Backstage Babble

Today, I’m thrilled to present a “Broadway Behind the Scenes” special featuring conversations with two of New York theater’s most influential figures: producer and press agent Jeffrey Richards and casting director Tara Rubin. Tune in to hear scintillating stories and insights about both of their careers and their thoughts on the current state of Broadway.

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with Broadway director Trip Cullman, whose production of Martyna Majok’s Queens is currently playing at Manhattan Theater Club. Tune in to hear some of the stories of his legendary career, including reinventing I CAN GET IT FOR YOU WHOLESALE,  the use of music into CULT OF LOVE and CHOIR BOY, working on UNKNOWN SOLDIER after Michael Friedman passed away, telling Joshua Harmon’s personal stories in SIGNIFICANT OTHER and WE HAD A WORLD, deciding on the set for LOBBY HERO, assisting Joe Mantello on TAKE ME OUT, bringing a sex scene to life in A SMALL FIRE, his dramaturgical concept for SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION, what he learned from Mike Nichols during THE SEAGULL, staging an intense moment in THE LONELY FEW, being the only gay person working on ANGELS IN AMERICA, why THE ROSE TATTOO was a heartbreaker, bringing THELMA AND LOUISE to the stage, working on UNKNOWN SOLDIER after Michael Friedman passed away, why he loves casting musical theater actors in plays, how COWBOY MOUTH inspired his love of directing, his long collaboration with Leslye Headland and Halley Feiffer, his upcoming work on BECKY SHAW, and so much more. Don’t miss this candid conversation with one of Broadway’s best.

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with Broadway veteran Michael Vita. Tune in to hear some of the stories of his legendary career, including how PROMISES, PROMISES changed Broadway, how summer camp led to BYE BYE BIRDIE, moving to England in 1961, a long preview process for GOLDEN RAINBOW, his memorable audition for BALLROOM, touring America with 42ND STREET, having fun backstage with Gwen Verdon and Jerry Orbach, how A DOLL’S LIFE led to ON YOUR TOES, performing with Natalia Makarova, the genius of Hal Prince, going on at the last minute in JACQUES BREL IS ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVING IN PARIS, working on CYRANO with Christopher Plummer out of town, a mishap during SKYSCRAPER, his opening night gift during CHICAGO, talking about Bob Fosse with Michael Bennett, how he helped found BC/EFA, his second career as an AIDS activist, and so much more. Don’t miss this in-depth interview with a true Broadway veteran.

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with three-time Tony nominated librettist David Thompson. Tune in to hear some of the stories of his legendary career, including how he made his debut with FLORA, THE RED MENACE, experimenting with AND THE WORLD GOES ROUND, the last-minute nature of the CHICAGO revival, what he learned from Kander and Ebb, why 70, GIRLS, 70 is an anomaly, working with Andrew Lloyd Webber and Garth Drabinsky on MUSIC OF THE NIGHT, why STEEL PIER didn’t make a hit on Broadway, incorporating suggestions from the cast into THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS, completing that show after Fred Ebb’s passing, how 9/11 affected THOU SHALT NOT, working with Jerry Herman on revising DEAR WORLD, rewriting RAGS, adapting THE BLUE ANGEL and LITTLE MISS MARKER, a different kind of storytelling in THE BEAST IN THE JUNGLE, the beauty of THE LOOK OF LOVE, collaborating with Hal Prince on PRINCE OF BROADWAY, making theater in Japan, what attracted him to BAR MITZVAH BOY, reinventing NEW YORK, NEW YORK for the stage, his new piece with John Kander, and so much more. Don’t miss this candid conversation with one of Broadway’s finest wordsmiths.

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with Tony winner and Emmy nominee Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Tune in to hear some of the stories of his legendary career, including how he booked his Broadway debut in ON THE TOWN during college, why it worked better at the Delacorte than on Broadway, starring in TAKE ME OUT just after the pandemic, the genesis of THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, a real-life magical moment during THE TEMPEST, why FULLY COMMITTED appealed to him as a play to revive, how GRAND HORIZONS and LOG CABIN made a dream come true for him, finding movement in that show, coming to Hollywood as a stage actor, why he never had speaking roles growing up, doing Shakespeare in the Park and MODERN FAMILY simultaneously, being an out actor on Broadway and in Hollywood, the difficulty of his role in THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, his upcoming play about Truman Capote, and so much more. Don’t miss this candid and hilarious conversation with a star of stage and screen.

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with Oscar nominee Chris Sarandon. Tune in to hear some of the stories of his legendary career, including how he fell in love with Joanna Gleason during NICK AND NORA, bonding with the cast of THE ROTHSCHILDS, co-starring with Rex Harrison in THE DEVIL’S DISCIPLE, his Oscar campaign for DOG DAY AFTERNOON, the cult appeal of THE PRINCESS BRIDE, why he felt limited as a replacement in TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA, learning from Colleen Dewhurst and George C. Scott, why he wept every time he watched THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA, the strangeness of putting together MARCO POLO SINGS A SOLO, why CENSORED SCENES FROM KING KONG didn’t take off on Broadway, his collaboration with Ulu Grosbard, advising James Ivory on STREETS OF NEW YORK, and so much more. Don’t miss this in-depth conversation with a veteran of stage and screen.

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with two-time Tony nominee Carmen Cusack. Tune in to hear some of the stories of her legendary career, including collaborating with Steve Martin on BRIGHT STAR, taking LSD to prepare for FLYING OVER SUNSET, her upcoming role in BULL DURHAM, why the revival of CARRIE didn’t work, why the story of WICKED resonated with her, her abbreviated process with CALL ME MADAM, finding her take on the lead role in SOUTH PACIFIC, performing THE SECRET GARDEN for Prince Charles, how she earned an honorary degree, why she was hesitant to accept her role in LEMPICKA, co-starring with Faith Prince and Marin Mazzie, the difficulties of starring in SWEENEY TODD at the MUNY, how she almost became a jazz singer, her journey with THREE SUMMERS OF LINCOLN, and so much more. Don’t miss this in-depth conversation with one of Broadway’s brightest stars.

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with Tony-winning writer Dick Scanlan. Tune in to hear some of the stories of his legendary career, including his eight years performing in PAGEANT, how THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE turned him into a theater writer, giving Sutton Foster her breakout role in the show, directing Ellen Greene in LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, being influenced by Gilbert and Sullivan, the benefit performance that spawned EVERYDAY RAPTURE, editing Poz Magazine, watching THE SOUND OF MUSIC in a theater full of nuns, his unconventional journey from Carnegie Mellon to NYU, his research process for AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN, why he turned down TOOTSIE, the thrill of working with Berry Gordy on MOTOWN, revising THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN, telling prisoners’ real stories in WHORL INSIDE A LOOP, and so much more. Don’t miss this in-depth conversation with one of Broadway’s best wordsmiths.

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with theater veteran Kate Jennings Grant. Tune in to hear some of the stories of her legendary career, including the secret to her role in PROOF, a full-circle moment with GUYS AND DOLLS, working with the late, great Mark Brokaw and Linda Lavin on THE LYONS, a tip from Vanessa Redgrave, why Christopher Durang wanted her to play the lead in THE MARRIAGE OF BETTE AND BOO, meeting her husband Doug Hughes during BEARD OF AVON, starring in tours of APPLAUSE and FINIAN’S RAINBOW, how Wendy Wasserstein gave her her screen debut, why she loves singing Stephen Sondheim’s music, the notes George C. Wolfe gave her during RADIANT BABY, the joys of co-starring with Wendie Malick in BLITHE SPIRIT, why she turned down SPAMALOT, the injury that caused her brief leave from OLD FRIENDS, the intensity of co-starring with Glenn Close in MOTHER OF THE MAID, coming out of the pandemic with MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, researching her role as Diane Sawyer in FROST/NIXON, what she learned from Tammy Grimes during A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, why NOISES OFF was like training for the Olympics, and so much more. Don’t miss this open conversation with one of Broadway’s best.

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with Tony winner Will Brill, who will be starring in MEET THE CARTOZIANS off-Broadway this fall. Tune in to hear some of the stories of his legendary career, including the unique process of creating STEREOPHONIC, moving the show from Playwrights Horizons to Broadway, being part of the Tonys campaign, why the response to OKLAHOMA surprised him, the cosmic alignment of A CASE FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD, dealing with different audience interactions during OUR TOWN, finding success on TV with FELLOW TRAVELERS, James Lapine’s fearlessness in shaping ACT ONE, how Tony Shalhoub scripted gibberish, the meta experience of starring in ILLYRIA at the Public Theater, his method of memorizing lines, playing Shakespeare on screen, co-starring with David Cromer in UNCLE VANYA, a guiding quote from Uta Hagen, the mythology around alcoholism in theater, what he learned from James Earl Jones during YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU, and so much more. Don’t miss this in-depth conversation with one of Broadway's brightest stars.