BroadwayRadio: Today on Broadway — Friday, Nov. 14, 2025

Host: Matt Tamineni
Release Date: November 14, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of "Today on Broadway," hosted by Matt Tamineni, delivers a brisk yet comprehensive roundup of theatrical news and reviews on the eve of a highly anticipated Broadway opening. Matt discusses notable Off-Broadway announcements, highlights an important anniversary staged reading, shares streaming updates for theatre fans, and closes the show with his review of the new Broadway adaptation of Oedipus, staged at Studio 54. He offers firsthand insights on the production, its performances, and its contemporary relevance, focusing especially on adaptation, acting, and design.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Off-Broadway News: "The Reservoir" at Atlantic Theater Company

(01:16–02:32)

• The Atlantic Theater Company will stage The Reservoir by Jake Bruno Brash.
• Performances begin February 5, with opening night on February 24, and a run through March 15.
• The play follows Josh, who returns to Denver to get sober while dealing with memory loss and familial challenges, reflecting on generational parallels.
• Original Geffen Playhouse director, Shelley Butler, returns, but the cast is new for New York:
  • Noah Galvin (as Josh)
  • Caroline Aaron, Heidi Armbruster, Peter Maloney, Mary Beth Peel, Matthew Saldivar, and Chip Zien
• Matt praises the talent and looks ahead to early 2026 for reactions.

2. Audible Theater: 25th Anniversary Reading of "The Laramie Project"

(02:33–04:36)

• Audible Theater hosts a 25th anniversary reading of the groundbreaking play about the aftermath of Matthew Shepard’s murder.
• Written by Moisés Kaufman and the Tectonic Theater Project, directed by Kaufman.
• Takes place at the Minetta Lane Theater, Dec 4–6 (four performances), and will later be available on Audible.
• Star-studded cast includes:
  • Kathleen Chalfant, Midori Francis, John Gallagher Jr., Puia Mossini, Kal Penn, Conrad Ricamora, Ethan Slater, and Samira Wiley.
• Matt lauds the play’s lasting social impact:
  "This show has done arguably more for the greater good socially than any other show in the last quarter century." (03:47)

3. "Hazbin Hotel" Broadway Concert Streaming Announcement

(04:37–06:25)

• The "One Night on Broadway" concert special, which promoted Season 2 of the animated musical-comedy Hazbin Hotel, will stream on Prime Video starting Nov 17.
• The full second season will release Nov 19.
• Star lineup includes:
  • Erica Henningsen, Blake Roman, Amir Talai, Christian Borle, Jessica Vosk, Jeremy Jordan, Christina Alabado, and guest stars Stephanie Beatriz, Kimiko Glenn, Vivian Medrano, Sam Haft, Richard Horvitz.
• The show, blending musical theater and animation, centers on Charlie Morningstar (Erica Henningsen), demon princess of Hell, trying to rehabilitate demons so they can move on to Heaven.
• Matt admits it’s not his style, but recognizes its crossover appeal:
  • "This is connecting a lot of dots for folks who have both the musical theater and the animation and the comedy fandoms." (06:20)

4. Review: "Oedipus" (Studio 54, directed by Robert Icke)

(06:26–14:53)

• British import, adapted and directed by Robert Icke, relocates Sophocles’ tragedy to a modern political campaign on election night.
• Leading cast:
  • Mark Strong (Oedipus)
  • Lesley Manville (Jocasta, in her Broadway debut)
  • John Carroll Lynch (Creon)
  • Anne Reid (Merope)
  • Olivia Reyes (Antigone)
  • Bhaskar Patel (Corrin)
• Plot and Staging:
  • The political setting adds contemporary relevance without specifying country or office.
  • Matt recounts an amusing audience reaction:
    • "A woman leaned over and fairly loudly from behind us and said, 'Oh my God, is she his mother?'" (08:55)
  • Praises Icke's modern adaptation:
    • "Robert Icke's adaptation does a tremendous job of bringing it into a modern context." (09:32)
    • The contemporary language maintains elevated, poetic qualities with well-placed profanity:
      • "The words were so effortless coming out of their mouths, but also it was very easy to understand, but it was not in colloquial language, although there was plenty of profanity..." (10:14)
  • Highlights two outstanding performances:
    • Mark Strong:
      • "He has a presence that dominates the stage without overshadowing anyone else. There is a magnetism to him..." (11:30)
      • "He is able to make those swings [in emotion] without undermining anything. They are all believable and natural and well earned." (12:00)
    • Lesley Manville:
      • "Kind of giving you this controlled, composed, refined performance that speaks to her years of being queen, essentially....she can be this put together woman who has taken all of the tragedies and difficulties of her life and put them in the past... she is able to strip back all of those walls... and show you the broken and abused woman who suffered tremendously..." (12:42)
  • Design notes:
    • "Very fun and interesting" set by Hildegard Bechtler; creative video design by Tal Yarden featuring election coverage and Greek-language graphics.
    • "It starts with a video that leads into the action and then for a large part of the show, election night coverage on TVs around the stage, which was kind of fun..." (13:32)
  • Overall impression:
    • "For me, this show is an absolute success because of the strength of Robert Icke’s adaptation... Coupled with Mark Strong and Lesley Manville at the center." (13:10)
    • Encourages even those intimidated by “classical Greek” to attend:
      • "I would not be scared of this just because you hear Sophocles and…that might overwhelm… But this doesn’t feel like it… It feels like a profound modern drama that I think will certainly impact everybody." (14:13)
  • Predicts positive critical reception and notes the run is limited through Feb 8.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "This show has done arguably more for the greater good socially than any other show in the last quarter century."
  — Matt Tamineni, re: The Laramie Project (03:47)

• "A woman leaned over and fairly loudly from behind us and said, 'Oh my God, is she his mother?'"
  — Matt Tamineni, describing live Oedipus audience reaction (08:55)

• "Robert Icke's adaptation...is beautifully written… there was an elevated nature to it that felt both classical but also incredibly modern."
  — Matt Tamineni, on Oedipus (10:01)

• "He has a presence that dominates the stage without overshadowing anyone else. There is a magnetism to him that makes you understand why he has led a political revolution..."
  — Matt Tamineni, on Mark Strong’s Oedipus (11:30)

• "She is able to strip back all of those walls... and show you the broken and abused woman who suffered tremendously..."
  — Matt Tamineni, on Lesley Manville’s Jocasta (12:47)

• "Chekov has nothing on Sophocles when it comes to seeding future developments in a show."
  — Matt Tamineni (14:39)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:31 — Episode intro; review embargo note for Oedipus
• 01:16 — The Reservoir Off-Broadway announcement
• 02:33 — The Laramie Project 25th anniversary reading details
• 04:37 — Hazbin Hotel Broadway concert streaming info
• 06:26 — Full review: Oedipus at Studio 54 (plot, adaptation, performances, set, video design)
• 14:39 — Final thoughts and predictions on Oedipus
• 14:53 — End of content; show wrap-up

Conclusion

This episode provides valuable updates on the Off-Broadway landscape, celebrates the ongoing impact of The Laramie Project, and connects pop culture and Broadway through Hazbin Hotel. Most notably, Matt delivers a rich, accessible review of Robert Icke’s Oedipus, highlighting adaptation, stellar performances from Mark Strong and Lesley Manville, modern resonances, and innovative design. His honest, engaging approach ensures that even classical theater feels immediate and inviting, framed perfectly for both regular listeners and newcomers to Broadway news.