The Roundtable with Robert Bannon

Well I had a good ole time at the 2024 Lortel Awards! We saw so many friends on the red carpet! The best of Off-Broadway was out and about and it was a good time!

We chat with stars like Shoshana Bean, Eden Espinosa, Ruben Santiago Hudson, BD Wong, the minds behind Stereophonic, Jenn Colella, Nicole Ari Parker, Marla Mindelle, and over 20 other stars in some of NY's Greatest Stage Works of the year!

We have award season covered! Join us on The Roundtable for your up to speed award show moments!

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Check out “The Roundtable with Robert Bannon” everyday right here on The Broadway Podcast Network!

www.RobertBannon.com

Follow on IG @RobertMBannon or @theroundtablewithrobertbannon

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The trailblazing award-winning Indie Rock trio of sisters Elizabeth and Amy Ziff and their bestie, Alyson Palmer who have been creating addictively melodic music for almost 40 years – will release their invigorating new anthem “Pride” as a single on Friday, May 17. Their first new recording in seven years, this new track will be part of their upcoming 11th album EAT, scheduled to be released later this year. BETTY will help launch NYC Pride and celebrate the new single with a special concert at Joe’s Pub on Thursday, May 30 at 7:00 PM. Tickets are available HERE. 

BETTY’s tight harmonies over upbeat original music they play on cello, guitar, bass and electropop beats ensure compelling music that resonates with diverse audiences. Their live shows are passionate, theatrical, and inspirational. Their talent is equal to the commitment they have as activists, promoting equality worldwide for almost four decades. Since forming in 1986, the band’s distinctive sound has been heard in concert globally from Carnegie Hall to London Pride, to Midtown music festival in Atlanta, to Arts Walk festival in Buenos Aires. Performing for 38 years on 5 continents as an independent act, the band has garnered a very loyal fan base.

In addition to a robust touring and appearance schedule, BETTY has written, performed, and appeared on multiple television shows, including writing and performing the Iconic theme song for Showtime’s hit show “The L Word,” as well as having many other songs used by throughout the cult status series’ run. Other notable shows that have used their music or made appearances on include “Ugly Betty,” “Encyclopedia,” and their music has been licensed by multiple networks including Comedy Central, Showtime, The Discovery Chanel, HBO, A&E, and PBS. 

They have been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Variety, Vanity Fair, Elle, BUST, Jewish Weekly, Alma, The Guardian, and many more.

They recently performed to sold out rooms including City Winery, Joe’s Pub, and the Cutting Room in New York City and performed at the V&A Museum in London for International Women’s Day. Over the years, BETTY has lent their voices to cause they believe in, singing for hundreds of thousands in DC for Pro-choice marches, LGBTQ rights, AIDS walks, DNC, and more.

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Check out “The Roundtable with Robert Bannon” everyday right here on The Broadway Podcast Network!

www.RobertBannon.com

Follow on IG @RobertMBannon or @theroundtablewithrobertbannon

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Drag Queen & Contestant of "Queen of The Universe" Novaczar swings by! She has lit up the screens and stages with her unique style of drag and live singing voice! Aside from being a part of the NYC Drag Community, she is also a force and face of the NY Theater Community as well! How did she do it? How can you get started in art and specifically drag? Novaczar is sharing all the tips and tricks of the trade!

Follow Novaczar on IG- @novaczar

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Check out “The Roundtable with Robert Bannon” everyday right here on The Broadway Podcast Network!

www.RobertBannon.com

Follow on IG @RobertMBannon or @theroundtablewithrobertbannon

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marissa Rosen is on Broadway! YAY!!!! You can currently see her in "Water For Elephants" at the Imperial Theatre!

When Marissa is not on Broadway, she is often seen assisting Broadway Legends Kristin Chenoweth & Jessica Vosk in Concert! Marissa has been seen starring in the Off-Broadway production of “BedBugs the Musical” & “My Big Gay Italian Wedding”. She is also taking the NYC nightlife buy storm performing in Marty Thomas Presents DIVA and her very own shows at Therapy Bar & The Time Out Lounge with Broadways Marty Thomas. Some favorite Credits include: Legally Blonde (Enid Hoopes), Footloose (Wendy Jo), Urinetown (Little Becky Two Shoes), Into the Woods (Little Red), Smokey Joe’s Cafe (BJ), Grease (Jan), Shout! the Mod Musical (Red Girl), Beware Bernadette: A Musical Fable (Bernadette), Bitty Bear’s Matinee (Bitty Bear) & Sheldon Harnick’s The Fair haired Boy or The ABC’s of Success (Playwrights Theater).

For Tickets: www.WaterForElephantsTheMusical.com

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Check out “The Roundtable with Robert Bannon” everyday right here on The Broadway Podcast Network!

www.RobertBannon.com

Follow on IG @RobertMBannon or @theroundtablewithrobertbannon

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Andrew Samonsky is back on Broadway in "Lempicka!" The show is now playing at The Longacre on Broadway!

He appeared on Broadway in the Tony Award-winning revival of South Pacific and was also seen in the Live from Lincoln Center PBS broadcast. His other Broadway credits include The Mystery of Edwin Drood and Scandalous. Most recently, he appeared in the North American tour of Come from Away. He played Robert Kincaid in the first national tour of The Bridges of Madison County.

Samonsky was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for the Off-Broadway production of Queen of the Mist and appeared in the New York City Center Encores! productions of Fiorello! and Merrily We Roll Along.

He has been a soloist with symphonies across the country, including the New York Philharmonic and Boston Pops, and his TV/film credits include Madame Secretary, Elementary, and The Secret Song.

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Check out “The Roundtable with Robert Bannon” everyday right here on The Broadway Podcast Network!

www.RobertBannon.com or Follow on IG @RobertMBannon or @theroundtablewithrobertbannon

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Carl Brister is an international recording artist and multi-genre singer/songwriter who has been featured on NBC’s Access Hollywood, ABC’s Here and Now, BET, Aspire Network, and more. His passionate lyrics and multi-range vocal stylings tell stories that connect with listeners around the globe.His 2023 break-out rendition of superstar Janet Jackson’s classic “Let’s Wait Awhile” showcases his sensitive yet dynamic vocal range and approach. Carl also received a 2023 first-ballot Grammy® nomination in the categories of Best Traditional R&B Performance and Best Video which he executive produced. Recently, Carl was awarded for his leadership in the community through the arts by The Human Relations Commission of West Orange, NJ.

In 2016, Carl began The Love+Unity Fest with the purpose of bringing the community together through music and the arts after acts of racial intolerance threatened to divide the nation. As CEO of his non-profit organization, Music VilCarl adds, “No matter the twists and turns, ups or downs, my work as an artist in the community and my music will always lead us back to hope and love. ” The festival is back this year and Carl tells us all about it!

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Check out “The Roundtable with Robert Bannon” everyday right here on The Broadway Podcast Network!

www.RobertBannon.com or Follow on IG @RobertMBannon or @theroundtablewithrobertbannon

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New York: TheaterLab hosts Sean Casey Leclaire’s LEELA: Touching Our Better Selves, directed by Padraic Lillis. The limited presentation will run May 2 – 5 at TheaterLab (357 W 36th St, 3rd floor). 

Sanskrit for “divine play,” LEELA, combines classical sonnets, narrative poetry, stand-up comedy, and gritty townie storytelling to create a dimensionally rich transformative journey. LEELA: Touching Our Better Selves explores themes of mercy, stillness, lust, and power. The 75-minute solo show will challenge the depths of the chaos that we all deal with within our deepest selves.

"LEELA is a reflection of life's complex tapestry—its chaos, beauty, and the relentless focus of understanding and compassion. I am thrilled to share this personal piece with audiences because it's more than just a performance: it's an invitation to explore the depths of our humanity- to laugh, to cry, and ultimately, to touch our better selves. My hope is that each of us finds a mirror in 'LEELA'—a reflection of our complexities, our struggles, and our unparalleled potential for joy and transformation." – playwright/ performer Sean Casey Leclaire.

The creative team includes Katy Atwell (designer), Jonathon Millman (videographer), Cindy Murphy (visual art), Hugh McGinness (web design), Nicole Amaral (stage manager), Meg Gilbert (community outreach), and Laurel Hinton (associate producer).

Performance Schedule & Ticket Information:

Tickets can be purchased HERE.

Check out “The Roundtable with Robert Bannon” everyday right here on The Broadway Podcast Network!

www.RobertBannon.com

Follow on IG @RobertMBannon or @theroundtablewithrobertbannon

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Swedish street magicians and illusionists Peter Brynolf and Jonas Ljung achieved the impossible by stumping the legendary Penn & Teller on the first season of their long-running television show, “Penn & Teller: Fool Us!” Now Penn & Teller return the favor by producing Brynolf & Ljung in their New York theatrical debut, Stalker, which combines street magic, stunning illusions and physical mentalism, leaving audiences both thrilled and mystified.

Directed by “Eurovision” mastermind Edward Af Sillén, Stalker will open Monday, April 1 Off-Broadway at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street). Previews begin March 18. Tickets are on sale today at Telecharge.com.

“Brynolf & Ljung had us at ‘hallå’ with their mind-bending magic on our TV show,” Penn & Teller commented. “Now, we’re joining forces with them to unleash Stalker in New York City. We’re truly excited to join the producing team of this spellbinding spectacle.”

In today’s society, no one is hidden. Everyone is being stalked, and everyone has become a stalker. Stalker is an innovative 90-minute magic show by the Swedish duo Peter Brynolf and Jonas Ljung. Get ready for fast-paced entertainment combining street magic and physical mentalism – with a climactic plot twist that you’ll never see coming.

Follow Brynolf & Ljung. They’re already following you.

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Check out “The Roundtable with Robert Bannon” everyday right here on The Broadway Podcast Network!

www.RobertBannon.com

Follow on IG @RobertMBannon or @theroundtablewithrobertbannon

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if Harry Potter went to an HBCU?

This is the cornerstone question LaDarrion Williams asks and answers in his upcoming debut novel BLOOD AT THE ROOT, which will release on May 7, 2024. A native of Alabama, Williams crafted Blood At The Root after his frustration with the lack of Black magical narratives on film and television. 

ABOUT BLOOD AT THE ROOT

A teenager on the run from his past finds the family he never knew existed and the community he never knew he needed at an HBCU for the young, Black, and magical. Enroll in this fresh fantasy debut unlike anything you’ve seen before. More info-

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738959/blood-at-the-root-by-ladarrion-williams/

As an avid reader, LaDarrion noticed that Black boys are basically non-existent in the YA fantasy section. He hopes this book and series helps change that, adding much needed diversity to both the genre and your local bookstores. His goal is to cultivate a new era of Black fantasy, providing space and agency for Black characters and stories in a new, fresh, and fantastical way. 

LaDarrion is currently a resident playwright/co-creator of The Black Creators Collective, where his play UMOJA made its West Coast premiere in January 2022 and produced North Hollywood’s first Black playwrights festival at the Waco Theater Center. Blood at the Root is his first novel. His viral and award-winning short film based on the same concept, is currently on YouTube and Amazon Prime.

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itsladarrion

IG: https://www.instagram.com/itsladarrion/

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Check out “The Roundtable with Robert Bannon” everyday right here on The Broadway Podcast Network!

www.RobertBannon.com

Follow on IG @RobertMBannon or @theroundtablewithrobertbannon

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ella Dershowitz and Jill Eikenberry to Star in World Premiere of Two Hander at NJ Rep! We love Jill so much here on "The Roundtable!" We love her joining us and introducing us to Ella Dershowitz!

New Jersey Repertory Company will continue its 27th Season with the World Premiere of Two Hander by Julia Blauvelt, directed by NJ Rep Artistic Director SuzAnne Barabas. The play stars Ella Dershowitz and Jill Eikenberry and runs from April 18 through May 19th, 2024.

Therapy first-timer Claire is reluctant to undergo psychotherapy. But after a few sessions with Diana, her unorthodox, sharp-witted therapist, a sort of trust begins to form between the two. But there are obstacles in the room as patient and doctor dig deeper and come to rely on each other in a way that transcends the office. This very fragile trust can easily turn into betrayal.

Performances take place at 7:30pm on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, with additional matinees on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 2:00pm. Tickets are NOW on sale at NJRep.org or by calling 732-229-3166. NJRep is located at 179 Broadway, Long Branch, New Jersey, 07740. 

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Check out “The Roundtable with Robert Bannon” everyday right here on The Broadway Podcast Network!

www.RobertBannon.com

Follow on IG @RobertMBannon or @theroundtablewithrobertbannon

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