard Bermudez, Jeff's costar in one (yes one) of the productions he's done of this rarely produced show. Maybe you won't get to see this musical any time soon (unless it's with Lada Gaga... prayer hands), but in this episode you will certainly feel the power of the web it can weave. To learn more about Joshua Finkel and the many facets of his career, visit www.joshuafinkel.com Richard "no marking" Bermudez refuses to get caught in the web of social media, and we respect him for it, but trust us that if he did have an account, you'd want to stare at his pictures all day. ;) Be sure to share "A Musical Theatre Podcast" with your friends! Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok for more great content, and don't forget to subscribe to PATREON! for only $1 a month and receive bonus content as a thank you for supporting the regular show. We also have at TeePublic Store with brand new content designed by listeners like YOU! Above all, thank you for being a part of this beautiful podcasting family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A wisecracking sound designer once said, "The audience doesn't leave humming the lights." Whoever said it, they have a point. That's why this week's episode dedicated to the rock musical THE WHO'S TOMMY features a guest with one of the most important jobs in musical theatre! But Cricket Myers is no ordinary sound designer. She was also the first woman to ever be Tony nominated for "Best Sound Design of a Play." Together, Cricket and Jeff begin our official Tony Award festivities by discussing her career, how sound technology might be behind an important evolution in musicals, and how this rock opera carries incredibly profound themes within its iconic guitar riffs. To learn more about Cricket, check out her website at cricketmyers.com You can also learn more about her latest project INTERSTATE at East West Players by visiting https://eastwestplayers.org/interstate/ Be sure to share "A Musical Theatre Podcast" with your friends and connect with us via social media on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok! Support the show and receive bonus content each month by subscribing to PATREON! for only $1. We also have a TeePublic Store with new designs you can put on just about anything. Most of all, thank you for being part of this beautiful podcasting community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1951, THE KING AND I changed musical theatre, and now in 2022, the modern world has changed THE KING AND I. While everyone can (and should) have an opinion on this work of art, this week’s episode provides context for those opinions thanks to some incredible guests. Historian from the Library of Congress, Mark Eden Horowitz, joins us after spending an entire year studying the correspondence of Oscar Hammerstein II, and Broadway star Joan Almedilla (MISS SAIGON) guides us through the show after having walked it many times in Lady Thiang’s shoes. Whether you pronounce Anna like "apple" or "honor;" and whether you’re whistling a happy tune or giving your best “RBF” (resting bitch face), this episode celebrates both where we’ve been and how far we’ve come. Mark's incredible new book The Letters of Oscar Hammerstein II can be ordered HERE It's a must read for all musical theatre history enthusiasts! Find out more about the mega talented Joan Almedilla on her website and follow her on Instagram Be sure to tell your fans all about "A Musical Theatre Podcast" by connecting with us on our Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok accounts! For only $1 a month you can support the show and receive exclusive content by subscribing to PATREON! And don't forget about our adorable TeePublic Store. Thank you so much for being part of this amazing podcast community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whether you've already met or have yet to meet the genius creativity that is PASSING STRANGE, this episode invites you to truly come as you are. Chita Rivera Award Winner, Todd Underwood (director/choreographer of the current SLAC production) joins us for a very personal conversation about musical poetry, artistic journeys and, of course, "the real." You're gonna want to watch this musical after the episode, so we're gonna go ahead and place the Prime Video link here "Hallelujah." For tickets or more information about Salt Lake Acting Company, please visit their website Be sure to rate, review, and share "A Musical Theatre Podcast" with your friends! Connect with us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. You can subscribe to PATREON! for bonus content, and we also have a TeePublic store where we're currently looking for fan artwork to include in the store gallery! As always, thank you for being part of our podcast community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Major masterwork SWEENEY TODD has made us all wince, laugh, and think since its bloody premiere in 1979. Joining us this week to discuss what makes this killer musical simmer and explode is Tony nominee (SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical), Sondheim star (the off Broadway Assassins), and all around "Sweeney Fan," the very smart and talented Ethan Slater! Don't miss this episode full of laughs and "epiphanies" like, but not limited to, Jeff realizing in real time just how complex the plot is. Follow Ethan on Instagram and Twitter, and check out him and his fellow "assassins" on their new cast album from Broadway Records. Be sure to rate, review, and share "A Musical Theatre Podcast" with your friends! Connect with us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. You can subscribe to PATREON! for bonus content at a very low price, and we also have a TeePublic Store where we're currently seeking "listener art" to include in our store gallery! Thank you for being part of our podcast community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The closest we've been to a new-old school "star vehicle" in modern musical theatre is unquestionably THE BOY FROM OZ which tells the story of the divinely flamboyant Peter Allen and probably wouldn't have been on Broadway, let alone a big hit, without the star wattage of Allen's Aussie countryman, Hugh Jackman. Here this week to discuss this musical and other important Australian exports (like actors and tim tams) is both a "boy from Oz" and podcaster, Justin Clarke! Please enjoy this conversation (and Justin's accent) that reminds us how musicals can connect us, even on opposite ends of the world. For more about Justin's podcast, follow @theatrethoughtsaus on Instagram and check out his entire site dedicated to Australian theatre at https://theatrethoughtsaus.online/ Be sure to share "A Musical Theatre Podcast" with your friends as well as rate us and give us a nice review! For more great content, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok, and if you want to be a true patron of the show, suscribe to PATREON! for only $1 a month. Don't forget about our TeePublic Store! In short, we're grateful you're a part of our podcasting community and love to stay connected! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Giving the nation a new syncopation" requires many things, maybe most important... a conductor. Here this week to discuss the musical masterpiece RAGTIME (that's right, masterpiece!) is the musical director and conductor for the show's entire original Broadway run, David Loud. Who better to discuss the inner workings of this complex look at America than the guy with the best seat in the house and the heartbeat of the show in his hand? This is a musical that was epic both onstage and off. You're not gonna want to miss this special conversation. Pre order David's incredible book "Facing the Music" (which you hear at the beginning of this episode!), so you'll have it when it's released March 22, 2022! You can learn more about him and his inspiring story on Instagram @facingthemusicdl Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and give us a nice review, so we can find other listeners as terrific as you are! For more great content, we're on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. We've also got a TeePublic Store. If you want to be a true insider, subscribe to PATREON! for only $1 a month. It gives you bonus episodes and materials as a "thank you" for supporting the regular show! We're so grateful you're part of our podcasting community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we're "crossing the line" and exploring the mega fun listener request BRING IT ON: THE MUSICAL. Joining us to discuss this show's reach, ambition, and experimentation (not kidding) is someone who understands all three of those words very well. Becky Birdsong has been a major gifts officer at some of the most prestigious regional theatres in the country, and we can't wait for you to learn what that means! Also be sure to stick around for intermission where you'll hear original Broadway cast member Nikki Bohne Lloyd talk about what made her journey unforgettable! Be sure to say hi to Becky Birdsong on Instagram and Twitter! Follow Broadway star (and star Mommy) Nikki Bohne Lloyd on Instagram! For more great content, follow "A Musical Theatre Podcast" on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. We also have a TeePublic store, and don't forget subscribe, rate, and give us a nice review! You can also become a subscriber to PATREON! for only $1 a month where you'll receive bonus episodes, including a special episode out today about how we can apply the principles of "Diversity and Inclusion" (that we've discussed this month) to the stage. Thank you so much for being part of our podcast community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we're celebrating Black History Month with a musical so groundbreaking, it has a tornado! Broadway legend (AIN'T MISBEHAVIN, CATS), and Cowardly Lion, Ken Page joins us to discuss the history, artistry, and sheer belief that brought about the musical THE WIZ. Join us to hear how these familiar characters from Oz provided musical theatre with insight into the Black experience that has entertained audiences ever since. And if that's not enough, you'll also hear about the time Ken met Streisand. Buy tickets to see Ken in his one man show There's So Much To Talk About at 54 Below on May 4th, 2022! Be sure to follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. You can support the show by writing us a nice review and subscribing to PATREON! for only $1 a month, and you'll get bonus episodes as a thank you. We even have a TeePublic Store just waiting for you to shop. Thank you for being part of our podcast family! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Time for a deep dive into the most groundbreaking show most of us will never see. Thanks to listener Colden, this week we're covering LADY IN THE DARK with lifelong super fan (and director, writer, and actor) Michael Van Duzer! We also get a mini session with Dr Alisa Hurwitz (Dr Drama herself) to bring context to mental health in both 1941 and 2022. These more historical musicals can be a bit of risk to cover, so let us know if you enjoy this episode!Michael Van Duzer is on the board of Theatre West and can be found on Facebook.Check out Dr Alisa Hurwitz at www.drdrama.com and follow her on Twitter and InstagramBe sure to follow us on Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok! Subscribe to PATREON! for only $1 and receive bonus content as a thank you for supporting the regular show. Looking for some fun merch? Go shopping at our TeePublic Store! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The moment you think you may know everything about musical theatre is the moment you should talk to Klea Blackhurst about ANNIE GET YOUR GUN. This week we sit down with this amazing singer, actress, and "Merman-ologist" to laugh, warble, and explore the all time greatest musical theatre star (Ethel Merman) in one of her all time greatest roles (Annie Oakley). We can't wait for you to hear about these real life characters from both on and off the stage. Please check out Native Voices at the AutryLook for opportunities to see Klea live at https://www.kleablackhurst.comBe sure to subscribe to the show and leave us a nice review! Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok for more great content. You can also become a PATREON! subscriber for only a dollar, and you'll gain access to our upcoming Sondheim tribute. Also, don't forget to check out our TeePublic store. Thank you so much for being part of our podcast community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices