Broadway Breakdown Podcast

Episode: The Broadway Season: 2024-2025 w/ Robbie Rozelle!
Host: Matt Koplik | Guest: Robbie Rozelle
Release Date: September 12, 2024

Overview

In this episode, host Matt Koplik and Broadway insider Robbie Rozelle reunite for a sprawling, unfiltered, and hilarious discussion about the upcoming 2024-2025 Broadway season. With their trademark blend of deep-dive analysis, industry gossip, biting wit, and passionate tangents, they make sense of the packed slate of musicals, plays, and revivals, share rumors and predictions, and dissect the state of the industry. Key segments include Tony prediction debates, hot takes on upcoming productions and casting, and observations on trends and Broadway culture.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

Podcast Banter, Introductions, and Tone Setting

• Matt introduces himself with his typically “affected” style, prompting friendly mocking and meta-commentary from Robbie.
• Early riff: Matt toys with an over-the-top “Broadway interviewer” character named “Domothy Cavanu,” parodying earnest-yet-misinformed hosts, which recurs as a running gag.

  "Am I unhinged or is Domothy Gavin do unhinged?" – Matt (03:21)

Laying Out the Season

• The hosts decide to break down the 2024-25 season by discussing what’s opened, what’s coming, and what’s rumored.
• The conversation is guided in part by questions and requests from Matt's Broadway Breakdown Discord community.

Key Timestamp: [04:47]

"There's definitely rumored casting that we can talk about... a lot of rumor and conjecture today." – Robbie

Notable Early-Season Productions (06:12 to ~15:00)

• Job
  • Both saw on Broadway, both enjoyed but felt it was slightly underwhelming after buzz.
  • Discuss limitations of larger theaters swallowing up smaller, intimate plays.
• Home
  • Mixed feeling; Matt questions whether it was chosen by Roundabout to fulfill diversity quota rather than artistic vision.
  • Little advertising, felt rushed, and quickly forgotten.
• Oh, Mary!
  • Matt saw it; likened to a well-structured comic play with room for star casting after Cole Escola.
• Once Upon a Mattress
  • Sutton Foster and Michael Urie’s performances praised.
  • Direction and set design described as confusing (“are we in New York?”).
  • Some newly transferred cast felt under-rehearsed and under-directed.
• The Roommate
  • Patty LuPone considered vocally and comedically strong; Mia Farrow has the showier role. General positive word-of-mouth.

Tony Eligibility & Predictions

(~16:10 to 24:30)

• Matt and Robbie build a running list of leading actress contenders for the Tonys, including Sutton Foster, Nicole Scherzinger (“Sunset Boulevard”), Audra McDonald (“Gypsy”), Katie Braben (“Tammy Faye”), Idina Menzel (“Redwood”), Jasmine Rogers (“Boop”), and others.
• Discussion of how the field is crowded and volatile, and how past London success (Oliviers) does not directly translate to Tonys.
• Cautions on the hazards of early Tony predictions:

  "So much of it is just conjecture...I'm 99.99% sure that Home will be completely forgotten." – Matt (14:17)

• Extended speculation on rumored Gypsy casting and changing contracts in current Broadway productions.

Trends and Industry Hot Takes

• Many theatres are choosing to schedule more star-led vehicles and celebrity debuts than in past seasons.
• Many productions (musicals, revivals, new plays) are in venues that may be too big or too small for their scale.
• Shows increasingly depend on Discord, social media, and fan rumor mills for both buzz and misinformation (“QAnon conspiracy theory” about Gypsy rewriting).
• Frustration at Broadway World forums, audience misunderstanding of finances, and gross misreadings of industry news.

  "So many people forget that it's show business and not show party. It is shocking to me." – Robbie (19:45)

Deep Dives on New and Upcoming Shows

Musicals

• Death Becomes Her
  • High audience expectations ("the film screams to be musicalized"), show being kept under wraps, and positive out-of-town buzz for Megan Hilty and Jennifer Simard.
• Boop
  • Star-is-born potential for Jasmine Rogers.
• Floyd Collins
  • Questions about venue size and casting. Unsure if producers know what they’re seeking—must be a Tony nominee.
• Last Five Years
  • Hudson Theatre model praised: star-driven limited runs that can swap in/out leads.
  • Challenges of recasting high-profile two-person shows.
• Redwood, Maybe Happy Ending, Swept Away, Old Friends
  • Redwood’s out-of-town buzz is mixed but Idina Menzel’s star power will sell tickets.
  • Old Friends Sondheim tribute described as over-large, somewhat generic, and not up to past standards for Sondheim revues.

Plays and Revivals

• Yellowface (David Henry Hwang)
  • Questions if it should be original or revival at the Tonys—probably revival.
• Hills of California
  • Matt saw it in London, praises Laura Donnelly’s performance, notes the marketing now spoils a key twist.
  • High expectations as the “prestige play.”
• Our Town
  • Kenny Leon’s strengths and weaknesses as a director discussed. Excitement for Zoe Deutch and Katie Holmes casting, mixed speculation on the production’s tone and impact.

  "I think [Kenny Leon] is a really good caster... I don't feel like he's the most hands-on director." – Matt (49:46)

• Sunset Boulevard
  • Robbie wildly enthusiastic about the Nicole Scherzinger production:

  "I walked in with a raised eyebrow and I left there with a heart on. It was so good." (50:58)

• Gypsy
  • Eager anticipation for the Audra McDonald/George C. Wolfe production, could be a “huge payoff or huge loss.”
• Othello, Romeo & Juliet
  • Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal pairing; expectations for a hot ticket, skepticism if tickets will be available.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the Discord/Broadway World Fandom:

"The Broadway world boards are just nothing but QAnon." – Matt (19:20)

On directors having multiple major projects:

"One of the trends I want to mention is directors having multiple shows: Stroman has Left on 10th and Smash... Kenny Leon has Home, Our Town, and Othello..." – Matt (75:37)

On the Broadway business model:

"They announced Sweeney Todd was closing and everyone on Instagram lost their shit…like, 'Why can't we have nice things?' I'm like, it was always planning on closing..." – Matt (19:51)

On the endurance of certain plays:

"Here is what we got so far...Sutton Foster in Once Upon a Mattress. Nicole Scherzinger in Sunset Boulevard. Audra Ann in Gypsy..." (16:29)

On alternate casting trends:

"I love this new trend of really specializing the casting of the alternate and making it as much of an event." – Matt (109:20)

Key Timestamps

• 03:40 – Matt introduces the structure for the episode
• 06:12 – Season start: reviews of Job, Home, Oh Mary
• 09:56 – Once Upon a Mattress discussion
• 12:22 – The Roommate, star-casting, and Tony fallout
• 14:08 – Tony predictions, lead actresses
• 16:26 – Explosive list of leading lady contenders
• 22:26 – Death Becomes Her out-of-town buzz
• 30:24 – Hills of California London insights
• 39:08 – Revival category shakeout (Our Town, Othello, Yellowface)
• 49:36 – Detailed musings on Our Town and Kenny Leon
• 50:53 – Scherzinger/Sunset Blvd rave
• 57:55 – Gypsy anticipation and casting
• 64:22 – Wonderful World; state of commercial vs. non-profit venues
• 66:46 – Next to Normal Broadway rumor check
• 75:37 – Directors with multiple shows trend
• 80:01 – Broadway star-vehicle “Hudson Model”
• 93:18 – Tips on the most promising straight plays this season
• 113:15 – Most anticipated productions (Gypsy, Death Becomes Her)
• 116:07 – If/Then's marketing misfire, Broadway marketing jokes
• 120:48 – Closing: Discord, reviews, and final diva tribute request

Trends & Observations

• Director Overload: Many top directors (e.g., Kenny Leon, Tina Landau, Susan Stroman) are taking on multiple Broadway projects per season, raising questions of burnout, artistic consistency, and depth.
• Overstuffed Actress Field: Lead actress categories for both plays and musicals are particularly competitive, with many big names and high expectations (McDonald, Scherzinger, Menzel, Foster, Audra, etc.).
• Celebrity Vehicles: A uniquely star-heavy season, with “network effect” (Robert Downey Jr., George Clooney, Denzel Washington, Jake Gyllenhaal, Kit Connor, Audra McDonald, etc.) driving ticket sales and buzz.
• Rumor Mill & Social Media: Gossip and fan speculation drive much of the discourse. Both hosts decry Broadway forum nonsense and false viral assumptions about grosses and casting.
• Broadway Model Evolution: The “Hudson Model” of filling theaters with known properties and stars, especially in limited or recasting-friendly runs, defines much of Broadway’s current commercial logic.

Final Takeaways

Most Anticipated Shows:

• For Matt: Othello, Dorian Gray (if confirmed), Gypsy, Death Becomes Her
• For Robbie: Gypsy, Floyd Collins, Our Town

What to Watch:

• Will Gypsy’s new production with Audra McDonald be a game-changer or risk overhyped/disappointing?
• Can star-vehicles like Clooney’s Good Night and Good Luck and Scherzinger’s Sunset Boulevard live up to hype?
• Will the crowded lead actress fields in both musical and play categories yield big surprises or upsets?

Industry Reality Check:

• There is a fundamental tension this season between artistic ambition, a need for commercial draw, and the chaotic unpredictabilities of casting, producing, and critical reception.
• Both hosts repeat: “It’s show business, not show party.”

Notable & Quotable

“There are so many variables right now with all these revivals. Because, like, also Our Town...I have no idea what that's going to be.”
— Matt (45:27)

"...We need a Saltburn musical with the song called Lucky for You I’m a Vampire."
— Matt (57:31)

“I love this new trend of really specializing the casting of the alternate and making it as much of an event as...”
— Matt (109:20)

“Manhattan Theater Club — Roundabout for Jews!”
— Robbie (95:52)

Episode Mood and Recommendation

Raucous, hilarious, and deeply informed, this episode is a must-listen for theater geeks and casual fans alike—especially those eager for industry gossip, candid opinions, and far-reaching speculation. The hosts’ camaraderie, deep Broadway knowledge, and willingness to "name names" combine for an episode filled with both insight and delightful irreverence.

Next Up:
Stay tuned for the Broadway Grosses episode, where Matt and guests will demystify financial reports and unpack what “success” really means on Broadway.

End with a tribute: “Take it away, Marin.” [Kiss Me Kate closeout.]