A (1:09)

Grace, we are heading into the holiday season. If you could give or get one theatrical gift this season, what would it be?

D (1:22)

That's a really good question. I feel like I would give like a drama bookshop, like three play recommendations set. You know what would do like a. Oh, like a. This is a. This is a package of plays that you might not have read that I would recommend.

A (1:38)

Okay, I like that. That's very good. I know people are starting their. Their holiday shopping now. Hanukkah starts in just like what is today? The 4th and 10 days. So. And then Christmas, you've got another week and a half after that, so don't forget, get on that. I often do things way too last minute, so you definitely want to make sure that you are ahead of the game there. But yesterday we got some pretty big news that we have been waiting for for a while. And even though this has kind of been the buzz on the street for a little bit, yesterday the New York Times made it official. Their new chief theater critic is Helen Shaw. What's interesting is Is since Jesse Green had been reassigned earlier this year, they had had a number of different people filling in for him. Elizabeth Vicentelli, Laura Collins Hughes. But Helen Shaw had not been one of them. However, she now does have the job full time. She has previous.

A (2:31)

As a theater critic and writer at the New Yorker as well as being the chief theater critic at New York Magazine. They had mentioned when they had talked about this position that they were going to be doing something radically different and looking very much unlike what the New York Times had done in the past. Helen Shaw is a very good critic, but I don't know that aside from the fact that she is a woman, which is shocking enough in its own right for the New York Times to hire a theater critic that's a woman. She isn't necessarily somebody who screams outside the box for me, Grace. Especially when they were talking about all of the different social media and video aspects of this job. So it'll be interesting to see if they do just a traditional theater critic job and she will do the reviews and then somebody else will do that kind of new generation theater criticism. But aside from that, Helen Shaw, a very competent and well versed and well respected theater critic, getting that job is.

A (3:30)

Very good. And it's nice to have somebody other than a white man leading the paper of record for what we know is the most important theater review for any show in the industry. So excited to see what this looks like moving forward. But congratulations to Helen.

D (3:44)

And I will say that is not to say that they won't have some level of social media presence with a critic of some kind. I think it just means that they're naming their chief critic and then they're going to keep it moving. A lot of business. You know, there's been a lot up in the air. They needed to name one and I think this is super smart.

A (4:01)

Yeah, they'd said they wanted a bold new direction. And like, again, aside from the incredible opportunity to give this job to a woman for the first time ever, like, I don't know what's bold or new about this, but again, that very well could be coming in the future either in the way that Helen does her job or other people around her who kind of fill out some of the next generation aspects of theater criticism that the New York Times has said they want to be a part of. There is no official timetable as to when she starts, but I would have to imagine that now, I don't know that maybe it's the start of 2026. I'm not sure when the next opening. Do we have any other openings this month? Grace? I don't know. Off the top of my head, I'm.

D (4:45)

Unaware if we do okay.

A (4:49)

Whoa. No, we do. We do. Next Monday, Marjorie prime, the show that you saw last night, officially opens, so we do have that one coming up later this month and then I think that's technically it all out. But that's not doesn't have an official opening, although I'm sure the Times critic will go nonetheless. But we'll have to wait and see how this looks with the new era in theater criticism at the Gray lady begins. All right, Grace, I know you posted about it. I saw mine as well. It is officially Spotify Wrapped Season how did you feel about your Spotify wrapped Grace?

D (5:23)

I felt fine. I'm not gonna lie to you. I didn't listen to a lot of music this year and that's just a travesty. So mine was not very reflective, in my opinion.

A (5:33)

Yeah, I listened to way more podcasts and by podcasts I mean Ohio State football podcasts than I did anything else. I did find it interesting though that Spotify told me that my listening age was 63 because of my mix of show tunes and classic rock. But my top album was the EP from the Curious Case of Benjamin Button. So while the rest of mine were kind of like, ah, okay, whatever. I do feel very seen by that your number one album was the same for 2025 as it was 2024 as well. Right.

D (6:06)

That was stereophonic, so shout out to bright fast version because that was really pushing it for me.

A (6:14)

Yeah, absolutely. Well, the reason I bring that up is because Broadway World has obtained exclusive information about how theater music did in Spotify wrapped the number one most streamed cast album according to Spotify in 2025. Do you want to take a guess as to what it was? Grace?

D (6:34)

No idea.

A (6:35)

It was Hamilton, obviously. Coinciding with the 10th anniversary, Hamilton was number one. And it was the top three theater songs as well with Wait For It Satisfied and Non stop coming in 1, 2 and 3. So that is very interesting. The rest of the most listened to musical theater albums on Spotify behind Hamilton were Heathers, the original cast album, Hadestown, original cast album, Wicked, the Broadway version of that, and then Dear Evan Hansen as well. Rounding out the top five. The top five songs as I mentioned, Wait For It Satisfied and Non Stop. I said the top three. It's actually all top five of the musical theater songs were from Hamilton, Wait For It Satisfied, Non Stop that I mentioned then Alexander Hamilton and Schuyler Sisters were the top five. What is interesting is they kind of break this down not only as just like across the board, but also by generation. So they have it broken down as like, top theater albums, top theater songs by Gen Z. And they also kind of merge them together with cast albums and. And movie albums as well. So you can kind of look through the different lists that they have. Greatest Showman pops up there, the Wicked cast album or the Wicked soundtrack, Grease. Mamma Mia. The movie starts popping up in there when you start to combine them with movie stuff, but some pretty interesting stuff. But Grace, it. It shows us why Hamilton and Leslie Odom Jr. Made $4 million last week. Because this show is still very much at the forefront of the popular idea as to what Broadway is in 2025.

D (8:19)

But I also want to say that Spotify feeds into streamed music, which includes social media. So if you look at trends that blew up especially for Hamilton, like the non stop cut, which is Alexander Come back to Bed, I think, or is that later? Anyways, there were just several trends that kind of happened out of this. Right. And so the usage of it on social media, I think is an important factor.

A (8:43)

Yeah, very, very good point. All right, Grace. Moulin Rouge, the national tour has been out there for a number of years. I saw it here in Orlando a couple years ago. But what's so interesting about this is they announced a new national tour principal cast. And it's a little wild to me that this far into the run, I feel like both of these people could be leading the show on Broadway. Joining the production, beginning with a tour stop at the Orpheum Theater in San Francisco on December 23, will be Ryan Vasquez taking over the role of Christian and Gabriela Carillo taking over the role of Satine. Obviously Ryan Vasquez of the Notebook, Hamilton waitress fame on Broadway. Gabby Carillo. I've seen, I think, at least 10 times in six. Absolutely fantastic. Joining them will be Adia Michele Simmons. She will take over as Le Chocolat. And, you know, I just kind of feel like this is wild that this far into this run that they are bringing in people, especially Ryan Vasquez, like a pretty big Broadway cachet to go out on the road. So if you are excited to see this one come through your town, you're going to have some pretty big Broadway names joining the production here very soon.

A (10:00)

All right, speaking of Hamilton, actually a little Hamilton connection here, let's dive into some developmental news. Yesterday we found out that the new musical by Zach Zadik called Satellites will get a New York City workshop via Ars Nova next week on Thursday and Friday, the 11th and 12th. And starring in that workshop will be none other than Philippa Sue. Sue will be joined by Ro Hartramp, Beth Leavel, Michael Park, Cesar Samoya and Morgan Dudley. Allison great names to be joining that show. Maggie Burrows is directing. The plot does not give us a whole lot. They haven't told us exactly what the show is about, but the plot description reads quote, rachel Connors arrives in New Jersey as a mysterious event is underway. That's it. We don't know what it's about. It just kind of follows the characters psychological realities. But with a cast like that, definitely one to keep an eye on moving forward.

A (10:59)

Another reading starring some very fun names will be happening on Monday, December 8th and this is being done via theater for the New City. It's a one night only reading of Russ Pastina's new play Yesterday's Bread. It is being directed by Danny Salas and it's set in the 1980s and follows a New Jersey baker. Lots of New Jersey stuff happening here. Who whips up a lethal loaf with her nephew to protect her home and family. Starring in this reading will be Mary Testa and Annie golden along with Joe Barbara, Josh Davis, Cara Rose DiPietro, Stephanie Gibson and Alec Ludaca. Sounds like a lot of fun. Mary Testa and Annie golden is always great.

A (11:42)

And then wrapping up the news here. Grace, we had previously talked about this new show coming off Broadway to Audible's Minetta Lane Theater. It is called the Disappear by Erica Schmidt and it is a comedy that looks at both relationships and art. Is going to begin performances on January 8th and the cast is as you would expect with something from Audible is tremendous. It'll star Dylan Baker, Madeline Brewer, Kelvin Harris Jr. Hamish Linkletter and Tony Award winner Miriam Silverman along with Anna Meriden. But sounds like a lot of fun and always look forward to seeing those folks on stage.

A (12:21)

Finally Grace, I've got a recommendation. It's not a full song. I was hoping we would get a full song from the Baker's Wife but we don't have that. But we do have highlights from the show featuring Ariana DeBose, Scott Baxter, Judy Kuhn, Kevin D', Agula, Will Roland, Robert Cuccioli and more. So if you want to check out what that show looks like, we will have that in the show notes. Grace, we we missed you on the show yesterday but I wanted to get your real quick opinion on one of the the stories that we talked about. Jenny Slate And Ike Barinholtz joining All out as, like, our resident comedy expert. What about those two? And, oh, is it Blake Bennett? Is that his name? Who's also joining it? What do you think about these three rounding out the cast? Bennett. Yeah. Beck Bennett. Of those three rounding out the cast of All Out.

D (13:07)

I mean, it's excellent. It's all in kind of like the Lorne Michaels world of fame, you know, Beck Bennett. People still talk about the fact that Sarah Sherman was interviewed the other day to say that who is the most beloved recent SNL cast member. The most beloved that the most. People say, God, we miss him so much. And they always say, Beck Bennett. He's such a joy to work around. I got to do a couple of scene in when I was doing some SNL stuff, and he was so kind to everyone on set, like, even at 2:00am and, you know, everyone's, like, exhausted, and he was just like, all right, let's be silly. Like, he's just. He's a great guy. And I think that him being on Broadway, even in this iteration is super cool. I also love. They've had. They have two, I think, understudy slash.

A (13:49)

Like, swing support actors Kevin delagula and Olivia Puckett. Yeah.

D (13:54)

And I just want to say Kevin delagula, like, once again, God's gift to the theater. I'm such a fan of his. I was actually watching all of Hazbin Hotel the other day, and I forgot that he was like a, you know, a minor character on that. But, like, he's just so good. He's. He's really some of the best parts of every show that he's in. So I hope that we actually get to see him perform that not only.

A (14:14)

Is he the best parts of every show that he's in, he's also some of the best parts backstage of every show that he's in. Like, if you remember the videos of him being backstage trying to get, I think it was Christian Borrell to crack during Some Like It Hot. Like, those videos of him just being silly backstage are also really great. So looking forward to that. I think I'm gonna try to get up to see all out if I can make it. The fact that it goes into March certainly helps, but I think no matter when you go over to check out that show, you're gonna have a great time. All right, everybody, that's all we have for today. Thanks for listening to Today on Broadway. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. BroadwayRadio. If you want more BroadwayRadio, head over to Patreon.com BroadwayRadio Grace, where can people find you?

D (14:49)

You can find me.

A (14:50)

Reahce hockey all right, everybody, have a wonderful Thursday. We'll be back to talk to you tomorrow.

D (14:55)

D.