In this episode, we focus not on a particular show but on a remarkable talent who has helped change the landscape of the theatrical world, literally and figuratively: the renowned architect and Tony Award-winning set designer David Rockwell. 

It is staggering to unpack all the sets he has designed in the last multiple decades, such as the Rocky Horror revival in 2000, Hairspray, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Normal Heart, Kinky Boots, Side Show, On the Twentieth Century, She Loves Me, Falsettos, Kiss Me Kate, the Chess Revival, and he just earned a Tony nomination for his scenic design for the recently-opened play Fallen Angels. It’s his first nomination since he won for Best Scenic Design of a Musical in 2016 for She Loves Me. 

But we did first characterize him as an architect, and that is not only how his working life began, but continues to shine within, as he and his firm have had their hands in a remarkable amount of legendary projects in hospitality, like Nobu, The Corner Store, Din Tai Fung, the W Hotel, The Civilian Hotel, and more.

Host Alex Birsh talks with David about some of those career highlights, how he got into this line of work, and what gets his creativity going when he’s faced with a new project.

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What lengths would you go to for the person you loved, and what lengths would the public love you for it? Those are the central themes of the play Dog Day Afternoon, an adaptation of the 1975 movie, itself a dramatization of real-life events that happened in 1972. Adapted for the stage by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis, the story centers on two men, Sonny and Sal, and their quest to rob a bank in New York City in the summer of '72. 

Played by real-life friends Jon Bernthal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Sonny and Sal hold up the bank, but the cast of characters in and around the bank have enough talent to STEAL in their own right, as in the show, thanks to the excellent performances by Jessica Hecht and John Ortiz.

In this episode, host Alex Birsh (Playbill's C.O.O. and SVP) talks to a theatre friend who’s seen the show and suggests it when they’re asked, "What show do you recommend seeing on Broadway?"

And then he brings on his special guest, the Emmy Award-winning powerhouse Jon Bernthal. They talk about the joy he is having bringing this piece to Broadway, welcoming all kinds of audiences into the theater, and the love he has for his native Ojai and creating the Ojai Theater Festival last year.

Lock the doors, count your money, and yell ATTICA as we take you to the August Wilson Theatre on 52nd Street for Dog Day Afternoon.

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Have you ever been lucky enough to visit somewhere, or meet someone, and feel almost immediately that your life is about to change? That is what the character Dougal feels about New York and his unofficial tour guide, Robyn, in the Broadway musical Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York.

First developed in England, the musical tells the story of Dougal’s 48-hour visit to New York on a mission to connect with members of his family at an upcoming wedding. But, as you can tell by the title of the show, he and Robyn have a job to do before the big day, and they navigate through the third character of the play, New York City itself. 

In this episode, host Alex Birsh brings on a theater friend who suggests the show when someone asks them, What should I see on Broadway?

And then he brings on his special guests: Sam Tutty, who plays Dougal, Christiani Pitts, who plays Robyn, and director and Choreographer Tim Jackson, and they talk about what it’s like to bring this very creative and special show to Broadway audiences.

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In 1998, composer/lyricists Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, and book writer Terrance McNally brought a big, American musical to Broadway based on Ragtime, the acclaimed novel by EL Doctorow. It was a success; the production was nominated for 13 Tony Awards and won four of them. The show ran for multiple years, launched many careers, and brought new, beautiful music to the world. 

That world has waited many years for a revival of this beloved musical, which tells the commingling stories of Coalhouse Walker Jr and his wife Sarah, Mother and Father and their family in the upper class in Westchester, and Tateh and his daughter, immigrants embracing a new and complex home in New York at the turn of the 20th century. Lincoln Center and its new artistic director, Lear deBessonet, have brought us the long-awaited revival at the Vivian Beaumont Theater, and it’s made a sizable splash on Broadway, playing to sold-out houses thanks to its beauty and many timely themes that are all too familiar today. 

In this episode, host Alex Birsh (Playbill's C.O.O. and SVP) talks to a theatre friend who’s seen the show and suggests it to those who ask, "What should I see on Broadway?" Birsh then brings on the three leading players in the show: Joshua Henry (Coalhouse), Caissie Levy (Mother), and Brandon Uranowitz (Tateh).

To get tickets to Ragtime, click here. To see all of what Broadway has to offer, visit Playbill.com.

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The Lost Boys musical is on its way to Broadway, and it is one of the season’s most highly anticipated new shows. Previews start March 27th at the Palace Theatre, with tickets available now at lostboysmusical.com. 

The production is in the middle of the final sprint to the finish that all new shows need to take on to open on Broadway successfully, and while there is rarely time to reflect in those moments, the producing and creative teams for the show are peeling back the curtain with a three-part podcast series called "Time To Kill: Making The Lost Boys Musical." And lucky for you all, we’re releasing those episodes here on the Playbill Podcast. 

The hosts of the series are producers James Carpinello, Marcus Chait, and Patrick Wilson, and each episode has featured a different member or members of the creative process, such as the music, the direction, and the cast. 

The first episode of the series focused on the music with special guests The Rescues. In the second installment, the hosts brought on the two-time Tony Award-winning director of the musical, Michael Arden. In this third and final installment of the series on the Playbill Podcast, the hosts bring on the cast members portraying the Emerson family: Shoshana Bean, LJ Benet, and Benjamin Pajak.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Lost Boys musical is on its way to Broadway, and it is one of the season’s most highly anticipated new shows. Previews start March 27th at the Palace Theatre, with tickets available now at lostboysmusical.com. 

The production is in the middle of the final sprint to the finish that all new shows need to take on to open on Broadway successfully, and while there is rarely time to reflect in those moments, the producing and creative teams for the show are peeling back the curtain with a three-part podcast series called "Time To Kill: Making The Lost Boys Musical." And lucky for you all, we’re releasing those episodes here on the Playbill Podcast. 

The hosts of the series are producers James Carpinello, Marcus Chait, and Patrick Wilson, and each episode will feature a different member or members of the creative process, such as the music, the direction, and the cast. 

The first episode of the series focused on the music with special guests The Rescues. In this second installment, the hosts bring on the two-time Tony Award-winning director of the musical, Michael Arden.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Lost Boys musical is on its way to Broadway and it is one of the season’s most highly anticipated new shows, with previews starting March 27th at the Palace Theatre. Tickets are available now at lostboysmusical.com. 

The production is in the middle of the final sprint to the finish that all new shows need to take on to open on Broadway successfully, and while there is rarely time to reflect in those moments, the producing and creative teams for the show are peeling back the curtain with a three-part podcast series called "Time To Kill: Making The Lost Boys Musical." And lucky for you all, we’re releasing those episodes here on the Playbill Podcast. 

The hosts of the series are producers James Carpinello, Marcus Chait, and Patrick Wilson, and each episode will feature a different member or members of the creative process, such as the music, the direction, and the cast. 

In this first installment, the focus is on the band that created the music for the production: The Rescues.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What do you get when you combine more than 11,000 performances, 124 million attendees, and six Tony Awards? You have arguably the most successful and impactful Broadway show in its history. The Lion King debuted in 1997 and has since helped lift the art form and its patrons up, spreading the joy of its work across the world through its many productions. The show, helmed by multi-time Tony Award-winner Julie Taymor, has helped jumpstart countless careers and sparked general interest in live theatre, a theme in this episode.

Host Alex Birsh brings on his father, Phil Birsh (Playbill's Chairman and CEO), to talk about the indelible mark the show has made on Broadway, and they reminisce about Phil bringing Alex to The Lion King when he was eight years old.

Alex then brings on two cast members, Gavin Lee (Scar) and Lindiwe Dlamini (multiple roles), who discuss what it's like to bring this show to life every day, from the perspective of the newest cast member (Lee) and the one who has been with the production since the very beginning (Dlamini).Yes...since 1997!

00:25 - Sneak peek into The Lion King

02:17 - Alex and Phil interview

18:09 - Gavin Lee and Lindiwe Dlamini interview

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