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Today on Broadway: Monday, March 31, 2025
00:20:00
Richard Chamberlain Dies, Scott Rudin Plans Broadway Return, Openings and Previews Heat Up on Broadway 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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- [00:00]
Matt Tamanini
Hey prime members, are you tired of ads interfering with your favorite podcasts? Good news. With Amazon Music, you have access to the largest catalog of ad free top podcasts included with your prime membership. To start listening, download the Amazon Music app for free or go to Amazon.com ADFreePodcasts that's Amazon.com ADFreeP Podcasts to catch up on the latest episodes without the ads. Welcome to Today on Broadway for Monday, March 31, 2025. I'm Broadway Radio's Matt Tamanini and I'm.
- [00:34]
Grace
Tell Me on the Sunday Podcast Grace.
- [00:35]
Matt Tamanini
Aki Grace, I am in New York. We are recording on Sunday. Obviously I've already seen two shows, two shows that are probably going to be in the conversation for best musical. I saw Buena Vista Social Club and Operation Mincemeat. On Saturday. I'll have all my thoughts about every show that I see over in Patreon on standalone travelogue episodes. So if you want to hear all of that, head head over to patreon.com broadwayradio broadwayradio.com patreon and sign up at the mezzanine tier and above. There will be lots of other things that I see this week that I'm sure you will want to hear all about, so join us over there. Unfortunately, Grace, we do have to start off with some sad news because on Sunday morning it was announced that legendary star of stage and screen Richard Chamberlain died at the age of 90 years old. He had been a huge part of both Broadway and television circles for many, many years, perhaps most well known to wider audiences as stars of the original Shogun series and the TV miniseries the Thornbirds. I first became aware of him in the show that triggered my love for theater. I saw him in the pre Broadway national tour of My Fair lady and she played Henry Higgins opposite Melissa Erico. That was back in 1993 and then it came to Broadway. That was just one of his many theatrical cred. He also starred in the Breakfast at Tiffany's musical that never officially opened. Back in the mid-60s he did a production of the Night of the Iguana, Blythe Spirit, and then played the Captain in the Sound of music in the 1998 revival. So for anybody who knew or loved Richard Chamberlain, our thoughts go out to you this weekend back home. I have the show poster of him and Melissa Erico hanging in my bedroom. So I will definitely be thinking about that and I might reach out to my grandmother who took me to see that production today just to kind of touch base with her and reconnect over how special that memory was for me. But moving on into the news, Grace something that is also a little concerning and disconcerting. It was reported in the New York Times on Friday that Tony Award winning mega producer Scott Rudin, who has not been working in theater or film, at least not publicly, for the past 4ish years, is planning to return to the New York stage sometime in the near future and it has brought up a lot of concerns from people. If you Remember, back in 2021, Scott Rudin was the focus of a number of articles across multiple publications, including the Hollywood Reporter, New York Magazine and many others that accused him of being a to be polite temperamental, but to not be polite abusive boss. Everything from yelling at employees to throwing staplers at people and being a general difficult person to work for. Since then, he has stepped away from professional life and as far as we know, has not really been involved with anything theatrical. However, it does now seem that he is trying to plan a way back to Broadway. It is not 100% clear if he has rejoined the Broadway League, which is something that he would need to do, and he has not officially been barred from anything. Although I do believe, Grayson, you might remember better than I do that I think there were calls for him to be put on a no work list from Actors Equity and maybe potentially other unions. So I don't know if that ever happened or if it did happen and that has expired. But the New York Times is saying that he is looking to do multiple Broadway shows in this next season, including a Broadway run of Samuel D. Hunter's Little Bear Ridge Road. He also wants to work with Laurie Metcalf and Nathan Lane, both of whom he has worked with multiple times in the past. He is apparently working on a new play by David Hare called Montauk that'll star Metcalf and be directed by Joe Mantello. Metcalf is also apparently potentially working on a revival of Death of a Salesman with Nathan Lane on also directed by Joe Mantello. All of these people have worked with him many, many times in the past, so it makes sense that they would be potentially the first people that he would go to if he is planning a return to Broadway. He's also apparently working on a Broadway run of Bruce Norris Cotton Field to be directed by Robert O'Hara and an off Broadway run of Wallace Shawn's what We Did Before Our Moth Days to be directed by Andre Gregory. It seems to me, Grace, that when you look at a New York Times article like this that has not only potential productions, but stars and directors and timelines that this is not just like a trial balloon that is being floated up there, that maybe sometime in the future Scott Rudin will get back to producing theater. This sounds like something that not only has long been in the works, but is probably going to happen whether people like it or not. Unless there is a huge massive outcry that makes it just so toxic for artists to participate, which while there has certainly been an outcry, I don't think this is Kennedy center level situation where people are going to completely pull out. I think people like Lori Metcalf, Joe Mantello, Nathan Lane, Bruce Norris, Robert O'Hara, Wallace, Sean, like, they knew when getting involved with Scott Rudin that it would probably be a bumpy ride and they were prepared for that. So to me, and again, who knows what happens? But to me, this sounds like this is not a test balloon to see if it should happen. This is the first part of the announcement of rolling out something that will happen. I have hear rumors that while this would be the first official projects that Scott Rudin brings to the stage since he left four years ago, these are not the first things that he has been producing. Whether he has been the main person on any shows like he was in the past, probably not, but has certainly been a major part of productions behind the scenes. So this is a situation that I think a lot of people will be looking at. I don't know that there has been a lot of public attrition that Rudin has talked about in the past, which I think a lot of people would probably require before they felt comfortable working with him again. But who knows? It's all very messy. It's all something that, you know, feels like a million years ago, but also feels like a couple months ago. And it's going to be tricky to see how Broadway and many of the institutions that surround Broadway react to something like this if and when it actually does happen. Grace?
- [07:16]
Grace
Yeah, you know, lots of thoughts on these things. We always, as a person who has been victimized by an abuser, I always say that, like the number one thing is, do we believe and are is that person making active choices in their everyday life to be better, to, you know, be in therapy, to be surrounded by people that are going to be checking them for these things. Like, I don't really care about the celebrities and names that are attached to these projects so much as I care about who is his assistant. Who are these people that are having to work day to day under this person who has a history of abuse. Right. And then the other that I want to provide is a quote from Paula Vogel which says in 2017, during Indecent, Scott Rudin told my producer, shut your playwright up or I will. Welcome back Mr. Rudin. Looking forward to all the women playwrights, directors and producers you will mentor as you turn a new leaf. She tweeted that on Saturday, I believe.
- [08:12]
Matt Tamanini
Yeah, very, very, very well said by one of the great writers in American theatrical history. So we will see what happens. And like I said, like I had this conversation with Ashley Steeves before we went and saw Buena Vista Social Club on Saturday. I think that it's impossible to deny that Scott Rudin has been behind some of the most celebrated and star studded productions on Broadway in the past 50 years. I also think that he's been involved with some of the best shows on Broadway that I have ever seen. But that does not mean that his gargantuan presence in the industry is necessary for those types of things in productions to happen. I think we have seen great productions without him since he's been gone. There has not been a lack of interesting work or stars, which is something that he has been, you know, known for. I don't think there has been a lack of those things on Broadway without him. Now perhaps he's been pulling the strings on some of those productions behind the scenes and we don't know. Maybe. I can't tell you for sure. But it is not something where I think the American theater would be forever hampered without the presence of Scott Rudin returning. But also, like you said, Grace, if he has done the things to address the issues in the past, then I guess we can discuss that then. But it sure seems to me like this thing is going to happen rather than just could potentially happen. All right, speaking of things that are going to happen, at least we think. Last week, after pushing back their first preview by a few days, Just In Time announced that it is pushing back its Broadway opening. The production had originally been scheduled to start previews on March 28th. Last Friday, that was pushed to today. We're going to talk about the schedule here in a second because of issues with converting the Circle in the Square Theater into the intimate nightclub where the show takes place now. They are also going to correspondingly move opening night from April 23rd to April 26th. And they have also added an extra performance on the 24th, which was supposed to be the day after opening. So you can get tickets to that if you want to jump on it real quick. That might have some opportunities to get some nice tickets at a without much of the rush that some of the other performances have had. But all right, Grace, let's get into the schedule. There's so much in the schedule. I I will briefly mention all the off Broadway stuff and I'll have links to everything in the show notes, obviously, but I'm just going to focus on the Broadway stuff. As I mentioned. Just in Time begins performances at the Circle in the Square theater tonight. It is a show with a book by Warren Late and Isaac Oliver. Warren Late is like one of the like creators and executive producers or at least longtime producer of Law and Order svu. He's also done a bunch of theatrical stuff in the past, so that should be interesting. It features music by the late great Bobby Darin and is directed by Alex Timbers. The cast, as we know by now, star Jonathan Groff, also features Emily Bergle, Erica Henningson, Gracie Lawrence, Michelle Pak, Cesar Samoya, and more. This has been interesting because I feel like this has kind of gone under the radar and we haven't really talked a whole lot about it because I don't think people really know what to expect from this, especially with Groff coming off of his Tony win, Grace. But I'm excited to see what happens with this one. And then tomorrow over at the James Earl Jones Theater, we have the first Broadway performance of Real Women have Curves, the musical. It features a book by Lisa Loomer and Nell Benjamin and it's based on a play by Josefina Lopez and the screenplay of the same name. It features music and lyrics by Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez and is directed and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo. The cast is led by Tatiana Cordoba and Justina Machado as well as a ton of other fantastic folks. Grace, I know somebody that you live with went to the invited dress over the weekend.
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Grace
Oh, yes. Yeah. Exactly one year since the heart of Rock and roll's first preview. F went back to the James Earl Jones for the invited dress of Real Women have Curves to see one of our dearest friends, Mason Reeves, who we have interviewed here on Broadway, Broadway radio for the Frozen tour, make his Broadway debut and originate a principal role on Broadway. That's history. That's very exciting. I cannot wait to see the show. I heard that everyone that was there had an amazing time last night, so I can't wait to see it for my own lives.
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Matt Tamanini
Awesome. Then happening on Wednesday, we have the first previews Off Broadway of Irishtown from Irish Rep. For more information about that, you can check out in the show Notes Then back to the Broadway on Thursday we have our next opening night and this one happens over at the Winter Garden Theater with Good Night and Good Luck. As was the film version of this story. It is written by George Clooney and Grant Heslov. Unlike it was in the film version. George Clooney is not directing. He is starring in. It is directed on Broadway by David Cromer. In addition to George Clooney playing Edward R. Murrow, we also have performances from folks like Will Dagger, Glenn Fleischler, Alana Glazer, Clark Gregg, Paul Gross, Fran Kronz, Andrew Polk and more. So you're kind of fascinated about this one, Grace, about how the transition not only from real life to a stage play, but real life to a movie to a stage play works. Especially because that that film was so stylized. It was black and white because it was black and white tv. It was the story that they were telling. So I'm really looking forward to seeing this on Saturday. I think next Saturday. But just kind of a really fascinating trajectory at this time when we are so overwhelmed with attacks on journalism that I can only imagine how this one is going to play. Also happening on Thursday over at the Public Theater. We talked last week about the fact that this is already extended, but a quartet of plays by Carol Churchill, Glass, Kill, what if, if Only and Imp will officially begin performances. Then on Friday we have the first Broadway preview of I Can't Believe I'm saying this title, Pirates the Penzance Musical over at the Todd Hames Theater. It is currently scheduled to open on April 24th. This of course is a new adaptation of Pirates of Penzance by Gilbert and Sullivan. It is set in New Orleans. It features a new book by multiple time Broadway radio guest Rupert Holmes and is directed by Scott Ellis and choreographed by Warren Carlisle. Some fantastic names leading this production including Ramin Karimloo, Jinx Monsoon, David Hyde Pierce. Also in there, Nicholas Barish, Preston, Truman Boyd, Samantha Williams and others. I've never seen Pirates Greece. Have you ever seen a production of Pirates of Penzance?
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Grace
No.
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Matt Tamanini
Me neither. I've never seen the movie. Like I've heard obviously some of the the Gilbert and Sullivan song. So I'm excited to see what this is actually like on stage with a New Orleans flair. And then Grace, I had to check this multiple times because I did not believe that this was correct. But happening on Saturday, that is April 5th. Saturday, April 5th we will have a Broadway opening on a Saturday, which seems crazy to me because that doesn' but that will take place over at the Broadhurst Theater where, boop, the musical will officially open. I'm not sure if we will get reviews on a Saturday night or if they will save those for another day, but it's getting kind of tight as we get into April. But this musical features a book by Bob Martin, music by David Foster and lyrics by Susan Birkenhead. It is directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell and stars Jasmine Amy Rogers as the title character. Also in the company are Steven DeRosa, Anastasia McCleskey, Faith Prince, Eric Bergen. And this is one we've kind of really been excited about, Grace, that hopefully it delivers all of the fun and big brassy Broadway musical excitement that we have seen from all of the previews. I am seeing it tonight, yeah, Monday night. So I'm excited to check out what that is all about over at the Broadhurst. Also happening on Saturday, a couple things. Off Broadway, we talked about the fact that the Atlantic Theatre Company is back. They will begin performances of Grief Camp Off Broadway. And over at the Public Theater, the Club Thumbs production of Deep Blue Sound will officially close. And then Sunday we have another Broadway opening and this one takes place over at the Hudson Theater. And it is the last five years starring Nick Jonas and Adrian Warren. This obviously is the Jason Robert Brown musical that has never played Broadway despite being one of the most beloved musicals of the past 25 years. It is directed by Whitney White and choreographed by the Cooperman Brothers, which is kind of exciting. And I'm kind of interested to see how this plays on Broadway. Grace, whether it's the two hander of it all, the fact that they're never really in the same scenes, although from some of the production photos it does look like they've kind of played with that a little bit. And I love this show. We've, you know, everybody has kind of had their say on the vocal styles of the two stars and how they fit. But I'm super excited. I'm still kind of hoping to get in and get it in on this trip. I might just have to buy the ticket if I'm not able to figure out the voter invites. But kind of on pins and needles to see what this one not only looks and sounds like, but to see what the response is to it as well. And then off Broadway, a bunch of other things happening on Sunday, back to the Atlantic Theater where they will officially open. I'm assuming, you know, David Greenspan, which had been closed since January because of the strikes. And then closing off Broadway will be A Streetcar Named Desire at Brooklyn Academy of Music. Liberation from the Roundabout Theater Company and Curse of the Starving Class from the new group Greece. How is your schedule this week? I agree. Are you like carb loading already to make sure that you have enough energy to get through this week?
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Grace
I really don't. I looked at my calendar and there was a dot on every day until I think April 28th. So I need to figure it out. Yeah, yeah, I need to figure it out.
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Matt Tamanini
Okay. All right, well, real quick, I'm going to run through some fun little news here and then we will get you out of here and hopefully you can rest for the rest of Sunday. But the 36th annual GLAAD awards happened on Thursday night and some theatrical related stars and projects were recognized. O Mary and Limpicka actually tied for outstanding Broadway production, which is fun. Cynthia Erivo won the Stephen F. Kozak Award for an out artist who works to eliminate homophobia. Jonathan Bailey, Patti LuPone, Orville Peck, Dylan Mulvaney, Zachary Quinto, Michaela J. Rodriguez were there. And I will say that one of the titles that won was one of the Groomsman trilogy movies from Hallmark that starred recent Broadway performer Jonathan Bennet. Check that out. The whole, the whole trilogy is really good. And then Grace to coincide with the first Broadway performance of Stranger Things, the First Shadow, they announced that there's actually a documentary coming out in April about the creation of this show specifically over in the West End. But one great timing gets people some Stranger Things stuff that they'll be able to watch on Netflix before the new season comes out. But also really smart timing and really smart marketing from I don't know if this is your guys's side of things or from the the side of things. But certainly doesn't hurt with the lead up to the Tony Awards that this documentary is going to be out there.
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Grace
Wow. Yeah, timing is everything, isn't it?
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Matt Tamanini
Completely coincidental. Had nothing to do with anything. But I will wrap up here with a couple of recommendations. First we have a performance. It is now closed, but we have a performance of Kate Baldwin singing Mr. Right from Love Life from City Center Encores. And then we also have Ryan McCarten singing past is Catching up to Me from the Great Gatsby. 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. Oddity Reading. You can follow me on Instagram at bwwmattgrace. Where can people find you?
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Grace
You can find me at Grace Hockey.
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Matt Tamanini
All right, everybody, have a wonderful Monday, a wonderful week and we'll be back to talk to you tomorrow. Finally.
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