Today on Broadway: Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Introduction

In the latest episode of BroadwayRadio's "Today on Broadway", hosts Matt Tamminini and Grace Aki delve into the bustling world of Broadway, covering casting updates, show performances, upcoming productions, and more. The episode, released on July 9, 2025, provides listeners with a comprehensive overview of the current Broadway landscape, enriched with notable quotes and insightful discussions.

Broadway Casting News

Returning Stars and Injuries

The hosts began by discussing the return of several prominent Broadway actors to their respective shows after temporary absences due to health reasons.

• Jessica Vosk in Hell's Kitchen
  Jessica Vosk is set to reprise her role as Jersey in Hell's Kitchen on Tuesday night following a brief hiatus for back surgery. Matt highlighted, “Jessica Vosk will return to the role of Jersey in Hell's Kitchen. She was off. She had a little back surgery. She is going to be back, at least in theory” (00:30).

• Megan Hilty in Death Becomes Her
  Megan Hilty is tentatively planning her return to Death Becomes Her after a vocal injury post-Tony Awards. According to Matt, “Hilty will not appear on Tuesday evenings, Wednesday matinees or Saturday matinees starting today through July 19th” (02:44). Grace emphasized the uniqueness of each performer’s situation, stating, “they are all completely different things” (03:31).

• Gene Smart in Call Me Izzy
  Gene Smart is temporarily stepping away from Call Me Izzy due to a knee injury, with Tony nominee Johanna Day taking over the role from July 8th through July 11th. Matt noted, “She is going to be out from yesterday, July 8th, the day we're recording, through Friday, July 11th” (04:58).

New Casting Announcements

• James Monroe Iglehart Takes Over in And Juliet
  The episode revealed that Tony Award winner James Monroe Iglehart will succeed Joey Fatone as Lance in And Juliet, beginning performances on August 5th for a 13-week run. Matt praised the casting choice: “James Monroe Iglehart... is about perfect” (04:58). Grace shared her excitement, saying, “I think he's going to fit in so well in Aunt Juliet” (05:28).

• Montego Glover in Gypsy
  Montego Glover is set to take over the role of Rose in Gypsy on Broadway starting July 20th, providing more consistent performances during Audra McDonald's vacation. Matt speculated on potential future changes: “Maybe she will continue. Maybe Audra will want to just do every show again” (05:28).

• Brody Grant Leaving The Outsiders
  Tony nominee Brody Grant announced his final performance as Ponyboy Curtis in The Outsiders on September 21st, concluding an 18-month run. Matt remarked, “That is a really solid 18 month run for Brody as the lead of that show” (05:28), expressing interest in who will succeed him.

Broadway Grosses

The hosts provided a detailed analysis of last week's Broadway grosses, noting the typical slowdown during the Fourth of July holiday.

• Overall Performance
  With 30 shows on Broadway, the average gross was just over $1 million, totaling approximately $30.5 million. Attendance reached 261,793, with the average ticket price dropping to $116.62 (05:28).

• Top Grossing Shows
  Three shows surpassed the $2 million mark:

  • Wicked: $2,257,921
  • Hamilton: $2.1 million
  • The Lion King: $2.05 million

  Additional high-grossing shows included Sunset Boulevard, Aladdin, Happy Ending, MJ Just In Time, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, The Outsiders, Death Becomes Her, and Buena Vista Social Club (05:28).

• Struggling Shows
  Gypsy experienced its worst week, bringing in only $293,903 from eight performances. Matt attributed this dip to multiple factors, including holiday schedules and Audra McDonald's absence (05:28).

• Capacity and Attendance
  Impressively, 23 out of 30 shows maintained at least 90% capacity:

  • Wicked and Hadestown exceeded 100% capacity.
  • Hamilton and The Outsiders hovered around 101-102%.
  • John Proctor is the Villain and Maybe Happy Ending reached 102-103%.
  • Just in Time surpassed 103% capacity (05:28).

Public Theater Announcements

Matt shared exciting casting news from the Public Theater for the 2025-26 season:

• "The Skin of Our Teeth" Adaptation: Seat of Our Teeth
  A new musical adaptation of Thornton Wilder's play, titled Seat of Our Teeth, features music and lyrics by Ethan Lipton, direction by Lee Silverman, and choreography by Sunny Min Su Kitt. The stellar cast includes Ali Bonino, Damon Duano, Michaela Diamond, Amina Faye, Andy Grottolution, Schuler Hensley, Ruthie Ann Miles, and Ruth Sternberg. Scheduled to run from October 24th to November 30th, Matt expressed optimism for its extension into the holiday season (08:37).

• World Premiere Play: Initiative
  Elsie Wendt's new play, Initiative, is set to premiere in November, though specific casting details were not discussed.

• Production of Ulysses
  Elevator Repair Services will present their production of Ulysses in January 2026, adding to the diverse lineup of upcoming shows (08:37).

• A Christmas Carol at PAC NYC
  While there won't be a traditional Broadway production of A Christmas Carol this year, a former Broadway adaptation by Jack Thorne and directed by Matthew Warchis will run at PAC NYC from November 23rd to December 28th. Matt expressed his delight, “I'm just very happy that we're going to have an opportunity to see this one back on stage in New York this holiday season” (16:08).

Off Broadway Updates

Grace and Matt shifted focus to Off Broadway, highlighting extensions of successful shows:

• Trophy Boys at MCC
  Trophy Boys has extended its run through August 3rd, continuing its successful performances since its June 5th debut.

• Masquerade: An Immersive Phantom of the Opera Spin-Off
  The immersive show Masquerade has announced a six-week extension, now running until October 19th. Tickets for additional performances start on September 11th, exclusively available to subscribers of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Box 5 Club and through masqueradenyc.com. Matt speculated about the show's thematic direction, noting potential similarities to Sleep No More: “There's going to be some violence, some displays of sexuality, some nudity in the show” (14:39). Grace expressed surprise at these additions, saying, “This is news to me” (15:51).

Upcoming Events and Screenings

• Death Becomes Her Screening
  Grace promoted an upcoming stage-to-screen screening of Death Becomes Her on July 14th at Nighthawk Cinema. She encouraged listeners to secure their tickets through the Nighthawk Cinema website, emphasizing the limited availability: “There are a few left, so please snatch them up” (16:35).

Conclusion

Matt and Grace wrapped up the episode by directing listeners to follow BroadwayRadio on various social media platforms and their Patreon page for more content. They expressed their excitement for the future of Broadway and the vibrant productions on the horizon.

Notable Quotes

• Matt Tamminini
  “Jessica Vosk will return to the role of Jersey in Hell's Kitchen... She is going to be back, at least in theory” (00:30).
  “James Monroe Iglehart... is about perfect” (04:58).
  “That is a really solid 18 month run for Brody as the lead of that show” (05:28).

• Grace Aki
  “They are all completely different things” (03:31).
  “I think he's going to fit in so well in Aunt Juliet” (05:28).
  “We do have an opportunity to see this one back on stage in New York this holiday season” (16:08).

Timestamp Reference

• [00:30] - Jessica Vosk’s return to Hell's Kitchen
• [02:44] - Discussion on Megan Hilty’s return
• [03:31] - Grace on the uniqueness of injuries
• [04:58] - James Monroe Iglehart taking over in And Juliet
• [05:28] - Montego Glover in Gypsy, Brody Grant leaving The Outsiders, Broadway grosses overview
• [08:37] - Public Theater casting announcements
• [14:39] - Masquerade show extension details
• [15:51] - Grace reacts to Masquerade content
• [16:08] - A Christmas Carol at PAC NYC announcement
• [16:35] - Promotion for Death Becomes Her screening

Resources and Further Information

• Public Theater Productions: Details available in show notes
• Ticket Information: Accessible via Nighthawk Cinema website for screenings
• Masquerade Tickets: Available at masqueradenyc.com or through Andrew Lloyd Webber's Box 5 Club
• Follow BroadwayRadio:
  • Facebook, Twitter, Instagram: @BroadwayRadio
  • Patreon: patreon.com/broadwayradio
  • Grace Aki: @GraceAki

For more detailed updates and in-depth discussions, tune into the full episode of "Today on Broadway" on BroadwayRadio.