"The Great American B*tch..." SUFFS Music Director, Arranger and Supervisor Andrea Grody stops by the podcast to talk about all things SUFFS as well as her other major musical contributions to the theatre (including her work on the Tony winning musical THE BAND'S VISIT).
"Oh Mary! Your job is too much!" Matt saw two one-act plays about gals and guns and both transferred this year from Off Broadway: OH, MARY and JOB. Matt talks at length about both. Their pros, their cons, and their spoilers. WARNING: Some sensitive subject matter is discussed in JOB. Join the Broadway Breakdown Discord Channel and get in on the d*mn fun!! https://discord.gg/jez6sDwB
"There is nothing like LIVE THEATAH!" Make sure to join the Broadway Breakdown Discord and chat with other listeners about this week's episode! Link: https://discord.gg/jez6sDwB Broadway Breakdown made its Broadway Con debut with longtime friends The Theatre Lovers!!! Matt, Rachael and Will sat down and picked a musical at random out of a bowl and then broke it down for a full hour. Get in on the fun!
"Who is she? Who was she? Who does she hope to be?" It's the finale of PROBLEMATIC(?) and we're going out with the Big Bang of Queer Theatre: THE BOYS IN THE BAND. And in order to talk about this momentous and still hotly-debated play, we had to bring out the big guns: John Wascavage!!! John and Matt talk about shared trauma, the glories of being mean to your friends, and Renée Zellweger. JOIN IN! Then join the Broadway Breakdown Discord Channel: https://discord.gg/jez6sDwB
"Bless your beautiful hide..." It's a return of "Problematic(?)" but with a surprise twist! Broadway Breakdown is covering a MOVIE MUSICAL. And one that is TRICKY. Alum Jon Reilly (Life's But a Song) stops by to discuss this sexy, sexist, sexual movie and all the rough and tumble dancing and gender politics that go along with it. GRAB YOUR BIBLE KIDS! Discord Channel: https://discord.gg/jez6sDwB
Join the Broadway Breakdown Discord Channel and get in on the fun! Link: https://discord.gg/jez6sDwB This week Matt is joined by author and historian Ben West to talk about his new must-have book: The American Musical, Evolution of an Art Form! The two discuss the variety of genres in which the musical theatre has its origins, deep-cut songs, and that time Hal Prince accidentally created a new category at the Tony Awards. DIVE IN!
"Hal...it's no longer about CATS." Oooohhh boy! Matt went and saw CATS: THE JELLICLE BALL, the wild, crazy and invigorating new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Feline Fantasia! Listen up for Matt's chaotic thoughts as well as his time sitting with Cynthia Erivo! PLUS!!! An invite to Broadway Breakdown's Discord Channel! Invite Link: https://discord.gg/jez6sDwB Join in on the Broadway Breakdown fun!!!!
Matt saw FOLLIES! TITANIC! HOME! HERE THERE ARE BLUEBERRIES! And he's gonna talk about all 4! Plus a glorious 1-star review he got
"Stop texting me..." The 2024 Tony Awards occurred. Some shows won and some lost. People performed and the TV cameras got waaayyy to close for comfort. And Matt's royally annoyed at Alicia Keys. So let's talk about it! Friend of the pod James Seol (KPOP, COME FROM AWAY) is back to discuss the WHOLE Get Down and to wade through some of your comments. Let's get into it!
"Oi!" Hello again! Matt went to London! With his mom! And they saw some shows and did some things! Listen as the two discuss their London outings, plus their takes on OPERATION MINCEMEAT, GUYS AND DOLLS, STANDING AT SKY'S EDGE, and THE HILLS OF CALIFORNIA.
The Tony Awards: A Celebration in Excellence by Eila Mell is out in bookstores now! Find out more about Broadway's biggest night with an order!
Everyone is a winner. Except for those who aren't. It's almost June, which means it's almost Tony month, which means we have to get off our butts and start predicting some WINNERS! Friends of the pod Rachael Joyce and Will Anderson aka The Theater Lovers are BACK! And together, the Lovers and Matt try to figure out who exactly is gonna win this f*cker and why. PLUS Matt reads a whole bunch more of your reviews! Yay!
It was supposed to be a discussion about Tony Award Snubs...oops, "omissions." But leave it to BROADWAY BOUND'S Robert W. Schneider to keep Matt distracted with tons of Broadway gossip and a foray into Matt's past trauma. Enjoy the shortest episode in weeks :)
"It's an art..." Goldderby's Sam Eckmann stops by the Breakdown to discuss Tony trends, myths and what you need to take into account when making your predictions! DOLL OUT THE PUDDING!
Oh look...it's the longest episode in Broadway Breakdown history. Matt saw every show of the 2023-2024 Broadway season. Now he wants to rank them. Because what else is there to do now? Feel free to listen to this episode while crossing Atlantic. Or while stuck in a 12 hour traffic jam. Or waiting for your souffle to rise. And feel free to yell at Matt for his ramblings and his opinions. It's what he's there for.
Motherhood...Sisterhood...and Silent Broadway Contracts... We've got another lovely surprise for you! Award-winning actress Susan Pourfar stops by the Breakdown to discuss her journey with MTC's MARY JANE, from its production at NYTW to its Broadway premier with Rachel McAdams. Matt and Susan also discuss the performance Matt attended when an audience member decided it was their moment to shine...LISTEN IN!
Well...they're here. After much speculating, predicting and dreaming...the 2024 Tony Nominations have ARRIVED. And there were CHOICES made. Matt takes to instagram to read what y'all had to say about the new crop of nominations...and what a few of you had to say about HIM. It's a fun journey!!
Two more days... Recorded Sunday April 21, before Matt saw MOTHER PLAY, CABARET and others...and before the final Tony eligibility rulings...Slant critic Dan Rubins stops by the Breakdown to discuss what they both think the Tony nominees will be and what they WANT them to be. Take a listen! Dan's podcast, The Present Stage: https://www.thepresentstage.com/ Hear Your Song website: https://www.hearyoursong.org/
"OK, who do you have?" The TONY nominations are in 5 days, y'all!! That means we gotta start making some new PREDICTIONS. Recorded a mere 2 hours before the Tony Committee released their second round of Eligibility Rulings, Broadway producer David Lynch stops by the Breakdown to share possible nominations. The two also discuss Matt's actions when they saw SUFFS, the trickiness of "well liked" and "good," and try to make sense of who will go where before the Tonys told us! STICK AROUND!
"Find your light..." Y'all have been so good that we're treating you to a BONUS episode! An interview with lighting designer extraordinaire Cory Pattak! Cory made his Broadway debut this season with not one, but TWO musicals: SPAMALOT and THE GREAT GATSBY! Cory stops by the Breakdown to discuss the thrill and stress of putting together two very sudden Broadway transfers, how you make lighting "funny," and Cory throws a "gotcha" at Matt. Enjoy!
"Everyone's a critic..." We're wrapping up the season very soon!!!! And before we do, we got some more shows for you: THE GREAT GATSBY, PATRIOTS and SUFFS! Matt discusses his opinions on all three. Plus some talk about some of the crazy that's been happening online this week in the community. Let's have fun.
"Woman is...or is she?" It's a bonanza!! Matt starts off with his reviews on seeing MERRILY a second time (now *with* Lindsay Mendez), LEMPICKA, THE HEART OF ROCK AND ROLL and STEREOPHONIC! Plus a new review that has notes for Matt. Plus after all of THAT is an interview with Broadway legend and Jack of All Trades: Jack Viertel. Jack talks with Matt about his new book: "Broadway Melody" as well as his extensive career working for Jujamcyn Theatres, being a critic, a dramaturg, a writer, and watc...
"See Me...and Stay Gold." It's April!!! Which means Tony season has sprung! Matt sees TOMMY and THE OUTSIDERS and gives you his thoughts...and then reads YOUR thoughts on upcoming results for the 2024 Tony Awards. And some of you are BOLD. Let's get some hardware!!! Tix for NYC Gay Men's Chorus concert "Bubblegum Pop" available here: https://nyuskirball.org/events/new-york-city-gay-mens-chorus-bubblegum-pop/ Discount Code: BREAKDOWN10 (10% off) Expires April 8
"There is nothing like New York in the SPRING!" A *lot* has changed since our first Tonys episode so Matt has come on to talk through some of it. First Matt gives thoughts after having seen WATER FOR ELEPHANTS and THE NOTEBOOK. Plus what it was like being at the infamous performance of AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE attended by protestors! Matt then goes to see TOMMY (or does he?) and offers some clarity on what ILLINOISE will be considered for after it transfers to the St. James. LET'S GET PUMPED! Link...
"He has a story to tell..." It came to Broadway touted as the next ANGELS IN AMERICA. And yet...not every gay man was into it. Then it won the Tony...and some people still weren't into it. But does that make something "Problematic"?? Friend of the pod Robbie Rozelle comes back to the Breakdown to discuss THE INHERITANCE. Matt and Robbie spend an epic amount of time on this epic two-parter and converse over mouthfeels, community support, and the danger of vilifying sex. And hot men. THE GREAT WOR...
"We all lead such elaborate lives..." It's sexy! It's dangerous! It's Disney! It's AIDA!!! Broadway music director Will Van Dyke (Pretty Woman, The Heart of Rock n Roll) comes on the Breakdown to discuss with Matt the first Broadway Disney musical "for adults." The two also discuss casting, fashion shows, and duty. TAKE ME IN!!!!
"Thank you, baby. Thank you for listening..." Welcome back to Problematic(?)! And ooooh boy do we have a DOOZY! Alum of the pod, Marcus Scott, returns to discuss SLAVE PLAY. The show that angered, excited and confused many theatergoers. Matt and Marcus get into the weeds of SLAVE PLAY's 12 Tony nominations and 0 wins, what intimacy is, and whether your truth is *the* truth. Also AMERICAN FICTION. HERE WE GO!
Confident and Uninformed. That's the way to make predictions for Tony nominations THIS early. Breakdown alum Dylan MacDowell (DRAMA) returns to go through every possible candidate for this year's Tony Awards. And Matt spills some tea about exactly *what* Broadway thinks about some of its offerings...
"This bird is singing..." Sally Mayes has been there and back and she can sing all about it to you! A Tony nominee for SHE LOVES ME with multiple awards under her belt, Sally stop by the pod to talk about her upcoming concert series (link for tix below), as well as how her Broadway debut as a swing lead to her winning a Theatre World Award, the 1994 Tonys, and naked actors getting reprimanded by police! Buy tix to Sally's new concert at Green Room 42 here: https://thegreenroom42.venuetix.com/sho...
"Turn it off..." Hello! Our name is Broadway Breakdown. And we would like to share with you a Tony winning show. It has so many awesome parts. You simply won't believe how much this show has angered crowds. That's right...it's THE BOOK OF MORMON. The Broadway phenomenon from the creators of SOUTH PARK and AVENUE Q that swept the world, wowed critics...and has come back around for a reckoning from many. Does it deserve it? Who's to say? Kyle Marshall (PUTTING IT TOGETHER) is here, though, to help...
