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ToB: Tuesday, May 27, 2025 | Felicia Curry on ‘Bowl EP’
00:31:32
‘Chess’ Broadway Revival Confirmed, Patti LuPone Said What?, Grace Interviews Felicia Curry of ‘Bowl EP’ Since 2016, “Today on Broadway” has been the first and only daily podcast recapping the top theatre headlines every Monday through Friday.
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- [00:02]
Matt Tammanini
Welcome to Today on Broadway for Tuesday, May 27, 2025 on Broadway Radio's Matt Tammanini. I hope that you all had a reflective and meaningful Memorial Day yesterday. Perhaps you got to spend some time with family and friends and ideally, hopefully also had an opportunity to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice to give us the freedoms that we have, especially to talk about things that are in the larger picture. As frivolous as theater is, we appreciate you giving us here on Today on Broadway the opportunity to take the day off. As I was on a whirlwind 36ish hour trip to New York City, I went into town and saw Goddess on Sunday afternoon, then went over to the Soho Playhouse and saw the final performance of Grace Aki's To Free a Mockingbird on Sunday night. Then I got up on Monday morning and did the annual Memorial Day workout known as Murph that crossfitters around the world do. And it is hard. It is a very difficult workout. So much so that towards the very end I ended up having to sit on 37th street for about 30 to 45 seconds and just stretch my legs because they both cramped up, something that has never happened before in my entire life. But my legs were not working. But I was able to finish the rest of of that workout and then I met some friends in a little park and got home to where I am now on Monday night. Grace should be back tomorrow now that her schedule does not require her to go to Soho and perform every night. And now that we are less than two weeks away from the Tony Awards, we're going to be ramping up all of our Tony's previews and predictions and some additional reviews and stuff like that. So we're gonna have some fun stuff coming up. So if you want to make sure that you hear all of it, head over to patreon.com broadwayradio broadway rad radio.com patreon before we get started, even though Grace is not here to talk about the news with me today, she is on this episode because she interviewed the phenomenal Felicia Curry who is one of the cast members of bowl ep, which is currently playing at the Vineyard Theater and is one of the most buzzy shows happening in New York right now. So stay tuned for that at the end of the episode. Now you might remember last week that I talked about the fact that there is a new Instagram account, Chess B Way. That presumably means that there is going to be a Broadway revival of Chess coming. At the time I'd said, well, there was this Entertainment Community Fund concert in December of 2022 that starred Darren Criss, Lena Hall, Ramin Karimloo and Soleila Pfeiffer. I talked about the fact that I had heard that only one of those people was returning to the show. Maybe some of the the featured roles might be returning, but I'd heard that of those three, there's only one that could potentially be returning that is the one who likes to take his shirt off on stage all the time and that is remain Karimloo. Darren Criss obviously is busy with maybe happy ending, so maybe he doesn't want to do it. Lena Hall's off doing TV and film solely a Pfeiffer probably is too big for the role of Svetlana that she did in that concert. Well over the weekend, since our last episode, we got confirmation not necessarily of who's going to be in the cast, but we'll talk about that here in a second. But we got confirmation that this is happening. Chess is coming to Broadway this fall. We got that news not because of a press release announcement, but instead through an Equity casting notice. Beginning on June 4th and also happening on June 6th, the week before the Tonys, there will be auditions for a number of roles. NHS Broadway revival that will begin rehearsals in the fall of 25 and will open in the fall of 2025. As the entertainment Community Fund concert was. It will be directed by Michael Mayer. Lauren Lotaro will choreograph and the music supervisor will be Brian Youssef or one of the best in the business. Now what's interesting about this is is that they list all of the principal featured roles. Florence, Freddie, Anatoly Malakoff, Walter De Coursi, the arbiter, Svetlana and then a Florence standby. All of them are cast except for Svetlana and a Florence standby. From what I understand, none of the people who were the four principals in the Chess concert will be there. But you might remember that last week I talked about somebody joining this cast who is a spectacular spectacular Tony award winner. That is who I've been told will be playing Freddie. I also mentioned the fact that somebody who recently ish made a long awaited return to Broadway in a somewhat controversial way. She has been cast as Florence from what I understand. And then playing Anatoly is somebody who recently reunited with a former co star who actually co wrote the show that they did together previously in a performance Downtown. Now when I say downtown, I don't necessarily mean downtown New York. I mean downtown is in skid row. So I think that's all the clues I can probably give you at this point. Hopefully you can figure those out. So that is Florence, Freddie and Anatoly. They have said that Molokov, Walter De Courcy and the Arbiter are cast as well. Just for reference, and I have not heard anything about this, but Bradley Dean played Molokov in the Entertainment Community Fund concert. Sean Allen Krill, who is currently in Floyd Collins, played Walter De Courcy and Tony nominee Bryce Pinkham played the Arbiter. So I don't know if those folks are back in those roles or not. We will have to wait and see what happens with all of this. But it is exciting because I love Chess. I love that score. The book is always a mess, but this new one that was done by Danny Strong for that Entertainment Community Fund concert and the, the Rollo Esparza version that was in D.C. before, that is funny. It's funnier than most other versions of Chess that we've seen in the past. What's interesting is, is under the personnel section for this Equity casting notice, it does not list anybody as the book writer. It just says music and lyrics. So it'll be interesting to see if it is actually Danny Strong's book. But I would imagine it is considering they're keeping Michael Mayer as the director. All right. One thing that we didn't get a chance to talk about last week, and that's my fault, but just because of everything that was crazy going on, is the fact that the first show of the 2025, 2026 Broadway season has officially begun performances over at Studio 54. It actually happened on Saturday, May 24th. And this is the new one will be show Call Me Izzy. It is written by Jamie Wax, directed by Sarnella Pine, and stars the icon of stage and screen, Jean Smart. Which reminds me, I'm a few weeks behind on hacks that I have to catch up on, but this will be a 12 week run. In the show, Jean Smart plays a writer whose words are her greatest gift, her biggest secret, and her only way out. It is described as a moving portrait of one woman's refusal to be silenced through her own sheer tenacity. Humor. Humor and fiery imagination. The show is scheduled to open on June 12, so just a few days after the Tony Awards, a very quick turnaround put that one on your list. I'm gonna have to come up and see it before it closes in August if it doesn't get, you know, extensions and everything. I think it probably could extend through Labor Day at some point because it. It is scheduled to close on August 17, so it would make sense to have at least a few extra weeks to get it to Labor Day. But nonetheless, Genesmart back on Broadway, always something fun and exciting. All right, let's take a break real quick to talk about our sponsor Cash App. I was just in New York, as I said, and I went to dinner with a friend and it's always weird and you're like, should we split it? Well, I don't drink, but so she got drinks. So we're not gonna split it down the middle. And asking them to go back and make separate checks is just a pain in the butt. Especially because we were in a restaurant that was very, very busy and it took a long time to get everything. So we didn't want to do anything that could potentially keep us there longer than we had to be. So because I'm a good company man, I just said, do you have Cash App? I'll just send you money that way because my friend is a good, intelligent person. Of course she had Cash App, so I just figured out what mine was, threw in money for the tip and sent it over to her right away. It got there. It felt like before I even hit the send button, it was already in her account. Because Cash App is a safe, easy and fast way to send, receive and transfer money to your friends, family, anybody else that you have to get money to or from. I love using Cash App because it's fast, it's safe, and it just makes my life way less stressful than having to figure out what other random app is being foisted upon me by either my bank or younger millennial or Gen Z friends who understand technology way better than I do. Now, for a limited time, only new Cash App users can use our exclusive code to earn some additional cash. For real. There's no catch. Just download Cash App and sign up. Use our exclusive referral code Broadway in your profile. Send $5 to a friend within 14 days and you'll get $10 dropped right into your account. Terms apply. That's money. That's cash. All right, let's do some show and casting news here real quick. On Friday it was announced that Scarlett Stralin will be stepping into the Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends. She's going to be temporarily replacing Kate Jennings Grant, who is going to step away for about two weeks to deal with a non production related injury. Scarlet, one of the famous Strallen sisters who are all Weston stars along with her sisters Summer and zz. She had to learn the show in like four days, learn all of the stuff that Kate is doing in the show in four days. But being involved in the show actually gives her a little bit of a reunion with a couple people. Not only she reuniting with Gavin Lee, who played Bert to her Mary Poppins, she's also going to be taking the stage with her aunt, Bonnie Langford. The great Bonnie Langford, who is phenomenal in this show, a legend of London musical theater. But for me is Mel from Doctor who. That's her aunt. It's her mother's sister. So she's going to be able to do this Broadway show with her aunt and to bring it all full circle. Scarlett Stroudland was a replacement Sybella in A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, where she met her husband, Bryce Pinkham, who I mentioned earlier. So lots of fun stuff with Scarlet joining the cast of Old Friends on Broadway. Speaking of short reunions on Broadway stages, last Friday it was announced via his own Instagram that Derek Klena is going to be returning to the role of Fiyero in Wicked for a very limited engagement starting today, May 27, and playing through June 8. I'm not sure if the full time Fiero Jordan Litz is on vacation, but I would imagine for two, two weeks. That's probably he's doing maybe a two week workshop of something. I have no idea. I don't know for sure, but that would be my guess. But this is 12 years after Klena originally played Fiyero. And pop quiz. Who was the Bach to Derek Klena's original Fiero? Anybody know that was friend of the show, fiance of the show, partner of the show, F. Michael Haney. So if Derek's back, are we getting F back as Bach? I'll have to ask Grace on tomorrow's show. All right. This is something I don't really want to talk about, but I guess we kind of have to. There was an article published in the New Yorker on Monday entitled Patti LuPone is done with Broadway and Almost Everything else. Okay. I mean, she gave up a recording card and then she ended up coming back and doing the Roommate on Broadway. So we'll see about all of that. In it, she talks about a lot of stuff, which was honestly a lot of complaining. But the thing that has angered a lot of people, rightly so, in the theater community is how she spoke about Tony Award winner Keisha Lewis. This is something that I knew about. But when she was doing the Roommate last year, which was at the Booth Theater that shares a Wall with Schubert. Apparently there was some sort of concern that the music of Hell's Kitchen was so loud that it could be heard in the booth theater. Now, whether this was Patty complaining, which is what I think the. The rumors had originally been, or if it was someone asking Patty to talk to an executive at the Shubert organization that she is friends with, which is what this article says, I. I don't know. And it doesn't really matter. What happened after the fact is, after there was some sort of resolution, Keisha Lewis posted a video and said that she thought that Patti LuPone talking about this black focus show being too loud. She thought it was bullying, racially microaggressive, and rooted in privilege. In this article, Patty makes it seem as though these kinds of things with one show being too loud when it shares a wall with another show. This happens all the time. And like, this is a fairly. Not like an everyday occurrence, but like, it happens. Broadway theaters are really close together, and sometimes you have to make adjustments. I don't know if that's true either, and it doesn't really matter. You can say whatever you want about Keisha Lewis's response to Patti LuPone, and many people have, but what Patti LuPone does in this article, in response to Keisha Lewis's video, when asked about it, is rather disgusting, to be quite honest with you. In Keisha Lewis video, she says that she is speaking as one veteran of the theater community to another veteran of the theater community. In the article, Patti LuPone takes issue with that, and she kind of goes off on it. You know what? I'm just going to read it to you because I don't want to cloud what Patty said herself. She said, quote, here's the problem. She calls herself a veteran. Let's find out how many Broadway shows Keisha Lewis has done because she doesn't know what the fuck she's talking about. Then she Googles it. She says she's done seven. I've done 31. And just as an editor's note, the New Yorker actually does fact check that, and it says the correct numbers are actually 10 and 28. Patty goes on to say, quote, don't call yourself a vet, bitch. Look, we. For years, we have kind of seen this type of behavior from Patty, although I don't know, at least to my immediate recollection, and you all know how bad my memory is if she's ever crossed lines like this before. But we've always kind of laughed at Patty's eccentricities and her sassiness and saying the Things that nobody else will say. Well, sometimes people don't say things because they shouldn't say them. And this to me, and I'm just speaking for myself, although there are plenty of other people on social media that you can go and see who feel very similarly, if not even more passionately about it. Uncalled for, unprofessional, just plain mean and nasty. And probably at its core, this specific thing here that we're talking about, racially motivated, if not blatantly racist itself, we've seen Patty screw up in the past. I mean, the whole someone in the audience taking pictures thing, back in the gypsy days, that was somebody who was brought in to take pictures by the production. And to this day, I don't know if she's apologized, but she owns it as if she had done something heroic for the theater community. And she'll still talk about it like that when she was acting out of turn. And here what she is doing is she's attacking somebody who, yes, doesn't have as many Broadway credits as her, doesn't have as many Tony Awards as her, does not have as much fame as her, but is still a respected and beloved veteran member of the theater community. Would she have done that if this was a white woman with the exact same resume as Keisha Lewis? I don't know. I, I, I, I, I don't, I can't answer that. But I've never seen her do it, do that before. And let's just be completely clear here. Keisha Lewis is a veteran of the theater community. And to be quite honest with you, if she wasn't a black one or if she was a white woman, I would venture to guess that she probably would have had an even bigger career just because of the inherent institutional racism that exists in everything in this country, even in theater community, despite the fact that we pride ourselves on being inclusive and supportive in a safe space, which we all know, yes, that's probably better in the theater community than, I don't know, say, finance. But there's still a long way to go. And if you think, okay, this is an isolated incident, the very next paragraph in this article talks about some sort of beef that Patty has with Audra McDonald. The interviewer asks about the fact that Audra McDonald apparently replied supportively to Keisha Lewis's video just using emojis. And Patty said, quote, that's typical of Audra. She's not a friend. Apparently, Patty and Audra had some sort of rift a long time ago, but Patty didn't want to get into it at that point. And then when she was asked about what she thought of this Broadway revival of Gypsy, which Patty had to see because she is a Tony voter, she essentially declined to answer and change the subject. So I don't know what's going to happen, but Patty says that she doesn't want to work on Broadway anymore. Okay, whatever. But this is something that I think we can't just pass off as, oh, that's just Patty B and Patty. If it is just Patty B and Patty, maybe we need to do a lot less lionizing of Patty then, because this is not the type of thing that anybody should be celebrating, especially the theater community. Patty is obviously an all time great in terms of talent. You cannot deny that. But this is uncalled for and I hope that the theater community as a whole makes sure that Patty understands that. And if, you know, based off of her past actions, I can't imagine Patty apologizing or standing down, although I hope that she does. But regardless of any blowback from Patty, the response to this from the theater community and individuals in the theater community needs to be a swift, unambiguous condemnation because this is not appropriate or called for. All right, one last little thing. I've got a recommendation before I send you into that interview that Grace did with Felicia Curry. This is the song what'll it be? Sung by Christiani Pitts from the new musical Two Strangers Parenthetically Carry a Cake Across New York that is currently playing at the Art after previously having a very successful run in London's West End. I am bringing this to you because I think that Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York might be coming to New York fairly soon. So you probably want to get an opportunity. So you probably should take an opportunity to get to know this song and this show. Now. All right, let's get into Grace's interview with the always fantastic Felicia Curry. Most recently she was seen on Broadway as a member of the company of into the Woods. She also went and did it on tour as well. She is one of the best working out there. She's in the new show Bull EP that is a co production between the Vineyard Theater, the National Black Theatre and the new group. It is a New York Times critics pick, which is a difficult thing to get especially this time of year with everything else going on. It is currently on sale through Tony Sunday on June 8th. All right, thank you for listening to Today on Broadway. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at Broadway Radio. We'll talk to you tomorrow. And in the meantime, here is Grace Aki and Felicia Curry.
- [20:17]
Grace Aki
Now, this is super exciting. So I get to see Bowley P on Tuesday and I want everybody to see this before this show ends its run on June 8th. Felicia, I'm so excited that you've joined us today on Broadway Radio. Tell us a little bit about your journey with this piece specifically.
- [20:33]
Felicia Curry
This is such a special, special piece. It's one of those, you know, when you get those auditions and you're like, what am I going to do with this? But I had the best time. This language is so Shakespearean. And yet for our ear today, Nazareth Hassan is an icon. And they have created something that is going to change the way we see and feel theater. And I'm just really honored to be part of it.
- [21:06]
Grace Aki
Can I tell you, like, that is the thing that I love so much about the Vineyard Theatre Company. They consistently are exploring so many different artists perspectives and, like, ways of storytelling that, like, I think that a lot of theaters are feeling unsafe to do so. And I think that in 2025, if you're not trying to do something more interesting and progressive, like, what are we doing? Because, by the way, like, Broadway, like, everybody, the big commercial engines, like, they're going to do that. Where are we fostering new homes for.
- [21:38]
Felicia Curry
Artists and fostering new audiences. Not just that, Grace, but fostering new people coming into the. The theater. You know, that's not to say we love commercial theater. We want people to come into commercial theater, but the reality is we want to create new theater goers. We want to create audiences who don't feel seen, don't feel heard, can see themselves in projects. And Nazareth is doing that in this piece.
- [22:03]
Grace Aki
Yeah. Like, tell me about. Because I. Obviously you've been in the run. You guys just got a New York Times critics pick. Huge. Especially in this insane season. Truly, how do you feel like audiences are responding to the piece? Because I know that there's music involved. I think the setting is somewhere that people often are not, like, oh, yeah, a show. You know what I'm saying? So, like, tell me a little bit about that.
- [22:26]
Felicia Curry
That's the big thing I've been telling people who have been asking me about the show. I really think it rides this beautiful line between performance art and theater, which is, again, why it's inviting in folks who may not call theater the thing that they always do. And that's what's exciting. It's set in a skatebowl. So, yes, two characters in the show do skate in the room. The audience is part of the show. This is where the performance art comes in, you are exposed, as opposed to being in other theater settings where maybe you can sit back and you're a fly on the wall. You're not a fly on this wall. You are in the skateboard. You are there with them, you are taking them in. And that's the thing that's the most exciting about the show. I love theater that is in your face, that asks you to question who you are, what you're doing, how you're taking care of the folks around you, how we're taking care of ourselves as humanity and as a community. And this show does that in spades. And the basis of this is a love story. So for those who may see something that is. That doesn't feel inviting, this is a love story. This is about two people who are finding their way with each other in this beautiful moment, and we get to experience that with them. And if that's not Shakespearean, I don't know what is.
- [24:01]
Grace Aki
No, I like that you keep saying Shakespearean, because a lot of times I think that people go like, oh, they keep reviving Shakespeare, et cetera, et cetera. And I'm always like, I get that the themes are kind of, like, timeless and universal, but often, like, in the language, I feel ostracized. And so, like, the fact that you're talking about that in regards to, like, this piece in particular, of, like, hey, you're going to get this, and you're still going to get these, like, really big, heavy themes or, like, big moments of, you know, clarity, etc. So I really like to know that.
- [24:34]
Felicia Curry
Yeah, and once again, it's. I really want to encourage folks from all walks of life to come. And I'm not even going to say, see this show. I'm going to say, experience this show, because that's what this is. This show is an experience. You must be there to see it, to believe it, to experience it, regardless of how you feel when you leave. But that's the beauty of theater and of art. We ask people to see the art and to take it in in whichever way you want to, and hopefully you're moved by it one way or the other. But isn't that worth it? Isn't it worth it to be in the room, to experience it and then leave and have a full conversation with your community about what you've all just experienced?
- [25:20]
Grace Aki
Correct? Yeah.
- [25:21]
Felicia Curry
That's the beauty of theater.
- [25:22]
Grace Aki
That's kind of the point. Tell me about your rehearsal process and everything. Like, you as a performer have done so many different types of forms of entertainment, I feel like. So I'm curious, like, what your experience with. Was going from all of your, you know, different walks of life, et cetera, and, like, having done, you know, the into the woods, Broadway transfer, et cetera, et cetera, like, how was working on this piece for you?
- [25:49]
Felicia Curry
So this was challenging in all the best ways. Language and storytelling is what I love. And so the words on the page were exciting to me, how we were going to share. That is where the challenge came. And without saying too much, I will just say that Naz and the rest of the team pushed me in the most beautiful ways. They helped me explore all the ways that this story could be told through this particular character. They. They challenged me to use every little tool in my toolbox. They. They forced me to add some new ones. And I am forever grateful because I'm a better artist because of this piece.
- [26:36]
Grace Aki
That's it. No, it's so nice to know, like, and again, I always go back to. And it's like, I don't. I do not work for Vineyard Theater Company. I'm just obsessed with them. You know what I mean?
- [26:46]
Felicia Curry
We appreciate it.
- [26:47]
Grace Aki
Yeah. But, like, because I. Again, like, I. You know, you see a lot of things in New York City. I see a lot of things outside of New York City. And, like, it's not often that I see consistency. And when a theater company takes those opportunities to further the art and the artists, like, oftentimes they'll be like, one show a season. They're like, we're going to try something different, and then it's rent. Like, you're like, oh, okay. You know, they're like, wait a second. But I feel like in this moment, like, you're very. You're authentically speaking to the experience of how it feels to also make the art, which you don't often get to, like, have a joy in, frankly. Like, you're just trying to put the show up, and you're just kind of, like, tired.
- [27:25]
Felicia Curry
And this wasn't that at all. And I just want to say, along with the Vineyard Theater, National Black Theater, and the new group partnered with them. And I think that's important to say because they all knew how special and important this piece was, and they all knew that it needed the community hands to hold it and to uplift it. And the way that these three companies have held every single person in this company on this creative team, it has been truly remarkable. This was a labor of theatrical love across the board with everybody and couldn't have been done without everybody. Truly holding on to all of us in the most wonderful, caring, supportive way.
- [28:19]
Grace Aki
I love hearing that. I also love when a couple of theater companies come together to create a production. I think that the collaboration process is. This is going to be even more vital into the next year, frankly.
- [28:30]
Felicia Curry
We're already seeing it.
- [28:31]
Grace Aki
We're already seeing it across the board. Yeah. It's like, you know, with different companies and governments and funding and all of these, like, crazy things, like, how are we uplifting each other? Because, guys, it's not going to work out if we're all unilaterally. No, it's just not.
- [28:48]
Felicia Curry
And it costs money to produce these shows and, you know, the basis of theater. One of the reasons I love theater the way that I do is because it is a community event. You cannot do it without the help of community, and not just the community creating it. Theater doesn't exist without the audience. We need. That is the last piece of the puzzle. And so we. We need everyone to commune together to make these projects, and that includes putting them up. And so I love when there are several theaters coming together to say we, as a community, want to make something to share with the community.
- [29:31]
Grace Aki
I love that. No, it's. It's really like. That is. What is so exciting about all of this. Before we wrap, I'm curious, like, what is your experience with the music of Free Fool? Like, I'm. I'm. I'm eager. I'm eager. I'm excited. But you tell me so my own.
- [29:50]
Felicia Curry
The only thing that. That is not great for me is that I don't get to rap.
- [29:54]
Grace Aki
I know. I was gonna say, but.
- [29:56]
Felicia Curry
But please know, when I am backstage, I am doing all of it. I am obsessed with these beats, with these lyrics, with what they're asking us to think about, with how they're transforming the space. When the music comes in, it is once again an experience. We can tell. I can tell you all day about it, but you need to come into the room and experience Lemon pepper wings. Experience Quintavious. Experience Kelly.
- [30:26]
Grace Aki
Experience.
- [30:27]
Felicia Curry
Free f. Need to come in and. And come and experience this with us.
- [30:34]
Grace Aki
And I will be. And everyone listening should be. Because you guys wrap up the run on June 8, you can get tickets in person or online with the Vignette Theater Company. Obviously, this is produced in association with the National Black Theater with the new group. Felicia, I can't thank you enough for having this conversation. This was so exciting and thrilling. And again, like, what a joy to hear, like, the genuine love of having done this art. Obviously, this is something that should not be missed. I hope that it's not the end of it. But also, you never know. And who cares? Because that's what all of this is about. And you have to see it to be there. So thank you again so much, Felicia. I can't wait to see the show. Thank you. And I can't wait for everybody listening to Run to It as well.
- [31:18]
Felicia Curry
Please do. Thanks, everybody. Come see us at the Vineyard.
- [31:21]
Matt Tammanini
It.