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Today on Broadway: Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024
00:16:20
‘English’ on Broadway Casting, Helen Gallagher Dies, Video of Gavin Creel Memorial 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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- [00:02]
Matt Tammini
Welcome to Today on Broadway for Tuesday, December 3, 2024. I'm Broadway Radio's Matt Tammini and I'm.
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Grace Aki
Tell Me on a Sunday Podcast.
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Matt Tammini
Grace Aki, Grace, we are back after the Thanksgiving break. We hope that everybody had a wonderful holiday. We appreciate you giving us a little space to have a good holiday with our family, but we did have phenomenal episodes in the podcast feed. While we were gone. I had my episode of Tell Me More with Mandy Gonzalez that was a ton of fun. Grace, we had our Thanksgiving. What for the theatrical things we were thankful for. We did a deep dive into Wicked. Then of course, we had this week on Broadway where they talked about Merchant of Venice at Classic Stage Company. Shit meat fan mom. I'm a big girl now. Bad Creole, room 1214. So you can listen to all of that and then in place of it, Today on Broadway yesterday I had a great interview with Erica Swindell and Jack Wesley Gerhard, who are playing guy and girl in the upcoming production of Once at the Malt Jupiter Theater down here in Florida that I'm going to be seeing this coming weekend. So listen to all those episodes. But we are back in the swing of things with Today on Broadway because it's Monday. Coming out of the holiday, there's not a ton of news, Grace, but one of the things that we missed over that holiday is they finally, after I was begging them, announced the Broadway cast for the upcoming original production of English. This is a Roundabout Theater Company production and it will be the entire Off Broadway cast for English, which it absolutely should be. That was a Pulitzer Prize winning play a couple seasons ago by Sanaz Tusi as it was off Broadway. Canoe Adams will be directing that production. The cast will be led by Tala Ash, who is one of my absolutely favorite stage and screen performers. Huya Mohasini, Mehran Nissahat Hadi Tabal and Eva Lalazardia. And Grace, I feel like this is one of those shows that because of when it's opening in early January, begins performances on January 13th with an opening night on January 23rd, that it's not getting a ton of conversation. And even though it's only scheduled to run through March 2nd at the Todd Haim Theater, like this feels like it could be one of those rare cases where a closed show wins the Tony Award for best new play.
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Grace Aki
You know, this is the ever ending, the never ending dilemma, right? Is like how close to award season like, but with the plays specifically, it's so different than the musicals where the musicals like, especially for tours like need those big accolades to continue their fight to run for the plays. Not so much. They're not looking for that longevity of usually plays are not touring anymore, not as often or staying on Broadway for longer than limited runs. And I think that like that. So that conversation is totally different. But I agree with you. A lot of the front runners could be shows that are limited run that are not going to be in that running come June. So I'm very curious to see how that shakes out especially closer to like the April time period of new openings and cutoff periods. But I was thinking about it a lot this weekend actually.
- [03:13]
Matt Tammini
Yeah. And this is a show that this and the fact that I my Gypsy invite didn't I'm not invited until January. I wasn't planning on coming back in January, but I'm coming coming back because I have to see English and I have to see Gypsy. Of course. But if you are unfamiliar with the show, the plot synopsis says quote, the comedy unfolds in an Iranian classroom where adult English learners practice for their proficiency exam. As they leapfrog through a linguistic playground, their wildly different dreams, frustrations and secrets come to light. Can they overcome the limits of language to discover what they really want to say? Again, this is one I've been dying to see for a long time and I'm very much looking forward to it. Sadly, Grace, over the holiday week we found out that a beloved two time Tony Award winner and soap opera icon passed away at the age of 98. Helen Gallagher won two Tony Awards, first for Pal Joey in 1952 and then for no no Nanette in 1971. She was also nominated for the original Broadway production of Sweet charity in 1966. Beyond her incredible career on stage, she had her most success on screen as the matriarch Maeve Ryan in the long running daytime soap opera Ryan's Hope, which was on abc. That was one of my mom's favorites. Characters from Ryan's Hope still appear in other just on General Hospital, but they appeared in All My Children in One Life to Live all the Time. But she had just an absolutely insane career. She started as a singer and dancer on Broadway in 1944 in a show called Seven Lively Arts, but she appeared in Brigadoon, High Button Shoes, then of course Pal Joey. She was a replacement in the original cast of the Pajama Game. She did the revival of Guys and Dolls in 1955 where she played Miss Adelaide. She was in Finian's Rainbow and then a revival of Brigadoon. And when she played Meg in so many great shows. Her final Broadway performance was in 1979 in Sugar Babies and just a great career. And one of those people who I think a lot of people look back fondly on from kind of the golden age of the Broadway musical. So our thoughts go out to everyone who knew Helen Gallagher both personally and professionally. Speaking of golden age musicals, Grace, this one had like an out of town tryout. I think it was earlier this year. It might have been in the spring, but it has a new name and it is getting a new workshop presentation coming up in January. Now the show is called Get Happy. Originally it was called Summer Stock and it of course was based off of the 1950 film starring Gene Kelly and Judy Garland. The show will have a reading on January 17th. Donna Fiore will direct and choreograph and leading that production will be co stars from the 2019 revival of Kiss Me Kate Corbin Bleu and Stephanie Stiles. They will be joined by a number of fantastic performers including Stephen Lee Anderson, Gilbert L. Bailey, Viann Cox, Zoe Jensen, who both you and I love, Will Roland and one of my all time favorites, Douglas Sills. I just happened to be flying in to New York on January 17, hopefully to say English and a gypsy on that trip as well. So I feel like I'm going to have to do everything I can to push my way into that room.
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Grace Aki
Grace, that's literally such a good group. Like all hits, no skips. Yeah, famously we're, we're a Zoe Jensen household. I'm saying this as we record directly in front of my Heart of Rock and roll mural. That is our guest room. But yeah, like that's, that's really good. Matt, you've got kind of like a stacked like upcoming trip. Like it's actually. And now I'm also forcing you into like the Sunset Boulevard Caroline Bowman show of it all. Like you've got to see everything.
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Matt Tammini
Here's the thing. I don't think I'm gonna be able to see Caroline because she's going on on January 12th and I don't think that's enough time to get the invites for English because that it would only started the week before. So I'm coming later. But I already did buy a ticket to see Mandy in Sunset. So I'm trying to manifest an extra Caroline performance while I'm there because I will absolutely see both of them. I want to see both of them. So. So yeah, just putting that out into the world universe that I don't believe actually does anything. But if we can get a Get a Caroline performance while I'm in town too. That would be spectacular. Speaking of fantastic casting and things that are going to be dynamite to see, yesterday we found out who the next MC and Sally Bowles are going to be in the London version of Cabaret. And speaking of all hits, no skips playing the MC will be Emmy, Tony and Grammy Award winner Billy Porter. And playing Sally Bowles will be multiple time Broadway radio guests. Grace, I think both you and I have interviewed her on Broadway radio before. Olivier nominee Marisha Wallace. They will begin performances on January 28th and they will take over from Adam Gillen and Katherine Langford. They are currently scheduled to perform through May 24th. They're going to be a couple days when Marisha is going to be out. Her alternate Ann Marie Wonga or Wojna is going to be on for those performances. She listed those dates in her social media. So if you want to see, see when Marisha won't be there, you can check that out. But like, I love this. I mean, like, I'm kind of mad that it's happening in London and not here because I think they will both be absolutely great in this particular production of Cabaret. I mean, any production, but like, especially in this production of Cabaret.
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Grace Aki
Grace, I had a friend at the old Cabaret the other day say that afterwards he said that he was, he happened to be at the show that Billy was also at. And he got to experience Billy taking notes and just like really enjoying the show and really living it up with the crowd. So I was very excited to hear that he was going to be stepping into the role. But I'm thrilled for Marisha. Like, I, I'm really excited about these two together. I don't think that the irony is not lost on me that these are two powerhouse performers that are, have been beloved on Broadway but have not been on Broadway in some moons. And the fact that like the uk, the West End is getting both of them other. I'm really jealous. Like, I, I'm excited for them and I think that they are going to be so well loved and embraced on the West End as they already have been. I mean, Marisha, my God.
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Matt Tammini
Yeah.
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Grace Aki
But I just think it is funny that like, I wonder also if like afterwards there was a world where they came here. You know, I, I don't know, but it's, it's, it's so cool and I hope I get to see them.
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Matt Tammini
Yeah. I mean, Marisha is getting close to getting British citizenship. She's going through that process because she has become completely an expatriate well, we would hate to lose her, but she's really, her career has just taken off since she went over to be, I guess she was the alternate for Amber Riley in Dreamgirls and that's where it kind of her time in London took off. So really happy for her because she is always marvelous. All right, real quick, before we get into some recommendations, there's not a ton happening in theater right now, obviously, because everything that is going to be in performances for the holidays is already in performances. But I do want to point out that there are four shows of note closing this weekend. The first one actually closes on Saturday as Strategic Love Play from the Audible Theater closes off Broadway at the Minetta Lane Theater. Of course, at some point in the future you will be able to listen to that on Audible. Then on Sunday we have two Broadway shows closing and one off Broadway show closing on Broadway. Water for Elephants will play its final bow as well as Tammy Faye. And then down in Brooklyn at Theater for a new audience, We Are youe Robots is scheduled to close as well. Then in terms of recommendations, I'm sure most of you have seen these by now, but if you have not, if you were traveling, if you haven't had a chance to go back and watch, Playbill did a good roundup of all of the videos of not only Broadway shows but theatrically related performers that were a part of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. So if you want to go back and watch those, please do. I got to tell you, Grace, I was having some heart palpitations watching those dance numbers, especially like Outsiders, but also like the Rockettes because it was raining and they were just out there in Herald Square on the, I mean, there was something down on the ground, but I was worried they were going to fall. There were a couple slips that I noticed, but they were troopers and so good. But I was, I was a little worried about some of those high steps and jumps in those numbers, specifically that somebody could end up getting hurt. But I don't think anybody did as far as I hurt.
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Grace Aki
Oh, you didn't see Dan Barry bust his butt during the Outsiders number Slipped and fell.
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Matt Tammini
Yeah, I did. Yeah.
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Grace Aki
I, it's just, I just, I feel like there has to be a contingency plan, you guys. Like the weather is going to weather. And I just wonder why is there no tar?
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Matt Tammini
Like, why is there no overhang for that section? Like you can put a canopy over that. Like it's not that big of a.
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Grace Aki
Space because the whole. But because the whole parade goes through It. I mean, you couldn't. Right. But do that.
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Matt Tammini
You don't think they could do something that's portable?
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Grace Aki
No, I think that it would be so hard to try to get that up, because on either side, you've got the TV crews, you've got, like, all of these, you know, the stands. You've got so much going on. It would have to be a new. The traffic would have to diverge separately for the performance space of the Broadway shows. Do you know what I mean?
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Matt Tammini
I hear what you're saying, but, like, the parade starts up on the Upper west side, you know, about the same time the Broadway performances are going on. So, like, the parade's not there yet because it takes a while for it to get to Harold Square, because it ends in Harold Square. So, like, I feel like. I don't know, man. Maybe I've been to so many.
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Grace Aki
Yeah. But the Broadway performances are not the only performances that happen. You have the marching bands and the dance teams. So that, I think, is why. Because you're totally right that, like, if this was just the Broadway performances, that would make sense. But because they have other people perform that go through the parade, that's when it becomes a problem. But I do. I'm also. I'm also the girl that's always saying, like, just let the Tonys, like, cut to the people in the theater. Just do it in the theater. Like, find a way, because we want to. Like, that's the cell of the show. Should be the full tech elements. I mean, those are being nominated, too. It's not just people, like, running out onto stage and performing, you guys. Like, there are other elements that are a part of that adjudication that I think deserve that screen time also. But that's my other soapbox.
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Matt Tammini
Yeah, well, and that's what normally happens, as we talked about last week with CBS's Broadcast. And CBS didn't broadcast the parade this year. They usually go to other performances from, like, usually the previous season in the theaters. And I love that because you actually get to see what it's like on stage. But one other thing I will note that I wasn't going to talk about, but I will say, like, this is. And I'm sure I am forgetting things, and people with better memories than me will correct me. But, like, this is the first time that I remember, like, multiple Broadway shows singing live. Like, there was more than. I mean, I. Outsiders sang live, Hell's Kitchen sang live. I don't think Michelle Williams was singing live because I didn't see a mic with her. But like Malia and Shoshana were singing live, Brody was singing live. Like that normally doesn't happen with these. Usually it's all canned. So I was interested that they were throwing that new element in with the rain for this year, but I'm more for it. I think that they should be doing it live because that's what theater is all about. But that's another thing altogether. And then Finally, I'm not 100% sure if it is going to be available, but on Monday, the entire Broadway community gathered at the St. James Theater to remember Gavin Creel. It is being live streamed and I'm assuming that the video will also be available after the fact. So I'll have a link to the live stream in there in the show notes if you want to watch it. And I'm hoping that it will also be available for folks after the fact as well. MCC Theater, which Gavin had a long relationship with, is the one live streaming it. So hopefully they will keep that up in perpetuity so people can go back and use it to remember Gavin whenever they need. All right, that's all that we have for today. Thanks for listening to Today on Broadway. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram rodraybradian. You can follow me on Instagram @bwwmatt. Grace, where can people find you?
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Grace Aki
You can find me at It's Grace Hockey.
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Matt Tammini
All right, everybody, have a wonderful Tuesday and we'll be back to talk to you tomorrow.