BroadwayRadio: This Week on Broadway for January 18, 2026 — "Bug"
Date: January 18, 2026
Host: James Marino
Panelists: Peter Filicia, Janetessa (Jenna) Fox, Michael Portantier
Overview
This episode centers on current happenings on Broadway, with a particular focus on Manchester Theatre Club’s revival of Tracy Letts’ play Bug. The panel—James Marino, Peter Filicia, Jenna Tessa Fox, and Michael Portantier—review Bug, delve into recent Broadway news (notably the surprise closure of Hell's Kitchen), and discuss other reviews, concerts, and notable theatrical tidbits from the week.
Panel Introductions (01:04–03:45)
- Panelists' Backgrounds:
- Peter Filicia: Playwright, journalist, historian, author of "A Show Tune for Today" desk calendar.
- Jenna Tessa Fox: Theater journalist and critic, League of Professional Theater Women member.
- Michael Portantier: Theater reviewer, photographer, founder of castalbumreviews.com, cabaret reviewer.
Recent Broadway News & Trends
The Sweeney Todd Book Mention (04:02–07:53)
- Michael discusses his contribution (quotes from interviews) to Rick Pender's new book, Sweeney: Behind the Bloody Musical Masterpiece.
- "As much as I know about Sweeney Todd, I'm happy to read another book about it because it's such a rich history." (04:32, Michael Portantier)
- Anecdotes about skimming indices for their own names in new books.
Surprising Closures and Real Estate (08:15–12:49)
- James recaps the week’s big headlines hit:
- Jim Parsons joining Titanique
- Hell's Kitchen closing unexpectedly
- Peter notes the unprecedented event: "As of February 23rd, there will not be one show playing between 7th Avenue and 8th Avenue on 44th street, which to me was unprecedented." (09:31, Peter Filicia)
- Michael discusses possible incoming shows (Galileo), the unpredictability of real estate, and smaller shows grabbing prime theatres.
Main Review: Bug at Manhattan Theatre Club
Peter Filicia's Perspective (13:18–16:21)
- Theme: Paranoia, government distrust, mental health
- "What's most interesting about Bug is... here's a guy who is convinced the government is doing terrible things to him... Since this play opened... there's been a lot of reason to believe he might be onto something." (13:18, Peter)
- Highlights:
- Carrie Coon's "marvelous" performance as Agnes
- Namir Smallwood "very effective" as Peter
- Supporting cast praised (Jennifer Engstrom, Randall Arnais, Steve Key)
- David Cromer directed with high tension
- Recommendation: "If you are willing to be put through the ringer with a very, very difficult play, I think you'll be rewarded." (16:19, Peter)
Jenna Tessa Fox’s Perspective (16:25–23:15)
- Context: Play originated in 1996, post-Oklahoma City bombing/militia movement.
- "This has to be one of the creepiest plays I've seen in years." (16:53, Jenna)
- Discussion Points:
- Relevance to current society, where paranoia fringes are now mainstream.
- Detailed character breakdown—sympathy for Peter rooted in governmental abuse (Tuskegee mention).
- "There's logic to their beliefs, and that's one of the most horrifying parts of the play." (16:25, Jenna)
- Production Praise:
- Chemistry between Coon and Smallwood
- Set, lighting, and sound design
- David Cromer's tension-filled direction
- Modern resonance with QAnon references
- Memorable Quote:
- "We've gone from the militia movement of the mid-90s being widely condemned to QAnon being maybe not widely accepted, but accepted enough that they can storm the Capitol building and get away with it." (22:44, Jenna)
- Wish: Play sparks discussion on paranoia and solutions.
Michael Portantier’s Perspective (23:15–28:22)
- Bug’s Production History:
- Originated in London (1996), then DC, Chicago, Off-Broadway (2004).
- Recalls Amanda Plummer’s last-minute withdrawal.
- About the Play:
- Notes the play is about both literal and metaphorical 'bugs' (insects and surveillance/mental bugs).
- "I think it's about both... don't they even at some point, doesn't Peter say that the bugs themselves are bugged?" (25:52, Michael)
- Notable Observations:
- Praises mention of real government conspiracies (Tuskegee) to justify Peter’s paranoia.
- Finds the play “could not be more timely.”
- "It gratifies me that a play can be such a big hit and so newsworthy on Broadway. Doesn't happen so often anymore." (28:09, Michael)
Bug: Notable Quotes & Timestamps
- "Carrie Coon is just all raw, exposed nerves as Agnes, and she never lets the character slip into a caricature." — Jenna, (19:54)
- "He believes in his paranoia and his very calm delivery of increasingly wild theories just makes them terrifying." — Jenna on Namir Smallwood as Peter, (20:45)
- "He chose to play Judd not as creepy and violent, but as terribly, terribly lonely." — Michael on Oklahoma! (Beyond Bug, 64:03, but notes relevance to outsider status—paranoia theme resonance)
- "Since this play opened... there's been a lot of reason to believe he might be onto something." — Peter, (13:26)
Additional Reviews/Segments
Going Bacharach: The Songs of an Icon (31:31–37:41)
- Michael reviews a “well-done, very well put together” revue of Burt Bacharach songs featuring Hillary Cole among others.
- "You'll get to hear just about every Bacharach song you know and many you didn’t." (33:15, Michael)
- Discussion about song choices, misses in Promises, Promises productions.
The Opening at Players Theater (38:19–41:23)
- Peter reviews a new musical "about chess", but with a controversial comic twist involving cheating.
Picnic at Hanging Rock (42:43–48:44)
- Jenna reviews the recently-closed Off-Broadway adaptation:
- Praised dreamlike mood and strong performances.
- Found the direction unclear, sometimes making the narrative hard to follow.
Repeat/Classic: Ragtime at Lincoln Center (52:37–57:31)
- Peter’s reflections on revisiting Ragtime, the stamina of the cast, and its status as a classic that “should have” beaten Lion King for the Tony.
- "It was just as galvanizing and wonderful as it was on opening night. Nobody is dogging it. Everybody is trying extraordinarily hard." (54:09, Peter)
Concerts & Legacy Shows
- Isabel Leonard and Friends (Opera singer & musical theatre at Carnegie Hall, 57:49–60:59)
- Oklahoma! in Concert (review and discussion of casting choices, notably a person of color as Judd, 61:02–66:03)
Off-the-Beaten-Track: Tri Step Trip at ART (66:08–67:53)
- Peter lauds the precision dancing and emotional impact, especially in the context of a show about drug addiction.
Classic: Gilbert and Sullivan Society’s HMS Pinafore (68:09–70:57)
- Peter highlights the rarity of lush, full-orchestra G&S performances and notes a standout Josephine.
Notable News & Announcements
- New 12-part Sondheim Podcast: Loving You: The Untold Sondheim launches March 5 (72:10–73:50)
- Cynthia Erivo Rumored To Have Rights to Passion: With Maria Friedman to direct future production (74:00–77:17)
- Panel muses on the controversial nature and differences between the Broadway/London cast Passion recordings (75:21–76:39)
Memorable Quotes from the Episode
- “There’s logic to their beliefs, and that’s one of the most horrifying parts of the whole play.” – Jenna on Bug (19:56)
- “It gratifies me that a play can be such a big hit and so newsworthy on Broadway. Doesn’t happen so often anymore.” – Michael (28:09)
- “If you are willing to be put through the ringer with a very, very difficult play, I think you’ll be rewarded.” – Peter (16:19)
Timestamps for Key Bug Segments
- Intro to Main Topic: 13:18
- Peter’s Review: 13:18–16:21
- Jenna’s Review: 16:25–23:15
- Michael’s Review: 23:17–28:22
Tone and Style
- Informal, witty, deeply informed.
- Playful teasing and tongue-in-cheek asides (e.g., looking for their names in book indices, jokes about podcast indices).
- Candid, occasionally emotional responses to both artistic and industry developments.
Final Notes
- Full show notes, further details, and ways to support/podcast archives can be found at broadwayradio.com
- Musical moments of the week: "Promises, Promises" and "Turkey Lurky Time" (79:33 onward)
- The episode closes, as always, with trivia and playful banter.
For More
This summary captures the spirit, critical insights, and all major discussion points of the January 18, 2026 episode, especially the panel's review and contextualization of "Bug"—with relevant quotes, timestamps, and panelist attributions to guide those who missed the original podcast.