This Week on Broadway for September 7, 2025: Well, I’ll Let You Go @ The Space at Irondale

Summary

BroadwayRadio: This Week on Broadway for September 7, 2025

Episode Theme:
This episode explores the latest buzz and critical impressions on several current and recent New York theater productions, both big and small. Highlights include a detailed review of the hit play Well, I’ll Let You Go at The Space at Irondale, discussion of commemorative productions and anniversaries (from Carmen to Follies in Concert), plus thoughtful examinations of jukebox musicals, classic revivals, and rising playwrights. Notably, the episode maintains a warm, humorous, and discursive tone, blending history, critique, theatre lore, and personal anecdotes.

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Main Guests

• James Marino (Host)
• Peter (Playwright, journalist, and historian)
• Felicia (Panelist, minimal speaking this episode)
• Michael Portantiere (Critic and frequent contributor)

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Episode Overview

The conversation centers on:

• Excitement surrounding the play Well, I’ll Let You Go and its potential for a commercial transfer
• Carmen's 150th anniversary: various recent performances and personal recollections
• Historic theater events (Follies in Concert, Evita’s original cast, Play On! revival)
• Reviews of plays and musicals currently running or just closed (Rolling Thunder, The Brothers Size, This Is Government, Gallus)
• Notable musical moments, cast albums, and rare performances uncovered
• Theater trivia and the ever-popular brain teaser

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

[02:31] Show Tune for Today: “Welcome Christmas” and Thoughts on Holiday Creep

• Peter highlights and half-jokingly justifies early holiday celebrations with a nod to the early appearance of Christmas merchandise each year.
• "Maybe it is a good thing that Christmas comes earlier…because people are nicer at Christmas time." – Peter [03:38]

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[04:03] Opera in the Park: Carmen's Anniversary and Production Disappointments

• Peter recounts seeing a scaled-down Carmen in Bryan Park, lamenting the word “production” as misleading due to its minimal setup ("just a piano" and "duets"), but affirms the merit of free public arts.
• Michael connects the string of recent Carmen events with the opera's 150th anniversary, touching on its Broadway musical adaptation, Carmen Jones.

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[09:41] Follies in Concert Memories: Anniversaries and Theatre Lore

• Peter recalls the buzz and high ticket price for Follies in Concert at Avery Fisher Hall forty years ago, reminiscing about Sondheim's surprise appearance.
• "A sound came from the pit of my stomach that I have never heard before or since. It was so incredible, to see [Sondheim]..." – Peter [10:50]
• Discussion of legendary performances by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, and the serendipity that launched their live act.

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[12:34] Original Evita and the Early Careers of Patti LuPone & Mandy Patinkin

• Peter shares firsthand memories of encountering Patti LuPone’s and Mandy Patinkin’s careers just before Evita, including anecdotes about LuPone's time in The Robber Bridegroom.
• "She was well known for that!" – Peter, on LuPone’s fearless stage presence [13:07]
• Both actors were somewhat known—LuPone more so—before their breakout in Evita, which Peter admits he did not predict would be such a massive success for them.

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[18:13] Centerpiece: Review of Well, I’ll Let You Go @ The Space at Irondale

[18:31 – 21:33]

• Peter delivers a glowing review for Bubba Weiler’s Well, I’ll Let You Go, directed by Jack Syrio and headlined by a standout performance from Quincy Tyler Bernstein (with Marin Ireland set to take over).
• The play’s immersive staging (audience on either side, mimicking a football field) and intimate size drive demand and exclusivity.
• Plot centers on a woman devastated after her husband's murder, subsequent revelation of his affair with a student, and her refusal to even bury him.
• "It really is quite a freight train that just keeps on accelerating. You find out more and more and more. This is one of those peel an onion plays, you know, little layers…" – Peter [19:30]
• Constance Shulman’s darkly comic turn as a funeral home rep is highlighted.
• The show is largely sold out, but there is a much-mentioned cancellation line for those eager enough.

Cast Change and Buzz

• The rare mid-run replacement of Bernstein with Marin Ireland signals both the show’s power and the cast’s desirability among acclaimed actors.

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[23:54] Rolling Thunder at New World Stages: Jukebox Musical Reactions

• Michael reflects that he liked the show better than Peter did, and outlines its premise (Vietnam soldiers, their experiences, and period songs).
• Praises the integration of songs like “Born To Be Wild” and “House of the Rising Sun,” but critiques the use of “Killing Me Softly” and “Bridge Over Troubled Water” as ill-suited thematically at the show’s conclusion.
• "To me it’s not okay to just say, well, we’ll put it in anyway because everyone likes the song." – Michael [29:55]
• Projected media elements (newsreel, Cronkite, Nixon) are highlighted as "excellent" and "shocking now to see."

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[32:19] The Brothers Size at The Shed: Powerful Storytelling and Riveting Performances

• Peter lauds Tarell Alvin McCraney’s emotionally resonant play about two brothers and their divergent life paths (one industrious, one just released from prison).
• A standout scene explores the elder brother's unjust emotional burdens.
• "One of the most unanimous standing ovations I've ever seen..." – Peter [36:33]
• Arena-style staging, precise direction, and a superb acting ensemble are all credited for the play’s impact.

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[37:20] Play On! at Signature Theatre: Rediscovery and Critical History

• Michael follows up on his positive review, noting the history of the show's short 1997 Broadway run (blaming Ben Brantley's negative review, via Andre De Shields).
• "Sometimes a show can be wrecked by bad direction or by the performers not inhabiting the roles..." – Michael [44:38]
• The current Signature production features smart revisions, notably bestowing a positive ending on what was previously a tragic Malvolio subplot.

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[47:32] This Is Government at 59E59: Playwriting Debut and Plausible Tension

• Peter reviews Nina Kissinger’s play set in a DC office amidst a health care bill controversy and a bomb threat from a desperate constituent.
• The script is noted as a strong debut with plenty of promise, though not always as tightly wound as it could be.
• "There are moments that are not as tension filled as they could be…But 25 years old and a tremendous achievement…I'm looking forward to seeing what she's going to write next." – Peter [51:23]
• The production supports voter registration on National Voter Registration Day (Sept 16).

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[52:55] Gallus at Little Island: A New Diva for a Ludlam Classic

• Michael previews the campy, poignant Ludlam lampoon of Maria Callas, now starring famed countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo in a celebrated cross-casting twist.
• “He likely never imagined a real prima donna in the role…Costanzo embodies extravagance, camp, and diva…” – Michael [54:20]

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[57:16] The Sound of Music: Rediscovered Bowls and Hidden von Trapps

• Michael introduces a rare YouTube video of the 2006 Hollywood Bowl production featuring Melissa Errico as Maria, Marni Nixon (the original dubbing voice for the film) as Mother Abbess, John Schneider as Captain, Rachel York, and a young Ben Platt as Friedrich.
• The finds highlight the continuing fascination with stage vs. film differences in The Sound of Music, offering surprises and treats for aficionados.

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Peter on Sondheim at Follies in Concert:
  “A sound came from the pit of my stomach that I have never heard before or since…it was so incredible, to see him there…” [10:50]

• Peter on Well, I’ll Let You Go:
  “I think it’ll transfer. This is one of those peel-an-onion plays…The ending does not turn out to be what you thought…” [19:30]

• Michael on Jukebox Musicals:
  “To me it’s not okay to just say, well, we’ll put it in anyway because everyone likes the song.” [29:55]

• Peter on Standing Ovations:
  “One of the most unanimous standing ovations I’ve ever seen…maybe they should be judged by how quickly people stand.” [36:33]

• Michael on Play On! reception:
  “Sometimes a show can be wrecked by bad direction or by the performers not inhabiting the roles…” [44:38]

• Peter on young playwrights:
  “I’m looking forward to seeing what she’s going to write next. And that’s always a nice compliment…” [51:23]

• Michael on rare castings:
  “As soon as I heard about this, I said, well, gosh, I’ve got to get tickets for that…” [54:55] (re: Anthony Roth Costanzo in Gallus)

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Musical Moments [63:59]

• Steve Lawrence’s “Small World” (Gypsy pop cover):
  “You can’t do better than this one from a 1960s Steve Lawrence…almost a deliberate parody of the whole notion of pop Latin interpretations of show tunes.” – quoted from Will Friedwald [64:21]

• Bobby Darin’s “All I Need Is the Girl”:
  From a 1960 Pat Boone TV special—Darin swings the Gypsy tune and even adds a little dance.

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Episode Extras

• Brain Teaser: This week’s musical trivia involves a 1963–64 season show mentioning the number "51."
• Current and Classic Links: All referenced shows, events, and recordings are included in the show notes for the listener’s further exploration.

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Timestamps

[02:31] Show tune for today and Christmas talk
[04:03] Opera in the Park / Carmen
[09:41] Follies in Concert anniversary
[12:34] Early days of LuPone and Patinkin (Evita)
[18:13] Well, I’ll Let You Go review (Irondale)
[23:54] Rolling Thunder review (New World Stages)
[32:19] The Brothers Size review (The Shed)
[37:20] Play On! at Signature Theatre, backstory
[47:32] This Is Government (59E59)
[52:55] Gallus at Little Island preview
[57:16] 2006 Hollywood Bowl The Sound of Music rediscovered
[63:59] Musical Moments: Gypsy pop covers

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Tone & Style

The conversation is expert, affable, and occasionally self-deprecating, blending sharp theater analysis with reminiscence, amusing asides, and a deep affection for history and performance. Speakers maintain a knowledgeable, yet accessible style, punctuating reviews with anecdotes, personal tastes, and the odd brain teaser to engage listeners further.

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For Further Listening

Check the show notes at broadwayradio.com for:

• Links to each production and video/audio referenced
• Patreon exclusives
• Full episode archives

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A must-listen for any Broadway enthusiast, this episode provides a rich, insightful, and highly engaging snapshot of theater today—including both critical consensus and lively disagreement on what’s new, what’s enduring, and what’s coming next.

Transcript

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[Peter]

Funny.

[Michael Portantiere]

Bonnie, you're a stranger who's come here. Come from another town. Bonnie, I'm a stranger myself here. Small world, isn't it? Funny you're a girl who goes traveling rather than sett.

[James Marino]

Cause I'd love to go traveling.

[Michael Portantiere]

Small world, isn't it? We have so much in common, it's a phenomenon. We could pool our resources by joining forces from now on. Lucky you're a girl who likes children.

[James Marino]

Hello and welcome to Broadway Radio's this Week on Broadway for Sunday, September 7, 2025. My name is James Marino and in the broadcast today we have Peter, Felicia and Michael Portantiere. Peter is a playwright, journalist and historian with a number of books. Peter's new day by day desk calendar show tuned for today 366 songs to bright new Year is available at finer retailers. Peter also has columns at Masterworks, Broadway, Broadway select and many other places. Hello Peter.

[Peter]

Hi.

[James Marino]

What is our show tune for today?

[Peter]

Welcome Christmas, of course, from how the Grinch Stole Christmas. Now you might say, wait. You know, there are 108 days before December 25th arrives. Playing a Christmas song may seem premature, but I guarantee if you go to your local Costco right around Labor Day, laborers bring out the Christmas trees, the wreaths, the ornaments, the gnomes, the mangers, the silver bells, the Styrofoam snowmen, and the Santa and reindeer combinations too. So I, you know, we're all busy people now and holidays creep up on us. So as a result this is a reminder that time does fly at supersonic speeds. So it won't be long before you'll be welcoming Christmas.

[James Marino]

Well, you know, I just saw this morning, so a lot of people starting to talk about rolling out their stuff, their Christmas trees and lights and various other holiday things. People just want to be happy. But Peter.

[Peter]

Yeah, that's a good point. You know, maybe it is a good thing that Christmas comes earlier than it used to in terms of ornaments and what have you. Because people are nicer at Christmas time. You know, they don't mind being nice Ass Christmas. I'll be nice. You know, so good. Maybe it should last longer. I'm sorry I interrupted you, James.

[James Marino]

No, I was going to ask you about two other things.

[Peter]

Yeah.

[James Marino]

This week, where were you singing and in the rain.

[Peter]

Yeah. I did go to see Carmen out in Bryant park, but I was only there 40 minutes before the heads Heavens opened. I have to say I was disappointed because the press release said it was going to be a production. So I fully expected a chorus. No, I fully expected an orchestra. No, just a piano. I fully expected to hear that wonderful overture, one of my all time favorite overtures. Maybe 37 seconds of it. And it was only done by a few people. So Carmen, Don Jose. That's it, you know, basically came on stage saying. So it was duets, there was a narrator filling in plot points and all that. So when the rains came, I wasn't devastated by any stretch of any imagination. And again, you know, it's a free event. You know, you get what you pay for. It's better than nothing. A lot of people were there. It gives an opportunity, people to see Carmen. That's great, you know, so on and so forth. But the word production, I thought was a little aggrandizing.

[James Marino]

You know, I, I. You ever, you ever look into or hear about. Occasionally there's some sort of musician that leaves their violin in the back of a taxi. Right. You don't really hear about that. And then you hear like, the violin is like three quarters of a million dollars.

[Michael Portantiere]

Right, right.

[James Marino]

And you know, it's like, if it's foggy out, I'm not going out with my violin.

[Peter]

I think Yo Yo Ma lost, Lost his cello.

[James Marino]

Yeah, One time. True. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I remember that.

[Peter]

Yeah.

[James Marino]

Yeah.

[Michael Portantiere]

You know, as far as Carmen, I was thinking they. Several weeks ago in Bryant park, they showed a video of the Franco Zeffirelli production from the arena di Verona. And I was wondering why they, you know, why they chose to do that. It was wonderful. I went there and watched about 3/4 of. Was a really great production with a wonderful cast. But I wondered, you know, why they did that, because they don't usually do things like that. And now there's this live performance that Peter went to, and it suddenly occurred to me, this year is the 150th anniversary of the premiere of Carmen. So I'm guessing maybe that's why all of this interest. And I was actually planning for next week a little review of it in terms of our musical moments, because Carmen, obviously, aside from everything else, famously became a quite a hit Broadway musical called Carmen Jones.

[Peter]

Yeah. 500 on the button. It's funny you mentioned that previous production, because in 1983, I was walking and Brian park had a TKTS booth at the time there, and I saw Carmen up, and I was stunned. I had heard the Separelli thing was such a hot ticket, and here it was at half price. I couldn't believe my good fortune. I bought the ticket, I went to the theater, and they said, no, you're seeing the opera at the Met. So. And that was all right, too. But when I saw the word Carmen, I just assumed it had to be that I didn't know that the opera was on that night at the Met, but it was.

[Michael Portantiere]

Well, wait, which. Which production did you think it was?

[Peter]

The Zeffirelli.

[Michael Portantiere]

No, you. Which one being able to do that, didn't.

[Peter]

Zeffirelli. Maybe I'm wrong. There was some sort of Peter Brook, maybe.

[Michael Portantiere]

Yes. Peter Brook, La tragedy de Carmen.

[Peter]

Fine. That's what it was.

[Michael Portantiere]

Was at the Beaumont. Yes.

[Peter]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yes. So. So. So I went to the bum and said, no, you got to go next door. So. And I was. I think it was the first time I was at the Met, and I was stunned at how glorious the voices were, as opposed to broad. Flowed so beautifully through those vocal cords in a way that I wasn't used to in Broadway. So, yeah. Peter Brook, I apologize.

[Michael Portantiere]

No, that's okay. That was a great. Did you eventually get to see that? Oh, it was quite amazing.

[Peter]

Everybody says so. You can't see them all. We do the best we can.

[Michael Portantiere]

No, I understand.

[James Marino]

So, Peter, I was thinking maybe you should talk to the publisher about rebranding your show Tune for Today calendar. Because, you know, the Farmer's Almanac used to be really big on. You know, you get the Farmer's Almanac every year to plan your year out when we didn't have such wide ranging media. But one of the big things was the weather predictions. And I noticed yesterday that your Calendar said the show tune for today was Rain on the Roof with from Follies in Concert. And. And boy, we had some horrendous rain yesterday.

[Peter]

It was incredible.

[James Marino]

How did you do that?

[Peter]

Well, yeah, and ironically that's a significant anniversary as well because that was 40 years ago that Follies in concert occurred at Avery Fisher hall, as it was then known. And that was $100 ticket for the good seats. And I remember seeing the, the press release or an ad. I don't. Anyway, my check was in the mail immediately. I mean that was an astonishing amount of money to pay for a theater ticket in those days. Now it's like the cost of a souvenir program back then was really something. So. But I wasn't missing that at all. And it was a spectacular night, needless to say. But what was really something was at the end of the night when Sondheim came on the stage. I am telling you, a sound came from the pit of my stomach that I have never heard before or since. It was so incredible to, to see him there that he had given us this great work. And, and that's. I remember in, in the 70s thinking in the years to come, what will be the studio cast albums we're going to get? And the answer obviously was going to be Follies. I mean, it took me a tenth of a second to realize that. And this is when this really happened. Follies in. In fact, Carol Burnett signed up to sing I'm Still Here thinking it was simply a studio cast album. She didn't know it was going to be a real event, but. But nevertheless she did participate to so many others. I remember the night I was there, I think it was too nice. They did it. Mandy Patenkin had a problem with Buddy's Blues and had to start again. But it was really very innovative for him to play all the roles. We had certainly never seen that before. But, but in. Since Follies had opened, the mystique had really, really grown. And the idea of a concert for $100 in those days was just unthinkable, except it was folly. So it was thinkable. So. Yeah, yeah. So the reason I chose Rain on the Roof, by the way, had to do with the fact that it was a great idea to get Betty Carmed and Nadolph Green to do the number. So yeah, it reminds us what great performers they were. And when people ask me what's the greatest things I've ever seen, I can only say it's a 13 way tie. And one of them was a party with Betty Compton, Adolph Green, when they did it at the Loeb Drama center, now where Art is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. And it was a big surprise. They. They didn't realize they were going to go over as well as they did. And eventually they came to Broadway for a little bit of time because they were such sensation. It was just, you know, a college booking. That's all. It was at Harvard University. Okay, we'll do it. What the hell? And, wow, we were all going crazy for it. So. So that's why I chose Betty and Adolf, who were such great performers as well as writers.

[James Marino]

I was. Oh, this. This is the question I've been meaning to ask for a while, and I never remember to fit it in. But you're your quick reminder of Mandy here. When Evita first appeared on Broadway and Mandy Patinkin and Patti LuPone were leading this cast, were they known performers at the time? Where were they working? Actors that really weren't stars yet. What was that like?

[Peter]

Well, I was teaching in the 70s, and I will never forget Carl Hendrickson coming into the teacher's room one day and saying, I can't believe this. One of my former students, when I was teaching on Long island, got a Tony nomination. I said, who is it? He said, Patti LuPone is her name and she's in the Robert Bridegroom. So that had already happened. I said, by the way, what was she like? He said, I'll never forget saying to her, you got the biggest mouth of any student I've ever taught. So anyway, but. So, yes, she was reasonably known, especially because she had a part in the Robert Bridegroom where she had to be naked. And I didn't see the show, but I have been told by so many people she was in no hurry to get off that stage. So she was well known for that. Mandy Potentkin had already been in the play the Shadow Box, which was a big hit for a play. I mean, you know, moving to the Luntfontanne Theater. I mean, a play in the. Lunt Fontaine. God help us. But anyway, but. So he was reasonably known. But she was. She was better known because she was part of that famous acting company group that John House.

[James Marino]

Oh, yeah.

[Peter]

Headed at Juilliard with Kevin Klein and so many other wonderful people. So. So I would say she was better known than he was. And. And also there was the notoriety of the Baker's Wife, which. Which was a famous failure, but. But it was talked about a great deal. And so, yeah, when she was cast, nobody said who, nor for him either.

[James Marino]

When you first saw Evita, did you know that it was going to be as wildly successful and that these folks were going to be as famous as they are?

[Peter]

No, I don't think so. I wish I could say that I did, because that's always much more fun to say. I knew them when and. But actually, I had a very bad opinion of Mandy Patankin in the Shadow Box. I thought he was quite bad. Not everybody felt that way, by the way, but I did. So. And with the Baker's Wife, I can't say I took to Patti LuPone at all. So I did see it in Boston. So. So I. She didn't impress me for a tenth of a second, so. But working came before Evita, and she was in working for a little bit. I don't mean a little bit of time that she left. I mean that she didn't have a big part. It was really very much an ensemble cast type of show. That was part of the point of it, because it's all about working. But she didn't have much to do. And I was always surprised that Stephen Schwartz didn't give her. It's an Art, the song that the waitress sings. I would have thought he would have. I could see her singing it, and that's always mystified me. I'm sorry I've never brought that up, Tim, but I guess there's still time. But. But not that Lenore Nemes didn't do the song proud. I mean, it's a phenomenal performance and a phenomenal recording and. And arguably my favorite Stephen Schwartz song, But. But still, she didn't have that much to do there. I'm not sure I started anything else before Evita, aside from Baker's Wife and working. Maybe something else in between, but I can't recall.

[James Marino]

All right, so a little bit of housekeeping here. If you are a Patreon member, you got the next installment in Jan Simpson's series, all the drama where she talks about the 1929 Pulitzer Prize winner for drama. 1929. Any guesses? Peter? Michael.

[Michael Portantiere]

I said o', Neill.

[Peter]

29. Is that what you said?

[James Marino]

29. 1929.

[Peter]

It would seem to be an o'. Neill. I would. I would.

[James Marino]

Was it street scene? Yeah.

[Peter]

And 20 years later, a musical.

[James Marino]

Yeah, exactly. Elmer Races.

[Peter]

That's right.

[James Marino]

Elmer Race's Street Sing. And Jan, you know, talks about this, and it is quite the episode. So if you are a Patreon member, it came out yesterday. If you can't wait to get it, you can go to patreon.com broadwayradio and download it there. And also it'll be in the feed next week in our general public feed. So everybody will be able to listen to it then. And it's this series. I love this series every, every month. So, Peter, I know you're very rarely busy, but I'll let you go, you know.

[Peter]

Well, that was quick.

[James Marino]

There's a show called well, I'll Let yout Go at the Island, Brooklyn. So much, much sold out and very, very buzz. Tell us, Peter, what you think.

[Peter]

I think it'll transfer. Well, one of the reasons that it's such a hot ticket because there are very few seats. Again, this is staged as. As if it were on a football field. So you're on each side of the. The stage and only a few rows, maybe three or four. I don't think there's five. I'm a little surprised that this is the way it would be presented because I think it deserves far more seats than just the few that it's getting. It's a play by somebody named Bubba Wyler and directed by Jack Syrio. Names not terribly well known to me, but certainly Quincy Tyler Bernstein was phenomenal. An amazing performance in the lead role. She's left and not so shabby a replacement. Marin island is coming in, ironically enough. I was just watching the remake of the Manchurian Candidate and there's Marin island sitting in the background being a secretary. So that was. I said, wait a minute, is that Marian Island? I checked and it was. Anyway, I'm sure she'll be wonderful in this play. This is a play about a woman whose husband was murdered. And it does seem he was murdered because he was fooling around with a young girl. He was a teacher and he was fooling around with a young girl. And she is so distraught about the situation that she isn't even interested in burying him. She just doesn't care. She doesn't care what happens to him. She feels so victimized by this whole thing, she. That she was cheated on, etc. Etc. And it comes out in a funny way because Constance Shulman, who's a very funny actress, plays the woman who represents the funeral home. And she comes to tell her about all the various plans and what you can do and what you can't do and so on and so forth and what you must do. And it's very funny scene because she really wants to make a sale. And she certainly sees she's not getting any cooperation from this woman. So you meet various people in the lives of who Come in. And little by little, little by little. And it really is quite a freight train that just keeps on accelerating. You find out more and more and more. This is one of those peel and onion plays, you know, little layers, little layers. And the ending does not turn out to be exactly what you thought it was going to be. I think it's a terrific play. Again, nothing against Myron island, but I hope Quincy Tyler Bernstein comes back with it. I hope it does come back. I suspect it will. And only has one week to go. And if by some reason you have a friend who has a ticket who isn't able to go, grab it. Granted, we're talking about South Oxford street in Brooklyn. Granted, we're talking about a church where acoustics are not always top notch. It's not an elegant place. It's not a place for a first date, but still, the play is the thing and boy, is it.

[James Marino]

All right. So it has been extended, as Peter mentioned, through September 12th, which you've got about a week left to go see it. It's totally sold out. But there is a cancellation line beginning 30 minutes prior to the performance. And I'll link to the webpage so that you can get to it from easily from the show notes.

[Michael Portantiere]

Given that the whole run was apparently not going to be very long, I wonder why the cast change.

[Peter]

Yeah, huh.

[James Marino]

I think they extended because I'm checking here and I got an extension.

[Peter]

But isn't this something, you know, think about it. Indeed. So let's say Quincy Tyler Bernstein said, yeah, I can do it till August 9, whatever, right. You know, blah, blah, blah. And then they said, well, we're extending. Well, I'm not available. That makes sense to me that that would happen in that way. But it is very interesting that most shows would have said, well, we're not going to extend then because it's too much trouble to replace. Sure, somebody, somebody. So. So the fact they're replacing somebody and with somebody of quality who obviously said, yes, yes, yes, I will do it. That's another example of how powerful this play is.

[Michael Portantiere]

Right?

[James Marino]

Yeah. So I. I bet you that. I bet you that there was a pre existing commitment and yeah, that must be it. That's Jan Simpson interviewed Bubba Weiler on Stagecraft. And I'll link to that in the show notes. A great interview about, you know, Jan's stagecraft is about the playwrights, interviews with playwrights. So I'll throw that in the stage in the show notes. Michael, you got over to. Where was it? Where did you see Rolling Thunder, New World Stages. New World Stages. That's right. I could see it in my head. I couldn't think of the name. All right, so tell us about what you thought of Rolling Thunder.

[Michael Portantiere]

Well, I caught up with the show, I guess, in the last week of its run. And I thought I would report on it because, interestingly, I liked it. I think I liked it overall a lot better than Peter did. But I had. I saw in it a. A flaw different from the one that he mentioned. So, you know, it just goes to show how people can have very different reactions to the same thing. This is a jukebox musical, but I guess you probably wouldn't think to call it that. It's about the Vietnam experience. We see a group of young soldiers who, just as they're preparing to go off to Vietnam, and then while they are there, in the middle of that hellish experience, and then briefly after, some of them come back. And it uses songs of the period, a great many wonderful songs of the period, such as Black Magic Woman, Born To Be Wild, Eve of Destruction, Hard Rains Are Gonna Fall, House of the Rising sun, et cetera, et cetera. And I thought that unlike many other musicals like this, where they take a song catalog and then write a book around it, I thought actually that most of the songs in this case fit in very well in the way that they were inserted into the narrative. By the way, the book is by Bryce Hallett. And I would say the book was very well done overall, except in a few places where it seemed like maybe it was a little clunky and expositiony, but. But for the most part, just the book was done as these various characters talking about their experience and writing letters back home. And then, of course, there are women in the show too, representing the women back home and the relationships between them and the soldiers. So it has potential to be very, very moving. And I thought it was during much of the show. Peter's problem, as I recall it, was he felt there were too many uptunes, you know, too many happy songs. I. I didn't hear that. I mean, there. There were. There were. There were a lot. There were lots of songs that were up tunes in terms of having a beat and being in, not soft slow ballads. But I. I didn't feel that they were. That they were light hearted. So that didn't really bother me. One of the. One of the songs that I thought was used well was My. My Baby Wrote Me A Letter. I think that's the title of it. And that, you know, was used as it. As it sounds. And I thought that was appropriate, but I did think that then the whole show was proceeding and I was really with it and I thought, oh, they've done a really good job, you know, given the concept. And then at the very end came two songs in a row that I thought were, were so inappropriate. And one of them, the first one was Killing Me Softly with his song, which I, I think is an, a very, very beautiful song. But here it was, I mean, I, I think it's very beautiful, but I think it's very, very, very specifically about a person who's in love with a performer, you know, a singer and a musician, I suppose. And it has very, very specific lyrics about that. And so here it was used by, as one of the women singing about her soldier boy off it, Vietnam. And, and so I thought, well, I'm sorry, but that's not what the lyrics are about. So, you know, and then the, and then the other one was, I think the, the ultimate or the penultimate song in the show, which was Bridge Over Troubled Water, which is sung after, well, you probably won't be surprised, and it won't be a spoiler to say that at least one of the main characters does not come back from Vietnam. And this was supposed to be presented as a song of comfort for, from him to his girlfriend back here in the, in the States. And there again, a beautiful, gorgeous song. But I don't think the lyrics really stand up to that. And I, and that's always been my big thing with these jukebox musicals is that if, if a lyric has nothing to do with a situation, you can't just ignore it. You know, if one or two lines of the song fit really well, but then there are three other lines that contradict what, what you're, what you're presenting. I, I, you know, to me it's not okay to just say, well, we'll put it in anyway, because everybody likes the song. So I was dis that those two things happened at the end of this, only at the very end of Rolling Thunder because I thought they had gone so long with making really good choices on songs to use, and then they made those two unfortunate choices. So I hope the show has already had a life elsewhere before it came to New World Stages. If it continues, I wish they would maybe revisit that for those two songs at the end because I think it's worth it. The director, by the way, Kenneth Ferrone, arrangements and orchestrations by Chong Lim and Sonny Palladino. And I do think, you know, I'm sure Peter will agree with me on this that, you know, we should keep the story of Vietnam alive. It shouldn't be something that's kind of shunted into history because it was so, so tragic and so horrendous and, and it just deserves to be memorialized again and again. Oh, and. And I should say also, I almost forgot to mention this, and that would have been terrible because this was really an excellent aspect of the production, was the use of old TV clips of new shows and, you know, Walter Cronkite and newsreels and, and everything from that era that was really, really, really well done. And, and whoever put that together. It says projection design Kate Hener and then concept Scott Barton, but that. That was done as well as it. As it could be, I think. And it. It's kind of shocking now to. To see some of the things that were said at the time, especially, for example, by Richard Nixon and, you know, who keeps coming up in things, doesn't he? Gosh. So, yeah. So as I said, I believe today or yesterday was the last performance of Rolling Thunder at New World Stages, but I imagine it'll be done elsewhere and maybe you'd like to check it out.

[James Marino]

Okay, so we'll have a link to the Rolling Thunder website in the show notes, so you can check it out. Next up, Peter, you were over at the Shed to see the brothers. Sighs so tell us about this.

[Peter]

This is a very powerful play by Terrell Allen McCraney, who may be most famous for writing the screenplay to moonlight, the picture that won the Oscar that didn't win, but then did win. But this was one of his early plays, and it's wonderful that it's still getting done. And yes, it's about a brother who is a very industrious guy who, who has his own auto shop repairs, and he's very happy doing it. He's terrific. He has a brother who's coming in out of jail, and the brother is. Well, the famous Ausp fable story of the ant and the grasshopper applies here because he's quite the grasshopper as opposed to the brother who's the industrious ant. So. So the brother feels bad and he gives him a job, but the guy just isn't into it. I mean, he just does not want to work at all. And he has a friend who he met in prison, and his. His brother says, you don't make friends in prison. And I. I know what he means by that, you know, so. So he's not happy that his brother has found refound, this guy. And he certainly knows they're going to get into trouble. Well, I won't say whether or not they do, but what I will say is there is an enormously powerful scene in the play that I. I hesitate to mention this, but I'm going to. That, I'm sorry to say, is probably autobiographical because I remember talking to Mr. McCraney and he had told me me that he had a brother who was incarcerated. So as a result, either the playwright wanted to say what he says in this play to his brother, or it's what he imagined he would say. And I'm not even sure he's an older brother who is the auto guy and it's the younger brother who's the. The ex. Conviction it. So. But there's such a powerful scene when he says, essentially when you were growing up and you were getting into trouble, I was blamed for it. I'm the one who. People say, well, you should be looking out for your little brother. You know, And I had all this responsibility that I didn't bargain for. And it's an extraordinarily powerful scene. One of the reasons it's powerful because an actor named Alani Ilongwe does it brilliantly. They're all good, the three of them. Andre Holland playing the convict, Malcolm Mays playing the buddy. Oh, I mean, I think we're going to see some ensemble awards for these people. They are so astonishing. It's done in a square arena style. It's so fascinating. The beginning of the play, they pour salt in a circle around. Around the stage. And it's amazing to me, this must be something that was planned well, that as much as they enter and exit, etc. Etc. I'm telling you, they never, never, never, never, ever disturb even a grain of that. That white stuff. It's just amazing to me. McCraney co directed with Bijan Shibani, and so they certainly deserve some credit, but, boy, these guys are great. And, you know, this is. The Shed is very good at having 25 tickets if you're under 30. So if any of our listeners do fit that dynamic, by all means, they should take advantage. 90 minutes, no intermission moves like the window. Riveting. One of the fastest standing ovations I've ever seen. Yeah, we're used to standing ovations and we say they're really devalued, but maybe they should be judged by how quickly people stand. I mean, this was almost as if a judge came into a courtroom and you hear it all rise. I mean, it was. It was probably one of the most unanimous standing decisions, standing ovations I've ever seen, you know, because a lot of times a few people stand, the other people say, oh, what the hell, let me stand. But that is what was happening here. This was really a unanimous standing ovation. And how often do you see that?

[James Marino]

Yeah, I usually stand because I need to leave the theater or you just.

[Peter]

Want to see the curtain call, you know, everybody in front of you standing, you can't see, you know, so, I mean, I, I've stood plenty of times for that reason, but. But nevertheless, this was something very different. Different.

[James Marino]

Okay, so the Brother Size at the Shed is playing through September 28th, and I'll have a link to it in the show notes so that you can check out that 30 under 30 under 30. Is it 30 under 30 under 30? 25 tickets under 30, 90 minutes, no intermission. All set here. And that was a co production of the Shed in Geffen Playhouse. So, Michael, we talked last week about Play on, but you have a little bit of a follow up about that, so help us with that.

[Michael Portantiere]

Well, yes, first of all, I mean, I've still been thinking about how wonderful the production was down at Signature Theater down in Arlington, Virginia, and it is continuing for a while. So if you can get there, if there's any way you can get there, I would not be be at all surprised, as I said, if it does transfer to Broadway. But of course that's not, you know, that's not a done deal.

[Peter]

So. Yeah, exactly what I was going to say.

[Michael Portantiere]

Yeah. And I was thinking back on the show and I forgot. I remembered, you know, seeing it on Broadway in 1997 and that I really loved it. And I was surprised that it closed so quickly, less than two months. And I had forgotten that. I actually forgotten that they did do a cast album. And I, and I looked through, I dug into my collection and there it was. So I've been enjoying that cast album, which you definitely should give a listen to. I'm sure it's accessible through YouTube and other ways. And then I had completely forgotten that there was a TV version. PBS did a TV version. I think it was a couple of years after the Broadway, and it was from, I think, the Pasadena Playhouse.

[Peter]

That certainly was one of the places where it played. Whether or not that's the TV version, I don't know, even though that TV version does live in my house.

[James Marino]

Well.

[Michael Portantiere]

And it's also complete on YouTube and in excellent quality. So. So I was flabbergasted because I didn't really remember that it even existed at all, much less that it was so accessible. But I urge you all to check it out and see what your thoughts on the show are. I went on and on about how I was surprised that it closed so quickly and that it's not done that often. And a feeling that was also similarly expressed by the director of the Signature Theater production in her curtain speech for this show. But the main reason I wanted to bring all this up is that just a couple of days ago at my gym, I ran into Andre de Shields, who created the role of Jester in the Broadway production. And so when I told him that I saw it at Signature, of course he was very, very, very interested to hear about it. And we talked for quite a while and I asked him, you know, why he thought the, the Broadway show closed so quickly. And he basically blamed it all on Ben Bradley and who I had forgotten that that must have been towards the beginning of his tenure.

[Peter]

Right, Yeah, I, I didn't remember that he was a critic then.

[Michael Portantiere]

Yeah, I would not have. In fact, when Andre said it, I said, are you sure it was Ben Brantley? Because I, I, I thought it would have been before him. But no, no, it was Ben Bramley. And here's the thing. All right, So I went back and read the review. Once I finally found it, which was difficult to do for some reason.

[Peter]

I.

[Michael Portantiere]

Had great trouble finding it online. And thanks to Alan Gomberg, who I had to turn to for help, he was able to do it because he's incredible it, things like that. But anyway, Ben basically didn't like it because he felt, in a nutshell, he felt that the show was trying too hard, that there was, the choreography was, was too much and that, that there was a hard sell aspect to the whole thing. And I didn't recall that, that from seeing the, the, the show live. But I do get that impression a little bit. Sorry to say, when watching this video that's on YouTube from the Pasadena Playhouse. And so maybe that, maybe that was the problem, which is absolutely, I have to say right away, not a problem with the current Signature production. And maybe that' it's, it's been received very, very well. And maybe we'll give a second life to the show. Sometimes, sometimes a show can be, can be wrecked by, by bad direction or by the performers not inhabiting the roles, but just trying to, too hard, too aggressively to play to the audience. Of course, it's also hard to judge the video because it's a video of a stage production. So, so, you know, we do have to keep that in mind that the audience. Well, the. The performers did have to, you know, they were performing for a live audience in addition to the cameras. And so their performances may have been bigger and more presentational than they would have been if. If it was just a film, an outright film of a musical. So all that's to keep in mind. But anyway, Andre and I had quite a long talk about the show, and he said that of course, they were all tremendously disappointed that the Broadway production closed so quickly. And he said that the good thing about it, the silver lining, was that Ben Bradlee did give a rave review to he and Larry Marshall for their performances and specifically for their performance of a song called Rocks in My Bed, which was a tremendous. I remember that being a huge showstopper. And so. So Andre said, well, so it was very, very disappointing, obviously, that it closed, but he said, I did get a Tony nomination out of it. So when it was all over, I said, as I looked at. And I said, well, you know, maybe this all happened so Andre could get his Tony nomination. And then what else? Oh, we also. I said to him, it's so interesting that just about every great Duke Ellington song you could think of is. Is included in Play on except Sophisticated Lady. And we both kind of agreed that that's probably because there was the other show that used that as its title and they didn't want infringe on that. So, again, this is a terrific, terrific production. I wish my memory of 1997 were clearer so that I could more accurately compare what didn't work back then and what does work now, but it doesn't. So I'll just have to speculate, as I'm doing here today, but whatever the final result of this current production, whatever rewrites may have been done or not in the book, whatever different approach to the direction and the performances, it really is just a spectacular success. And, oh, I should mention one person in particular that I did not mention, or I think I only mentioned in passing, the fellow who plays the role of Rev. Rev is the name of the character who was originally Malvolio, and he is played just brilliantly by Chucky Benson. Really magnificent performance. But also Mr. Benson benefits from the fact that the whole subplot of Malvolio, now called Rev, has been rewritten to give him a happy ending. And I think that was a very, very, very smart choice for the musical and one of the best things about it, in fact. So keep that in mind also if you get to see this, because I'd really Love to hear everyone's thoughts on it.

[James Marino]

Okay, so play on at the Signature Theatre is continuing through October 25th. We'll have a link in, link to it in the show notes. You can check it.

[Michael Portantiere]

And also a link to the, to the, the video performance from I guess the year 2000 or so on YouTube and so you can all check that out and see what you think.

[James Marino]

Okay. So Peter, you went over to 59 East 59 to see this is is government. Were you bored? What was this?

[Peter]

Government.

[James Marino]

Doesn't seem very exciting. Is there much drama in government?

[Peter]

This is a play by Nor. I'm sorry, Nina Kissinger and I had to wonder if indeed she was any relation to Henry, who was the Secretary of State during the next 10 years and a little beyond. I can't find any information that there's any relationship whatsoever. But the fact that she's writing about the government certainly made me think that there was a good possibility. So if somebody knows the answer to that, I'll look forward to hearing about that. So we're in an office in Washington D.C. and here's the actress Van Dukes playing a woman who's in charge. And she's very nice to her two interns, very nice indeed. One is a, a young gay man and the other is a woman who certainly has great aspirations but worries that she may not do well in the political arena because she's very bad at lying. Well, anyway, there they are and they're working and they get a lot of calls from a woman named Stevie. A lot of calls. And, and they're very good to her. I mean, they, they really feel her pain because she says, I really want to speak to the senator. I'm really, really concerned about how he's going to vote on this health care bill because he was for it. And now he's saying he's undecided and I want to know what makes him undecided. So they agree with her. They think that the senator should talk to her, but the senator is unavailable at this moment, you know, and that's all they can really say. So eventually Stevie gets very upset to the point to which she gets in her car and she says, I've got a bomb here and I'm going to blow up the place. And so that's what's going on here. And that's where you have to see how they react during the time. It's a 90 minute play during the time that they are in danger. They're trying to find out more about her, hoping to give information that might help the police in some way, shape or form. So, so the tension is there. And certainly Sarah Norris gives a lot of attention to the tension. And certainly it is leavened by the, the gay guy's humor, needless to say. Like, for example, at one point he thinks he's broken his femur and it actually his arm that suffered. And they said, femur's in your leg. He said, well, this is the arm version of the femur. Okay, so. Which I think is a good line. So he's got a lot of those. So what's really important to note here is that Nina Kissinger just won an award at a playwriting program in Wagner College. So this was, this was the winner. And here it is in 1590s. 15 ninth. I think as the years go on, she's going to view this as a promising play that she'll say, yeah, I was just starting out. There are moments that are, are not as tension filled as they could be. And I'm not blaming it on the director. I am not. She does take her eye off the ball, but I think she's 25 years old and it's a tremendous achievement under those circumstances. And there's enough here to keep you interested. So under those circumstances, I would say that this is Government is going to be a play that is going to affect you to a. To a degree, but you're going to come out of it saying, I'm looking forward to seeing what she's going to write next. And that's always a nice compliment for somebody who's just starting out because there are plenty of playwrights you don't want to get to know at all. So if you go on September 16, that's National Voter Registration Day. And in case you're not registered, they will make sure that you are. So that's quite nice, too. And so this New Light Theater project has been around for a dozen years, and I hope they're around a long time more. But. But we'll see. But the fact that this is Government is the name of the play really does indicate all the flaws that many of us have been suspecting along the way. Way. And indeed, she had some inside information because her grandfather or great grandfather was Henry, who was never known as Henry. Sweet Henry, believe me, would be of interest to me, too.

[James Marino]

Okay, so this is government over at 59 East 59. And it's playing through September 28th. And we'll have a link to it in the show notes. Michael, tonight you are going to be dodging the little raindrops that keep falling on your head to see galas at Little Island. So tell us about this.

[Michael Portantiere]

Yeah, it's pronounced Gallus. And I always thought that the title was actually the least effective thing about the show. This was a Charles Ludlam play, basically, almost a fantasia on the life of Maria Callas. And it was, I think it was, Was really his last great success, Ludlam, before he died, he starred in and wrote it, as is often the case, and it's been done over the years. There was a production of a few years ago with the late, great Everett Quinton, who was Charles Ludham's partner for many, many, many years, but it's not usually done with an actual singer playing Maria Callas. And so the big news is that it is being done currently at Little island from September 6th through the 28th. Not every evening, though, so check the schedule. And starring Anthony Roth Costanzo, who is a famous countertenor. And so I, when, as soon as I heard about this, I. I said, well, gosh, I've got to get tickets for that. Because he's quite famous for what he does, and to see a singer in the role and. And how. How that's going to be accommodated, you know, in terms of how much he's actually going to sing, I. I think that, that, that could be really, really fascinating. So it just. I guess the first performance would have been last night if it wasn't rained out, and the second performance, I guess, would be tonight if it's not rained out. So we'll have to wait to see how people are reacting to it. But this certainly sound amazing. Directed by Eric Ting and the rest of the cast includes Patricia Black, Austin Durant, Caleb Eberhardt, Samora La Perdida and Erin Markey and others. The notes for this performance say when playwright Charles Ludlum invented the iconic opera singer at the center of his ridiculous comedy, Gallus, he likely never imagined a real prima donna in the role. With Anthony Roth Costanzo taking the stage in Eric Ting's new production, the dream Ludlam never dreamed comes true. As the titular Maria Magdalena Gigalis rhymes with Callas, Costanzo embodies extravagance, camp and diva. But with his famous countertenor shimmering between the moments of absurdity, opens his heart and lays bare to us both the beauty and the pain pumping through the veins of any great artist. So I think that's going to be very interesting. The emphasis, of course, of the original production was on comedy and the ridiculous theatrical aspect of it, but all of Ludlam's plays. I think all of Ludlam's plays did have Hart at the center of them because they wouldn't have been successful otherwise. And so I think maybe this production will emphasize that. And I think I just really can't wait to see, weather permitting, what happens.

[James Marino]

Okay, so we'll have a link to Little island in the show notes and you can check that out. And finally this morning, Michael, you sent along a link of the Sound of Music starring Melissa Erico, John Schneider and Ben Platt. Lad. So tell us about this.

[Michael Portantiere]

Yes, the Sound of Music is in the news currently because this year is the 60th anniversary of the opening of the incredibly successful film. And in fact, it's coming back to movie theaters very soon through Fathom Events. And I've certainly gotten a ticket for that. But in the meantime, I'm not sure how I found but yes, There was a 2006 Hollywood bowl performance production of the Sound of Music with Melissa Erico as Maria and Marni Nixon, who had been a guest on our podcast more than once, I believe, graduating to the role of the Mother Abbess. Other cast members include John Schneider as Captain Von Trapp, Rachel York as Elsa Schrader, Jeffrey Tambor as Max, and, yes, Ben Platt. But if you think maybe that you're going to see him as Rolf, no, he was actually one of the Trapp children, I suppose the older one, I suppose Friedrich. So it's kind of fun to see him at that age, you know, singing, singing and dancing Doe a Deer with Melissa Erico and, and as also as one might imagine, Melissa sings the song so beautifully. And you've got John Maucheri conducting the, the orchestra, which I, the, the, you know, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. So it really was quite something. I, I, I don't, I don't quite understand what this, I don't think this was commercially televised, but and it's a very good quality example of it that you can see on YouTube. So we've put in the link for that as well. And certainly fun to see and always fun to see again how different in some ways the stage version of the Sound of Music is, is from the film version. Very fascinating to compare what they kept and what they changed. I always think that's amazing. And there are always lines that I forget in the show version with a book by Howard Lindsay and Russell Krauss that were not used in the movie. Some of them are really not very good at all. But there are a couple of excellent lines that did not make it into the screenplay by Ernest Lehman So, yeah, check that out. It was a really great find on YouTube. I'm not sure I even remembered that there was a Hollywood bowl production of the Sound of Music with Melissa Erico and Marnie Nixon. So suddenly there it was and here it is.

[James Marino]

All right, and we are sharing it with you in our show notes so that you can find it easily. Going right over to broadwayradio.com and clicking on the link and you can find this 2006 Hollywood bowl production. You know, Michael, I was thinking, you know, if they were to reshoot and recreate a new film of the Sound of Music, you know, Ben. Ben Platt could play Friedrich still, couldn't he? Sort of like the Dear Evan dear and Evan Hansen movie. It was a little bit old for that. All right.

[Michael Portantiere]

I'm thinking he might opt for another role anyway, Luis.

[James Marino]

All right, so that wraps it up for today. Before we get on to our brain teaser, our musical moment, 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, it'll be automatically downloaded to Apple podcast. Best for you. Of course, you don't have to listen to us in Apple podcasts as many ways to get us. One of the ways is Patreon P A t r e o-n.com Broadwayradio is where you can support all of Broadway radio's shows and get us a little bit early, including all of those special series by Jan Simpson, all the drama stagecraft, Laura Class Schneider's class notes.

[Peter]

All.

[James Marino]

Of Matt's extra episodes that he does there all on Patreon. Contact information for Peter from Michael and me can be found in the show notes@broadway radio.com as well as links to some of the things we've talked about today. So, Peter, do you have an answer to last week's brain teaser?

[Peter]

In fact, I do. End of a thousand Days, the mad woman of Sho Kiss me Kate. What lyric in the verse of a second act opener of a famous household named music musical actually refers to the Broadway debut of each of these productions? Well, the verse of take back your mink, the second act opener of Guys and Dolls has Miss Adelaide sing. It was late 48, I recall. Which I recall was the time when these shows open. Sean Logan was first followed by our own Michael Portentier who does not get either the questions or the answers in advance. Tony Janicki Paul Witty, Arthur Robinson, Ingrid Gammerman and Brigitte. Dude, this week I told Joshua Rosa Bloom that so many brain teaser players when guessing closer than ever as an answer to a previous week's question, also mentioned in their email how much they loved his biography of Maltby and Shire. Perhaps to be nice, he said he's now reading my book the Great Parade, a look at the extraordinary 1963-64 season. And that led me to this week's question question. Name both the song and the musical from that season that mentioned the number 51 in a most unconventional way.

[James Marino]

If you have an answer for that, email us@trivia broadwayradio.com we'll let you know if you're on the right track. So, Michael, what do we have this weekend? Our musical moments?

[Michael Portantiere]

Well, for the past 10 days or so, we have been in one of those relatively rare periods when Gypsy is not playing on Broadway, but of course, the music is always with us. And I came across there's a wonderful music critic named Will Friedwald who does a he has a what would you call it, an email newsletter, I guess, that he sends out regularly to people who are interested. And he writes about really, really interesting, fascinating subjects that are of interest to many of us. And he recently did a whole entire one on recordings of songs from Gypsy by pop artists, which of course, there were a great many back in the day, because when the show opened it was still in the period when Broadway songs would be covered frequently by pop artists. So I thought it was one of the most enjoyable editions of Will's newsletter, and I wanted to use two of his selections in our musical moments for today. So the first one is Steve Lawrence singing Small World. And of this recording, Will Friedwald writes, for a truly gonzo recording of this song, you can't do better than this one from a 1960s Steve Lawrence Don Costa United Artists album. In this period, nearly every singer did a Latin album, and even more of them did a Broadway album. Here you get the impression that Steve told Don Costa, the arranger, to camp it up as much as possible, which is why there's a female choir behind him chanting ha ha ha every time Lawrence says the word. Funny, to me, the Lawrence goes Latin. Small World is a demented masterpiece, almost a deliberate parody of the whole notion of pop Latin interpretations of show tunes. So that's a real cappy one. But then the other selection, which is our closer, is Bobby Darin singing All I Need Is the Girl. And this is a video clip from a TV special. And about this one, Will Friedwald writes, bobby Darin never recorded this song and dance. This song and dance classic and Gene Kelly certainly should have performed it somewhere. But Darren's Swingin Lovers style interpretation would fit on any of his many excellent Sinatra inspired albums of standards and or show tunes. The 1960 color time TV special hosted by Pat Boone was an interesting example of Madison Avenue trying to reach the younger generation. All the performers were teen idols. The oldest was the host, Pat Boone, who had just turned 26. Also including Darren, then 24, Connie Francis, Paul Anka and 19 year old Frankie Avalon. However, instead of singing their hits or someone else's, the whole repertoire was standards and show tunes. So yes. So please enjoy these two amazing selections. Peter, did you have any comments?

[Peter]

I'm stunned. I don't know about either of these. Oh, really amazes me.

[Michael Portantiere]

Yeah, well, enjoy, enjoy. It's really something. And the TV clip of Bobby Darin doing All I Need is the Girl is quite fantastic. He does a great job with it. It's not a. The arrangement is not that different from the show arrangement and he even dances a little bit in it. So I think a lot of people are going to really get a kick out of that one.

[James Marino]

Okay, so on behalf of, of Peter, Felicia and Michael Portantier, this is James Marino saying thanks so much for listening to Broadway radios this week on Broadway. Bye bye.

[Peter]

Bye.

[James Marino]

Oh look, there's a, there's an announcement. There's a new Gypsy revival coming.

[Peter]

I think we're not going to see Gypsy for a long time.

[Michael Portantiere]

How if she just a little Will take this great big wide world out forward if she'll say my darling, I'm yours I'll throw away my stripe tie.

[Peter]

And my best friend All I really need.

[Michael Portantiere]

All I really need All I.

[Peter]

Really need is the girl.