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This Week on Broadway for June 15, 2025: The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical @ Signature Theatre
01:16:14
Peter Filichia, James Marino, and Michael Portantiere talk about The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical @ Signature Theatre, The Garland Show @ The Hopkinton Center for the Arts (Hopkinton, MA), Call Me Izzy,
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Unnamed Speaker 1
Hail to the peacocks.
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Unnamed Speaker 2
Hail to the gonzos. Hail to the grapefruits.
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Unnamed Speaker 1
Hail to the firework.
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Unnamed Speaker 2
America needs me. Oh, say, can't you see While we're.
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Unnamed Speaker 3
Hoisting the flag now.
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Unnamed Speaker 1
We'Re proudly saluting.
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Unnamed Speaker 2
H S T. Light it up.
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Unnamed Speaker 1
My up.
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Unnamed Speaker 3
Light it up.
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Unnamed Speaker 1
Light it.
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Unnamed Speaker 2
I love my speaking name, typewriter, choreography.
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Unnamed Speaker 1
You get it?
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James Marino
Hello and welcome to Broadway Radios, this week on Broadway for Sunday, June 15, 2025. Happy Broadway Bears Day. My name is James Marino, and in the broadcast today, it's actually Father's Day. Happy Father's Day, Peter, and to you, too. Thank you, sir. With us today, we have Peter, Felicia and Michael Portentier. Peter is a playwright, journalist and historian with a number of books. But, you know, Broadway Bears is a much better Father's Day present than a regular, you know, a tie or something like that. You know, Peter's new Day by day desk calendar. A Show tune for today, 366 to Bright New Year has been released. Peter also has columns at Masterworks, Broadway, Broadway select, and many other places. Hello, Peter.
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Unnamed Speaker 1
Hi.
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James Marino
Hello. What is our show tune for today?
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Unnamed Speaker 1
Well, because it's Father's Day, and I thought the soliloquy from Carousel would be the obvious one because, of course, Billy Bigelow is looking forward to being a father, initially of a boy, and then it's certainly fine if a girl comes along, which indeed did happen. So spoilers When I was in high school, when I got my hundredth original cast album, I made a list of the best songs from each one ranked and Soliloquy from Carousel was number one. And I still think it is. So. So that's really a terrific, terrific piece of material. And I'm very glad that today happens to fall on Father's Day, but as I wrote in the calendar, it may be a fast approaching Father's Day and you don't have all that much time to something nice for dad, so you really don't today have very much time to get something for dad. So get on the ball as soon as we're done. Stay with us. But as soon as we're done. Yeah.
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James Marino
Oh, boy. Thinking a carousel and Billy Bigelow bringing a knife to a gunfight. You know.
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Unnamed Speaker 3
I wanted to mention I was aware that there is an old film version of Lilliam, the play on which Carousel is based. There is an old film in French with Charles Boyer as Billy, but I was sort of aware, but I didn't get to see until recently. There is an even older one with Charles Farrell, really as Billy. And I can't tell you how great this movie is.
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Unnamed Speaker 1
Wow.
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Unnamed Speaker 3
I think it's complete on YouTube and I was watching it, and as I've mentioned several times before, a lot of the script is word for word for Carousel. So it's a very strange experience to be watching this ancient black and white film with these lines that we know so well. And a line comes and then you think, oh, well, where's the song? But also, I mean, I knew Charles Farrell. He's mentioned in Dames at Sea in. In the lyrics to it's you, that song at the beginning.
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Unnamed Speaker 1
Sure.
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Unnamed Speaker 3
And I knew him only as the. The. The father figure on the TV show My Little Margarita.
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Unnamed Speaker 1
Right.
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Unnamed Speaker 3
Back, back, back in the day, you know. So to see him as this very young, sexy leading man was quite, quite amazing.
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Unnamed Speaker 1
So it's funny you say that, because I remember watching my little Margie as a kid and my mother saying, you know, that guy was really something when he was young. So it's funny you mentioned that.
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Unnamed Speaker 3
Yeah, yeah. You owe it to yourself. And as I say, I think it's complete on YouTube.
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Unnamed Speaker 1
Wow.
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Unnamed Speaker 3
Yeah.
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Unnamed Speaker 1
I have no idea of this existence. So.
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Unnamed Speaker 3
Yep.
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James Marino
Our lilium finder is, of course, Michael Bourton. Michael's a theater reviewer and essayist. 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 major publications. You could see his photography work@followspotphoto.com hello, Michael.
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Unnamed Speaker 3
Hello.
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James Marino
So on, on the figurative both sides of the lights this week, on Wednesday and Thursday, Peter, you had your play for the public good at the Tank. You were on one side of the figurative lights and Michael was out in the audience, so.
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Unnamed Speaker 1
That's right.
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James Marino
Tell us, tell us from your perspective how it went, Peter.
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Unnamed Speaker 1
Well, I started by saying the things I write are only light extemporaneous until now because Eric Krebs asked me to write a play about gun. And I decided to do it as a one person show. And it's really harrowing, very harrowing. And when it ended, I actually said to the crowd, are we still speaking? Because I really do put people through the ringer in this one. But tremendously done. Give me the pronunciation of that wonderful actor's name, Michael, so I get it right. Berstain Nikita is his first name and he was terrific and we'll see what happens. But I must say that Eric Krebs was quite pleased and it was very interesting. We got the type of applause that I don't mean to compare myself with Diary of Anne Frank, which is a masterpiece, but Diary of Anne Frank was done in Germany. When it ended, there was no applause whatsoever and everybody was connected with the production, was very worried about it. But then the applause started and was really quite good. And I have to say that's what happened here. Here at both performances, there was no applause for a long, long, long, long second. And then the applause came very heartily, twice as long as I would have expected it to be. So who knows, we'll see what happens. Of course, I went home and rewrote immediately, adding, subtracting, and I, I think we're gonna be all right. I don't think this is the end of this play. I think we're gonna see it. As opposed to tomorrow when I go to Florida to see my Shylock, the Antonio play, which is going to be have a reading down. That's where I'll be tomorrow night.
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Unnamed Speaker 3
Well, I really, I really enjoyed the public good. I. Wow, I really was. I mean, it's also what you say about what you said about how you can't look at it, but you can't look away. It is very much one of those. And we'll talk about another similar play later in this podcast when we talk about Call Me Izzy, I'll talk about it. Because Peter hasn't seen it yet. But yeah, I mean, you know, given subject matter, to begin with. And I would, you know, there's only so much I can say, but there is an incredible twist in Peter's play that I don't, I've never seen anything quite like it before. And as I think I said to you on the way out, I have, I think I have two issues. One, I would say really minor and the other one sort of major, but maybe I can talk about those at some point. And in the meantime, you know, it just, it was, you could feel the audience very riveted and it certainly is a tribute, aside from to Peter to Nikita, to give that kind of a one person tour de force thing especially, I mean, in any one person play, one actor play, but especially one with the subject matter like this and also with the, the twist that I mentioned, which unfortunately I can't say anything further.
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Unnamed Speaker 1
That's right.
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Unnamed Speaker 3
So. Yeah, so that's what I thought.
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James Marino
Okay. So, Michael, say further about September 9th at 54 below.
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Unnamed Speaker 3
Yes, I'm going to be producing and directing a show we're calling Celebration the Songs of Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt. I thought originally to call it Try to Remember the Songs of Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt, but, well, maybe that was a little too on the nose. Of course you will hear Try to Remember. Don't worry, you will hear it during the course of the show. And this I don't know if I had mentioned initially, I had hoped to do a 65th anniversary presentation of the Fantasticks because this year is in fact the 65th anniversary. How do you like them apples? But believe it or not, there is a restriction on the property in New York. And I can't say much more about that. But if you do some Googling, you'll see, you might figure out why because there has been a. Well, actually, I talked about it last week, year there is a revised version of the show that has two boys instead of a boy and a girl and two mothers instead of two fathers. And again, I can't say much more, but that might have something to do with why there's currently a restriction on the property. So instead we've pivoted and did this more general celebration of Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt, which certainly given that their other shows are 110 in the shade and I Do, I Do and Celebration and lots of wonderful, lesser known but really great Off Broadway shows, that was not a hard pivot to do. And at the moment, of course, things can change because September's a bit of a way off. But we have quite a cast. I think we have Robert Cuccioli Ali Ewoldt, William Michaels, AJ Shively and Megan Stirna, and with Michael Levine at piano and as musical director. So, yeah. So I'm looking forward to that.
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Unnamed Speaker 1
As well you should. Wow.
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James Marino
Wow. All right. So no rest for the weary. We just got done, we just got done with a season, Broadway season. And we'll we'll talk a little about the Tony Awards later on this morning. And also we're going to talk a little bit later this morning about the first show of the new season. But first, before we do that or remind people that Jan Simpson's all the drama, the dire Van Frank, the 1956 winner for the Pulitzer Prize for drama, was just released to the general public. So it's available to everybody. What a great, great thing that, that series, the all the drama series is just wonderful. Michael, you got on the pony Express and headed to Virginia to see the untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson musical, which is at the Signature in Arlington, Virginia. So tell us about this.
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Unnamed Speaker 3
Well, I really enjoyed it. I was looking forward to it ever since it was announced with that very intriguing title. This is a musical by our friend and former podcast guest Joe Iconis, music and lyrics. And in this case, he also co wrote the book wow With Gregory S. Moss, directed by Christopher Ashley, another name with which we are familiar. Indeed. And choreography and musical staging by John Rua, who I previously have known primarily as a performer and many people know him from Hamilton and also Hanson. A hard body, wasn't he in that? So the team obviously was was enough to get me there. And even though I know virtually nothing about Hunter S. Thompson, he's a name to me. And so actually, let's get that out of the way right away for those who don't know, who also don't know who he was. Hunter Thompson, July 18, 1937 to February 20, 2005, was an American journalist and author regarded as a pioneer of new journalism, along with gay tales, Truman Capote, Norman Mailer, Joan Didion and Tom Wolfe. New journalism is when basically a short description of that is when the journalist injects themself into the story in one way or another. And they also use literary techniques rather than like a more objective journalism that you would get if you just say reading a front page article in the New York Times. So. And Hunter S. Thompson rose to prominence with the book Hell's Angels. And. And then in 1970, he wrote an unconventional article titled the Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved. Who knew? Which further raises. Which further raised. Yeah. Which further Raised his profile as a countercultural figure. It also set him on the path to establish the sub genre of new journalism that he called Gonzo, a style in which the writer becomes central to and participant in the narrative. So gonzo might have been a title, an alternate title for this show, but as they mention within the show, people might confuse you with that character from Sesame Street. So, so, so cleverly, Joe Iconis chose the title, the Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson musical. And it's really, really terrific. His music and lyrics are better than ever, I would say, just so he's so talented in both areas, which, needless to say, can be said of very, very few people. I don't think there's any people I respect more than people who can write both music and lyrics at the highest possible level. And the subject matter is unusual, but interesting that I seem to maybe be seeing more shows about. More musicals about journalism lately, right?
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James Marino
Oh, the Jason Robert Brown show.
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Unnamed Speaker 3
Yeah. The Collector. Connector. Collector, yeah. And yeah. So bravo to him for picking this. And I would say this is a musical like this. Sometimes you admire them, but you don't enjoy them. But this one, I did both. It's very, very entertaining.
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James Marino
There.
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Unnamed Speaker 3
Many mentions of actual historical characters in it, and two of whom appear quite prominently, one of whom is Richard Nixon, portrayed by George Abood. And then also Jan Wenner, the publisher of Rolling Stone magazine, who oddly here is played by a woman, Darlesia Searcy. But you know, given the style of this show, that's not so unusual that they would have that gender blind casting like that. And Eric William Morris, who has worked with Joe Iconis many times, plays Hunter S. Thompson. And also prominently featured in the cast is George Salazar. Let me just find him here. Who plays. Who plays. Hold on.
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Unnamed Speaker 1
Sure. This is the guy who made such a big splash in Be More Chill.
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Unnamed Speaker 3
In Be More Chill, yes. He plays Oscar Zeta Acosta, who was a prominent Mexican American activist that Hunter hooked up with. And so it was great to see him again. He really made quite a splash and Be More Chill, even though unfortunately, the Broadway production of that was not successful. But he's great on that cast album. You really need the song is Michael in the Bathroom.
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Unnamed Speaker 1
Great idea for a song, too.
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Unnamed Speaker 3
Yeah. The best song about teen angst that I can think of. So anyway, yeah, I really. I really thought that this was very, very well done. I don't know what its future would be. I'm not sure if it would ever be a Broadway show. It could be. You know, I mean, we've. There are Many things we've seen recently on Broadway that we would have thought, well, in the old days. So that will never fly. So. Yeah. And it is so well done that I think that, you know, obviously that's in its favor. And, boy, what a. What a horribly negative portrayal of Nixon. I mean, there are things in this show that I assume are all true. I didn't research every one of them. And I guess he was even far, far worse than I thought, which was pretty bad to begin with, you know, and one interesting thing is I will say Hunter Thompson is very, very much Nixon's nemesis in this show. And then at one point, it seems like Nixon is triumphant over Hunter S. Thompson. But then there's a flash forward. And then, you know, we hear in retrospect, like, Watergate is mentioned, or actually, not actually Watergate, but just the fact that Nixon has resigned. And I will say I thought that that was maybe a missed opportunity because we didn't really get a chance to see karma hit Nixon in the butt. It was just mentioned in passing, and I think it would have been very satisfying for the audience to spend a little more time on that, you know, because he had been behaving so horribly before beforehand. So that's a, I guess, a tiny maybe suggestion I might make as the show moves forward, which I certainly hope it will. They have long runs down at Signature, so you have. I mean, if you can get down there, you have ample time to see it. And by the way, I went about a week before yesterday, which, of course was the date of the military parade. And so all of that, the knowledge that that was about to happen, plus everything else that's happening down there every day and in the country certainly informed it. So that might be another reason why this is a really, really, really good time for a musical like this.
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James Marino
All right, so that is playing at the Signature Theater in arlington, Virginia, through July 13th. And we'll have a link to that in the show notes. Peter, you were up in Hopkinton, Massachusetts.
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Unnamed Speaker 1
That's right.
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James Marino
That's where I was to see a few things. One of the things you saw was the Garland Show. So tell us about this.
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Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah, Paul Shamplin has an amazing community theater out there. Let me point out that this is a story about Judy Garland's TV show on CBS that ran in the 63, 64 season. And that's what's all about. There's very little about her life previously. She. He was smart to start with her engagement at the Palace Theater, where somebody mentions, you should do tv. Oh, I Could never do tv. You crazy. And eventually she decided she could. Let me point out there are 12 people in the cast. 12.
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Unnamed Speaker 3
Wow.
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Unnamed Speaker 1
How many do you think are men? Well, I'll tell you. Nine. Nine. I said to Paul afterwards, where do you find these guys? We have no problem finding men. And I'm telling you, they were terrific. They were amazing. I mean, because they had to play all these CBS executives or directors or producers, and the head of the network, James Aubrey. They were all so good. They were perfectly cast. It was amazing to me that a community theater can find men to do this, but he has no problem doing it. Okay. But of course, any show dealing with Judy Garland has to deal with Judy Garland. And how was Susan Scannel Gilbert? Well, let me put it this way. If you were walking down the street and you saw this woman, you would say, gigi, she doesn't look like Judy Garland. Is that something, you know, that she got cast? I mean, there's really no resemblance. Except, I'm telling you, when she performed, it was amazing how she channeled her. Obviously, she studied every one of these shows that Judy Garland did. Night and day and night and day, morning, noon, afternoon, night. I'm telling you, it was incredible how the gestures were perfect and hair is forbidden. Broadway taught us hairstyles mean a lot. And the hairstyle was perfect for that period of time that Judy Garland was wearing. But every now and then you would see a gesture in and facial expressions that were perfect, and she sounded like her so wonderfully. It was really quite an achievement. And I was flabbergasted at. At this, at how wonderful it was. But the script is really riveting as you find out who the real villains were. Now, granted, there were times, and this won't surprise you, that Judy Garland was late for rehearsal and things like that. But the point is that she was really considered guilty before being proved innocent by so many of these people on the step. Especially James Aubrey, who actually calls her a name that made the Book of Mormon famous. I won't say more than that, but I think you'll know what I mean. But I'm telling you, it really makes you think about the fact that. Well, on the other hand, by the time Judy Garland was doing this show, she did have this reputation. And I don't know if this is accurate. It seemed impossible to me that it was this many. But there was a talk about 20 suicide attempts by this point in time. And that seems astonishing to me. So, you know, he's very fair. Paul Champlin, who wrote, directed, conceived etc. Etc. It is based on a. A book, but nevertheless, he's very fair to both sides. And you really feel, of course, for Judy Garland more than you do for the suits, but nevertheless, riveting. And what a performance from this lady. And let me point out that earlier in the week he wrote me and said, we may not do the show on Friday night because she sprained her ankle. She's really in pain. And I said, listen, this is the only night I can come. I have to go to Florida, you know, blah, blah, blah, et cetera. And she, you'd never know that there was a scintilla of a problem. Now, granted, she didn't have to do much dancing, but a little. And she also certainly had to go off on stage quite a bit while the suits were taking over. So I'm telling you, this is a prime example of what I've said so many times that in community theater you can see great, great stuff, and this was one of those times. So my hat is off to everybody in the cast, as well as, of course, Paul Champlin.
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Unnamed Speaker 3
Aside from everything, I guess maybe I'm most impressed that the fact that they created this show especially for this company.
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Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah, yeah.
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Unnamed Speaker 3
I mean, that's, that's quite amazing, isn't it?
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Unnamed Speaker 1
Oh, yeah, yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. This guy's phenomenal. I saw his hat full of rain last October, and, and it was amazing. I, I mean, during intermission, I said somebody who's, who's the guy who put this together? And they point to. I, I, I almost assaulted him saying, listen, I got to tell you, it was at the end of the first act. I mean, this is tremendous. So this is really a community theater to be reck. But, oh, I also want to point out that of the people who were directing the show, meaning the TV show, I really thought that Tommy Carner and Brad Walker were sensational as people who were on her side. I thought they were awfully good. Everybody was good. There wasn't a weak link in the cast. But I really want to point those two out because they had to have the sympathy and the empathy in dealing with Judy Garland, and they had it wonderfully. So.
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Unnamed Speaker 3
Well, now there are two other people who were involved in that show. I don't know if they figure in it were either Norman Jewison or Joe Papp in it.
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Unnamed Speaker 1
No Joe Papp, but yes, Norman Jewison was a coward. Yes, indeed. Yeah.
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Unnamed Speaker 3
Well, you know, this story, even for people who know the broad outlines of the story itself, is so rife with drama because she, you know, she had, she was the, one of the greatest stars in the world, if not the greatest movie star at the time, you know, certainly of that genre of entertainment. And then she began to have her issues. But then she had that incredible phenomenal comeback at Carnegie hall in 1961 and that was thought to have jump started everything, including the, the, the TV show. And it might have been different, everything might have been different if they hadn't slotted it opposite Bonanza, which was like the hit, the biggest hit in history. And so, and so they panicked because it didn't get the viewership that it should have Judy Garland's show. And they kept changing the format. Yeah, yep, I'm sure it's all in there. And, and then, you know, so it just kind of snowballed and, and what could have been another triumph turned, turned out very differently. But on the other hand, all of those shows still exist in excellent sound and video quality. Black and white, but excellent quality. And they can all be purchased and they are a major, major part of her legacy. Because something I always mention is movie musicals are great, but performers are almost never singing live in them. So there's a bit of a disconnect. Whereas in her TV show she was almost always singing live. Maybe they might, if there was a big dance number, there might be a section of it that might be pre recorded. So we have all these hours and hours and hours of Judy Garland singing her, her greatest hits and many other types of songs with incredible fabulous guest stars ranging from, I mean, I can't, I don't even know where to start. Diane Carroll, Vic Damone, her Wizard of Oz, co stars, Ray Bolger, just amazing, amazing people.
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Unnamed Speaker 1
Well, this brings up a question I wanted to ask you since you know, you know this territory very well and that is the fact that of course the other star who was on was Barbra Streisand. And according to this show, Judy Garland saw Barbra Streisand perform somewhere along the line, said I've got to have her on the show. And a lot of people said, she's nobody. What are you doing? You know, no, I've got to have her. And the other thing is, according to this show, she came up with the idea of doing the Get Happy in conjunction with Happy Days Are Here Again. Do you know if any of that is true?
- [31:07]
Unnamed Speaker 3
All of that is true from what I've heard. And in fact, Judy not only came up with the idea, but she actually sat down at the piano and demonstrated how, yes, songs could be done too yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [31:21]
Unnamed Speaker 1
That's amazing to me because, I mean, I saw that show live, and I'm telling you, I. They dovetailed perfectly. And who would have expected that? Especially with two songs with the word happy in the title. I mean, that's what's so amazing, you know? And so anyway, it was done very, very well here. And again, support your local community theater. You're going to be really surprised at what you see. So I don't know if they'll all be as good as what I saw at the Hopkinton center for the Arts, but nevertheless, check out what's happening in your neighborhood.
- [31:55]
Unnamed Speaker 3
Well, what's happening in my neighborhood? Well, my former neighborhood, Staten Island, a company out there that's really one of the best companies they're about to do you Can't Take it with you, which is a chestnut that I think used to be done forever in community theater. And sure, maybe. Maybe that is faded somewhat, but they're bringing it back. So that's great. I'm looking forward to that.
- [32:26]
James Marino
Okay, so the Garland shown at the Hoptic Hopkinson center for the Arts, I think that they have wrapped up, but we have a link to their next weekend.
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Unnamed Speaker 1
Next weekend?
- [32:39]
James Marino
Next weekend. I don't see it on their website. Let me see.
- [32:43]
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yep.
- [32:43]
James Marino
Okay, so next weekend, too. And we'll have a link to that in the show notes. So, Michael, you were over at Studio 54 to see the first play of the new Broadway season, Call Me Izzy, starring Gene Smart. So tell us about it. It.
- [33:08]
Unnamed Speaker 3
Yeah, as I mentioned before, this is a play that, as Peter said about his play for the public good, you can't look at it, but you can't look away. Or. I mean, it's. It's very difficult to watch, but you feel compelled to watch it because in this case, the subject is abuse, marital, physical abuse of a woman by her husband, played brilliantly. The woman is played brilliantly by Gene Smart. And it's very courageous of everyone involved, I think, to do this play and also so hard to recommend it because it's so difficult to watch. Yet, on the other hand, the performance is so brilliant that I must recommend it on that level. And I think we. It's almost like we have an obligation to see things like this, even though they can be very painful. Whenever I. Whenever a Holocaust movie comes along, I. I have similar feelings. I. I know. I remember I felt that way with the Pianist and also, of course, Schindler's List, you know, I don't know if I could ever see either of them again. But I, I certainly am glad that I did see them. And also I don't, I mean, that's not a direct comparison with Call me Izzy because that, that, I mean that, that, that was the Holocaust was a great, great, great, sure. World tragedy. And this is more, more of a, you know, a personal domestic tragedy, but still a tragedy. And I, I think that Jamie Wax did a very good job overall. Jamie Wax, interestingly, is a man. I had to look it up. I was a little surprised about that because it seems to me now we're in an age where sometimes some people say, oh well, this story like that should only be written by a woman. I personally don't agree with that at all. So I'm fine with this. But just a point of interest there. And yes, Izzy is a woman living in a trailer park in Mansfield, Louisiana. And she is very cliche, many respects, I suppose you would say, her appearance, her accent, her style of speech. But it turns out that she's a very, very gifted writer, specifically a poet. And she has been writing poems for years. But the situation is that her husband is very domineering and to the point of, of sadly to the point of physical abuse. And so she has to keep her writing a secret. So she actually writes in the bathroom on toilet paper and using an eyebrow pencil.
- [36:36]
James Marino
Wow.
- [36:37]
Unnamed Speaker 3
And storing the, the poems the, on. On the toilet paper in a Tampax box where she figures her husband would never look. Yeah. So then things happen and she is, it looks like she's going to be discovered, but unfortunately her husband puts an end to that, at least temporarily. And I, you know, of course I, I can't say too much, but, but it is another brilliant example of a one actor show. Just, just incredible to me how anyone could do a show like this by themself, by themselves. Not only because of the sheer number of lines in memorization, you know, which guess some people have that ability and others don't. But then in this case also the subject matter, which is so harrowing. So I, so I guess in this podcast I would really given a nod to both Gene Smart and Nikita Burstein for Peter's show. It's really, I, you know, I, I personally don't think that even at my youngest and most alert, I don't think I could ever have done a one person show. And I think we always admire the most people who do things that we could never, ever, ever do in a million years. So that's definitely the case here. I'm not all that familiar with Jean Smart because I was not a regular viewer of Designing Women, but I know that's of course, her biggest credit. She's currently in a show that is called Hacks H A C K S for which she apparently has received a tremendous amount of well deserved praise. But I'm not familiar with that either. And I do remember her enjoying her very much in. On stage in. I'm sorry, the title of the play with Nathan Lane. The other one, the man who Came to Dinner.
- [39:12]
Unnamed Speaker 1
Oh, yeah, yeah. She was terrific in that. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [39:16]
Unnamed Speaker 3
I. I always mix that up with. You can't take it with me. I understand. So I had to pause since I just mentioned the other one. Anyway, yeah, that's the play.
- [39:26]
Unnamed Speaker 1
I first saw her in Last Fish last summer at Bluefish.
- [39:29]
Unnamed Speaker 3
Oh my gosh. Wow.
- [39:30]
Unnamed Speaker 1
She was terrific then. Yeah, so that was one of the first things she did that was in the early 80s. So she was terr then.
- [39:39]
Unnamed Speaker 3
Yeah, go on.
- [39:40]
James Marino
No. What were you gonna say, Michael?
- [39:42]
Unnamed Speaker 3
Well, that's pretty much what I have to say about Call Me Izzy. I thought the writing was. I had mixed feelings about the writing. I thought it was very good. Overall. There were some questionable moments. And I will say. And again, I wish I could say more. The very last image of the play. I almost hated it because I. And I can't say anymore.
- [40:09]
Unnamed Speaker 1
Okay.
- [40:10]
Unnamed Speaker 3
But. But when our listeners see. When. And if you see this, I would really appreciate your feedback on your reaction to the final image because I, as I say, I had a very negative reaction to it.
- [40:29]
James Marino
Michael. I had a long discussion with Laura, my wife, on the way home after seeing Call Me Izzy about that last image. And so I'm gonna have to snag you after we stop recording to ask you some things because I. Laura and I had totally different reactions to it.
- [40:51]
Unnamed Speaker 3
Well, it is ambiguous, obviously.
- [40:55]
James Marino
Yeah, But.
- [40:56]
Unnamed Speaker 3
But even the. To me, the fact that it's ambiguous is part of my issue. So, yes, I'd love to talk with you about it later.
- [41:03]
Unnamed Speaker 1
And I'll encourage Lind, I'll encourage Linda not to walk out.
- [41:07]
James Marino
You can. It's no intermission.
- [41:09]
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah, yeah.
- [41:10]
Unnamed Speaker 3
Well, you could, but it would.
- [41:12]
Unnamed Speaker 1
You think. You think that stopped her in the past? Are you kidding?
- [41:19]
James Marino
I have to strap Linda down for the revival of Starlight Express. Starlet Express in five acts.
- [41:29]
Unnamed Speaker 3
So, yeah, what were your other thoughts, James?
- [41:33]
James Marino
So my thought was I saw this before the Tony Awards and I thought, wow, if this had made the cutoff, this would have thrown the whole category into a tizzy. The best performance by an actress in a leading Role in a play.
- [41:52]
Unnamed Speaker 3
I believe you even said that on the podcast.
- [41:55]
James Marino
Did I?
- [41:56]
Unnamed Speaker 3
I think you did, yes. Because I remember you saying that I was.
- [42:00]
James Marino
I, I think that, I think that Gene Smart's performance was worthy of a Tony Award. It, I hope that it's remembered next year. It's so far away.
- [42:18]
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah, of course.
- [42:19]
James Marino
And the show. And you know, she'll be doing her television show and everything next year by Time the Soul Rolls around, so.
- [42:28]
Unnamed Speaker 3
Also, I'm told it's not doing well, which is not surprising at the. Not doing well at the box office.
- [42:35]
James Marino
Not a toe tapper, have a good time show. Then again, neither is Cabaret. Right. So, yeah, I, I really enjoyed it. I thought it was, I thought it was really dramatic. I could imagine that, you know, so much of the Broadway audience, Broadway ticket buyers are women. And I. And the abuse of the husband towards the wife in this might be just something that is. Can't make it past the ticket buyers, but maybe this will, you know, with the strength of Jean Smart, maybe this could be made into a Netflix special or something like that.
- [43:36]
Unnamed Speaker 3
Right. That's a good idea. That's a wonderful idea.
- [43:39]
James Marino
Yeah. It's a, it's a rental at Studio 54. It's not produced by Roundabout.
- [43:44]
Unnamed Speaker 3
Right.
- [43:45]
James Marino
So their producers are all, you know, big names and people that could pull off something like that. So it's a possibility. I, you know, I encourage people to go see this. I think it's really great. It's a tour de force by Jean Smart. I can understand if you can't see it due to the content. It, it is, it is dramatic. It is dramatic. So looking at the grosses here are in the mid-400s for a 1 person show that could be really very close.
- [44:35]
Unnamed Speaker 3
Oh, that's.
- [44:36]
James Marino
Yeah, yeah. So I'd imagine. And it is a limited run through August 17th at Studio 54. So, you know, I, I hope that they can keep it running. I, I think that they've, they probably have figured out a way to make it last at least until the closing date of August 17th. So that is. Call me Izzy. We'll have a link to the show. Notes. Peter's gonna see it this week coming up, so we'll chat about it again next week and get Peter's take on it. But for right now, it's about time that Peter started speaking.
- [45:20]
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah, about time. The new Malpy Shire review. There are a few songs from previous incarnations. The first act, closer To Be Alive, was originally written for Love Match, the 1968 show about Queen Victoria and Prince Albert that didn't come to town. But anyway, much of the story deals. There's no story, it's a review. And Eddie Kovich makes that clear in the very first song, which is called Show Tune. And it's a real. You mentioned Toe Tapper earlier. Well, this is really one. But this is all about getting older and how difficult it is. There's a song about losing your keys. Where are they? I can't find them. So on and so forth. There's a very clever song called Free and the. The parents are just of grown children are so glad that the kids have left home and now they're free. Except the kids come back because the rent at their parents house is free. So that's how that pays off. So talk about when you get older, people make you look a little ridiculous when you do some dancing that you did when you were a kid. That type of people, you're not allowed to do that anymore. There's a song that avoids stereotypes by talking about a certain ethnic group being smart people. And you do expect certain rhymes to tell you who those smart people are, but it doesn't quite happen that way. So a song about liking jazz. The fact that as Daniel Jenkins, who was in Malpea and Chari, is big almost 40 years ago. Wow. 30, I guess. Anyway, anyway, he sings about the fact that kids don't know what they're missing by missing out on jazz. So. So there's one song after the other. They're all winners and wonderfully performed by people. Some people we know. Eddie Corbich, as I mentioned, Lynn Winter, Stellar, who was in Closer than Ever, has a. A lot of good material. And Darius the Haas has a real showstopper that probably got the most applause of the night. So that was really great too. The other two people were names that were new to me. They may not be to you Shinnery Jackson and Issy Van Randwick, but everybody was terrific. And it's, it's unapologetic about the fact that we all get older. And as Herb Gardner wrote and Judge Hirsch so beautifully delivered in the play. I'm not Rappaport. To young people. Someday you too will be a member of this weird tribe. And indeed that's what's going on here, as we're reminded. Did that Time wins. You know, there's no stopping it. I mean if you're a heavy person, you want to lose weight, you can do it. But if you're whatever age you are now, in the 60s, we used to say today is the first day of the rest of your life. And of course that's true, but also, you've never been older than you are right now. And now you're even older. And now you're even older. I'll stop. But you get the point. And that's what About Time is about. Make the most of what you have because it ain't going to be here forever. And you might as well live and enjoy yourself while you still can, because who knows? I mean, right, the time that we've been talking, thousands if not millions of people have died unexpectedly, not expecting to. So as a result, you know, make the most of it. And one of the great ways to spend your time would be to see a production of About Time. Unfortunately, it's closing today, but I hope we haven't heard the last of it because again, Malpea and Shire, what a terrific team. So wonderful to hear lyrics that are intelligent. I mean, how many shows do you hear the word moot that the situation is moot? I mean, that's just one example out of dozens upon dozens upon dozens of words you don't usually hear in musicals anymore. Because there's so many wonderful thoughts in this show courtesy of Richard Maltby. And it was so nice to see them both there, both David Shire and Richard Maltby, really enjoying themselves and seeing the fruits of their labors. So I'm hoping it's coming to New York. Pay attention if it does.
- [49:26]
James Marino
All right. So about time at the Goodspeed Norma Terrace.
- [49:33]
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah, Chester, Nothing.
- [49:35]
James Marino
Chester, not the big theater. As Peter mentioned, it is wrapping up today, but we'll have a link to that in the show notes and, you know, wouldn't be surprised if somehow it landed here in some fashion.
- [49:51]
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah, I. I hope so. Yeah.
- [49:54]
James Marino
So finally, Peter, you ended up at the Audible Manettaline Theater for Hugh Jackman play called Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes that I. After you give your thoughts, I. I wanted to talk briefly about ticket prices.
- [50:18]
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah, yeah. Well, if. If you ever wanted you. Jackman to talk to you, you may get your chance at the Manetta Lane, because he is addressing the audience directly. And I'm telling you, if somebody coughs, you know, or sneezes, he acknowledges it nicely. It's not like you bothered me. It's. He says God bless you to the people who sneeze and that type of thing. So he's talking about a character named John. John was a teacher and in. On the college level. And actually the way the play is written, there's no question that even though he's Talking about a guy named John. John is really talking about himself. And alas, as good as the two people are in it, not only you, Jackman, but also Ella Beatty. The fact is, the title makes clear what's going on here. I mean, he's a teacher, she's a student. What do you think is going to happen in the show called Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes? So it's, it's another one of those plays where indeed the girl makes it quite a clear that she's available and he's not quite cheating on his wife because they're separated. And you can make an argument pro a con that when a man is separated, he has the right, if you will, to, to explore other options. But again, you know, with a story like this, only one thing can really happen, and that is the fact that eventually people regret what they've done. And, and the, the adult has to take on more responsibility than the young person. Even though she made it very clear that she, she brings up early in the show something very sexual in speech. And that certainly is the gateway drug for him to, to indicate that, okay, this is going to blossom into something I didn't expect. He resists it, but it's very hard to resist when somebody is interested in you. And so, so it's, it's tremendously predictable and it has to get by on the charm of the people in it. And he is tremendously charming, as you would expect, but the fact that he interacts with the audience every now and then just, just made everybody gurgle with pleasure. So, I mean, that was the nice thing about it. And you know, the Greatest Showman is something, of course he did and was very famous for, and he really is the greatest showman. As for Ella Beatty, she reminded me, I will admit, that many of our listeners might not even know who I'm talking about, but somebody was really big once upon a time, and that's Sandy Dennis. And during the show, Linda turned to me and said, you know who she reminds me of? And both of us said, sandy Dennis. So if you don't know who Sandy Dennis is, you can take a look at who's Afraid of Virginia Woolp. She won an Oscar for that. I don't think she should have. She was always very over the top and very mannered. Ella Beatty is not that much. I'd say she's 60% of what Sandy Dennis used to give, but she sort of resembles her and she has a very similar delivery. So if you know what Sandy Dennis was like, then I think you May come to the same conclusion. I do. Did. Or that we did, for that matter. That. So I'll present it in front of a theater's brick wall. A few tables, a few chairs, lamps, nothing more. So I don't know why two scenic directors got credit. I don't know why it took two people to design these chairs and lamps. I mean, there's nothing much to it. So to me, that was as much of a mystery, frankly, as why'd you, you, Jacqueline, want to do this play? Decent. Sure. Accomplish for what it wants to do. But I think they certainly need a new title at the very least to keep away the obviousness of what's going to happen.
- [54:19]
James Marino
All right, so the sexual misconduct of the middle classes is running through this, this Wednesday.
- [54:28]
Unnamed Speaker 1
Oh, is that it? Really?
- [54:31]
James Marino
I. They've not been great at communicating with the media. They don't really know.
- [54:36]
Unnamed Speaker 1
That's the truth.
- [54:37]
James Marino
They really don't need us. As soon as they don't need us, we don't. Yeah, we don't get any, any information here. So their website has it playing through Wednesday at 3pm they have a 7pm of a different show in this space.
- [54:53]
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah, yeah, yeah. It is done in repertory with Creditors. Jen Silverman has done a new version of the famous Strindberg play and Lieb Schreiber's in it with Maggie Sip and Justice Smith. So, yeah, I do know that that's happening. So we have a mini repertory theater situation here.
- [55:13]
James Marino
Did you see Creditors?
- [55:15]
Unnamed Speaker 1
No, no, no, no.
- [55:19]
James Marino
They must not need our help either.
- [55:20]
Unnamed Speaker 1
That's right. Yep.
- [55:21]
James Marino
Okay.
- [55:22]
Unnamed Speaker 3
You know, Peter, I didn't think of it, but now looking back, I saw Ella Beatty in Ghosts and looking back, I could certainly see the resemblance to Sandy Dennis in both. Yeah, in both physically. And it's somewhat in acting style. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [55:45]
James Marino
So this production of Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes was much touted as low price tickets where they offered 25% of all the tickets can be per. Can be purchased for $35 either by digital lottery or in person at the Manetta lane box office, 12pm the day of the show. But that leaves 75% of the tickets available to the free market. And that free market is not so free. So the. I'm looking at tickets between 300 and $1,000 a seat.
- [56:28]
Unnamed Speaker 1
Wow.
- [56:29]
James Marino
So get him if you can. But it seems to be wrapping up soon. Let me confirm this with Ticketmaster.
- [56:40]
Unnamed Speaker 1
Well, I'll also say that there is a portion of the public, and I understand this, who says, gee, you know, for that much money, I should be in the theater for a certain length of time. And this is only 85 minutes, so keep that in mind, too. If you're the type of person who feels that time is commensurate with money, be aware of that.
- [57:00]
Unnamed Speaker 3
That's too bad about the. Of course, that's too bad about the price of tickets on the, you know, secondary and tertiary markets. But I guess we really have to take our hats off to Hugh Jackman for his commitment to the theater and for doing something like this. That at least gave people a chance to be able to see him at an affordable price, you know?
- [57:23]
James Marino
Yeah. All right, so do you guys have any thoughts about last week's Tony Award telecast? The last time you spoke was before the actual Tony Awards. Michael, Peter, how did your guesses do? Did you track that, or was there anything that was surprising to you?
- [57:50]
Unnamed Speaker 1
I don't know about surprise, but longtime listeners know that I had great issues with Sunset Boulevard. And I think my objection was proven by Nicole Scherzinger's performance, because, yes, she can sing. Yes, she can sing the hell out of that song. But. But I didn't see any Norma Desmond in her. None whatsoever. And so I was disappointed with that. I would have liked to have seen Jasmine, Amy Rogers, not only because she's terrific, but also Boop needs it. And I'm sorry that Jerry Mitchell didn't win for choreography because again, Boop needs it. And Sunset Boulevard is the best revival was anathema to me. Now, here's the funny thing. I wasn't able to see the first hour. I was at a show and I came back. But, you know, in a strange way, not seeing the first hour makes it more suspenseful. Because if I had known that they had won for book and score, the nice people had written maybe happy ending, it would. It would therefore be a foregone conclusion. Granted, there have been times when book and score has not meant best musical, but most of the time it does. So as a result, I like that bit of suspense and finding out afterwards that they won justifiably. So I was delighted that they won. It's that show must give so much hope to so many writers who are just starting out, saying when people say, what, are you crazy? See what the odds of you getting to Broadway. But the thing is, they can always point to maybe happy ending, which was such an odd idea, such an odd show, an original musical, usually they don't do very well. And indeed, with not big stars, to say the least. I hope I'm not Offending Darren Criss by saying that. But nevertheless, look what happened. And again, the Schubert's giving us the Belasco. This is the first time the best musical has played the Blasco. Never in its history. Yeah. I mean, there's never been a Tony winning musical in that theater until now, so. So as a result, you know, that's really another statement of how. What a dark horse. This was the darkest of horses and now its future is very bright.
- [59:58]
James Marino
Michael? What? Any thoughts? Yeah.
- [60:01]
Unnamed Speaker 3
I would start by focusing on the same two things that Peter did. I mentioned, I think last week or recently how incredibly unlikely the success of maybe happy ending is and that it certainly did not start out that way. It started out very, very, very slow at the box office and it looked like to many people, like it might not make it. So that was incredible. And given the provenance of the show coming from basically Korea.
- [60:37]
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah.
- [60:38]
Unnamed Speaker 3
You know, I mean, when did a show ever come from Korea before that won Best Musical or didn't win best Musical and what else was. Well, there was so many things against it. And one thing that I forgot to mention was. And I suppose maybe a lot of people no longer remember it because it's in the past now and the show is such a huge success, but do you remember they had tremendous problems with their sets and they had to actually delay the opening.
- [61:11]
Unnamed Speaker 1
That's right.
- [61:12]
Unnamed Speaker 3
And when that happened, I know I had a, I have a. I may have mentioned I have a friend who, who works on the show in the box office. And so we were talking about it a lot and, and actually was giving him updates because he doesn't tend to follow all the, you know, all the news as closely as I do. So I was giving him updates. But we, we all thought, thought he, you know, he was afraid at that time that it might not get to the opening at all. So to go from all of that to this great success and, and to, to, to look back and somebody should do a book on it. Yeah, somebody should absolutely do a book on this show and, and progress and, and they could get into how it gradually started to catch on through largely through word of mouth, but then also, of course, the. Well, first through word mouth than the amazing universal rave reviews. I don't think there was one negative review. I didn't read one. And that's, that's, that's what I'm told. And still, you know, picking up, picking up and picking up. And then, and then now all of these Tony Awards, which I'm sure guarantee a decent run, maybe hopefully more than a decent run. So I think that's amazing. I also would focus on. On, yeah, that, that one race that, that Peter mentioned, best actress in a musical. I. I really thought and hoped that it might be Jasmine. Amy Rogers. It just seemed to me that both the performances of Audra McDonald and Nicole Scherzinger are so controversial that they had as many detractors as acolytes. And so I thought that might. And plus, somehow people seem to be perceiving it as a contest between the two of them. So for that reason that they might cancel each other out, quote unquote, and that Jasmine might slip in. So I was surprised at that. And if it wasn't Jasmine, I guess I would have thought it would have been Audra. So Nicole was a surprise to me. I did very much enjoy her performance because as I've said repeatedly on a completely different level than Peter did not enjoy the performance and the production. And I will end by saying I'm glad that, that they did basically all of Rose's turn on the telecast because now everyone can judge for themselves as to this extremely controversial performance, which I personally think should be criticized and discouraged as much as possible. I've never seen anything like that in terms of lack of control. And I think, I think personally to praise it is almost dangerous in terms of letting young people think that you're supposed to perform like that on a stage. So that's my feeling and I'm sure the people who love the performance and the show are thrilled that it was preserved in its entirety for the opposite reason. And so now it's. Now everyone, as I say, can look at that and. And decide for themselves.
- [65:09]
James Marino
So it was. I thought that the overall Tony Awards went really well. Yeah, I really, I really liked it. It went a little bit over. Yeah. People still complain about the immemorium. I don't know if there's ever going to be a no solution for In Memoriam, but I was thinking, what if every time they went to commercial they did three or four people in memoriam over the course of the whole night instead of one thing? Could they get more people in? Would it be inclusive of everybody? Do you think that people.
- [65:48]
Unnamed Speaker 3
Yeah, that's interesting.
- [65:49]
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah, that's a good suggestion.
- [65:52]
James Marino
So I'll have to see if we could run that up to flagpole Hole.
- [65:58]
Unnamed Speaker 3
There didn't seem to be. Well, the omissions that I heard noted were Gene Hackman, and that's the only one I can think of at the moment.
- [66:14]
James Marino
So. And then, then after the Tony Awards no huge surprises. Things thinks, I think that Michael and Peter have already covered what I, what I said was, you know, the Sunset Boulevard thing, I think my review of it was I loved it and I hated it all at the same time back a few months ago when we talked about it on Broadway radio. But I really wanted, I wanted Boop to do a little bit better. It's, you know, so it's in jeopardy. There's a handful of things that seem to be in big jeopardy. Smash already announced the final performance next Sunday, June 22nd. So if you're interested in seeing Smash, you got to get to Broadway in the next eight. In the next eight performances. John Proctor is the villain extended and they have a new woman coming in to replace Sadie Sink for the end of the run run purpose, you know, couldn't have done any better but is still struggling, struggling at the box office.
- [67:31]
Unnamed Speaker 1
And it's very rare, it's very rare for a, a play to win best play and not have the director even nominated. That's really very strange that that rarely maybe even unprecedentedly happened. I don't, I don't know. But I mean I can't think think of in recent years that that's happened.
- [67:52]
James Marino
Dead Outlaw. Was it totally shut out? Dead Outlaw in the Tonys? Yeah, Dead Outlaw, totally shut out. Struggling at the box office. We'll have to see what their future holds. Real Women have Curves is at the bottom of the, of the grossest list. So, so we have to see, you know, in the next couple of weeks these, these shows are going to have to make some sort of announcements of either remarkable bounce in the box office or that they're wrapping up. So that is.
- [68:30]
Unnamed Speaker 3
And still at the top of the box office or near the top is Just in Time despite not winning any major awards.
- [68:39]
James Marino
Well, I mean, just in Time pulled in a million too. It's got 11 productions in front of it, including a 4.3 million dollar good night and good luck week. Othello with a 3.8 million dollars Othello. We haven't mentioned Othello in months.
- [68:57]
Unnamed Speaker 1
That's true, isn't it?
- [68:58]
James Marino
Months. It's celebrity, celebrity, celebrity. Wicked is in the 2.4 million range. Lion King is 2.3. Hamilton 2 million. So. Oh, Glenn Gary. Glen Ross is 23. Lion King was just over 2 million. So death Becomes her is doing well, although Megan Hilty is taking an indefinite leave right now to recover from a vocal injury. So. And then Buena Vista Social Club, which did very well. We'll have to see how their Numbers they did 1.2 last week. Let's see if they get a big bounce from all the wins there for Buena Vista. And of course maybe happy ending is 1.1 million but playing nearly 100% so maybe their average ticket price will go up.
- [70:01]
Unnamed Speaker 1
So a friend of mine said who has been to maybe Happy Ending three times said he went early and Darren Criss at the end of the show said please tell your friends, let them know the second time he went. Please tell your friends, let them know the third time he didn't have to make that speech.
- [70:18]
James Marino
So that really wraps it up for this week. Before we get on to our brain teaser, our musical moments, I 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 be automatically downloaded to Apple Podcasts for you. Of course you don't have to listen to us in Apple podcasts as many ways to get us. Patreon.com is one way. P A T R E O-N.com BroadwayRadio is where you can find us all our special recordings. Matt Tamini Wow. I'm mean I don't I think there's three or four Matamine the amount of stuff the work that he's doing he he worked until like 2 in the morning or 3 in the morning on Tony evening and Matt's partner in crime on Today on Broadway, Grace Aki I don't know if anybody heard Matt on the Broadway rate on the Tony wrap up that he did. Grace was in the front row for the final, final song and and so they had a great photograph of Grace in the front row. Everybody city watching this thing. So patreon.com broadwayradio is where you can support all of Broadway radio's shows and get us early. Come visit us on Sunday mornings while we record record live, get bonus shows, things like that. Contact information for Peter from Michael and me can be found in the show notes@broadwayradio.com as well as links to some things we've talk today. So Peter, do you have an answer to last week's brain teaser?
- [71:55]
Unnamed Speaker 1
I do. An expression often written on a postcard became the title of a play. When that play was made into a musical, the sentence that often followed that expression on a postcard became the show's title. Well, I was talking about the play called Having Wonderful Time which often used to be written on postcards when people went on vacation, followed by Wish you were here, which of course became the musical version of having a wonderful time 15 years afterwards. The play was 1937 the musical 1952. I thought of this because, indeed, as Michael mentioned last week when I talked about Bowl EP that there was a swimming pool built at the Vineyard Theater and indeed, even though it wasn't filled, it would be good for a revival of wish you were here. I don't think we can count on the Vineyard actually producing wish you were here, but that's another story. Steve Bell was first, followed by Sean Logan, Michelle Wi Kitty. Yeah, Paul Spouse. She's the one who came up with the answer. Tony Janicki, Nikki Juvan, Ethan Edwards, Cheryl Hodges Selden, Michael Wannas, Arthur Robinson, Angela Romacci, Jeff Hickman, Ingrid Gammerman, Greg Pablak, Juliet Green, Hal Morgan, Lee Korn, J. Aubrey Jones, and Josh Israel. Did you notice there were more answers than usual? This suggests that Mike awareness had a point when he said that I was throwing listeners a bone after so many hard questions. My favorite response, though, came from Fred Abramowicz, who said, that question is so easy I won't even dignify it with an answer. So this week's question. Let's see how we do this week. A neoclassic British musical that gets plenty of American productions every autumn mentions in its opening number a property that became a 21st century Broadway musical. What's the British musical? What's the Broadway musical?
- [73:49]
James Marino
Okay, if you have an answer for that, email us@triviabroadrayradio.com we'll let you know if you're on the right track. So Michael, what do we have in this week's musical moments?
- [74:00]
Unnamed Speaker 3
Well, there are some wonderful teaser reels online for the untitled unauthorized Huntress Thompson musical. So our opener is a clip of the opening number and the title of the opening number is the opening number is Indulgent and perverse as performed by Eric William Morris in the role of Hunter S. Thompson and company. And our closer is the song of the Brown buffalo as performed by George Salazar in the role of Oscar Zeta Acosta. And listen closely. This clip will give you a a prime example of what a great lyricist Joe Iconis is. One of the lyrics is and I don't ever hide from a fight that needs to be fought. And I would never filter a cigarette or a thought. So that's just one example. It's, as I say, a really, really great score. I hope whatever the future of this show is, I certainly hope there's a cast album But I'm glad that I was there to experience it. Technically, I was there on opening night, so that was really very exciting. And I do urge everyone to get to see this show if you can get down to Arlington, Virginia in the next month.
- [75:31]
Unnamed Speaker 1
Month.
- [75:32]
James Marino
Okay. So on behalf of Michael Portantier and Peter Felicia, this is James Marino saying thanks so much for listening to your Broadway radios this week on Broadway. Bye. Bye.
- [75:46]
Unnamed Speaker 2
Never met a man I couldn't devour Never met a plan I couldn't put in place they attack our grace they escape I chase I'm attacked temperamental so get out my face a mad fundamental See my dick from space I am strength for the weak I am speed for the slow this is the song of the brown buffalo.
- [76:17]
Unnamed Speaker 3
Hey.
- [76:18]
Unnamed Speaker 2
I'm beastly and I'm brutish and my fur is kicked with gore I'm the trouble you've been looking for and you don't know I'm brilliant cuz you only hear my roar I'm the trouble you've been looking for and I don't ever hide from a fight that needs to be fought and I would never filter a cigarette or a thought Cuz my mind is open and it grows, and it grows Inhibitions cast a sight it just goes where it goes I don't answer to a boss man no no, no see I'm a great big fat brown buffalo.
- [77:15]
Unnamed Speaker 4
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- [77:30]
Unnamed Speaker 3
Let's go.
- [77:31]
Unnamed Speaker 4
And young Mason Moore got more done quickly uploading HD product demos and video conferencing without freezing the numbers.
- [77:37]
Unnamed Speaker 2
Look good, Brad.
- [77:38]
James Marino
You're amazing new.
- [77:39]
Unnamed Speaker 4
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