Monkeys and Playbills

Paul and Jill are joined by dear, very real Friend of the Podcast Nelson Bettencourt! Together, they flip through the history books and discover three forgotten musicals from yesteryear: Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Hurry, Harry, and Working.

Paul, Jill, and Nelson scratch their heads and ponder: does anyone remember the band Deep Blue Something? Won’t someone please think of the documents? And when will Broadway revive the one-verb musical?

We got MERCH now y’all! Visit Spring to check out our mugs, and more merch coming soon!

Find Nelson on Instagram at @nfmbettencourt

Twitter: @monkeyplaybills

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Email: [email protected]

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We’re heading back to the swinging sixties with this week’s episode: Anyone Can Whistle! (Well, except maybe Fay Apple).

Paul and Jill take a look at this oddly titled bomb from some guy no one’s ever heard of, Stephen Sond-heem. Soundheim? Fun Home? Eh, he’ll probably never make it. With the OBC starring Angela Lansbury and diva after diva taking over in concert versions, this salute to cookies and blowing through pursed lips was penned by Mr. Sundhelm and Arthur Laurents.

Paul and Jill try their hand at a tune, while puzzling over the lack of whistling in this show; how they got all those cookies to pirouette; and whatever happened to this no-name composer from days gone by.

Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: [email protected]: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybills

We have a special guest on this week’s episode: the melodious voice, the producer with the mostest, it’s Producer Daph! Who writes the copy for all our episodes! And feels very weird about referring to herself in the third person!

Paul, Jill, and Daph are each other’s dates to the prom in this look at 1988’s Carrie! This doomed dance was directed by Terry Hands with music by the aptly named Michael Gore, featuring Barbara Cook and Linzi Hateley as mother and daughter White.

Huddled at a table feeling self-conscious in our outfits, Paul, Jill, and Daph get to talking: is Barbara Cook’s noggin okay? What does a million-dollar sound design sound like? And telekinetic dresses: cool or lame?

Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: [email protected]: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybills

We’re resurrecting the podcast with an all new season, starting with 2011’s Ghost! This spectre spectacular stars Caissie Levy and Richard Fleeshman as Demi and Patrick - we mean, Molly and Sam. The show was directed by Matthew Warchus with music by Dave Stewart, Glen Ballard, Bruce Joel Rubin, and of course, The Righteous Brothers.

Paul and Jill sit around a table, hands clasped, to ask the great beyond the important questions, like: is anyone else turned on and crying? Does this podcast need more bits? And do we really like this design, or are we just projecting?

Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: [email protected]: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybills

We’re gonna bring the flavour AND show you how. Join us on October 13th for the start of Season Two! We’ve got guests. We’ve got episodes. Coming straight from our homes to your ear boxes!

As part of our "Ones that Got Away" series, Paul and Jill head back in time - twice - with 2016’s Bright Star! This bluegrass blend of Broadway and banjo comes courtesy of Steve Martin (yeah, that Steve Martin) and Edie Brickell. The show was directed by Walter Bobbie and stars Paul’s new favourite person Carmen Cusack.

Paul and Jill decide to set awhile and ask themselves: how would one do a Bright Star Junior? Why does the mayor get this much stage time? And how many times has Mr. Martin played a dad on screen?

Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: [email protected]

Patreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills

Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybills

Paul, Jill, and Julie travel back in time to the height of the Cold War with 1988’s Chess! This first foray into musical theatre is brought to us by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus of ABBA and Mamma Mia! fame. Bringing the show to life are Judy Kuhn and David Carroll with direction by Trevor Nunn. It’s power suits. It’s brick-sized cell phones. It’s Russia vs. America. It’s a game played by old dudes in the park taken to dramatic new heights.

Paul and Jill accost Julie with important questions, such as: where are all the women at? Can I move my rook to Queen’s 3? Is that even a thing? Why doesn’t this musical add more to its run time and teach us how to play chess?

Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: [email protected]

Patreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills

Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybills

Paul and Jill take a trip down ol’ Central America way for Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville! This jukebox, palm-frond basking joy ride stars Paul Nolan and Alison Luff, was directed by Christopher Ashley, and features music from the chief Parrothead himself.

Paul and Jill mix themselves a batch of the titular beverage and find themselves wondering: what does musical theatre have against flats? Is bad costume design to blame for accidental incest? And where the hell did we put that shaker of salt?

Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: [email protected]

Patreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills

Ko-FI: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybills

Paul, Jill, and special guest Katie German migrate their way down to Treegap, New Hampshire for 2016’s Tuck Everlasting! Based on the novel of the same name, this musical retelling features music by Chris Miller and Nathan Tysen, was directed by Casey Nicholaw, and stars Sarah Charles Lewis as Winnie. We also get an unexpected bonus appearance of our flaming red fave, Carolee Carmello!

Some reading discussion questions include: how many times did Paul call our audience “mother-tuckers”? Should we bring back the dream ballet? And what is the secret behind Miss Carmello’s incredible hair?

Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: [email protected]

Patreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills

Paul and Jill travel to Topeka, Kansas for this half-Mennonite, all-Sherie Rene Scott musical: Everyday Rapture! This self-described semi-star takes the stage directed by Michael Mayer with music arrangements by Tom Kitt and book co-written with Dick Scanlan.Paul and Jill find themselves perplexed, asking such questions as: Is Mr. Rogers sexy? Is it a bad idea to cast young upstarts to might upstage you in your own show? And if this is the middle, Ms. Scott, what on earth do you consider the top?Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: [email protected]

Patreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills