Bottomless Broadway

Latest Episodes:

Merrily We Roll Along (with Kyle Marshall) Jan 13, 2021

Show notes

Not a day goes by without us missing Broadway and live theater, but we've got a good thing going as we're back with our first episode of 2021 to talk about Merrily We Roll Along with Kyle Marshall, host of the Putting It Together podcast!

Check out Putting It Together, where Kyle deconstructs each Sondheim show, song by song and line by line. You can also find Christine on it (most recently talking about "Remember?" from A Little Night Music and "In Buddy's Eyes" from Follies).

We talk a bit about the recent Fiasco production of Merrily, which reimagines the show, including the reinstatement of "Rich and Happy".

The original New York Times review was quite a pan and compares Merrily unfavorably to Betrayal (though Christine and Cindy found the opposite to be true).

Cindy's favorite rendition of "Franklin Shepard, Inc." is the one performed by Raul Esparza, despite the low-quality video.

Watch Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened on Netflix, detailing the process of putting together Merrily We Roll Along.

Christine's in favor of casting younger for Merrily, an opinion probably heavily influenced by this episode of The Original Cast podcast.

Soon (but not really), we'll be able to see what this show looks like with proper ages for each segment, as Richard Linklater is creating a film version over the next 20 years or so.

Christine mistakenly mentioned Ben Brantley as the one eulogizing Barcelona as a 3-act play, when it should've been Jesse Green.

Check out Flying Over Sunset, James Lapine's upcoming work, once Broadway comes back!

Music featured in this episode:

Merrily We Roll Along (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
Apple Music / Spotify / Amazon Music

Merrily We Roll Along (2012 New York Cast Recording)
Apple Music / Spotify / Amazon Music

"Franklin Shepard Inc." sung by Euan Morton, from Sondheim on Sondheim (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
Apple Music / Spotify / Amazon Music

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @BottomlessBway, our blog at https://bottomlessbway.home.blog/, or email us at bottomlessbway@gmail.com! You can also leave feedback in this 30-second survey.

Dear Evan Hansen (with Stuart Brown) Dec 09, 2020

Show notes

It isn't only us this week, as Stuart Brown of Sounds of Broadway joins us to talk about Dear Evan Hansen, with some detours into our favorite bar, Stu's radio station, and what it's like to be a real critic!

Warning: This episode contains mentions of suicide, as well as spoilers for Dear Evan Hansen.

Check out Stu's 24/7 cast album radio station, Sounds of Broadway, his podcast, On Broadway, or his reviews on his website! You can also follow him on Instagram @soundsofbroadway or Twitter @SoundsofBway.

If you need a place to go for post-show drinks, try Bar Centrale!

Check out Desperate Measures, one of Cindy's favorite Off-Broadway musicals!

While mental health isn't a common topic in musicals, it has cropped up a few times over the years: http://www.drdrama.com/2017/09/21/musicals-and-mental-health/

The 2016-2017 Broadway season contained a whopping 13 new musicals, and you can hear more about that Tonys season on the My Little Tonys podcast.

Listen to the Dear Evan Hansen cast album: Apple Music / Spotify / Amazon Music

Other music in this episode:

Just for You (from Desperate Measures): Apple Music / Spotify / Amazon Music
Michael in the Bathroom (from Be More Chill): Apple Music / Spotify / Amazon Music

Soft Power (with Jeffrey Scott Parsons) Nov 03, 2020

Show notes

Welcome to Soft Power, a show that discusses Chinese duty, American elections, and democracy, told through Golden Age references and Hillary Clinton. Jeff Parsons (of A Musical Theatre Podcast) joins us again to discuss this new Pulitzer Prize finalist, changes between productions, and how this show is the most exciting new piece of musical theater. “It Just Takes Time”, so join us as we take you through the entire show, beginning to end!

(Also check out chapter markers for specific scenes and songs!)

The conceit of the show is a reversal of The King and I, which is funny since leading man Conrad Ricamora starred in the latest revival, but you can also hear about the process of putting the show together.

The show hinges on a real-life event where David Henry Hwang got stabbed in the neck shortly after the 2016 election.

As this time-lapse demonstrates, the Shanghai skyline has changed a lot just in the past 40 years.

Watch snippets of daily life and activities in the actual Fuxing Park.

Listen to director Leigh Silverman talk about the ending scene and how it came about on The Ensemblist.

Each song serves a specific purpose, and David Henry Hwang breaks down each track for us. Like the music, the choreography also references a lot of traditional musical theater concepts, and Sam Pinkleton breaks down the movement in different scenes.

Check out scenes from the musical!

Ahmanson Theatre (Los Angeles):

Election Night
Democracy (reprise), with the original ending
Montage
Rehearsal Footage

Public Theatre (New York):

Listen to the cast album!

Check out the listening party (turn on chat replay with cast and creatives)!
Apple Music
Spotify

Follow Jeff and A Musical Theatre Podcast on Instagram and Twitter @AMusicalPodcast!

Mean Girls/Legally Blonde/Heathers (with Jeffrey Scott Parsons) Oct 14, 2020

Show notes

Omigod you guys, in this episode, we’re joined by Jeff Parsons of A Musical Theatre Podcast to shine a light on musicals of Nell Benjamin and Laurence O’Keefe (and Kevin Murphy and Jeff Richmond)! We’re talking Mean Girls, Legally Blonde, and Heathers because more is better, so take a listen and see if they’re so much better than the original movies.

Listen to A Musical Theatre Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and check out the Heathers episode with original cast member Rachel Flynn, and you can also hear us discuss My Fair Lady.

Hear Barrett Wilbert Weed and Jeff Richmond discuss the lyrics to I’d Rather Be Me.

Check out the Apex Predator performance on the Today Show to just watch The Plastics strut their way around Rockefeller Plaza.

Listen to different performances of the ending of So Much Better.

Watch Laura Bell Bundy keep going after kicking off a shoe during So Much Better.

If you want to hear more about the process of turning Legally Blonde into a musical (including the shoe incident), you can listen to the creators talk about it on the Broadway Backstory podcast.

You’re Welcome originally replaced Blue in the high school version of Heathers before displacing it completely in all productions, and you can hear about some of the other changes that Lawrence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy made for the high school version.

Watch Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez get ready for her day and talk about the importance of femininity and self-appreciation.

You can read some of the behind-the-scenes info for each song in both Mean Girls and Heathers.

Listen to the cast albums!

Mean Girls: Apple Music / Spotify
Legally Blonde: Apple Music / Spotify
Heathers (Original Off-Broadway): Apple Music / Spotify
Heathers (West End): Apple Music / Spotify

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @BottomlessBway, our blog at https://bottomlessbway.home.blog/, or email us at bottomlessbway@gmail.com! You can also leave feedback in this 30-second survey.

A Killer Party: A New Musical Sep 09, 2020

Show notes

While you’re stuck in quarantine, why not join a shipload of fools in a new murder mystery musical? Hop aboard and listen to us talk about A Killer Party, the newest big cat joining the ranks of other virtual theater offerings!

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You can purchase A Killer Party for on-demand viewing and find more information on their website: https://akillerpartymusical.com/

The original teaser leading up to the announcement of the show involved a lot of Broadway stars in black and white photos, which can still be seen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/whatsinthesoup/

Laura Osnes gives a bit of a peek behind the scenes to how she and Jarrod Spector filmed their scenes while quarantining together: https://www.instagram.com/p/CDy2sKqJrVB/

If you want another Broadway-related murder mystery offering, check out Andrew Barth Feldman’s Broadway Whodunit, a live improv event where you get to be the detective: https://www.broadwaywhodunit.com/

If our review doesn’t satisfy you, try checking out what Jesse Green of the New York Times had to say: https://nyti.ms/2Fig4vk

If you’re looking to put on your own virtual musical, A Killer Party will soon be available for licensing via MTI: https://www.mtishows.com/a-killer-party-a-murder-mystery-musical

Listen to the cast album of A Killer Party (though be wary of minor spoilers)!
Apple Music: https://apple.co/2R4c4RU
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2RlsQw5

Follow A Killer Party on Instagram and Twitter!

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @BottomlessBway, our blog at https://bottomlessbway.home.blog/, or email us at bottomlessbway@gmail.com and let us know what you want to hear us cover! You can also leave feedback in this 30-second survey: https://forms.gle/BXUqJiNdjAWaQRCJ9

Hamilton (Disney+) Aug 12, 2020

Show notes

You won’t have to wait for it any longer because our episode on Hamilton is now here! You’ll be back after listening to us discuss the Disney+ capture, camera angles, historical context, public criticism, and just how much of a weirdo Alexander Hamilton really was.

—

Watch Jonathan Groff talk to Steven Colbert about how his King George walk came about: https://youtu.be/03IpD4QWPgQ

Alysha Deslorieux amazed and astonished Christine as Angelica, and you can watch her take on Satisfied: https://youtu.be/uHi9jukDAL0

David Rockwell’s She Loves Me set was quite a sight to behold, and you can check out a VR version here: https://youtu.be/AUJWJGzNN90

Check out some hidden secrets in David Korins’s set: https://www.washingtonpost.com/express/wp/2018/05/31/7-hamilton-set-secrets/

Watch Andy Blankenbueler break down the meaning of each movement in his choreography for My Shot (https://youtu.be/VmYTsOrnWP0) and Battle of Yorktown (https://youtu.be/gb67f2HLVGM)

The critique of Hamilton is worth hearing out for its different perspectives (especially in noting how much of it comes from black voices): https://linktr.ee/hamcritique

Lin-Manuel Miranda and many other cast members discussed what Hamilton means to them on The Undefeated: https://bit.ly/undefeatedham

Both Oak Onaodowan and Daveed Diggs talked about their responses to the criticism of the show: https://www.vulture.com/2020/07/okieriete-onaodowan-daveed-diggs-hamilton-slavery.html

On Instagram, kfilsonart has helpfully drawn out Paul Tazewell’s costumes that each of the Schuyler Sisters wear throughout the show: https://www.instagram.com/p/BSrzxUzl7JU/

This just might be Christine’s new favorite version of Helpless: https://youtu.be/vo_s6PsVogI

Lin-Manuel Miranda on "the gasp": https://bit.ly/lmmgasp

See the original character descriptions Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote for the casting notice: https://bit.ly/hamcasting

If you haven’t listened to the Hamilton Mixtape and subsequent Hamildrops, you can find them all on Apple Music (https://apple.co/2DRJLTt) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/3kJ8VEP)

Or listen to the Original Cast Recording:
Apple Music: https://apple.co/3kAN561
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2XTK4Em

—

Evita (City Center) Jul 15, 2020

Show notes

What’s new, Buenos Aires? Nothing much since Broadway is dark through 2021, but we’re here to talk about the new(est) Evita revival from City Center with a few tangents into insecticide, Isabel Peron, Attila the Hun, Lauren Bacall, and insecticide.

If you’ve never listened to The Lady’s Got Potential, Patrick Flynn from The Original Cast podcast has a great primer: https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/13648631

For the record, Christine watched By Jeeves when it aired on The Shows Must Go On and rather enjoyed it.

Sir Tim Rice’s podcast: https://getontomycloud.podbean.com/

The Grass is Always Greener is a hilarious song from Woman of the Year performed by Lauren Bacall and Marilyn Cooper: https://youtu.be/aP7maJavkQE

The song from Smash is the Twentieth Century Fox Mambo (not Fox Trot), but this is how Christine imagines Rainbow High should be staged: https://youtu.be/sUbS8uWEj5c

Patti LuPone does not hold back when talking about President Trump (https://youtu.be/XwIrm3Kawkk), which is ironic considering that Evita is Trump's favorite musical (https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-loves-evita-presidency/story?id=59350378).

At the time of recording, Betty Buckley had just urged ALW to stop Trump from using Memory at rallies (https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Betty-Buckley-Calls-on-Andrew-Lloyd-Webber-to-Take-Legal-Action-Against-the-Trump-Campaign-For-Using-Memory-From-CATS-at-Rallies-20200621), but just recently we found out that ALW actually did (https://pagesix.com/2020/07/13/andrew-lloyd-webbers-team-sends-cease-and-desist-letter-to-donald-trump/).

You can watch Patti LuPone perform A New Argentina in a silk robe on the 1980 Tony Awards: https://youtu.be/F9m4SfNHWVg

If you want more about Evita, we recommend checking out Seth Rudetsky's deconstruction of Buenos Aires (https://youtu.be/59FSM9UT7NQ) or Scott Miller's in-depth analysis (http://www.newlinetheatre.com/evitachapter.html).

Some music used from City Center clips from Broadway.com (https://youtu.be/9UTmwFwZ3rk) and TheaterMania (https://youtu.be/MkzTthyQ1to), which also show some of the staging we talked about.

Original Concept Album
Apple Music: https://apple.co/2CCCWEo
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/32h266s

Original Broadway Cast Recording
Apple Music: https://apple.co/3iXIQRg
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2CykblC

Motion Picture Soundtrack
Apple Music: https://apple.co/3fBtlN2
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2ZuY7Bj

Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram @BottomlessBway or email us at bottomlessbway@gmail.com!

Our 2020 Phony Awards Jun 10, 2020

Show notes

Cindy had some mic problems, so she’s phoning it in this week to the very first Bottomless Broadway Phony Awards, where we award shows we’ve seen this season, both on Broadway and off! So grab a drink (or two) and join us in celebrating the past year of theater in less time than it would take to watch the usual Tonys telecast.

—

Support black theater-makers! Check out the first inaugural Antonyo Awards (and vote on your picks): https://www.broadwayblack.com/snax_poll/vote-antonyo-awards/

Follow along as we go through our list of nominees: https://bit.ly/2AX428o

We included some shows that we hadn’t talked about on previous episodes:

Emojiland: https://www.emojiland.com/
Lightning Thief: https://www.lightningthiefmusical.com/
Scotland, PA: https://www.roundabouttheatre.org/get-tickets/2019-2020-season/scotland-pa/
Soft Power: https://publictheater.org/softpower
Evita: https://www.nycitycenter.org/pdps/2019-2020/evita/
Road Show: https://www.nycitycenter.org/pdps/2018-2019/road-show/
Judgment Day: http://www.armoryonpark.org/programs_events/detail/judgment_day

The costumes of SIX are insanely detailed, so take a look at just some of the components that make up each queen’s look: https://www.rachaeldickzen.com/blog/2020/2/14/six-previews-on-broadway-costumes-update

We unabashedly loved the NYCC production of Evita, so take a look at some clips from the show: https://youtu.be/9UTmwFwZ3rk

We’re obsessed with the SIX Olivier Awards performance (https://youtu.be/WJbaU4j0JCo), so maybe someday Seth Rudetsky can do one of his deconstructions (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZaxDof-gjgzgV2u5248OnMOdSpZ1ack7), but while you’re at it check out his Stars in the House series, raising money for NAACP LDF (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQxZX9II3m0YaF7Kvt1FjA).

Someone else we’re in love with is Samantha Pauly, who made her Broadway debut as Katherine Howard in SIX. She’s posting a new cover every day so check out her YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/samanthapauly89) and Instagram (@sampauly) accounts!

If you happen to need a drinking game, take a sip every time Christine mentions Raúl Esparza and “charismatic” in the same sentence. But you can watch him in action in clips from Road Show: https://youtu.be/HYfDSKyU0Hw

If there’s one thing we learned by doing this, it’s that New York City Center is one of our new favorite theater companies, so check them out! https://www.nycitycenter.org/

Let us know what your favorites were on Twitter or Instagram @BottomlessBway or email us at bottomlessbway@gmail.com! You can also leave feedback in this quick survey https://forms.gle/BXUqJiNdjAWaQRCJ9

2019-2020 Plays, Part 2 May 27, 2020

Show notes

It's no longer Christmas, and we might be betraying our original intent to only do musicals, but one may as well begin with the sound inside this episode as we discuss the other plays we've seen this season, including A Christmas Carol, Betrayal, The Inheritance, and The Sound Inside.

If you want to avoid spoilers for The Inheritance, be sure to skip 26:30-29:08.

Missed part 1 of our plays recap? Check it out over here: https://link.chtbl.com/pp1pod

We adored Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol and loved even more that this show highlighted actors with disabilities: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/13/theater/tiny-tim-a-christmas-carol-disabled-actors.html

Adam Feldman did a roundup of all the different versions of A Christmas Carol playing in NYC this year, has anyone seen them all? https://www.timeout.com/newyork/theater/where-to-see-a-christmas-carol-in-nyc

We’re not sure if this production will ever be back on Broadway, but check out some clips of A Christmas Carol, including the gorgeous set we raved about! https://youtu.be/wG2asA1oPMI

We had some thoughts on Pinter’s style that really allowed us to appreciate Joanne from Company on a different level. You can hear what she thinks in Ladies Who Lunch (sung by the inimitable Elaine Stritch). Otherwise, judge for yourself through this small scene that the actors performed: https://youtu.be/auO-0l0gH8k

The Inheritance has announced that it will be playing the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, and you can find out more information on their website: https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/tickets/2020-2021-season/

A lot goes into writing a 7 hour play, and Matthew Lopez breaks it down with Broadway.com (https://youtu.be/zNK6Rhs5heQ) as well as The New Yorker (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/07/theater/matthew-lopez-the-inheritance.html)

He also discusses the issue of diversity in his play with The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/07/theater/matthew-lopez-the-inheritance.html

Mary-Louise Parker talks about taking on The Sound Inside with NPR and how it feels to be the only person on an empty stage for much of the play: https://www.npr.org/2019/11/16/779719536/i-m-a-purist-mary-louise-parker-returns-to-broadway-for-a-new-challenge

Songs Featured:

Ladies Who Lunch - Elaine Stritch: Apple Music / Spotify
Merrily We Roll Along - 1994 Off-Broadway Cast: Apple Music / Spotify

Let us know how these shows match up over on Twitter or Instagram @BottomlessBway or bottomlessbway@gmail.com.

2019-2020 Plays, Part 1 May 13, 2020

Show notes

We've used up our well of musicals, so we'll be play-ing it by ear for the next two episodes! Take a listen to our thoughts on Sea Wall/A Life, Slave Play, The Minutes, and Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune in this episode.

Some spoilers WILL occur, so if you'd like to avoid them, heed the timestamps below:
6:01-7:44 - spoilers for Sea Wall, none for A Life.
7:51-23:37 - spoilers for Slave Play, might also be some minor allusions to events that happen in the rest of our discussion.
27:05-36:14 - spoilers for The Minutes, may also be minor allusions as well.
Some discussion of the ending for Frankie and Johnny, but no major spoilers.

Sea Wall/A Life is now on Audible (https://www.audible.com/pd/Sea-Wall-A-Life-Audiobook/B0875MV37V)! But if you don't want to subscribe, you can also hear Jake Gyllenhaal doing a selection of A Life: https://youtu.be/PmTXgAkgCl8

The New York Times review that Cindy mentions about an alarm going off during Sea Wall: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/08/theater/sea-wall-a-life-review-broadway-gyllenhaal.html

If you want to hear more about the process for both Tom Sturridge and Jake Gyllenhaal in approaching the work, they did a fantastic talk at Google: https://youtu.be/cTCFhiNMKFI

Sam Sanders spoke to Jeremy O. Harris about writing Slave Play and some of the subsequent controversies, as well as his own experience of seeing Slave Play as part of an interracial couple: https://www.npr.org/transcripts/795198086

Jeremy O. Harris talking about some of his efforts in making his play more accessible to a diverse audience: https://youtu.be/wxg3semVaK0 as well as his Plus One initiative: https://twitter.com/jeremyoharris/status/1204245805361745920

Slave Play will be playing at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, dates TBA: https://www.playbill.com/article/slave-play-will-make-its-west-coast-debut-at-los-angeles-center-theatre-group

Tracy Letts on appearing in his own play after its original run: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/26/theater/tracy-letts-the-minutes.html

Both Slave Play and Frankie and Johnny utilized intimacy director Claire Warden to ensure all parties felt safe, a first for Broadway: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/26/theater/frankie-johnny-audra-mcdonald-michael-shannon.html

Work by Rihanna played a pivotal role in the development of Slave Play and the text itself.

Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy features in A Life as well as Frankie and Johnny.

Does anyone know the song we talk about in the intro? Let us know on Twitter or Instagram @BottomlessBway, or email us at bottomlessbway@gmail.com

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