“I’m coming to the cottage.”

Whether that line means something to or not, you should pay attention: HEATED RIVALRY is one of the best, if not THE best, new musical playing in New York. Smart, stupid, sexy, sassy, with a load of well crafted musical theater songs, Matt is taken aback by just how much he loves this tiny show than can.

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Time Stamps:

* 0:00 – Introduction, Apple Podcast review, and episode setup

* 5:20 – Spoiler-free reaction: Why Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Parody Musical is an unexpected triumph and Matt’s overall recommendation

* 11:45 – Story breakdown: From the TV series and novels to the musical adaptation (spoiler discussion begins)

* 22:15 – Performances: Jay Armstrong Johnson, Jimin Moon, Ryann Redmond, Cherry Torres, Ryan Duncan, the ensemble, and standout comedic moments

* 29:45 – Writing: Dylan Marcaurele’s book, score, lyrics, adaptation choices, audience participation, and why the parody works beyond fan service

* 35:15 – Design: The McKittrick staging, Off-Broadway aesthetic, and why the production value fits the material

* 37:45 – Overall thoughts: Final recommendation and the future of the podcast

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bwaybreakdown.substack.com