Marc Blitzstein, composer and lyricist noted for THE CRADLE WILL ROCK, THE AIRBORNE SYMPHONY, JUNO, and REGINA, discusses his life and work. He recalls the political controversy around THE CRADLE WILL ROCK, the challenges of bringing it to the stage with director Orson Welles and producer, John Houseman, and his translation/adaptation of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill’s The THREEPENNY OPERA. Additional commentary by Dr. Eric Gordon, author of “Marc the Music, The Life and Work of Marc Blitzstein.”

Featured songs: “Finale from The Cradle Will Rock,” “Nickel Under The Foot,” “Moll’s Song,” “Ballad of Hurry Up,” “Ballad of the Bombardier,” “Mack the Knife,” “One Kind Word,” “Make A Quiet Day (Rain Quartet),” “The Best Thing of All,” and the rarely sung “Zipperfly” introduced and performed by Leonard Bernstein.

Originally produced and broadcast in 1986. For more information go to AnythingGoesPL.com or BPN.FM/AnythingGoes. Theme music arranged by Bruce Coughlin. Sound mixing by David Rapkin. Associate producer Jeff Lunden. Anything Goes – Backstage with Broadway’s Best – is produced and hosted by Paul Lazarus.

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Burton Lane, composer of such celebrated Broadway shows as FINIAN’S RAINBOW and ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER, along with songs for over thirty films including ROYAL WEDDING and BABES IN ARMS, discusses his career. He recounts his early songwriting efforts in Hollywood with Frank Loesser and Harold Adamson, Broadway collaborations with E.Y. “Yip” Harburg and Alan Jay Lerner, writing songs for Fred Astaire, and discovering a young Judy Garland when she was performing as part of The Gumm Sisters.

Featured songs: “Overture from FINIAN’S RAINBOW,” “Everything I Have Is Yours,” “How D’ya Like to Love Me?” “I Hear Music,” “The Lady’s In Love With You,” “How About You?” “Don’t Let It Get You Down,” “The World Is In My Arms,” “Old Devil Moon,” “Look to the Rainbow,” “When the Idle Poor Become the Idle Rich,” “How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Love You When You Know I’ve Been A Liar All My Life,” “Too Late Now,” “On A Clear Day (You Can See Forever,” “Come Back To Me,” and “Where Have I Seen Your Face Before.”

Originally produced and broadcast in 1986. For more information go to AnythingGoesPL.com or BPN.FM/AnythingGoes. Theme music arranged by Bruce Coughlin. Sound mixing by David Rapkin. Associate producer Jeff Lunden. Anything Goes – Backstage with Broadway’s Best – is produced and hosted by Paul Lazarus.

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Richard Maltby, Jr., director and lyricist of such shows as STARTING HERE, STARTING NOW, BABY, and the multi-award-winning Fats Waller tribute AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’, discusses his career from his earliest beginnings. He reflects on his work with composer David Shire, having their songs recorded by Barbra Streisand, and the challenges of adapting Fats Waller’s music for the theater.

Featured songs: “We Start Today,” “Autumn,” “Starting Here, Starting Now,” “Just Across the River,” “I Don’t Remember Christmas,” “Handful of Keys,” “This Joint is Jumpin’,” “What Could Be Better?” and “The Story Goes On.”

Originally produced and broadcast in 1986. For more information go to AnythingGoesPL.com or BPN.FM/AnythingGoes. Theme music arranged by Bruce Coughlin. Sound mixing by David Rapkin. Associate producer Jeff Lunden. Anything Goes – Backstage with Broadway’s Best – is produced and hosted by Paul Lazarus.

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Sheldon Harnick, acclaimed writer of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, FIORELLO!, SHE LOVES ME, THE ROTHSCHILDS, and more, shares highlights from his oevre. He speaks about his career beginnings after leaving the Army, the advice he got from his idol, E.Y. “Yip” Harburg, and how he almost didn’t get the job writing for FIORELLO! Harnick talks about Jerome Robbins, finding the overall theme of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, and writing specifically for a star: Zero Mostel. Harnick also sings several of his own songs.

Featured songs: “Politics and Poker,” “Little Old New York,” “What Makes Me Love Him,” “Garbage,” “No Song More Pleasing,” “The Ballad Of The Shape Of Things,” “The Boston Beguine,” “Unfair,” “Till Tomorrow,” “Little Tin Box,” “She Loves Me,” “Ice Cream,” “Sunrise, Sunset,” “Do You Love Me,” “If I Were A Rich Man,” and “In My Own Lifetime.”

Originally produced and broadcast in 1986. For more information go to AnythingGoesPL.com or BPN.FM/AnythingGoes. Theme music arranged by Bruce Coughlin. Sound mixing by David Rapkin. Associate producer Jeff Lunden. Anything Goes – Backstage with Broadway’s Best – is produced and hosted by Paul Lazarus.

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Jim Wann, composer, lyricist, and performer of PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES talks about the Country and American Roots-influenced scores he brought to the stage. He discusses his early work Off-Broadway, including DIAMOND STUDS and HOT GROG, and explains the origins of both the Pump Boys and the Dinettes, and how they eventually made their way to Broadway. A marvelous guitarist and singer in his own right, Wann talks about how Country music is a natural translation to the stage due to its roots in storytelling through song.

Featured songs: “Highway 57,” “Cakewalk Into Kansas City,” “Sleepy Time Down South,” “Bound Away,” “Pump Boys,” “Fisherman’s Prayer,” “The Night Dolly Parton Was Almost Mine,” “Romance Of The Rented Room,” and “Closing Time.”

Originally produced and broadcast in 1986. For more information go to AnythingGoesPL.com or BPN.FM/Anything Goes. Theme music arranged by Bruce Coughlin. Sound mixing by David Rapkin. Associate producer Jeff Lunden. Anything Goes – Backstage with Broadway’s Best – is produced and hosted by Paul Lazarus.

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Maury Yeston, composer-lyricist of the Tony-winning musical NINE, talks about his score for the adaptation of Federico Fellini’s film, “8 1/2.” Yeston also discusses his incidental score and song for the original production of “Cloud Nine” Off- Broadway as well as some of the pop songs he has written. Recalling the Broadway production of Nine, he explains writing music for the large, predominantly female cast. The “Maury Tabernacle Choir” featuring Yeston on all the parts performs “The Germans at the Spa.”

Featured songs: “Overture from NINE,” “Nine,” “Cloud Nine Rock Version,” “Guido’s Song,” “Folies Bergère,” “The Bells of St. Sebastian,” “Danglin’,” and “Unusual Way.”

Originally produced and broadcast in 1986. For more information go to AnythingGoesPL.com or BPN.FM/AnythingGoes. Theme music arranged by Bruce Coughlin. Sound mixing by David Rapkin. Associate producer Jeff Lunden. Anything Goes – Backstage with Broadway’s Best – is produced and hosted by Paul Lazarus.

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Part two of our conversation with John Kander and Fred Ebb, songwriters for such Broadway shows as WOMAN OF THE YEAR, 70, GIRLS, 70, THE RINK, THE HAPPY TIME, and ZORBA. They talk about their writing process and share several anecdotes about working with luminaries like Hal Prince, George Abbott, Liza Minnelli, Robert Goulet and more. Kander and Ebb share their love of writing together and going back and forth with Bob Fosse to create a perfect, climactic number for Gwen Verdon and Chita Rivera to perform in CHICAGO.

Featured songs: “All That Jazz,” “I Don’t Remember You,” “Life Is,” “The Butterfly,” “Old Folks,” “Chicago Overture,” “Nowadays,” “Mister Cellophane,” “The Grass Is Always Greener,” “The Rink,” “Colored Lights,” and “Yes.”

Originally produced and broadcast in 1986. For more information go to AnythingGoesPL.com or BPN.FM/AnythingGoes. Theme music arranged by Bruce Coughlin. Sound mixing by David Rapkin. Associate producer Jeff Lunden. Anything Goes – Backstage with Broadway’s Best – is produced and hosted by Paul Lazarus.

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John Kander and Fred Ebb, the writing team behind such shows as CHICAGO, CABARET, FLORA THE RED MENACE, are interviewed about their over twenty-year collaboration. They discuss how they first met, the early stages of their partnership, writing special material and how much they enjoy the time they spend writing together. They sing several of their own compositions together and share their experiences working with Hal Prince, George Abbott, Chita Rivera, Liza Minelli, Barbra Streisand, Bob Fosse, Gwen Verdon, and other stars of the stage and screen. Featured songs: “Cabaret,” “Perfect Strangers,” “Ring Them Bells,” “My Coloring Book,” “Sing Happy,” “A Quiet Thing,” “Wilkommen,” “So What?,” “If You Could See Her,” “Maybe This Time,” and “Theme From New York, New York.”

Originally produced and broadcast in 1986. For more information go to AnythingGoesPL.com or BPN.FM/AnythingGoes. Theme music arranged by Bruce Coughlin. Sound mixing by David Rapkin. Associate producer Jeff Lunden. Anything Goes – Backstage with Broadway’s Best – is produced and hosted by Paul Lazarus.

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Gretchen Cryer, writer of I’M GETTING MY ACT TOGETHER AND TAKING IT ON THE ROAD, and Carol Hall, songwriter of THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS, speak about their careers on the musical theater stage. Cryer details her inspirations and choices for I’M GETTING MY ACT TOGETHER… and sings several songs from the show. She also discusses her collaboration with composer Nancy Ford on the award-winning, THE LAST SWEET DAYS OF ISAAC. Hall, who performed in I’M GETTING MY ACT TOGETHER…, elaborates on her own work as a composer and lyricist. She speaks about writing for women, gender roles in the theater, and the songs she contributed to FREE TO BE YOU AND ME and TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN.

Featured songs: “Natural High,” “My Most Important Days Go By,” “Love You Came To Me,” “Put In A Package And Sold,” “Happy Birthday,” “Old Friend,” “Ain’t Love Easy,” “It’s All Right To Cry,” “The Aggie Song,” “Doatsy May,” “Who Will Dance With The Blind Dancing Bear,” “Jenny Rebecca,” and “Miracles.”

Originally produced and broadcast in 1986. For more information go to AnythingGoesPL.com or BPN.FM/AnythingGoes. Theme music arranged by Bruce Coughlin. Sound mixing by David Rapkin. Associate producer Jeff Lunden. Anything Goes – Backstage with Broadway’s Best – is produced and hosted by Paul Lazarus.

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The legendary book writer of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF and THE BAKER’S WIFE, Joseph Stein, shares his writing process and his insights into what contributes to a good book of a musical. Together with Elisa Loti and Jeff Keller, Stein reads scenes from FIDDLER ON THE ROOF and ZORBA, discusses the challenging task of adapting existing work into musical form, and explains the importance of establishing the main character on the Broadway stage. He also relates his experiences crafting the librettos for PLAIN AND FANCY, MR. WONDERFUL, JUNO, and TAKE ME ALONG.

Featured songs: “Plain We Live,” “This Is All Very New To Me,” “Mr. Wonderful,” “Without You, I’m Nothing,” “Daarlin’ Man,” “Take Me Along,” “Tradition,” “Do You Love Me?” “Sunrise, Sunset,” and “The First Time.”

Originally produced and broadcast in 1986. For more information go to AnythingGoesPL.com or BPN.FM/AnythingGoes. Theme music arranged by Bruce Coughlin. Sound mixing by David Rapkin. Associate producer Jeff Lunden. Anything Goes – Backstage with Broadway’s Best – is produced and hosted by Paul Lazarus.

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