All Of It – Ariana DeBose Stars As "The Baker's Wife"

Podcast: All Of It with Alison Stewart (WNYC)
Date: November 6, 2025
Theme: An in-depth conversation with Ariana DeBose about her starring role in the Classic Stage Company revival of Stephen Schwartz’s The Baker’s Wife, the meaning of community in theater, the fable’s modern relevance, and reflections on Broadway’s challenges.

Episode Overview

Host Alison Stewart sits down with Oscar-winning actor and singer Ariana DeBose to discuss her lead role as Genevieve Castagnier in The Baker’s Wife. The conversation explores why DeBose took on this role, her connection to the material, the challenges and joys of performing in an intimate theater space, and the musical’s themes of love, community, and self-discovery. Together, they reflect on contemporary issues in Broadway, celebrate Stephen Schwartz’s music, and revisit DeBose’s journey from Hamilton to the present day.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Choosing the Next Role and Returning to Theater

• [02:40] DeBose’s Artistic Compass
  • DeBose shares that after years of diverse projects, she felt called back to the stage:

    "I realized earlier this year that I was missing being on stage in the context of a show… It’s not every day that Stephen Schwartz sends an email that's like, hello, dear Ariana, I'm a fan."

  • (03:33) She jokes about initially suspecting the offer to be “spam” but was thrilled by the opportunity.

2. The Appeal and Relevance of The Baker’s Wife

• [04:30] DeBose describes the show as a modern fable:

  "I look at it kind of like a fable... we have themes of community, romance, asks us to... challenge our own unconscious bias."

  • The show’s lessons are “tangible and inviting.”

3. Performing in an Intimate Space

• [05:40] DeBose thrives in Classic Stage Company’s in-the-round setting:

  "I can really feel where the audience is. Theater makes for a sacred space because it’s a kind of communion... The audience is always the last character that you add to a show. But in this case, our audiences are very active within our show."

  • She enjoys the accountability—knowing if she has the audience or not.

4. Portraying Genevieve: Character & Motivations

• [06:53] On Genevieve’s emotional state at the start:

  "[Genevieve] has made a choice. She said yes to this very good man… I want to build something of my own that is truly mine. And maybe we kind of look like the odd couple, but we're good for each other."

  • Genevieve values kindness and the chance to start over without judgment.

5. Defining Love and Navigating Relationships

• [08:06] Speaking to Genevieve’s marriage:
  • DeBose notes differences in how love is defined between the characters:

    "Her husband is much older... He’s kind of blooming just as she is. They’re both learning what real love is."

  • She reflects on love’s quiet acts:

    "Sometimes love is taking out the trash or pouring a cup of coffee... Sometimes love is saying, it's not going to be perfect, but we'll do it together."

• [08:45] Fun banter on Scott Bakula’s charms in the role.

6. The French Accent and Authenticity

• [10:09] DeBose’s approach to accents:

  "I love accents. I just do. But I also don’t want them to be distracting… I try to take great care to not let it pull your ear so much that you don't hear what I'm saying."

7. Integrating Dance and Expanding Genevieve’s Role

• [11:25] DeBose describes how the new production gives Genevieve a dance scene, which wasn’t in the original script:

  • Crafted by director Gordon Greenberg and choreographer Stephanie Clemens, with Stephen Schwartz’s blessing.

  "It's nice because... our director and choreographer came together—what if? And Stephen Schwartz was like, this is a great idea, let's do this... I do possess this talent."

• [12:45] On what the dance adds:

  "It's more of a dream sequence... a vision that Scott Bakula's character is having... there's this beautiful dance sequence about love and lust, but it really is beautiful and kid appropriate."

8. Community Onstage and Offstage

• [13:43] DeBose describes the exceptional cast and a real sense of family:

  "We have the most incredible cast... But we function very much like a tight-knit family too, sort of by virtue of our surroundings. But also we like each other, which is... Our creatives have been so supportive, and our stage management team, like, we're all in this small space making art."

9. Community, Neighbors, and Life Lessons

• [15:06] Tying the play’s message to real life in New York:
  • Meeting—and sometimes misunderstanding—neighbors is universal; the play explores assumptions and eventual mutual understanding:

    "I think our show does a really beautiful job of giving each one of these characters a fully lived life… by the time you reach the end of our story, all of these people really get to see each other. What a privilege to be seen."

10. Genevieve’s Infidelity and Lust versus Love

• [18:19] On why Genevieve is vulnerable to Dominique’s advances:

  "When you start to like attention and the attention feels good, it's hard to hold your boundaries... Sometimes you find yourself in these moments where it's very easy to get caught up in someone just making you feel good about yourself."

• [19:36] On the necessity of her journey:

  "If she hadn't gone on this journey, would she fully understand what love actually is? ...For her, she has to come to the understanding that love is not always physically fulfilling... does lust make a life?"

11. “Meadowlark” and Stephen Schwartz’s Music

• [21:21] Why “Meadowlark” endures:

  "There's just something about it... there's this gorgeous melody that just kind of takes over your senses... It’s just storytelling."

• [22:27] What DeBose admires about Schwartz’s writing, with special affection for “Chanson”:

  "Not only... I find his lyrics actually to be very wise... He’s writing what he knows. And there's so much care in his melodies. When I listen to a Stephen Schwartz song, I always know it’s his because it’s always warm. Even if it’s a song about despair."

12. Hamilton Reflections

• [24:44] Marking Hamilton’s 10th anniversary:

  "I knew then it was gonna be something really special... It was actually the first job that I was ever just offered, really... I was like, I don't know what this show is going to do, but it's really special. And I would regret not being in the room. And that was just to be in the ensemble. And I was like, doesn't matter. We're going to build a whole world. And build a world. We did."

13. The Future & Challenges of Broadway

• [26:58] On the worrying state of Broadway musicals:

  "We are in a time where we all have to adapt. We are not dealing with the same financial landscape, political landscape, and honestly, demographics of audiences are changing... as much as I am an artist, I am a business person as well... Some of the problems we face, they're not new. You can track them. And I don't think that there are easy answers... But if we want a better future, it starts with moments like that—coming together in the face of what looks like massive adversity."

  • She recalls the recent writerless Tony Awards as proof that compromise, while tough, is possible.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On being offered the role by Stephen Schwartz

  “It's not every day that Stephen Schwartz sends an email that's like, hello, dear Ariana, I'm a fan.” — DeBose [02:55]

• On audience as last character

  “The audience is always the last character that you add to a show. But in this case, our audiences are very active within...our show.” — DeBose [06:20]

• On love’s everyday acts

  “Sometimes love is taking out the trash or pouring a cup of coffee for the person that you're spending your life with.” — DeBose [09:18]

• On “Meadowlark”

  “It’s just storytelling—telling you the story of this meadowlark who is blind and saved by this king... There’s something so beautiful about a song that just simply tells a story with a beautiful melody.” — DeBose [21:24]

• On Broadway’s future

  “I don't know that there are easy answers...we can't do it if we look at each other as if we're all gonna fight each other. We all have to kind of take a breath and come together to find a real path forward.” — DeBose [27:30]

• On theater community

  “Getting to know this particular cast and crew has been a real privilege.” — DeBose [14:54]

Important Timestamps

• 02:40 – DeBose on why she returned to theater
• 04:30 – Thoughts on the relevance of The Baker’s Wife
• 05:40 – Performing in the round, audience as participant
• 06:53 – Genevieve’s state of mind and new life
• 09:18 – Love’s daily realities versus fantasy
• 11:25 – Addition of dance to this production
• 13:43 – On cast camaraderie and community theme
• 15:06 – Reflections on neighborhood and community lessons
• 18:19 – Genevieve’s journey, desire, and mistake
• 21:21 – “Meadowlark” and its enduring popularity
• 22:27 – What DeBose values in Schwartz’s music
• 24:44 – Hamilton anniversary and personal reflection
• 26:58 – Broadway’s current challenges and the path forward

Episode Takeaways

• Ariana DeBose is energized by stage work and the unique fable of The Baker’s Wife, which she feels is deeply relevant today.
• She thrives in intimate, communal theater experiences and values authenticity and presence in performance.
• The show’s music, especially “Meadowlark,” embodies timeless, simple storytelling and emotional resonance.
• DeBose reflects honestly on the economic, demographic, and artistic challenges facing Broadway, calling for unity and adaptation.
• The production’s collaborative spirit and nuanced approach highlight what’s possible when talented artists come together with shared purpose.

For those who haven’t listened:
This interview is a heartfelt, engaging exploration of what makes live theater—especially the current production of The Baker’s Wife—magical, challenging, and necessary. DeBose’s reflections blend insight, humor, and a clear love for her craft and community. Anyone interested in contemporary theater, Broadway’s future, or the in-the-weeds realities behind artistic decisions will find value in this conversation.