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Today on Broadway: Monday, Feb. 10, 2025
00:20:00
Matt and Grace Are Back, Kennedy Center Responds to Trump, ‘Schmigadoon’ Kennedy Center Highlights 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 Monday, February 10, 2025. I'm Broadway Radio's Matt Tammanini and I'm.
- [00:07]
Grace Hockey
Tell Me on a Sunday podcast, Grace Hockey.
- [00:09]
Matt Tammanini
Grace, we're back. Better than ever, hopefully. Maybe. I want to thank James for handling everything in our stead as I was off cruising around the Bahamas last week and he did a great job of kind of getting back into the Today on Broadway flow, which he hasn't done for many years. We had some interviews that I did in some of those episodes last week. He talked to our friend Oliver Henry Roth on Friday's episode. Also over the past week, Jan Simpson's latest episode of all the drama was released. And of course, we had this Week on Broadway. So thank you for giving us the opportunity to relax and reset a little bit. But we are back here for the majority of the home stretch over the spring season because, Grace, we have a Broadway opening this week. We have another Broadway show beginning previews this week. It is really starting to get hot and heavy into the season as a whole, which is, well, it's exciting and scary, to paraphrase Sondheim, because there is a lot coming over the next few months. But before we get into all of the news today, I did want to send out something that is kind of shocking. Whenever you hear of somebody young and vibrant and energetic who is battling cancer, it does kind of throw you for a loop. But one of my absolute favorite Broadway performers, Kara Lindsey, revealed late last week over the weekend, she had been diagnosed with stage two breast cancer in October. She went through eight rounds of chemotherapy that ended at the end of January. And she's kind of sharing her stories. If you want to go over her social media, I have the links in the show notes if you want to kind of hear and read what she's talking about. She has a great set of photos that she did with a photographer where she has lost all of her hair, but she seems to be kind of addressing it. Grace with the signature heart and humor that she brings to everything. She is scheduled to be down here at Epcot for Disney's Broadway concert series as part of the Festival for the Arts at the end of February. I was already planning on going because I adore carolindsay, but very much even more excited for the opportunity that we get to see her perform, having dealt with everything she has over the past 6ish months. All right, let's get into the news, Grace. And before we get into new news, you and I were off last week. There was some considerable things that were announced and all of that kind of stuff during the week that we were out. So I just want to run through these things very quickly, get your specific insights on them. Couple sentences, 30 seconds on each of these topics. Last week, the Broadway League released its audience demographic report for the 2023, 2024 season. What's interesting is, is that the previous season, 2223, was one of the youngest and most diverse audiences in Broadway history. We did see that diversity continue in 2324, but we saw more over 50 theatergoers back into the Broadway ticket buying audience. The average theater goer's age, this hurts me, was actually younger than me. It was 42 years old. And people of color who bought tickets represented 28% of theatergoers last season. That's down one point from the previous season. So obviously a move in the wrong direction, but still more or less statistically holding steady. The average annual income for a theater goer is $276,000 with an average ticket price paid of almost 155 bucks. So Grace, as somebody who works in the business, who your job is to help people buy tickets, what are some of the things that you saw in this report that you thought were the most noticeable?
- [03:48]
Grace Hockey
I really love, like that the average age of a Broadway theater goer was 42. Like that is the median average age, which feels really young young. Like I've been talking about this for a minute, that all of those 30 under 30 discounts because of the way our economy has moved. I would love to see those as 40 under 40 or 40 under 30, whatever that might mean. Because I think that we've seen a shift. We want to encourage the younger theater goer. I do. And maybe it's because I'm in my 30s, but I want, I want it to edge closer to 40 now than the 30 mark. Because we are seeing an increased theater goer in that kind of age range, which is really exciting. That means that like people, it said 84% had completed college and 44% had earned a graduate degree. That's like a significant boost. But that also means like close to 60% don't have a graduate degree. That means that 20% haven't completed college. And those are the, those are the numbers that I want to spike up more. So and I love to kind of like digest those things and talk about what we're doing to usher in the next wave of theater goer. And I think that with shows that are not, quote family shows, but have like a hotter younger demographic, I mean Look, I wonder if the last five years revival that's about to come to Broadway with Nick Jonas is going to have a different demographic of ticket buyer than other revivals of Broadway shows. I would love to see a comparison of Sunset Gypsy. What is another revival?
- [05:14]
Matt Tammanini
Mattress.
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Grace Hockey
Once upon a mattress was this season Mattress Pirates. Like I would love to see kind of a demographics report of all of those next to the last five years and see just how big of a jump that average or that median age is based on that alone. Based on that. Kind of like star of a Millennial and Gen Z audience.
- [05:35]
Matt Tammanini
Yeah, absolutely. The other big news is we got the complete cast announced for Good night and good luck on Broadway. We already knew that George Clooney was going to be in the show directed by David Cromer. It will also feature Will Dagger who starred opposite David Cromer in that loft production of Uncle Vanya a couple seasons ago. But some of the big names in there are. Alana Glaser is in the show. Clark Greg, Agent Coulson himself is in there. Fran Kronz, who is a great stage and screen performer that I really love. Andrew Polk is in there. What did you think of this collection of talent that will be gracing the stage of Good night and good luck here. Coming up this season, I think that.
- [06:14]
Grace Hockey
The Ilana Glazer was the most shocking of all. Like I, I should be privy to that casting information. I was not and I was pissed.
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Matt Tammanini
I was, are you working on this.
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Grace Hockey
Show technically like our, you know, the people that I work with are. So I was like, oh, I thought I'd know. I didn't. And that was a glorious surprise. When I saw everybody outside of the Winter Garden Theater and she was present, it was just so exciting. I think she's going to be astounding. And what a weird year it is for people that have been on like Broad City and like, you know what I mean, like with, with, you know, oh Mary and all these other shows. I'm just like the, the TV film casting or what have you on Broadway is very exciting to me and I think that Ilana Glaser is going to be excellent in the show.
- [07:00]
Matt Tammanini
Speaking of not only TV people on Broadway and oh Mary, we also found out that Titus Burgess is going to do a three week run as Mary Todd Lincoln in oh Mary Wild One. I mean, it's wild to me that Titus is doing it for just three weeks. But I think that probably shows you, Grace, how much people love this show and the opportunity to do this type of comedy on stage and on Broadway, which, I mean, honestly, I don't know that we've seen many shows like this ever.
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Grace Hockey
We haven't. I hope that this is something unique and new, but also I hope that other people repeat it. I think that's a formula that is working. If you get it right, it's going to be cool, fun, sexy, successful. I want this. I mean, you and I have talked about this on the show too, Matt, but, like, I want this for Rocky Horror. I want this for Hedwig again. I think that it could be exciting just all around. So more and grace.
- [07:57]
Matt Tammanini
The final big thing that happened on Broadway this week was on Friday over the Marquee Theater, the box office for Stranger Things. The first Shadow opened. I know you were there. You were playing with a dog dressed as a Demogorgon or whatever. So tell us all about everything that happened over at the Marquee on Friday.
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Grace Hockey
Yeah, they offered 1959, $19.59 tickets to honor when the show takes place. Also, I think it's nice because it helps remind people that this is not set in the 80s of Stranger Things. This is Stranger Things, the first shadow, not the 50th shadow. It's meant to be a prequel and it's set in 1950. So hammering that home. But we had and shout out to the incredible Partnership. And I, and I say this lovingly because it's a friend of mine who orchestrated it, Victoria, she did this incredible partnership with raising Canes for a giveaway for a year's supply of chicken from Raising Canes in support of this. So you didn't even have to purchase a ticket to enter to win. But there were over 500 people that came to that box office opening. It was, it was amazing. And like, this is why, again, like sharing it on social, telling people how you heard about it, all that stuff that I've talked about before, the only way we're able to do those things is if people, you know, remind you and acknowledge just how much it's appreciated and excited. You know, it's, we gave out these hats and buttons and it was cool. I had a really good time. I also got chicken. So that's where I'm at.
- [09:29]
Matt Tammanini
All right, well, let's dive into some new news. As little as there is. And I'm sure by now you have all heard about what is going on over at the Kennedy Center. Donald Trump made a post on his Truth Social account saying that he was going to get rid of the entire board of the Kennedy center and then name himself the chairman of of the Kennedy center, the center itself, put out a statement, and I'm going to just read it to you because it is fairly interesting. It says, quote, throughout our history, the Kennedy center has enjoyed strong support from members of Congress and their staffs, Republicans, Democrats and Independents. Since our doors opened in 1971, we have had a collaborative relationship with every presidential administration. Since that time, the Kennedy center has had a bipartisan board of Trustees that has supported the arts in a nonpartisan fashion. While we are a living memorial to President Kennedy, we are also a unique public private partnership. The center is supported by federal annual appropriations for the upkeep and maintenance of the building as a federal memorial, or approximately 16% of the total operating budget. Support for the Center's artistic programming comes from ticket sales, donations, rental income and other revenue sources. The Kennedy center is aware of the post made recently by POTUS on social media. We have received no official communications from the White House regarding changes to our Board of Trustees. We are aware that some members of our board have received termination notices from the administration per the Center's governance. Established by Congress in 1958. The chair of the Board of Trustees is appointed by the Center's board members. There is nothing in the Center's statute that would prevent a new administration from replacing board members. However, this would be the first time such action has been taken with the Kennedy Center's board. I don't know what to say to this, Grace, other than this is we've seen things like this in other parts of the world under very certain types of administrations. And between this and what is happening with the National Endowment for the Arts and what they are requiring for grants for this next grant cycle to be like, what projects have to be focused on, they have to be basically pro American. And about the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence or have some sort of component celebrating that. These are. These are things that we often see from fascist regimes around the country or around the world. So take that for what it is. All right, let's talk about this week's theatrical schedule. Grace, I'm just going to run through things very quickly. Our first Broadway opening of February will happen on Thursday night, February 13th. And it will happen at the Nederlander Theater as Redwood will officially open. It is written by Tina Landau and Kate Diaz, who collaborated on the book and lyrics. Diaz did the music by herself. It was originally conceived by Landau and star Idina Menzel. Also in the cast are deandre Aziza, Michael Park Zacharino, Apizer and Kayla Wilcoxon. And this is a show that I think has had a pretty interesting preview period because Idina Menzel has been out and has been ill. I know that Jessica Phillips has gone on at least once or twice. I was seeing things posted when I was getting into port on my cruise, so I don't know the exact amount of times she's gone on. But this is a show, Grace, that I think a lot of people are interested in. I've heard some comparisons to Dear Evan Hansen because of the size of the cast, the Michael park of it all, but also the fascination with trees and climbing trees. But I think a lot of people are excited to see what this is actually like and what the reviews will be when it opens on Thursday. Also on Thursday, beginning previews over at Lincoln Center Theater, is the new adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's Ghosts. It is a new version of the show written by Mark O Rowe and Directed by Jack O'Brien. This was the Nepo Festival that we talked about before, starring Lily Rose, Levon Hawk, Billy Crudup, your Boy, Ella Beatty and Hamish Linklater. This show is currently scheduled to play through April 13, so you have two months to get over to Lincoln center to check this one out. Grace, I assume you're going to do everything you can to see your boy Billy, right?
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Grace Hockey
I mean, you know it.
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Matt Tammanini
I would expect, nonetheless, nothing less. If you need something to do on Valentine's Day, you can head over to the Orpheum Theater where previews will begin for the Off Broadway run of the Jonathan Larson Project. It will play a 16 week limited engagement, although I feel like if things go well, they will probably want to extend that and probably could extend it as well. An absolutely phenomenal cast, including Adam Chandler, Barrett Taylor, Iman Jones, Lauren Marcus, Andy Miantis and Jason Tam. Then on Saturday, Grace, another Broadway show begins previews, and it's one that I think a lot of people are interested to see how it plays to this American audience. And that is Operation Mincemeat. We'll begin performances on Saturday at the John Golden Theatre ahead of its opening on March 20th. The entire original West End cast, including three of the people who wrote the show, are in the company. I'm excited. I don't know what to make of this or what to expect from this, Grace, but I think this is one that, as we are starting to look towards the spring season and what that could mean for awards, we have to keep an eye on this because this is one that I think has gone under the radar Just because people don't know a ton about it.
- [14:40]
Grace Hockey
And.
- [14:41]
Matt Tammanini
And I think it could be something that's pretty exciting for a lot of folks. And then we have some closings coming up over the weekend. First on Saturday down at the Classic Stage Company. The National Asian American Theater Company's production of William Shakespeare's Cymbeline will close on Saturday. Then on Broadway on Sunday. We have three shows closing all in comedy about love, Eureka Day and Romeo and Juliet. And then off Broadway, we have a knock on the roof from the New York Theatre Workshop and we have the final performance of you're in Town from New York City Center. Encores. Now, Grace, I know you went and saw, I believe, the invited dress for you're in Town, our friend Ashley Hufford texted me after she saw it and said this was the most fully staged encores show she's seen in a while. It felt very much more with an Eye on Broadway than some of the other recent very bare bones. Lear to Bassinet Productions. This was not directed by Lear. What were your thoughts real quick about you're in Town?
- [15:36]
Grace Hockey
Yeah, I didn't feel that way. I didn't feel like it was that. But. But you know what, you know what, they do this all the time, right? They're like, actually, we were ready. The thing that I think is not. This is not a slight or indicative of this production specifically. I just think it's like, overall with City Center, I think that one of the biggest opportunities with Urinetown specifically is how genius the writing is. Like, the two writers famously don't write blue into any of their scripts. They only. They've only written a few pieces and they're all like, about political and societal conversations. Like they. They did this zombie musical ones and. And like there's all these different. It was about like, you know, what we're doing. Poisoning the blank or whatever it is. This one is obviously a satire on capitalism or political climate, things like that. So that's why a lot of people are like, it's so timely. The thing about when everyone is trying to like memorize something in 10 days and then they're trying to be totally off book and then the sound is what it is. You can't hear every single joke. Like, you're not able to hear all of the clever lyrics and all the clever book writing. And I would so much rather, with that little of time, go back to the original conceit of City center and have people hold their scripts. Like, I would. I would love to still see these amazing performances with scripts in hand. Because we know that that's okay. We know that when we go to City center encores, that's what we are getting. It's okay. Like, I am not ever gonna sit there and be like, wish they were off book. Like, that's not what this is. You know what I mean? And so that, that for me was the biggest. Oh, I wish they could have gotten to do that. Or they felt more comfortable to do that because it feels like everyone's just trying to be like, but we, you know what? I was off book. Okay, well, I still would have loved to have heard 20% more of those jokes then like word perfect rather than everyone's full bodied performances within 10 days of rehearsal. That's just me. But I loved so much of this production. I loved Jordan Fisher. I love, I mean the casting was phenomenal. I got to watch Stephanie Styles two hour Glinda audition which was fabulous. I'm glad she invited us to that. Like, but I mean that with all love and sincerity. There was so many great things about it. That's just the one thing that I was like, God, I wish that people didn't feel like they had to give us an off book performance with this because I think it's okay. Like, I think that the audiences will still be very satisfied. I know the ticket prices are not inexpensive, but I do think that that was, that's an okay concession to make on the next show, whatever that might be.
- [18:10]
Matt Tammanini
In other news over the weekend, this is something I didn't really know was happening, but Riverdance launched a new 40 city tour. It is being called Riverdance 30 the New Generation. It will reimagine the original show with new choreography, costumes, lighting, projection and motion graph. Launched down here in Florida over at the Kravis center in West Palm Beach. It's going to hit Gainesville and then go all across the country, including stops at the Kennedy center and Radio City Music Hall. So if you love that Ivers step dancing, check that out. And then we also got news last week that Ryan Silverman will lead the cast of a new musical called Tesla, which has nothing to do with Elon Musk, but he will play Nikola Tesla who had a battle with Thomas Edison to give the world electricity. Also in the cast will be Jenny Lee Stern, Sarah Bernhardt, Jason Sweet Tooth Williams, Jared Zurilli and Lincoln Ginsdel Ginsburg as well as others. This will come to us from the York Theater Company. It will happen on February 20th and 21st. And finally, I got a couple recommendations. The first is the trailer for Six the Musical live. It is going to premiere in UK cinemas on April 6th. And then we also have highlights from Schmigadoon at the Kennedy center.
- [19:21]
Grace Hockey
And the Wells Fargo Wagon brought Mother Pause.
- [19:24]
Matt Tammanini
Harpoo, if you want to see three and a half minutes of highlights, you can head over to the show. Notes 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. Audrey Reading. Follow me on Instagram at bwwmattgrace. Where can people find you?
- [19:38]
Grace Hockey
You can find me at Graceaki.
- [19:40]
Matt Tammanini
All right, everybody, have a wonderful Monday. We'll be back to talk to you tomorrow. Love it more than me Once ye have entered.