Broadway Breakdown: "Making SUFFS March" w/ Andrea Grody (August 13, 2024)

Episode Overview

Host Matt Koplik invites acclaimed music director, arranger, and composer Andrea Grody (Suffs, The Band’s Visit, Tootsie) to break down her dynamic career and creative process, with a deep dive into the making of Broadway’s Suffs. The conversation is candid, irreverent, and packed with inside insights about the role of a music director, the evolution of Suffs from workshop to Broadway, the art of vocal and orchestral arrangement, and hilarious theatre war stories.

Key Topics & Insights

1. Andrea Grody’s Path to the Theatre

• Early Beginnings: Andrea describes growing up as a storytelling twin constantly inventing songs and stories (“The game was you give the other person a word and they have to write a song about it. One time my brother gave me the word wart …I wrote the blues. It was not a great song, but that’s what we did as kids.” [05:33])
• First Theatrical Experiences: Her first big community show was an all-kids Sweeney Todd (“I think the first one I might have done was Sweeney Todd, which is surprising.” [06:54])
• Viral Sweeney Todd Video: Andrea recalls her debut on Instagram, posting her community kids’ Sweeney Todd clip (“I did rewatch that Sweeney Todd and I said I have to create a social media account to post this because it will go viral, because it is amazing.” [08:08])

2. Music Direction, Arranging & Supervision Explained

• Defining the Roles: Andrea gives a masterclass on the difference between music director, supervisor, arranger, conductor, and orchestrator, highlighting the effect of union rules and evolving show structures ([02:38]–[04:39]).
• “The only way to know what a music supervisor is doing is to ask.” (Andrea Grody [04:37])

3. Getting the SUFFS Job & Building the Show

• Meeting Shaina Taub: Andrea details how asking thoughtful questions and engaging with the source material led to working with Taub (“If you’re interested in someone, invest in what they share with you and follow up. And I don’t know if that’s what did it, but then she followed up with me…” [16:33])
• Early Suffs Workshops: First involvement was in 2018 “There were six songs and five actors. And that’s all we had.” ([17:52])
• Show’s Evolution: Multiple workshops shaped each act, with major rewrites (“It took us a full week to learn the score that time.” [19:09])
• On Broadway Transition: Major off-Broadway to Broadway changes were “more streamlined, more focused, less sung through, more back to her songwriter roots” ([20:04]–[21:33])
• Shaina Taub’s Leadership: “I give Shaina the most credit as a writer, because the show always felt incredible…but she was clear on what she needed to do.” ([20:04])

4. The Anatomy of a Number – Vocals & Arrangements

• Find a Way: Andrea analyzes its harmonic complexity and collaborative process (“Shana writes interesting chords. So the way that the melody fits in with the chords is interesting…” [23:16])
• On the March (Her Arrangement): “Her direction to me was, ‘I want you to vocal arrange the living out of this song.’ Very good. Challenge accepted.” ([26:05])
• Building a Big Number: Andrea emphasizes tailoring rehearsal to what the music and moment requires—“It’s not just you sing these notes…What’s this vowel? What’s this cutoff? Are we all ending the word at the same time?” ([27:52])

5. Musical Theatre Nerd-Out: Scoring, Mashups, and Favorite Moments

• Favorite Film Scores Discussion: Michael Giacchino, There Will Be Blood, and Bernstein’s On the Waterfront ([11:02]–[12:58])
• Great Arrangements Noted: Moments in Spring Awakening, Hamilton, Book of Mormon (the thrill of act 1 mashups) ([30:36]–[32:43])
• On the Power and Risks of Thematic Recurrence: “A musical needs to be pretty straightforward with its theme … everything has to be flowing into the same river … the best way that you can remind someone…is to bring the music back.” (Andrea Grody [33:25])

6. Flexibility in Music Direction & Arranging for Performers

• Adapting to Cast Needs: Candid examples from Tootsie (Dorothy/Michael’s song adapted for different male voices to sing believably as a woman) and Band’s Visit (Katrina Lenk’s preferred keys) ([43:23]–[47:03])
  • “Every actor who played that role had their own version based on one of those [arrangements]...” (Andrea Grody [45:40])

7. Orchestration & Stagecraft: Favorite Insider Details

• Favorite SUFFS Moments: Jen Colella’s iconic vocal flourish—“I describe it as liquid gold, the way it feels. It was one of my favorite parts of doing a workshop.” ([48:09]–[49:13])
• Nerding Out on Orchestral Color: Plucked strings (“pizzicato”), working with Michael Starobin, and reading the room for what works in each arrangement ([50:43]–[53:15])
• On Old vs. New Broadway Percussion: “I feel like a lot of Broadway percussion now is a lot lighter and tighter than it used to be. If you listen to, like, 1960s, 1970s drums, it’s a little darker, it’s a little deeper, the cymbals are crashing hard, like, because everyone’s on cocaine.” (Matt Koplik [51:15])

8. Working with David Yazbek – Band’s Visit & Tootsie

• Becoming Music Director at 26: “He said, I don’t think you’re an associate anymore. And I said, oh, okay then. And I got the job, and I was terrified. And I worked really hard, and it was a really good fit for me…” ([36:48])
• Yazbek’s Strengths: Endlessly versatile, always brings a distinct voice and dramaturgical awareness, “He’s always got, like, a touch of crass and extremely smart lyrics … the same heart and soul is in everything … But the heart that drives the Band’s Visit is there just the same.” (Andrea Grody [38:05])
• On Old-School Musicals: Tootsie “was a Broadway boot camp for me run by David Chase. I learned so much from him.” ([41:21])

9. Career Updates & Closing Thoughts

• Current Projects: Music directing a new Adam Gwon musical workshop at the South Carolina New Play Festival ([53:45])
• On Training: Andrea is pursuing Alexander Technique teacher certification—“It changed my life and I’m excited to be able to do that with people.” ([54:20])
• Where to Find Andrea: “If you come to the front where the conductor is, I will give you a band sticker until we run out of them.” ([55:11])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If you’re interested in someone, invest in what they share with you and follow up.” (Andrea, on building collaborations [16:33])
• “The only way to know what a music supervisor is doing is to ask.” (Andrea [04:37])
• “Her direction to me was, ‘I want you to vocal arrange the living out of this song.’ Very good. Challenge accepted.” (Andrea on arranging “The March” [26:09])
• “I describe [Jen Colella’s note] as liquid gold, the way it feels.” (Andrea [48:10])
• “He said, I don’t think you’re an associate anymore.” (David Yazbek to Andrea [36:48])
• “Sometimes when I work on musicals, I feel dumb because everyone’s responding to something, and I don’t get it yet… I’ve learned to embrace when I get something and when I don’t and that that’s okay.” (Andrea [34:28])
• “That note happens in a song where there’s a lot of fire…and I’m like, it’s so cool. The writing of the show doesn’t necessitate that particular performance, but Jen just nails it.” (Andrea on a Jen Colella moment, [48:40])

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | | ------------- | ------------| | 00:42 | Matt introduces Andrea Grody | | 02:38 – 04:39 | Music director vs. music supervisor roles explained | | 05:33 | Andrea’s childhood & musical beginnings | | 06:54 – 07:58 | First Sweeney Todd memory and viral children’s theater video | | 10:05 | Discovering music directing in college | | 11:02–12:58 | Favorite film scores and musical influences | | 15:26 | Best “princess track” in SUFFS (Wilson/Grace McLean) | | 16:33 | Meeting Shaina Taub & getting involved in SUFFS | | 17:52 | The early SUFFS workshops | | 20:04 | Broadway transition and working with Shaina Taub | | 23:16 | The music theory behind “Find a Way” | | 26:09 | Arranging “The March” in SUFFS | | 30:36 | Favorite orchestration/arrangement moments (Hamilton, Spring Awakening) | | 33:25 | Thematic recurrence and mashups in musicals | | 43:23 | Real-time tailoring of songs for actors (Tootsie story) | | 48:09 | Jen Colella’s “gay rights” moment in SUFFS | | 50:43 | Orchestrating favorite moments and pizzicato discussion | | 53:45 | Current work: Adam Gwon musical, new projects | | 55:11 | Where to find Andrea, band sticker offer | | 56:05 | Diva sign-off: Emily Skinner, “Life With Harold” selection |

Final Notes: Tone, Takeaways, & Where to Find More

Andrea and Matt maintain a hilarious, smart, sometimes profane tone that’s deeply insider-y yet accessible. The episode is a must for musical theatre fans, revealing the meticulous behind-the-scenes collaboration required to shape a Broadway musical—and showcasing the heart, humor, and intellect of two true theatre obsessives.

Contact & More:

• Andrea Grody: andreagrody.com, @andreagrody (Instagram), or in the pit at the Music Box Theatre (Suffs)
• Podcast Host: @mattkoplik on Instagram
• Show Website: bwaybreakdown.substack.com

Closing Diva: Emily Skinner, “Life With Harold,” chosen by Andrea Grody ([56:09])