A Musical Theatre Podcast

This week we're spending another winter in a summer town as we cover the terrific 2006 musical GREY GARDENS.

Here to not only have his cake but chew it and masticate it is the great Drew Droege (MESSY WHITE GAYS, TITANIQUE). Drew takes us through lesser-known accounts and perspectives on the Beale women, all while raising up the non-conformist ladies whose voices and humor give us life!

Follow Drew on Instagram at @drewdroege and buy tickets to his new play at messywhitegays.com.

If you enjoyed this episode...wait for next week's. It's a companion piece!

Join us at PATREON! for bonus episodes and an upcoming Christmas gift! Be sure to follow and share our content on Instagram and TikTok and subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts! Looking to give back? We have designs at our TeePublic Store, and the profits we receive are donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

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

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Today we finish up our fall American Dream Miniseries with a surprise fourth episode dedicated to the listener requested BONNIE & CLYDE.

This musical, maybe even more than the others we've covered in this miniseries, most easily represents the experience of Americans in 2025. Let that sink in for a minute!

Here to discuss it is the show's book writer, Ivan Menchell (BONNIE & CLYDE, CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG, DEATH NOTE) who provides fascinating context regarding his approach to these legendary characters and the explanation behind the show's short Broadway run.

Follow Ivan on Instagram at @ivanmenchell

For more Frank Wildhorn, listen to JEKYLL & HYDE with Rebecca Spencer

Join all the cool people at ⁠PATREON!⁠ for bonus episodes (including one today featuring BONNIE & CLYDE superfan Jennifer Lyn), essays, and polls. Share our episodes and videos on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠TikTok⁠. Don't forget about our ⁠TeePublic Store⁠ where the profits we receive are donated to ⁠Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS⁠.

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

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The third entry in our "American Dream" miniseries of listener requests is the 1980 musical BARNUM. Now, that means it is not THE GREATEST SHOWMAN, and please don't come for Jeff if he speaks too candidly about that musical!

Instead, join us for a lively discussion regarding the showmanship of P.T. Barnum and the musical that bears his name as well as the complex legacy of characters like him in American History.

Here to discuss it all is someone who knows a thing or two about showmanship. He can currently be seen in the Broadway smash MJ and recently choreographed a new production of BARNUM: it's Ryan VanDenBoom! (BANDSTAND, SOMETHING ROTTEN, and more.)

Follow Ryan on Instagram at @ryanvandenboom

If you liked this episode, check out THE MUSIC MAN with Teri Bibb

Join all the cool people at PATREON! for bonus episodes, essays, and polls. Share our episodes and videos on Instagram and TikTok. Don't forget about our TeePublic Store where all the profits we receive are donated to 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

The second episode in our "American Dream miniseries" is dedicated to 1776, the listener requested, Best Musical winner of 1969. It's a surprisingly unconventional musical about the very beginnings of a government that is currently, as of this moment, shut down.

Join our special guest Howard Sherman (arts administrator, writer, and advocate) as we look at how 1776 and HAIR could have premiered on Broadway at the same time and look to its characters for lessons on debate and disagreement.

We honestly didn't think this episode would be so relevant right now.

Read some of Howard's terrific work on his website https://hesherman.com/ and follow him on instagram at @hesherman.

If you enjoyed this episode, check out HAIR with Jordan Dobson .

Join us at PATREON! for exclusive access to our library of bonus episodes, essays, and mini series. Follow and share our content on Instagram and TikTok. Don't forget to order something fun on our TeePublic Store. All of our profits go the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

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Today we begin a mini-series on "A Musical Theatre Podcast" that will explore "the American Dream." These are musicals you listeners have requested that all have one thing in common: "being an American is a beautifully complicated thing."

First up is the 1987 musical RAGS created originally by three titans of the art form: Charles Strouse (BYE BYE BIRDIE, ANNIE), Stephen Schwartz (WICKED, PIPPIN), and Joseph Stein (FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, ZORBA). Here to discuss it with us is the star of many of those musicals and a fan of all of their creators, Samantha Massell (RAGS, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF).

There are so many synchronicities that happened during this conversation that you will have to agree this episode happened at exactly the right time with exactly the right people.

Be sure to follow Samantha on Instagram at @smassellsings to learn more about her upcoming projects.

If you enjoyed this episode, go back to the very beginning for "A Musical Theatre Podcast" and enjoy FIDDLER ON THE ROOF with Glenn Rosenblum

Join us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠PATREON!⁠⁠⁠⁠ for bonus episodes, contests, and polls! Don't forget to like and share our episodes on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. We have fun playlists on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to keep you company in between episodes and be sure to check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TeePublic Store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ where our profits from the designs are donated to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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

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"There are worse things than listening to a podcast on a Sunday!"

Join special guest, and original cast member, Danielle Ferland ("Little Red" in Into the Woods) as we look back at her Broadway debut in the Pulitzer Prize winning, and listener requested, Sondheim/Lapine musical Sunday in the Park with George. Listen to stories about the nontraditional way this nontraditional musical was created and whether or not Danielle ever found her glasses.

If you enjoyed this episode, you should definitely check out our covid era episode on INTO THE WOODS with Sara Kapner

Be sure to follow Danielle on Instagram at @ferlanddr to stay up to date with her latest projects.

For more about Sunday in the Park with George and the other musicals that have won the Pulitzer Prize in Drama, join us on PATREON! for our bonus series exclusively for the "Patreon! Fam" tier. Follow us on Instagram and TikTok, and check out our TeePublic Store which benefits Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Above all, thank you for being here at "A Musical Theatre Podcast."

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PARADE is by no means a "happy musical." But the way it has aged not only with audiences but within our culture has given it a happier ending than when it first opened in the 1999 Broadway season.

This week, actor Max Chernin (Broadway's PARADE, BRIGHT STAR, SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE) takes a moment from playing "Leo Frank" in the show's current national tour to discuss how the wounds from the original 1913 trial continue to fester today and how important it can be to "de-role" from it all.

By the way, if you're into "true crime," this is the musical for you.

Follow Max on Instagram @maxcherns

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to check our episode exploring more complex moments of American History: RAGTIME with David Loud

For only a few dollars a month, subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠PATREON!⁠⁠⁠ for bonus episodes, contests, and polls! Don't forget to like and share our episodes on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠. We have fun playlists on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠ to keep you company in between episodes and be sure to check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠TeePublic Store⁠⁠⁠⁠ where our profits from the designs are donated to ⁠⁠⁠⁠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

"They're creepy and they're kooky," but they also mean a lot to so many of you! THE ADDAMS FAMILY, a musical based on the beloved characters by Charles Addams is one of the most performed musicals in the United States. Today, we look at why that might be.

Joining us is one of Broadway's "Wednesdays," the amazing Rachel Potter (EVITA, WICKED), whose new album "Stages" features one the musical's most popular songs.

Follow Rachel on Instagram at @therachelpotter. Listen to her new album STAGES now! Also, here's the music video she mentions in the episode celebrating the "Addams Family Stage" of her life.

If you enjoyed this episode, check out another celebrating composer Andrew Lippa: BIG FISH with Jeff Whiting

For only a few dollars a month, subscribe to ⁠⁠PATREON!⁠⁠ for bonus episodes, contests, and polls! Don't forget to like and share our episodes on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠. We have fun playlists on ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠ to keep you company in between episodes and be sure to check out our ⁠⁠⁠TeePublic Store⁠⁠⁠ where our profits from the designs are donated to ⁠⁠⁠Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS⁠⁠⁠.

More than anything, thank you for being an important part of this podcasting community!

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

SMILE, a musical by Howard Ashman and Marvin Hamlisch about a teen beauty pageant may not have won the crown when it premiered on Broadway back in 1986, but it was the winner of this year's "Flop Shop" PATREON! poll. We're hoping now a few more people will know just how important this musical is!

Director, podcaster, and educator Robert W. Schneider joins us just having finished directing a production of this lesser-known gem. Tune in to hear all about the original production and how the show was received by audiences in 2025.

Be sure to follow Rob on Instagram @robwschneider and learn more about his theatre company at The J2 Spotlight Musical Theater Company

If you enjoyed this episode, check out last year's winner of the "Flop Shop" poll: STEEL PIER with Colden Lamb

Join us at ⁠PATREON!⁠ for bonus episodes, contests, and polls! Don't forget to like and share our episodes on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠. We have fun playlists on ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠ to keep you company in between episodes and be sure to check out our ⁠⁠TeePublic Store⁠⁠ where our profits from the designs are donated to ⁠⁠Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS⁠⁠.

More than anything, thank you for being an important part of this podcasting community!

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

Just as DEATH BECOMES HER celebrates 10 Tony nominations, we're thrilled to celebrate our new episode dedicated to this brand-new Broadway hit!

Joining us is one of the nominees, the hilarious book writer himself, Marco Pennette (TV's Ugly Betty & Mom), and one of hard-working cast members keeping the show going 8 performances a week, Kaleigh Cronin (Cabaret, A Bronx Tale, Jersey Boys).

Marco is an open, pardon the pun, "book," and you'll love his insider look at how this musical came to be. Kaleigh is not only in the show every night but also understudies both leading lady roles and has wonderful insights on those fabulous divas.

Don't miss DEATH BECOMES HER at the Lunt-Fontaine Theatre in NYC! To learn more, visit deathbecomesher.com. Be sure to follow Kaleigh on Instagram at @kaleigh_cronin.

If you enjoyed this episode, check out our recent episode with the writers of WATER FOR ELEPHANTS: Rick Elice and PigPen Theatre Co.

Join us at PATREON! for bonus episodes, contests, and polls! Don't forget to like and share our episodes on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠TikTok⁠. We have fun playlists on ⁠Spotify⁠ to keep you company in between episodes, and be sure to check out our ⁠TeePublic Store⁠ where our profits from the designs are donated to ⁠Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS⁠.

More than anything, thank you for being an important part of this podcasting community!

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