BroadwayRadio: Today on Broadway – Thursday, September 25, 2025

Overview

In this episode of "Today on Broadway," hosts Matt Tammanini and Grace Aki recap a week with relatively light news due to Rosh Hashanah, but still manage to dig into some major Broadway moments. The pair discuss the highly anticipated "Wicked: For Good" movie trailer, shifting casting developments for "Oh Mary!" at the Lyceum Theatre, updates on the parody musical "Exorcistic," and exciting promotions and readings coming to the city—including "New Jersey Night on Broadway" and a Batman musical parody. They close out with a recommendation to watch CBS’s celebration of "The Lion King's" 11,000th performance.

Key Discussion Points

Final Trailer Release: "Wicked: For Good"

• Universal’s Release: The final trailer for "Wicked: For Good" is out, with the film set to premiere November 21, 2025, coinciding with the soundtrack’s release ([01:23]).
  • Visual Elements: The trailer is visually stunning, featuring iconic scenes like Glinda versus Elphaba in a broomstick/wand battle and the handling of Nessarose’s shoes, acknowledging Marissa Boddy’s real-life use of a wheelchair.
  • Easter Eggs: Packed with nods to the original Broadway production, offering longtime fans new things to notice.
• Fan & Public Expectations:
  • [03:19] Grace: “Everyone’s been craving that next bit… I just want to see it.”
  • [03:39] Matt: Discusses the challenge of what’s considered a “spoiler” for a story rooted in "The Wizard of Oz," noting the show is so familiar that true surprises are rare.

Spoilers and Fandom

• Debate on What Constitutes a Spoiler:
  • Matt references a tweet by Kate Ranking about how "Wicked" defines spoilers ([04:28]).
  • Observes that key plot twists are well-known publicly, yet the franchise tends to be overly cautious with reveals.

"Oh Mary!" Casting Updates at the Lyceum Theatre

• Cast Changes: Jinx Monsoon leaves as Mary Todd Lincoln on September 28.
  • Hannah Solow (the current understudy) will step in from September 30–October 12.
  • Kumail Nanjiani and Michael Urie are also departing.
  • Returning: Philip James Brannon (Abe) and James Scully (Mary’s Teacher), through October 12.
  • Jane Krakowski joins October 14, but Abe and John’s casting for her run remains TBA ([04:44]–[06:40]).
• Speculation and Fan Casting:
  • Matt floats the idea of Titus reuniting with Krakowski, referencing “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.”
  • Grace suggests bringing in comedy legends like Ellie Kemper or Tina Fey to keep the casting creative and fun ([06:56]).
• On Gender-Fluid Casting:
  • [07:29] Grace: “This show doesn’t have gender. It never has. So I think that anybody could play any of those roles. And if they’re funny, it’s gonna work.”
  • Critically discusses inclusivity and the importance of not letting privileged actors take roles from marginalized groups.

"Exorcistic" Gets an Extension

• Show Description: A rock musical parody of "The Exorcist," written by Michael Shaw Fisher. Features a theater troupe whose production slips from satire into supernatural as the lead becomes actually possessed ([09:03]).
• Run Extended: Now playing at Asylum NYC through Halloween (October 31st).
• Celebrity Guest Stars: Every performance features a secret guest, with past and upcoming appearances including Darren Criss, Lance Bass, Lena Hall, Evan Rachel Wood, and many others.
  • Matt expresses excitement and hopes to catch the show himself on an upcoming trip ([10:03]).

New Jersey Night on Broadway (October 22)

• Special Promotion: The Broadway League launches its first “New Jersey Night on Broadway,” featuring:
  • Buy-one-get-one-free ticket deals for $17.87 (symbolic of New Jersey’s statehood year)
  • Free NJ Transit tickets
  • Nearly two dozen shows and 18 restaurants participating
  • [11:03] Matt: “If you are a New Jersey resident, I’ll have all the information in the show notes and you can check that out there.”
• Scheduling Notes: Some shows participate a day later due to dark nights.

Staged Reading: Gotham Rogues at Joe’s Pub

• Unauthorized Batman Parody: Mark Kudisch and Paul Iacono bring a staged reading of “Gotham Rogues,” loosely adapted from the classic “Batman: The Animated Series” episode "The Trial."
  • Notable Cast Includes:
    • Kudisch as the Joker
    • Terrence Archie as Two-Face
    • Lauren Molina as Harley Quinn
    • Brenda Braxton as Catwoman
    • Burke Moses as Batman
    • Lauren Lester as The Penguin (noted for voicing Robin/Nightwing in the animated series)
  • Scheduled for October 27 at 9:30pm ([12:41]).
  • Grace: “Yeah, no, no, no. I’ve seen all of it. This was a very big deal. So I was very excited to hear this.” ([13:20])
  • Matt: “The most bow-legged Joker you’ve ever seen in your entire life.” ([13:27])

Celebrating "The Lion King"

• CBS Video Recommendation: Behind-the-scenes footage and curtain call of the 11,000th Broadway performance at the Minskoff Theatre—link in show notes ([13:52]).

Notable Quotes & Moments

• [03:19] Grace (on the Wicked trailer): “I just want to see it.”
• [04:28] Matt: “What Wicked considers spoilers and what Wicked fans consider spoilers are obviously very different…”
• [07:29] Grace (on gender in "Oh Mary!"): “This show doesn’t have gender. It never has. So I think that anybody could play any of those roles. And if they’re funny, it’s gonna work.”
• [13:27] Matt (on Mark Kudisch as the Joker): “The most bow-legged Joker you’ve ever seen in your entire life.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|------------------------------------------------------| | 00:31 | Episode begins, announcements, and Patreon Q&A info | | 01:23 | "Wicked: For Good" trailer discussion | | 04:28 | Debate: What counts as a "spoiler" for Wicked? | | 04:44 | "Oh Mary!" cast changes and speculation | | 07:29 | Discussion: Gender and inclusivity in casting | | 09:03 | "Exorcistic" parody musical gets an extension | | 11:03 | New Jersey Night on Broadway—details & deals | | 12:41 | Gotham Rogues staged reading at Joe’s Pub | | 13:52 | CBS video: 11,000th performance of "The Lion King" |

Tone & Language

• Relaxed and playful, with thoughtful reflection on Broadway's evolving landscape—especially gender, representation, and fan engagement.
• Candid, often humorous banter (particularly around casting “Oh Mary!” and Batman parody).

Closing Thoughts

Even during a quieter week, Matt and Grace keep the Broadway buzz alive with excitement over upcoming trailers, inclusivity in theater, offbeat musical parodies, and NYC promotions. Loyal listeners (and busy New Jersey residents) will walk away informed and energized ahead of a slate of fall performances.