This week we wrap our three-episode series on recent entries into musical theatre history with one of today's biggest Broadway hits!

THE OUTSIDERS became standard reading for young people in the United States following its novel debut in the 1960s, and now the story has become essential viewing for all musical theatre fans. Joining us to discuss how and why this show became a certified blockbuster is an expert in "musical gangs" and one of the stars of the hit revival of GYPSY, Kevin Csolak!

Broadway audiences have watched Kevin grow up onstage, and his vast experience in the worlds of WEST SIDE STORY and THE OUTSIDERS makes him the perfect guest for this episode.

Follow Kevin on Instagram at @kevincsolak

If you enjoyed this episode, try our GYPSY episode with Alison Fraser or our WEST SIDE STORY episode with Hector Guerrero.

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It's beyond privilege to record an episode about a musical with the writers of said musical, and that is exactly what we have this week!

To celebrate last season's WATER FOR ELEPHANTS debut in the licensing world, Tony-nominee Rick Elice (JERSEY BOYS, PETER AND THE STARCATCHER, SMASH) as well as three members of innovative theatre team PigPen Theatre Co. (THE OLD MAN AND THE OLD MOON) join us to spend a little more time "under the Big Top" of their epic show. Their decade's long journey of imagination and creativity (with plenty of Rick stories along the way) will leave you excited to mount a production of your own.

To learn about licensing WATER FOR ELEPHANTS where you live, please visit https://broadwaylicensing.com/shows/broadway/water-for-elephants/

Follow PigPen Theatre Co. on Instagram @pigpentheatreco

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Don't forget to like and share our episodes on Instagram, TikTok, and X. We have great playlists on Spotify. And be sure to check out our TeePublic Store where our profits from the designs are donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

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New for 2025: new episodes of "A Musical Theatre Podcast" will drop on Saturday mornings!

Also new for 2025, we're spending the first episodes of the year discussing some of the newest entries into our musical theatre canon. First up is a "flop" from the 2024 Broadway season with a larger cultural and emotional impact than shows with three times as many performances.

LEMPICKA is a musical that introduces us to an icon too few know by name: Tamara de Lempicka. Special guest and "president" of the Eden Espinosa fan club Sarah Anne Fernandez (WICKED) joins us to discuss historical women in musical theatre, the incredible art of Tamara de Lempicka both on and off the stage, and her upcoming show dedicated to both.

Follow Sarah on Instagram @sarahannee17 and don't miss her show "Don't Forget Me" at The Green Room 42 this Monday, January 13th! Attend in person or virtually by reserving your tickets HERE!

Have you heard it's only $1 a month to join PATREON! Still too much money? Give us a nice review during the month of January, send a screenshot to [email protected] and receive a free year on us! We can't wait to show you what we've been working on!

Don't forget to like and share our episodes on Instagram, TikTok, and X. We have great playlists on Spotify. And be sure to check out our TeePublic Store where our profits from the designs are donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

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We're celebrating the end of the year this week with the musical A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD. And just like the musical itself, this week's episode is filled with much more than you'd expect:

Join us for this packed conversation as guests Dr. Erica Halverson (host of Arts Educators Save the World) and director/choreographer Daniel Pelzig (Broadway's A Year with Frog and Toad and 33 Variations) bring their years of expertise to the intersection of children, theatre, and one of the most unique undertakings in modern Broadway history.

Learn more about Erica's work (including her book and podcast) by visiting her website ericahalverson.com

Have you heard it's only $1 a month to join PATREON! Join now to qualify for all of our new content in 2025. We can't wait to show you what we've been working on!

Don't forget to like and share our episodes on Instagram, TikTok, and X. We have holiday and episode playlists on Spotify. And be sure to check out our TeePublic Store where our profits from those designs are donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS TODAY, December 31st!

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In 1964, Carol was bringing down the house as Dolly, Barbra was blowing the roof off as Fanny, and for 9 performances only, Angela Lansbury belted out Sondheim as Cora Hoover Hooper in ANYONE CAN WHISTLE.

It's no surprise to hear that "flop" is not a curse word on "A Musical Theatre Podcast," but that goes double for a show with an incredible score and some of the biggest storytelling swings in musical history. (Some of which are brilliant!) Join special guest Mike Meaney (off-Broadway's Do Re Mi) as we explore this listener request with a larger cultural footprint than many musicals with 10 times as many performances.

As promised, there will be plenty of cookies. ;)

Head over to PATREON! where subscribers of $1 or more will find even more Sondheim as Mike also guests in our final installment of "Something Worth Singing About." Subscribers will also receive a Christmas gift to the theatre merch store Bubble Bard!

Be sure to follow Mike on Instagram @realmikemeaney and look forward to a new season at J2 Spotlight in New York where he'll be serving as Associate Director.

Don't forget to like and share our episodes on Instagram, TikTok, and X. We have holiday and episode playlists on Spotify. And be sure to check out our TeePublic Store where our profits from those designs are donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS at the end of this month!

Most importantly, thank you for being part of this wonderful podcasting community!

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"Come and meet those dancing feet!" Why? Because those feet have been through a lot!

Karen Prunzik originated the role of "Anytime Annie" in one of Broadway's biggest hits 42ND STREET. This 1980 stage adaptation of the 1933 film gave birth to musical theatre lore we still talk about to this day, and Karen had a front row seat for it all. Join us as we discuss the plot twists both onstage and off that came together to create a classic.

Special thanks to Jonathan Blake Flemings for making this episode possible!

If you enjoyed this conversation, check out our drama filled episode about another musical from the early 1980s: NINE with Kim Criswell.

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THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA enjoyed 13,981 performances on Broadway, the most of any musical of all time, but now it finally gets its true crowning glory: its own full episode of "A Musical Theatre Podcast."

This week, Jeff is joined by actress, author, and public speaker Sandra Joseph who has a record-breaking title of her own: "the longest running leading lady in the longest running Broadway show of all time." With over 1,500 performances as Christine Daae under her belt, Sandra brings deep understanding and a beautifully personal connection to the show that is nothing less than a global phenomenon.

Follow Sandra on Instagram @sandrajoseph, learn more about her current work at sandrajoseph.com, and buy her book Unmasking What Matters: 10 Life Lessons From 10 Years on Broadway.

If you enjoyed this episode, share it! You might also enjoy our episode on EVITA with Javier Manente.

Have you subscribed to PATREON! and, if you haven't, what are you waiting for? Bonus episodes, holiday surprises, and more wait for you for only $1 a month! Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and X. Our Spotify playlists can keep you company in between episodes. And our TeePublic Store has great designs that benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

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Are you "Team Cathy" or "Team Jamie?"

Exploring the arc of a five-year relationship from beginning to end (or end to beginning?) is no small feat, and this week we do it thanks to Jason Robert Brown's THE LAST FIVE YEARS. Singer/songwriter and social media star Grace Yurchuk joins Jeff to discuss this musical that has broken hearts and devastated audition accompanists since it's off-Broadway premiere in 2002. What did we get right? What did we get wrong? Let us know on social media!

Follow Grace on Instagram, TikTok, and X. Check out her latest album Just Between Us: The Live Album on Apple Music and Spotify.

Have you subscribed to PATREON! and, if you haven't, what are you waiting for? Bonus episodes, trivia nights, and our brand-new Rocky Horror Cooking Show just in time for Halloween! All of it awaits for only $1 a month! Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and X. Our Spotify playlists can keep you company in between episodes. And our TeePublic Store has great designs that benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

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THE PROM is an original musical that very much connected with audiences when it first premiered on Broadway in 2018. It features great characters, clever dialogue, and energetic songs. But those things don't write themselves, do they?!

This week we sit down with the show's lyricist, and half of its book writing team, six-time Tony nominee Chad Beguelin! (THE WEDDING SINGER, ALADDIN, ELF) Chad takes us to "the prom" by way of exploring colorful characters like the Dee Dee Allen, inspirations from his hometown and childhood, and the pit stops his creative team passed up along the road to Broadway. (Spoiler alert: GOONIES THE MUSICAL was almost in the opening number.)

Be sure to follow Chad on Instagram at @chadbeg and order his new novel SHOWMANCE.

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to check out our past episode Broadway Podcast Network - FUN HOME with guest Alyssa M Simmons

Have you subscribed to PATREON! and, if you haven't, what are you waiting for? Bonus episodes, trivia nights, and an upcoming cooking show await you for only $1 a month! Plus, you get the satisfaction of supporting "A Musical Theatre Podcast." We're active on Instagram, TikTok, and X. Our Spotify playlists can keep you company in between episodes. And our TeePublic Store has great designs that benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

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"Here she is boys! Here she is world! Here's... one of the best written musicals of all time!" GYPSY is part of Jeff's top three, and we have a top tier guest this week to celebrate it. Two-time Tony nominee Alison Fraser (THE SECRET GARDEN, ROMANCE/ROMANCE, IN TROUSERS) was a close friend of writer Arthur Laurents and played the role of Tessie Tura in the famous 2008 Broadway revival. Join us as she helps us explore the striptease artist Gypsy Rose Lee, her tragic monster of a mother, and how their musical fable is as old as storytelling itself.

Be sure to send Alison that fan art on Instagram and Facebook!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to check out our episode on another Robbins/Laurents/Sondheim collaboration: WEST SIDE STORY with Hector Guerrero

Have you subscribed to PATREON! and, if you haven't, what are you waiting for? Bonus episodes, trivia nights, and fun surveys await you for only $1 a month! Plus, you get the satisfaction of supporting "A Musical Theatre Podcast." We're active on Instagram, TikTok, and X. Our Spotify playlists can keep you company in between episodes. And our TeePublic Store has great designs that benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Above all, thank you for being part of this wonderful podcasting community!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices