Podcast Summary: "What Mickey-Jo will and won't see on Broadway"

Podcast: MickeyJoTheatre
Host: Mickey Jo
Date: November 22, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Mickey Jo gives listeners an insider look at his highly anticipated upcoming New York theatre trip. He outlines the shows he definitely will see, shows he might see, and—perhaps most intriguingly—the ones he is consciously skipping. Listeners get a candid, witty, and thoughtful breakdown of Broadway and Off-Broadway's hottest tickets, revivals, transfers, and buzzworthy new productions, as well as frank explanations behind his “hard passes.” The episode is a must-listen for anyone planning a theatre trip or tracking the New York theatre scene.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage: Why This Trip and How He Chooses

• Mickey Jo describes the agony and thrill of narrowing down his show choices for a packed two-week visit to New York.
  • “I found myself actually saying the words, what if two weeks just isn’t enough time? ...because of the wealth of exciting new productions opening Off Broadway.” (02:00)
• Emphasizes the challenge of picking what to see as a frequent transatlantic theatre-goer aiming to cover and review as much as possible.

2. Must-See Shows: The ‘Definitely’ List

(Mickey Jo’s most anticipated and guaranteed stops, with enthusiastic commentary on each.)

a) Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York [Broadway Opening]

• The trip is timed to this opening—calls it “the reason for the season.”
  • “This is why we are going to New York when we are. This is why the trip is timed as such.” (04:29)
• Excited for a New York-set musical experienced by an actual New York audience.

b) Chess (Revival at Imperial Theatre)

• High expectations for the “fantastic company” and reworked book.
  • “It has been decades since Chess was last seen on Broadway. I couldn’t miss it.” (05:26)
• Will post a full review.

c) Ragtime (Lincoln Center)

• Already familiar with this production but calls it “one of my favourite musicals of all time.”
  • “I think it’s one of the greatest book musicals ever written. I think the score is phenomenal. The book is phenomenal. And it’s an extraordinary company.” (06:20)

d) Masquerade: Off-Broadway Immersive Phantom of the Opera

• Very excited, bought a new suit for the special dress code.
  • “There was no way that I was missing out... I have heard the most exhilarating things.” (08:09)

e) Bat Boy (NY City Center Gala)

• Filling a “musical theatre black hole”; friends highly recommend.
  • “I am a fan of the writers. It’s one of my sort of musical theater black holes that needs to be rectified.” (09:12)

f) Bo (Off-Broadway)

• Praises its “lovely, queer, atmospheric gig theatre” format.
  • “It is a lovely, queer, atmospheric gig theater one act musical starring the brilliant Matt Rhoden...and the music is great and it’s really moving.” (10:21)
• Recommends it for flexible showtimes.

g) Liberation (Broadway Transfer)

• “I have heard such great things about this from everyone I knew who saw it off Broadway. I am very excited to see the Broadway arrival.” (11:05)

h) Oedipus (West End Transfer, Studio 54)

• Sees it as a “hot ticket” due to strong direction and lead cast.
  • “It’s another one where it’s going to be really satisfying to witness an audience discovering that piece of theatre for the first time.” (11:41)

i) This World of Tomorrow (The Shed, Off Broadway)

• Stars Tom Hanks & Kelli O’Hara, going in “fresh.”
  • “I know they were initially very expensive. They have subsequently lowered the prices of some of them. So go and take a look if you hadn’t recently.” (12:17)

j) Caroline (MCC Theatre)

• Eager to see new trans narratives on stage.
  • “This one is about a young trans character and trans themes...we need more trans representation on stage, especially through the voice of trans writers.” (13:01)

k) Initiative (The Public Theater, 5-hour play)

• Play features “epic of youth” and D&D themes.
  • “My inclination is that for the public theater...to platform and produce this five hour long piece...means I think it’s going to be pretty exciting and perhaps more than a little bit epic.” (13:38)

3. Maybe/Strongly Considering: The ‘Possibles’

a) The Queen of Versailles

• Unimpressed by word of mouth; scheduling complicated by principal cast covers.
  • “Any reluctance that I have around going to see this show...I’m not hearing the most thrilling word of mouth...” (15:56)

b) Hadestown

• Has seen it “dozens of times,” but wants to see Jack Wolfe as Orpheus and the refreshed cast.
  • “I will be damned if I am going to miss it.” (16:51)

c) 25th (or 20th) Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

• Never seen a professional production; excited to see the Off Broadway cast.
  • “The Off Broadway cast is also fantastic. And I think some people still get to go on stage and be guest spellers. I’d love to be a guest speller.” (17:46)

d) Rob Lake Magic with the Muppets

• Conflict between fairy-tale love for the Muppets and extreme fear of magicians.
  • “I have this fear of magicians and mentalists since childhood and I deliberately avoid those kinds of shows…I don’t know that I have it in me to pass up the opportunity to see the Muppets live on stage.” (18:59)

e) Beetlejuice (Broadway Return)

• Debates whether to catch it on Broadway or wait for the London West End premiere.
  • “I want that London production to be my first experience...rather than what is essentially a North American tour stop.” (20:11)

f) Art (James Corden, Neil Patrick Harris, Bobby Cannavale)

• Strong cast, wants to see “for a really long time.”
  • “I will almost definitely try and catch that one.” (21:23)

g) Waiting for Godot

• Reviews seem lukewarm but left him “more intrigued than anything else.”
  • “My enjoyment of it…still going to be measured.” (21:37)

h) Reunions (Off Broadway Musical)

• Stellar cast; show seems “a little bit slight, but also charming.”
  • “Sometimes that’s a great companion with…an otherwise very heavy and impactful week of theatre.” (22:06)

i) Prince F (Off Broadway)

• Almost sold out, but considering if possible Broadway future makes waiting more strategic.
  • “A lot of people are telling me that it’s unmissable, that I really have to see it.” (22:30)

j) Oratorio for Living Things (Signature Theatre, Heather Christian)

• Unsure if “for him,” despite strong recommendations.
  • “Occasionally from people whose taste I know is very different to my own…” (23:01)

4. Shows He’s Not Seeing — and Why

a) Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

• Refuses due to J.K. Rowling’s “hateful crusade against the LGBTQ community.”
  • “Even though film star Tom Felton is going into the show reprising his screen performance as Draco Malfoy in what can only be described as something of a loser move...Wingardium Levio-no.” (25:13)

b) Little Bear Ridge Road

• Boycotting because produced by ousted, abusive Broadway producer Scott Rudin.
  • “I just don’t think it’s responsible from anyone involved, even on principle...don’t like what this says about bullies in the industry and their ability to return after a timeout.” (26:25)

c) Slam Frank

• Finds it “passingly offensive,” dislikes its broad satirical attacks and fanbase.
  • “Everything I have seen about this show...does sort of passingly offend me. The way that they engage with social media does.” (27:15)

d) Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion: The Musical

• Lacks nostalgia for the source film, not hearing rave reviews for performances or music.
  • “I find myself enjoying less and less the musical adaptations of films that I hadn’t seen in the first place.” (28:11)

e) The Seat of Our Pants (Skin of Our Teeth adaptation)

• “Just don’t have enough enthusiasm” given unfamiliarity with the source and tepid early responses.
  • “I just don’t know that I have enough enthusiasm about it to need to go and see it.” (28:58)

f) Kyoto (Off Broadway)

• Adored in London, but will skip the NYC version due to time and hopes for its future life (possibly Broadway transfer).
  • “I loved Kyoto so much, much in London. I am desperate to get the chance to see it again. But I don’t think that is going to be during this particular trip.” (29:31)

g) The Baker’s Wife (Off Broadway)

• Saw the same production in London; loves the material but must prioritize new works.
  • “It’s a lovely production...but it’s not really vital enough material to get me there.” (30:22)
• Calls for Ariana DeBose to be cast in a “star vehicle that allows her to dance up a storm.”

h) O Mary (with Jane Krakowski)

• Deeply pained to skip, has already seen multiple productions, wants to “wean [himself] off” before the London transfer.
  • “If I were to go and see Jane a few weeks before I see Mason [Alexander Park], then it might be a little bit of a discernment service to my reaction to the West End arrival, if that makes sense.” (31:48)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the overwhelming NYC calendar:
  “What if two weeks just isn’t enough time? And I said that not because of all the shows I wanted to see on Broadway, but because of the wealth of exciting new productions opening Off Broadway.” (02:00)
• His reason for timing this trip:
  “This is why we are going to New York when we are. This is why the trip is timed as such.” (04:29)
• On Ragtime:
  “I was briefly considering keeping the flights and just going to see Ragtime 20 times in two weeks. Don’t put it past me. I’d do it.” (07:27)
• On immersive theatre:
  “In the last few hours, I did go and buy myself a brand new suit exclusively for Masquerade. That’s how much I’m looking forward to it.” (08:47)
• On his boycott of certain shows:
  “Wingardium Levio-no, absolutely not.” (25:23) “I just don’t think it’s responsible from anyone involved, even on principle...don’t like what this says about bullies in the industry and their ability to return after a timeout.” (26:25)
• On missing O Mary:
  “It’s like the whole Pokémon gotta catch ‘em all thing where you inherently were never going to be able to catch them all... I need a little bit of emotional support for that. But I’ll be fine.” (32:41)

Timestamps of Key Segments

| Time | Segment Headline | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------| | 02:00 | Mickey Jo introduces the episode and his trip plans | | 04:29 | Definitely Will See: Two Strangers Carry a Cake... | | 05:26 | Chess revival excitement | | 06:20 | Ragtime at Lincoln Center | | 08:09 | Masquerade (Phantom) Off Broadway | | 09:12 | Bat Boy at NY City Center Gala | | 10:21 | Bo (Off Broadway praise & logistics) | | 11:05 | Liberation and Oedipus: Anticipated Broadway plays | | 12:17 | This World of Tomorrow (The Shed, Tom Hanks/K. O’Hara)| | 13:01 | Caroline at MCC; trans representation | | 13:38 | Initiative (5-hour D&D-inspired epic at The Public) | | 15:56–15:56| Maybes: Queen of Versailles, Hadestown, Spelling Bee| | 18:59 | Rob Lake Magic with the Muppets conflict | | 20:11 | Broadway Beetlejuice dilemma | | 21:23 | Comedy play Art with Corden, Harris, Cannavale | | 22:06 | Reunions (Off Broadway), Prince F, Oratorio for Living Things | | 25:13 | Shows Mickey Jo is NOT seeing: Harry Potter (boycott)| | 26:25 | Little Bear Ridge Road (boycott) | | 27:15–29:31| Other not-sees: Slam Frank, Romy & Michelle, The Seat of Our Pants, Kyoto | | 30:22 | The Baker’s Wife and Agnes Ariana DeBose tangent | | 31:48 | O Mary angst and skipped Thursday performances | | 32:41 | Pokémon reference, closing comments |

Tone & Delivery

Mickey Jo’s delivery is energetic, wry, and always attentive to both audience enjoyment and the ethical side of theatre-going. He flexes his encyclopedic theatre knowledge while remaining relatable and humorous, unafraid of self-deprecating asides and “stagey” enthusiasm. The podcast feels like an informal, lively chat with a seasoned friend in the industry.

Conclusion

Mickey Jo’s detailed breakdown of his Broadway and Off-Broadway itinerary is part travelogue, part manifesto, and part theatre gossip session. Whether defending his must-sees, bemoaning impossible scheduling choices, or holding the line on supporting ethical theatre, he offers a compelling look behind the curtain—while inviting debate, recommendations, and, always, more theatre-going camaraderie.

Mickey Jo closes with:
“Stay tuned for plenty of Broadway content. And in the meantime, as always, I hope that everyone is staying safe and that you have a stagey day.” (34:55)