Broadway Breakdown – “Matt's Play and Chad Beguelin's Book”

Host: Matt Koplik
Guest: Chad Beguelin (Six-time Tony nominee)
Release Date: September 29, 2024

Episode Overview

In this lively, candid, and theater-obsessed installment of Broadway Breakdown, host Matt Koplik brings a two-part episode. The first half is a big personal announcement—a deep dive into the development, themes, and ambition behind Matt’s new play, Yours Truly. The second half features an in-depth, wide-ranging conversation with acclaimed Broadway writer Chad Beguelin, focusing on his debut novel Showmance, his career in musical theater, writing process, queer representation, and all things Broadway. Full of strong opinions, energetic banter, and theatre-geek joy, this episode is essential listening for theater lovers—especially those passionate about new work and queer representation.

Key Discussion Points and Timestamps

I. Housekeeping, Reviews, and Announcements ([00:11–05:40])

• Acknowledgment of Delayed Release: Matt admits the episode was delayed to ensure key announcements were ready, prioritizing correctness over speed.
• Listener Reviews:
  • Reads a negative review criticizing "Too Much Housekeeping" ([02:00]) with self-aware humor, encouraging listeners to skip ahead.
  • Shares positive feedback from a Broadway investor who appreciated the show's coverage of Broadway grosses ([03:00]).
  • Encourages further ratings and reviews to help the podcast’s reach.

II. Matt’s Play: Yours Truly ([05:40–32:55])

The Announcement ([06:00])

• Official public reading/livestream of Yours Truly set for Saturday, November 16th with Streaming Musicals & Mill Iron Media.
• Reading will be streamed for free via YouTube for a limited time; footage will be used as a sizzle reel for potential producers.

The Development Journey ([08:15])

• Workshopped through several informal readings over a year and a half, now ready for public presentation.
• Seeking development funds via a newly launched fundraiser; donations are tax-deductible, with higher tiers earning producer credits or access to the script.

Play Origins, Influences, and Themes ([13:50])

• Yours Truly described as a meta-romantic comedy for the queer generation:

  "The way the Scream movies are to horror movies, my play is to romantic comedies." ([14:15])

• Inspired by personal experience and friends’ complicated romantic histories.
• Explores tropes of the rom-com genre and how they intersect with queer experience, heteronormativity, and traditional values.

Plot & Characters ([17:40])

• Follows John, a 30-year-old gay New Yorker living with his mother, and his romance with Owen, a bisexual man in a band.
• Secondary characters Anna (a recently married straight woman) and Kennedy (an independent gay man) represent different perspectives on love, adulthood, and pop culture.
• Movies feature heavily in the characters’ lives and perspectives, with a mix of media references and genre deconstruction.

Style, Tone, and What Sets It Apart ([24:00])

• Mixes rapid cinematic flow, montage, and fourth-wall-breaking monologues.
• Aimed to provide a queer romance narrative NOT defined by trauma, politics, or disease.
• Seeks to balance authentic emotional messiness with “fucking hot” romance on stage:

  "I wanted a queer romance on stage. I wanted one that was fucking hot. John and Owen can't keep their hands off each other." ([24:36])

The Fundraiser: Call for Support ([27:00])

• Outlines goals/funding needs and how listeners can help (even small donations matter).
• Offers a window into the economics and hustle of new play development.
• Encourages sharing, joining the Discord, and engaging with the play’s materials via links in the episode.

Notable Quote ([30:36]):

“We know it’s good, we know it’s really good and it’s only going to get better with each development. This is the next step to get there because we have taken this as far as we can on our own and now we have to go the next legitimate step and I’m asking you guys to help us get there.”

III. Interview with Chad Beguelin ([33:38–1:13:38])

Introducing Chad & Showmance ([33:38])

• Matt describes Showmance as “literary crack” for theater geeks and queer rom-com fans.
• Chad jokes:

  “After stalking you for all these years, and going through your underwear drawer, I just kind of felt that [this book] would be something you would respond to.” ([34:00])

About Showmance ([35:00])

• Pitch: Failed Broadway writer Noah returns to direct his flop at his hometown community theater—sparking both creative growth and a queer love story with his high school nemesis, Luke.
• Parallels with Chad’s own journey from small-town theater to Broadway success.

Writing Process & Characterization ([38:13])

• Chad shares how his writing comes in creative floods:

  “It’s almost like when you know you’re going to throw up: okay, now, right now, right now!” ([38:13])

• Discussion of Noah’s flaws, snobbery, and emotional defenses. Both Matt and Chad relate to his acerbic, self-protective humor.

Father-Son Dynamic & Real-Life Inspiration ([47:48])

• Noah’s complex relationship with his father combines aspects of Chad’s dad and stepdad.
• Moving real-life anecdote:

  “He says, ‘I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, and I realized that I treated you very poorly as a kid and you did not deserve that. And you treated me better than I, as an adult, treated you.’” ([47:48])

Broadway Writing Career & Adapting Movies ([51:19])

• From humble beginnings (musicals like Oedipus Private Eye) to Wedding Singer, Elf, and Aladdin.
• Breakthrough came after a failed tryout:

  “Sometimes not getting what you want is the best thing that could happen to you.” ([55:40])

• Challenges of adapting films for stage: balancing icons with freshness and depth.

Notable Insider Moment ([66:18]):

• On fighting for a joke in Wedding Singer:

  “She turns to me, she goes, ‘Oh, fuck you,’ and walks out of the theater. It was just like—so brilliant because she knew, she couldn’t do anything now. It was done in the script forevermore.” ([66:18])

The Prom: Out-of-Town Changes & Representation ([66:44])

• The evolution of characters for Broadway, notably making the town feel “more real” and adjusting the principal’s storyline.
• Matt praises the show’s nuanced depiction of queer identity and coming-out experiences:

  “The prom on stage actually has three different ways in which queer kids can be responded to from coming out…” ([70:42])

On Notes, Feedback, and Musical Faves ([63:40])

• Chad discusses positive, constructive note-giving:

  “I have to do is think that, oh, this director or this collaborator is confident that I could do better. They believe I can do better. So it’s sort of, you know, Jedi mind-tricked myself…” ([63:40])

• Favorite librettos: Little Shop of Horrors (“brilliant and watertight”), Howard Ashman’s lyrics, Ashman’s lesser-known Smile ([59:34–61:39]).
• Matt and Chad joyously recount favorite “deep cut” Ashman lyrics.

On Romance Tropes and Queer Sexuality in Fiction ([96:56])

• Both embrace tropes while seeking new angles:

  “The fun is how you can fuck with it… if you can take a genre that people know very well and, you know, give them what they want, but in a surprising way, they will love you forever for it.” ([98:02])

• Discuss writing sex scenes in queer romances:

  “I toyed with how much, how far to go... It was an experiment to see how much to show.” ([100:18])

Showmance Casting & Sequel? ([91:50, 103:55])

• Zane Phillips (from Fire Island) top choice for Luke in a hypothetical film adaptation.
• On a possible sequel:

  “I would have to throw some sort of monkey wrench into their relationship… It depends on the reaction to the first book.” ([103:55])

Upcoming Projects ([83:57, 105:47])

• New musical in development: Horrible People—a wild Hamptons-set dark comedy with Sutton Foster and Beth Leavel in readings.
• Additional novels percolating—waiting to see how Showmance is received.

Memorable Quotes

• On Playwriting and Opportunity:
  “You kind of have to say yes to the opportunities that come your way until you can be one of those people that create opportunities for others.” – Matt ([10:00])

• On Queer Romance:
  “Not every romance is an epic tale for the ages, and in truth, you kind of don’t want it to be.” – Matt ([22:45])

• On Humor as a Defense:
  “Humor, especially, like, sarcastic humor, is definitely a deflection to kind of pull people away from maybe, like, the more vulnerable, sensitive sides of ourselves.” – Matt ([42:25])

• On Feedback:
  “Whenever I would get one [lyric note], I would totally shut down. And then I decided… this collaborator thinks I can do better. They believe I can do better.” – Chad ([63:40])

• On Writing Representation:
  “I have not really found any stories on stage to be about a queer romance that is not tied in some way to trauma, politics, religion, or disease. I wanted to write this because I needed to write this.” – Matt ([24:00])

Notable Segments

• Matt’s Play Announcement & Analysis ([06:00–32:55])
• Chad Beguelin Interview Begins ([33:38])
• The Prom, Atlanta vs. Broadway ([66:44])
• Writing Process and Character Building ([38:13], [41:06])
• Favorite Musicals/Librettos ([59:34])
• Discussion of Queer Rom-Com Tropes, Sex Positivity, and Avoiding Trauma Narratives ([96:56], [99:27])

Ways to Connect and Support

• Streaming Musicals YouTube – for Yours Truly livestream, Nov 16 ([09:30])
• Fundraiser Link – in episode description, supports development of Yours Truly ([27:00])
• Discord group – community discussions and updates (link in show notes)
• Showmance – Chad’s debut novel, releases October 1; signing at The Drama Book Shop Oct 3 ([109:55])
• Chad on Instagram: @chadbeg
• Chad’s Website: chadbeguelin.com
• Matt on Instagram: @mattkoplik

Closing & Diva Request ([112:10])

Chad requests Marin Mazzie’s “Never Go Back to Before” for the episode outro, in honor of both his character Noah and Matt’s Broadway-loving audience.

Final Remark: This episode would be delightful for theater fans, playwrights, and anyone interested in the messy, joyful, and often hilarious behind-the-scenes realities of making queer stories (and musical comedy in general) for stage and page. If you want to help shepherd new work into the world—or just want a recommended read/show—this episode is for you.