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Today on Broadway: Friday, June 6, 2025
00:20:10
Tom Felton to Play Draco Malfoy on Broadway, Site-Specific ‘Chorus Line’ Announced and Canceled, Trailers for ‘Spider Woman’ and ‘Wicked: For Good’ Since 2016, “Today on Broadway” has been the first and only daily podcast recapping the top theatre head...
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- [00:00]
Brad
When the Moore family ditched cable Internet and switched to siddly fiber, they got so much more. Mr. Moore got more upload speed for next level gaming and livestreaming to the masses with reliable service. Mrs. Moore is no longer her family's IT guru, leaving her more time to stream games into overtime.
- [00:15]
Grace Ake
Let's go.
- [00:16]
Brad
And young Mason Moore got more done quickly uploading HD product demos and video conferencing without FreeSync.
- [00:22]
Grace Ake
The numbers look good, Brad. You're on mute.
- [00:24]
Brad
Switch from cable Internet to ziply fiber and get more of what you love for $65 less per month than cable@ziply.
- [00:30]
Matt Tammanini
Fiverr.Com welcome to Today on Broadway for Friday, June 6, 2025. I'm Broadway Radio's Matt Tammanini.
- [00:37]
Grace Ake
And I'm Tony on a Sunday podcast, Grace Ake.
- [00:40]
Matt Tammanini
Grace, this is the final day of the week before we hit Tony's weekend. What is the vibe on the street right now? Are people excited? Are people nervous? Are they looking forward to certain things? What is the general consensus in the theater world right now heading into Tony Sunday?
- [00:58]
Grace Ake
Yeah, I think it's just that everyone's ready to be done. Like, it feels like there's all this, like, hullabaloo and like, there's no sweeper. There's a lot of, like, it could be this person, it could be that person, it could be this show. I don't think that there's a lot of, like, quote, front runners, but I do think that there is a lot of excitement and, like, people are just, you know, they're. They're running around. They've got to just, like, get it all done, you know, and the vibe that I have seen across actors perform, stage managers, press agents, that they're just like, all right, we. This has been one of the most hectic seasons that I have seen these people working in for a long time. And I think that they're ready, not in a negative way, but just be like, I'm ready for Sunday. Like, let's. Let's do this. Let's find out. You know, today is the last day of voting, famously. So this whole week, you've probably seen last push. Thursday the 5th is no, Friday.
- [01:54]
Matt Tammanini
Oh, really? I thought it was. I thought it was Wednesday. My apologies. Yeah, okay.
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Grace Ake
No, so it's. It's people you're seeing all of this week. You've seen a lot of last push messaging, and you'll see that in, you know, the. The Times articles that have come out. Those are. Those are all final campaign pushes. It's called closing arguments. And I love that. I have seen a lot of really great cases to be made for so many people and creatives in this space. It's really cool. There's not there. I don't think that there's any singular nomination that I go, you know what? Not deserved. You know, everyone has worked and genuinely contributed so much. So I think that the vibe is just to, we're good. Let's, let's do this.
- [02:37]
Matt Tammanini
Yeah. If you want to make your predictions as to who you think is going to win every single Tony award, you can head over to the show notes. We will have a link to our Tony's predictions pool. The winner of that pool will get a theatrical gift bag with some different merch and memorabilia that I will send out to you. So if you want to be involved, head over there. All right, Grace. We're going to start on Broadway with some news that seemed to get a lot of people very excited. And it comes to us from the Lyric Theater where Tom Felton, who originated the role of Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films, will return to the role this time on Broadway in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. He will begin his 19 week run on Broadway on November 11th, playing through through March 22nd. This will be his Broadway debut as well as the first time that an original Harry Potter cast member has been seen on stage in Cursed Child. In his statement with the announcement, Felton noted that he will be the same age as Draco is in the show when he begins performances this fall. So he says, quote, it's surreal to be stepping back into his shoes and of course, his iconic platinum blonde hair. And I am thrilled to be able to see this story through and to share it with the greatest fan community in the world. I look forward to joining this incredible company and being a part of the Broadway community. He, of course mentions the huge, gigantic fan community all over the world, perhaps none more so than here in Orlando with everything that Harry Potter and the Wizarding world has over at Universal. But in light of things that we have known for years now, but especially in the past week, I do think it's important to mention that I think there are ways that you can ethically, and I'm borrowing this from Ben on social media, that there are, there, there are ethical ways that you can engage with Harry Potter content and still continue to be a fan. But I do think it's very important to remember that not only is Harry Potter and the Cursed Child based on a story that J.K. rowling helped create, it is obviously based off of the IP that she created, but she is also through Harry Potter theatrical productions are one of only three producing entities on this show. So J.K. rowling benefits financially in multiple ways from the ongoing success of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. And it is important to remember that last week she launched the J.K. rowling Women's Fund which on its face value in just that name sounds great. But what it actually is is an organization that she is completely self funding that is looking to strip transgendered people and non binary people from rights that they either have already secured or are fighting to secure. The goal of this organization, according to its website, is to quote, offer legal funding support to individuals and organizations fighting to retain women's sex based rights in the workplace, in public life and protected fear female spaces. This obviously is the latest move in Rowling's years long campaign against trans and non binary people. When the UK passed anti trans laws recently, she posted a picture on her social media holding a drink in one hand and smoking a cigar with the text. I love it when a plan comes together. She is vehemently and violently transphobic and anti trans and has used her massive, massive wealth to fight against progress for trans and non binary individuals. So I can't tell you what to enjoy, I can't tell you what to support. And I know that it's extremely emotionally complicated because these stories and these characters have meant so much to so many millions of people around the world for decades that it is difficult to disconnect the sentimental, nostalgic comforting of feelings that you've had for properties from the real world impact of the things that their creators are involved with. And I think that there is an argument to be made of being able to separate art from the artists in some situations, but when the artist continues to benefit financially from that art and then both publicly and proudly takes that financial benefit and uses it to fund campaigns to directly attack some of the most vulnerable populations in the world. I think that at least speaking for me personally, that has to be a line drawn. So I can't speak for everybody, but I do think it is worth remembering that any support of something Harry Potter on stage, on screen, at theme parks, in books, you know, small screens, there's going to be a new Harry Potter TV series from HBO that directly not only benefits J.K. rowling, but it also gives her more money to put into an organization that she has specifically said is designed to take away rights from transgender people. So I understand the excitement of Tom Felton coming to Broadway to play Draco Malfoy in many, many other situations. I can imagine this being something that should be celebrated and people should get excited about. I don't know the Harry Potter movies, but I like Tom Felton. He was on a couple of seasons of the Flash. I thought he was great there. But I think it is important to remember what supporting this property will do on a direct human level to some of the most vulnerable populations in the world. All right, from one controversial subject that might get people angry at me to one that is controversial, but I don't think is going to get people angry at me over the past few days there have been some social media posts about a potential New York revival of A Chorus Line, especially because this is the 50th anniversary of the show. So much so that Grace, our friend Ashley Hufford posted a TikTok the other day saying like, despite the teases, they don't think it's real. It turns out that there was in fact an announcement as promised on Thursday about a site specific production of A Chorus Line coming to New York City from September 5th through the 27th of this year. The show, which would be a non equity production, was going to be held at the Loft nyc, which is a third floor dance studio in Chinatown, and it was going to be done essentially in an audition room. And now you'll hear that I've been saying this Grace in the past tense because just before we started recording, Kobi Castle, the editor in chief of Theatrely, posted something on social media and said, quote, according to an official spokesperson, the immersive A Chorus Line that was set to play downtown this fall will not be moving forward after Concord Theatricals, which is the licensing organization that owns the rights to A Chorus Line, pulled the rights, citing a mischaracterization in their app in their application. Future 50th anniversary plans will be announced soon. I don't know what future 50th anniversary plans will be announced. I don't know what mischaracterizations this production had in their application, but even before this reversal there's a lot of people that had really awkward thoughts about A Chorus Line being done this way, both from an artistic standpoint, but also with the non equity of it all. You know, I've seen a number of non equity productions of A Chorus Song and they were always fantastic. I love this show and I was really hoping to get a chance to see it this fall, but it seems messy and it seems like there's probably a story behind the scenes Grace that hopefully we get someday because it seems like there's something going on here that we haven't been privy to quite yet.
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Grace Ake
This was the fast. It was. They were playing fast and loose. You know, nothing like some, some, you know, Xerox copies of a bold font hidden around, you know, the area photos. I was just like, what shoestring budget are we working with? But you know what, good for them. And by them I mean Concord Theatricals, because I know that that's tough. So yikes.
- [10:55]
Matt Tammanini
Yeah, very strange. I hope that whatever Concord or other producers have planned for 50th anniversary of this truly revolutionary show lives up to the legacy that A Chorus Line deserves. All right, let's go to some things that we can absolutely celebrate without reservation because yesterday two of the best shows on Broadway announced extensions of various length. Let's start first over at the Booth Theater where Jon Proctor is the villain announced its, I believe its second extension in like a week recently. I think it was last week because we talked about maybe Millie Bobby Brown coming in kind of jokingly to replace Sadie Sink. But John Proctor is the villain has extended from the previous extension date of July 13 on all the way through August 31. However, Sadie Sink is going to depart the role of Shelby Holcomb on July 13th. I know she has to go film the new Spider man movie. So I don't know if that's what this is all about. They are going to announce her replacement next week. So it's interesting to me that they are separating these two announcements, Grace, which means that to me it's probably somebody that has at least some name recognition that they didn't want it to get folded into this. They wanted to get a two pronged announcement out of that. So very excited that the show is going to continue. Any guesses any thoughts on who might be taking over that role?
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Grace Ake
I've got no idea. But I'm wondering if it is someone from the cast. I mean, just seeing how All Nighter, which is a similar producing team, they did get like Anna, Sophia, Rob to come in in the last tail end of that run. So it wouldn't shock me.
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Matt Tammanini
And Issa Briones.
- [12:33]
Grace Ake
Yeah, like it wouldn't surprise me if either of those actors, but also if they do a similar concept here, I think it's super smart. The template works for both shows, frankly. So I think that it would be great to see another actor come in and continue to boost those ticket sales the way that Sadie has to honor this incredible piece of work. But also if they don't go with a star, there are plenty of great actors in New York City that are either in that building already or outside of it that could nail this.
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Matt Tammanini
The other extension that I talked about is over at the St. James Theater where Sunset Boulevard has announced one final week long extension. It will now play through July 20th. We already knew that it had extended through July 13th. This means that not only will you get another chance to see Nicole Scherzinger and Tom Francis, but also Jordan Donica who is going to begin performances as Max next Tuesday. All right, Grace. Going from New York to Cambridge, Massachusetts, yesterday the American Repertory Theater announced its 2025, 2026 season and there are two very big splashy new musicals that will headline the season. The first is going to begin performances on December 9th of this year and run through January 25th of next year. This is a musical version of first the novel and then film Wonder. It features a score by A Great Big World and a book by Tony nominee Sarah Rule. It is being directed by Tabi Magar and featuring choreography by Katie Spellman. And the one that I think a lot of people are going to be talking about and one that I would be shocked if it doesn't end up in New York or on Broadway sooner rather than later, is a stage adaptation of the Academy Award winning film Black Swan. This one is going to begin performances in just under a year on 26th of 2026, running through June 28th. It is going to feature a score by Tony nominee Dave Malloy, who from what I understand has written all of the music as basically like variations of Tchaikovsky, which is fascinating. And it's going to feature a book by Jen Silverman. Tony and Emmy winner Sonia Taya is not only going to choreograph, but she is going to direct. And I've heard some casting through workshops about this one, Grace. And if they pull off some of this casting, if some of those people continue with it, I'm already excited, but the casting would kind of throw me over the edge. But Black Swan musical seems like it has a lot of potential, especially with this creative team.
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Grace Ake
And listen, I don't know any of the casting groomers, but if they don't call Emma Faffle I think is her last name, who played Veruca in Charlie Chocolate Factory but also was in Cats, the Jellicle Ball, who was a trained ballerina. Also, I believe she has like a Russian background or Cuban. Also Cuban background. Like she's just unbelievable as a dancer and performer. And I just, my brain immediately went to her because she better be in one of the tutus. I gotta see it. I love Black Swan. It's like truly one of the movies that I. You can and you know, patreon level. I will send you the photographs of me doing it for my senior year costume party for the last week of school because that was, you know, that dates me. But yeah, so I love that. I love the idea of the show. I think it's very exciting. I also am excited about Wonder. I have been listening to some of the demos of that music maybe so very cool. But yeah, good stuff. Good stuff at art. To the shock of no. 1. Great stuff going on at Art.
- [16:11]
Matt Tammanini
The other two shows in the season are a new show called passengers by the Seven Fingers collective that'll begin performances on September 2nd. And then Sam Kizajukian solo show, 300 Paintings. We've interviewed Sam here before. That will begin performances on October 1st. Speaking of buzzy shows getting out of town tryouts yesterday we got additional casting for the upcoming Broadway aimed Dolly, the Dolly Parton musical. In addition to the stars that we have already talked about, Katie Rose Clark, Cary St. Louis and Quinn Titcomb, the cast is now going to feature John Drujetski, who was in the original company of the Great Gatsby on Broadway. He is going to be playing Porter Wagner. Jacob Fishel is going to be playing producer Sandy Gallen. Tony nominee Beth Malone is playing Dolly Parton's lifelong best friend Judy Ogle. Tabita Laing will be playing the younger version of that character and Danny Woolahan will be playing Uncle Bill. Also in the company will be Clea Blackhurst, Sarah Bacol, who I've recently interviewed here on Broadway Radio, Jonathan Butler Du Plessis, Joe Carroll, Olivia Donaldson, Sarah Hunt, Josh Canfield, Tiffany Engen and more. The full complete company will be announced announced fairly soon because performances begin on July 18th down at the Fisher center for the Performing Arts down in Nashville. And this isn't a recommendation, but it is a feel good story because yesterday the American Theatre Wing announced that they were launching the Gavin Creel Fellowships. They are doing this in partnership with some of Gavin's best friends, Celia Keenan Bolger, Sara Bareilles, Kathryn Brunel and a number of other folks. The annual fellowship program will bestow five young theater actors with a $25,000 grant, personal mentorship from an industry professional, curated networking events with Broadway leaders, access to American Theatre Wing programs, free tickets to Broadway and Off Broadway shows, and Tony Awards attendance as seat fillers. Which is the funniest one to me. Obviously Gavin passed away in the fall of last year and his impact is continued to be felt and many people have been celebrating him. And this, to me, just feels like a wonderful way to honor his legacy and how much he touched so many people in and around the theater community. So I think this is wonderful. If you want to support the Gavin Creel Fellowship, there's information on how you can do that in the show notes. But a really, really lovely move here, Grace.
- [18:43]
Grace Ake
Yeah, I mean, listen, we love to see it. As a person who also set up a memorial scholarship fund for the passing of like, my father and whatnot, these are not easy. They're very difficult to do. But it's also like, great. They're fantast. I think this is a wonderful way to honor his legacy as well as like so many other artists. And yeah, this was just beautiful. I love seeing this on my timeline today. I was like, yeah, this is right. He, you know, inspired so many people. Like, the stories are going to continue to come out about how much he inspired young artists and even his contemporaries. So this is really, really lovely news.
- [19:17]
Matt Tammanini
Yeah. All right, let's wrap it up with recommendations. They are two movie musical trailers. The first, let's talk about Kiss of the Spider Woman, which was released ahead of the film's opening in cinemas on October 10th. This one, of course, is the Kander and Ebb and Terrence McNally show that will star Jennifer Lopez. Then the other one, of course, that you have almost certainly seen by now is the Wicked for Good trailer. And it has a lot of people excited. Tons of song references, some of the people's most favorite songs from Wicked, but also some new things added in, some glimpses at Dorothy and her friends, which we don't really get in the stage show. Very exciting stuff. Lots of movie musical goodness coming to theaters nationwide in the fall. All right, that's all that we have for today. Thanks for listening to Today on Broadway. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, rodwayradio. Grace, where can people find you?
- [20:10]
Grace Ake
You can find me eating a pizza at 2am after the Tony Awards at it's Grace Hockey.
- [20:15]
Matt Tammanini
All right, everybody, have a wonderful Friday, a wonderful Tony's weekend, and we'll be back to talk to you numerous times throughout the weekend end. So make sure you head over to Patreon. Com, Broadway radio, broadwayradio. Com Patreon to get all of the last minute predictions, reviews and news.