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Today on Broadway: Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025
00:19:19
‘Lost Boys’ finds Broadway leads, ‘Les Mis’ Spectacular to play Radio City, Miss Piggy to make Broadway debut 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]
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Matt Tammanini
Welcome to Today on Broadway for Thursday, October 9, 2025. I'm Broadway Radio's Matt Tammanini and I.
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Grace Aki
Am Tell Me on a Sunday Podcast Grace Aki everybody.
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Matt Tammanini
This is just a REM that the new film adaptation of Kiss of the Spider Woman officially hits theaters tonight on Thursday the 9th for like the pre view like Thursday night things that technically opens on Friday the 10th, but it is available in theaters starting tonight on the 9th. So if you want to check out that movie with Diego Luna, Tona Tia and Jennifer Lopez from Bill Condon who wrote the screen adaptation and directed it, now is your opportunity. I'll put a link in the show notes for you can check out where it is screening in your area. So very interested in seeing this because it's not like the normal big screen musical. It is a lot darker than a lot of musicals. It's a lot more ethereal and a lot more outside the traditional scope of movie musicals. So I'm excited to see what this one looks like and hope I have a chance to check it out here soon. All right, Greece, but let's dive in to the news and yesterday we got the first bit of casting for the upcoming Broadway premiere, and world premiere for that matter too of the Lost Boys musical. We already knew this is going to be coming to the Palace Theater. We know it'll begin performances on March 27th of 2026. It is being directed by Michael Arden. It features a book by David Hornsby and Chris Hoke and music by the band the Rescues. Many of the people involved in this were involved in some of the workshops, but some of them are new. The cast includes Casey Levy, L.J. bennett, Allie Lewis, Borsgi Benjamin Pajak, Paul Alexander Nolan and more. This is Based on the 1987 horror comedy movie directed by Joel Schumacher in which a divorced mother of two teenage boys takes her kids to live in this town in California, only to discover that it is a haven for vampires. Because naturally in the musical Casey Levy plays Lucy Emerson, the mother played by Dianne Wiest. In the film, Bennett is playing Marc Michael Emerson, who is the not the actor Michael Emerson, but the Jason Patrick role in the film. Casey likes had done this in all of the workshops, so interested that he's not moving on with it in that capacity. Ali Lewis Borsgi is playing David, the Kiefer Sutherland role from the film. Ben Pajak, not to be confused with Benj Pasek, who has been in the Music man on Broadway, was Oliver in Encore. As Oliver, he is playing Sam, the Corey Haim role from the film. Maria Wearies, who was just in Old Friends, Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends. She is playing Starr, the Jamie Gertz movie from the film. And Paul Alexander Nolan is playing Max, the Edward Herman role from the film. Also in the cast are Jennifer Duca, Miguel Gill, who is playing the Corey Feldman part, Brian Flores, Shawn Grandio and Dean Maupin. There will be other cast members announced later, but I'm super fascinated about this one. Grace I think that Michael Arden is one of, if not the best directors of his generation. His issues with sightlines not, you know, not overlooked. But this seems wild. It's a show that hasn't had an out of town tryout. It's a show with a really interesting ip. The thing that kind of like makes me both excited and scared is the fact that the music is being written by a band who has no musical theater experience. Sometimes that goes super, super well, sometimes it doesn't. So I'm excited to see what this looks at when it opens up Cold on Broadway in the spring.
- [03:58]
Grace Aki
Oh, I'm thrilled. I'm really thrilled for this one. Obviously I love film adaptations that make sense. I think this is cool. It's kind of a shame that it's not opening during spooky season. Not going to lie. But I do think that it's just so cool and eerie. And having heard a little taste of some of that music secretly, I have to say that I think it's going to be cool. I think we're in for a treat. And I also just want to say, keep Paul Alexander Nolan on Broadway. This is my petition. While Equity is working on a lot of things, make that also a part of it, I guess.
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Matt Tammanini
The new the new contract with the Broadway League says that Paul Alexander Nolan has to be on Broadway at all times. I like that the new production contract requirement. Something else that I'm really excited about for next year is the fact that yesterday was announced that Les Miserables, the Arena Concert Spectacular, will make its North American premiere in the summer and it will be playing Radio City Music Hall. This has had multiple engagements over in Europe at different times, and it kind of has similarities to some of the concerts that we've seen over the Years. Les Mis is known for doing big anniversary concerts. They even filmed one and put one out 15 years ago with Alfie Bowe and Norm Lewis and Ramin Karimloo and one of the Jonas Brothers and Sam Barks. So this is similar in that vein, where it is a staged concert as opposed to the actual full show that is still touring around the United States. But it will play from July 23rd through August 2nd at Radio City Music Hall. A pre sale will begin on October 22nd, which is like two Wednesdays from now. And the general on sale public date is October 24th, which is two weeks from tomorrow. They also play in Dublin, Birmingham and in London's Royal Albert hall, all in the spring and summer leading up to this. No full casting or complete tour dates have been announced. But the fact that Les Mis in this form is coming back to New York City and while it's not on Broadway, it's pretty darn close to Broadway is very fun for all of the the Les Mis fans in and around New York City.
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Grace Aki
Grace, I was watching everybody's like Les Mis video photos, whatever, just, you know, loving this anniversary. So yeah, it's been, it's been a real treat to be on the Internet.
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Matt Tammanini
Today for who would be, I don't know how much of a Les Mis person you are, but like, who would be your hope to be playing Jean Valjean in this concert spectacular?
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Grace Aki
Well, first of all, Matt, I've done the show twice. I've covered Fantine and I've been like woman worker number five. I specifically said, look, if I'm called back and like ensemble, whatever, like, I would accept because then you get to be the psycho woman who, you know, puts Fantine up, kind of like saboteurs her and that world usually covers it. So whatever. Big fan, I think for a Jean Valjean. I don't know, there's so many people that I think aren't going to come immediately to mind, but I just want to like call out Paul Alexander Nolan. I would die to see him do that. I mean, he's been Jesus in many ways. Is Valjean not Jesus, but French?
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Matt Tammanini
Kind of. A few, A few biographical differences, I think between the two, but from a vocal standpoint, I think they could definitely grow into that. I would love to see Alfie Bow do it again. I think he is the best that I've ever seen seeing that part. But I'm interested to see if it is somebody European because it is starting over there and only coming over to New York City after having done stuff in the uk but would love to see some sort of mix of people who have been involved with the production in different forms and fashions over the years. But either way, I'm sure that will be incredibly exciting. Also incredibly exciting, but apparently a little bit controversial, which we'll get into. Yesterday, it was confirmed that the one and only icon of screen and recording and all things Miss Piggy will be coming to Broadway as part of Rob Lake Magic with special guest, the Muppets. So far, we just have confirmed that Kermit and Miss Piggy are going to be a part of this show when it begins performances on Tuesday, October 28, currently scheduled to play through January 18 at the Broadhurst Theater. Apparently, people are a little upset that these are the only two Muppets that it appears that are going to be a part of this show. Because when you say with special guest, the Muppets, many people assume that you are getting at least more than two of the Muppets. You would think that Gonzo Fozzie, Dr. Tooth and the Mayhem, Waldorf and Stadler would be a part of that. In their center, Sam Eagle, maybe, Who knows? But Kermit and Miss Piggy are obviously the headliners for the Muppets. But I saw some people online, Grace, that were a little disappointed that we weren't getting even more Muppets involved. Who knows? Maybe Rob Lake is going to make them magically appear at some point. But the word on the street is just Piggy and Kermit, which is great, but for Gonzo fans, a little underwhelming, you guys.
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Grace Aki
This is Rob Lake Magic. I want to be clear. This is not the Muppets Take Manhattan. This is not the Muppets on Broadway. This is Rob Lake Magic, featuring some of his friends, which are Jim Henson freaks, which is Kermit and Miss Piggy. So I do get it. I do get it. But at the same time, we've got to remember. We've got to return to the text. We've got to remember the assignment, which is that this show is not the Muppets show, okay? And I think we need to be grateful for what we are given, and we should anticipate, you know, one day a Muppets show in and of itself. I think that. That this is a great springboard into whatever that could be. Listen, they've got to make their Broadway debuts in a different way. They can't just do it all at one time. It's. It's a disservice to the entire Muppet community, I think, to just like throw everybody into that theater. I think that it's also, you know, out of. For Rob's show, we don't know what he's got in store. So I just want to say, like, we need to be mindful of how we talk about these things and the community does the, the, the Muppet. I was about to say the fisting community, but that doesn't work here. I was trying to make a puppet reference. That's, that's. Let's not do that, but you know what I'm saying.
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Matt Tammanini
Yeah. It is important to note that, that if you want your fulfill of Muppets, there is going to be a Muppet show comeback on Disney. It is going to be produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg and it is going to premiere sometime in 2026 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the original series. They are expecting this to be like a backdoor pilot if it goes well, to spawn a new version of the Muppet show on presumably on Disney Broadway vet for like four days. Serena Carpenter is going to be on that episode. So who knows? We will probably get Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, the entire gang in the Muppet Theater. But oh, and also Alex Timbers is directing it. So that's kind of exciting too. So if you need your Muppets, they will be on Disney with a new show next year and hopefully on Broadway sometime after that. In other Broadway news, yesterday, Greece we already knew that Olivier Award winner Sam Tutty and Christiani Pitts would be leading the Broadway premiere of Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York when it begins performances at the Longacre Theater on Broadway on November 1st. Yesterday we found out who were going to be the understudies in this two hander show. Phoenix Best will be understudying Christiane Pitts and Vincent Michael will be understudying Sam Tutty. This is just a two hander. It is written by Jim Barn and Kit Buchan and it is being directed and choreographed by Tim Jackson. And I will say Asmerat Gibbermichel is the associate director and choreographer for the show. Broadway favorite for many, many years. So this is fun. Grace, do you know Vincent? Are you friends with Vincent? Right.
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Grace Aki
Vinnie is about to get a text from me that says, well, if you're making your Broadway debut, can you also pick up my cake and bring it to my wedding? Because wouldn't that be funny? I we're big fans of Vinnie. He obviously did Mystic Pizza with my partner. That's where we met and we hit it off instantaneously. He's just become a part of our incredible, you know, extended family. I'm such a fan of Vinny. I'm thrilled that they're getting the treat of having him as a standby, alternate understudy, what have you at this show. So if he gets dates or whatever, you guys know that I will be there to see it. But regardless, he is kind of a mainstay in the D.C. metro Arts Theater community. I mean, he was also in good speeds at Private Jones. He's just been all over the place and this is his moment and I'm thrilled that the New York community is going to get to see him.
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Matt Tammanini
Yeah, I got to meet Vinnie when I saw EPH after Mystic Pizza down here in Florida at Vero Beach. So great performance and congratulations to him on his Broadway debut. All right, got a few real quick show and casting things that I want to run through first. Playwrights Horizons has announced that they have extended the Off Broadway show Nothing Can Take youe From the Hand of God, which was written by Jen Tolik and Frank Winter and is a one person show performed by Tolik about an author who releases a book about growing up gay in the evangelical south and the woman who claims that the book's stories of their affair are false. If you don't know who Jen Tullock is, chances are you aren't watching Severance because she plays Adam Scott's character's sister in Severance. So if you are watching that show and you love that show, she is great on Severance and I'm sure that this show is fantastic at Playwrights Horizons. It is now scheduled to play through November 9th. Another Off Broadway extension has been announced for Slam Frank playing at Asylum nyc. It is now extending an extra week to play through October 26th and one of the show's creators, Andrew Fox, is going to step into the final week of performances as the director and Mr. Van Dajn, this show is crazy. I've had friends go and see it and say that it is one of the most bonkers things they've ever seen. I'm just going to read from the press release. It says it imagines it reimagines the story of Holocaust victim and diarist Anne Frank through, quote, intersectional multi ethnic, genderqueer, Afro Latin hip hop lens. And apparently it was born from a viral Twitter thread that asked quote, did Anne Frank ever acknowledge her white privilege? Which is amazing. But the I really loved Grace the press release here because if you've seen the artwork For Slam Frank, it is very, very reminiscent of Hamilton. Don't think that's an accident. And one of the show's producers said in the press release, quote, the actor originally playing the role wasn't available to extend. And honestly, Andrew Fox is a once in a generation talent. Who else in this business can not only write a full length historical hip hop musical, but also be its leading man? Nobody, that's who. Fox went on to say, I'm deep in preparation. Acting is like being a surgeon of the human soul. If I do my job right, this performance could change the world. Obviously, lots of tongues and cheeks in that statement. So if that is interesting to you, we will have information in the show notes. And then finally, Grace, let's go up the coast a little bit into Connecticut because yesterday Goodspeed Musicals announced its 2026 season. It will begin in April with a production of Jesus Christ Superstar directed by Tatiana Pandiani. And then next up will be a production of Crazy for your that'll begin performances in June, directed by someone that I know you know very well, Michael Flynn. We'll talk about that here in a second. And then the season will also include a world premiere musical called the Snow Goose, based on a novel of the same name about a reclusive artist shunned by society and a resilient orphan girl during World War II. That one is going to begin performances in August. And then the final show of 2026 will begin about around this time next year, October 30, and will play through the holidays. And it will be the 50th anniversary production of Annie. Annie got its world premiere at good speed 50 years ago or 49 years ago now. But Grace, I know you've worked with Michael Fling. I have seen a show that Michael Fling directed of yours. So how exciting is this for him?
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Grace Aki
Michael Fling is one of my best friends in full transparency. This is like truly the best day. I immediately texted him. When video went live and the press release went out, I was like, it's today. Michael is not only an incredible, incredibly integral part of Goodspeed Musicals as an artistic associate, but also under Donalyn, obviously. And he's just. He's an incredible director. I've obviously worked with him in that capacity. And I'm not saying that just because he's my friend, because to be honest with you, like, I. You. I don't have to. Like, I would tell you if he wouldn't. He's excellent. And so to have this be such an exciting part of the season, I think that I'M just thrilled for all involved. I can't wait to see the production. I can't wait to hear about everything. And they're just, they're just so fortunate that they have such an incredible talent there already. So really, really excited for the season announcement. I do want to call out the fact that, like, this is the Annie anniversary season. This is a big deal for them. If you guys have been in the last year, you've seen the sandy statue that is now outside of it. You know, Annie is such a hallmark of the establishment that is Goodspeed Musicals, and I'm thrilled that that's also part of their season as well.
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Matt Tammanini
All right, we'll wrap up Grace with a little bit of a recommendation that I know you are kind of a part of. Next week, there will be a talk back after the Tuesday, October 14th performance of Buena Vista Social Club featuring the three hosts of the comedy podcast Tres Leches. Tell us all about what's going on with this talk back on Tuesday.
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Grace Aki
So I'm really thrilled to close out Hispanic Heritage Month with these three amazing individuals for that host Tres Leches Podcast, which is an iHeart podcast. And they are all, you know, incredibly gifted performers in their own right. Ian, of course, has been on Broadway, is a massive, you know, content creator influencer as well. And Juan Torres Falcone, actually, I found out today after many weeks of planning this event, was also in an acapella group at NYU with my fiance. So that's fun Wild. And then Johnny Sabilli, obviously, you've probably recognized him from Hacks and some of his other work. These guys are going to do an incredible talk back at the theater for Buena Visa social club on October 14th. I will be there. If you haven't seen the show or if you've already seen the show and you wanted to come back and celebrate the end of Hispanic Heritage Month and attend that talk Back, please buy a ticket to come and we're going to have a great night.
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Matt Tammanini
I currently have a hole in my schedule on Tuesday night. I'm still waiting to hear back from Art, but if I don't hear back from Art, maybe I will swing over and check that one out. All right, everybody, that's all we have for today. Thanks for listening to Today on Broadway. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Broadway Reading. If you want more Broadway radio, head over to patreon.com broadwayradio Grace, where can people find you?
- [19:24]
Grace Aki
You can find me at graceaki.
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Matt Tammanini
All right, everybody, have a wonderful Thursday. We'll be back to talk to you tomorrow.
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Jeffrey
Morning. Zoe got donuts.
- [19:41]
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- [19:44]
Jeffrey
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- [19:50]
Grace Aki
Dana.
- [19:51]
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- [20:10]
Matt Tammanini
Nice.
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- [20:12]
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- [20:14]
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- [20:19]
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- [20:22]
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- [20:27]
Matt Tammanini
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- [20:28]
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