Critical Darling

The Queen of Versailles is a new musical based on Lauren Greenfield's 2012 documentary, which follows billionaire couple Jackie and David Siegel as their plans to build the largest private home in America are upended by the 2008 financial crisis. After premiering in Boston in 2024, the production transferred to Broadway's St. James Theatre as one of the most anticipated new shows of the 2025–2026 season. The musical features a score by Stephen Schwartz, a book by Lindsey Ferrentino, and direction by Michael Arden, with a cast led by Kristin Chenoweth and F. Murray Abraham, alongside a design team that leans fully into the scale and spectacle of the Siegel story.

Host Andrew Cole is joined by guest co-host Brent McCreary, a Broadway industry veteran and live entertainment strategist, to unpack this ambitious new musical. Together, they discuss standout performances (including Sherie Rene Scott who stood by for Kristin), the show's larger-than-life production elements, and what happens when real-life excess meets theatrical storytelling—while also exploring how two different performances in the same role can reshape the audience experience.

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CHAPTERS

0:00 - Intro / Welcome Brent McCreary 7:15 - Setting the Stage 8:26 - Critical Darling Thesis 11:17 - Hot Takes 37:33 - Big Feels 43:53 - Should You See It? 48:40 - Outro

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MORE ON THE SHOW

Listen to the Cast Recording: https://tinyurl.com/ybnkma8z

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GUEST HOST LOVE

Follow Brent: https://www.instagram.com/crazyforconcerts/

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Giant is a new play by British writer Mark Rosenblatt that explores a pivotal chapter in the life of Roald Dahl. Set in Dahl's family home in the summer of 1983, the story examines the fallout of a widely criticized literary review he published regarding the 1982 Lebanon War. Directed by Nicholas Hytner and featuring scenic and costume design by Bob Crowley, the production transferred from an award-winning run on the West End to Broadway with its original creative team intact. The cast is led by John Lithgow as Dahl, alongside Aya Cash, Elliot Levy, Rachael Stirling, Stella Everett, and David Manis.

Host Andrew Cole is joined by guest host Marissa Rosano, an accomplished vocal coach and longtime friend from their days at Belmont University. They discuss the sparse, symbolic set design and the "monster-like" intensity of Lithgow's performance. The conversation also tackles the play's timely relevance to modern cancel culture, the complex relationship between an artist and their work, and the unsettling parallels between Dahl's public controversies and those of contemporary figures like J.K. Rowling.

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CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro / Welcome Marissa Rosano 9:33 - Setting the Stage 11:35 - Hot Takes 28:52 - Big Feels 48:15 - Should You See It? 51:49 - Outro

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MORE ON GIANT

Get Tickets: https://gianttheplay.com/ticket-info

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Little Bear Ridge Road is a new play by Samuel D. Hunter (The Whale) set in rural Idaho during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the story centers on the relationship between Sarah (Laurie Metcalf) and her nephew Ethan (Micah Stock) as they navigate shared family history and isolation in a modest cabin. Directed by Joe Mantello, the production features scenic design by Scott Pask and was originally presented at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago before its Broadway transfer produced by Scott Rudin and Barry Diller.

Host Andrew Cole is joined by guest Robin Steinthal, his former theater marketing co-worker and fellow frequent theatergoer. They discuss the logistics of the production, including the specific performances and the recurring creative team assembled for the project. The conversation also covers the play's marketing strategy, its limited engagement at the Booth Theatre, and the broader trends currently affecting contemporary dramas on Broadway.

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CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro / Setting the Stage 1:42 - Welcome Robin Steinthal 6:27 - Hot Takes 23:53 - Big Feels 37:41 - Should You See It? 42:38 - Outro

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MORE ON LITTLE BEAR RIDGE ROAD

Hear from Samuel D. Hunter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLE6NvFPcYI

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GUEST HOST LOVE

Follow Robin on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robinsteinthal/

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Every Brilliant Thing is a one-person play by Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe that explores the small, everyday moments that make life worth living. First developed on the UK festival circuit in the early 2010s, the piece gained international acclaim before an extended Off-Broadway run at the Barrow Street Theatre. It now arrives on Broadway at the Hudson Theatre in a new production starring Daniel Radcliffe, directed by Jeremy Herrin and Duncan Macmillan. Aided by a heavy dose of direct audience participation, the play blends humor and vulnerability as the narrator catalogs "every brilliant thing" in the face of depression and loss.

Host Andrew Cole is joined by guest co-host Talia Corrin, Executive Director of A.R.T./New York, to unpack this intimate and unconventional work. They explore Radcliffe's uniquely grounded performance, the challenges of staging a participatory piece in a Broadway house, and the production's dual identity as both theatrical event and emotional PSA. Together, they dig into themes of mental health, connection, and what it means to actively notice joy in a complicated world.

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CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro / Welcome Talia Corren 12:15 - Setting the Stage 14:27 - Hot Takes 26:35 - Big Feels 46:23 - Should You See It? 51:16 - Outro

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MORE ON EVERY BRILLIANT THING

Get Tickets: https://everybrilliantthing.com/ticket-information/

Official Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4f2Io27F4tKbIV4kOJXBGb?si=2UExr2d9RZa3SNcqaBKrjQ

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GUEST HOST LOVE

Learn More About A.R.T./New York https://www.art-newyork.org/

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Waiting for Godot is Samuel Beckett's landmark work of absurdist theater, first written in French in the early 1950s and quickly becoming one of the most influential plays of the 20th century. Set on a barren stretch of road, the play follows Vladimir and Estragon as they wait for the mysterious Godot—who never arrives. The 2025 Broadway revival, directed by Jamie Lloyd, reimagines Beckett's existential meditation with a stark, visually striking production led by Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter, whose real-life friendship shapes the central dynamic.

Host Andrew Cole is joined by guest co-host Michael Littig to unpack this revival, exploring the performances, Lloyd's direction, and how the production balances humor, precision, and ambiguity. They also reflect on the play's deeper themes of waiting, meaning, and human connection and what it means to experience a piece of theater that resists easy answers but stays with you long after.

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CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro / Welcome Michael Littig 6:40 - Setting the Stage 7:48 - Hot Takes 26:32 - Big Feels 38:27 - Should You See It? 41:38 - Outro

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MORE ON THE SHOW

Learn More: https://thejamielloydcompany.com/productions/waiting-for-godot/

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GUEST HOST LOVE

Subscribe to Michael's Weekly Newsletter "Welcome Home": https://www.michaellittig.com/

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Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York is a musical comedy by British writers Jim Barne and Kit Buchan that follows two unlikely companions navigating Manhattan ahead of a family wedding. After developing in the UK and running in London's West End, the show transferred to Broadway in 2025 at the Longacre Theatre following a run at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge. Directed and choreographed by Tim Jackson, the production stars Sam Tutty as Dougal and Christiani Pitts as Robin.

Host Andrew Cole is joined by guest co-host Katie Kaufman to unpack this two-hander musical rom-com set against the backdrop of New York City. Together they break down the performances, the show's contemporary musical-theater score, and the challenges of staging an intimate two-person story on a Broadway stage. They also explore the show's blend of classic rom-com tropes with modern themes, discussing what works, what feels underdeveloped, and whether the production ultimately earns its place on Broadway.

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CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro / Welcome Katie Kaufman 9:08 - Setting the Stage 11:21 - Hot Takes 26:40 - Big Feels 40:54 - Should You See It? 44:04 - Outro

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MORE ON THE SHOW

Get Tickets: https://twostrangersmusical.com/tickets/

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GUEST HOST LOVE

The Men of "Anything Goes" Watch Katie Kaufman Tap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZodZHXfW9Dw

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Call Me Izzy is a new play by Jamie Wax that arrived on Broadway as the first show in the 25/26 season and a star vehicle for Emmy-winning actress Jean Smart, marking her return to the stage. Set in the American South during the late 1980s, the one-woman play centers on Izzy, a sharp-witted writer whose life has been shaped by quiet compromises and difficult choices. Through humor, poetry, and personal reflection, Izzy gradually reveals the emotional landscape of a marriage marked by control and violence while holding tight to the creative instincts that sustain her.

Host Andrew Cole is joined in this episode by guest co-host Nikki Murdock to unpack this intimate production, discussing Jean Smart's commanding solo performance and the storytelling rhythm of Jamie Wax's script. They explore Sarna Lapine's restrained staging and how the play blends humor, vulnerability, and self-expression to illuminate a deeply personal story while inviting audiences to reflect on the unseen struggles shaping people's lives.

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CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro / Setting the Stage 1:23 - Welcome Nikki Murdock 6:49 - Hot Takes 21:59 - Big Feels 32:54 - Should You See It? 37:48 - Outro

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MORE ON CALL ME IZZY Read the Broadway.com Feature: https://www.broadway.com/buzz/205766/jamie-wax-on-call-me-izzy-the-one-woman-show-he-built-from-a-lifetime-of-talking-to-strangers/

Vist the Show Website: https://callmeizzyplay.com/

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GUEST HOST LOVE

Follow Nikki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikkipoppinsrn Follow Nikki on TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/nikkipoppinsrn

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Tracy Letts' Bug makes its long-awaited Broadway debut in a revival from Manhattan Theatre Club, bringing the playwright's early psychological thriller to a new stage. First premiering in 1996, the play centers on Agnes, a lonely Oklahoma waitress whose life becomes entangled with Peter, a drifter and Gulf War veteran whose growing paranoia begins to reshape their shared reality. As their relationship intensifies, Peter's conviction that he is the target of a vast government conspiracy pulls them both into an increasingly unstable world.

Host Andrew Cole is joined by guest co-host Sean Reilly to break down this unsettling descent into shared delusion, exploring the performances, staging, and design choices that bring Letts' work to life for its first Broadway run. Led by Carrie Coon as Agnes and Namir Smallwood as Peter, the production blends intimate character study with mounting psychological tension, raising questions about trust, trauma, and belief.

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CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro / Welcome Sean Reilly 9:48 - Setting the Stage 11:43 - Hot Takes 27:20 - Big Feels 42:20 - Should You See It? 44:50 - Outro

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SEE BUG Get Tickets: https://www.manhattantheatreclub.com/shows/2025-26-season/bug/

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GUEST HOST LOVE

Follow Sean on IG: https://www.instagram.com/stufffromsean/ Check out Sean's Scholarship Initiative (and help spread the word!): https://afs.org/global-stem/

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Ragtime is a sweeping musical adaptation of the 1975 novel by E.L. Doctorow, set at the turn of the twentieth century as America navigates rapid social change. Featuring a score by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens and a book by Terrence McNally, the show interweaves the lives of Black, white, and immigrant communities while examining ambition, injustice, and the promise of the American Dream. Originally premiering on Broadway in 1998 to widespread acclaim, Ragtime remains one of the most ambitious and emotionally resonant works in modern musical theater.

Host Andrew Cole is joined by guest co-host Michael Keeler to discuss the new Lincoln Center Theater revival directed by Lear deBessonet. They explore the production's standout performances — including Joshua Henry, Caissie Levy, Brandon Uranowitz, and Nichelle Lewis — and unpack how this epic story lands in today's cultural moment, from its soaring score to its enduring themes of identity, empathy, and division.

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CHAPTERS 00:00 - Intro / Welcome Michael Keeler 11:10 - Setting the Stage 12:38 - Hot Takes 42:28 - Big Feels 54:33 - Should You See It? 58:43 - Outro

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SEE RAGTIME Get Tickets: https://www.lct.org/shows/ragtime/

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GUEST HOST LOVE

Follow Michael on IG: https://www.instagram.com/michaelrkeeler Listen to the B4U Podcast: https://businessforunicorns.com/business-for-unicorns-podcast/

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Step into the near future with Marjorie Prime, Jordan Harrison's haunting play that blends intimate family drama with speculative technology. Starring June Squibb, Cynthia Nixon, Danny Burstein, and Christopher Lowell, the production imagines a world where artificial intelligence can recreate lifelike versions of loved ones to preserve memory and ease grief.

Host Andrew Cole is joined by guest co-host Kira Stockdale for a spoiler-rich deep dive into the performances, the staging, and the show's big questions about grief, technology, and what truly makes us human. They unpack standout turns from Squibb and Nixon, debate design choices, and explore whether healing can ever be manufactured.

For anyone searching for a Marjorie Prime Broadway review, a thoughtful theater analysis, or a post-show breakdown of this AI-infused family drama, this episode of Critical Darling delivers sharp takes, big feels, and a final verdict.

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CHAPTERS 00:00 - Intro / Welcome Kira Stockdale 8:10 - Setting the Stage 9:40 - Hot Takes 27:44 - Big Feels 39:18 - Should You See It? 43:11 - Outro

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SEE MARJORIE PRIME Get Tickets: https://2st.com/shows/marjorie-prime

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GUEST HOST LOVE

Learn More About Stonewall Chorale: https://stonewallchorale.org/

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