We have a theme this month! Both of the musicals we're covering this April are powerful examples of "pastiche" in musical theatre. The way the composers of these shows reference styles and works of the past bring depth and context to their stories and characters. First up, the 2004 musical DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS, a show as raucous as it is sophisticated! Here to describe it as, "one of the greatest times of her life," is one of the musical's original stars, Sara Gettelfinger (SEUSSICAL, NINE, a...
Apr 14, 2024•57 min•Season 1Ep. 126
STEEL PIER didn't win any of its eleven Tony nominations back in 1997, but it was the winner of our PATREON! poll earlier this year. That's why this week we're dedicating a full episode to this golden-aged, millennial musical. Joining us is STEEL PIER's all-time biggest fan, Colden Lamb. No matter what you might think of this show, it might be time to give it a "second chance." If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to check out Tony-winner Karen Ziemba in our CONTACT episode: Broadway Podcast Net...
Mar 31, 2024•1 hr 29 min•Season 1Ep. 125
In 1949, KISS ME KATE won the first ever Best Musical Tony Award. Now it's 2024... and we still love it! Olivier Award winner Lesli Margherita (Broadway's MATILDA, DAMES AT SEA) joins us to celebrate women and Cole Porter (in that order) as we dive headfirst into this silly and often deeply romantic show. Bonus points to those who can recite "We Open in Venice" correctly. Follow Lesli on Instagram and Twitter/X . Her wisdom knows no bounds. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to check out our A...
Mar 17, 2024•1 hr 17 min•Season 1Ep. 124
NINE surprised Broadway in 1982 when it opened last minute and proved to be a formidable foe to the other big hit of the season, DREAMGIRLS. It was also a musical that couldn't seem to escape drama, whether onstage at the hands of lead character Guido Contini or off. Here this week to discuss the highs and lows of this stylish and somewhat avant-garde musical is original Broadway cast member Kim Criswell (THE FIRST, BABY, THE THREEPENNY OPERA). From last minute costume shopping at a Times Square...
Feb 25, 2024•1 hr 42 min•Season 1Ep. 123
Happy Groundhog Day! We're celebrating with a special Friday release about, you guessed it, the musical GROUNDHOG DAY. It's a show you've either enjoyed seeing in the West End, on Broadway, in Melbourne, or you missed it. Well, if you think not seeing it means you're getting an early spring this year, you're wrong! Six more weeks of winter for you. Original West End cast member Ste Clough joins us to discuss the blood, sweat, and tears that went into bringing this surprisingly moving story to th...
Feb 02, 2024•1 hr 27 min•Season 1Ep. 122
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 ...
Jan 28, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 121
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...
Jan 22, 2024•1 hr 31 min•Season 1Ep. 120
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...
Dec 24, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Season 1Ep. 119
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 f...
Dec 10, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 118
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 Fa...
Nov 27, 2023•1 hr 21 min•Season 1Ep. 117
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 fee...
Nov 12, 2023•1 hr 46 min•Season 1Ep. 116
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 posses...
Oct 22, 2023•1 hr 20 min•Season 1Ep. 115
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" himse...
Oct 01, 2023•1 hr 25 min•Season 1Ep. 114
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 e...
Sep 17, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Season 1Ep. 113
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. ...
Aug 31, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Season 1Ep. 112
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 music...
Aug 06, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 111
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 ins...
Jul 23, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 110
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! Che...
Jul 09, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 109
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 ...
Jun 25, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 108
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 J...
Jun 07, 2023•1 hr 19 min•Season 1Ep. 107
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,...
May 28, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Season 1Ep. 106
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 ...
May 14, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 105
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 inspirati...
Apr 30, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 104
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...
Apr 16, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Season 1Ep. 103
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 ...
Mar 26, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Season 1Ep. 102
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 og...
Mar 12, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 101
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 ...
Feb 26, 2023•1 hr 23 min•Season 1Ep. 100
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 w...
Feb 12, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Season 1Ep. 99
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...
Jan 29, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 97
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...
Jan 15, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Season 1Ep. 97
