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Today on Broadway: Monday, Jan. 20, 2025
00:19:39
Tonys Makes Confusing Ruling on ‘Eureka Day,’ Christopher Fitzgerald Joins ‘Urinetown’ at Encores, Matt’s New York Trip Schedule Since 2016, “Today on Broadway” has been the first and only daily podcast recapping the top theatre headlines every Monday ...
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- [00:02]
Matt Tamnini
Welcome to Today on Broadway for Martin Luther King Day. Monday, January 20, also known as the day that Ohio State wins the college football national championship. I'm Broadway Radio's Matt Tamnini and I'm.
- [00:13]
Grace Ake
Tell me on a Sunday podcast, Grace Ake. And I guess hopeful for you, Matt, that the Buckeyes will pull through.
- [00:20]
Matt Tamnini
Well, I mean, there's other things happening on Monday that I am purposely just disassociating with and pretending like it's not happening. So at least I'm going to be positive about the College Football Playoff national championship game at about 7:45 in Atlanta airing on ESPN. So that will be the focus of my day today. Nothing else that is happening in the world am I going to pay attention to whatsoever.
- [00:44]
Grace Ake
I will say I think that it's because I think Matt's trying to be distracted because he knows that Jeremy Jordan is playing his final performance at Great Gatsby. And that is supremely depressing for Matt. And I think that that's. We have to give context to everybody on why you're having such a hard time this Monday.
- [01:02]
Matt Tamnini
Yeah. Yeah, Jeremy. As we are recording, Jeremy is getting ready for his final performance. I've seen it twice. I saw it at Paper Mail, saw it on Broadway. I think Jeremy's amazing. Fortunately, we don't have to wait too much longer to see him back on a Broadway stage. But. Grace, how are you doing? Are you doing okay after this weekend?
- [01:18]
Grace Ake
No, I am not, Matt. I keep returning to an app formerly known as TikTok and every time it's the same error message. And I don't know why. I think every time I click on it, something will be different. And now all of my past relationships make sense. But it's a tough thing. I'm hoping that something changes, but I. But I honestly, like, don't. Even if it gets bought by some tech billionaire, I still think that a massive shift has happened and it will never go back to what it was, nor will the creator economy in that space go back to where it was.
- [01:52]
Matt Tamnini
Yeah.
- [01:53]
Grace Ake
And I'm curious to see what happens over the next week. You know, shows were doing ad spends on TikTok. They were monitoring influencer media on TikTok. Things started trending. Music. There were. There were bits of music like my Days, the song from Death becomes her right now. That began trending on streaming services, which ultimately do well for the show financially because of that app. And that's not something you can recreate on anything else. It'll just be in a different form. But I'M curious to see the impact that it will have on the theater community.
- [02:27]
Matt Tamnini
Yeah. And like you mentioned, like, even if it does get bought, whether it's by Mr. Wonderful or somebody else, it's going to inherently change. Those people are going to be more will have different priorities in how they make and spend money and the types of financial implications that those have for individuals, for small businesses, for big businesses will be substantially different if TikTok does return in some form or another. But let's get into the normal theater news here. Grace and on Friday we got the latest round of Tony Awards administration committee rulings. They discussed 11 shows. Sunset Boulevard, A Wonderful World, maybe Happy Ending, Tammy Faye, Elf, Swept Away, Death Becomes Her, Cult of Love, Eureka Day, Gypsy and All in. There were a number of things in here that are not a a tremendous surprise. James Monroe Iglehart is in the best performance by leading actor in a musical category. Katy Brabin is in the best leading actress in a musical category. There are some others that I think are a little interesting. John Gallagher Jr. Is considered best performance by an actor in a leading role in a musical for Swept Away. Helen J. Shin obviously is best actress in a leading role in a musical. But the one thing that has kind of been raising eyebrows across the theater community is the fact that Eureka Day, which is currently playing on Broadway, is being considered eligible in the best revival of a play category. However, Cult of Love, still currently on Broadway, is being considered eligible in the best play category. Both of these shows had their debuts five, six years ago. One of them is being considered a new play. One of them is being considered revival. And Grace, I've gone through the rules on the Tonys website and to be fair, they don't publish the rules for the current season. The only rules that they have is from last season. So some of this might have changed. But as I go through the rules, the only thing that stands out to me as to why they could have made this decision is if they consider Eureka Day to be by definition a classic or in the historical or popular repertoire of the theater. And I guess the way they are justifying this is that Eureka Day has had a production in New York City. It was done off Broadway in 2019. It is a completely unrelated production to this one that is currently on Broadway. Completely different creative team, completely different director, completely different cast. It is also played in London, had its UK debut in 2022. So it is being done around the country and around the world. While Cult of Love has had previous productions, but not necessarily to this same level and not in New York City. I also realized, Grace, that probably those rules don't matter. And this was something that the production petitioned for and made a case that the Tony administration committee agreed with. But it is, to me, just a little frustrating where we don't have discernible rules. Like I should be able to go to these rules and say, yep, that's it. That's exactly why Eureka Day is in the revival category rather than the new play category. And it's this nebulous stuff that we've seen in, like, the Emmys. When is it a comedy? Is it a drama? Is it a limited series? Is it a, you know, a regular drama? It doesn't ruin anything for me, but it certainly muddies the waters and makes things feel a little more political, which obviously they all are. But it makes it feel more political than I think awards shows should outwardly feel.
- [06:12]
Grace Ake
I guess the feeling of award shows feeling political and inherently being political just kind of don't always go hand in hand. I think that the point of this is obviously so much of it we want to believe is rooted in merit and joy. But the arts can't be compared. And I've always felt this way even when I was in high school. One act competition and then this one act of Godspell being compared to the one act of Miracle Worker being compared to a really choppy version of Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the forum. These things can't really be compared at all. So they, they are having to be based on. On other things. And so I get where that's coming from. But yeah, I think that the, the, the overall message here is that there's never going to be like a clear this is what it is, or the rhyme or reason. We just kind of have to figure it out day by day. But I'm glad that we have the ruling issued. I can't believe we're already approaching February for some of these spring shows. I mean, we've got a lot of new, very new musicals and new plays emerging in this time that I think a lot of people have forgotten about. So getting this ruling on past shows for the past, you know, like fall season is a good, like, refresher on, on where we're sitting in terms of the, the discourse and everything else. So it's fascinating to me and I'm curious to see the other shakeouts of other shows. For sure.
- [07:43]
Matt Tamnini
Yeah. And the benefit of being a revival, especially in the play category, is that there are so many more new plays than there are revivals. There are seven revivals now, including Eureka Day, compared to 14 new plays. So your odds of getting a nomination are twice as likely in the revival category if you're Eureka Day as opposed to the new play category. So it is certainly something where they are hoping to maximize their opportunities with that. But I'm looking forward to seeing both that and Cult of Love next week. So we'll talk about that more here in a little bit. All right, let's get into this week's theatrical schedule. Grace and we actually have, after a month or so, our next Broadway opening happening this Thursday on January 23rd. English the Pulitzer Prize winner from Sanaaaz Tusi will officially open at the Todd Haymes Theater. It is currently scheduled for a limited run with the Roundabout theatre company through March 2. It is directed by Knut Adams and has the Off Broadway cast returning to the show. Every single one of them is making their Broadway debut. I'm especially excited for Tala Ashe, who is a Central Ohio native. She's about my age. I loved her on the TV show DC's Legends of Tomorrow was a big fan of that one. But she has been doing great work in and around New York City theater for a long time and is returning to this production. I expect this one to do very well with the critics because it has already done very well with the critics and this production is essentially the same as it was off Broadway and I've heard only great things about this one. I cannot wait to see this one as well. Also happening on Thursday down at the Classic Stage Company is that All Asian, all Femme production of Cymbeline from the National Asian American Theater Company. It is began performances over the weekend. It will officially open on Thursday and is currently playing through February 15th. It features a modern verse translation by Andrea Tome and is directed by Stephen Brown Fried. This is not a Classic Stage Company production, but is done by Naatco and where they're kind of running out that space. So if I have a link in the show notes if you want to see it, don't go to CSC's website, go to the link in the show notes and then Grace, a minute ago you mentioned all of the new musicals that are coming to Broadway this spring. Well, on Friday we have the first preview performance for the next new musical coming to the Broadway season and that is Redwood. It'll begin performances at the Nederlander Theater on January 24th and then will officially open the day before Valentine's Day on February 13th. It has this crazy kind of conglomeration of everybody who worked on the ideas of this show, but it features a book by Tina Landau, who is also the director. It features music by Kate Diaz and Diaz and Landau wrote the lyrics. It was originally conceived by Landau and star Idina Menzel, and Idina also has additional contributions to the script. As I said, Idina Menzel stars in the show and has a very small cast. It also includes Deandre Aziza, Michael Park, Zachary Noah Peyser, and Kayla Wilcoxon. Grace, this is interesting. They had a big kind of meet and greet event over at the Nederlander Theater last week. Tons of influencers invited and people got to see a little bit of the show and talked to Adina. I'm still not 100% sure what the show is about. I know it's about a woman who goes on a journey of self discovery and ends up living in a tree, I think. But from what you know about this show, what you know about that Nederlander Theater, what you know about Idina Menzel, what should we expect out of Redwood?
- [11:27]
Grace Ake
Not rent, that's for damn sure. I guess that's it. No, I don't know anything about it. And I know less every time I see something, so I'm excited to see it. I'm gonna go in super, super duper blind to it. And I'm. I'm curious. The. I mean, I think I understand someone likened it to the book and film Wild starring Reese Witherspoon from a couple of years ago. So I think that, that, I mean, it is a woman looking upward on the poster. So I was like, all right, check number one. Seems like to be similar. So I'm excited about it. It seems from the imagery I can gather and some of the music I've heard, it's about a woman who's looking to find herself like, that she kind of cuts away from the city. So I'm really. I know that it sounds bad, but like, I think that it's exciting for me personally that I. Because I, you know, I don't like spoilers. I don't even like, like the hint of anything. Because if I have waited this long to see something, I'd like to fully enjoy it. Because the second I get any kind of inkling, if I know kind of the plot, I write the whole thing out in my head. And then if it delivers that, I go, yeah, okay, so why'd I come see this? Or I write a. A different plot that I wish had happened. And then I'm like, well, why didn't they do this? You know, it's Just, I think it's the annoying like writer, actor, brain, which is very pretentious sounding. But I like to genuinely go see the whole idea of what someone has written, composed the lighting design. I want to see all of it in its fullness like any other audience member would, just organically. So while, yes, I know less, somehow I am excited about that trajectory.
- [13:08]
Matt Tamnini
I love it. I can't wait to see it. All right, then, on Sunday we have three things happening. First, off Broadway we have the opening of Beckett Briefs from Irish Rep Was, which is a collection of three one act plays written by Samuel Beckett. This is directed by Kirian O'Reilly and features F. Murray Abraham, Roger Dominick, Casey, Kate Forbes and Sarah Street. Then also on Sunday, out in Brooklyn at Theater for a New Audience, we have a new production of Henry iv adapted by the great stage and screen star Dakin Matthews. It is directed by Eric tucker. It is 3 hours and 45 minutes long with two intermissions. So if you want to go see Young Harry and everybody make sure that you have a butt cushion for you. This one is currently scheduled to run through March 2nd.
- [13:54]
Grace Ake
I just want to say I think that Dakin Matthews is one of our best actors. Like, I love seeing him in every show that he appears in, whether that's begrudgingly To Kill a Mockingbird on Broadway or Waitress or Gilmore Girls reboot, I don't care. He is phenomenal. He's an amazing actor to watch and he alone is like a reason that someone should go see that show.
- [14:20]
Matt Tamnini
Yeah, he's great. The amount of TV stuff he has done is incredible. Like, he's just like, he pops up all the time. He was in the same Juilliard class as like Kevin Klein and Patti LuPone. So like, he's just amazing. And all of the stuff that he's done is kind of remarkable. But when you think about you could basically turn on any TV show and at some point he's going to show up. All right. And then finally on Sunday, the kind of reimagining of Showboat called Show a River from the Target Margin Theater will wrap up its brief New York City run at the NYU Skirball Center. I feel like originally this was supposed to be part of the under the Radar festival, but like on the website, it doesn't mention that anywhere. So I'm not sure if that's technically the case or not, but I'm going to be in town, but I'm not going to be able to see this one. But I really recommend that you do. Hopefully that means that there is another opportunity for this show to come back in a longer run in the future. All right, Grace, let's talk about some real quick show and casting news. On Friday, we found out two new people that are joining the cast of Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends on Broadway. Rounding out the cast will be Jacob Dicke and Kyle Selig. They are joining the previously announced Jasmine Forsberg, Kate Jennings, Grant, David Harris, Bonnie Langford, Beth Leavel, Gavin Lee, Jason Penny Cook, Joanna Riding, Jeremy Secomb, Maria Wearies, and Daniel Yearwood. We also have the entire slate of ensemble and understudies in the show notes if you want to check that out. It will begin performances on February 8th at the Center Theater Group in Los Angeles before coming to Broadway. Begin at the Samuel J. Friedman Theater on March 25th. Then out in Washington, D.C. we got the complete cast announced for the upcoming stage premiere of Schmiga Dune. We have a great ensemble announced including Philip Atmore, Brandon Block, Holly Marie Butler, Max Clayton, Kimberly Emanuel, Eloise Crop, Jess La Prado, Shanna Ann Morris, Angel Rita and more. This will begin performances on January 31st at the Kennedy Center. And then we also got news, Grace, last week, that unfortunately, Taran Killam is no longer going to be part of the cast of New York City Center Encore's production of Urinetown. He will be replaced by Greg Hildreth, who was already set to do one or two performances because Taran had a conflict. Apparently that conflict has extended and Greg is going to take over that role for the entire run. Then replacing Hildreth, who is normally going to be playing Officer Beryl, will be the always wonderful Christopher Fitzgerald. So a nice little company reunion between Greg and Chris in that one as well. And then finally, Grace, we talk about this every time this show or Little Shop of Horrors or something like that gets a new cast. But Titanique continues to kill it because their next slate of stars joining the production will begin over the next few weeks and Andrew Keenan Bolger will step into the role of Victor Garber and luigi. And on February 4, the legendary Leah Delaria will take over the role of Ruth. They just keep knocking it out of the park. Like first off, I'm, I'm shocked that Andrew Keenan Bolger hasn't been in the show already. Maybe he hasn't, I forgot. But Leah DeLaria playing Ruth is about as perfect as you can get as far as I'm concerned.
- [17:57]
Grace Ake
Well, they had that little teaser when she came to the show a couple of weeks ago. And I thought that she's either going into the show or she's got something else lined up. Yeah. Where she tossed Ruth something from the audience. It was like, really funny. And they posted it online. And I was like, all right, she's in rehearsals or something's up. So I thought that was a really great seed. She's amazing. Listen, if, if we can't have her in, in another Broadway show right now, let her, let her be anti tonique. Bring the gays back to the theater. I love her. It's. It's great. It's so great.
- [18:29]
Matt Tamnini
Yeah. All right. And as I mentioned, I am going to be in New York later this week. I will get there on Saturday morning and have five days in the city. I am seeing 10 things in five days. I've got on Saturday, English, oh, Mary and Hadestown. I'm starting my Sunday off with a concert production of a new show written by a friend of mine at Green Room 42 called the shop under the Portico. Then I've got Gypsy and all in on Sunday. Then Wonderful World on Monday, Sunset Boulevard with Mandy Gonzalez on Tuesday. And then Cult of Love and Eureka Day. Maybe with you, Grace. Maybe Eureka Day with you on Wednesday. Before I head back out of town. So lots coming up. Head over to patreon.com broadwayradio broadwayradio.com patreon to get all of those travelog episodes where I talk about those things that I see. All right, that's all we have for today. Thanks for listening to Today on Broadway. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram broadwayrading. You follow me on Instagram @bwwmatt. Grace, where can people find you?
- [19:25]
Grace Ake
You can find me at. It's graceaki.
- [19:26]
Matt Tamnini
All right, everybody, have a wonderful Monday, a wonderful week, and we'll be back to talk to you tomorrow. Unless there's no news because of the holiday. And we'll be back to talk to you on Wednesday.