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Matt Tamnini
Awkward time to ask this, but hey, did you download the trail map?
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T-Mobile Customer
Yeah, no, I don't need to.
- [00:06]
Matt Tamnini
I don't understand.
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T-Mobile Representative
You're trusting your signal out here.
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T-Mobile Customer
I'm trusting T Mobile. They have the best network. And if we end up in bumtots nowhere, well, we've got T Satellite for backup. Whoa.
- [00:15]
Matt Tamnini
I don't trust my carrier that much.
- [00:17]
T-Mobile Customer
We'll just use your phone as a flashlight.
- [00:21]
T-Mobile Advertiser
With America's best network and T Satellite, we're keeping you connected in places you never thought possible. And if you switch today, you get free phones for zero down and only 25 bucks a month per line for four. Find out more@t mobile.com or visit your local store.
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T-Mobile Representative
Best Mobile Network Based on analysis by Ooklev Speed Test Intelligence data to age 2025 with 24 monthly bill credits and 4 eligible port ins on essentials for well qualified customers with autopay plus taxes, fees and $35 connection charge per line credits and imbalance 2 if you pay off earlier, cancel contact US Finance Agreement example $299.99 Moto Edge 5G required T satellite available with compatible device in most outdoor areas in the US where you can see the sky included with experience beyond or $10 a month. However, news monthly cancel anytime visit t
- [01:00]
Matt Tamnini
mobile.com welcome to Last Week on Broadway for Tuesday, July 14th, Bastille Day 2026. I'm Broadway Radio's Matt Tamnini. This also happens to be the birthday of our dear friend Oliver Roth, who is a guest here regularly, always doing the Tony Award predictions with me. So if you follow him on social media, wish him a happy birthday. Also, I want to point you to the Patreon feed and the regular feed as we've had a ton of really cool episodes happening over the past week. We've had two episodes of Lauren Klass Schneider's Class Notes, one with John Norman Schneider from the production of Henry VI from the National Asian American Theater Company, another with Alana Raquel Bowers from the Loved Ones that is currently playing at the Irish Rep. Jan Simpson's all the Drama also looked at the 1980 winner for the Pulitzer Prize for drama Tally's Folly. And then I had two special episodes, one first with Sarah Connelly and Scarlet Grace McCarthy, who are the director and writer of the new absurdist comedy the Betrothed, which is currently getting ready to have its Off Broadway premiere at the WP Theater starting later this week. And then yesterday I had an interview with Jamie Allen, who is the magician and illusionist behind the Off Broadway production of Amazed, which is celebrating its one year anniversary at New World Stages this month and is currently extended and on sale through January of next year. And then of course Peter, James and Michael also had their weekly episode of this week on Broadway come out on Sunday. So make sure that you are diving into all of those different episodes that we have in the Patreon feed and there will be much more coming to you soon. And unfortunately we do have to start with a very sad story and that is the news that actor of stage and screen Josh Grisetti died by suicide at the age of 44. His co star friend and the best man at his wedding, Rob McClure made the announcement on social media. The two starred opposite each other on the road and on Broadway in Something Rotten. Grisetti was also seen on Broadway and it should have been you. And he was on a recurring role in the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Prime Video as well. He got an MFA in Performance Pedagogy. Actually was the first one to get it from Loyola Marymount in Los Angele began teaching at Cal State Fullerton and he helped redesign the BFA and musical theater program and he achieved tenure at Cal State Fullerton in just two years. Obviously this is heartbreaking news for so many people in the theater community either that knew him or worked with him in the past or just were fans of Josh Grisetti on stage, on screen, on social media, in the classroom. So our hearts go out to everybody who is grieving his loss today. In a different type of very sad story. Yesterday we also found out that Cats the Jellicle Ball will end its Broadway run in August. It will wrap up shop at the Broadhurst Theatre on August 8, which is just three playing weeks from now. Very disappointed that the show is not going to have a longer run that I personally think it deserves. It also makes me incredibly even more frustrated than I already was with the fact that it did not win best revival of a musical and Ragtime did. I am honestly upset. I was upset on Tony Night that Ragtime won for many, many reasons and obviously that probably played at least a small part into what happened here with Cats, the Jellicle Ball. So very disappointed by this news. Sad for all of the performers and the creatives and the crew and the producers who really helped shepherd a truly unique and magical piece of reinventive theater to the highest levels of commercial theater in the country and in the world. And, and I'm just sad that it never really got to where I thought it should have and why it didn't get There is a conversation for another day for people much smarter and more ingrained into the theatrical community than I am, but just disappointed and sad by the fact that Cast the Jellicoe Ball will be closing on August 8th. Of course, like with most things, as one thing closes, another thing opens. And last week we found out that Dolly Colon, a true original musical, will officially be coming to Broadway and we know when and where it will be. The show will play Broadway's St. James Theatre. It'll begin performances on Monday, December 7th with an official opening on Dolly Parton's 81st birthday, January 19th. Tickets are now on sale and as it was out of town during its tryout, the show is being directed by Bartlett Shear and features a book written by Parton along with Maria S. Schlatter who is a two time Emmy Award winner. They worked on the Emmy winning Netflix film Christmas on the Square together. Mandy Moore of so youo Think youk Can Dance not this Is Us fame will be the choreographer Derek McClain will scenic design and a ton of other really awesome creatives are attached as well. We don't know anybody in the cast for this production, however, in its out of town tryout last summer we had Katie Rose Clark, Carrie St. Louis and Quinn Titcomb playing Dolly at different ages in her Life. Still, Carrie St. Louis and Katie Rose Clark playing the same character at different parts of their lives even though they're five years apart in age, is still wild to me, but they are both great. John d' Rosky was also in the cast along with Beth Malone and others. We will see if they end up making the transition to New York or not. But we do now have to add this to the list of shows coming to Broadway this season. Dolly joins the previously announced Galileo, Paddington, Wanted and Warriors as new musicals this season. I still think that there is a chance that we have a ton of other really interesting shows being announced at some point. Things potentially like Purple Rain, Black Swan, the Greatest Showman. I would love to see Mexico come still have Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and some other things trickling around. Maybe Curious Case of Benjamin Button. So we will see what happens with all of these shows, but it certainly looks to be a more expansive and potentially dynamic race for Best Musical next season than what we had this year. All right, let's get into some more show and casting news. Let's move off Broadway where the new one person show we've been here before, Colon, a one woman musical, has announced a run off Broadway. It will only play two weeks at the Soho Playhouse, but the short run is intended to hopefully propel it to Broadway. The show comes from Lindsey Craft, who is a mostly television actress. You might have seen her on the Netflix show Grace and Frankie. She wrote the show and it tracks a 40 year old woman going through a midlife awakening which includes a sudden urge to become a songwriter while fostering a relationship with a secret online confidant. But what's interesting about this is that while this is a one woman show, she will be joined in the show by a very special music director who will also be helping to produce the show. And and that is the one and only Ben Folds of the Ben Folds Five. Obviously as Kraft's character in the show wants to be a singer songwriter, she needs some musicians to back her up as well. Not only will Ben be there to do that, but they will also be joined by Dan Rudin. The show will play the Soho Playhouse from August 4th through the 17th. Craft and Michelle Ross will co direct the show. It'd be interesting to see how this plays and if it does have any any type of trajectory Moving to Broadway Speaking of Broadway, yesterday we got news that Derek Hough will be joining his Dancing with the Stars friend and colleague Mark Ballas in Chicago on Broadway for one night only. Derek Hough will be joining the production on July 20th to do the show's opening monologue and then he will have a post show talk back with Ballas, who obviously is returning to the show as Billy Flynn. Now talking about a Huff on Broadway, I have heard some rumors that Derek will not be the only Huff in a Broadway show this season. Obviously he's only doing it for one night, but other Unidentified Huff will be taking over a role that was played by somebody else in an out of town tryout, a show that was very well received out of Town and has already announced that it is coming to Broadway. But it was decided that the Broadway stalwarts that were a part of it out of Town were not good enough for Broadway in terms of selling tickets. So they are trying to get some big name people to take over those roles. When it does eventually transfer, one of them happens to share Derek Hough's last name. I will not go any further and give any more clues to help you figure out who that may or may not be. But I will say you probably don't need to be a Doogie Howser, M.D. to put the pieces together. In some other pretty exciting news. Last week one of my favorite shows of recent memory announced an Off Broadway return. It was an Entertainment Weekly exclusive. Exclusive. The show is Marin Ireland's pre existing condition and as it did in its original 2024 run, it will have a rotating selection of stars in the lead role of a For this run, those stars will be no less than Helen of Troy herself, Lupita Nyong'. O. She will rotate in the role with Edie Falco, who was a part of that original run. I saw her do it in that original Off Broadway run. They'll be joined by Philippa Sue, Hari Neff and Susanna Flood. The show will run in September at the Greenwich House Theater and those stars will be joined by the original Off Broadway cast, Greg Keller, Dale Orlander Smith and Sarah Steele. I spoke to Sarah Steele a couple years ago. The show, as it was originally, is being directed by Maria Dizzia. It'll begin performances on September 1st with an opening night on the 14th and is currently scheduled to play through October 25th. Sticking off Broadway with People that I Love, Julia Lester is going to star in a new Off Broadway play at the Soho Playhouse called Hungry Women. The play, was written by Melissa Maney, is going to run at Soho Playhouse from July 23rd through August 30th. Daniela Cagiano is directing. The show explores a world in which men have gone extinct, covering 200 years of survival, identity, sexuality, motherhood and power in the absence of patriarchy. What's interesting about this show is that it won Soho Playhouse's Lighthouse series last year and is now getting to come to the stage because of that. So Julia Lester, one of the best up and coming stars of her generation and really looking forward to hearing about this one when it begins performances in a couple weeks. Moving back on Broadway Last Friday we got news that Eva Kaminsky has joined the Broadway bound production of Paranormal Activity Activity. She is going to be stepping into the role of Etheline Cotgrave in the show, which had previously been announced to being played by Andrea Siglowski, who's a former Broadway radio guest. We haven't heard any reason as to why she is leaving the production at this point. I wish her the best and sent her all good vibes. I hope that whatever is taking her out of the show isn't dramatic or tragic and instead hopefully a great opportunity for her somewhere else. But nonetheless, Kaminsky is currently doing the run of the show at Emerson Colonial Theater in Boston and will transfer with it to Broadway at the August Wilson Theater. Will begin performances on August 14th. Heading from the August Wilson over to the Lena Horn last week we got some news about two of the new stars that will be joining the Broadway production of Six taking over the role of Anne Boleyn on August 17th will be Chloe Tucker Cain, who was a musical theater actress in her day. She played Sophie on the national tour tour of Mamma Mia. Did a show at La Jolla Playhouse, was in the Off Broadway production of Death of the Moon, a one woman show. But she has gone on to have a luxury real estate career and was one of the stars of the reality show Owning Manhattan. She is now getting back into her musical theater roots and taking over the role of anne Boleyn on August 17th and she will be joined by Stephanie J. Park, who is going to be taking over the role of Catherine Parr on that same day. Both of these actresses are scheduled to be in the show through February 14th of 2027. Stephanie J. Park has played Eliza in Hamilton on Broadway and on tour and she recently earned a Lucille Lortel nomination for her performance in Monte Cristo. She's also been seen on Broadway in War Pain and the King and I. So really interesting people coming into the show. We also found out yesterday that Grammy Award winner Abigail Barlow and my favorite Jasmine Forsberg will be exiting the premier production as Kate Howard and Jane Seymour in August as well. So interesting if we will get some announcements as to who will be taking over those roles. As I said when it was announced that Samantha Pauley was going to be exiting the Great Gatsby, I would not be surprised to see her back as Kate Howard. I don't have any insight into that, but it certainly seems like the timing lines up, so don't be surprised if that gets announced here fairly soon. All right, sticking off Broadway, we do have a couple of extension announcements. It was announced last week that Jennifer Nettles show Julia playing at the Perlman Performing Arts center has extended. Extended. It will now add an extra week and will play through August 2nd. Also extending is the new MCC show by Jonathan Spector called Birthright. That show has added a full month to its run at MCC and will now play through August 23rd. And finally, in our show and Casting news section, last week it was announced that the great Christopher Fitzgerald will star in the upcoming Off Broadway revival of Connor McPherson the Good Thief at Irish Repertory Theater. The show will begin performances on November 7th and will play through December 13th. All right, before we wrap up, let's talk about what is happening in this week's theatrical schedule. Not a ton of stuff going on, but the absolute star studded production of the Whoopee Monologues will officially open tonight, July 14th. The show has an absolutely dynamite cast led by Dominique Fishback, Keisha Lewis, Danielle Pinnock, Kerry Washington and Kara Young. Whitney White is the director and it obviously takes the iconic one woman show from Whoopi Goldberg and turns it into a series of monologues by these five incredible actresses. The show opens tonight and is currently on sale through August 30th. Also happening tonight over at the Lucille Lortel Theater will be the first performance of the Off Broadway show Broadstone Strokes. It is a one woman show starring comedian Cat Cohen and is directed by Alex Timbers. The plot description reads, after suffering a stroke at 30 caused by a literal hole in her heart, comedian Cat Cohen transforms her near death experience into a wildly funny song filled one woman show about mortality, hypochondria and the undeniable thrill of being the main character. The show is currently set to run at the Lucille Lortel through September 5th. Then tomorrow on Wednesday, July 15th, we will have another opening Off Broadway. This one comes to us from the Cherry Lane Theater and it is the new play written by Benedict Lohm called Shifters. It is directed by Lynette Linton and stars Heather Agipong and Daniel Ezra. This is the North American premiere of a show that was nominated for an Olivier Award last year and is described as an epic and universal love story that is about the enduring power of memory and young love. As of now, the show is currently scheduled to close on August 30th. And speaking of closings this Sunday, we have two. First on Broadway is the star studded production of Proof that I really enjoyed when I saw. You can go back into the archives and listen to my review of that if you would like. And also Henry vi, a trilogy into parts at the Public Theater. If you want more information on any of these shows, I will have links in the show notes. All right everybody, that's all I have for you today. Thank you so much for your support of Broadway radio. If you want more Broadway radio, head over to patreon.com broadwayradio we really appreciate you giving us of your time and listening. This has been Matt Tammanini and I'll talk to you soon. Awkward time to ask this, but. Hey, did you download the trail map?
- [17:40]
T-Mobile Customer
Yeah, no, I don't need to.
- [17:42]
Matt Tamnini
I don't understand.
- [17:43]
T-Mobile Representative
You're trusting your signal out here.
- [17:44]
T-Mobile Customer
I'm trusting T Mobile. They have the best network and if we end up in bumtots nowhere, well, we've got T satellite for backup.
- [17:51]
T-Mobile Advertiser
Whoa.
- [17:51]
Matt Tamnini
I don't trust my carrier that much,
- [17:53]
T-Mobile Customer
we'll just use your phone as a flashlight.
- [17:57]
T-Mobile Advertiser
With America's Best Network and T Satellite, we're keeping you connected in places you never thought possible. And if you switch today, you get free phones for zero down and only 25 bucks a month per line for free four lines. Find out more@t mobile.com or visit your local store.
- [18:13]
T-Mobile Representative
Best Mobile Network Based on analysis by Ooklev Speed Test intelligence data to H 2025 with 24 monthly bill credits and 4 eligible port ins on essentials for well qualified customers with autopay plus taxes, fees and 35 connection charge per line. Credit's in balance too. If you pay off earlier, cancel contact US Finance Agreement example $299.99 Moto Edge 5G required T Satellite available with compatible device in most outdoor areas in the US where you can see the sky included with experience beyond or $10 a month. However, news monthly cancel anytime visit t mobile dot com.