This Week on Broadway for January 25, 2026: Data @ The Lucille Lortel Theatre

Summary

BroadwayRadio: This Week on Broadway – January 25, 2026

Episode Theme: A Wide-Ranging Review of Recent New York Theatre, with a Focus on "Data" at the Lucille Lortel Theatre

---

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode, hosted by James Marino with Peter Filichia and Michael Portantiere, offers listeners a lively roundtable of the current New York theater scene. The core of the episode is Peter’s in-depth review of Matthew Libby’s new play "Data" at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, contextualized within a rich discussion of Broadway and off-Broadway news, notable musical performances, and some backstage drama, including a Met Opera controversy and several cabaret and regional highlights.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Show-Tune for Today: Celebrate "Bring It On" and Ariana DeBose

• Peter selects "We Ain't No Cheerleaders" from "Bring It On" in honor of Ariana DeBose’s birthday (01:31).
• Reflects on DeBose’s early Broadway work and connections between creative teams (Lin-Manuel Miranda, Amanda Green) (03:31–04:56).
• Quote (Peter Filichia, 04:48): “That’s the way she looks at life... I’ve got a trophy and all you got is friends. I think that’s a terrific perception.”

2. Reflecting on the 2012–13 Season

• The hosts reminisce about "Bring It On" and other notable productions from that time (Matilda, Kinky Boots, Chaplin, Annie) (07:03–10:11).
• Discussion of the challenges of opening shows in August versus April, noting the “carb-loading” effect of April openings (10:26–11:18).

3. Main Review: "Data" at the Lucille Lortel Theatre

• Peter’s Review (11:35–14:37):
  • "Terrific beyond belief"—a sharp, naturalistic ensemble drama set in a tech company, Athena.
  • Highlights Justin H. Min’s understated performance, alongside Sophia Lillis and the rest of a strong cast.
  • Praises “real” dialogue, nuanced character motivations, and palpable tension about ambition, sabotage, and ethical dilemmas.
  • “There are so many pauses that are just the right length when people just don’t know what to say... very, very galvanizing.” (13:27)
  • “Will you indeed sell your soul to a company that goes against everything that you want?”
• The show runs through March 29. Michael hopes to reschedule after missing due to a rescheduled Philharmonic concert (14:50–15:36).

4. Metropolitan Opera’s "Carmen" Production Drama

• Michael delves into a controversy over unapproved set cuts and director/designer names being omitted from credits (15:55–24:25).
  • “At every moment, there’s that disconnect... It never fits the music and it contradicts the libretto time and time again.” (19:22)
  • Despite production woes, the singing (especially Michael Fabiano and Aigul Akhmetshina) was “absolutely incredible.”
  • Discussion of the implications of the production’s abrupt changes and potential legal fallout.

5. "Going Bacharach: The Songs of an Icon" (Cabaret Review)

• Peter and Michael critique the show’s musical director for show-stealing behavior, despite his virtuosity (27:55–33:40).
  • “He has an ego the size of Rhode Island, which I’ll grant you, is not a big... but for an ego, it’s very, very, very big.” (29:21)
  • Both praise his musicianship but wish for less self-indulgent stage presence.

6. "The Emmetts" at Birdland

• Michael discovers a new favorite duo: Emmet Cahill and Emmett O’Hanlon deliver a crowd-pleasing cabaret set of Broadway and pop standards (36:48–41:31).
  • “...unbelievably charming and amazing voices... I think the evening was really meant as an introduction... in New York who don’t necessarily know who they are yet.”

7. "Edward O’Donnell’s Box" at Rizzoli Bookstore

• Peter attends this interactive solo storytelling show where the audience picks which object’s story is told next (42:04–45:45).
• Unsure if the story is fact or fiction, but finds the format engaging and the performer a “very, very excellent raconteur.”

8. Scott Siegel’s 54 Sings Broadway’s Greatest Hits

• Michael reports a surprisingly packed house despite a blizzard, highlighting standout performances by Ben Jones, William Michaels, and meteorologist-soprano Marina Jurica (46:49–51:59).
  • Praises the addition of young pianist Mark T. Evans to the cabaret world.

9. "Sherlock Holmes: The Great Detective" at Walnut Street Theatre

• Peter lauds Bill Van Horn’s new production in Philadelphia, with a cautionary note about the premature use of the iconic “Elementary, my dear Watson” catchphrase (55:06–59:12).
  • “These things are marathons. You gotta pace yourself... really, there are times when you should save something for later.”

10. Cats: The Jellicle Ball – Broadway Transfer Details

• Update on the set and runway configuration for the Broadway transfer, confirming it will be a scaled-back version due to sightline issues (59:56–63:37).
  • “...it’s going to be a very short runway... if a runway had extended further out into the audience, that would have created a huge problem...” (61:37)
  • On the transfer: “Cats always land on their feet.” (64:23)

11. Other Noteworthy News

• "Lost Boys" casting announcement includes director Michael Arden also credited as lighting designer (64:43–65:17).
• Williamstown Theatre Festival to return in 2027 with Jeremy O. Harris at the helm (66:17–68:38).
• Return of the acclaimed play "Mexodus" to NYC at the Daryl Roth Theatre (69:03–70:17).
  • Michael: “I loved it so much. It was certainly one of the highlights of that season.” (69:41)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On "Data":

  • “The dialogue is so real and the acting so natural and the direction so powerful.” (13:13 — Peter)
  • “Will you indeed sell your soul to a company that goes against everything that you want a company to go forward with?” (13:35 — Peter)

• On the Met’s Carmen Drama:

  • “The whole thing is just ridiculous. I don’t get it. There are moments when it works on its own terms, but it never fits the music and it contradicts the libretto time and time again.” (19:22 — Michael)

• On Going Bacharach’s pianist:

  • “He has an ego the size of Rhode Island, which I’ll grant you, is not a big... but for an ego, it’s very, very, very big.” (29:21 — Peter)

• On The Emmetts:

  • “Now I’m a fan for life.” (39:13 — Michael)

• On the "Sherlock Holmes" catchphrase:

  • “...that should be saved for the very end of the show... there are times when you really should save something for later." (58:13 — Peter)

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Opening & Banter: 01:26–11:18
• Data at Lortel Theatre: 11:35–14:37
• Met Opera "Carmen" Drama: 15:55–24:25
• Going Bacharach (Cabaret): 27:55–33:40
• The Emmetts at Birdland: 36:48–41:31
• Edward O’Donnell’s Box at Rizzoli: 42:04–45:45
• 54 Sings Broadway’s Greatest Hits: 46:49–51:59
• Sherlock Holmes at Walnut St Theatre: 55:06–59:12
• Cats: Jellicle Ball Updates: 59:56–63:37
• Lost Boys, Williamstown, Mexodus News: 64:33–70:17

---

Additional Segments

• Brain Teaser & Musical Moments: Closing tradition continues with a Sondheim-inspired brain teaser (71:21–72:49) and sample tracks from “The Emmetts” (73:05–75:12).

---

Overall Tone

The hosts are conversational and warm, balancing thoughtful analysis with humor (notably in their banter about cats always landing on their feet (64:23)), affectionate nostalgia, and candor about both the highs and lows of the shows they review. There’s a shared sense of excitement about live performance—whether in a big house or a bookstore backroom—anchoring the episode.

---

For Listeners Who Haven’t Heard the Episode

This summary covers all principal productions and controversies discussed, the unique character and chemistry of the podcast hosts, and sharp insights on why certain shows connect (or don’t), both in content and execution. Listeners will come away updated on New York’s theater buzz, new work "Data" as a standout, the resilience of cabaret, and some essential industry developments.

---

End of Summary

Transcript

[Peter Florida]

Everyone deserves to be connected.

[Michael Portentier]

That's why T Mobile and US Cellular are joining forces.

[Peter Florida]

Switch to T Mobile and save up.

[Michael Portentier]

To 20% versus Verizon by getting built.

[Peter Florida]

In benefits they leave out. Check the math@t mobile.com switch and now.

[Michael Portentier]

T mobile is in US cellular stores.

[Peter Florida]

Savings versus Comparable Verizon plans plus the cost of optional benefits plan features in Texas and fees vary. Savings with three plus lines include third line free via monthly bill credits. Credit stop if you cancel any lines. Qualifying credit required. Plastic bags, plastic lids what do we do with you? You can't go in the recycling bin, but you can be recycled if taken to a new recycle on center.

[Michael Portentier]

Find one near [e-mail] oregoncenters this podcast.

[James Marino]

Is sponsored by Squarespace. Squarespace is the all in one website platform designed to help you stand out and succeed online. Whether you're just starting out or scaling your business, Squarespace gives you everything you need to claim your domain, showcase your offerings with a professional website, grow your brand and get paid all in one place. Check out squarespace.com broadway for a free trial and when you're ready to launch, use offer code Broadway to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

[Unknown Performer/Poet]

My boy will see that he's named after me. Like a tree he'll grow in his head held by every speed Let it firm on the ground and you won't see nobody dare to try to pass him or toss him around no pun belly Barry I thought he will pass him around and I don't give a damn what he does as long as he does what he likes he can sit on his tail or work on a red with a hammer, a hammer.

[Peter Florida]

And.

[Unknown Performer/Poet]

He can ferry a boat on a river or carry a pack on his back or walk up and down the streets of the town with a whip and a horse and a hack. He can horse scowl along a canal, run a cow around the corral.

[Peter Florida]

Or.

[Unknown Performer/Poet]

Maybe bark for a carousel. Of course it takes talent to do.

[James Marino]

That well, hello and welcome to Broadway Radios this week on Broadway for Sunday, January 25, 2026. My name is James Marino and in the broadcast today we have Peter, Felicia and Michael Portantier. Peter is a playwright, journalist and historian with a number of books. Peter's new Day by Day Desk calendar, A Show tune for today, 366 songs to bright New Year is available at finer retailers. Peter also has columns at Masterworks, Broadway, Broadway select and many of the places Hello Peter.

[Peter Florida]

Hi.

[James Marino]

So Peter, in today's Show Tune for Today might possibly be Matt Tamnini's favorite show.

[Peter Florida]

Is that right?

[James Marino]

Bring It On. He talks about Bring it on all the time. So tell us. Yeah, but I didn't know that. Well, I knew this, but I never put it together, this little connection of all the people. So tell us about.

[Peter Florida]

Well, the reason I chose We Ain't no Cheerleaders from Bring It On. But today, in 1991, Ariana DeBose was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. So now, this is long before she won a Golden Globe and an Oscar for an eder and west side Story. But she was a busy Broadway performer starting with this show in 2012. Now, she was Nautica, an inner city teen who, along with two friends, insisted that they were dancers because cheerleaders was a term that they found old world and demeaning. Now, it wasn't a large role, but now that you know her voice from America and quintet and more distinctly in A Boy like that, you should listen and see if you can pick her out of the trio. Now, two writers wrote the lyrics. One was Amanda Green. The other was a collaborator who worked on the show between in the Heights and Hamilton, Lin Manuel Miranda. So I don't know who wrote what in We Ain't no Cheerleaders, but I will tell you, this is Bring it on is essentially an All About Eve story. And it does have a girl who, who certainly is doing what she can to become the head cheerleader. And at the end, there's a great lyric, I've got a trophy and all you got is friends. I think that's a terrific perception. So that's the way she looks at life. And anyway, but that's the song for today.

[James Marino]

All right. Also with us is Michael Portentier. Michael's a theater reviewer, an interviewer. He's the founder and editor of castalbumreviews.com he is also a theatrical photographer whose photos have appeared in the New York Times and other publications. And he writes reviews of cabaret shows for NightLifeExchange.com Additionally, Michael is known as a producer and director of shows at 54 below, the Laurie Beechman Theater and other venues. Hello, Michael. Hello, Michael. Just before we started recording, I was asking you about your bird's eye view of Manhattan right now. Can you give us a traffic and weather report?

[Michael Portentier]

No, but I saw last night I saw 54 sings Broadway's greatest Hits, the latest edition of that at 54 below. And among the many people who performed was this woman, Marina Jerica, who is a, a, a weather reporter for one of the networks.

[Peter Florida]

Oh, funny.

[Michael Portentier]

And so she gave an update after her performance.

[James Marino]

Oh, that's very funny.

[Michael Portentier]

That was quite funny. You know, Peter, I, I should mention I, I very well remember Bring it on. And I loved it. And it had, you know, such other people in it as Taylor Louderman, Adrian Warren, Jason Gotay, Neil Haskell, Ryan Redmond, Kate Rockwell. Yeah, it was, it was a good show.

[James Marino]

I love going. I love going back to those shows that weren't big financial successes that are sort of fall off the radar. And then you go back and look at it and you're like, oh, my goodness, what a cast.

[Michael Portentier]

I remember at the time, I was surprised that it wasn't a bigger hit because it did seem to have a lot, a lot going for it.

[Peter Florida]

I agree entirely.

[James Marino]

Do you guys remember what year it was?

[Michael Portentier]

It was opened August 1, 2012.

[Peter Florida]

12.

[James Marino]

Yeah, 2012.

[Peter Florida]

I wonder, can it really be 14 years? I mean, that's astonishing.

[James Marino]

Well, it's time for an encores, isn't it?

[Peter Florida]

I guess so, yeah. It may very well happen to him.

[James Marino]

You know, such. Such wonderful things happening at Encores and other, Other places to relaunch a show that maybe just didn't hit for some reason. What was the big show in 2012 that overshadowed it?

[Peter Florida]

I don't know. Maybe the. The summer thing was a problem. You know, there are so many pros and cons about whether or not you open in summer. I mean, we can all point to Avenue Q and Hairspray and what have you, but, you know, but nevertheless, that could be a problem sometime.

[Michael Portentier]

So, yeah, August 1st is kind of. Many people would say the worst time.

[Peter Florida]

Yeah.

[James Marino]

So. Oh, that season included Baccarat, Barack on Broadway. That's. Oh, that's not Bakarat, that Obama, One Night, One night only. I almost said One Night Stand. Mike Tyson, the Undisputed Truth. That's a forgotten one. Oh, Chaplin. Chaplin was also overlooked a lot.

[Peter Florida]

Yeah, it was.

[James Marino]

Yeah. Let's see. We had a Cyrano, one of the many Cyranos, A Virginia Wolf, the Heiress, Annie, Elf. It's a re. That was the return of Bell.

[Peter Florida]

Sure, sure.

[James Marino]

Let's see. Assassins at Studio 54, Glengarry Glen Ross, Golden Boy, Manilow on Broadway, which seemed to be a short run.

[Peter Florida]

Oh, yeah.

[James Marino]

Rogers and Hammerstein, Cinderella. Okay. Anya, Sonya, Masha.

[Peter Florida]

You know, it's funny because they used to be the expression for Roger and Hammerstein. The Big Five and the Big Five were considered Oklahoma, Carousel, South Pacific, King and I and Sound of Music. However, King and I has fallen off because to do it today you have to have Asians. And so now the big five, still five. But Cinderella is the, the extra one now that has become the replacement for the King and I because there are so many productions of Cinderella happening around the country. There are literally two productions of King and I listed for this year so far at, at theaters around the country. So there was a time when that wasn't the case.

[James Marino]

And it's rnh star, so. And Breakfast at Tiffany's, which, you know, people thought was gonna make a splash and made a drip. Yeah. So most successful in the musical though. Oh, Matilda, Kinky Boots.

[Peter Florida]

Those were now those were the big shows. Yeah, because they weren't in August. I mean, they're in April.

[James Marino]

Y Hands on a hard body.

[Peter Florida]

Yeah. I don't mean to make it sound like a foregone conclusion, but nevertheless, there is something about August 1st that may not be a good idea. But yeah, I mean, I, I, I was very much impressed by bringing on. I'm glad you were too, Michael.

[Michael Portentier]

Yeah, yeah.

[James Marino]

You and I, I look here at the opening schedule from 2013 and we have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Fifteen shows opened in April of 2013, which is very similar to what we are looking forward to in April this year. You guys. Carb loading it seems like everything is backed into April this year of 2026, and we're going to have a ton of openings in April. We might have to record this week on Broadway twice a week.

[Peter Florida]

Well, as I always say, you know, people sing Song of Christmas, but I sing it's the most wonderful time of the year in April. So.

[James Marino]

All right, so let's see. First up in our review section, Peter was over at the Lucy Lortel Theater to see a play called Data. So tell us about Matthew Libby's new play.

[Peter Florida]

Terrific. It's terrific beyond belief. The situation is we're in a high tech company, Athena, as it's called, and it starts with two employees there playing ping pong. Now, some years ago, there was a play called Chip and Gus where the two actors really played ping pong. I mean, these two guys knew what they were doing. This was John Allean and Christopher Patrick Mullen. And I'm telling you, but the point is they're, they're playing ping pong just really is an exercise. Nobody's really into the, the scoring that they don't mention that at all. He's just hitting the ball back and forth, back and forth while talking. And that's you know, distraction while talking. And what they're talking about is, of course, whether or not they're going to rise in the company, whether or not they're going to get better jobs, so on and so forth. And it does seem that there is a way to get a better job. And Manish and Jonah are the two people talking. And Manish, who, as you can tell from the name, comes from an Indian background, certainly goes to meet with Alex, who is played by Justin H Ming M I n in a terrifically understated. You don't feel like he's acting performance. By the way, as it all turns out, they're all terrific, all four of them who. And I'll get to two others. They're all terrific. But he was one who made the biggest impression on me initially. As time went on, I realized they were all terrific, terrific. And that includes Riley, played by Sophia Lillis, who's also an employee there. So it's all about the machinations of what goes on in a company like this, what could go on. And indeed, Manish can climb the ladder if indeed he does work on a project that certainly he does not want to work on. Riley doesn't want to work on it either, and she is thinking of being something with sabotage, and she's hoping to bring in Manish. I will grant you that what I am saying sounds like a million shows you've seen before. I'll grant you that. However, the dialogue is so real and the acting so natural and the direction so powerful. There are so many pauses that are just the right length when people just don't know what to say and they know they have to say something. So it really is very, very galvanizing. Jonah is there a lot for Comic Relief, certainly. He's the type of guy who rolls up his sleeve so that Riley can see his muscles because he's very interested in her, she's not interested in him. But the real power of the play or not, there's going to be a sellout here. Will you indeed sell your soul to a company that goes against everything that you want a company to go forward with? So that's the power of the play. It's about 110 minutes with no intermission, and unless you need to go to the bathroom, you're not going to mind it at all. That goes straight through because you're going to be with it every step of the way.

[James Marino]

All right, so Data is at the Lucy lortel running through March 29th right now. And we'll have a link to that in the show notes. Michael, you're going to catch up with it soon.

[Michael Portentier]

Yes, as I mentioned earlier, I was supposed to go on Tuesday, but I also had a ticket to go today to hear the New York Philharmonic at Radio City Music hall, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. And obviously that was canceled, so they rescheduled it for Tuesday. And I do have the option of getting a refund, but I would like to see that and hear that, if possible. So I'm going to see if I can reschedule data because it really sounds great. And now I want to see it even more after Peter's report.

[James Marino]

Have you seen Dudamel yet?

[Michael Portentier]

Yeah, I've heard him live two or three times already, but with New York. Oh, yeah, yeah.

[James Marino]

Okay.

[Michael Portentier]

Yeah. Because, yeah, I don't. I mean, I don't travel much to, like, Los Angeles and places like.

[James Marino]

All right. But you did travel up to Lincoln center, where you got to the Met, the Metropolitan Opera, where you saw, we'll.

[Michael Portentier]

Just say Carmen, so had a man.

[James Marino]

Tell us about that.

[Michael Portentier]

Well, I'm sure some of our listeners are following this incredible debacle happening at the Met, as if they didn't have enough problems already. This let me read a little bit of background. Director Carrie Cracknell's production of Carmen opened on December 31, 2023, in her met debut, moving the action of the Opera from early 19th century Seville, Spain, to a contemporary American industrial town. The character Escamillo is now a rodeo star, not a bullfighter. When the production opened, Eskimillo entered in a red Jaguar convertible that crossed the stage as he started his famous Toreador song. He was accompanied by his entourage in three pickup trucks, all the vehicles moving on wires, guided by a computer. In the restaging decision, the Jaguar and two trucks were eliminated. Escamilla walked in with his follow, some pushing a motorcycle. One of the pickup trucks from the original staging was kept in a stationary position throughout the act. This was done without the agreement of the director and the design team. It was just a fait accompli, I guess, ordered by Peter Gelb, the head of the Met, who, you know, the less said about him, the better. We were furious. Set designer Michael Levine said, I didn't want my name attached to the production because it's not a representation of the original artistic intent. I've never come across anything on this level where they literally changed the basic concept. So on the one hand, I guess I have very mixed feelings about this because obviously Gelb should not have just been able to just high handedly change all of that on his own, especially since, obviously, the original production had been approved as it was, and they knew how much it was going to cost. They said they're going to save $300,000 by cutting all of this stuff, but, you know, they've already done it the other way, and it was all on paper, and you should have known what it was. So on the one hand, it's wrong for him to do all that, but on the other hand, this production is so ridiculous. In my opinion, just the whole resetting distinction does not work. It says it's not clear, but it indicates that it's set in a border town. I'm assuming it's maybe like Texas and Mexico, because there's smuggling involved, which is. Smuggling is from the original opera. But here they're smuggling drugs and I think guns. Guns. And this is one of those things where, first of all, the music, you know, the opera was written in 1875 and set around that time, maybe, you know, a few years earlier.

[James Marino]

But.

[Michael Portentier]

So what does that kind of music have to do with what you would hear in 2024 in a Texas border town? You know, it.

[James Marino]

Every.

[Michael Portentier]

At every moment, there's that disconnect. But also, whenever the. Whenever the libretto contradicts the production, or vice versa, I should say, you know how the Met has those titles on the little screens in front of you? They just either change it. They either change what the libretto is saying, or they just stop showing the titles. So in this case, for example, when Eskimiro starts singing Toreadoria, the titles just stop, you know, rather than say, I don't know, bull Rider, be careful, you.

[Peter Florida]

Know.

[Michael Portentier]

Carmen sings her famous segadilla, the first line of which is supposed to be on the outskirts of Seville. But here she sings on the outskirts of the city according to the titles on the screen in front of you. But she's still singing Seville. So she's still singing Seville, even though we're supposed to be in Texas or somewhere like that. So the whole thing is just. Just ridiculous. I. I don't. I don't get it. There are moments when it works on its own terms, but it never fits the music and it contradicts the libretto time and time again. So. So now, in the midst of all this, absolutely incredible singing. Michael Fabiano, who I've mentioned before, he was amazing when I heard him in Turandot a while ago, and he is, if anything, even better as Don Jose, this woman who's new to me. But this amazing moment. All right, I'm gonna try this pronunciation aigul AKMETCHINA A I G U L A K H M E T S H I N A is a fabulous Carmen. Very, very sexy and, and beautiful, beautiful voice. I. I would have given anything to see the two of these in a traditional production of Carmen because aside from their, their voices, their acting and they, you know, and the way they physically embodied the roles was so, so perfect. So another, another black mark against the Met. I, I guess no matter how you look at it, you know, some would say they shouldn't have approved this ridiculous production to begin with. And then regardless of how you feel about that, I think we would all agree that you don't approve something. And then cut out half of the scenic elements. There was a lot of emptiness on that. There used to be cars and trucks, you know, and I'm not saying I like the cars and trucks, but that was the concept. So anyway, did I. Oh, did I mention the other. The other people who, Whose names are no longer there? So. Carrie Cracknell, director Michael Levine, not to be confused with our friend Michael Levine, sets, Tom Scutt, costumes, Guy horror, H O A R E lighting and RO film, Roland Horvath, projections with choreography by Ann Yee. I guess. I think she, she's still credited there. Now, those names are not really familiar to me. I guess they're more opera people than, than musical, you know, than theater people. We do get a lot of theater designers at the Met nowadays, but. But not these. So this is definitely going to go down in the history books, and I don't think it's over yet in terms of. I mean, I think there's going to be lawsuits, etc, so stay tuned.

[James Marino]

Oh, drama. Yeah, yeah, they're always good for drama.

[Michael Portentier]

Yes. There's as much drama backstage as there is on stage, at least.

[James Marino]

All right, so according to the Met website, that is over. January 23rd was the last performance of this, this production of Carmen.

[Michael Portentier]

Oh, I should mention, I had said a couple of weeks ago, I had heard that they've already decided to replace this production, and I thought it was a reliable source, but actually our friend Michael Dale went to the same performance that I did last week and he said there was a. You know, sometimes they have little talks before the opera and he. I didn't know that about that one, but he went to it and he said, he said, they said it's. It's that the production is not going to be replaced yet. So who knows, you know, that that may change from day to day according to the status of the lawsuits.

[James Marino]

One thing I had noticed was that when you go to the, the, the Met website for this, this production of Carmen, you do control f to find on the page and there the word director does not appear.

[Michael Portentier]

That's right. No. And they use, they, they, as I mentioned, they, they bill the director there as production. I think they do that just because they don't want to confuse it with the conductor. I don't know. But no, none of those people. And I have the playbill right in front of me. No direct. No, no credits for director, sets, costumes or lighting.

[James Marino]

Yeah. So when I search for production, three things come up and one of them says this production is in the past. The other one said in the Mets production, the action moves to a modern day and that's it. There is no other mention of. So I, I there it it seems that there's no taking responsibility for this. There is an, an historic, or is it a historic snowstorm hitting at least half of the United States right now? Chances are that you are listening to this right now. Snowed into your home or apartment or wherever you're living these days. On the road of a national tour or performing in a Broadway show. Stuck backstage at the Majestic. Probably not the Majestic. Majestic. Stuck backstage at the Gershwin. Or maybe below the Gershwin. Anyway, you have a great idea, a new idea to tell a story, develop a new show to present a new product or service. Well, you're not going anywhere for the next 24 hours with the snow. So why don't you start a new website? At squarespace.com you get a free two week trial, present your new idea to to the world and let everybody know what you're thinking. With Squarespace.com, you have professionally developed templates so you don't have to worry about design and all the technical stuff. Squarespace does all that stuff for you. Squarespace has built in SEO tools. SEO stands for search engine optimization. That means that when people search for you or your idea, they find you quicker. So the SEO tools in Squarespace are there to help you reach as many people as possible. Don't have a domain yet? Squarespace has you covered. With Squarespace domains, you can pick your perfect name and attach it to your website. You can upload and stream videos directly from Squarespace. You could do everything that you need to do to tell your story and get your idea out there. Since you are a Broadway radio listener, you get our special offer by going out to squarespace.com broadway and you get a free trial. And when you're ready to launch, use offer code Broadway to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. That's Squarespace.com Broadway. And when you check out, Use Broadway to get an additional 10% off. We'd like to thank Squarespace.com for sponsoring Broadway radio. Peter, you were at the Marjorie S. Dean Little Theater on the Upper west side. Michael talked last week. I think it was about going baccarat the Songs of an Icon. And you got a chance to see it this week. So tell us what you thought.

[Peter Florida]

Well, first off, the musical director comes out, stands there, stares at us until we applaud. That's what he wants. And, you know, that is true in the classical world and certainly the opera world, but it isn't a convention in the musical theater world. And so this didn't bode well that he won that applause. I don't know if you know Dudley Moore's piece called and the Same to youo. This was done in beyond the fringe and in 1962. I'm sure you can find it on YouTube. And the same to you. And what it is, it's about a pianist who. Playing a classical piece of music. Actually, it's based on a song that was popular at the time called the Colonel Bogey March. Pardon if you've never heard of it. It's riffs on that. And the point is that he starts playing and he gets lost and he can't get out of it. And there are like 15 false endings, you know, and that's the fun of it. Well, this happens here. You think that finally, this. The. The overture is going to end, and yet he goes into yet another song and another song, another song. Now, let me make clear, this guy is a phenomenal pianist. One of the greatest I have ever, ever seen. Later, he'll come out and play the clarinet. Terrific at that, too. So credit where it's very much due, he's an amazing, amazing musician. But if you thought that the overture was long, almost every introduction is about twice as long as it needs to be. So that's a big problem as well. He wants to make it his show. He. There are three people on stage singing, but he wants to pull focus. And what he often does is raises gluteus maximus 2 or 3 inches from the seat and plunks it down again. But many times he just gets up and stands. Okay, now for the second act, I just said, I'm gonna count how many times he raises his little tushy two or three inches from the seat and how many times he stands. And the final tolls are for those who are scoring with us, 11 times, he raised his little tushy two inches, and he stood 24 times. Two dozen times. Two dozen. That's the second act. Understand it was the first act that was longer. So. So I don't know. I kept on thinking of a Frank Lesser lyric, and I'll adapt it to Felicia. Sure. Says, sit down, Sit down. You're killing the show. Because it really is such an egomaniacal thing. I mean, he has an ego the size of Rhode island, which I'll grant you, is not a big. But for an ego, it's very, very, very big. So aside from that, it's nice to hear all these backrock songs. You're reminded of what an incredible songwriter he was. Good Lord, how amazing. I don't know if I would have had one of my actresses say, you know, before I got this show, I never even heard about Bachrach. I thought that was an unfortunate line. But anyway, maybe they thought that was funnier, a way of saying, generations do change. But that's the line of the show, and I didn't like it very much. But I certainly like Burke Bacharach.

[Michael Portentier]

Peter, did we want to. Did you purposely not want to name that guy? Because I had thoughts on him as well.

[Peter Florida]

Well, I hear he's very young, and you know what they say with people who are very young. They don't release their names and they've committed a crime. So I'm. I'm following that directive.

[Michael Portentier]

All right, well, I'll. I'll follow suit, too, but I had very much the same response.

[Peter Florida]

I remember you just doing a quick statement, and I'm afraid I wouldn't settle for that. But anyway, go.

[Michael Portentier]

Oh, yeah. No, no, no, it's. It's fine. I. And it is too bad because, as you say. Yeah. Phenomenally talented as a. As a pianist and a clarinet player. And it's so interesting to me because they're already. I remembered mentioning this when I talked about the show. There are so many cook. Other cooks involved, and yet he seems to present himself as if he came up with the whole idea and is running the entire thing. And I was wondering, is it me that's just having that reaction, such a negative reaction to him? I do have to ask you one thing particularly. Did they fix the error or are they still saying that? I say a little prayer for you was written for. Promises, promises.

[Peter Florida]

They do have a quick line saying. And one insertion from the 2010 revival. They can do it at yours.

[Michael Portentier]

That's thanks to me. I. Oh, okay.

[Peter Florida]

Good.

[Michael Portentier]

Yeah, yeah, that's good to hear.

[James Marino]

Directed by David Zipple.

[Peter Florida]

I know. Yeah, I know. I. Now let me tell you, let me say this. I will not be surprised if this musical director gets special awards here and there and everywhere or nominations for this than that, because he really is super talented. If you can take the ego, you're going to be astonishingly impressed at how much he has accomplished in his short lifetime. It's flabbergasting how good he is. I was sitting literally on the far house, left the final seats in the aisle, and so I had an astonishingly good view of him. So I was amazed what those fingers can do. So really I do want to stress that so I can understand why he was chosen, but I would like to see it. But you know, again, a lot of people, I've seen a lot of people say, boy, isn't he terrific? You know, and they're really responding to what he can do more than what I'm talking about. And I wish I could say the same. And again, you know, you've heard me acknowledge how terrific musician he is, so I will give him that.

[James Marino]

But you know what?

[Michael Portentier]

I. One final thing I would say, I think that there's even too much of that. When I was hearing and watching him, my mind flashed back to Billy Porter. And I remember saying how I. When I. When Billy first came to New York 25 or 30 years ago, whenever it was, and he used to get up and sing at Don't Tell Mama, and it was unbelievably phenomenal. But I thought, does he have to, you know, soar into the stratosphere on every other measure? You know, because when you keep doing that, it, it loses its, its effect and its specialness. And in the same similar way here, this, this fellow in back that. What's. What's the title? Back. What's the title? Going back. Yeah, he. He does so many runs and, and, and fill ins and, and ornamentations like that. And they're incredibly well done and, and, and unbelievably impressive as to how well he does them. But one after another, it becomes. All right, we've heard that already. You can stop now.

[James Marino]

Well, my point about bringing up David Zippel and musical supervision by Ted Firth is that these are well seasoned, enormously talented people that their job is to rein that in and to teach this person who's young. Young.

[Michael Portentier]

My understanding is, is that David became involved fairly recently, so. So he may not have had.

[Peter Florida]

Ari thinks it's terrific. I mean, we all have our Values. It's. Yeah. Because really, I have had a lot of people saying, God, he's amazing. And they're not just talking about his musicianship. They. They love his enthusiasm. And I've never seen anybody. I mean, like, Kimberly Grigsby was. Was known for, or is known for being enthusiastic when she conducts, but. Yeah, I've never seen anything like this.

[James Marino]

No. Grigsby is just an amazing conductor. And. But I don't think she preens. You know, she's excited. She seems to be excited about the work she's not performing.

[Peter Florida]

I agree. I see the difference. Exactly. I agree entirely.

[James Marino]

No, I. I've been a fan of Grigsby for a long, long, long, long time. All right, so going Bach Rock, the Songs of an icon is scheduled through February 22nd.

[Peter Florida]

Yeah.

[James Marino]

So next up. Michael.

[Peter Florida]

Yeah.

[James Marino]

Did you ever. Did you ever get over to Birdland to see the Emmetts?

[Michael Portentier]

I did. I did on Monday night at this amazing show of two people that I really was almost completely unfamiliar with beforehand. And now I'm a fan for life. Emmett Cahill, which I guess maybe, like most Americans, I always thought that that name wasn't pronounced Cahill.

[James Marino]

Cahill. Yeah.

[Michael Portentier]

Yeah. But no, apparently that the Irish. I. I mean, I'm not even sure I knew it was an Irish name. Did anyone. Did you all know that?

[Peter Florida]

I never thought about it.

[Michael Portentier]

Yeah, apparently it is. And apparently Cahill is the. Is the Irish pronunciation. And then his friend and colleague Emmett Ohanlon did a wonderful show at Berlin called. Well, did you ever see. And I had heard of Emmet o' Hanlon only to the extent that I knew he played Lancelot in Camelot this past summer in the Berkshires. And I only knew that because Ali Ewold played Guinevere in that production. And I almost got up to see it. I really wanted to see her in it, but I couldn't make it. It's such a schlep to get up there and back. But I was aware that he did that. That. And I. And then I didn't know anything more about him until I saw him as Curly in Oklahoma at Carnegie hall last week, which was one of the most memorable nights of my life. So. So, as I said, so I'm a fan of his for that already. And then Emmett Cahill, I really did not know at all. He is. His is probably most famous for the. He has been singing with Celtic Thunder, if you know that thing, that group, that show for years. And they're. They're phenomenally successful all over the world with their Concerts also, he has done. Emmett Cahill has done solo. He did two solo concerts at Carnegie hall, and he sung in all the greatest concert halls in the world. And they. They both. They have incredible chemistry together as performers, and I. And as friends, they're just unbelievably charming and amazing voices. Emmett Cahill is more the tenor. O' Hanlon is more the baritone. But they. It's. It's really more in terms of timbre of the voice because it seems like they equal ranges as far as, you know, the notes. The ranges of the notes from. From low to high. So they can. They can basically sing anything. And the. It. It was. It was. I think the evening was really meant as an introduction of them to cabaret and musical theater audiences in New York who don't necessarily know who they are yet. So it was heavy on all of the, you know, all of the big blockbuster numbers that you would expect tenors and baritones to sing. If you wanted to hear Impossible Dream, you heard it. If you wanted Maria from West side Story. Yep, it was there. If ever I would leave you from Camelot younger than Springtime from South Pacific, there was a great duet of Agony from. From into the Woods. But then they also sang My Way, the Sinatra. So together. And the audience was, first of all, absolutely packed for a 7pm show at Birdland on a Monday. II. So I guess they both have their fans from other, you know, from other sources and thoroughly charming. As I said, Emmett Cahill at one point, right at the beginning, he came out and he said something like, well, one of us is from just across the river, and the other one of us is from thousands of miles away. And it's your job to guess which is which by the end of this show.

[Peter Florida]

So.

[Michael Portentier]

Because the other Emmett is from Long island and has no accent whatsoever. Yeah, but it was really, really great. And I think you'll be hearing much more of these guys. In fact, I'm already working with Emmett Cahill about trying to get. Get him to do a solo show at 54 below. So more on that. Much more on that later.

[James Marino]

All right, so Emmett o' Hanlon and Emmett Cahill. Well, did you ever. At Birdland was one night only. Monday, January 19th. We'll have a link to that in the show notes. Plus, we have a bunch of photos from Broadway World in the show notes as well, so you can check that out. Peter, you spent a little time in a bookstore. Were there people performing in this said bookstore?

[Peter Florida]

Well, there was a person, yeah. At Rizzoli. That's where it was this night. This gentleman, Ed Schmidt, is going all over town, playing in small venues and telling the story of Edward o'.

[Michael Portentier]

Donnell.

[Peter Florida]

Donald, who was married, who had a daughter, who turned out to be a problem, he had a brief affair, etc. Etc. But the thing is, what he does is talk about the fact that when this gentleman died, they found a box and there were certain things in the box. And what he does is put all these things on the table. One is the Boston Globe headline, man on the Moon. There's a program from the Huntington Theatre for all my sons. There's a Mr. Potato Head. Ed. Yeah. And about two dozen objects. And he asks people in the audience, which one would you like to see next? And we all get to choose. And. And he tells very detailed stories about Edward. Now, the thing is, I don't know if this is a real person. There is no indication whatsoever that this may be a fictional story. We are led to believe we are hearing about a real life person. But I don't know how Ed Schmidt knows that much about Edward o'. Donnell, unless of course, Schmidt is a name he took on and maybe Edward o' Donnell was a relative. I don't know. He never explains exactly what's going on there. He's a very, very excellent raconteur. Excellent. And I don't know what the story is. For admission, this Rizzoli bookstore has a little space in the back and I guess about 40 people were there. Maybe every seat was taken, by the way. But I don't know about if this is something Rizzoli does as a perk to people who like to buy books or what. But you might want to look into it. But it is, it's about 100 minutes and he does stop non stop talk and gives little stories. And that's what it is. And he held my attention, I'll tell you that. But I really did wonder if I was hearing a true story or a fictional one.

[James Marino]

In the press materials.

[Peter Florida]

It.

[James Marino]

It sort of infers that it's a real person.

[Peter Florida]

Okay.

[James Marino]

Edward OConnell died 12 years ago at the age of 73 and left behind a box containing 27 objects, among them a 1940 Chevrolet owner's manual, one eared Mr. Potato Head, a Natal Ado campaign button, and a heavily annotated copy of the Catcher in the Rye. Each.

[Peter Florida]

Yeah, but you know, I mean that if, if this, if this were just a regular play, they would start off with an explanation like that too. So I'm not sure I necessarily believe that. It may very well Be true. But at the end, by the way, they had somebody doing video to getting perceptions of people walking out. And I did bring this up. I said, I just don't know what, he's terrific, but I just don't know what to think about how he knows so much, much about this guy. I mean, so much. I mean, there were details upon details upon details, which makes me think it may very well be fictional. Who knows?

[James Marino]

The last line of this bio says each night Edward's life is reconstructed anew.

[Peter Florida]

So I think that has to do with the fact that it won't be in the same order. Yeah, that's what that means.

[James Marino]

Okay.

[Peter Florida]

Okay.

[James Marino]

Well, also in the schedule here, it looks like it is mostly sold out. The only, the only, the only performance that I see that is not sold out is in Kew Gardens on February 11th. That looks like one of the only non sold out performances. Oh, there's a few after that that Strand Books in the East Village, Friday 20th. But so, okay, it's interesting something different and we'll have a link to that in the show notes how you can figure out, you know, what's what. Michael, as you alluded to a little bit earlier, you were at 54 below, not only to get the weather and traffic report, but to hear 54 sings Broadway's greatest Hits, the latest in Scott Siegel's series. So tell us about this.

[Michael Portentier]

Well, it was last night and I foolishly thought, you know, actually I actually planned to go on short notice. I thought let me go and support them because it's supposed to be one of the coldest nights of the century and probably nobody will be there. Well, it was packed. It was absolutely packed. James suggested, suggested before we started recording, maybe some of the people were here from Broadway Con. I have no idea. But it, but it is true that I didn't recognize basically anyone in the audience. So maybe they were all new and maybe they were from BroadwayCon or wherever. The point is they were there and I'm glad it was a full house because it was an excellent show as all of these shows by Scott are with lots of favorites. Ben Jones did I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face and Bring Him Home. His Bring Him Home was maybe the most beautifully I've ever heard it sung. And I've grown Accustomed to Her Face as a real tour de force, as an acting piece, of course, primarily. And in this case, Ben did it so well. But also he, this performance was, was, was aided immeasurably by the fact that I don't even know how this happened or why Scott thought to do this for this one show, but he brought in a violinist named Sarah Langford, who apparently has played with the Michigan Philharmonic. And she just added so much to this program by playing just little bits at key in certain songs. Like, for example, in I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face, she didn't play a note until the end where Higgins has his final meltdown and he says, I'll slam the door and let the hellcat freeze. Marry Freddy.

[Peter Florida]

Ha.

[Michael Portentier]

And then there's this huge transition and we hear that gorgeous melody and he totally turned 100% around and. And admits that, you know, he can't stop thinking about her. Well, that was. That was played by Sarah Lankford on violin. And that it just made all the difference in the world, you know, a really great idea for Scott to have to have her.

[Peter Florida]

And.

[Michael Portentier]

And a real bonus that was totally unexpected by me, other than Ben. We had William Michaels doing Song of the Vagabonds from the Vagabond King Unplugged, thank you very much. And his voice completely filled that space, which is, you know, turns out it is acoustically viable without microphones. And then he did. His other number was something you don't often hear excerpted in cabaret show Javert's Suicide. So that was really something. Then Ryan Knowles, who's a regular for Scott, was there. Kendra Foster McBride, Tyler McCall, all of these people have sung from for him before. Christopher Bryan and then as I mentioned before, this woman, Marina Jurica, who is a meteorologist for cbs. Apparently I had never heard of her. I don't. I don't watch much tv, but she had a beautiful soprano voice that she used to her great advantage on Someone to Watch Over Me from. Okay, until there was you from the Music Man. So she's someone else to keep tabs on. And yes, she did give us a weather update after her performance. So she told people that they were going to have plenty of time to get home before the snow started. And she was right about that. So she's a good meteorologist as well as a wonderful singer. Oh, and I'm sorry, one more thing I cannot fail to mention. Scott has fairly recently found a new, very young, unbelievably talented pianist, musical director named Mark T. Evans. I don't know where he found him, but he's just amazing. And we, we always, you know, we're always looking for new young people who are really talented, especially in that area of the, you know, musical theater, classical musical theater, and. And great American songbook. To carry on the torch as the, the really, the really talented older people who have been doing that for years, you know, just age out. So wonderful to have Mark T. Evans on hand for that.

[James Marino]

All right, so I'm on the 54 Below website right now, and it. There's a big banner there that says 54 below is closed today because of the snow. So they canceled their Sunday evening shows. And Rob Johnston brings us the news in chat room this morning listening live that Heather's Lion King, Aladdin canceling shows today. I'm sure there will be others. It's, you know, sort of a mess here in New York right now.

[Michael Portentier]

I read that, oh, Mary is going on, but I guess that could change.

[Peter Florida]

Yeah, I'm supposed to go to something called room 204, which is I imagine, in room 204 of the Walker Hotel.

[James Marino]

And.

[Peter Florida]

I hope that it's on because it's on 13th Street. I live on 14th street, so I could get there. But they have been writing and saying, we don't know what we're doing. We don't know what we're doing. So you may hear me talk about this next week and you may not.

[Michael Portentier]

You know, it does seem to me I was going to mention when you were talking about the show at the bookstore, it seems like lately there have been a plethora of shows in alternate venues and usually with very small audiences.

[Peter Florida]

Yeah, indeed. Yeah. Yeah. Slanted Floors In Brooklyn had five people.

[Michael Portentier]

I was right. Right.

[Peter Florida]

I was 20 of the audience. Yep. So.

[James Marino]

All right. So the other thing I was going to say about 54 sings Broadway's greatest hits is that the 2026 schedule has been published on the 54 Below website. There are numerous dates, too many for us to count, but they have February shows, March shows, April shows, May shows, June shows. So I think it's basically.

[Michael Portentier]

I think it's basically every two weeks.

[James Marino]

So, you know, if you are scheduling your tickets to come into New York and things like that, we're talking about you, Cheryl Hodgeselden or Tony Janicki or Juliet Green or, you know, Rob Johnson lives here. Michael Gilson, Bob Tomlinson, Alan Teasley. Come on, all you guys.

[Peter Florida]

Sean Logan.

[James Marino]

Sean Logan, Rob, Paul Whitty. So get your tickets now if you want to get to 54 below to see this, because it does seem to sell out pretty quickly.

[Michael Portentier]

All right.

[James Marino]

All right, Peter, earlier this week you were in the City of Brotherly Love, probably to take your picture next to a Rocky statue at the art museum. But also you were over at Walnut street to See Sherlock Holmes in a. Is it a new production or it's a new play?

[Peter Florida]

Yeah, it's written by Bill Van Holzer. Bill Van Horn wrote it, Bill Van Horn directed it. Bill van horn plays Dr. Watson. Usually things like that turn out to be pretty dismal when somebody has so many hats to wear. This is not one of those cases. I do think he made a tremendous mistake midway through the first act, but I'll get to that in a moment. This is a good guy, bad guy story because, of course, the bad guy is Professor Moriarty, and who's going to gain the upper hand? And that's what it is. A real seesaw battle between the two of them. And it is engaging. Very much so. What I find very interesting, by the way, is the press rep at Walnut is named Kelsey Sherlock. I asked her if indeed she was responsible for this being done. She claimed she isn't. However, she gets credit in the program as being one of the two artists who provided artwork for the show. And some of it is really quite handsome. So that's really nice, too. All right, so it's a standard issue Sherlock Holmes story, and if you like Sherlock Holmes, you're certainly going to be entranced by it. And that's all well and good, but I'm going to tell you something that I think is a real mistake, and I'm going to bring up Both Annie and 1776 as good examples of where the mistake was not made in those shows. Okay, let's go to 1776 first, in which when Adams is trying to convince Franklin that they need to have somebody introduce independence as an issue and he wants to do it, Franklin comes up with a line about treason. And Adam says, I don't want you here quoting yourself or lying, something like that. And he says, no, that was a new one. The point is, ironically enough, that is something. The actual line is something Benjamin Franklin did indeed say way back when. Okay. But it's not one we know. All right, A little later, he says, never put off tomorrow what you can do. And Adams interrupts him and says, shut up. Let's go. You know, so that's funny, too. And of course, he didn't originate that phrase. I don't believe. But when it's deep in the show, that's when he says a lie that many of us do know. If we don't. Don't all hang together, we will hang separately. So the thing is, you say, oh, that's where that comes from. Okay. With Annie, I am telling you, a lesser writer would have had Annie come on, and her first line would have been leaping lizards, you know, and it's very smart that they wait till the end of the show. I don't think there's 10 minutes left, maybe even five, when she says leaping listens. And by that point, you are so engrossed in the story, you forget that, indeed, Annie ever said that line. And it's really delightful when that happens. Okay, this here we don't have a situation that's as bad as Baker street, the 1965 musical, where at the end of the first song, he says elementary. Well, here we wait till the middle of the first act before we hear elementary, my dear Watson. But really, that should be saved for the very end of the show when finally Sherlock triumphs. And Explain certainly minimizes what he's done with an elementary, my dear Watson, because, of course, it's not elementary at all. But these things are marathons. You got to pace yourself. And really, there are times when you really should save something for later. And this is one of those times. But nicely performed. Certainly nicely designed. Thank you, Ms. Sherlock. And terrifically performed. It's nice to see Mary Martello, because I saw Mary Martello in the early 90s in Pemberton, New Jersey, in a small theater there. And this is an example of somebody who made a leap. She really was very smart to say, I'm gonna go to Philadelphia and try my luck there. I'm not gonna go to New York. But she has become such an institution there. She appears in so many theaters there and so many productions there. She's always working, and she says she's in the program over 30 shows at Walnut. So I'm very glad that she left Pendleton with the theater, went out of business anyway. But it's so nice to see her when somebody does something like that and really winds up successfully succeeding. So good for her.

[Michael Portentier]

Peter, I wonder how often Kelsey Sherlock has heard the phrase. No, Sherlock.

[Peter Florida]

Sherlock. Yeah. Indeed. Indeed. Right.

[James Marino]

All right, so Sherlock Holmes, the great detective at the Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia, is running through February 14th, and we'll have a link to that in the show notes. So I think that wraps it up for our reviews. But, yeah, in the news, we. We have to do a little bit of follow up here because we were, you know, I'm not sure. Were we talking on air, off air, about the Runway of Cats?

[Michael Portentier]

I think it was on air. Yeah. And. And it turns out that I was, I would say, half fright in what I had heard.

[James Marino]

So tell us what the, you know, we did Get a press release from the reps this week of Cat's the Jellicoe Ball. Michael, fill everybody in on this.

[Michael Portentier]

Well, I had heard from a very reliable source that there would be no Runway for the Broadway production of Cats, the Jellicoe Ball. And neither James nor I could figure out how that could be. But it turns out that it's sort of true, because according to the press release, a Runway will be center stage and extend out to the audience edge of the orchestra pit with onstage audience seating on either side. So it's going to be a very short Runway that only extends as far as as where the end of the orchestra pit would normally be. And that makes sense because if a Runway had extended further out into the audience, that would have created a huge problem in terms of sight lines for people sitting upstairs. Right. Yeah. And in fact, I. You know, I can't remember my. My memory of Natasha Pierre, was that that there was a lot of action in the audience on platforms, but I'm not sure how the people upstairs could see all of that. Do either of you remember that?

[James Marino]

No.

[Peter Florida]

Well, the one good thing is the Imperial only has one balcony, and at least that. But ironically enough, I had a stage siege once for Natasha, and I. I didn't think it thrust out that much when I was looking at it from that vantage point. So maybe.

[Michael Portentier]

Maybe I'm not remembering it correct.

[Peter Florida]

What I thought you were going to say is Pacific Overtures, because in the original production, that jutted out quite a bit of a way. But again, the Winter Garden has a very small balcony and not a second balcony either. And I have a feeling that wasn't a problem there. I didn't see it from the balcony in Mezzanino, if you will, when I started at the Winter Garden. So I don't know know, but. But yeah, I can see where this is an issue, and I can understand why they wanted to get around it.

[Michael Portentier]

Right. Well, anyway, so it sounds like it's going to be a very different experience from when this show played downtown at the Perlman. What's it called? Permanent Arts. Perlman Arts Center.

[James Marino]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Michael Portentier]

Where in that case, the Runway was like the. The, you know, was a huge Runway and there was a lot of audience. The mo. All of the audience really seated around the Runway and on either side. On either side of the Runway, basically, and then with some seats in the back. So it's. It's going to be. It sounds like it's going to be a little compromised in. In that sense, but I guess they didn't want to. They, they were thinking in terms of sight lines and they didn't want to maybe also spend a tremendous amount of money reconfiguring the. It's the Longacre Theater. Correct?

[Peter Florida]

The Broadhurst.

[Michael Portentier]

Oh, the Broadhurst. I'm sorry, the Broadhurst. So, yeah, so that's the, that's the latest on cats. The Jellicle poem.

[James Marino]

Yeah. I sort of feel like those who have bought the on stage or orchestra tickets will have a very similar experience to what was downtown.

[Michael Portentier]

Yeah, they will. Those people will.

[James Marino]

And, and the other tickets are, will not have the same experience, but I think that it will probably transfer and get the same raves. Although that's not always. That's not always. Sometimes things transfer and they land with a thud. So. But you know, cats always land on their feet.

[Peter Florida]

That's right. Good for you.

[James Marino]

I went a really long way for that dad joke. No, you didn't. Okay.

[Michael Portentier]

By the way, James, one thing I didn't mention, and this is brief but really interesting to me, they announced the full cast of the Lost Boys this week.

[James Marino]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Michael Portentier]

And also a full, full production team. And I'm reading the production team and it says that the lighting will be designed. Co designed by Jen Shriver and Michael Arden. And I thought, oh, is there a lighting designer who happens to have the same name as Michael Arden, the director? It would be possible because it's, you know.

[James Marino]

Sure.

[Michael Portentier]

Not the same union. Right. So I wrote to the press agent and in this case I got a very swift reply and he said it's the same person.

[Peter Florida]

Wow.

[Michael Portentier]

Michael Arden, aside from his acting and singing talents and his incredible directing talents, is apparently also a lighting designer.

[James Marino]

Did you know he could also land a 747?

[Michael Portentier]

I'm prepared to believe he can do anything at this point.

[James Marino]

Yeah. All right. So yeah, Lost Boys news this week at least filling out some of the questions about casting, production. And that was welcome news. Sort of, you know, mixed blessing is that Williamstown Theater Festival is, is coming back in 2027, skipping this year, 20, 2026, with a, a planned future to do year round offerings. Peter. Michael, tell, tell us your thoughts on this.

[Peter Florida]

Go ahead, Michael.

[Michael Portentier]

Oh, I, well, gosh, you know, I, I haven't seen anything there in a long time. So I, But I know they've, they've had huge problems PR wise in terms of just their whole, the whole. Well, I think it started with. It suddenly became an issue that the way they were treating their interns and then one thing led to another and now they have new leadership under Jeremy O. Harris. According to an article in the Washington Post, Harris hinted that the 2027 season will be organized around a more abstract, abstract theme. Dreams, myths, and America are things that are all percolating around my brain right now. He says feature more new plays than revivals and continue to explore storytelling forms, including potentially. Potentially. I don't even understand most of this, but point being, they've had a lot of troubles recently, and we'll see if. If this even actually works out as planned or some people think that maybe they might not come back at all.

[Peter Florida]

Plenty of companies who do claim they're taking a pause. It does turn out to be permanent, so it's not impossible. It's too bad. You know, it's funny. They meant well when they redesigned the theater, but it took away a lot of the charm, and I was sorry to see that. It. The seats don't really jive with the rest of the building. And I know they had to be replaced. I mean, they were very old, but nevertheless, it's just not the same in that way. So in a strange way, this talk about new plays rather than revivals, new seats rather than the old seats are a bit of a metaphor for me here. And I've seen a lot of wonderful things there. A lot of people have issues with Mandy Patankin, but I'm telling you, when he did Enemy of the People, he was phenomenal. But that's just one of many, many productions I' seen going back to the 70s.

[James Marino]

So, you know, we hope that we see them again in 2027. You know, Jeremy O. Harris is a force of nature. So hopefully this will all shake out in really good ways. And finally we're going to see Mexic. Back.

[Peter Florida]

Back.

[James Marino]

So, Michael, tell us about that.

[Michael Portentier]

Oh, yeah. I mean, I think we all loved the show when it played at the.

[Peter Florida]

Lane, wasn't it?

[Michael Portentier]

Minetta Lane?

[Peter Florida]

Yeah.

[Michael Portentier]

And now it's going to be at the Daryl Roth Theater. Performances will run March 6 to May 17. And this is the show written and performed by Brian Quijada and Nigel D. Robinson. And it uses live loop hoping to tell the untold story of how the Underground railroad ran south by crossing the Rio Grande into Mexico. I just, I loved it so much.

[James Marino]

It's.

[Michael Portentier]

This was an Audible theater production. That's why it started at the Minetta Lane. And I. I'm glad that so many more people will get a chance to see it because it was. It was certainly one of the highlights of that season.

[Peter Florida]

God bless. Audible. Who knows what that theater would have been turned into by now if it weren't for Audible.

[Michael Portentier]

Exactly.

[Peter Florida]

Yeah. So it's really great that they thought about doing it and wound up doing it. So even thinking about doing it would have been an achievement. But the fact that they've really kept the Beneda Lane alive is really quite wonderful.

[Michael Portentier]

Agreed.

[James Marino]

All right, so that wraps it up for this week. Before we get on to our brain Teaser, our musical moments, want to remind everybody that you can subscribe to these broadcasts by going to the front page of broadwayradio.com there's a subscribe link that way each and every time we have a new episode of this Week on Broadway pretty automatically downloaded to Apple Podcasts for you. Of course, you don't have to get us an Apple podcast. There's many ways to get us. One way is Patreon p A T R-E-O-N.com BroadwayRadio is one way that you could support all of Broadway radio's shows as well as get us early and listen to Last Week on Broadway and the Broadway Grosses and Jan Simpson's all the drama and stagecraft and Lauren Klash Schneider's class notes and all the other stuff that happens on Broadway radio. Contact information for Peter, for Michael and me can be found in the show [e-mail] as well as links to some of the things we've talked about today. So Peter, do you have an answer to last week's Brain teaser?

[Peter Florida]

They both have the same first name in the same middle initial. They both acted in the same play, one in the original production, one in a Revolution revival. Each one a Tony, although not for either of these productions. In fact, the earlier person didn't win a Tony for acting. I'm talking about George S. Kaufman was in the original production of Once in a lifetime in 1930, and George S. Irving appeared in the revival 48 years later. You may say Kaufman wrote the play, but he wasn't in it. But yes, he was in a small part. And that's what made this question so hard, because you don't think of Judge S. Kaufman as an actor. As for the Tonys judges, Irving won one for acting in Irene and Kaufman had won one for direct directing Guys and Dolls. Paul Witty was the first to get it, followed by Sean Logan, Tony Janicki, Ingrid Gammen, Fred Abramowicz and Brigadude. Okay, this week's question. This performer debuted on Broadway in a Sondheim show, not in the original cast, but as a replacement. There's a later Sondheim lyric that this performer might well have sung while auditioning had Sondheim not waited to write it 11 years later. Hint. This performer is currently appearing on Broadway and has received enthusiastic reviews from critics, influencers, and the public. Who's the performer? What role did the person play in the Sondheim Show? And what's the latest Sondheim line that might have been said had he written it earlier?

[James Marino]

If you have an answer for this, email [e-mail], we'll let you know if you're on the right track. So, Michael, we have a sideshow of Emmetts in our musical.

[Michael Portentier]

Yes, Beautiful musical moments from the two Emmetts. Emmet Cahill, who, by the way, he spells his first name with one T at the end, and Emmett o', Hanlon, who spells his name with two. The opener is Emmett o' Hanlon Bradley performing a bit of soliloquy from Carousel. This is a show he did live at the cutting room in 2015. And the closer is an absolutely gorgeous rendition of Edelweiss from the Sound of Music by Emmett Cahill, which looks like he just recorded in his living room somewhere with him accompanying himself on guitar. But I think just sampling these two will cause you to seek out more of their work, and there's so much of them to be found on YouTube and elsewhere. So please enjoy Emmet Ohanan and Emmett Cahill in these two beautiful musical theater songs.

[James Marino]

Michael, I forgot to ask you a little bit earlier. Isn't one of them doing Oklahoma or.

[Michael Portentier]

One of them did. Yeah. Yes, I did mention. Yeah. Emmett o' Hanlon did the Oklahoma. The fabulous Oklahoma That I saw at Carnegie Hall. What was it? Two weeks ago? Two weeks ago, yeah. Oh, and by the way, present at their show, the Emmett's show at Birdland was Schuler Hensley, who directed that production. And I got to tell him that it was so amazing, and he. He was so glad that I was there and that I saw it. He felt that. He felt that maybe the PR wasn't so great. And a lot of people didn't know about it. And I said, well, I know what you mean. But on the other hand, it was so sold out. Yeah. So. So they were happy about that. And he. He made it sound like he really hopes there's some kind of future life for it, even if they just try to do it at other, you know, in other concert venues around the. Around the country. So keep your. Yeah, that's another thing to keep your your eyes and ears open for.

[James Marino]

All right, so on behalf of Michael Portentier and Peter Florida, Felicia, this is James Marino saying thanks so much for listening to Broadway radios this week on Broadway. Bye. Bye.

[Peter Florida]

Bye.

[Unknown Performer/Poet]

Small and white? Clean and bright? You look happy to meet me? Blossom of snow? May you bloom and grow? Bloom and grow forever? Adel, voice. Bless my heart, Homeland forever?