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Today on Broadway: Monday, Dec. 9, 2024
00:15:35
Matt and Grace Discuss ‘Stranger Things,’ All In,’ ‘Cult of Love,’ Adam Lambert, and More 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 Tammini
Welcome to Today on Broadway for Monday, December 9, 2024. I'm Broadway Radio's Matt Tammini and I'm.
- [00:07]
Grace Hockey
Tell me on a Sunday podcast, Grace Hockey.
- [00:09]
Matt Tammini
Grace, I did a couple episodes by myself at the end of last week because you were stuck going to the Rockefeller center tree lighting with Kelly Clarkson. And then I know what a horrible life you lead. And then your mom came into town.
- [00:21]
Grace Hockey
She's here. But I do want to say that is legitimately true, you guys. I thought I could record with Matt and then I found out that I fit physically was going to be stuck at the tree letting for five hours. Like I thought it was going to be something that I just saw for 20 minutes and no, no, no, no, no. They packed me in at 5pm I got out at 10:20. So it was crazy. But very cool.
- [00:44]
Matt Tammini
Yeah, she, Grace sent me a text like, I'm not leaving until after 10, and then sent me like a bunch of pictures of like Kelly Clarkson to make me feel better, I guess. But that was very cool. I watched some of it on NBC almost that Thursday night, so that was fun. But we had some pretty big news stories hit at the end of last week when you weren't here and I mentioned on the show, it's like, oh, I wish Grace was here because I'd love to hear about this. Don't have to go on too long about each one. Just a couple seconds about each. But the casting, principal casting for Stranger Things, the first shadow, one TR Knight is in there, which is very cool. But Alex Brio is in the cast for Stranger Things, the first shadow, but is also in the cast for Stranger Things Season 5. I know. Don't spoil the secrets. You saw it in London. We don't want to give anything away, but like, that seems like that's a thing rather than just a coincidence, right?
- [01:34]
Grace Hockey
I think it's really exciting. I've never heard of anything like it. When I was first kind of like, notified of that kind of crossover, I was like, that's just never been done. You know what I mean? But I feel the same way about the show happening while the show is happening. That's never been done. I'm also addicted to the fact that Sean Astin is inhabiting the theater. His younger counterpar character on Stranger Things will inhabit after him at the marquee. Like, there's so much crossover that is do, do, do, do do do do do do. Like, it's, it's absolutely freaky and like, I'm waiting for like a Twilight Zone level, like crossover episode that somebody makes where all of these things are connected, because I think it's really cool. But, yes, like, I. I'm excited because T.R. knight has also been in an off Broadway show just now, so he is dipping himself back into the theater, which I think is really cool. And I really loved him on Grey's Anatomy. These are all really exciting things. But, yeah, I've never heard of someone being on a television show where. Or just any kind of media, frankly, where that is being referenced in a Broadway show that is being created and debuting on Broadway at the same time.
- [02:44]
Matt Tammini
Speaking of TV and theater, another one of the big announcements is the principal cast for Urinetown or the rest of the principal cast for Urinetown. And we get yet another office star joining the boards in New York City. We had one in each of the last two Broadway seasons. This is obviously not on Broadway yet, but maybe we can talk about that at some point. But Rainn Wilson is going to be playing Mr. Caldwell. Caldwell P. Caldwell, I think is his name.
- [03:09]
Grace Hockey
Yeah, that thing's crazy. That whole cast is crazy. But when I saw that, I had to go, what? Like, I mean, listen, he lives in Brooklyn, I believe. Like, he lives in New York. But I. I would think. I was absolutely stunned to see this name. But I'm also, like, thrilled. A lot of people have talked about, which I know we'll get into in our Q and A, but, like, what the plans are for this year in town. I haven't heard any plans for this year in town, but I think that if Rainn Wilson's going to sign on to something for, like, two weeks, this totally makes sense. Like, you need people who understand comedy. You need people who understand, you know, this. This kind of, like, niche piece of theater, which is very him. So I think it's very cool.
- [03:50]
Matt Tammini
And the last bit of news is the closing announcement for Swept Away. As we've talked about before, you do work on this show. So I know that there's a lot of disappointment with that, but if there's any kind of parting words about this show that's closing up next Sunday, I'd love to open the floor for you there.
- [04:07]
Grace Hockey
Well, you know that I. Emily, we talked about this when the opening was, but I know I'm incredibly biased that I've looked forward to this musical for a long time, and I was thrilled to help, you know, keep it, I guess, afloat, if you will lack for a better term. And it's just really. I was really shocked and heartbroken and. But that is this business, right? Like it's, there's no inside tea. You're going to hear from me here. Just to say that like I really feel for so many people that have helped shepherd this piece for a really long time. I think that John Gallagher Jr. Really summed it up. There's like a viral video. I don't know if he shared it last week, Matt, but no, I will though that he, he, you know, acknowledged to the audience that they were having to close and what feels very premature but also like that is the course of this. You know, the holidays are very hard. They can either be, you know, godsends for a show or it can be really challenging. I mean look at, you know, maybe happy ending posted this past Saturday night they had a sold out show and I don't think that they've had that yet or maybe just not frequently. And I was thrilled to see that for them. You know, I know that they've also struggled and it just vacillates and they both got times critics picks and they both had very good reviews. And I think that this was just one show that I was expecting to be a part of that, that spring race. It might still be in a different capacity, but it really does make me sad for a lot of the people that have been a part of it for literal years, especially in the cast but also in the studio of it all in, in the creative positions. It really does make my heart break. I've, I've been so excited to work on so many facets of the show that unfortunately I don't know that everyone will get see now. So yeah, it really, it really does does break me down. But I'm very grateful that it finally did come to Broadway because two out of town tryouts, obviously it was aiming for this and they were and I think it's very exciting that they got to finally do it.
- [06:02]
Matt Tammini
All right, speaking of exciting things happening, it starts today and also runs tomorrow on Monday the 9th and Tuesday the 10th at the New Amsterdam Theater. It is the annual Red Bucket Follies hosted by Seth Radetsky. And there are a ton of stars. They're going to be involved. This is just some of them. So let me read through the names that were announced last week. Darleesia Searcy, Grace, one of your recent interview subjects. Kim Exum, Cole Escola, Julie Halston, Jim Parsons, Josh Layman, Chris Sieber, Michelle Williams, Ruthie Ann Miles, Javier Munoz, Nicole Scherzinger, David Thaxton and Betty Buckley as well. She is the this year's BCEFA Broadway legend ornament for the, for the series of her as Grizabella. And that's just going to be amazing. I went last year. It is so much fun. We're also going to have people. The judges are going to be Tom Francis, Nikki M. James, Shayna Taub, Kimberly Maribel, Mary Kate Morrissey, Alexandra Soca, Bibi Neuwirth, Steven Skybell, Conrad, Rick Amora. Just so many incredible people. If you have never been and you have an opportunity to go at 4:30 today and 2pm on Tuesday, it is so much fun to see all of the work and the creativity that they put into these numbers. I am always just thoroughly impressed with Grace. They're doing shows but then coming up with these crazy skits as well. It is, it is very fun. Have you been to one before?
- [07:31]
Grace Hockey
Yes, I have. I have. I will never forget it because the first time and the last time that I did go, it was a year that Christian Borle was on Broadway and I don't remember which time that was, but he was wearing a jacket that I had sold him nine years prior at All Saints. And I just thought it was a crazy full circle moment that I was working on Broadway and Christian Borle was wearing a jacket that I had sold him when I was working in retail. And that made me laugh. So yeah, never forget it.
- [08:01]
Matt Tammini
Well, that leads us right into this week's theatrical schedule. And as I mentioned, we have the Red Bucket Follies on Monday and Tuesday. That will lead us into Wednesday Grace what I think one of the most mystery shrouded shows in recent Broadway history will begin performances over at the Hudson Theater. And that is all in Comedy about Love. This is written by Simon Rich and features music from the Magnetic Fields composed by Stephen Merritt. It is directed by Alex Timbers and has just this bonkers cast of people who are going to open the show and then more stars coming in afterwards. The opening night cast will be John Mulaney, Fred Armisen, Rene Lee Goldsberry and Richard Come. And throughout the run, the Binksons, who I love are going to be performing that music. And I have talked to a number of people trying to figure out exactly what this show is. And I do believe, although I did not think so at first, I do believe these are like actual skits. They are scenes, they are short one acts as opposed to what I thought it would be was kind of like love letters where they were like reading Simon's essays from the New Yorker. I think they are like the essays adapted into scenes. So I'm excited about this. Have you heard more about this being in the circles that you are about what we can actually expect from this show?
- [09:26]
Grace Hockey
Not a damn thing. But I walked by the theater on Friday night and I loved all of the, like 70s, like, comedy caricature artwork that is outside. I think it's perfect. I think that they really hit something really strong with this, at least, like for my demographic because it's the kind of like, comedy that it like, speaks to me. Right. And I think to a lot of other people. But no, I really don't know what the hell they're doing and I can't wait to see it because I need to know. And it's all the things that I like. Take my money, please.
- [09:56]
Matt Tammini
Yeah, I think this one is going to be super crazy. And I would not be surprised if, like a lot of the interpretations that we see change quite a bit as the cast changes as well. Also happening on Wednesday we have the Off Broadway opening of Pen Pals, which also will have a rotating cast of some names that you will know start starting out. It is Tony nominee Joanna Day along with the Facts of life star Nancy McKeon. This is a show that chronicles the friendship of two people over decades who never met and as they kind of go through life's trials and tribulations. It is playing at the theater at St. Clement's and will run into February with different folks coming in including Sharon Lawrence and Katherine Curtin, Nia Var Dallas, Mary Beth Peel, Kate Burton and Pauletta Washington. So just a very cool group of folks. I've heard really good things this from its out of town tryout, so you definitely want to check that one out. Then on Thursday, Grace, we have our next Broadway opening and this is a show that I know you have seen but obviously can't talk about it yet. I am going to see on my next trip into New York. And this is Cult of Love by Leslie Headland playing at the Hayes Theater from Second Stage and directed by Trip Coleman. It features a really great cast. Molly Bernard, Roberta Collandrez, Barbie Ferreira, Rebecca Henderson, Christopher Lowell, Zachary Quinto, David Raich, Christopher Sears, Mar Winningham and Shailene Woodley. Grace, again, no spoilers or no spoilers for the plot, but also no spoilers on your opinions. But like in a nutshell, explain what this show is. It certainly seems to fit in a very certain genre of classic American plays.
- [11:32]
Grace Hockey
Yeah, I think that the way I kind of like summed it up is like if you sought out and still watch every holiday, things like the Family Stone, you know, things like, you know, these, like, holiday kind of like around the kitchen sink type of. That's what this is like. Especially with like an all star cast. It feels like one of those movies where you're just like Fever Dream. You know, Netflix puts it out and then you're like, oh, I didn't know that all of these people were in this movie. That's what this is. Which I think is very exciting. But from the title, I did not know what to expect. And also, I really love cult stuff. It is not about cult stuff, but I think the cult of being in an American family, especially like a white American family. It certainly makes sense once you've seen it.
- [12:22]
Matt Tammini
Yeah. From there, unfortunately, there's no other previews or openings. But Sunday, December 15th has a lot of closings. Let's start with the ones on Broadway we mentioned. Swept Away. That one is wrapping up. We also know that the Notebook will be closing on Broadway, obviously earlier than they had originally planned. But if you have not seen it, it was my favorite musical of last season, so certainly good over there. And then we have the closing of the Roommate over at the Booth Theater, which is when they were always scheduled to wrap up. Then going off Broadway, we have five major shows closing, 300 paintings off Broadway from the Vineyard, Big Gay Jamboree off Broadway, King Lear starring Kenneth Branagh at the Shed. Then Shit Meat Fan, which stars everybody at mcc, and then Tender Napalm off Broadway as well. All right, Grace, we also got a little bit of new information about a new musical that is going to have a reading coming up today and tomorrow from Amas Musical Theater. It is a new show called Call Me from the Grave, with music and lyrics by Charlie Romano and a book by Harold Judge Jr. The readings will be directed by Tiffany Nicole Green. The show is about Robert Johnson, who is a very famous blues figure, but he supposedly sold his soul to the devil to become the best blues guitarist on earth. And the score, obviously is infused with blues, but also a lot of love and faith and fame and how those things can push against each other. The reading will star Melvin Abstin, April Armstrong, Chris Coleman, Bradley Gibson, Danielle Lee Greaves, Alan H. Green, who I think is in every single reading everywhere. Cameron Kite, Aaron James McKenzie, Christiana Pitts, who I loved in King Kong, Rick Younger and more. And then finally, Grace. I have to include this because I saw him do it live and it was incredible. But as our recommendation for today, the Broadway production of Cabaret, the KitKat Club released a music video of Adam Lambert singing I Don't Care Much And Adam is amazing. Like, I loved him from American Idol days. I still have on my itunes, which I don't use anymore. Like, I purchased to get the singles from his or from his American Idol run. He is amazing, and I'm just, like, mad that it took so long to get him on Broadway, but hopefully this is something that he enjoys doing and we can get him back on the main stem regularly.
- [14:47]
Grace Hockey
He's just so good. And I love that this was something that the West End was doing kind of regularly or was able to do with, like, their MCs and stuff, because there's one of Mason Alexander park as well, which I highly recommend you check out if you like this. But this, it made me so happy because, like, he's amazing, and if you've not gotten over there to see him and Ali, you absolutely should. Like, they're so, so phenomenal, and I really, really love this video.
- [15:14]
Matt Tammini
All right, that's everything that we have for you today. Thanks for listening to today on bro. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at Broadway Radio. You can follow me on Instagram @bww. Matt. Grace. Where can people find you?
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Grace Hockey
You can find me at. It's Grace Hockey.
- [15:24]
Matt Tammini
All right, everybody, have a wonderful Monday, a wonderful week, and we'll be back to talk to you to.