Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction, and those stories typically make the best shows. Operation Mincemeat is a musical that burst onto Broadway last season after transferring from the West End, based on a true story about how the Allied powers turned the tide of World War II. The story is so wild that the only way to do it justice is to put it to music, which somehow works! We recently had the chance to catch the show on our annual NYC trip, and Operation Mincemeat definitely lived up to the hype!

In this episode of the BSB Podcast, hosts Brian Kitson and RJ Miller-Zelinko break down the story of Operation Mincemeat and why people are flocking in droves to see it. With a healthy dose of hilarity and just as much heart, there's plenty for audiences to connect with in both the story and characters. What aspects of Operation Micemeat's story spoke the most to us? Which character(s) did we feel ourselves drawn to more than the others? How does the show balance the comedic tones with the seriousness of an operation like this? Listen to this exciting episode to find out these answers and more!

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There are some Broadway plays that seem impossible to describe, and Oh, Mary! is absolutely one of those shows. While it is most definitely a historical comedy, this show uses history more as a guiding aspiration than a hard-and-fast rule to operate by. It relishes the wicked delight of looking at the life and times of Mary Todd Lincoln through a lens that isn't often used in history: comedy. There's more bounce in this show than Mary's bratty curls, as creator Cole Escola has created something that not only explores a historical figure but also reinvents what it means to be a part of American history. By exaggerating the past to the point of collapse, the production exposes the fragile myths we cling to, proving that sometimes the fastest way to understand history is to drag it into the spotlight and let it misbehave, making it the perfect show to kick off our podcast coverage from our 2026 New York City trip!

In this episode of the BSB podcast, hosts Brian Kitson and RJ Miller-Zelinko explore the absurdity of Oh, Mary! and the genius behind this one-of-a-kind Broadway play! From staging and direction to casting (which largely shapes the audience's experience), nothing is off-limits in this discussion. Which performances outshone the others on stage? How does this Broadway play not only embrace the farcical nature but also expand upon it? Listen to this podcast to find out all those answers and more!

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The Algonquin senior living facility is in desperate need of some fun, and there are a few individuals living in the walls who have a plan to achieve that. A jukebox would definitely liven up the place, so a plan develops that ultimately explores themes of friendship, loneliness, and finding your tribe regardless of what stage of life you're in. St. Dunstan's Theatre's production of A Jukebox for the Algonquin explores the beauty within through tons of laughs and plenty of heart, something the cast understands intimately. We spoke with three of the cast members, Sandra Deering, Terie Spencer, and Denise Kallas, about their time in A Jukebox for the Algonquin.

In this exclusive BSB Insider interview, Deering, Spencer, and Kallas discuss what drew them to this project and why a story such as A Jukebox for the Algonquin is so important. The cast discusses what it's like to step into these characters and how they bring them to life. While this show is said to be a dramedy, these three breakdown if A Jukebox for the Algonquin is more comedy than drama or vice versa.

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Welcome to the family cottage, a quaint little house secluded in the English countryside, and immensely proud of it. For many, it promises rest and relaxation, either with the aforementioned family or a romantic getaway with your lover. It's in the latter that Sandy Rustin's play, The Cottage, exists, although not quite in the way you may think. Guests arrive here with suitcases full of hope, and perhaps a few too many secrets, many of which won't remain hidden for long. As those buried gems are revealed and treasured, The Cottage embraces the door-slamming, fast-paced hijinks of farce. Pontiac Theatre IV opened its production of The Cottage this past weekend, and we had the pleasure of speaking with the director of this play, Tiffany Stano, about what it has been like to work on this show.

In this exclusive BSB Insider interview, Stano talks about her process for bringing a comedy like The Cottage to this local Pontiac stage! With a show that places great emphasis on comedy, the director discusses how they've worked with the actors and creatives to find the sweet spot for all involved. From the hilarious story to the impressive work of the cast, the director talks about what makes this production so special.

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In the bustling streets of New York City, at the turn of the 20th century, where ambition collides with prejudice and desire hides beneath layers of fabric, Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage tells a deeply human story about longing, love, and survival. What begins as a story about corsets and letters soon unravels into a powerful exploration of emotional, physical, and social intimacy. Rosedale Community Players are bringing this incredible show to their stage, and ahead of its arrival, we spoke with two cast members, Bri Tomczak and Antoine Jackson, about what audiences can expect from Intimate Apparel.

In this exclusive BSB Insider interview, Tomczak and Jackson discuss what drew them to audition for the show and what it's meant to them to be part of a production such as Intimate Apparel. From bringing their characters of Mrs. Van Buren and George to life, exploring victories and challenges to doing so, to what themes from the narrative stand out to each of them, you gain a sense of just how much each of these actors loves and respects the work of Lynn Nottage.

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Good evening, detectives, distinguished guests, and board game enthusiasts alike. Tonight, we’re gathered at Boddy Manor not just to solve a crime, but to investigate a mystery. Something's afoot, and it's up to us to figure out what's going on before the bodies pile up, but thankfully, we're not alone in this endeavor! No one knows what's going on in the manor more than Wadsworth, the trusty butler! We had the pleasure of talking with Wadsworth...well, more exactly, we spoke with the actor bringing this character to life at Open Book Theatre Company's production of Clue, Kevin Keller!

In this exclusive BSB Insider interview, Keller discusses what it's like step into the shoes of a character such as Wadsworth and how he finds his own interpretation of the character for this production of Clue. He explores what it's like to bring the colorful (and scary) world of this Hasbro (originally owned by Parker Brothers) murder-mystery game, and how he keeps his energy up throughout most of the show. What are some of the challenges to bringing this character and show to life at Open Book Theatre Company's stage? Check out this interview to find out all that and more!

While theater has come a long way in the types of stories we're telling, there's always room for improvement. Representation in musicals and plays still has a long way to go, so it's important to shine a light on narratives that are often overlooked. The Chocolate Box Theatre Company is bringing Ntozake Shange's groundbreaking choreopoem, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf, to Ant Hall in Planet Ant, and we were able to speak with the founding members of this theatre company, CJ Williams, La'Paige, and Sheila Mac, about this production!

In this exclusive BSB Insider interview, Williams, La'Paige, and Mac discuss what it's like bringing For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow is Enuf to this local staple! Williams, who is directing this production, explores her history with Shange's work and why it's important to shed light on a story like this. La'Paige and Mac talk about the incredible work The Chocolate Box Theatre Company is doing and what it's like to be part of the cast and sisterhood of this production. With a focus on sisterhood and community, this production has shifted some aspects from the original stage production, and you can learn more in this exciting interview!

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We're traveling one last time to Cobb County, to see what else the North American touring production of Broadway's Shucked the musical has to offer! Having previously spoken about the story and characters from this chuckle-fest of a musical, it's time to look at everything else that makes up this show! From the stage magic to the vocal gymnastics performed in so many of the songs, everything else is on the table in our Shucked Music and Stagecraft discussion!

In this episode of the BSB podcast, hosts Brian Kitson and RJ Miller-Zelinko discuss the music from Shucked, along with just about anything else that comprises the corniest show from Broadway. With a strong Broadway feel, this show blends a country music vibe to take audiences on an adventure unlike anything they've experienced before. Featuring one of the coolest sets we've seen in a long time, and some costumes that seem ripped from a Farmer's catalog, there's so much to break down from Shucked! Is there a specific song that spoke to the hosts the most? What part of the stagecraft did they appreciate? And how exactly does the corn mechanism work? Find out all these answers and more in this exciting episode of the BSB podcast!

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Ntozake Shange’s For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf is not just a work to be read; it is an experience meant to be felt in the body, the heart, and the collective memory of Black womanhood. Through a sisterhood of voices, the author gives language to pain that has too often been silenced: abandonment, sexual violence, racism, self-doubt, and despair. Yet the work is never solely about suffering. It is equally a testament to survival, intimacy, and the radical act of loving oneself in a world that repeatedly denies Black women care and tenderness. This incredible piece of work is coming to the stage at Planet Ant in collaboration with The Chocolate Box Theatre Company, and we spoke with three of the cast members, Danae Ross, Sonya Ellis, and Nisa Miller, about the importance of a production like this one.

In this exclusive BSB Insider interview, Ross, Ellis, and Miller discuss how they've come to be in this production of For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf, and what it's like to bring these universal stories of Black womanhood to the stage. Ellis and Miller talk about being with this production for almost a year, while Ross discusses what it's like to join the sisterhood and be part of a show that means so much to her. While what they explore can be intense, these three also discuss the joy that is infused in this work and their experiences in general.

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What better way to celebrate the new year than with a musical featuring the King of Rock and Roll's songs? Meadow Brook Theatre, in collaboration with Oakland University's School of Music, Theatre, and Dance, is ready to slip on their blue suede shoes and grease their hair back, with their latest production, All Shook Up! We spoke with two of the leads of this Meadow Brook Theatre production, Nick Cortazzo and Mirabella Ziegler, about their time with All Shook Up and what audiences can expect from this musical!

In this exclusive BSB Insider interview, Cortazzo and Ziegler discuss what drew them to this musical and how their characters factor into the narrative of All Shook Up. With a story from Joe DiPietro and influenced by William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, themes of love and identity are woven through the musical, which both actors discuss in detail. How do Chad (Cortazzo) and Natalie (Ziegler) find themselves in All Shook Up? Which songs are the most fun and challenging to perform in this MBT production? And how has this musical challenged both Nick Cortazzo and Mirabella Ziegler in their craft? Listen to this exciting interview to find out!

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