BroadwayRadio: This Week on Broadway – February 22, 2026

Episode Theme: A Focus on Composer Georgia Stitt, Her New Album “Bell Tower,” and Championing Gender Equity in Theater

Overview

In this episode, host James Marino is joined by co-hosts Peter Filicia and Michael Portantier for an engaging conversation centered on the prolific composer, lyricist, and music director Georgia Stitt. The episode explores Stitt’s new album “Bell Tower,” her creative process in theatrical art songs, and her pioneering work to create opportunities for women and gender-expansive people in the theater industry through Maestra. The panel also reviews current theater productions and discusses key issues in casting, representation, and new opera.

Main Interview: Georgia Stitt

Stitt’s Background and Career Highlights

• Georgia Stitt is celebrated for her work as a composer, lyricist, music director, and music producer.
• Her credits include musicals “Snow Child,” “Samantha Spade: Ace Detective,” “Big Red Sun,” “The Water,” and “Mosaic.”
• She has worked across Broadway and TV/film, notably as music director of “Thirteen, The Musical” (Netflix) and music supervisor on “The Last Five Years.”
• She’s collaborated with stars like Laura Osnes, Carol Burnett, and numerous others.

Notable Quote: On Working with Carol Burnett

“On the day of the orchestra recording, she had memorized the names of all the musicians... She said then and other times, 'All of those people know who I am. The least I could do is learn their names.' It’s so classy and amazing.”
— Georgia Stitt (11:35)

The New Album: Bell Tower (Releasing March 6, 2026)

Concept and Process

• The album is a collection of “theatrical art songs,” many set to pre-existing poems, exploring both comedic and deeply moving material.
• Stitt explains the DNA of her writing mixes classical composition education with her theater background.
• The album centers on the “Small Talk” song cycle: 16 short songs (~1 min each) set to poetry, performed by artists like Kate Baldwin, Ruthie Ann Miles, and Sierra Boggess.
• Additional tracks include both older art songs and brand new work recorded by talents such as Mark Kudisch and Tituss Burgess.
• No lyrics by Stitt herself: all texts are existing poems by authors like William Blake, Dorothy Parker, and living friends like Faye Greenberg.

Notable Quote: On Choosing Poems

“A lot of times when I’m not on deadline, I’ll find a poem and set it to music... My hope for these songs is that the legit theater singer will feel like water in a desert to those people.”
— Georgia Stitt (15:16)

Memorable Songs and Origin Stories

• “Communication”: Inspired by MTA’s Poetry in Motion campaign; a short, funny poem by Alicia Partnoy.
• “That Look” & “Alan’s Dead”: Quick, humor-filled settings of Faye Greenberg’s poetry.
  • On “Alan’s Dead”:

    “Alan's Dead deals with a woman who is talking about an old boyfriend, and indeed, he's dead to her... just not dead enough.”
    — Peter Filicia (22:41)

• Three tracks feature beloved late Broadway star Rebecca Luker, recorded before her illness.

Inspirational and Thematic Anchors

• “Hold Fast to Your Dreams” (feat. Nikki Renée Daniels): An uplifting, longer piece closing the album on hope and perseverance.
  • Quote:

    “It’s about a mother speaking to a child about not giving up on your dreams... We can't lose hope; it's the artist’s job to remind people of that which is beautiful.”
    — Georgia Stitt (34:00)

• Title track “Bell Tower” sets a feminist-informed Rilke poem (“Let this darkness be a bell tower and you the bell... what batters you becomes your strength”).

Notable Moment: On Art Songs and Accessibility

“They feel like storytelling and they're in English and they feel very accessible to theater audiences, but they are actually poetry.”
— Georgia Stitt (17:48)

Maestra: Advancing Gender Equity in Theater

Founding Story and Mission

• Stitt founded Maestra to boost support, visibility, and community for women and gender-expansive people in theatrical music fields.
• Inspired after struggling to assemble an all-women band for an Off-Broadway revival of "Sweet Charity."
• Built the Maestra Directory: a searchable public database now listing ~3,000 musicians and professionals globally.
• Maestra collaborates with the Miranda family’s RISE initiative to extend its impact backstage.

Notable Quote: On Visibility

“People started writing me and saying, ‘I hear you have the list of all the female bass players in New York.’... I just wanted to be able to answer the question that people said these women didn’t exist. And they do.”
— Georgia Stitt (26:16)

Industry Discussion: Gender Bias and Orchestra Auditions

• The panel discusses the role of blind auditions in increasing diversity among orchestra players and the ongoing challenges of gender bias in music hiring.
  • Quote:

    “When you took away that bias, more women started getting hired.”
    — Georgia Stitt (32:07)

Upcoming Maestra Event: Amplify Fundraiser

• April 6 at City Winery; aims to celebrate and further the cause of gender equity in theater.
• Co-hosted by Betsy Wolfe and Hannah Cruz; Amplify Award to Shaina Taub.

Other Georgia Stitt Projects & Reflections

Live Performances and Shows

• March 13–15: Concerts with Kate Baldwin at 54 Below, featuring a new premiere song.
• Ongoing work developing “Snow Child” (as both composer and now potential book writer) and a revue “The Danger Year” showcasing her catalog.

Viral Story: The Lost Laptop Saga

• Georgia recounts a crowd-followed, ultimately hopeful experience of recovering her laptop after it was mistakenly taken at JFK Airport:
  • Quote:

    “I got it back... It was a good person who had done a stupid thing. And through the process... it really brought the community together because it was so hopeful and because everyone was thinking, 'Is this story going to have a happy ending?'”
    — Georgia Stitt (44:20)

Podcast Panel: Insights & Theater Reviews

Featured in the Episode

• Peter Filicia: Playwright, journalist, author; Day-by-Day Desk Calendar available now.
• Michael Portantier: Reviewer, editor at castalbumreviews.com, photographer, cabaret writer/producer.

Discussion Highlights

The Klee Band (Edward Kleban) Prize

• Recent musical theater writing awards: Eric Price (lyrics), Philip Christian Smith (book).
  • Ceremony featured performances by Santino Fontana and Talia Suskawa.

Broadway & Off-Broadway Reviews

• Not Nobody (59E59): A gripping, original play by Brian Dykstra about wrongful suspicion and modern paranoia.
  • “One of the most gripping experiences I’ve had in a long, long time... virtually flawless.” — Peter Filicia (48:45)
• Where’s the Dinosaurs (Playwrights Horizons): Mixed reactions to an elliptical play about AA meetings.
  • “I was completely at sea and had trouble getting through the play, even though it's barely more than an hour.” — Michael Portantier (52:57)
• Mother Russia (Signature): Laughter-filled, socially insightful new play about the post-Soviet 1990s.
  • “David Turner gives that performance... when you see a male performer play a woman, you say, ‘That’s a man.’ But I dare say if you didn't hear me talk about this, there would be a second where you wouldn’t be so sure.” — Peter Filicia (58:31)
• Rent (NYU Steinhardt): Vivid, youthful cast delivers a moving production; praised for direction and strong choral numbers.
  • “Literally the first time that I literally had tears in my eyes. So they really must have done an amazing job.” — Michael Portantier (64:56)
• Meat Suit (Signature/Second Stage): Stylized and eventually deeply real play about motherhood; the shift from parody to raw authenticity praised.
• The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay (Met Opera): Lauded as an accessible, melodious new American opera; likely to become a repertory staple.

Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• [12:27] On Carol Burnett’s memorable class and musical collaboration
  “She had memorized the names of all the musicians... the least I could do is learn their names.” – Georgia Stitt

• [15:16] On writing art songs
  “Between shows, when I go back to my default, I have this sort of classical, theatrical voice... I’ll find a poem and set it to music.”

• [19:38] The “Communication” origin story
  “I read it and laughed out loud. So I took a picture, went home, looked it up... I think I succeeded at that. The audiences usually laugh.”

• [26:16] On Maestra's impact
  “I hear you have the list of all the female bass players in New York... I just wanted to be able to answer the question that people said these women didn’t exist. And they do.”

• [34:00] On hope and inspiration in "Hold Fast Your Dreams"
  “It’s about a mother speaking to a child about not giving up on your dreams... the artist’s job to remind people of that which is beautiful.”

• [44:20] The lost laptop happy ending
  “It was a good person who had done a stupid thing... it really brought the community together... are there good people in the world who are going to do the right thing?”

Episode Structure & Key Timestamps

• [00:48] Welcome and panel introductions
• [09:33] Georgia Stitt bio and guest intro
• [13:02] “Bell Tower” album discussion
• [19:13] Comedy and origins of the song cycle
• [26:12] The founding of Maestra and increasing visibility
• [36:34] Upcoming “Amplify” fundraiser and 54 Below concert
• [39:33] Future projects in theater, tv, and film
• [44:03] The Lost Laptop story
• [48:36] Reviews: "Not Nobody," "Where's the Dinosaurs," "Mother Russia"
• [64:50] "Rent" at NYU – production notes
• [73:27] "Meat Suit" and more reviews
• [77:22] "Kavalier & Clay" and opera at The Met
• [83:10] Quick hits: "Heated Rivalry," Broadway cancellations, weather

Musical Moments

• Episode closes with two selections from “Bell Tower”
  • “What Lips My Lips Have Kissed” (Opener)
  • “Alan’s Dead” (from "Small Talk" cycle; [89:23]—short, high-impact, comic art song)

Final Thoughts

This episode encapsulates Broadway’s creative heartbeat, as seen through Georgia Stitt’s multifaceted career, her deep commitment to artistic inclusivity, and the enduring power of music and theater to foster community, empathy, and hope. Essential listening for those interested in theatrical composition, representation, and the stories behind the music.