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Today on Broadway: Friday, Jan. 24, 2025
00:16:19
Reviews for ‘English’ on Broadway, ‘Wicked’ Earns 10 Oscar Nods, A-Listers Join Trisha Paytas on Broadway 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 Tamminini
Welcome to Today on Broadway for Friday, January 24, 2025 on Broadway Radio's Matt Tamminini.
- [00:07]
Grace Aki
And I'm telling me on a Sunday.
- [00:08]
Matt Tamminini
Podcast, Grace Aki, Grace, as we dive into the news, the biggest thing happening in the world of theater on Thursday, and I know it was big because it was Broadway Briefing confirmed, was that AKA has a new director of influence, marketing and creative lead for the Arts Insider. Congratulations. You got a nice little promotion there, didn't you?
- [00:30]
Grace Aki
Well, that's very sweet. Yes. I'm very excited to honestly keep on keeping on and like, yeah, just like working with people and creators and just talking about the arts industry that we all love so dearly and making it much more visible and modern for our current times. So thank you. That's a very sweet shout out. Thanks.
- [00:49]
Matt Tamminini
Well, I mean, Broadway Briefing official, like makes it a big deal. They only put really important stuff in there. So you are by definition very important. All right. But the other big news, the second big news on Thursday was the fact that we had the first Broadway opening of 2025 happening over at the Todd Hames Theater. And this is the long awaited Broadway debut of Sanaz Tusi's Pulitzer Prize winning play English. It had made its Off Broadway debut at the Atlantic theater in 2022. That production and this production are directed by Knud Adams and has the exact same cast. That cast includes Eva Lalizarzida, Pooha Mohsini Mehran Neshat and Hadi Tabal. The show got pretty much all of the awards in the Off Broadway circles during that season. The show centers on an English class in Iran for people who are looking to learn English to somehow better their lives, whatever that is, to come to the United States or to get a better job or whatever. And it obviously has taken on some fairly different context over the last few days, past few weeks, as of recording time. Did they like it has not yet put together its review roundup. So if that gets done before we post this, I will, I will have that link in the show notes. But overall the reviews were very positive. I'm going to go through them very quickly because, Grace, you have seen the show, I see it on Saturday and I know you wanted to share some of your thoughts on the play. So I'm going to go through just a handful of reviews fairly quickly. But we'll start with Jesse Green of the New York Times, who did make the show a critics pick. He said, quote, the Broadway transfer of Sanaz 2C's English, which opened on Thursday at the Todd Ham's theater is the consummate consummate. Even more so than when it debuted off Broadway in 2022 and won the Pulitzer Prize in Drama in 2023. It strikes me as a work of uncommon discipline, despite its big and occasionally easy laughs. Without ever releasing a tight grip on its theme. Or perhaps because of that tight grip, it suggests a world of small tragedies and smaller compensations. Adam Feldman of TimeOut New York gave the show five out of five stars. A rare thing for Adam. He said, quote if Toosie's thoughtful and searching play has things to teach us about character, culture, post colonial identity, it does so through immersion. We first see Mehran's classroom from the outside through a window, but Marsha Ginsburg's boxed set soon rotates to invite us inside. It keeps turning throughout the play to give us new angles, and Toosie does the same. Like any grammar, English has rules and structures that it carefully maintains, but enough exceptions and variations to provide character and texture. It unfolds fluently but not glibly. Its choices of word have purpose and care. Gloria Oladipo, writing for the Guardian, said, quote english Sanaz Tusi's stunning Broadway debut is a precious study of language's significance. The 2023 Pulitzer Prize winner slyly presents as a comedy about studying a foreign language, but eventually blooms into an evocation of grief and assimilation. And finally, Tim Tieman of the Daily Beast said, quote this critic's advice is as simple as it was in 2022. Book a ticket Right now, an exquisitely written, beautifully acted and mountain 1 hour and 45 minutes of theater awaits at this moment. With immigration and attacks on immigrants rights at the top of President Trump's agenda, the play assumes a raw, urgent precision. Grace, we knew that all of these were going to be very positive reviews because it is so similar to the 2022 production off Broadway. But I'm interested your thought? I don't believe you saw it off Broadway, but correct me if I'm wrong, but what are your thoughts having now seen it at the Todd Haymes Theater from the Roundabout Theatre Company?
- [04:38]
Grace Aki
Yeah, Full disclosure, I am very privileged to be able to work with Roundabout on this show with the Arts Insider. So just that aside, I had not seen the show off Broadway. I had the fortunate opportunity to read the script and obviously knew about the accolades because you and I have talked a lot about about the show on Broadway radio. I don't think I could say you know a ton more than what the incredible reviews are reflecting on the show, but I just want to say, like, as the daughter of an immigrant to this country, there were certain lines that I'm getting emotional thinking about it. It's one of the most important plays I've ever seen. I truly love this play so much. I think it's so important. I think it's so timely. There's something about it that I think stretches beyond people that have had that first gen experience or the immigrant experience. I think that the way that language is used is quite universal. It's one of the most important plays I think that we'll see in a very long time. And I enjoyed it. There's so much humor, there's heart, there's incredible acting performances. I think top to bottom, this is an unmissable piece of theater. And I can't. I don't want to talk anymore because I'm just going to cry. But I just, I adore it so much. So everyone should be seeing the show.
- [05:48]
Matt Tamminini
And I am. Interesting. When we talked about or I talked about because you didn't make any predictions for Tony's, like I said, this was still my front runner for best play, even though it's going to be closing on Broadway on March 2nd. And it can't. I mean, maybe it has a week or two that it can extend, but that is where Pirates, the Penzance musical, which I still can't believe that's what we're calling this, is going in there for a spring opening. Do you think that this might be one of those shows that is so good that it can defy the odds to not be open during the stretch run of the spring and the Tony eligibility season to still not only get a nomination but potentially win as well?
- [06:26]
Grace Aki
I do. Only because of the pedigree of the Pulitzer and the fact that it has all of this Off Broadway accolade?
- [06:33]
Matt Tamminini
Yeah, I think there, it definitely has all of the momentum and all of the, all of the buzz behind it to help sustain it. And I think a lot of people are going to be wanted heading over to the Todd Haymes Theater to see it as quickly as possible. All right, next up, we did get some more casting news on Broadway and there are just a handful of shows coming in the spring that have not announced their full cast. They are slowly starting to come in. Last week we talked about the fact that Tatiana Cordoba and Justina Machado will be leading the cast of Real Women have Curves on Broadway. And yesterday we got the complete cast of the show. Joining them are Florencia Quince, Shelby Acosta, Carly He, Aileen Maya Goita, Mason Reeves, Jennifer Sanchez and Sandra Vows. Everybody in that group is returning to roles that they did at the Art World premiere production, except for Maya Goita. We also have all of the ensemble members as well. The show will begin performances at the James Earl Jones Theater on April 1. Grace, another former Frozen star coming back to Broadway with Mason Reeves. So that's very exciting. That'll be Reeves's Broadway debut debut as well.
- [07:43]
Grace Aki
And I just want to say I knew Aileen from a PCLO production of in the Heights from years ago. She went to college with Mason Reeves at University of Michigan. They did a joint post today to announce their Broadway debuts for the show.
- [07:56]
Matt Tamminini
Amazing.
- [07:57]
Grace Aki
It's just so kismet. I didn't know. I told Mason last year, I said your Broadway debut is in 2025. I don't know what it is, but it's something. And here it is.
- [08:06]
Matt Tamminini
Amazing. Well, congratulations to Mason. All right, leaving the Broadway New York theater scene, we are going to head over to Hollywood because yesterday morning the nominations for the 97th Academy Awards were finally revealed. They were supposed to happen last Friday, but obviously because of all of the tragedy surrounding the Los Angeles wildfires, they decided to push that back. But there was a ton of theater and theater tangential things that were honored. The number one nomination, Getter is a musical. It is not Wicked, but it is Amelia Perez, which is a very controversial film for many, many reasons, but it actually tied for the second most nominations ever, with which almost, I think it's almost like 10 films that it ties with, but it has 13. But coming in second was both the Brutalist, which is probably Emilia Perez's chief rival for best picture, but also wicked. Wicked got 10 nominations and leading those nominations are Cynthia Erivo for best actress in a leading role. If she were to win that award, she would become the youngest EGOT winner ever. She had previously been nominated as well and had a chance to do it a few years ago. She will have another chance now. Best actress in a supporting role nomination went to Ariana Grande. They also got nominations for film editing, production design, costume design for Paul Tazewell, original score, makeup and hair styling, sound and visual effects. In addition to all of those nominations for Wicked, a ton of other Broadway vets and theater vets were nominated as well. Colman Domingo, Ralph Fiennes, Timothee Chalamet, Sebastian Stan, Jeremy Strong, and of course, Grace. Soon to be back on Broadway, Kieran Culkin.
- [09:53]
Grace Aki
Listen, Glenn, Garry, Glen Ross is going to be a show to see. I am excited by the amount of attention that Emilia Perez has garnered as a musical. I think that people are very surprised by this. I too am surprised by this. And I can't wait to watch it literally on my way to my house to watch it tonight for Netflix. I just think it's kind of interesting that we're experiencing like, again, John, and she was not nominated, but there was something that was posted today that no one beyond the birth year of 1991 has yet to win an acting Oscar. And so I'm curious to see if that holds true again this year. Yeah, like, that has been consistent. So in Miss Grande, Butera wins. She will be that person or someone else. But yeah, they have yet to actually win. If you are born past the year of 1991, your odds of winning an Oscar for acting categories are much lower.
- [10:47]
Matt Tamminini
And there, there are a number of people that would fit in there this year. Timothy Chalamet. Yeah. Mikey Madsen and Yura Borisov, I think are both probably falling in that category for Anora. But yeah, that's interesting. I hadn't recognized that. But if you like Grace, want to stream some of these films, of course I will have an article that I did over at my day job in the Show Notes as well, which will list all of the places that you can stream the performances, the honorees, the nominees. Of course, at this point, not everything is available to stream, but this article will update whenever something is announced and you can start to stream any of the nominated films. All right, Grace. There were some huge A listers announced yesterday to be coming back to Broadway, but it's only for one night only because yesterday the upcoming Trisha Paytas Big Broadway Dream announced its entire cast and it will be led by other than Trisha Paytas, Sutton Foster, Ben Platt, Joy woods and Rachel Zegler. This will be happening at the St. James Theater on February 3rd for one night only. The ensemble of the cast will be led by Amber Ardelino. If you had seen she'd been doing a lot of teases about what her next Broadway show will be. To be honest with you, I thought they were a little too much. Then when I realized it was for this, I was like, oh, they probably weren't enough. Those fit very well with what she is doing. So this is going to be in extravaganza. Trisha promised a bunch of Broadway stars and she has clearly, clearly delivered that. All right. In some other news, yesterday it was announced that Drag the Musical, which is currently playing off Broadway at New World Stages, has extended the show has now extended and Tickets are on sale through June 1st and one of the co writers of the show, Alaska Thunderfuck, will return to the role of Kitty Galloway next month on February 8. She originated the role, left and is now coming back. So if you want to get tickets, you can now book them through June 1st. And finally, Grace, not that I am going to try to make a segue between the Sutton Foster news and this feel good recommendation, but yesterday we got a ton of behind the scenes videos of Hugh Jackman rehearsing for his upcoming concert residency at Radio City Music Hall. Those performances begin tonight, January 24th at Radio City Music Hall. They will also run through select weekends in April, May, June, July, August, September and October. The show from New York with Love will feature tons of songs including things that Hugh has worked on both on stage and screen, the Boy from Oz, the Greatest Showman, Music man and others. One of those things is Les Miserables which he has a video of. I don't know if it was the sits Probe or just a rehearsal with the orchestra that's in there. He also has a ton of other clips of him working with who looks like his music director. So if you want to check out what a Hugh Jackman concert could potentially look like at Radio City starting tonight, you can do that in the show notes. All right, Grace, any theater related stuff on your weekend or are you just going to be binging Oscar nominated films?
- [14:07]
Grace Aki
That's exactly it, Matt. I'm going to be binging Oscar nominated films but I do think that this carries over, like I've said on the show before, into the theatrical world. Like I do think that with and all these others we're looking at a lot of like theatrical, you know, crossovers. So that's what I'm going to be doing.
- [14:24]
Matt Tamminini
Yeah. And I mentioned Colman Domingo getting nominated. He the his film Sing Sing was not nominated but it is about theater, about theater at Sing Sing Prison. So it is not currently available to stream yet. It I think you might be able to get it on maybe some re releases in theaters in some places, but when that is available that would certainly be one to recommend from A24 when it streams it'll probably go to like you can rent or buy it but it's an A24 film so that means it'll probably be on Max before it is anywhere else. So keep an eye on that for not only Coleman but for the theatricality of Sing Sing as well. All right everybody, that's all that we have for today. Thanks for listening to Today on Broadway. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Odaryradian. You can follow me on Instagram @bww. Mattgrace where can people find you?
- [15:11]
Grace Aki
You can find me at a.
- [15:13]
Matt Tamminini
All right, everybody, I will be in New York City by the time I talk to you next. I will have seen six shows by the time the next episode comes out. Wow.
- [15:21]
Grace Aki
Six. Yeah, six.
- [15:23]
Matt Tamminini
Six. Which ones? Okay, so I've got when I get to town, I am seeing English at 2, oh, Mary at 5, sliding in that, that middle one, and then Hadestown with a new cast at 8. Then on Sunday, I'm going to an early concert at Green Room 42 of a new show that a friend of mine and her brother wrote called the under the Portico. Then I've got gypsy at 3 and all in at 6:30. So six things over two days really gets me going. And then rounding that out, rounding the week out with Wonderful World, Sunset Boulevard with Manny Gonzalez, Cult of Love, and then Eureka Day. My last show of the trip is going to be with you, Grace. So looking forward to that.
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Grace Aki
Yay.
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Matt Tamminini
All right, everybody, have a wonderful Friday, a wonderful weekend, and we'll be back to talk to you on Monday.