Loading summary
James Marino
You didn't start a business just to keep the lights on. You're here to sell more today than yesterday. You're here to win. Lucky for you, Shopify built the best
Michael Portantiere
converting checkout on the planet like the
James Marino
just one tapping ridiculously fast acting sky high sales stacking champion at checkouts. That's the good stuff right there. So if your business is in it
Michael Portantiere
to win it, win with Shopify.
James Marino
Start your free trial today@shopify.com Winner foreign. Hello and welcome to Broadway Radio's this Week on Broadway for Sunday, May 24, 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 brighten your year is available at finer retailers. Good morning, Peter. Hi, Peter. So our show tune for today is they both Reached for the gun. So that could be from many different musicals. Which one is this one from?
Peter
Well, this is from Chicago and I urge that the original cast album be played on this date. One of the things I did in this calendar was make sure that there were 366 albums represented, not necessarily shows, but albums. So there may be another Chicago somewhere in the mix. But anyway, 102 years ago, Beulah Annan claimed that she just happened to kill her lover because they both simultaneously reached for the pistol in. One of the 12 jurors believed her story. She was acquitted after an expensive trial for which her loyal husband, a mechanic, paid quite a bit to a lawyer. So I think you know where the writer Murray Watkins got the idea for her play Chicago, which ironically enough was just done this past week. David Stoller groups, the Gingo Group did a reading and I wish I could have gone, but it was neither the Chita Rivera Awards and I'm a nominator, so I, I had to be there. I did see David a few days later, ironically enough, at the Galaxy Diner who said he never left so hard in his life. So maybe we'll see Chicago, the play somewhere along the line. By the way, Bueller's Anna, the, the acquitted Beulah, her maiden name was Sheriff. Isn't that interesting? You know, I mean, well, Shakespeare warned us there wasn't much to name.
James Marino
Also you have coming up, the 80th annual Theater World Awards, June 2nd at the Longacre. Getting ready for that?
Peter
Yeah, yeah, I am. We, we have some nice people. I don't know if I'm really quite at liberty to say who's going to be presenting, but I think we have four Tony award winners who will be presenting a few nominees too. So it looks pretty good.
James Marino
Excellent. Also with this is Michael Portantier. Michael has been a theater journalist for more than 50 years. 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. Last Tuesday you put Brigadoon away for the next hundred years. How did it go?
Michael Portantiere
I'm happy to say it went very well.
James Marino
Oh, good.
Michael Portantiere
Was a packed house. You know, I mean, I, I do think it's, in a way, every time I do one of these, I think it's insane in a, in a sense that there's only one performance because it's really equivalent to, it's not even equivalent to closing after the first performance and it's not even equivalent to closing after the first preview. It's really equivalent to closing after the first run through, you know, because that's how things, you know, the rehearsals are so tight here. And so it's, I mean, it was absolutely wonderful. I think people really loved it, you know, with our incredible cast and Michael Levine at the piano and all those beautiful songs and people like Buck Coccioli and Meg Bussert and Martin Vidnovic and Josie de Guzman, et cetera, et cetera. But, you know, of course there were little flubs, lyric flubs and little technical flubs. And you, the thing is, you don't have a single chance to fix them. You know, it's one and done. And I, you know, it's, you know, that's just obviously the nature of the beast and, you know, I should either get used to it or I guess not do them anymore. But that, you know, I just wanted to mention that all of that said I, I think most of the, the little things were really little and, and the audience didn't notice it. And everyone certainly seemed to be having a really, really great time. It was a very hot audience and that's always so wonderful. Of course it helped that it was packed, but that doesn't always guarantee a great response. So it was wonderful and I'm looking forward to tonight. I'm going to be headed back to 54 below to see Spamilton one of our cast members for our show, Gerard Alessandrini, he's got his Spamilton show, which has been seen previously at the Triad and now it's been touring. There's a touring production. So actually what this essentially is is the touring company is. Is coming in to do a one nighter at 54 below. Yeah. And I think they're bringing in special guest Christine Petty, because she's here. And Jenny Lee Stern, I think, I believe is going to be in it tonight. So I'm really looking forward to that. Seeing Spamilton again, I thought was very, very clever when it was done at the Triad.
James Marino
All right, that sounds really exciting. And we'll have a. Although Spamilton is tonight. It is tonight, the 24th.
Peter
Yeah.
James Marino
So, yeah, it is very, very chance that if you're listening to this, you've missed it. So. But just in case, you know, those who are in our chat room here, they're getting it hot off the press. They can head over to 54 below this morning and camp out there and get in. So it is. We are in the midst of the awards season, the traditional end of our theatrical season here in New York and the beginning of the new theatrical season. Michael, you were at the drama desk ceremony last. Was it last Sunday? Last Sunday. And so give us the report from the front lines. Was there fighting?
Peter
Well,
Michael Portantiere
no, fortunately not. There were a couple of interesting things that happened. I mean, first of all, it was really great to see the awards back at the Town Hall. I really love that venue and so it was nice to have them back there. I think it's a really great venue for this kind of a show. And interestingly, I mean, I sat up in the balcony because the entire lower level is always reserved for nominees. So balcony was the only choice. But it's not that huge a place and it still has an intimacy to it. So I didn't feel like I was a mile away or anything like that. And that was all great. And also when I had checked the seating chart like a few days before, there were lots and lots and lots of empty seats in the balcony. So I thought, oh, that's not good. But on the night it was full, so I guess people bought at the last minute or maybe there were some seat fillers. But anyway, it was nice to have a very full house. There was two unfortunate things that happened during the show, you know, and I forgot to look up the person's name, but it's probably better not to name the person anyway. I have never seen Anything like this before, whatever incompetent person did the lighting design decided that there were going to be these lights on stage that were shining directly into the eyes of those of us in the balcony for the entire performance. And I. It was so bad that I almost, you know, I mean, but I didn't realize it until I, you know, until the show started. So, I mean, I actually considered running down and trying to find someone and tell them to turn them the off it was. And I know it wasn't me because the woman next to me said, you know, she commented on it and. And I said, isn't that terrible? And she said, it's sheer torture.
Peter
Wow.
Michael Portantiere
Yeah. So how can a professional lighting designer make a mistake like that? I mean, gosh, Rudy. So I hope they certainly don't get that person back next year win a
James Marino
Drama Desk Award for their lighting.
Michael Portantiere
I don't think so. Yeah, I don't think so. In fact, when that category came up for, for Best Lighting Design, Outstanding Lighting Design, I turned to that woman, I said, well, this isn't going to win it. And then there was the other problem, was a relatively minor one. Apparently they did not inform one or two of the presenters that some categories had more than one winner. Because some years ago, well, not some years ago, a few years ago, I guess, the Drama Desk combined the acting categories so that they're gender neutral. And so it's no longer Outstanding Actor and Actress, it's Outstanding Performance, Outstanding Lead Performance, Outstanding Featured Performance. And because of that, they increase the number of nominees in each category and said that there are two winners in each of those categories. Not necessarily man and woman, but just two winners. So as I say, one or two of these presenters were in formed of this. So there was a really embarrassing moment where one of the presenters announced a winner and, you know, there was all this applause and then they had. They had to do like, sort of like a correction and say, oh, there's another one too. So hopefully that information will get to the presenters next year. But all of that said, overall, it was a great night. Aside from those things, Marla Mindel, unsurprisingly, was an absolutely fantastic host. I mean, you know, what she does in Titanique is not improv, except for one little section. So I guess it's not the same as being a host of something and it's not the same talent, but I sort of thought that she would be the kind of person who could be really great on her feet and I mean, it's not. Well, you know, hosting is not really improv either. But she. She was really wonderful as far as being so engaging and very quick and funny and moving things along and relating to the audience. And she had some really funny, funny lines, one of which was. It was rather, I guess, kind of questionable. So I can't repeat. Peter probably knows which one.
Peter
I mean, I think I do. Yeah.
Michael Portantiere
And. Oh, yeah, I think that. I don't think. I can't think of a single award that was one that I strongly disagreed with. So that made me happy. I think everyone was very, very deserving despite the incredible competition. And one final thing I'll mention, this was so interesting. Death of a Salesman won in the revival category, and the person who accepted the award was not Scott Rudin, the producer, but Nathan Lane. And anyone who's followed the news can probably understand why Scott Rudin didn't accept the award. But when Nathan Lane got up and started talking, and the first time he mentioned Scott Rudin, there were several boos in the audience. And it was, of course, a somewhat awkward moment for a few seconds. But then Nathan diffused it as best he could by saying, oh, I can see some of his family members are in the audience, so leave it to Nathan Lane to be able to diffuse a situation like that. And I don't think we need to get into a discussion of the whole Scott Rudin thing. And, you know, But. But that is what happened, and that's what he said, and that's how he dealt with it. So that's my report on the Drama Desk.
James Marino
Okay. Also, news out of the Drama Desk is the new home next year. Did you hear about this? So Drama desk has a new home at the Shed next year.
Michael Portantiere
Oh, that's right.
Peter
Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's right.
James Marino
Yeah. So I think it's great that the Shed will be inviting Drama Desk voters now because they haven't in the past.
Michael Portantiere
Well, that is a very interesting question. And if they don't, how ironic would that be?
James Marino
Yes, how ironic? Is this not an eligible venue? No, we're just going to invite the nominators because we want the. The nomination, but we really don't want the award. So it's sort of a backhanded compliment.
Peter
Not enough to give up the tickets.
Michael Portantiere
No, exactly.
Peter
Yeah.
James Marino
Yeah, exactly. Don't hit my brother. Only I get to hit my brother.
Peter
That's right.
James Marino
So. So we also. We haven't talked really about it here, but the Tony Award nominations have happened a couple of weeks back and we've gotten some time to ponder and, and, and sit and bask. In the warmness of the. Of the nominations. So, Peter and Michael, I guess the. The question to start off here is were there any surprises in the nominations? We are going to talk about our picks in two weeks from now. The morning of the Tony Awards, we will do our picks, but I'm not asking anybo to pick right now because these things change from week to week, day to day, from hour to hour. So certainly Beaches is not going to win much, but. So, any surprises there, Peter?
Peter
Yeah, I was astonished that Adrien Brody wasn't nominated best actor in a play, because I really thought that he was sensational and he certainly has a lot to do and I think he does it extraordinarily well. So that, to me was the biggest surprise of all. I never expected for a second that he wouldn't be in there. I thought he even had the chance to win. Of course, it's a tough category with Nathan Lane and Death of a Salesman and John Lithgow and Giant, I'll grant you that. And certainly Daniel Radcliffe, every brilliant thing with everything that he has to do is quite amazing. But I never thought that Adrian Brody would be omitted. So that was the biggest surprise for me.
James Marino
How about you, Michael? Any. Any big surprises there?
Michael Portantiere
I was surprised that Bryce Pinkham was nominated. And let me make it clear, I love Bryce Pinkham. I think he's great, but I think his role in Chess is so ridiculous and doesn't show him off. So that was a surprise to me. I was not at all surprised that Beaches was completely shut out. That really, gosh, boy, I'd have to say that's one of the most unfortunate disasters that I've seen recently. I was maybe a little surprised that Queen of Versailles was completely shut out, but, you know, when you look at the competition.
Peter
No, I would have. I would have given a best score nomination to that, certainly over the fact that we see non musical represented in that category. I think it's. That category really should think of musicals first. And certainly it was a professional outing for Stephen Schwarzer, and you expect no less from him. So he may very well admit that it's not his best score, but nevertheless, there was quality in that score and it should have been included. I agree.
Michael Portantiere
Right. And yeah, I think that's the category where I really was thinking that they could have done it. Other than that, I can't think of too many surprises that come to mind.
Peter
Well, I'll also say I was surprised, and I don't begrudge, but I was surprised to see Rachel Dratch for the Rocky Horror show, because it's not. It's not really a musical role. Terribly. She has a little bit of time warp, I guess, and Lord knows there have been precedents for people who have been in musicals who didn't sing a note going all the way back to Thomas Mitchell and Hazel Flagg way back in the 50s. But nevertheless, I was surprised, and I don't think it was irrelevant that her fame preceded her and that that was a factor. I. I often think that may be a factor with the Tonys that, you know, let's. Let's get names that people out in the suburbs and the hinterlands can. Can recognize. So I think that may have something. Again, she's doing a fabulous job, no question about it. But it's not that demanding a role. And I know it's a featured role. I. I gather it's not like she was nominated for lead, but never. I was surprised. And may she live to be 100. God love her. Terrific. You couldn't ask anything more from her. I was just surprised to see her in there.
James Marino
I was very surprised about the Lea Michele thing.
Peter
Yeah, I agree with that. And I agree with that entirely. I returned to Chess, and this time I was really paying attention to that because I have to say no, really, in a way that certainly I was watching her when she was on stage the first time, but this time I was scrutinizing more because it was a situation that I heard so many people say, I don't think she's going to get a nomination. I thought, oh, I think she should. And so that. And while watching, I said, gee, I don't know why people would think that she shouldn't get one, but obviously there were plenty of people who didn't.
James Marino
Any thoughts from the two of you about two strangers? Seems to make. Seems to be making a. An attempt at a Avenue Q Come from behind.
Peter
That would be fine with me. That would be quite fine with me. I think it's a very, very fine musical. And I do think that it's very skillful how the first act is so funny and the second act is so dramatic. And they really make the switch very, very terrifically. And for that matter, I also think the lyrics are sensational. Two terrific performances, and I don't know anybody who goes who is an impressive. Sam Tutty making his Broadway debut. And we'll be giving him a Theater World Award on June 2nd. And I'm very glad that my other. That the majority of my other seven nominators agreed that he should be Right up there.
Michael Portantiere
Well, I certainly agree about him. He's just a treasure.
Peter
Yeah.
Michael Portantiere
But having seen this show a second time, my reaction was I think I maybe like the first to act even more the second time, but the second act even less. I, I disagree about your reaction. Second, I think it's just too long and lots of things happen that make no sense whatsoever. And I think it almost falls apart in Act 2. But it's a credit to Sam Tutty and Cristiani Pitts that their chemistry is so great that it carries you through all of that stuff in Act 2. That's, that's the way I look at it.
Peter
You know, it's funny you mentioned chemistry. This makes me think about something I haven't thought about before. Even when they're at odds, you can really tell there is something between them that really is linking them. Yeah, that's. I'm glad you mentioned that, Michael.
Michael Portantiere
Well, yeah, and that's what great actors do. Right. And you know, and boy, you know, I'm so happy for her. She was so wasted in King Kong. Oh my gosh. I mean, just the way that whole thing was written and conceived and she had no opportunity whatsoever to do anything that would endear to an audience. And now, you know, what a wonderful happenstance that she's got this really good role here. So I'm very, very happy for her.
James Marino
If you were at the opening night back in the day of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman or August Wilson's, Joe's, Turner's Come and Gone, back when those things originated on Broadway, would you ever looked forward and said, yeah, we're going to get a best original score in 2026.
Peter
Yeah, indeed, indeed. Times are tough.
James Marino
But you know, I think you touched upon it, that you touched upon the Stephen Schwartz and Versailles snub there. It's been a.
Peter
It.
James Marino
I, I don't think at the beginning of this season we expected it to be such a rough year for musicals.
Peter
No.
James Marino
But it really turned out to be
Michael Portantiere
this year and several people have pointed out what a shame that Boop didn't open this year.
Peter
Right?
James Marino
Indeed, that is true.
Peter
No. The other night, after the Mystery of Edwin drew to J2 Productions, a terrific production, by the way. I did a, a recap of the 1985-86 season and times were tough then too, you know, I mean, when you have a. The best scored nominees, including the News, which was a really bizarre musical. I mean, you know, musicals bizarre. When indeed it's described as being in a newsroom of a Metropolitan newspaper and the bedroom of a 15 year old girl. There's something about that that seems very odd. Also, Wind in the Willows was nominated and that only lasted a few performances though I will say it's amazing to me how that does not get done because Wind in the Willows is such a quintessentially famous title. And can you, I can't imagine why people aren't doing it and saying, you know, best Tony nominee, best book, best score, which it did get. It's so bizarre to me. But this is an example of how you must have an original cast or a cast album. Doesn't have to be the original cast, a cast album to get it out there. It is so important to have an album because if you don't have one, you're really dead and nobody knows who you are. And I, if they have gotten an album and I still think this time I think it would have gotten plenty of productions.
Michael Portantiere
Absolutely.
Peter
Yeah.
Michael Portantiere
And by the way, two recent cast albums are Romeo and Bernadette.
Peter
Yeah, that's right.
Michael Portantiere
And Picnic at Hanging Rock. So you know, I always think it's smart. Regardless of what we think of any individual show, it's very, very, very smart of them to do an album.
James Marino
Yeah, it brings up the point that I was gonna raise which is your favorite Tony campaigns. What, what, what's making it through to you these days? They are marketing heavily to us. What, what, what are you remembering the most? I mean, they're reinviting us to shows and sending out little packages.
Peter
I've gotten very few of those. And the days of getting scripts in the mail sent to nominators is long gone now. You of course get a link which makes more sense. I mean really, why should trees die for these things? So, but no, I, I, I do believe that the promotional activity of Schmigadoon on quite intense. The way Operation Mincemeat has been since day one. It hasn't abated at all at all. And I dare say that's part of the reason it's still running. I'm not saying it's 50 of the reason, but I'm saying it's part of the reason it's still running because it's Facebook presence is amazing. But Spigotune has been using it a lot too and I don't think that's a bad idea. Oh, by the way, about Spigotune, let's say this, I'm a drama desk nominee. We decided we would not put Schmigadoon in contention because after all the School was done on TV first, but the Tonys didn't feel the same way. I understand both points of view, by the way. I really do. I like to see Schmigadoon rewarded because it's terrific. So. But again, though, it wasn't new to the stage, so I can understand that point of view too.
Michael Portantiere
They didn't. They haven't made any statement on that, have they? Well, because it really does. I, I mean, the Tonys. Because it really does say written for the theater, doesn't it?
Peter
Okay, yeah, I, I haven't seen anything about the Tonys, but we drama Destromides did get a missive from the Schmigadoon staff saying, yeah, okay, it was on tv, but after all, he had the theater in mind when he wrote it. I don't think that's a very convincing argument. But nevertheless, again, the fact that it's so good, maybe that should be the bottom line.
Michael Portantiere
Yeah, and I agree with that as well. So one can understand why the only script I think I got in hard copy form was Oedipus, which I'm actually looking forward to reading.
Peter
Me too.
James Marino
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, Oedipus is trying so hard to remind everybody that they were in the season, so.
Peter
Yeah. Well, ironically enough, Leslie Manville, who won the Drama Desk Award and wasn't there and won't be there for the Tonys either, I dare say, because she's doing lazy on Tangerine. Sorry. I wish I could be as good as French as Michael is in Italian anyway. But she's doing that play in London, so she's otherwise engaged, so she won't be at the Theater World Awards either.
James Marino
I see.
Peter
Everybody else will be though, I'm told.
James Marino
So, Michael, to answer your question, I'm looking at the Tony Awards. They just, they made an announcement April 29. It just simply says single Paul will be considered eligible in the best original score, music and lyrics written for the theater category for their work on Schmegadoon. That's all that it says. It doesn't give her. Doesn't give any. Any reason about it. But yeah, it's, it's an interesting. You know, Peter, I bring this back to baseball, okay? Major league parks are not standardized, you know, the outfield fence. The outfield fence is different in every park, yet we have a most home runs record whether the fence was 600ft or whether it was 200 and some odd feet. As in the Boston Red Sox.
Peter
Well, 290 in Yankee Stadium back in 1961 when Roger Maris broke Babe Ruth Dress, if you consider the. Yeah, but I mean, there was so many home runs that were hit just down 290. He. He really made use of that short distance, so. Sure. Yeah, that's a very good point. Yeah. And anybody.
James Marino
I feel that way about the, The Tony Awards, it's just like. It's sort of like a sliding scale. Some seasons something will be eligible and other seasons it won't be eligible. So that's. That's what happens.
Peter
I may be wrong about this too, and I swear this will be my last baseball reference, but I. I think I recall hearing that the famous Bucky Den was one that would have been caught in many other stadia. So.
James Marino
Yeah.
Peter
Yeah. So.
James Marino
Well, you know, between the legs of a. Of a Boston Red Sox shortstop, you know, there's nothing we could do about. That.
Peter
Will be my last one.
James Marino
So, you know, we see big campaigns right now from Lost Boys, Schmigadoon, Titanic. Two Strangers has got like this small viral campaign going on. It seems as though that Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman doesn't seem to be campaigning at all. They're just basically, he's saying, here's where we are. Here's. Here we are.
Peter
Yeah.
James Marino
So we have the Tony nominations by productions coming in at the top. Lost Boys and Schmigadoom with 12, Ragtime with 11. We haven't talked about Ragtime. Ragtime's doing a lot of promotion. Tons of videos.
Peter
Very well with the drama desks. Very well indeed.
James Marino
Yes.
Michael Portantiere
Yes.
Peter
Yeah. So really, to have three winners, I
James Marino
mean, that's pretty good.
Peter
I'm talking about the acting. I mean.
James Marino
Yeah.
Peter
Henry Casey Levy and Ben Levy Ross. So really, that's pretty good.
James Marino
Yeah. I wonder if there will be repeats in those categories come June 7th. So Cat's Jellicoe Ball is also did nine nominations. Rocky Horror did nine nominations. I think that was more than the original production of Rocky Horror, wasn't. Is it?
Peter
Well, I don't think Rocky Horror way back when got anything, but you may be thinking of the 2001 revival.
James Marino
I'm thinking of the Jordan. The Jordan Roth production. 2000.
Peter
Yeah.
James Marino
Really?
Peter
Which. Which I adored. Yeah. I'm sure that it didn't get nine.
James Marino
Yeah. So. So there it is. And we will talk about our predictions on the morning of the Tony Awards, which is coming up in two weeks. So next up in our review section, Peter, you got over to stage 71. Is it on 71st Street?
Peter
Yep.
James Marino
Is it on 71st street, stage 71 on the upper west side. To see a oddly Named show named Broken Snow. So tell us about Broken Snow.
Peter
Well, this is a story about a guy, a young man who breaks into a house and. And pretty soon afterwards an older man breaks into the house as well. Obviously they're both looking for something. It won't be long before each reaches for his gun. A tiny flaw is that the older man claims to be a. An officer of the law. That's the way he pronounces himself. And I would think that the younger man would say, prove it, let me see your badge. But he never does. So I think that's a bit of a problem. And I wonder if the playwright who has the name of I'm looking now, I'm Vamping Ben Andron thought about that because I think he should. The dialogue crackles wonderfully between these two. But here's what I really want to say. Recently I was watching a documentary on It's a Mad Mad, Mad Mad World, that film that had stars from Gypsy, I had a Ball on Solomon Jumbo, Little Me, Sugar Babies, Top Banana, Whoop up Wonderful Town in Ziegfeld Follies of 1943. And Spencer Tracy was cited as somebody who came up to him as a young man and said, tell me about acting. And Spencer Tracy said, oh, it's the easiest thing in the world. Just don't let them catch you doing it. And that is where I want to bring in this astonishing young actor named Michael Longfellow. I'm going to read his bio. You think this is going to take a long time? No. Michael Longfellow is a stand up comedian, an actor known for his work on NBC's Saturday Night Live. He was selected for Netflix Breakout Introducing Showcase at the Netflix in a joke festival and made his late night debut on Conan. That's it. Nothing about appearing in a play. And it's astonishing that he is such a natural because he doesn't seem to be acting at all. It is flat flabbergasting to watch this breakthrough performance and I just hope that next year that my nominators remember him for the Theater World Award because I'm telling you, I'm going to remember him. And I think he really is the reason to see the show. By the way, they're breaking into the house of an older man and that's where Tony Danza comes in. He what does he have to do with these two guys? I'm not going to tell you because the. That's a very important part of it. But nevertheless, there's a lot going on in this play. The dialogue is terrific. I will admit that one speech that Tony Danza has when he tells a story, that's a metaphor, he doesn't want to quite spill the beans on his own life, so he uses a metaphor. That speech is a little long and a little obfuscating. But nevertheless, aside from that, this is a very, very, very impressive play. And it only has a week to go. I wish this is another one of those times when I wish I didn't go to London when I did because I would have been able to talk a long time before. So. And it's interesting too that the playwright is described in the playbill as a playwright. Yes. And an entertainment advertising creative. So wow. You know, and he's, he's certainly been associated with a lot of shows. So one of my favorite actors, Conlan Hanlon, has turned to directing and he did a fabulous job with this too. So really sorry, it's only a week. Maybe it'll get an extension. I hope it does. Maybe it'll move. I hope it does. But boy, you got to see this. Michael Longfellow.
Michael Portantiere
You know, I saw the show too, a few a couple of weeks ago and I don't remember why I didn't get a chance to talk about it on the podcast, But I agree 1000% about everything and especially about him. I had exactly the same reaction. And I love that kind of incredibly naturalistic acting. You know, obviously in a show for which it's appropriate, which this one completely as. I mean I think it would be maybe hard and maybe even inappropriate to do it in a lot of musicals because it's a little different kind of requirements there, but for a play like this, absolutely. What's required. And he, yeah, he was just incredible.
James Marino
Peter, I don't think I've ever been to stage 71. How many seats are there?
Peter
99 maybe. I don't know. It's only a few rows. And yes, indeed, it opened in 1999. I checked this. This is my third time there. So really, you know, Jody's Body opened the theater and I saw that and there was a revival of A Good Time Charlie, the musical that Joel Gray did by Larry Grossman and Hal Hackety. This is it. I mean it's, it's it. It used to be called the Arc Light, so maybe some people know it
James Marino
from, ah, the Arc. Like. Okay, yeah, yeah. So my point in asking how many seats is because Broken Snow sponsored was the top. Was the. The leading ad in Broadway briefing on May 7th.
Peter
Uh huh.
James Marino
That's like a $10,000 buy is that right? Wow.
Peter
Yeah.
James Marino
So I can't imagine that that paid off. And Broadway Briefing, nobody's buying tickets from Broadway Briefing. You know, it's an industry insider newsletter,
Peter
so I didn't realize that. I thought it went out to anybody who wanted it.
James Marino
No, no, it goes out to anybody who wanted it, but most people don't know about it. Okay. Most people who read Broadway Briefing are insiders. So, you know, I'd be. Even if in, you know, if they have a 99 seat thing and they've done this, that, that, that's a, that's a. What's the 90? 10,000 developer divided by ticket price, number of seats. I mean, that's, that's, it's, it's, it's. It doesn't seem like they would advertise in Briefing to sell tickets. They're advertising and Briefing to move it.
Michael Portantiere
That's a great way.
Peter
I hope it happens.
Michael Portantiere
Yeah. Well, you know, they do have Tony Danza involved, so.
James Marino
Yeah. And Tom Kavanaugh, Michael Longfellow. I mean, these are. Yeah, yeah, these are names. So I wouldn't be surprised if Rook and Snow didn't show up at that place on 49th street that I can't remember the name of. Worldwide Plaza. Worldwide Plaza. So, yeah, New World Stages. New World Stages at Worldwide Plaza. Yeah, that's right. So Broken Snow place for another week. We'll have a link to that in the show notes. Michael, you headed down to Virginia where you were at the Signature Theater seeing Pippin. So tell us, how do we have another hit coming out of Virginia?
Michael Portantiere
We do. I mean, whether it'll move or not is an open question because. Well, lots of variables there, but, oh, boy, you know, after I planned to go, I almost regretted it just because. Only because it's been insanely crazy for me lately between my Lerner and Lowe show at 54 below and my rehearsals for 71776 and several other things I have going on. So I almost regretted it, but not after I saw it. This show is absolutely fantastic. Really a superb production directed by Matthew Gardner, with phenomenal choreography by someone named Rachel Lee Dolan, who I think you will hear from again. It was this fantastic choreography with only maybe occasional hints of Bob Fosse in it, I would say, and yet seemed 100% appropriate to the show. There was a. I think it was a 12 piece orchestra that sounded like twice that amount. And also signatures are fairly small space, so. So some other orchestras tend to sound really good there. Music direction by John Kalbfleisch. And then I Don't always focus on design elements, but here I have to name basically everybody because the set design by Christopher and Justin Swader was amazing. The costume design by Eric Teague was one of the absolute best aspects of the show. Hard to describe it. See if you can look up some, some photos. But also we're including in the show notes a, a link to a trailer for the show and that. That has some of the costumes in it. You can see it's sort of like a very modern and sexy adaptation of, of actual. Like the costumes you would have seen in theater back in the. Maybe in the. Well, either not in the medieval times or coming out of them. You know, there were elements of maybe commedia dell'. Arte. And what are the, you know those masks with the long noses that you see? Those were in it. Those were in it. The costumes were absolutely superb and phenomenal and amazing. Lighting designed by Adam Honore. Signature is often an in the round setup which is. Was the case in the here and it's hard to light that. But he did a great job and he certainly, you know, I wish that person who lit the drama Desk awards could maybe go take a class with Adam Monterey because he managed to light it without having lights in people's eyes, even though it was in the round. Great sound design, Eric Norris. Oh, and even the wig design by Anne Nesmith Smith. Just, just, just great. They found this kid. I don't think it's inappropriate to call him a kid because he's quite young. Named Braden Bambino. How's that for a name? B R A Y D E N Bambino as Pippen. Not long out of, out of school. And, and he. Let's see. BFA in musical theater from University of Michigan. So, you know, they have a great program, obviously perfect in terms of everything. Look, age, acting ability, personality. Wonderful, wonderful, young, open personality. Absolutely gorgeous voice. And not only in the upper register where, you know, we've heard many Pippins sound really great. But even when he had some low notes, he had a remarkably rich voice for someone his age. Like, you know, sitting on the floor and talking till dawn. Candles and coffee, you know, he was, he was really, really great. And let's see. Charles, Eric Hisom. Maria Rizzo. You know Eric.
Peter
Yeah, yeah. He was at Cape May Stage for a long time.
Michael Portantiere
Go on. Yeah, just great. Maria Rizzo was for Strada. Naomi Jacobson as Bertha. I think she is a well known figure down there, but not necessarily in musicals. So it was wonderful to see her really knock that role out of the Park Ryan Sellers as Lewis this really, really great woman. AWA Sal Seca as Catherine I had seen her down in the Signature in Ragtime and a couple of other things. She is just the greatest and really made a lot out of that role, which is not always such an easy thing to do. I mean, we do remember what a great job Rachel B. Jones did with it. And I would say this was equally successful, but in a very different interpretation. And this adorable kid named Ellison Bim as Theo. I have left out one person, and I'll get to that. Now. One. One reason why I made the trip to see this Pippin, aside from the fact that I know that that Signature does such great productions in general, was that I saw that it was going to have a male leading player. And I really, really like that, as opposed to the recent revision that has. We've had so many productions recently with a female leading player. And I'm sorry, I just think. I think it needs to be that male. Male dynamic in those two roles between the leading player and Pippen, because the leading player turns out to be quite a malevolent character at the end. And I think it's just different with a woman. It doesn't really make sense to. So that's my two cents. So I'm really glad they did that. That said, I think that the fellow playing the leading player had a bad night on the night that I attended, which was the night after opening, by the way, his name is Cedric Neil. He seemed what. Seemed to be perfectly cast for the role. And if you look at this video that we're linking, I think he comes across very well in Magic to do in a little bit that he's doing. But. But there were three things, three really big flaws on the night that I went. I thought his annunciation of the lyrics was quite poor. And I know it wasn't just me because the friend with whom I attended, who had never seen the show before, that was the first thing he said after the show. So that is really too bad, because there are great lyrics by Stephen Schwartz to go along with the great music by Stephen Schwartz. And I was. I was sorry not to really. I felt like the audience wasn't really getting a lot of them. Also, this fellow did too much vocal riffing. You know, I always think that vocal riffing is much better when it's. When it's limited and a little of it goes a long way. A little of it can be very exciting. But too much of it, it starts to really be like, you know, can you please Stop showing off and just sing the score. So I really didn't like it that he did that. And then also, unfortunately, I think he really lost control of his performance at the end of the show and was literally screaming at Pippin through basically the whole final scene. So that was another big disappointment. Matthew Gardner seems to be a really excellent director. I don't know if he was unable to fix those things that I just mentioned or if he didn't notice or doesn't agree with me, but I was surprised at all that. And I think that is on the night I attended, that was the weakling of this otherwise absolutely phenomenal, amazing production. I think it would be great if it did move to Broadway, but I suppose that's maybe not very likely.
Peter
All right, here's my question.
Michael Portantiere
Yes.
Peter
Did the credits say book by Roger o'? Herson? Music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, Theo ending by Mitch Sebastian? Do you know what I'm talking about?
Michael Portantiere
Well, that's not. Yes. Yep, yep, there it is. It's not.
Peter
Is it really?
Michael Portantiere
Yeah, it says at the top, it says, book by Roger, music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. On the same line. And then on the next line, there are credits for Stuart Ostrow, Bob Fosse, Diane Paulus and Mitch Sebastian. Yeah.
Peter
Do you know if. Did they use the Theo ending? Do you know what they're talking about?
Michael Portantiere
Oh, yeah, of course. Yeah. That's why it was there. And I. I am sorry. I didn't get into that. Another thing I didn't get into. And, you know, I'm. I'm scheduled to actually see Stephen Schwartz on Tuesday at the New Dramatist lunchtime, which I believe Peter's attending also. Yes, I am, and I think I'm. I'm gonna see if I can actually ask him. I've always been wondering. He rewrote many of the lyrics for Pippen at some point. What you see now is not what's on the cast album. And, you know, it's also true of the Baker's Wife and a little bit of Godspell. So I think I'm going to ask him if, when those new lyrics appear, were they originally written as alternates, maybe back in the day, and he at some point decided to, you know, substitute them, or were they, in fact, actually written later? And also I think I'd like to ask him if he rewrote them because he was unhappy with the original lyrics or just because he thought, well, let's try something new. So if I get a chance to ask him all that, and if he decides to answer,
Peter
I'd like to, in case people don't know what I'm talking about, about the Theo ending.
Michael Portantiere
Yes, go ahead.
Peter
There was a London production that this gentleman named Sebastian, and he decided to have a different ending. So what happens here is that Theo, the little boy whom Pippin semi adopts, is growing up and suddenly he sings. Ribbons belong where they can ramble, Eagles belong where they can fly. He's going to go out and have the adventures that Pippin had. And it's such a smart idea, the idea that, of course, every adolescent has this need to find himself. So now, what's really great, I don't think that Ms. Sebastian asked Stephen Schwartz in advance, do you mind if I do this by rehearsing? For that matter, I think might have been dead by that time. He didn't say what so many theatrical pros have told those who have made suggestion, go write your own damn show. No, he was not only open to the change, but embraced it. Now, as I say, many productions of Pippin use it, and I'm delighted to see that's the case.
Michael Portantiere
And what's interesting about that is I. I think many people were unsatisfied with the original ending of Pippin, which I think also was a source of great contention among Bob Fosse and Roger Oherson and Stephen Schwartz when it was done originally, because what wound up being the ending was not what was originally written. And I think it was sort of a compromise that doesn't really work. How do you feel, Pippin? Trapped but happy. That's a good ending for a musical comedy. I don't think that's a very compelling ending. So even if you don't love the Theo ending, I think it's vastly superior to that.
Peter
Yeah. I do believe, if memory serves, it may not, but if memory serves, that Bob Fosse forbade Stephen Schwarz from coming to rehearsals after a while. So.
Michael Portantiere
Yes, I forgot to mention that.
Peter
Yeah, yeah, there were some hard fears. Feelings.
James Marino
Michael. The Signature Theater has a video from YouTube, on YouTube from that's Magic to do. And it seems like it's starting in the lobby of the Signature. Do they take it outside or do they keep everything in the theater?
Michael Portantiere
Oh, no. Thanks for bringing that up. So I can clarify. We sent links to two videos. One is a trailer that is little clips from the show in the theater with, you know, costumes and lighting and everything. But it seems like Signature does that for all of their shows. Now, they do also promo videos in the lobby with the orchestra and the full cast. But it's Just a promo video.
James Marino
Isn't that great?
Michael Portantiere
Yeah, it is great. And they did one for Fiddler. They did Tradition in the lobby with Doug Sills. And by the way, Doug Sill just won a Helen Hayes Award for his performance in Fiddler on the Roof at Signature. Their track record is so great. I keep going down there. I don't think I've seen one disappointing show there. They're just amazing.
James Marino
Ah, there's a very disappointing show over at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. So. All right. Right. Pippin at the Signature is running through July 26, so you have tons of time to get down to the. To visit the nation's capital on the 250th birthday of America could be the last. And C. Pippin. So we'll have a link to that in the show notes. Peter, you were over at Studio Seaview to see. Well, let you go. So tell us about this.
Peter
You know, it's really wonderful when you hear a piece of information divulged and the audience, as one, gasps. And that's what happens in this play. Now, I saw it earlier in the season when it was at a small, small, small theater in Brooklyn, and I. I doubt that there were even 99 seats in that place, but, boy, it really packed a wall up. And I'm delighted that it moved because the gasp that I heard out in Brooklyn was far more effective here because, of course, there were far more seats available. And I will say this, and I think this is really important. I dare say you really have to sit close. This theater, of course, has stadium seating, and I would think there's a good chance that you're going to miss a lot if you're too far back because there's no sound to speak of, and people tend to speak not so loudly. So. So anyway, what is. What is this story? It's a terrific one, and it's about a woman who finds out that her husband wasn't the man she expected after his unexpected death. She starts hearing a lot of things, and little by little, you put it all together, and that's what leads to the gas. But there are some. Many wonderful little vignettes along the way, especially where a woman from the funeral home comes to make arrangements for the funeral. Funeral. She is all business. She is insensitive and doesn't realize that she. If she realized that, she would do a better job. It's not maliciousness. It's not that she's. What it is is that she's just used to delivering this spiel about what happens in a Funeral, what you should do, what you shouldn't do, how you make this happen, how you don't make this happen. So it's, it's a hilarious scene, actually. But we find out that this widow isn't that keen on giving her husband a funeral. She doesn't feel he really deserves it. Of course, his brother comes in and has a lot of opinions and strangely enough, the brother seems to, huh. Be making suggestions that don't seem to be suggestions that a brother would make. There's a reason for that too. So. So a gripping show. 110 minutes with no intermission whatsoever. No set to speak of. Believe me, this is not a glorified. They didn't change anything from Brooklyn. I mean, you're basically seeing tables and chairs and don't expect much else. The theater has been reconfigured, so there are seats on the side. While seats on the side are never particularly ideal, I do urge them because they're close to the action. So I'm. I'm not a big fan of cheek mics. One person has one, but nevertheless, I would have welcomed them here, by the way, I was in the third row. I was fine. I was okay for me. But boy, my heart bled for the people way, way, way, way back at the end of this theater. So. But wow, it's, it's funny that that Jack Syrio, who directed did. Found this play and it really, it deserves so much attention. The playwright, whose name I don't know if I'm not even sure it's a man, but usually a Bubba is a man, but Bubba Wyler, W E I L E R is the playwright and I hope Bubba continues to write because this, if I think this is the first play, I may be wrong, but it's the first one I've seen by Mr. Amis Wyler, so I hope to see more sit close.
James Marino
So. Bubba Wyler is a Brooklyn bass playwright and actor. His plays include well, I'll Let yout Go and the Saviors, which will have its premiere production at the Atlantic Theater Company this summer. Directed by Dak Jackson. Serio.
Peter
Same guy?
James Marino
Yeah. He studied playwriting and acting at Playwrights Horizons Theater School at nyu. He's been in residency at Berkeley Rep School, Ground Floor and Mercury Store. As an actor, he played Scorpius Malfoy in the first American cast of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway and was recently seen in Swing State at the Minute Elaine, for which his performance was nominated for a drama Desk, Lucy Lortel and Out of Critics Circle Award. So, Bubba Weiler. Nice.
Michael Portantiere
Peter, I wasn't clear. Are you just assuming that it's hard to hear at the back of the theater?
Peter
Yeah, I'm only assuming because.
Michael Portantiere
I mean, the only thing I would say is maybe you're right. But, you know, sometimes they have speakers placed.
Peter
Oh, I hope so.
Michael Portantiere
Further back, you know?
Peter
Okay. Yeah. All right.
Michael Portantiere
So that's just something.
Peter
I hope so. So I hope so.
James Marino
And if the speakers are shot directly into the eyes, they don't blind you.
Michael Portantiere
So did I mention that they make
James Marino
it to the ears? The eyes and the ears are near each other. All right. So, well, I'll let you go at Studio Seaview is running through June 20, and we'll have a link to that in the show notes, as well as a nice little video that they produced as well. Finally, this morning in the review section, Peter, you got to see Thornton Wilder's the Emporium, a classic stage company. So tell us about this.
Peter
This was an unfinished play by Thornton Wilder. He wrestled with it for a long, long, long, long time and never could quite get it right. So a writer named Kirk Lynn has come in and taken it over. And we'll never really know unless we read the papers. And some of them have been published about this play. Thornton Wilder had a diary and occasionally would talk about. So took over and. Well, let me put it this way. At intermission, I'm not going to name names, but a critic from who has been a critic for a major New York newspaper as well as a critic for a major theatrical website. And I said, do you have any idea what's going on? And my theory was that everybody has a desire to be Lieutenant Governor of Vermont. I mean, it's totally inscrutable. Now, at the beginning of the second act, they tell you exactly what the metaphor is. And once you have that, you can apply each line of dialogue to what's happening. I don't think a bad idea at all. If they had told us from the outset what the metaphor was. I'm not going to tell you what it is. But anyway, it makes things far more clear. Clear. But here's the thing that interests me, aside from the play itself, okay? For years I was connected with the Massachusetts High School Drama Club Festival when I was a high school teacher. And you do a half hour play, that's it. You can't go over. And a lot of people wanted to do an act of Our Town. And the Thornton Wilder estate always said, said, no, no, all or nothing. We do not allow cuttings of our plays, okay? Jones and Schmidt did a musical version of Our Town called Groper's Corners. Eventually, they lost the rights. Okay, because I'm inferring this, but obviously it didn't please the Thornton Wilder estate. Enough. Okay. Kander and Ebb did a musical version of Skin of Our Teeth. They, too, lost the rights. Again, we can infer that the estate said, no, we don't like it at all. Enough. The estate has, for the longest time been the purview of Chappen Wilder Nephew. Now, Jeremy McCarter, who you may remember as a critic in New York, has taken over. And I guess he's the one who said, yeah, go ahead, do the Emporium. Why not? So standards have really loosened there. And all I'm saying is if something like the Emporium can get on Jeremy, please let Grover's Cronus happen. Please let the Skin of Our Teeth musical happen that went through two or three titles. And let kids in high school do an active art town for their drama festivals.
Michael Portantiere
Yeah, but don't forget there was the more recent musical version of the Skin of Our Teeth, which might impact on.
Peter
Yeah, yeah, that's right.
Michael Portantiere
Production of the other one.
Peter
Yeah, yeah. So obviously they allowed that. You know, that's. Boy. But that totally escaped my attention, even though I saw the show and liked it.
Michael Portantiere
Right, But.
Peter
But boy, I guess standards are very loose with Mr. McCarter at the forefront front.
James Marino
All right, Thornton W. The Emporium at Classic Stage Company is running through June 7, 2026. We'll have a link to that in the show notes. So that wraps it up for this week. Before we get on to our brain tease and our musical moment, I want to remind everybody that you can subscribe to these broadcasts by going to the front page of broadwayvideo.com there's a subscribe link. That way each and every time we have a new update episode of this week on Broadway, it'll be automatically downloaded to Apple Podcast for you. Of course, you don't have to listen to us in Apple Podcast as many ways to get us. One of them is Patreon P-A-T-R-E-O-N.com BroadwayRadio, where you can support all of Broadway radio shows as well as get us a little bit earlier, get some bonus episodes. Matt has been cranking out the bonus episodes based upon his true trip to New York and all the 43,000 shows he saw that saw that week. And so that's in the broadwayradio.com patreon patreon.com broadwayradio Contact information for Peter, Michael and me can be found in the show notes@broadwayradio.com as well as links to some things we've talked about today. So, Peter, do you have an answer to let last week's Brain teaser?
Peter
Indeed I do. He wrote the music to more than one Best Musical Tony winner before he wrote the score to a musical that opened in a more modest downtown cabaret. One of the show's song titles was a famous foreign word, although the songwriter spelled it differently. I'm talking about Charles Strauss, who wrote Bye Bye Birdie, Applause and Annie's Music, but also wrote the music and lyrics for the Mayor about Ed Koch, which debuted at the Village Gate. One song was called Chutzpah, but it was spelled H O O T S P A Ray Ustra was first followed by Paul Witty, Juliet Green, Lee Korn, Isaac Blevins, Seth Kristenfeld, Sean Logan, Steven Sokolov, Mike Meaney, Brigadoon and this week, bringing up the Rear. After many guesses, Tony Janicky this week's question in the 1950s and early 1960s, every American with a TV set knew this performer whose Broadway debut happened just over a hundred years ago. David Merrick courted this performer to play a role that would eventually see not one, not two, but three actresses acquire Tonys. But Merrick's offer was declined, however, some years before, the performer had a cameo in a film version of a musical that that Merrick had co produced on Broadway. Okay, who's the performer? What's the role that Merrick offered? What was the film of the musical that Merrick had co produced?
James Marino
If you have an answer, or all those answers, email us at triviabradrayradio.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?
Michael Portantiere
Well, we mentioned before those two videos from the Signature Theater production of Pippin. Our opener is, well, including the links to both videos in the show notes. But as for our audio, the opener is from the trailer, which are clips from the actual production with the sets and costumes and lighting, as I said earlier. And then the closer is from the promo video that they drew that they made in the lobby of the Signature Theater just as a promo number. But in both cases the orchestra you will hear is the actual Signature Theater orchestra, which, as I mentioned before, was it's really great. I particularly loved the xylophone. Pippin has a great xylophone part, especially in the song on the Right Track. And when I heard heard the xylophonist practicing before the show started the other night. I was like, oh, good, this is going to be fun. It's a really wonderful production, as I mentioned, and musically terrific. And I hope you enjoy these two moments. Both excerpts from Magic. To do the opening number of Pippin with music and lyrics by the great Stephen Schwartz.
James Marino
Aaron parenting tip. Make sure your children pick up the xylophone after they have moved out of the house. So on behalf of Peter, Felicia and Michael Portantiere, this is James Moreno saying thanks so much for listening to your Broadway radios this week on Broadway. Bye.
Michael Portantiere
Bye.
James Marino
Bye.
Michael Portantiere
Bye.
This week’s episode dives into the end-of-season award buzz on Broadway, covering recent Drama Desk Awards highlights, Tony nominations surprises and snubs, marketing campaigns, and reviews of several new productions. The hosts, James Marino, Peter Filichia, and Michael Portantiere, bring their signature informed banter and deep industry knowledge, with special focus on the new play "Broken Snow" at Theatre 71, standout performances, and key talking points relevant to the current New York theater landscape.
Venue & Atmosphere (07:49)
Technical Glitches (09:56)
Award Presentation Confusion (10:13)
Hosting Excellence (12:45)
Memorable Audience Moment (14:18)
Next Year’s Venue (14:18)
General Impressions & Surprises (16:14)
Snub Discussion (17:49)
Celebrity-Favored Noms (18:26)
Lea Michele’s Omission (19:37)
Dark Horse Show: “Two Strangers” (20:18)
Peter admires the show’s act structure and performances, particularly Sam Tutty, who is also receiving a Theater World Award.
Michael, offering a counterpoint: “Having seen this show a second time...I think the second act is just too long and lots of things happen that make no sense whatsoever. But it’s a credit to Sam Tutty and Cristiani Pitts that their chemistry is so great...” (21:18–21:54)
Promotional Outreach (25:36)
Physical Gifts Fading (26:03)
Controversy on Eligibility (27:21)
Chat about “Schmigadoon” being accepted for Best Original Score, despite originating as a TV show.
“I, I do believe that the promotional activity of Schmigadoon [is] quite intense. The way 'Operation Mincemeat' has been since day one. It hasn't abated at all.” — Peter (26:03)
Plot & Structure
Performance Highlights
Industry Implications
Peter and James discuss the curious strategy behind the show's high-profile advertising campaign (Broadway Briefing lead ad), suggesting ambitions for a move/extension rather than just ticket sales for a small venue.
“I can’t imagine that that paid off. ...It doesn’t seem like they would advertise in Briefing to sell tickets. They’re advertising in Briefing to move it.” — James (39:58)
Production Quality
Lead Player Casting
Performance Critique
Story & Impact
Intimacy & Production Note
On Lightning Difficulties at Drama Desk
“How can a professional lighting designer make a mistake like that? ...It was sheer torture.” — Michael (09:57)
On Scott Rudin’s Absence
“When Nathan Lane got up…there were several boos in the audience. Nathan diffused it by saying, 'Oh, I can see some of his family members are in the audience.'” — Michael (14:18)
On Tony Nominations Surprises
“I never thought that Adrian Brody would be omitted.” — Peter (16:14)
On ‘Broken Snow’ and Michael Longfellow
“He doesn’t seem to be acting at all. It is flat flabbergasting to watch this breakthrough performance...” — Peter (35:05)
On Industry Marketing
“They’re advertising in [Broadway] Briefing to move it.” — James (39:58)
On ‘Pippin’ Theo Ending
“It’s such a smart idea...the idea that, of course, every adolescent has this need to find himself. So now [Theo] is going to go out and have the adventures that Pippin had.” — Peter (52:07)
This packed episode reflects a moment of transition in the Broadway season: awards, new shows, and the occasional curveball in nominations and productions. The hosts deliver insider analysis and sharp, affectionate critiques, documenting both the triumphs and quirks of current theatre—especially with an eye toward new talent and changing industry practices. The “Broken Snow” review in particular highlights how a small production can punch above its weight when executed with skill and supported by savvy promotion.
For further details, ticket links, and additional resources, see the show notes at BroadwayRadio.com.