BROADWAY NATION

Episode 109: IT'S ALL ABOUT STORYTELLING! Jun 01, 2023

My guest this week is author Rebecca Applin Warner, whose new book is titled The Musical Theatre Composer As Dramatist — A Handbook For Collaboration.

As frequent listeners to this podcast have no doubt figured out by now, my primary interest in musical theater is in the storytelling — especially how the bookwriter, composer, lyricist, choreographer, director and designers all come together to dramatize that a musical’s story and characters, and how they bring that first to the page, and then to the stage. I firmly believe that every musical, drama or comedy, lives or dies on the strength of its story and the ability of the creative team to tell that story effectively. This book gets right to the heart of that with fascinating analysis of how effective musicals are made, and detailed case studies that serve as enlightening examples of how to do it.

Rebeca Applin Warner is an award-winning composer with extensive experience both writing musicals and teaching in a variety of degree programs in Musical Theatre and Performing Arts.She has an undergraduate degree in Music from the University of Cambridge, a masters in Composition for the Screen from the Royal college of Music and a PhD in musical theater analysis. Her previous publications include chapters in The Oxford Handbook of the British Musical Theatre and in Reframing the Musical, alongside publication in the Studies in Musical Theatre Journal.

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Encore Episode: Trude Rittmann & The Women Who Invented Broadway May 25, 2023

This is a Special Encore release of one of my personal favorite episodes!

You may not know the name, Trude Rittmann, but you have certainly heard her music.

During the "Golden Age of Broadway" (and beyond) she composed music for 33 Broadway musicals including Carousel, Brigadoon, South Pacific, Fininan’s Rainbow, The King and I, My Fair Lady, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Peter Pan, The Sound of Music, and Camelot.

In this episode Albert Evans and I tell the story of one of the least known, but most significant, women in the history of the Broadway musical.

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Episode 108: MY FRIEND SANDY, part 2 May 18, 2023

This is the second half of my recent conversation with author Deborah Phillips whose fascinating new book is titled AND THIS IS MY FRIEND SANDY — SANDY WILSON’S THE BOY FRIEND, LONDON THEATRE AND GAY CULTURE.

If you missed the previous episode you may want to catch up with that before listening to this one.

The Boyfriend is one of the most popular and successful British musicals of all time. On the previous episode Deborah Phillips shared with us how its creator Sandy Wilson grew up as a musical theater obsessed kid whose idols were Noel Coward, Ivor Novello, and Binky Beaumont — the three dynamic gay theater artists who dominated London’s West End in the 1930s and 40s. She also described London’s vibrant but clandestine gay theatrical subculture of the early 1950s out of which Sandy Wilson and The Boyfriend emerged. And we even heard a bit about the secret gay language of chorus boys and sailors called “Polari,” and the hilarious BBC radio series, Round The Horne, that introduced Polari to millions of listeners in the mid-1960s, even though most of those listeners had no idea what is was, or understood its connections to gay culture. All of that was, of course, happening at a time when you could be sent to prison for being homosexual.

Deborah and I pick up our conversation just as Sandy Wilson is about to launch the first production of The Boyfriend at the private theater club, The Players Theatre, where it became a major hit and quickly moved to the West End.

We then go on to discuss London’s other major hit musical of 1952, Julian Slade’s SALAD DAYS. Those two shows — both set in the 1920s — created nearly as much excitement as Queen Elizabeth’s coronation that same year. In this episode you will hear a clip from Round the Horne featuring two very camp characters named “Julian & Sandy” (inspired by the two songwriters) who pepper their dialogue with Polari words and phrases, and whose catch phrase inspired the title of Deborah Phillip’s book.

That original West End production of The Boyfriend ran for five years. Meanwhile, an American production opened on Broadway in 1954 and became a major hit in spite of Wilson’s objections to how it was redirected for Broadway. 18 years later, in 1972, a film version of The Boyfriend was released, directed by Ken Russell, that Wilson loathed.

Wilson went on to create several highly anticipated subsequent musicals including The Buccaneer, Valmouth, and the sequel to The Boyfriend — Divorce Me Darling. None of them, however, were able to achieve the same kind acclaim and popularity as The Boyfriend. Phillips also shares some fascinating stories of several other high-profile projects that got away from Sandy Wilson and went on to legendary success with other songwriters.

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This episode is made possible in part by the generous support of Producer Level Patrons:

Gary Fuller & Randy Everett.

If you would like to help support the work of Broadway Nation I will information at the end of the podcast about how you too can become a Patron.

If you are a fan ofBroadway Nation, I invite you too to become a PATRON!

For a just $7.00 a month you will receive exclusive access to never-before-heard, unedited versions of many of the discussion that I have with my guests — in fact I often record nearly twice as much conversation as ends up in the edited versions. And you will also have access to additional in-depth conversations with my frequent co-host Albert Evans that have not been featured on the podcast. And all patrons receive special “on-air” shout-outs and acknowledgement of your vital support of this podcast.

And If you are very enthusiastic about Broadway Nation there are additional PATRON levels that come with even more benefits.

If you would like to support the work of Broadway Nation and receive these exclusive member benefits, please just click on this link:

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Episode 107: Sandy Wilson's THE BOYFRIEND, London Theatre and Gay Culture May 11, 2023

My guest this week is author Deborah Phillips whose new book is titled:

AND THIS IS MY FRIEND SANDY — SANDY WILSON’S THE BOY FRIEND, LONDON THEATRE AND GAY CULTURE.

Sandy Wilson's The Boyfriend — for which he wrote the book, music, & lyrics — is one of the most successful British musicals of all time. It emerged in 1952 out of London’s secretive but vibrant gay theatrical subculture, at a time when you could be sent to prison for being homosexual. By the following year both The Boyfriend and Sandy Wilson were the toast of London’s West End, and created nearly as much excitement as Queen Elizabeth’s coronation that same year. That original West End production ran for five years. Meanwhile, a hit American version of The Boyfriend opened on Broadway in 1954 and made a star out of Julie Andrews. The show was revived on Broadway in 1970 and made a star of Sandy Duncan, and two years later an ill-conceived film version was released, starring Twiggy and Tommy Tune and directed by Ken Russell.

Despite all of this, prior to this book, very little has been written about Sandy Wilson. Deborah Phillips, who is Professor of Literature and Cultural History at the University of Brighton, is the first researcher to delve into Wilson’s extensive archives out of which she has created an captivating portrait of Wilson as a both a key figure in post-war British theatre and the era's gay culture.

This book and interview introduced me to a number of fascinating subjects I had never encountered before including the hilarious BBC radio series, Round The Horne, that inspired the book’s title; the history of London's Players Theatre; and the secret gay language, Polari.

Exploring all that sent me into several amazing internet rabbit holes and I will be posting articles and video clips that I found there in the Broadway Nation FaceBook Group.

This episode is made possible in part through the generous support of Broadway Nation Patron Club members Anne Welsh, Chris Moad, and Bob Braun.

Become A PATRON of Broadway Nation!

This episode is made possible in part through the generous support of Broadway Nation Patron Club members Anne Welsh, Chris Moad, and Bob Braun.

If you are a fan ofBroadway Nation, I invite you too to become a PATRON!

For a just $7.00 a month you will receive exclusive access to never-before-heard, unedited versions of many of the discussion that I have with my guests — in fact I often record nearly twice as much conversation as ends up in the edited versions. And you will also have access to additional in-depth conversations with my frequent co-host Albert Evans that have not been featured on the podcast. And all patrons receive special “on-air” shout-outs and acknowledgement of your vital support of this podcast.

And If you are very enthusiastic about Broadway Nation there are additional PATRON levels that come with even more benefits.

If you would like to support the work of Broadway Nation and receive these exclusive member benefits, please just click on this link:

https://broadwaynationpodcast.supercast.tech/

Thank you in advance for your support!

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Encore Episode: Celebrating 63 Years of THE FANTASTICKS May 04, 2023

This is a special Encore episode of Broadway Nation in celebration of the 63rd Anniversary of the Off-Broadway musical phenomenon, The Fantasticks.

That show opened at the Sullivan Street Playhouse in Greenwich Village on May 3, 1960, and went on to play there for an incredible 42 years closing in January of 2002. Then four years later the show reopened at the Snapple Theater Center in Times Square where is ran another 11 years.

As you will hear, even though this show was performed off-Broadway, it had a significant impact and influence on the final decade of the Golden Age of Broadway and well beyond, right up to today.

For example, one thing that has always interested me, is that The Fantasticks ends its first act with a delirious happy ending and the entire cast posed in an iconic tableau. The second act then picks up with that exact same image, but the bloom is now definitely off the rose, or as Tom Jones’ lyric puts it, now the “plum is too ripe.” Act two then tells the story of what happens after happily ever after. Sound familiar? Yes, this is remarkably similar to what happens in both Sunday In the Park With George and Into The Woods. So, it seems to me that more than two decades after the premiere of The Fantasticks, Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine were still being strongly influenced by its structure, either consciously or subliminally.

This episode was recorded back in September of 2020 so there are a few references that are now out of date.

Original Episode Notes:

As the 1950’s came to a close, Broadway Musicals were at the very center of American culture.

Then in 1960, as if on cue, two immensely popular shows – The Fantasticks, and Bye, Bye Birdie – kick off the decade by foreshadowing several major changes in American culture that will dramatically affect the Broadway Musical, and by the end of the decade, leave its very future in doubt.

The brilliant creators profiled in this episode include Schmidt & Jones, Strouse & Adams, Michael Stewart, Gower Champion, Jerry Herman, and Bock & Harnick.

As well as the string of classic musicals that bring the “Golden Age Of Broadway” to its climax — Oliver!; Stop The World I Want To Get Off; The Roar Of The Greasepaint And The Smell Of The Crowd, Man Of La Mancha; Fiddler On The Roof, and what I call the "Big Transgressive Lady" Shows – Hello, Dolly!, Sweet Charity, and Mame.

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Episode 106; ITAMAR MOSES — From THE BAND"S VISIT to AN AMERICAN TAIL Apr 27, 2023

My guest this week is playwright Itamar Moses, winner of the 2018 Tony Award for “Best Book of a Musical” for his beautiful work on the Tony Award winning “Best Musical”, The Band’s Visit.

His other theater work includes the plays Bach at Leipzig, The Four Of Us, Completeness, and The Whistleblower, and the musicals Nobody Loves You, and The Fortress of Solitude. He has also written for several acclaimed television series including Boardwalk Empire and The Affair.

His current project, and the main subject of our conversation , is his new stage adaptation of the hit 1986 animated film, An American Tail, for which he has written the book and co-written the lyrics of the new songs. Performances began yesterday, April 26, at the Children’s Theatre Company of Minneapolis where it will play through June 18, 2023.

As you will hear, in this episode Itamar Moses and I also discuss his own family and childhood connections to the story of An American Tail/; how he was came to be a playwright in the first place; the differences between writing plays and writing musicals, as well ad the many challenges of musical adaptation and much more!

Become A PATRON of Broadway Nation!

This episode is made possible in part through the generous support of Broadway Nation Patron Club members Alejandro Membreno, Ellie Schaffer, and Judy Hucka.

If you are a fan ofBroadway Nation, I invite you too to become a PATRON!

For a just $7.00 a month you will receive exclusive access to never-before-heard, unedited versions of many of the discussion that I have with my guests — in fact I often record nearly twice as much conversation as ends up in the edited versions. And you will also have access to additional in-depth conversations with my frequent co-host Albert Evans that have not been featured on the podcast. And all patrons receive special “on-air” shout-outs and acknowledgement of your vital support of this podcast.

And If you are very enthusiastic about Broadway Nation there are additional PATRON levels that come with even more benefits.

If you would like to support the work of Broadway Nation and receive these exclusive member benefits, please just click on this link:

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Thank you in advance for your support!

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Episode 105: Two Degrees of George Abbott, The Abbott Touch, part 2 Apr 20, 2023

This is the second half of my conversation with Thomas Hischak whose new book is titled The Abbott Touch — Pal Joey, Damn Yankees and the Theatre of George Abbott.

If you missed part one, you may want to catch up with the previous episode before listening to this one.

George Abbott was a major force in the American Theater for more than 80 years. As an actor, director, playwright, and producer — and often several of those at the same time — he played a significant role in the creation of well over 100 Broadway plays and musicals including Jumbo, The Boys From Syracuse, On The Town, Where’s Charlie, Call Me Madam, The Pajama Game, Once Upon A Mattress and Fiorello to name only a few.

Thomas Hischak is the author of more than 30 books about Broadway, Hollywood and popular music including Musical Misfires — three decades of Broadway Musical heartbreak, The Mikado to Matilda — British Musicals on the New York Stage, and the Tin Pan Alley Encyclopedia.

At the end of our previous episode Thomas Hischak and I were just beginning a discussion of the remarkable list of Broadway greatest writers, directors and choreographers who were all in essence trained and mentored by Mr. Abbott including Rodgers & Hart, Comden, Green & Bernstein, Adler & Ross, Bock & Harnick, Kander & Ebb, Jerome Robbins and most especially, Harold Prince.

We also explore his reputation as a "show doctor." We will never now how many shows he advised and "fixed" on their way to Broadway.

Become A PATRON of Broadway Nation!

This episode is made possible in part through the generous support of Patron Club members Kelly Allen, Roger Klorese, and Neil Hoyt. If you too would like to support the work of Broadway Nation I will have information at the end of this podcast about how you too can join the club.

If you are a fan ofBroadway Nation, I invite you to become a PATRON!

For a just $7.00 a month you can receive exclusive access to never-before-heard, unedited versions of many of the discussion that I have with my guests — in fact I often record nearly twice as much conversation as ends up in the edited versions. And you will also have access to additional in-depth conversations with my frequent co-host Albert Evans that have not been featured on the podcast. And all patrons receive special “on-air” shout-outs and acknowledgement of your vital support of this podcast.

And If you are very enthusiastic about Broadway Nation there are additional PATRON levels that come with even more benefits.

If you would like to support the work of Broadway Nation and receive these exclusive member benefits, please just click on this link:

https://broadwaynationpodcast.supercast.tech/

Thank you in advance for your support!

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Episode 104: The Abbott Touch — The Theatre of George Abbott, part 1. Apr 13, 2023

My guest this week is author Thomas Hischak whose new book is titled:

The Abbott Touch — Pal Joey, Damn Yankees and the theatre of George Abbott.

For more than 60 years — from 1913 to 1994 — George Abbott was a major force on Broadway. As an actor, director, playwright, bookwriter, play doctor, and producer he applied his famous "touch" to more than 100 plays and musicals from Rodgers & Hart’s On Your Toes to Stephen Sondheim’s A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum.

Remarkably, this is the first book to take a deep dive into Abbott’s work and career and to analyze what he did, how he worked, what he contributed, what innovations he brought to Broadway, and how he stayed at the top of his field for so long?

And, of course, the most fundamental question of all: What exactly was that famous “Abbott Touch”?

Thomas Hischak is the author of more than 30 books about Broadway, Hollywood, and popular music including The Oxford Companion To The American Musical, The Rodgers & Hammerstein Encyclopedia, and Broadway Decoded: Musical Theatre’s Forgotten References.

And as you will hear, he is a delight to talk to about Broadway!

Become A PATRON of Broadway Nation!

If you are a fan ofBroadway Nation, I invite you to become a PATRON!

For a just $7.00 a month you can receive exclusive access to never-before-heard, unedited versions of many of the discussion that I have with my guests — in fact I often record nearly twice as much conversation as ends up in the edited versions. And you will also have access to additional in-depth conversations with my frequent co-host Albert Evans that have not been featured on the podcast. And all patrons receive special “on-air” shout-outs and acknowledgement of your vital support of this podcast.

And If you are very enthusiastic about Broadway Nation there are additional PATRON levels that come with even more benefits.

If you would like to support the work of Broadway Nation and receive these exclusive member benefits, please just click on this link:

https://broadwaynationpodcast.supercast.tech/

Thank you in advance for your support!

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Episode 103: More Scandalous Gertrude Hoffmann Apr 06, 2023

My guest again this week is Sunny Stalter-Pace whose fascinating new book is titled:

Imitation Artist — Gertrude Hoffmann’s Life in Vaudeville and Dance.

Choreographer, producer, director, and dancing star, Gertrude Hoffmann was a close colleague and key collaborator with neatly all the legendary figures of early Broadway including Florenz Ziegfeld, Oscar Hammerstein I, the Shubert Brothers, and George M. Cohan. But, unfortunately Gertrude Hoffmann has been left out of most of the history books, at least until this book came out.

On the last episode Sunny shared the story of Hoffmann’s journey from teenage dancing star in San Francisco, to her marriage to arranger and composer Max Hoffmann, and her early success in the roof garden theaters of New York where she become the first woman to receive billing for choreographing a Broadway musical.

As we left off, Gertrude’s star was rising and she was capitalizing on her skill for mimicry by doing impressions the greatest stars of her day, both female and male, and sometimes impersonating them in the same show with those stars. But it was her next venture that makes her one of the most famous women in America when she takes on the role of “Salome” and performs her scandalous dance of the seven veils. That’s where we pick up our conversation today.

As you will hear, following this “succès de scandale,” Gertrude Hoffman’s amazing career will include introducing the dances of the famed Ballet Russe to America (without their permission!), becoming a headlining vaudeville star, creating her own troupe of dancers —The Gertrude Hoffmann Girls — who become an international sensation, as well as starring in and/or choreographing a string of hit 1920’s Broadway musicals that include From Broadway to Paris, Artists & Models, A Night in Paris, and A Night In Spain.

And as Sunny Stalter-Pace tells us her one of her legacies is to demonstrate that women were involved in the creation of the Broadway musical from the very beginning.

Become A PATRON of Broadway Nation!

If you are a fan ofBroadway Nation, I invite you to become a PATRON!

For a just $7.00 a month you can receive exclusive access to never-before-heard, unedited versions of many of the discussion that I have with my guests — in fact I often record nearly twice as much conversation as ends up in the edited versions. And you will also have access to additional in-depth conversations with my frequent co-host Albert Evans that have not been featured on the podcast. And all patrons receive special “on-air” shout-outs and acknowledgement of your vital support of this podcast.

And If you are very enthusiastic about Broadway Nation there are additional PATRON levels that come with even more benefits.

If you would like to support the work of Broadway Nation and receive these exclusive member benefits, please just click on this link:

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Thank you in advance for your support!

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Episode 102: The Scandalous Life & Career of GERTRUDE HOFFMANN Mar 30, 2023

My guest this week is Sunny Stalter-Pace whose wonderful new book is titled:

Imitation Artist — Gertrude Hoffmann’s Life in Vaudeville and Dance.

And I am happy to say that this book covers her life on Broadway as well.

As you will hear Gertrude Hoffmann is another of those dynamic women who played key roles in the invention of the Broadway Musical but unfortunately have mostly fallen out of the history books, and are nearly forgotten today.

Not only was she a scandalous and transgressive Broadway dancing star, she was also a producer, writer, director, and the first woman to choreograph a Broadway show — or at least the first to be credited for doing so. Her world-famous troop of Gertrude Hoffman Girls established a template for Broadway dance ensembles that is still very much with us today.

Beyond Broadway her influence and innovations extend into the worlds of Ballet, Night Clubs, Vaudeville, and Modern Dance.

In this episode Sunny shares with us how Gertrude Hoffmann grew up in the vibrant theatrical world of late 19th Century San Francisco, and became a noted performer there while still in her teens. Soon after, she joined a traveling show that takes her to NYC and met her soon to be husband — music director and composer, Max Hoffman, who goes on to compose music for 12 Broadway shows.

Gertrude Hoffmann was a trusted colleague and key collaborator with almost all the legendary figures of early Broadway including Florenz Ziegfeld, Oscar Hammerstein I, the Shubert Brothers, and George M. Cohan. She also mentored, collaborated with and/or feuded with many of the biggest stars of the era including The Dolly Sisters, Charlotte Greenwood, Eva Tanguay, and Anna Held.

Sunny Stalter-Pace is an Associate Professor of American Literature at Auburn University, and it is my great pleasure to join with her to give some long overdue recognition to this important figure in the development of early 20th century show business.

Become A PATRON of Broadway Nation!

If you are a fan ofBroadway Nation, I invite you to become a PATRON!

For a just $7.00 a month you can receive exclusive access to never-before-heard, unedited versions of many of the discussion that I have with my guests — in fact I often record nearly twice as much conversation as ends up in the edited versions. And you will also have access to additional in-depth conversations with my frequent co-host Albert Evans that have not been featured on the podcast. And all patrons receive special “on-air” shout-outs and acknowledgement of your vital support of this podcast.

And If you are very enthusiastic about Broadway Nation there are additional PATRON levels that come with even more benefits.

If you would like to support the work of Broadway Nation and receive these exclusive member benefits, please just click on this link:

https://broadwaynationpodcast.supercast.tech/

Thank you in advance for your support!

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Episode 101: Round In Circles — The Story of Rodgers & Hammerstein's CAROUSEL, part 3 Mar 23, 2023

This is the third and final part of my conversation with author, Barry Kester whose new book is titled, Round In Circles — The Story of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s CAROUSEL.

(If you missed either of the previous two episodes you may want to catch up with those before listening to this one. )

First we focus on Carousel’s most famous song, “You’ll Never Walk Alone” and explore the extraordinary impact it’s had on the world. Then Barry and I discuss the movie version of Carousel, including why many people view it as the least successful of the Rodgers & Hammerstein film adaptations. We also discuss the groundbreaking 1993 UK National Theatre production that transferred to Broadway and introduced and revitalized the show for a new generation of fans, including Barry Kester who became so enamored by the musical that eventually he wrote this book about it. Finally, we also delve into Carousel's difficult and controversial subject matter that often makes it challenging to stage in the 21st Century.

Become A PATRON of Broadway Nation!

If you are a fan of Broadway Nation, I invite you to become a PATRON!

For a just $7.00 a month you can receive exclusive access to never-before-heard, unedited versions of many of the discussion that I have with my guests — in fact I often record nearly twice as much conversation as ends up in the edited versions. And you will also have access to additional in-depth conversations with my frequent co-host Albert Evans that have not been featured on the podcast. And all patrons receive special “on-air” shout-outs and acknowledgement of your vital support of this podcast.

And If you are very enthusiastic about Broadway Nation there are additional PATRON levels that come with even more benefits.

If you would like to support the work of Broadway Nation and receive these exclusive member benefits, please just click on this link:

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Thank you in advance for your support!

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Episode 100: WHO'S THE GREATEST STAR? Mar 16, 2023

Welcome to the 100th episode of Broadway Nation!

To celebrate I invited Albert Evans to join me to discuss, debate, and decide once and for all who is the Greatest Broadway Musical Star Of All Time!

As you will hear, we had a lot of fun with this one, and I have no doubt it will spark a lot of comments, conversation, and controversy! And we look forward to hearing from you.

(And if you are wondering what happened to the third part of my conversation with Barry Kester regarding his book Round In Circles? Never fear! Barry and I will be back next week with the final episode in that series.)

So who did we choose? All I can tell you is that Bernadette Peters, Ethel Merman, Patti LuPone, Robert Preston, Liza Minelli, Mary Martin, Audra McDonald, Angela Lansbury, Vanessa Williams, Al Jolson, Julie Andrews, Kristin Chenoweth, Eddie Cantor, Idina Menzel, Fanny Brice, Sutton Foster, George M. Cohan, Lea Salonga, Rex Harrison, Nathan Lane, Barbara Cook, Mandy Patinkin, Yul Brynner, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Donna Murphy, Gertrude Lawrence, Ben Vereen, Hugh Jackman, Joel Grey, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Gwen Verdon, Matthew Broderick, and Chita Rivera all get considered and discussed.

And a lot of Broadway history gets explored along the way as well!

Become A PATRON of Broadway Nation!

This episode is made possible in part through the generous support of Patron Club Members Ruth Oberg, Neil Hoyt, and Judy Hucka.

If you are a fan ofBroadway Nation, I invite you to become a PATRON!

For a just $7.00 a month you can receive exclusive access to never-before-heard, unedited versions of many of the discussion that I have with my guests — in fact I often record nearly twice as much conversation as ends up in the edited versions. And you will also have access to additional in-depth conversations with my frequent co-host Albert Evans that have not been featured on the podcast. And all patrons receive special “on-air” shout-outs and acknowledgement of your vital support of this podcast.

And If you are very enthusiastic about Broadway Nation there are additional PATRON levels that come with even more benefits.

If you would like to support the work of Broadway Nation and receive these exclusive member benefits, please just click on this link:

https://broadwaynationpodcast.supercast.tech/

Thank you in advance for your support!

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Episode 99: ROUND IN CIRCLES, part 2 Mar 09, 2023

This is the second part of my conversation with author Barry Kester whose fascinating new book is titled: Round In Circles — The Story of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s CAROUSEL.

Last week we focused on the three people most responsible for the creation of CAROUSEL — Oscar Hammerstein, Richard Rodgers, and the dynamic producer Theresa Helburn, whose vision and obsession it was to turn Ferenc Molnar’s play Liliom into a musical.

This week Barry takes us behind the scenes of CAROUSEL’s rehearsal period and it’s rocky out-of-town tryout including its very first performance in New Haven where the show ran more than four hours long! Along the way we have the opportunity to focus on the other key members of Carousel’s creative team — choreographer Agnes De Mille, director Rouben Mamoulian, dance arranger Trude Rittmann, and orchestrator Don Walker — all of whom were crucial in helping Rodgers & Hammerstein turn what could have been a disaster into one of the landmark musicals of the “Golden Age of Broadway.”

If you missed part one you may want to catch up with that episode before listening to this one.

This episode is made possible in part through the generous support of Patron Club Members:

Roger Kloresse, Elizabeth Troxler and Chris Moad.

Thank you all!

How to become A PATRON of Broadway Nation!

If you are a fan of Broadway Nation, I invite you to become a PATRON!

For a just $7.00 a month you can receive exclusive access to never-before-heard, unedited versions of many of the discussion that I have with my guests — in fact I often record nearly twice as much conversation as ends up in the edited versions. And you will also have access to additional in-depth conversations with my frequent co-host Albert Evans that have not been featured on the podcast. And all patrons receive special “on-air” shout-outs and acknowledgement of your vital support of this podcast.

And If you are very enthusiastic about Broadway Nation there are additional PATRON levels that come with even more benefits.

If you would like to support the work of Broadway Nation and receive these exclusive member benefits, please just click on this link:

https://broadwaynationpodcast.supercast.tech/

Thank you in advance for your support!

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

Episode 98: Round In Circles — The Story of Rodgers & Hammerstein's CAROUSEL Mar 02, 2023

My guest on Broadway Nation this week is Barry Kester, author of the fascinating new book:

Round In Circles — The Story of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s CAROUSEL.

I thought I knew a lot about Carousel — and in fact Albert Evans and I have previously devoted several previous episodes to that show and its truly groundbreaking innovations. However, we both found this book to be filled with new information, new discoveries, and new insights.

Based on his exemplary research, Barry Kester takes us deep inside Rodgers & Hammerstein’s creative process as they endevour to transform Ferenc Molnar’s dark, fantastical play, Liliom, into their second Broadway musical collaboration, which they know will be compared to their first show, Oklahoma!, which had become the most successful Broadway Musical of all time and was still going strong! So, they consciously set out to do something very different.

At the center of this story is a dynamic woman, producer Theresa Helborn, who was the inspiring, driving force behind the show. In fact, without Helborn there would have been no Carousel or Oklahoma!

This is the first of three episodes in which Barry will share with us not only these fascinating stories but also his own unlikely and surprising tale of how he came to write this book.

Become A PATRON of Broadway Nation!

If you are a fan ofBroadway Nation, I invite you to become a PATRON!

For a just $7.00 a month you can receive exclusive access to never-before-heard, unedited versions of many of the discussion that I have with my guests — in fact I often record nearly twice as much conversation as ends up in the edited versions. And you will also have access to additional in-depth conversations with my frequent co-host Albert Evans that have not been featured on the podcast. And all patrons receive special “on-air” shout-outs and acknowledgement of your vital support of this podcast.

And If you are very enthusiastic about Broadway Nation there are additional PATRON levels that come with even more benefits.

If you would like to support the work of Broadway Nation and receive these exclusive member benefits, please just click on this link:

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Special Bonus Encore Episode: When Broadway Was Black, part Two! Feb 26, 2023

This is a special bonus Encore episode of Broadway Nation in celebration of the rerelease of the book formerly known as Footnotes and now retitled When Broadway Was Black — The Triumphant Story of The All Black Musical That Changed The World.

In the first segment you will hear part of my very recent conversation with author Caseen Gains all about this new retitled and updated version of his fascinating history of the 1921 musical Shuffle Along! Then you’ll hear the second part of my original discussion with him recorded back when the book first came out.

And if you missed it you can hear the first half of both of those conversations on the previous episode of Broadway Nation.

One final note: If you live in NY or are going to be there on May 22nd you can join Caseen at 54 Below for a special event he is producing called: 54 Sings Shuffle Along! Featuring an all-star cast of performers.

Become A PATRON of Broadway Nation!

If you are a fan ofBroadway Nation, I invite you to become a PATRON!

For a just $7.00 a month you can receive exclusive access to never-before-heard, unedited versions of many of the discussion that I have with my guests — in fact I often record nearly twice as much conversation as ends up in the edited versions. And you will also have access to additional in-depth conversations with my frequent co-host Albert Evans that have not been featured on the podcast. And all patrons receive special “on-air” shout-outs and acknowledgement of your vital support of this podcast.

And If you are very enthusiastic about Broadway Nation there are additional PATRON levels that come with even more benefits.

If you would like to support the work of Broadway Nation and receive these exclusive member benefits, please just click on this link:

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Encore Episode: When Broadway Was Black! Feb 23, 2023

This is a special Encore edition of Broadway Nation.

In the fall of 2021, I devoted two episodes to the remarkable book Footnotes by Caseen Gaines which was published to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the landmark musical Shuffle Along. Now that book has just been rereleased in paperback and retitled, When Broadway Was Black — The Triumphant Story of The All Black Musical That Changed The World. So, this seemed like the perfect time to rerelease those episodes, and just like Cassen has done with his book, to include some new and updated content.

First you will hear a segment of a discussion I had just last week with Caseen about this rerelease of his book, and then the first half of our original conversation.

I’ll be releasing part two with even more new content as a bonus episode this coming Sunday.

Become A PATRON of Broadway Nation!

If you are a fan ofBroadway Nation, I invite you to become a PATRON!

For a just $7.00 a month you can receive exclusive access to never-before-heard, unedited versions of many of the discussion that I have with my guests — in fact I often record nearly twice as much conversation as ends up in the edited versions. And you will also have access to additional in-depth conversations with my frequent co-host Albert Evans that have not been featured on the podcast. And all patrons receive special “on-air” shout-outs and acknowledgement of your vital support of this podcast.

And If you are very enthusiastic about Broadway Nation there are additional PATRON levels that come with even more benefits.

If you would like to support the work of Broadway Nation and receive these exclusive member benefits, please just click on this link:

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Episode: 97: Coming Out Of The Dark — A Conversation with Sheldon Epps, part 3 Feb 16, 2023

My guest again today is director Sheldon Epps, and this is the third and final part of our recent conversation about his long and successful career as he relates it in his new book:

My Own Directions — A Black Man’s Journey in the American Theatre.

If you missed the previous episodes it may be helpful to listen to those before joining us for this one.

In 1997 when Sheldon was appointed the Artistic Director of the Pasadena Playhouse he became the first black person to lead a major theater company in Southern California and one of the only three artists of color to hold that position nationwide. And as he writes in his book, “in the words of a song from Hallelujah, Baby! being good wasn’t going to be good enough. Aiming for greatness was required as there were those who were there to support that goal, and there were others who most certainly were waiting for me to fail.”

In the last episode Sheldon shared with us how he met the many challenges of revitalizing what at the time was a somewhat faded theater company and successfully transforming both its audience and its Artistic Mission. And he was able to accomplish all of that despite the severe financial challenges that the Playhouse faced mostly due to a large loan that had be taken out decades earlier. As we ended that episode Sheldon was telling us how those economic problems finally became so overwhelming that it was decided that the Playhouse needed to close down for a time and take what Sheldon called an “Intermission” so that that the debt issues could be addressed. But it was not at all clear to him or anyone else if the PP’s curtain would ever go up on a second act. And that’s where we pick up our conversation today.

Later in the episode we have what I think is a very illuminating discussion about the challenges that Artistic Directors now face, especially in regard to the way that Boards of Trustees of non-profit theater companies have changed over the last 25 years. It 's my favorite part of the episode.

And we also discuss Sheldon's all black production Kiss Me Kate, and his Broadway musical Play On!, which took Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and reset it in Harlem in the 1930's using the the songs of Duke Ellington.

Become A PATRON of Broadway Nation!

This episode is made possible in part by the generous support of"Producer Level” Patron

TRACY WELLENS

If you are a fan ofBroadway Nation, I invite you too to become a PATRON!

For a just $7.00 a month you can receive exclusive access to never-before-heard, unedited versions of many of the discussion that I have with my guests — in fact I often record nearly twice as much conversation as ends up in the edited versions. And you will also have access to additional in-depth conversations with my frequent co-host Albert Evans that have not been featured on the podcast. And all patrons receive special “on-air” shout-outs and acknowledgement of your vital support of this podcast.

Special thanks to our newest PATRON:

ALEJANDRO MEMBRENO

And If you are very enthusiastic about Broadway Nation there are additional PATRON levels that come with even more benefits.

If you would like to support the work of Broadway Nation and receive these exclusive member benefits, please just click on this link:

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Episode 96: How To Transform An American Theatre Feb 09, 2023

This is the second part of my conversation with director Sheldon Epps whose very engaging new book is titled: My Own Directions — A Black Man’s Journey in the American Theatre.

This week we follow Epps’ journey as it takes him from New York to California, first to the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego to his appointment as Artistic Director of the Pasadena Playhouse which makes him the first black person to lead a major theater company in Southern California, and one of the only three artists of color to hold that position nationwide.

As you will hear, both this week and next, Epps’ two decades at the Pasadena Playhouse are packed with high drama, both on and off the stage, including artistic triumphs, financial disasters, and both subtle and overt racism. However, during his tenure the Playhouse is radically transformed and reinvigorated by his leadership.

One of the highlights of the book and this episode is an unbelievable but absolutely true story involving Epps first visit to the Pasadena Playhouse and the legendary black star Ethel Waters!

I also enjoyed our discussion of the certain amount of arrogance that is needed to be an Artistic Director. As Sheldon once told a Playhouse Board Member, “If you ever have an Artistic Director who is not a bit arrogant — fire them!”

Become A PATRON of Broadway Nation!

This episode is made possible in part by the generous support of"Producer Level” Patron

ROBERT BRAUN

If you are a fan ofBroadway Nation, I invite you too to become a PATRON!

For a just $7.00 a month you can receive exclusive access to never-before-heard, unedited versions of many of the discussion that I have with my guests — in fact I often record nearly twice as much conversation as ends up in the edited versions. And you will also have access to additional in-depth conversations with my frequent co-host Albert Evans that have not been featured on the podcast. And all patrons receive special “on-air” shout-outs and acknowledgement of your vital support of this podcast.

Special thanks to our newest PATRONS:

Ruth Oberg

Juan J. Neumeister

and

Kelly Allen

And If you are very enthusiastic about Broadway Nation there are additional PATRON levels that come with even more benefits.

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Episode 95: A Black Man's Journey In The American Theatre Feb 02, 2023

My guest today is Sheldon Epps whose new book is titled, My Own Directions — A Black Man’s Journey in the American Theatre.

There he shares the story of his long and successful career during which he has often been “the first”, “one of the few”, or even “the only” person of color to reach various levels of achievement in the world of theater.

At the center of the book are the two decades Epps served as "Artistic Director" of The Pasadena Playhouse, one of the oldest and most well-known regional theaters in America, and at the time Sheldon took that job, it was also one the whitest! How he met the many challenges of revitalizing that somewhat faded theater company and transforming both its audience and its artistic vision could not be more instructive at a time when theater companies nationwide are struggling with many of these same issues.

This is the first of three episode in which you will hear about Sheldon’s very prolific freelance directing career Off-Broadway and at theaters across the country, as well as the two hit musicals he created — Blues In the Night and Play On! — that took him to Broadway, London’s West End and around the world.

Today we will start at the beginning of his story with his childhood in Teaneck, NJ, the inspiration he received from the Broadway musicals of the 1960s and 70s, and the remarkable roles he played in high school. Then we follow his intense acting training at Carnegie Mellon University, his professional debut in multiple productions of Jaques Brel Is Alive And Well And Living In Paris, and the co-founding of his own Off-Broadway theater company, The Production Company, where Blues In The Night had its premiere.

This episode is made possible in part by the generous support of

"Producer Level” Patrons PAULA and STEVE REYNOLDS

If you too would like to support Broadway Nation, I invite you to become a PATRON!

For a just $7.00 a month you can receive exclusive access to never-before-heard, unedited versions of many of the discussion that I have with my guests — in fact I often record nearly twice as much conversation as ends up in the edited versions. And you will also have access to additional in-depth conversations with my frequent co-host Albert Evans that have not been featured on the podcast. And all patrons receive special “on-air” shout-outs and acknowledgement of your vital support of this podcast.

And If you are very enthusiastic about Broadway Nation there are additional patron levels that come with even more benefits.

To receive all of these exclusive member benefits – just click on this link:

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Episode 94: More On The Life of MARY RODGERS Jan 26, 2023

Today’s episode is the second half of my conversation with JESSE GREEN, author of the New York Times best seller SHY: The Alarmingly Outspoken Memoirs of Mary Rodgers — undoubtably the most talked about theater book in years!

Last week Jesse shared with us how Mary Rodgers selected him to tell her remarkable story — from her childhood growing up surrounded by the brightest lights of the Golden Age of Broadway, but always yearning for love and attention from her father, Richard Rodgers, of Rodgers & Hammerstein — to her teenage years struggling to get out from under the thumb of her very disapproving mother, Dorothy.

Today we look at the work and career of Mary Rodgers, including how as a working mother raising six children was not only able to become a successful Broadway composer in her own right (Once Upon A Mattress and The Mad Show), she was then able to reinvent herself and become a best-selling author (Freaky Friday), and eventually the Chair of the Board of The Julliard School.

It's a captivating book, and Jesse was a fascinating guest! Enjoy!

Become A PATRON of Broadway Nation!

This episode is made possible in part by the generous contributions of our Patron Level members:

GARY FULLER & RANDY EVERETT.

If you too would like to support Broadway Nation, I invite you to become a PATRON.

For a just $7.00 a month you can receive exclusive access to never-before-heard, unedited versions of many of the discussion that I have with my guests — in fact I often record nearly twice as much conversation as ends up in the edited versions. And you will also have access to additional in-depth conversations with my frequent co-host Albert Evans that have not been featured on the podcast. And all patrons receive special “on-air” shout-outs and acknowledgement of your vital support of this podcast.

And If you are very enthusiastic about Broadway Nation there are additional patron levels that come with even more benefits.

To support the show and receive all of these exclusive member benefits – please just click on this link:

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Episode 93: "Under Richard Rodgers Piano" — A Conversation with JESSE GREEN Jan 19, 2023

My guest today is Jesse Green who, in addition to being the Chief Theatre Critic for the New York Times, is the author of the most acclaimed and talked about theater book in recent memory – SHY: The Alarmingly Outspoken Memoirs of Mary Rodgers.

This is the first of two episodes in which Jesse Green shares with us the story of how Mary Rodgers selected him to tell her remarkable, sometime harrowing, and ultimately inspiring story, and how he was able to perfectly capture her unique voice so perfectly, aas well as her bold and unwaveringly candid view of herself.

Mary Rodgers grew up in the icy shadow of her father, the legendary Broadway composer, Richard Rodgers, and her disapproving mother, Dorothy. As she reached adulthood her closest friends, colleagues, and romantic partners were Stephen Sondheim, Hal Prince, Leonard Bernstein, Jerome Robbins, Martin Charnin, and Arthur Laurents.

Somehow, she became not just a highly successful Broadway composer in her own right — most notably with her score for the Broadway and television hit Once Upon a Mattress — but also a renowned author of books for young people including the classic Freaky Friday.

There is a reason that this book has become a bestseller, and received so much attention, and it’s not just because it’s filed with sometimes juicy gossip about many of the leading lights and minor players of the Golden Age Broadway. No, at its heart, this is the story of a woman who struggles, and I think ultimately succeeds, in liberating herself from disapproving parents, rampant sexism, and her own fears and insecurities as she journeys to discover art, romance and family on her own terms.

Broadway Nation Backstage Pass Club

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For a just $7.00 a month you can receive exclusive access to never-before-heard, unedited versions of many of the discussion that I have with my guests — in fact I often record nearly twice as much conversation as ends up in the edited versions. And you will also have access to additional in-depth conversations with my frequent co-host Albert Evans that have not been featured on the podcast. And all patrons receive special “on-air” shout-outs and acknowledgement of your vital support of this podcast.

And If you are very enthusiastic about Broadway Nation there are additional patron levels that come with even more benefits.

To become one the very first members of the Broadway Nation Backstage Pass Club and receive all of these exclusive member benefits – just click on this link:

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Episode 92: Fosse vs. Schwartz — 50 Years of PIPPIN, part 2 Jan 12, 2023

This is the second half of my conversation with author Elysa Gardner whose new book is titled:

Magic To Do — Pippin’s Fantastic, Fraught, Journey To Broadway And Beyond.

On our previous episode Elysa shared the story of how PIPPIN’s composer & lyricist, Stephen Schwartz, first began work on the show when he was a student at Carnegie Tech (soon to be Carnegie Mellon) University, where an early and very different version of PIPPIN was first produced. After graduating and returning home to NYC Schwartz began creating an all new version of the show but quickly got sidetracked by Godspell.

The massive success of that little Off-Broadway musical and its chart topping hit song, coupled with his high profile collaboration creating lyrics for Leonard Bernstein’s MASS moved Stephen Schwartz into the front ranks of musical theater songwriters, and quickly led to PIPPIN being optioned for Broadway with a new book by Roger O’Hirson, and to be directed & choreographed by then five time Tony Award winner Bob Fosse. This set the stage for a now legendary backstage power struggle between the 23 year old wunderkind composer and the masterful Broadway showman and hitmaker. And that’s where we pick up our conversation today.

Somehow their contentious and difficult collaboration produced one of the most popular, long-running, and influential musicals of the Modern Era, and later in the episode Elysa and I explore the now 50 year legacy of PIPPIN, especially how it has served as a tremendous inspiration to several generations of Broadway show makers such as Jeanine Tesori and Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, and how it paved the way to the pop music inflected musicals of today.

Broadway Nation Backstage Pass Club

If you find this podcast to be extraordinary, I invite you to become a Patron of the show by joining the "Broadway Nation Backstage Pass Club".

For a just $7.00 a month you can receive exclusive access to never-before-heard, unedited versions of many of the discussion that I have with my guests — in fact I often record nearly twice as much conversation as ends up in the edited versions. And you will also have access to additional in-depth conversations with my frequent co-host Albert Evans that have not been featured on the podcast. And all patrons receive special “on-air” shout-outs and acknowledgement of your vital support of this podcast.

And If you are very enthusiastic about Broadway Nation there are additional patron levels that come with even more benefits.

To become one the very first members of the Broadway Nation Backstage Pass Club and receive all of these exclusive member benefits – just click on this link:

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Episode 91: 50 Years of PIPPIN, part 1 Jan 05, 2023

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A Special Encore Episode: "White Christmas" — The Story Behind The World's Most Popular Song, part 2 Dec 29, 2022

This is the second of two special holiday bonus episodes of Broadway Nation. Just like the first, this is an audio version of a Broadway Nation Live! performance that was given in December of 2019 at the Vashon Center For The Performing Arts on Vashon Island, WA. If you prefer to watch a video of this performance you can stream it on their website at: vashoncenterforthearts.org

In Part One we looked at how the Jewish-Russian immigrant songwriter, Irving Berlin -- in addition to being one of the prime inventors of the Broadway Musical -- also created an entirely new category of popular song: “the Christmas Standard”. In this episode we explore how Berlin was aided and abetted in that endeavor by the son of Irish and German immigrants from Washington State who became one of the most popular performers of all time -- Bing Crosby. Along with Judy Garland I call Bing one of Broadway’s greatest stars who never appeared on Broadway.

But first, we start off with Albert Evans’ amazing in-depth analysis of the genius of Irving Berlin, and the inspiration and craft that is behind the most popular song of all time. As you will remember the last episode ended with me introducing Albert and asking him this question: “Why? Why, is White Christmas the most popular song of all time?” You won’t want to miss his answer!

This live show features musical performances by Cayman Ilika, Eric Ankrim, Chris DiStefano, and Albert Evans. Happy New Year!

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A Special Encore Episode: "White Christmas" — The Story Behind The World's Most Popular Song, part 1 Dec 22, 2022

Here is the link to join the Backstage Pass Club and support Broadway Nation:

https://broadwaynationpodcast.supercast.com/new_landing

This is a special holiday reprise of one of Broadway Nation's most popular episodes: It's an audio version of a Broadway Nation Live! performance that was presented in December of 2019 at the Vashon Center For The Performing Arts on Vashon Island just outside of Seattle, WA.

Several previous episodes of Broadway Nation have explored the crucial role that the Jewish-Russian immigrant songwriter, Irving Berlin, played in the invention of the Broadway Musical. This time I share the story of how he also invented an entirely new category of popular song – the Christmas standard.

This live show features musical performances by Cayman Ilika, Eric Ankrim, Chris DiStefano, and Albert Evans.

Next week we will be back with part two.

Happy Holidays!

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Special ENCORE Episode; Noel Coward, Larry Hart, Herbert Fields & The Queers Who Invented Broadway Dec 15, 2022

This week’s special ENCORE Episode is in celebration of Noel Coward’s birthday!

Noel Coward was born just outside of London on December 16, 1899, and in fact he was named him Noel because his birth came so close to Christmas!

For some reason, ever since I was very young, this lower middle-class, midwestern American gay boy from Cincinnati, Ohio has had a strong affinity for everything Noel Coward — his songs, his plays, his books, his movies, his TV performances, and his musicals.

Why? I have no idea. I am not even sure I can pinpoint my first exposure to his work — but certainly by the time I was in high school I was obsessed with Noel Coward.

My best guess is that in 1972, when I was 13 years old (and already an avid cast album collector), the original cast album of the new hit off-Broadway revue Oh Coward! was released. This was a deluxe 2 record recording of the entire show which had been devised by Roderick Cook and made up of dozens of Coward’s songs, poems, revue sketches, and even brief excerpts from his plays. All of this was performed by a terrific three-person cast made up of Barbara Carson, Jamie Ross and Cook himself.

Of course, I didn’t immediately understand all of the context and references — I just knew that I loved it. What I certainly didn’t understand at the time was that the tittle was a cheeky play on Oh Calcutta!, the infamous nude revue that was causing a sensation at the time. I also didn’t know that Noel Coward’s last public appearance before he died was attending a gala performance of Oh Coward! in NY with Marlene Dietrich as his date.

I played that cast album until it was worn out, and at some point I also acquired the cast album to the hit London revue Cowardy Custard which opened that same year.

Over the years I have had the enormous pleasure of directing Oh, Coward! three times and I would jump at any chance to do it again. And I also directed Private Lives once, as well. Home sweet heaven for me would be to mount a major Noel Coward Festival! Who wants to join me?

This episode is the second of several that highlight the many queer men & women who played a crucial role in the invention of the Broadway musical.

You can find the others at www.Broadway-Nation.com, on the Broadway Podcast Network and wherever you listen to podcasts. Start with Episode 5: Cole Porter & The Queers Who Invented Broadway!

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Episode 90: A Novel Approach To Broadway History Dec 08, 2022

My guest this week is author Laura Frankos whose delightful and entertaining new novel is titled Broadway Revival — What If Gershwin Had Lived?

Although this is the first work of fiction that I have featured on this podcast, as you will hear, Broadway Revival is filled with fascinating and meticulously researched Broadway history.

One of the greatest joys of this book is that it provides all of us the opportunity to go back in time and experience legendary Broadway musicals of the 1930s, 40s, & 50s — at least vicariously — through the eyes of the story’s protagonist David Greenbaum.

Other central characters include George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Vincent Youmans, Jerome Kern, Kurt Weil, Richard Rodgers & Larry Hart. In fact, an alternate subtitle for the book could have been, “The Time Travelers Boyfriend — Larry Hart”!

Laura Frankos is also the author of the The Broadway Musical Quiz Book, the mystery novel St. Oswald’s Niche, numerous stories which have appeared in fantasy, mystery, and science fiction magazines, and she also contributed a chapter to the recent book 50 Key Stage Musicals.

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Episode 89: More Of Why We Love/Hate Movie Musicals! Dec 01, 2022

This is the second half of my conversation with my dear friend and frequent co-host, Albert Evans, in which we explore the differences between stage and film musicals. If you missed part one you may want to catch up before listening to this one.

Of course, we don’t really hate any movie musicals, and as you heard on the previous episode and will continue to hear on this one, we actually love quite a few of them.

Hollywood and Broadway musicals are closely related to one another and share many of the same writers, directors, choreographers and stars – which is no doubt why many books and other podcasts analyze and discuss them together. But, as you will hear, Albert and I see stage musicals and film musicals as being two very wonderful, but very different things.

Enjoy!

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Episode 88: Why We Love/Hate Movie Musicals, part 1 Nov 24, 2022

This episode is in response to a question I get quite often from listeners: Is Broadway Nation ever going to focus on movie musicals? Well, today is the day!

Of course, I don’t really hate any movie musicals. And I love quite a few of them.

In fact, it was largely old movie musicals from the 1930s, 40s, and 50s that I watched on TV when I was a kid back in the 60s and 70s that made be fall in love with show business in the first place. No doubt because so many of them were backstage musicals set in the worlds of Vaudeville, nightclubs, and the bright lights of Broadway.

The history of stage and film musicals is, of course, closely related, and they share many of the same creators and stars – which is no doubt why many historians and books analyze and discuss them together. I however see stage musicals and film musicals as being two very different things.

What are the main differences between them?

I am thrilled to be joined today by my dear friend and frequent Broadway Nation co-host, Albert Evans, to explore and define those differences -- and at least for a day -- give film musicals some love (and maybe a little bit of criticism) on this podcast.

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Episode 87: Sondheim And Me Nov 17, 2022

My guest this week on Broadway Nation podcast is Paul Salsini, author of the memoir, Sondheim & Me.

Many listeners will know Paul as the founder and original editor of the much beloved magazine, The Sondheim Review, the first only quarterly magazine ever devoted to a living musical theater composer.

Paul launched the magazine in 1994 and over the following ten years Paul exchanged notes, letters, faxes and phone calls with Stephen Sondheim — who it was clear was reading every word of every issue of the magazine — and Sondheim often had corrections and comments, or as he called them, “emendations.” On a few occasions these notes and phone calls included “vigorous objections” to what Paul had included the magazine, but overall Sondheim was wonderfully supportive and helpful.

Paul’s new book chronicles his unlikely relationship with Sondheim during an eventful period that included the New York premieres of Passion and Saturday Night, the Kennedy Center’s Sondheim Celebration, Broadway revivals of six of Sondheim’s major works, and the decade long development of the musical that would eventually be called Road Show.

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Episode 86: A Preview of the Museum Of Broadway! Nov 10, 2022

New episode out now!

My guests this week are JULIE BOARDMAN & DIANE NICOLETTI — the founders and driving forces behind the Museum Of Broadway!

In this episode Julie and Diane share with us the story of how this first ever Broadway museum has come to be. They profile the team extraordinary talents they put together to create it, and most importantly they give us the inside scoop on what to expect when this highly immersive and experiential museum opens next week on November 15, 2020, in the heart of Times Square.

I also chat with BEN WEST who is the MOB’s Resident Historian and the creator of one of its central features — the “Timeline of Broadway” history.

As you will hear, the Museum of Broadway seems to be tailor made for fans of this podcast, and by the end of the episode I have no doubt that you will be as excited about it as I am.

The Museum Of Broadway is located at 145 West 45th Street in New York. Tickets are on sale now at: https://www.themuseumofbroadway.com/about

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Episode 85: RETURN OF THE MONSTER MUSICAL! Nov 03, 2022

This is the second half of my conversation with Adam Abraham, author of the engaging new book Attack Of The Monster Musical – A Cultural History Of Little Shop Of Horrors. If you missed the previous episode you may want to catch up with that one before listening to this one.

Last week Adam shared the unlikely behind-the-scenes story of the making of Rodger Corman’s original low budget horror film The Little Shop Of Horrors, and then how that inspired a young writer and director named Howard Ashman to transform it into the stage musical, Little Shop Of Horrors, which quickly became a long running Off-Broadway smash.

This week Adam takes us inside the creation of the hit movie adaptation of the musical -- which opened which opened while the original Off-Broadway stage production was still playing. And we discuss the incredible legacy of Little Shop and its impact on American culture over the past 40 years. Most especially, how it kept the flame alive for American musical comedy during the “British Invasion” of Broadway in the 1980s. Perhaps most importantly we explore the significant influence that Howard Ashman, Alan Menken and Little Shop Of Horrors have had on the several generations of musical theater writers who have followed in their footsteps.

Adam Abraham is a Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow at Auburn University, and he also has taught at Virginia Commonwealth University, NYU, and Harvard. His previous books include When Magoo Flew: The Rise And Fall of Animation Studio UPA, and Plagiarizing The Victorian Novel: Imitation, Parody, Aftertext. He has also written for film, television, and theater.

Attack of the Monster Musical provides a fascinating, in depth, look into the dynamic partnership of Howard Ashman & Alan Menken and their creation of what I believe is one of the best and most perfectly crafted musicals of all time!

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Episode 84: Attack Of The Monster Musical, part 1 Oct 27, 2022

This special Halloween edition of Broadway Nation!

This is the first part of my conversation with Adam Abraham, author of Attack of the Monster Musical – A Cultural History of Little Shop Of Horrors.

In this terrific new book Adam relates the unlikely story of how Roger Corman’s schlocky, low budget, 1960’s monster movie was transformed 20 years later into a smash hit, long-running, Off-Broadway musical that became an international sensation and spawned a hit film musical adaptation as well. And of course, today Little Shop Of Horrors is a hit all over again and can currently be seen in another long running off-Broadway production.

Adam Abraham is a Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow at Auburn University, and he also has taught at Virginia Commonwealth University, NYU, and Harvard. His previous books include When Magoo Flew: The Rise And Fall of Animation Studio UPA, and Plagiarizing The Victorian Novel: Imitation, Parody, Aftertext. He has also written for film, television, and theater.

Attack of the Monster Musical provides us with a fascinating, in depth, look into the dynamic partnership of Howard Ashman & Alan Mencken and their creation of what I believe is one of the best and most perfectly crafted musicals of all time.

Topics discussed in this episode include: How Howard Ashman was influenced by the cast album of GYPSY; how he discovered Roger Corman’s film in the first place; his first musical The Candy Shop;

the truth behind the legend that Corman shot the original movie in just two days; NYC’s Off Broadway scene during the late 1970s and early 80s; the WPA Theater; how an early version of Little Shop bombed at the BMI Workshop; the casting of Ellen Greene & Lee Wilcoff (and how Nathan Lane & Faith Prince were almost in the original cast); why the show never moved to Broadway; what Cameron Mackintosh, David Geffin & the Shubert Organization have to do with the show; how the dream team of Ashman & Menken worked together; and the tragic loss of Howard Ashman.

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Episode 83: Inside The Creation of FOLLIES Oct 20, 2022

My guest this week is Ted Chapin who’s captivating 2003 book Everything Was Possible: The Birth of the Musical “Follies,” has recently been reissued in a revised and updated edition.

As you may know, this book is based on Ted’s first-hand experience as the production assistant on the original Broadway production of the Stephen Sondheim, Hal Prince, & James Goldman landmark musical Follies.

Of course, the expression, “I just couldn’t put that book down” is a cliché – but in this case, it has been absolutely true – twice! -- both when I read this book when it was originally released, and again just a few weeks ago when I had the great pleasure of diving into it all over again.

On last week’s episode, Peter Filichia, talked about wanting to be able to go back in time and be a “fly on the wall” to witness the inner workings of legendary musicals as they were being put together. Ted’s book allows all of us to do exactly that. This book makes you feel as it you are right there in the thick of it during Follies rehearsal period in New York, and in Boston during its out-of-town tryout’s many trials and tribulations.

For 40 years Ted served as the President of The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization a role that he was personally chosen by the Rodgers and Hammerstein families to take on. On his watch there were eight Tony Award winning Best Revivals of musicals in the R&H catalogue -- On Your Toes, Carousel, Show Boat, Annie Get Your Gun, South Pacific, The King And I – twice! – and Oklahoma! He also supervised major R&H productions In London, on television, and around the world.

And Ted is the co-founder of the acclaimed City Center Encores! series, and he currently serves on the boards of City Center, The Kurt Weil Foundation, and the American Theatre Wing.

It is always a delight to speak with him – especially in regard to his one-of-a-kind experience of being in the rooms where Follies happened.

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Episode 82: Broadway Musical Debates, Disputes, & Disagreements Oct 13, 2022

My guest today is Peter Filichia who is the author of the new book that he calls The Book of Broadway Musical Debates, Disputes, and Disagreements.

As a prolific theater journalist and critic Peter has written for Playbill, Theatermania, Broadway Select, Encore, and if you are in my age range you may even remember a magazine namedTheater Week! You can hear him every week on the Broadway Radio podcast This Week On Broadway.

Most significantly he is the author of five previous books about Broadway including: The Great Parade: Broadway’s Astonishing Never To Be Forgotten 1963-1964 Season; Strippers, Showgirls And Sharks: A Very Opinionated History of Broadway Musicals That Did Not Win The Tony Award; Broadway Musicals MVPs: The Most Valuable Players of The Past 50 Seasons; Broadway Musicals: The Biggest Hit & the Biggest Flop of the Season, 1959 to 2009; and Let’s Put On A Musical.

I’ve known Peter for many years, and it is always a delight to talk with him. As you will hear – much like me – Peter has never been shy about sharing his often very passionate opinions about all things Broadway, both past and present. We don’t always agree, but I'm always fascinated to hear what he has to say.

This is a fun one that I feel certain you will enjoy!

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Special Encore Episode: Cameron Mackintosh & The British Invasion of Broadway Oct 06, 2022

As you have probably heard, The Phantom Of The Opera – the longest running show in Broadway history –– recently announced that it will close this coming February, just over 35 years after it first opened on Broadway. This New York production of Phantom has been seen by nearly 20 million people and has grossed $1.3 billion dollars. Globally the show has been seen by 145 million people in 42 countries.

Since this week marks the anniversaries of both CATS – which first opened on Broadway on October 7, 1982, and Les Misérables – which first opened in London on October 8, 1985, it seemed like the perfect time to bring back Episode 28 of Broadway Nation which is titled Cameron Mackintosh & The British Invasion of Broadway (or Sondheim vs. the Poperetta).

In a recent interview in the New York Times, Mackintosh stated that the weekly running cost for TPOTO were more than $950,000, which is about $100,000 more than it was pre-Covid. And at the same time ticket sales have been down 10 to 15 percent on average.

And when asked why the show was so expensive to run, he went on to say this:

“Many of the long-runners — “Cats,” “Chicago,” “Chorus Line,” even “Hamilton,” which will be a long-runner — they’re all single-set shows with mostly limited costumes. We’ve got 27 musicians. It was a different world that Andrew and I created the show in. Most of my great shows were created during the ’80s, and that world has disappeared. We are in different times.”

So, today I thought it would be interesting to journey back to those different times by revisiting one my favorite episodes!

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Special ENCORE Episode: George Gershwin, Vincent Youmans & The Silver Age Of Broadway, part 1 Sep 29, 2022

This special Encore episode of Broadway Nation celebrates the birthdays this week of two of Broadways greatest composers -- George Gershwin & Vincent Youmans.

Both were born 124 years ago in 1898 and they came into the world just one day apart – Gershwin on September 26, and Youmans on September 27. And even though they were both born in NYC, they came from different worlds.

Gershwin’s parents were Russian-Jewish immigrants, and George grew up on the Lower East Side where his father worked in a shoe factory and George dropped put of school at 15 to go to work.

Youmans, however, was born into the lap of luxury – his father was a wealthy hat manufacturer, and Vincent grew up in Larchmont, NY, attended the exclusive Trinity School, and eventually Yale University.

But despite their differences, over the next 30 years their lives would often be intertwined. Both fell in love with music and show business, both began their careers as Tin Pan Alley song pluggers, and both served as rehearsal pianists on Broadway musicals that were composed by Victor Herbert.

Gershwin made his Broadway debut as a composer in 1918 and had his first hit song the following year with “Swanee”, which had lyrics by Irving Caesar. Their song became an absolute sensation when Al Jolson incorporated it into his hit show Sinbad.

Youmans had to wait until 1921 to make his Broadway debut with the musical Two Little Girls In Blue. Interestingly, the lyrics for that show were written by George’s older brother, Ira Gershwin.

Both Gershwin and Youmans achieved international fame and fortune on Broadway during the 1920s, creating hit shows and hit songs that still define the era. George archived his greatest successes when he finally teamed up with his brother, Ira. And Youmans biggest hits were created in collaboration with George’s early partner, Irving Caesar.

All of this took place during the first decade of what I call the “Silver Age of Broadway” – which is the focus of this episode.

Strangely, both composers would die young, way before their time -- Gershwin of a brain tumor in 1937, and Youmans of Tuberculosis a decade later.

This episode is dedicated to them and to all the amazing men and women who epitomized the Jazz Age on Broadway.

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Episode 81: RAZZLE DAZZLE: A Brief History of Lighting Design On Broadway, part 2. Sep 22, 2022

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Episode 80: COLOR AND LIGHT: A Brief History of Broadway Lighting Design Sep 15, 2022

My guest on this episode is Tony Award winning lighting designer Ken Billington who created the lighting for an incredible 105 Broadway plays and musicals, including 21 productions that were directed by Harold Prince. Ken’s career spans from his very first Broadway show in 1967 when he was the assistant to legendary lighting designer Tharon Musser, to his most recent Broadway show, the hit musical, Waitress.

Along the way he designed the original productions of Sweeney Todd, On The 20th Century, The Drowsy Chaperone, The Scottsboro Boys, The Search For Signs Of Intelligent Life In the Universe starring Lily Tomlin, three revivals of Fiddler On The Roof, two revivals of Sunday In The Park with George, and the still running 1996 revival of Chicago for which he received the Tony Award. I have had the great pleasure of knowing and working with Ken for more than 40 years, and it is always fascinating, and always a delight to speak with him.

Theatrical lighting design is a very young art form. Its history begins primarily in the early 20th Century -- just as the Broadway musical was being invented. Lighting design’s earliest innovators include the American actress Maude Adams – most famous today for her performance as Peter Pan – and producer, director, playwright, and theater owner David Belasco.

One of the recurring themes of this podcast, and one of my obsessions, is how the art and craft of the Broadway Musical has been handed down directly – first hand – from artists to artists, from craftsperson to craftsperson. Ken Billington’s long career and especially his early experiences as the assistant to the pioneering designers Peggy Clark, Pat Collins, Tom Skelton, William Rittman, and Tharon Musser make him the ideal guest for this episode.

And of course, after Ken stopped being an assistant, he eventually became one of Broadway’s most acclaimed and most prolific lighting designers. And we’ll hear the story of how that came about on the next episode of Broadway Nation!

You can learn more about Jean Rosenthal, Tharon Musser and other great women lighting designers on Episode 8 of Broadway Nation, which is titled, “Agnes DeMille & The Women That Invented Broadway”. It’s a fascinating episode and I encourage you to check it out.

Broadway Nation is written and produced by me, David Armstrong. Special thanks to Pauls Macs for his help with editing this episode, to KVSH 101.9 The Voice of Vashon, and to the entire team at the Broadway Podcast Network.

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Episode 79: Further Scandals Of George White Sep 08, 2022

This episode is the second half of my conversation with Gary Flannery regarding the life and career of Broadway dancer, director, choreographer, writer and producer, George White. Between 1919 and 1939 George White produced 19 Broadway shows including 13 editions of his own lavish and legendary revue – The George White Scandals.

In part one Gary shared the story of George White’s unlikely rise from the slums of NY’s Lower East Side to his first triumphs on Broadway. Gary also began making his very persuasive case that George White is the most underrated and neglected genius in the history of the Broadway, who should be considered of equal, or even greater, significance than Ziegfeld, Cohan, the Shubert Bros, and any of the other greatest showman in Broadway history.

As we ended part one George had just opened The George White Scandals of 1922, directed & staged by George White, costumes by Erte, and starring George White, W.C. Fields, and Paul Whiteman and his orchestra, all performing the music & lyrics of George Gershwin & Buddy De Sylva.

In this episode we learn how George White put together the legendary songwriting team of De Sylva, Brown & Henderson, discovered Eleanor Powell and Ann Miller, and advanced the careers of Harry Richman, Ethel Merman, Ray Bolger, Burt Lahr, the Howard Brothers and more!

If you enjoy this podcast, I feel certain that you will also enjoy joining our Broadway Nation Facebook group -- where you will find daily postings of images, videos, articles and links that relate to, and enhance, each and every episode of this podcast. Just google “Broadway Nation Facebook group” and join the more than 2000 other fans of Broadway Nation. It’s always fun, fascinating and informative.

See you there!

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Episode 78: George White And His Scandals! Sep 01, 2022

This is the first part of my conversation with Gary Flannery who somehow, while pursuing his own spectacular career as dancer, also found time to become the leading expert on the tumultuous life and career of George White – the fabled Broadway producer, director, choreographer, writer, songwriter and dancer. White rose to fame in Vaudeville and as a featured performer in The Ziegfeld Follies and then, between 1919 and 1939, went on to produce 19 Broadway musicals including 13 editions of his own spectacular and legendary revue – The George White Scandals.

It is Gary’s firm conviction that George White is the most underrated and neglected genius in the history of the Broadway musical. And, furthermore, he believes that if George White’s full legacy and impact were more fully acknowledged and recognized it would equal or surpass that of Ziegfeld, George M. Cohan, the Shubert Bros, and virtually every other great showman in Broadway history. Gary has certainly convinced me – and I suspect that after you’ve heard him tell George White’s amazing story -- you will be persuaded as well.

Gary Flannery’s day job was as one of Bob Fosse’s favorite dancers and he appeared in the Broadway productions of both DANCIN’ and PIPPIN – and you have probably seen him as one of the leading dancers in Fosse’s film, All That Jazz. He also toured the world dancing with Shirley MacLaine, was a featured dancer on many television variety shows, and today he directs, choreographs, writes, teaches and conducts master classes in all manner of Broadway dance and musical theater history. His research on George White is only one part of his Great American Revue project which includes lectures, books, documentaries and revivals in various stages of production.

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Episode 77: 20 Years of HAIRSPRAY, Part 3. Aug 25, 2022

Continuing our celebration of the 20th Anniversary of HAIRSPRAY – The Musical, my guest this week is the show’s original choreographer JERRY MITCHELL who shares with us a first-hand, behind-the-scenes look into the creation of that Tony Award winning musical -- especially in regard to the how the show’s unique staging, choreography, design, as well as many of its most memorable moments were first dreamed up and executed!

You will also get an inside view of Jerry’s close collaborations with Hairspray’s director, Jack O’Brian, lead producer Margo Lion, set designer David Rockwell, and Tony Award winning songwriters Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman. You will also have the opportunity to hear excerpts from the show original "demo recording" featuring vocals by Annie Golden and Jenifer Lewis!

20 years ago I had the great privilege of being part of the birth of Hairspray – The Musical because at that time I served as the Producing Artistic Director of Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theater where the show received its World Premiere.

This is my 3rd episode celebrating HAIRSPRAY’s 20th. Last week I had the great pleasure of having Marc & Scott as my guests, and a few weeks ago, on Episode 71, my guest was one of the show’s original producer’s, Adam Epstein, who is now the host of his own podcast called Dirty Moderate.

Please feel free to listen to these episodes on any order as each of my guests brings their own specific memories and perspectives to the celebration.

Jerry Mitchell is a two time Tony Award winner whose work on Broadway includes the choreography for You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown, The Rocky Horror Show, The Full Monty, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, La Cage Ax Folles, and Catch Me If You Can - and the direction and choreography for Legally Blonde, Kinky Boots, On Your Feet, and Pretty Woman.

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Episode 76: 20 Years of HAIRSPRAY, part 2 Aug 18, 2022

My guests on Broadway Nation today are the Tony Award winning songwriting team of Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman who join me to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Hairspray – The Musical.

That’s right! It was 20 years ago, during the summer of 2002, that Hairspray first received its World Premiere in June at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre (where at that time I had the great pleasure and privilege of serving as that theater’s Producing Artistic Director). Then, just three months later, the show became an instant hit when it debuted on Broadway on August 15th at the Neil Simon Theatre, where it would go on to run for 2,642 performances!

In this episode Marc & Scott take us inside the creation of Hairspray, how it began, how it developed over four workshops, and how they collaborated with a team of outstanding theatermakers including bookwriters Mark O’Donnell & Tom Meehan, director Jack O’Brian, choreographer Jerry Mitchell, lead producer Margo Lion, and John Waters who wrote and directed the quirky film on which the musical is based.

Our conversation is filled with great behind the scenes stories that include: Harvey Fierstein’s contributions to the script, how they “tortured” Marissa Jaret Winokur, the many songs they wrote for “Velma Von Tussle” (Linda Hart), the legendary night the Seattle Men’s Chorus attended the show, and how Mathew Morrison is a lot like Shirley MacLaine!

In short, it was an absolute delight to reminisce with Scott & Marc about that eventful summer 20 years ago that changed all of our lives!

The episode ends with the inside scoop about their upcoming show, Some Like It Hot, which will open on Broadway in December.

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Episode 75: FINALE: Sunday In The Park, Into The Woods, Crazy For You & GEMIGNANI Aug 11, 2022

This is the fourth and final section of my conversation with author Margaret Hall, about her recent biography of Paul Gemignani that is titled Gemignani – Life And Lessons From Broadway And Beyond.

If you missed the previous episodes in this series, you may want to catch up on those before listening to this one.

Paul Gemignani served as the Music Director for more than 40 Broadway musicals including those that are the focus of this episode -- Sunday In The Park With George, Into The Woods, Crazy For You, as well as the revivals of She Loves Me and Kiss Me Kate.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy signed by both Paul Gemignani and Margaret Hall you can order it exclusively through the website of Buxton Books, an independent bookstore in Charleston, South Carolina.

Many of Gemignani's collaborators are discussed in this episode including Stephen Sondheim, James lapine, Scott Ellis, Lonnie Price, Michael Cerveris, and Patti Lupone.

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Episode 74: Sweeney, Merrily, Dreamgirls & Gemignani Aug 04, 2022

This is the third part of my conversation with author Margaret Hall, whose captivating new book is titled Gemignani – Life And Lessons From Broadway And Beyond.

If you missed the first two parts you may want to catch up on those episodes before listening to this one.

As the title suggests Margaret’s book is a biography of Paul Gemignani who served as the Music Director for more than 40 Broadway musicals including the 3 shows that are the focus of this episode.

The first two are Sweeny Todd and Merrily We Roll Along and Gemignani’s contribution to these musicals and his close working relationship with Stephen Sondheim and Hal Prince has been widely acknowledged but never to the level of detail and insight that Margaret brings to them. However, Gemignani’s enormous contribution to the development of Dreamgirls and his close collaboration with that show’s director and creator, Michael Bennett, has been a closely guarded secret for decades and was revealed for the first time in Margaret’s book. You will hear the reasons for all of this mystery and subterfuge later in the episode.

We also focus briefly on Paul's work on the Broadway musical EVITA and his interactions with Andrew Lloyd Webber and Patti Lupone.

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Episode 73: Sondheim, Prince & Gemignani Jul 28, 2022

This is the second part of my recent conversation with author Margaret Hall, the remarkable young theater historian whose new book is titled Gemignani – Life And Lessons From Broadway And Beyond.

If you missed part one, you may want to catch up on that episode before listening to this one.

Margaret spent much of the pandemic interviewing Paul Gemignani who is without a doubt one of the most significant figures in the history of modern Broadway musical. Beginning as a replacement with the original production of Follies in 1971 Gemignani served as the Music Director for more than 40 Broadway musicals including Sweeney Todd, Evita, Sunday In The Park With George, On The 20th Century, and Into The Woods to name only a few.

Margaret’s book takes us behind the scenes of those acclaimed productions and illuminates the crucial role that music directors play in the creation, development, and success of a musical.

Paul Gemignani’s incredible talent and theatrical know how made him the first-choice music director, and indispensable collaborator of both Stephen Sondheim and Harold Prince. As you will hear, after Sondheim and Prince ended their creative partnership and went their separate ways, Paul Gemignani was often pulled back and forth and caught in the middle between these two great artists and their various projects.

As we ended the previous episode the legendary Music Director Hal Hasting’s had unexpectedly died and Paul Gemignani has suddenly been drafted to replace him as the Music Director of A Little Night Music the new Prince and Sondheim musical that has just opened.

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Episode 72: Broadway's First Choice - Paul Gemignani. part 1 Jul 21, 2022

My guest this week is Margaret Hall, a remarkable young theater historian who is the author of the celebrated new book Gemignani – Life And Lessons From Broadway And Beyond.

As you will hear, Margaret spent much of the pandemic interviewing Paul Gemignani who is without a doubt one of the most significant, and at the same time most under-appreciated, figures in the history of modern musical. Since 1971 Paul Gemignani has served as the Music Director for more than 40 Broadway productions including Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Evita, Sunday In The Park With George, Into The Woods, and Crazy for You, to name only a few. His incredible talent and theatrical know-how made him the first-choice music director, and indispensable collaborator of Kander & Ebb, Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Harold Prince.

Margaret’s book not only takes us behind the scenes and into the orchestra pit of many of the most significant and acclaimed productions in Broadway history, it also illuminates the crucial role that music directors play in the creation, development, and performance of a musical.

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Special Encore Episode: Eubie Blake & The Black Artists Who Invented Broadway Jul 14, 2022

The 1920's brought the second great era of musicals that were written by, staged by, and starring Black theater artists to Broadway. In this episode I profile these brilliant creators and stars including Eubie Blake & Noble Sissle, Flournoy Miller & Aurbry Lyles, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, and their musicals -- "Shuffle Along", "Runnin' Wild", "Blackbirds of 1929", "Hot Chocolates" and more. It also includes a brief history of that great African-American/Irish-American co-creation -- Tap Dancing.

And featuring music by The Paragon Ragtime Orchestra -- for more music from this era check out their terrific "Black Manhattan" series of recordings.

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Special Encore Episode: Irving Berlin & The Immigrants Who Invented Broadway Jul 07, 2022

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Encore Episode: "Yearning To Breathe Free": George M. Cohan & The Immigrants Who Invented The Broadway Musical Jul 04, 2022

This is a special holiday rerelease of the very first episode of Broadway Nation.

In this episode David Armstrong and Albert Evans begin to tell the remarkable story of how Immigrants, Jews, Queers, and African-Americans invented America's signature art form -- the Broadway Musical. This includes a special emphasis on George M. Cohan, the grandson of Irish immigrants who to a great extent invented the Broadway "Musical Comedy", as we know it. And after many years of controversy, recent research has revealed that he really was "born on the 4th of July" as he always claimed.

The Broadway Musical was born around the turn of the last century and it emerged out of what we used to call “the melting pot” – that simmering confluence of cultures and races that were packed into the teeming tenement neighborhoods of New York City. To an enormous extent the Musical can be called an “Immigrant art form” – it certainly was originated almost entirely by men and women from outside of the mainstream of society.” What they created was something totally new. A popular, democratic kind of music-theater that -- like most great American inventions -- was inspired by both a strong desire to express oneself, and a strong necessity to put food on the table. The concept of “the melting pot” has lost favor with some historians, but, as you will hear, it remains a very apt description of how various multi-cultural artistic traditions blended together to create the American musical.

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Ep 71: Politics & Musicals: 20 Years of HAIRSPRAY Jun 30, 2022

This week’s episode is a little different because it’s two podcasts in one! It’s a collab between David Armstrong’s Broadway Nation and Dirty Moderate With Adam Epstein.

My podcast is all about the history of the Broadway Musical, and Adam’s is all about current American politics – today we combine forces to discuss the many connections and intersections between the Broadway Musical and American politics.

Twenty years ago Adam and I had the tremendous good fortune to both be involved in the creation of the Tony Award winning “Best Musical” HAIRSPRAY. Adam was part of that show’s original New York producing team, and I was the Producing Artistic Director of Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre where the show received its World Premiere prior to Broadway. We use that joyous, delightful, and very political show to kick off our conversation.

Most people probably don't think of musicals as being particularly political. But Adam and I both believe that over their 125+ year history, Broadway musicals have more often than not been overwhelmingly political, and have usually – overtly or subliminally – strongly advocated for democratic, humanist values and ideals that many people would label as being “progressive” or “liberal”.

Adam and I have both taught courses on the history of the musical using the “American studies” concept that you can't separate US politics from its history, culture, and literature. And, we both have used the history of the musical to explore such topics as: what it means to be American, what it means to be othered, and how and why the “American experiment” has included, marginalized or excluded certain people and groups? Interestingly, many of those otherwise marginalized groups were included in the invention of the Broadway musical and contributed to not only moving the form forward, but also to instilling in it these progressive and humanist values.

During the first half of our conversation we discuss in detail the inspiration, early development, pre-Broadway tryout, and triumphant Broadway opening of Hairspray, as well as it’s political messages and ongoing impact and legacy. After the break we expand our discussion to the inherent pollical messages of other hit shows including Oklahoma, Guys & Dolls, Les Miserable, HAIR, Cabaret and Annie!

If you would prefer not hear discussions or opinions about America’s current political situation – this is not the show for you!

However, I think most people will be fascinated to discover that many of their favorite musicals contain hidden-in-plain-sight political messages and advocacy that I believe truly has “changed America in the process”.

Adam Epstein BIO:

After receiving 46 Tony nominations and 12 Tony Awards, Adam Epstein took his last bow as a celebrated Broadway producer to focus on Act II; Political provocateur.

Spending time getting his MA in American Studies at Brown, guest lecturing at Harvard, bringing his sexy, gay Centrist perspective to Trish Regan’s FOX News program as a regular, and writing the hell out of the American political shit show for international outlets, Adam grew his core beliefs from observant, lifelong Democrat to the politically homeless host of Dirty Moderate with Adam Epstein, an extremely not extreme political podcast.

Adam wanted a gaslight-free zone where a vibrant exchange of ideas could flow freely without falsehoods. A haven for rigorous analysis and lively debate, where people could gather and fearlessly agree to disagree. So he created it.

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Episode 70: "The Show Must Go On" - Behind The Scenes Of The New Documentary Jun 23, 2022

My guests are the mother/daughter team of Sammi Cannold & Dori Berinstein, who are the co-directors and co-producers of the new documentary The Show Must Go On -- a film that I found to be both fascinating and very moving.

Sammi Cannold is a theater director whose recent projects include Evita at New York City Center, Endings at NY Theater Workshop, Ragtime on Ellis Island and Violet on a bus at American Repertory Theatre. In 2019 she was named one of Forbes Magazine’s “30 Under 30 in Hollywood and Entertainment”.

Dori Berinstein is a four-time Tony award winning Broadway producer as well as an Emmy award winning director, producer and writer of film and television. She is also the founder and CEO of the Broadway Podcast Network.

When in March of 2020 the global pandemic shut down live theatre around the world, South Korea was the only country that did not close its theaters. The Show Must Go On primarilyfollows the companies of two Korean productions -- The Phantom of The Opera and CATS -- which demonstrated how live theater could continue to operate safely in spite of the pandemic.

In this episode you will hear the story of how Sammi journeyed to Korea to document the incredible difficulties, challenges and ultimate triumphs of these two productions. And we will also look at why Korea was able to to do something that theaters in the West could not accomplish.

If you enjoy this podcast, please be sure to follow, rate, and review it wherever you listen. I am happy to say that Broadway Nation has received 75 Five Star reviews.

The latest is from listener “Past0071” and it reads: “I never Knew! So informative! I can’t wait to hear them all, so much I didn’t know. The podcasters themselves are very charming. Looking forward to the next ones coming out." Thank you so much, “Past0071”.

I am hoping that many of you will help me achieve the goal of 100 Five Star reviews before the end of the summer.

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Episode 69: Barry Bostwick & Marilu Henner - Fifty Years Of Grease, Part 3 Jun 16, 2022

2022 marks the 5Oth Anniversary of one of the most popular musicals in the history of Broadway – GREASE. My guests on this episode are two of the many stars that emerged from the original Broadway and touring productions of that long running, record breaking show – Barry Bostwick & Marilu Henner.

Marilu Henner’s association with Grease goes back to the very beginning when as a teenager she created the role of “Marty” in the original Chicago production of the show. A few years later she played the role again in the First National Tour and then eventually on Broadway. Her other appearances in Broadway include the plays and musicals, Over Here!, Chicago, The Tale Of The Allergists Wife, and she starred in the National Tour of Annie Get Your Gun in 2000. She is of course best known for her role on the hit TV series Taxi, as well as her many other film and television appearances.

Barry Bostwick created the role of “Danny Zuko” in the original Broadway production of GREASE for which he received a Tony nomination. He has appeared in seven Broadway plays and musicals including his Tony Award winning performance in The Robber Bridegroom. He has starred in dozens of film and television productions including the mini-series George Washington, the hit sitcom Spin City, and as “Brad Majors” in the cult classic the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Both Marilu and Barry have contributed anecdotes and memories to a new book that was released just last week, entitled Grease – Tell Me More, Tell Me More – Stories From The Broadway Phenomenon That Started It All.

In this delightful conversation Marilu shares impromptu performances of songs that never made it out of the Chicago production, and tells us why she turned down her initial offer to be in the show in New York. You will also hear about the wild times and amorous adventures that a dynamic young cast of future stars got up to on tour, as well as the immense contribution of Grease’s choreographer Pat Birch, the infamous tight pants that Barry thinks helped win him a Tony Award, and much, much more.

Enjoy!

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Episode 68: Fifty Years Of Grease, Part 2 Jun 09, 2022

My guests on this episode are the original producer and director of the Broadway musical GREASE -- Ken Waissman and Tom Moore.

This is the second half of our recent conversation. If you missed part one you may want to catch up on that first before listening to this one.

This week marks the 50th Anniversary of Grease’s move from the Eden Theater on the Lower East Side to The Broadhurst -- the first of the three Broadway theaters Grease would play during its record breaking eight year run. And it fact, on June 5th, just a few days after I spoke with them, Ken and Tom hosted an anniversary party at Sardi’s, where they and Grease's original cast had celebrated the show’s opening back in 1972.

Grease alumni attending the event included co-writer Jim Jacobs, choreographer Patricia Birch, and performers Marilu Henner, Judy Kaye, Jerry Zaks, Carole Demas, Ray DeMattis, Ilene Graff, Barry Bostwick (via Zoom) and many more. All of them also contributed their memories to the new book: Grease – Tell Me More, Tell Me More – Stories From The Broadway Phenomenon That Started It All.

I’ve been collecting photos and video of that event as well as the two recent Grease reunion shows at 54 Below and posting them in my Broadway Nation Facebook Group where I invite you to join me and more than 2000 other fans of this podcast -- who probably much like you are hooked on Broadway musicals.

Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/375627810176381

In this episode Tom and Ken share some fascinating stories about the development of the show including how they worked with the show’s authors to trim the original "phone book" size script down to a manageable size, how they inspired them to add some now classic hit songs to the score, and how they all survived a disastrous first preview and then reworked and revamped the show in just three weeks.

Even though Ken was at that time the youngest producer on Broadway, your will hear how he masterminded some brilliant old school style producing tricks that helped turn a near flop into one of most successful musicals of all time!

My favorite part of this episode is in the second half when Ken relates how he had to wheel and deal with the Shuberts and Nederlanders, and go head to head with the “Abominable Showman” himself –- legendary producer David Merrick. It's "The Modern Era of Broadway" vs "The Golden Age"!

It's quite a story! Enjoy!

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Episode 67: Fifty Years Of GREASE, part 1 Jun 02, 2022

It may be hard for some of us to believe, but this past Valentine’s Day – Feb 14, 2022 – marked the 50th Anniversary of the New York opening of the musical GREASE, at the Eden Theater on 2nd Avenue. And next week, June 7, will mark the 50th Anniversary of its official move to Broadway.

My guests this week are that Grease's original producer, Ken Waissman, and original director, Tom Moore, who along with Adrienne Barbeau (the original “Rizzo”) are the editors of the new book : Grease – Tell Me More, Tell Me More – Stories From The Broadway Phenomenon That Started It All.

Ken Waisman is a Tony Award winning producer who made his Broadway debut with the play And Miss Reardon Drinks A Little. In addition to Grease he went on to produce Over Here! starring the Andrews Sisters, and the long running plays Agnes Of God, and Torch Song Trilogy.

Tom Moore is a leading theater, film and television director whose work on Broadway includes his debut with Grease, Over Here!, Moon Over Buffalo starring Carol Burnett, and Night Mother.

Their new book is made up of a the personal, behind-the-scenes memories of the show’s creative and production teams, as well as scores of cast members from Grease’s original cast, five national tours, and record breaking eight-year run on Broadway.

In this episode you will hear about how Ken discovered the show in a ramshackle community theater production in Chicago; why Ken chose Tom to direct the show instead of Michael Bennett; how Tom almost turned the show down; and how together they discovered and cast more future stars than probably any other musical in history!

Grease alumni include Adrianne Barbeau, Barry Bostwick, Jeff Conaway, Carole Demas, Greg Evigan, Peter Gallagher, Richard Gere, Marilu Henner, Judy Kaye, Rex Smith, Patrick Swayze, John Travolta, Treat Williams, and Adrian Zmed. As well as the future Broadway directors Walter Bobbie, Scott Ellis, and Jerry Zaks. Has any other show produced that many stars?

Even if Grease is not your favorite show, I feel certain that you will be fascinated by their stories of how the show came together, as well as the casting stories of John Travolta, Patrick Swayze and Richard Gere.

Broadway Nation is written and produced by me, David Armstrong.

Special thanks to Pauls Macs for his help with editing this episode, to KVSH 101.9 The Voice of Beautiful Vashon Island WA, and to the entire team at the Broadway Podcast Network.

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Episode 66: "A Story Worth Telling": Inside The Creation of THE PROM May 26, 2022

My guests today are writers Bob Martin & Chad Beguelin.

Bob Martin is perhaps best known as the co-creator and original star (The Man In The Chair) of the hit Broadway musical The Drowsy Chaperone. He also co-created what I think is one of the greatest and most hilarious TV series of all time, Slings & Arrows. If you’ve never seen it, I highly recommend that you find it and stream it immediately!

Chad Beguelin is a six-time Tony nominee who wrote the book and lyrics for the Broadway musicals The Wedding Singer and Disney’s Aladdin.

Together Bob and Chad collaborated on ELF: The Musical as well as the show they joined me to talk about on this week’s podcast – The Prom.

The Prom is currently on tour across America and opens at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theater – my old stomping grounds – on May 31st. Then over the summer it will play San Francisco, Dallas, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Bloomington, IN, and Buffalo, NY.

In this episode Bob and Chad take us inside the creation, and eight-year development of The Prom, including the real events that inspired it. They give us at least a hint about the real people that some of the leading characters are modeled on. More on that below.

They also share the incredible impact that the story and themes of this show have had, and continue to have, on the audiences who see it.

In several previous episodes I have explored the question of whether any work of art – especially an upbeat musical comedy – can actually become a force for positive, tangible social or political change? As you will hear, this is one show where I can definitively say that the answer is, yes!

After you have listened, I have a challenge to you! If you think you know which real life theatrical personalities the characters of Dee Dee Allen, Barry Glickman, and might be based on please message me on Instagram (david@broadwaynation), Twitter (@PodastBroadway), or best of all join our Broadway Nation Facebook Group where you will find more than 2000 other fans of this podcast. I can’t promise that I’ll be able to verify the winning guesses but it will certainly be fun seeing who you think might have inspired them!s

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Episode 65: "Getting To Know Him": The Letters Of Oscar Hammerstein II May 19, 2022

My guest on this episode is Mark Eden Horowitz who joins me to talk about his fascinating new book, The Letters of Oscar Hammerstein II.

Mark is Senior Music Specialist in the music division of the Library of Congress where he has been an archivist or co-archivist for the papers of Jerome Kern, Vernon Duke, Cole Porter, Frederick Loewe, Alan Jay Lerner, Leonard Bernstein, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein

He is also the author of the award-winning book Sondheim On Music, and for ten years he served as the contributing editor for The Sondheim Review.

This latest book contains hundreds of previously unpublished letters to and from Hammerstein that Mark compiled and edited. And through these letters we get to go inside the mind of Oscar Hammerstein and get an extraordinary, never before seen view of both his professional and personal life. It's one of those books where you can turn to any page and find something fascinating that you never knew before.

Mark will also be joining me for a special Broadway Nation Livestream event on Friday, May 19, at 7pm EDT/4pm PDT. The event will include trivia contests, book give-aways, and the chance to ask Mark any question you may have about his new book, Oscar Hammerstein, or Mark's work at the Library of Congress. We will be streaming live on Broadway Nation's and the Broadway Podcast Network’s YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram feeds. And if you are not able to join us live we will be posting a recording of the event on our YouTube channels.

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Episode 64: The Other Broadway, Part 2 - "Satan's Circus" & The Lobster Palaces May 12, 2022

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Episode 63: THE OTHER BROADWAY, part 1: The Origins of New York Nightlife May 05, 2022

This is the first episode of a new Broadway Nation mini-series that explores what I am calling, “The Other Broadway”.

Today when we see or hear the word “Broadway”, we most likely think of New York’s Theater District and it’s 41 active theaters nestled in and around Times Square (where today 36 plays and musicals have thankfully returned to the stage!) Or that word evokes the legendary cannon of shows that have played in those theaters, most especially those great, glorious Broadway musicals that up until now have been the principal subject of this podcast.

That, however, is really only part of what “Broadway” has meant to most people during the first half of the 20th Century – when Broadway was at the center of American culture. For more than 5 decades the word “Broadway” meant not just the performances in the legitimate theaters – those Plays, Musicals, and Revues. But also, or even more so, it meant the Nightlife that surrounded them. From the 1910s through the 1950s there were hundreds of cabarets, speakeasys and nightclubs crammed into the Theater District. And they epitomized “Broadway” just as much as what was happening in the theaters,

In fact, the most famous songs about Broadway – those anthemic tributes that you hear on every Tony Awards show and every Broadway themed occasion such as “Give My Regards To Broadway”, “Lullaby Of Broadway” and “On Broadway” – all have lyrics that are much more about the nightlife than they are about the shows.

During this series I will lead my listeners on a late night tour of Broadway’s most famous hot spots including Rector’s, Reisenweber’s, The El Fay Club, Club Durant, Club Richman, The Hotsy Totsy Club, Club Alabam, The Silver Slipper, The Pansy Club, The Stork Club, Casa Lopez, La Conga, 21, The Parody Club, The Rainbow Room, The Latin Quarter, El Morocco, The Astor Roof, The Cotton Club (it was in Times Square for a while), Billy Rose’s Diamond Horseshoe, The Copacabana and many more.

There you will rub elbows with such stars as Vernon & Irene Castle, James Reese Europe, Sophie Tucker, Clifton Webb, George Raft, Rudolph Valentino, Gilda Gray, Texas Guinan, Ethel Waters, Florence Mills, Helen Morgan, Harry Richman, Bill Robinson, Cab Calloway, Desi Arnaz, Tommy Dorsey, Frank Sinatra, Fats Waller, and Clayton, Jackson, & Durante to name only a few.

However, before we venture out into the night, we need to look back to the origins of this other side of Broadway, so in this first episode I explore exactly where New York nightlife began.

I hope that you enjoy it. I am now entirely obsessed and fascinated by this subject! Please let me know what you think!

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Special Encore Episode: "Let The Sun Shine": The Rise Of The Pop/Rock Musical Apr 28, 2022

Although nobody knew it at the time, in April of 1968 “The Golden Age of Broadway” came to an abrupt end on the opening night of the “tribal rock musical” HAIR, which took America by storm and created a shocking jump cut into what I call “The Modern Era" of the Broadway Musical. In this episode I share the story of the emergence and rise of the so called “Rock Musical”.

To many HAIR, and the "Rock Musical", seemed like a total betrayal of the values, craftsmanship and traditions of Broadway. However, I see it, and the other new forms of musicals that rose to the forefront in The Modern Era, as just part of the inevitable ongoing evolution of a form that had always closely reflected what was going on in American culture.

In the immediate wake of HAIR there were many shows that tried to emulate its triumph -- but only three found real success: Jesus Christ Superstar, Godspell, and Two Gentlemen of Verona. Later, the success of Godspell would lead directly to PIPPIN, and the success of Superstar led to Webber & Rice’s 1979 blockbuster EVITA, and the expansion and of their early musical Joseph And His Technicolor Dreamcoat.

The term “Rock Musical” is something of a misnomer. Rock music, in is purest form, actually does not lend itself very well to musical theater storytelling. It’s musical, rhythmic, and lyric forms are much too limited and repetitive. The most successful “Rock Musicals” – from HAIR to RENT -- would more actually be called “rock flavored” musicals that employ a variety of rock, pop, R&B, folk, and latin styles mixed with traditional forms of songwriting.

Over the coming years both Stephen Schwartz and Andrew Lloyd-Webber would move further and further away from Rock and do what Broadway composers had always done – combine the pop music of their day with an eclectic mix of musicals styles that best suited the story and characters they were dramatizing.

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Episode 62: Exploring The Roots Of Broadway Dance Apr 21, 2022

“The story of Jazz Dance is the story of America.”

My guests today are the creators of the acclaimed new film documentary: Uprooted – The Journey of Jazz Dance, which has been winning awards at film festivals around the world, and in the US can currently be seen on HBO Max.

All three of the film's creators are from the UK, they all have extensive training and backgrounds in dance, and with this movie they are all making their feature length film debuts.

The film’s director is Khadifa Wong who trained as a dancer and actress but became frustrated by the lack of opportunities for performers of color, and then realized that her true passion lay behind the camera.

Producer, Lisa Donmall-Reeve, migrated to film following a very successful twenty year career as a performer that included playing many leading roles on London's West End.

And dancer, choreographer and educator, Zak Nemorin - who conceived the film - has appeared in seventeen West End musicals and is the Head of Jazz Dance at Millennium Performing Arts in London.

To create the film they interviewed 70 experts - dancers, choreographers, educators and historians - regarding the history of Jazz dance as well as the evolution of its many roots and branches, including Debbie Allen, Josh Bergasse, Al Blackstone, Andy Blankenbuehler, Bob Boross, Camile Brown, Warren Carlyle, Graciela Danielle, George Faison, Thomas De Frantz, Karen Hubbard, Saleemah Knight, Bonnie Langford, Martine Mattox, Jerry Mitchell, Mandy Moore, Walter Painter, Travis Payne, Arlene Phillips, Chita Rivera, Susan Stroman, and Chet Walker to name only a few.

Along the way they explore where Jazz dance originated and how it became the dance language of Broadway.

I highly recommend it!

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Special Encore Episode: Bye Bye Birdie & The Golden Age of Broadway, Part 3: The 1960s Apr 14, 2022

This is a special Encore episode of Broadway Nation. I am reprising it not only because I think this is one the best episodes ever of this podcast, but also because it could not be more timely since it relates to a number of things happening on Broadway and in the world this week.

First and foremost, April 14th, the day this episode is being released marks the 62nd Anniversary of the Broadway opening of Bye Bye Birdie. This is a show that I don’t think gets nearly the respect it deserves, both in regard to its writing, and for the several important roles it played in Broadway history. As you will hear, this “Best Musical” Tony Award winner was not only the first show to bring rock music to Broadway, It also marked the debuts of a remarkable young creative team that would revitalize Broadway in the 1960s and beyond.

Also, this episode’s in-depth look at the final decade of the Golden Age, at least as I define it, includes some discussion of Funny Girl. And, of course, the much talked about, and highly anticipated new revival of that show will open on Broadway on April 24th.

In the final section I focus on Fiddler On The Roof – which unfortunately also has a direct connection to current events.

As most regular listeners will know, this podcast is spinoff of in the history of the Broadway musical course that I teach at the University of Washington School of Drama. A few weeks ago, as Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, my students had just completed an assignment to watch the film version of Fiddler On The Roof. The next day I showed them a map of “The Pale of Settlement”. From 1791 to 1917 was the only section of Imperial Russia in which Jews were allowed to live, and it included all of modern day Belarus, Lithuania, and Moldova, parts of Poland, and much of Ukraine.

In fact, Sholem Aleichem, (the creator of the Tevye stories on which the musical is based) was born in a town about 8 miles south of Kiev, and the fictional town of Anatevka was based, in part, on a town called Boyarka that is about 14 miles south of Kiev. And, as you will remember, “Perchik”, the young revolutionary student who marries “Hodel” is from Kiev, and after the wedding he returns there to join what is called “the first Russian revolution”, during which he is arrested and sent to a work camp in Siberia.

The final images in the film of Tevye and his family being forced to leave Anatevka closely paralleled the photos and video that my students had been seeing of Ukrainian refuges being forced to flee their homes. Of equal impact was the moment in which Tevye tells the Russian constable, "I have some advice for you. Get off my land! This is still my home, my land. Get off my land!"

It never ceases to amaze me how much ongoing resonance these silly Broadway musicals continue to have.

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Episode 61: The Craft And Art Of Broadway Choreography , part 2 Apr 07, 2022

This is the second half of my recent conversation with author Liza Gennaro, whose fascinating new book is titled: Making Broadway Dance.

If you missed part one you may want to catch up on that episode before listening to this one.

Liza is currently the Dean of Musical Theater at the Manhattan School of Music and she also has had a very active and successful career as a dancer and choreographer. Interestingly, she is closely related to this subject matter of her book because her father was the Tony Award winning choreographer and star dancer, Peter Gennaro. He is profiled in the book as well as in this episode.

By the end of Part 1, we had made it to the late 1940s when Agnes de Mille was dominating the field of Broadway choreography. Between 1943 and 1945, De Mille had four hits in a row – Oklahoma!, One Touch of Venus, Bloomer Girl, and Carousel – and three of them choreographed in her signature “Americana” style. This unprecedented string of successes made her the most powerful choreographer in the commercial theater, and soon led to her becoming the first director-choreographer of the “Golden Age” with Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Allegro.

De Mille’s most significant contribution to the Broadway Musical was breaking the mold of the traditional Broadway chorus girl by insisting on hiring actor/dancers who could fully embody the characters that they were playing.

This new approach to Broadway dance, and this new kind of Broadway dancer, would be adopted by everyone who followed in her footsteps – especially Jerome Robbins – who years later would write, “Agnes broke the conception of what the Broadway dancer could be in the Broadway Musical. What they looked like, what was desired of them, and what their contribution to the show was.”

And, as you will hear, Robbins took that idea and ran with it, just as De Mille’s “Americana” style was starting to lose its luster.

That’s just the beginning Later in the episode Liza and I discuss Michael Kidd, Bob Fosse, Gower Champion, Michael Bennett, Graciela Daniele, Susan Stroman, Kathleen Marshall, Bill T. Jones, Stephen Hoggett, Lorin Latarro, Kelly Devine, Sergio Trujillo, Jerry Mitchell and more!

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Episode 60: Katherine Dunham & Agnes de Mille - The Craft & Art of Broadway Choreography Mar 31, 2022

This is the first half of my recent conversation with author Liza Gennaro, whose fascinating new book is titled: Making Broadway Dance.

Liza is currently the Dean of Musical Theater at the Manhattan School of Music and prior to that she had a very active and successful career as a dancer and choreographer on Broadway and with prominent theater companies across the country. Most notably she choreographed the hit Broadway revival of Frank Loessor’s The Most Happy Fella.

As she writes in the introduction to her book, Liza came to her love and interest in musical theater dance genetically. Her father was Peter Gennaro, the Tony Award winning choreographer and star dancer of Broadway musicals and TV variety shows. And her mother, Jean Gennaro, was a ballerina turned Broadway dancer who danced for Bronislava Nijinska, Agnes De Mille, and Michael Kidd.

As you might imagine, Liza grew up immersed in the world of Broadway, and all manner of dance, and she is able to weave all of that life experience into this remarkable book. I can’t think of anyone more uniquely qualified to write it.

Appropriately for the final day of Women’s History Month, this episode focuses largely on two great female choreographers -- Katherine Dunham and Agnes de Mille. I have stated that De Mille is arguably the most important woman in the history of Broadway musical – not including the star performers, of course – and she has received quite a bit of focus in previous episodes of this podcast. However, I am especially happy today to shine a spotlight on Katherine Dunham whose influence on Broadway dance – like that of many other black artists – has often been overlooked and undervalued. But her impact and significance cannot be denied.

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Episode 59: Four Visions Of West Side Story Mar 24, 2022

When I realized that this week’s episode of Broadway Nation would come out just two days after what would have been Stephen Sondheim’s 92nd birthday, and only three days prior to the Oscars telecast where the new Stephen Spielberg remake of West Side Story will be in contention for seven Academy Awards including “Best Picture” – this seemed like the perfect time to devote an episode to comparing and contrasting the four major visions of this landmark show.

I knew, however, that I couldn’t do this topic justice without having Misha Berson as my special guest. Misha is the author of the acclaimed book Something’s Coming, Something Good – West Side Story and the American Imagination.

Misha was the chief theatre critic for The Seattle Times for 25 years and is now a freelance writer and teacher and her work appears in Crosscut, American Theatre and other publications, and her previous books include Between Worlds: Contemporary Asian-American Plays, and The San Francisco Stage – From Gold Rush To Golden Spike.

Misha’s book has made her one of the leading experts on West Side Story and her insights are in demand nearly everywhere and every time the show is discussed, including in a New York Times article that you may remember, titled “The Great West Side Story Debate” that was published last December just before the film premiered. You will hear the behind the scenes story of that controversial article in the episode.

Misha’s tenure at the Seattle Times and my mine as the Producing Artistic Director of Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre were mostly contemporaneous, and I am very proud that, as you will hear, her terrific book was, to a large part, inspired by a production of West Side Story (directed by Bill Berry, and with Jerome Robbins’ choreography recreated by Bob Richard) that I produced at The 5th in 2007 to celebrate the original stage version’s 50th anniversary

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Episode 58: The Genius Of Sondheim Mar 17, 2022

This is a special live and in person episode of Broadway Nation!

It was recorded on March 6, 2022 live at the Vashon Center for The Arts where I was joined onstage by a terrific group of singers, and special guest Albert Evans, to pay tribute to the late, great Stephen Sondheim.

As you will hear, in these live events there is a little less talking and lot more music than in a regular episode, but I don’t think anyone will be disappointed by that - especially when the music and lyrics are by Mr. Sondheim.

The fantastic cast is: Anne Allgood, Joshua Carter, James Rocco, Billie Wildrick, and Evan Stults on the piano. My frequent co-host, Albert Evans, shares a fascinating story about the making of West Side Story that few people have heard.

My wireless microphone was acting up a bit during the first part of the concert, but gets quickly replaced, and we have done our best to minimize the disruption in this recording.

If you would prefer to watch a video capture of the show you can view it at vashoncenterforthearts.org.

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Special Encore Episode: Agnes de Mille & The Women Who Invented Broadway Choreography & Lighting Design Mar 10, 2022

This is a special encore episode of Broadway Nation.

March is “Women’s History Month”, so this seemed like the perfect time to revisit one my earliest episodes. Creative and talented women have played vital and important roles in the Broadway musical from the very beginning, but their contributions are often overlooked or undervalued. My students in the Broadway musical history course that I teach at the University of Washington School of Drama are always surprised to discover so many women in leadership positions in the world of theater, beginning even before women had the right to vote!

While we might expect that women would be well represented in the ranks of Broadway choreographers, what is perhaps more surprising is that women were the principal forces behind the artistic and technical creation and development of theatrical lighting design.

Appropriately, three of the women that I highlight in this episode have important March milestones: Hanya Holm was born March 3rd 1893, Onna White was born on March, 24th in 1922, and the original production of Brigadoon with choreography by Agnes de Mille opened on March 13, 1947. Once they get that proverbial time machine perfected, I would recommend that we all head back for our own Agnes de Mill "festival". That week you could experience her groundbreaking choreography of not just Brigadoon, but also the still running original productions of Oklahoma! and Carousel.

The sound balancing of this episode is not quite up to my current standards, but the content is fascinating, and I suspect that it will introduce even the most avid Broadway history buffs to some dynamic women that you have barely if ever heard of before. Here we go!

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Episode 57: The Fall And Rise of Yiddish Theater -- How The Yiddish Theater Influenced Broadway, part 2 Mar 03, 2022

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Episode 56: From 2nd Avenue To Times Square - How The Yiddish Theater Influenced Broadway Feb 24, 2022

On this episode my guest is acclaimed actor, singer, writer, producer and director Avi Hoffman who specializes in Jewish culture and Yiddish theater. His long running off-Broadway “Too Jewish” trilogy has been seen by millions on PBS and at theater venues around the world, and in 2016 he received rave reviews and a Drama Desk nomination for his performance as "Willy Loman" in the Yiddish language production of Death of Salesman. He is also the founder and CEO of the Yiddishkayt Initiative -- a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving Jewish culture.

Nearly 3.5 million Jews emigrated to the United States between 1881 and 1925, and even more than the synagogue or social clubs the Yiddish Theater, became the meeting place and the forum of the Jewish community in America. And it was wildly popular. In 1927, there were 24 Yiddish theaters across America, and most of those were on Second Avenue -- known as the “Yiddish Rialto” – on NYC’s Lower East Side. The Yiddish Theater was attended by rich and poor, educated and illiterate, religious and free-thinking, and most importantly for our purposes, it was attended by Irving Berlin, George & Ira Gershwin, Yip Harburg, Fanny Brice and many, many more of the inventors of Broadway who grew up smack in the center of the Yiddish theater district. I have long known that the Yiddish theater had a tremendous impact on the Broadway musical but surprisingly little has been written or documented about it. I am planning to have other experts like Avi as guests on future episodes of Broadway Nation.

Topics covered in this episode include: what exactly is Yiddish? Abraham Goldfaden and the birth of the Yiddish Theater. How the Yiddish Theater came to America. Yiddish Theater around the world. The influence of the Yiddish Theater on Tin Pan Alley.

And the stars of the Yiddish Theater: Boris & Bessie Thomashefsky, Maurice Schwartz, Jacob Adler, Molly Picon, Ben Bonus, Fyvush Finkel, Jennie Goldstein, Paul Muni, and more!

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Special Encore Episode: "Forgotten Forefathers" - The Black Artists Who Invented Broadway Feb 17, 2022

This week’s special Encore episode of Broadway Nation celebrates a unique "Broadwayversary":

On February 18, 1903 – 119 years ago tomorrow – one of the very first Broadway musicals entirely written, staged, produced, and performed by black theater artists opened at the New York Theatre in the heart of Times Square. That musical was titled In Dahomey. With music by Will Marion Cook, book by Jesse A. Ship & lyrics by Paul Laurence Dunbar (with additional lyrics by Alex Rodgers, Cecil Mack, Benjamin Shook, and James Weldon Johnson), this show was created to showcase four of the biggest Vaudeville stars of that era – the team of Bert Williams & George Walker and their wives and co-stars Lottie Williams and Ida Overton Walker. In Dahomey toured America for more than 3 years, including two runs on Broadway, and became a sensation in London where it played 252 performances at the Shaftesbury Theater and gave a command performance at Buckingham Palace for the royal family who apparently all danced the cakewalk.

If you have never heard of In Dahomey, you are not alone. It is part of an entire decade of extremely popular Broadway musicals created by black artists that today are largely overlooked and forgotten.

In light of this show’s anniversary, and Black History Month, it seemed like the perfect time to reprise one of Broadway Nation’s earliest episodes: Forgotten Forefathers – The Black Artists Who Invented Broadway.

This episode explores the roots of black theater in America – in both its positive and negative aspects – and especially shines a light on the first decade of the 20th Century when dozens of black musicals, and hundreds of black theater artists took Broadway by storm, nearly 20 years before Shuffle Along would do it again.

Broadway Nation is written and produced by David Armstrong.

Special thanks to Kyle Carter and James Rocco for their voice acting contributions and the the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra for there terrific recordings of songs from these songwriters and shows,

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Special Encore Episode: West Side Story vs. The Music Man Feb 10, 2022

This is special Encore edition of Broadway Nation!

Today, February 10, 2022, marks the official opening night of the much delayed, much anticipated, much talked about big new Broadway revival of Meredith Willson’s The Music Man starring Hugh Jackman & Sutton Foster. And, just two days ago Steven Spielberg’s movie remake of West Side Story received seven Academy Award nominations, including “Best Picture.”

So, this seemed like the perfect moment to revisit one of my favorite episodes of this podcast: West Side Story vs The Music Man. These two classic Golden Age musicals famously went head-to-head at the 1958 Tony Awards, and people still argue about which show should have won “Best Musical”.

On this episode Albert Evans and I compare and contrast these two great shows – two of the greatest of all time in our estimation – and we reveal that they actually have much more in common than most people think. Enjoy!

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Episode 55: The King Of Broadway - The Genius Of Tommy Tune, part 3 Feb 03, 2022

This is the third and final part of my recent conversation with Kevin Winkler, author of the fascinating new book: “Everything Is Choreography” – The Musical Theater of Tommy Tune.

If you missed parts one and two, you may want to go back and listen to those before starting on this one.

As we ended the last episode, Tommy Tune had just received two 1990 Tony Awards for his direction and choreography of Grand Hotel, and, as Kevin noted, the following year he won two more Tonys for The Will Rodgers Follies, and became the first and only person to accomplish that feat two years in a row. The Will Rodgers Follies also received Tony Awards for “Best Costume Design”, “Best Lighting Design”, and most significantly, "Best Score” and “Best Musical” – beating out Miss Saigon in the process. Today we begin with a behind-the-scenes look at the making of that incredibly entertaining -- but today somewhat forgotten, musical.

Along the way Kevin shares all of the backstage drama of The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public, the "Tommy Tune production" of Grease, the ill-fated Busker's Alley and more!

Broadway Nation is written and produced by me – David Armstrong.

Special thanks to Pauls Macs for his help with editing this episode, KVSH 101.9, the Voice of Vashon Island, WA, and the entire team at the Broadway Podcast Network.

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Episode 54: "You Gotta Take Care Of Business" - The Genius of Tommy Tune, part 2 Jan 27, 2022

This is the second part of my conversation with Kevin Winkler, author of the fascinating new book: Everything Is Choreography – The Musical Theater of Tommy Tune.

If you missed part one, you may want to go back and listen to that before embarking on this one.

Today Kevin relates the saga of the all of the incredible behind-the-scenes drama that transpired during the rehearsals and out of town tryout of My One and Only – the “new” Gershwin musical that stared Tommy Tune and Twiggy.

He also shares the story of how Tune transformed a 1950s musical flop into the one of the most acclaimed musicals of what I call “The Modern Era of Broadway”. That show, of course, was Grand Hotel.

Broadway Nation is written and produced by David Armstrong

Special thanks to Pauls Macs for his assistance with editing, as well as KVSH 101.9 the Voice Of Vashon, and the entire team at the Broadway Podcast Network.

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Episode 53: The Theatrical Genius Of Tommy Tune, part 1 Jan 20, 2022

This episode is made possible in part by the generous support of Broadway Nation “Backstage Pass Club” Producer Level Members:

Steven & Paula Reynolds.

Today my guest is Kevin Winkler, author of the new book: Everything Is Choreography – The Musical Theater of Tommy Tune.

Kevin’s much acclaimed and award winning first book, Big Deal: Bob Fosse and Dance in the American Musical, was released in 2018. And you may have seen Kevin as an on-screen commentator in the acclaimed documentary, Merely Marvelous: The Dancing Genius of Gwen Verdon.

I was fascinated to read Kevin’s terrific new book – especially since I arrived in New York just as Tommy Tune’s career as a choreographer and director was kicking off, As a result I had the tremendous privilege of seeing first hand every one of Tommy Tune’s Broadway and off-Broadway productions that Kevin covers in the book.

I began our recent conversation by asking Kevin about his two previous careers – as a dancer and a librarian – that have made him uniquely and unusually qualified to write books about Broadway’s great, groundbreaking director/choreographers.

Broadway Nation is written and produced by me – David Armstrong.

Special thanks to Pauls Macs for his help with editing this episode, KVSH 101.9, the voice of beautiful Vashon Island, WA, and the entire team at the Broadway Podcast Network.

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Episode 52: The Other Musicals Of Meredith Willson Jan 13, 2022

This episode is made possible in part through the generous support of Robert Braun who is a "Producer Level Member" of our Broadway Nation “Backstage Pass Club”. Information on how you can become a member of The Backstage Pass Club can be found here: https://broadwaynationpodcast.supercast.com.

What you are about to hear is the second half of my recent conversation with Dominick McHugh author of: The Big Parade – Meredith Wilson’s Musicals From The Music Man to 1491.

In part one Dominic shared the amazing insights and discoveries that he made during his research into the development of Wilson's first and most famous musical, The Music Man. If you missed that episode you may want to catch up with that one before listening to this one.

Today we discuss Willson’s two follow up hits -- The Unsinkable Molly Brown and Here’s Love -- and his heartbreaking failure, 1491. And, of course, there is even more discussion of The Music Man, more comparing and contrasting it with West Side Story, as well as comparing the careers and output of Meredith Willson and Leonard Bernstein, some of which may send some hardline Bernstein fans into a tizzy! Dominic and I even get into a bit of a disagreement about the when The Golden Age Of Broadway actually ended. I think you will enjoy it!

Just one note before we begin: Meredith Wilson is one of the major exceptions to the central premise of this podcast. He was not Jewish, Queer, black or an immigrant or child of an immigrant. No, along with George Abbott, Bob Fosse and just a small handful of other key inventors of the Broadway musical, he is one of the exceptions that proves the rule. Enjoy!

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Episode 51: The Musicals of Meredith Wilson, Part 1 Jan 06, 2022

This week my guest is author Dominick McHugh, author of the recent book, The Big Parade – Meredith Wilson’s Musicals From The Music Man To 1491.

Dominick is Professor of Musicology at the University of Sheffield in the UK. His previous books include Loverly, The Life And times of My Fair Lady, Adapting The Wizard Of Oz – Musical Versions From Baum To MGM And Beyond, and he has also served as editor of The Letters Of Cole Porter, and The Complete Lyrics Of Alan Jay Lerner.

As it turns out, the timing of this episode couldn’t be more perfect since, after being derailed when both of its stars contracted COVID, the big, new Broadway revival of The Music Man, starring Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster is supposed to return to Broadway tonight!

Many listeners will know by now that The Music Man is one of my all-time favorite musicals, and one that I consider to be one the greatest musicals of all-time as well. This is a show that I know backwards and forward, inside and out. Over my career I have danced in it, choreographed it, produced it, lectured about it, and seen it countless times.

So, it was a great pleasure to discover in The Big Parade, and during this interview, so many remarkable and surprising things I didn’t know about the show. Especially the extraordinary challenges that Meredith Wilson grappled with during its development – including, as recently reported in the New York Times, his efforts to include a disabled character in the show who was in intended to be a major focus of the story.

Dominick also shares the story of Liza Redfield, who became the first woman to serve as the Conductor/Musical Director of a Broadway show when she took over that role during the original run of The Music Man.

And that’s only half of the book! The second half cover Wilson's three other major musicals, about which I knew even less, and we will discuss that in next weeks episode.

I found it fascinating, and I think you will as well.

This episode is made possible in part through the generous contributions of Backstage Pass Patron Level Members GARY FULLER & RANDY EVERETT. Thank you so much, Gary and Randy!

If you love this podcast and want to delve even deeper into the world of Broadway musicals, I invite you to become a member of the

"Broadway Nation Backstage Pass Club".

For as little as $7.00 a month members will receive exclusive access to never-before-heard, unedited versions of every Season Two interview, and many from Season One as well! I often record at least twice as much conversation as ends up in the public episodes, and this includes additional in-depth conversations with my frequent co-host Albert Evans. You will also have the opportunity to ask us any questions about Broadway musicals that you would like to hear answered and propose topics you would like me to cover -- all of which I will incorporate into a special series of “Ask Me Anything About Broadway” episodes. Last, but certainly not least, you will receive special “on-air” shout-outs and acknowledgement of your vital support of this podcast. And if you are feeling especially enthusiastic about Broadway Nation there are Patron and Producer levels available as well.

THANK YOU "Backstage Pass Club" Founding Members: Roger Klorese, Neil Hoyt, Chris Moad, Daniel Cox and Judy Hucka

Patron Level Members: Gary Fuller & Randy Everett.

And Producer Level Members: Bob Braun, Steve & Paula Reynolds, and Tracy Wellens,

Thank you all so much, and welcome to the club!

Special thanks to Pauls Macs for his help in editing this episode, to KVSH 101.9 the Voice of Vashon, WA, and to the entire team at the Broadway Podcast Network.

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SPECIAL ENCORE EPISODE: "WHITE CHRISTMAS" -- THE STORY OF AMERICA'S MOST POPULAR SONG, part 2 Dec 30, 2021

This is the second of two special holiday bonus episodes of Broadway Nation. Just like the first, this is an audio version of a Broadway Nation Live! performance that was given in December of 2019 at the Vashon Center For The Performing Arts on Vashon Island, WA. If you prefer to watch a video of this performance you can stream it on their website at: vashoncenterforthearts.org

In Part One we looked at how the Jewish-Russian immigrant songwriter, Irving Berlin -- in addition to being one of the prime inventors of the Broadway Musical -- also created an entirely new category of popular song: “the Christmas Standard”. In this episode we explore how Berlin was aided and abetted in that endeavor by the son of Irish and German immigrants from Washington State who became one of the most popular performers of all time -- Bing Crosby. Along with Judy Garland I call Bing one of Broadway’s greatest stars who never appeared on Broadway.

But first, we start off with Albert Evans’ amazing in-depth analysis of the genius of Irving Berlin, and the inspiration and craft that is behind the most popular song of all time. As you will remember the last episode ended with me introducing Albert and asking him this question: “Why? Why, is White Christmas the most popular song of all time?” You won’t want to miss his answer!

This live show features musical performances by Cayman Ilika, Eric Ankrim, Chris DiStefano, and Albert Evans. Happy New Year!

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SPECIAL ENCORE EPISODE: "WHITE CHRISTMAS": THE STORY BEHIND THE WORLD'S MOST POPULAR SONG, Part 1 Dec 22, 2021

This is a special holiday encore of one of Broadway Nation's most popular episodes:. It's an audio version of a Broadway Nation Live! performance that was presented in December of 2019 at the Vashon Center For The Performing Arts on Vashon Island in Washington State.

Several previous episodes of Broadway Nation have explored the crucial role that the Jewish-Russian immigrant songwriter, Irving Berlin, played in the invention of the Broadway Musical. Now I share the story of how he also invented an entirely new category of popular song – the Christmas standard.

This live show features musical performances by Cayman Ilika, Eric Ankrim, Chris DiStefano, and Albert Evans.

Next week we will be back with part 2. Happy Holidays!

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Episode 50: 100 YEARS OF SHUFFLE ALONG, part 4 Dec 16, 2021

This episode is made possible in part by the generous support of Broadway Nation "Backstage Pass Club" Producer Level Member, Tracy Wellans.

For information on how to join the "Backstage Pass Club" please go the show notes for this episode at www.broadway-nation.com

In this episode I continue my Centennial celebration of the groundbreaking musical Shuffle Along! with the second half of my conversation with Richard Carlin & Ken Bloom who are the co-authors of Eubie Blake: Rags, Rhythm and Race – the very first full biography of Shuffle Along’s legendary composer.

If you missed the first part of this conversation you may want to listen to episode 49 before continuing with this one.

As we ended the previous episode, Sissle & Blake and Miller & Lyles – the two black Vaudeville teams that came together to create Shuffle Along – were finally about to open their new musical on Broadway following a very challenging pre-Broadway out of town tryout. The only New York theater they could get was really just a concert hall with a very shallow stage, and located on 63rd street at the extreme northern edge of the theater district – over a mile from 42nd Street. The small stage allowed for only minimal scenery, and the only costumes they could afford were sweat stained, hand me downs from previous Broadway shows. As a result, Shuffle Along, had no visibility or profile, or expectation from anyone that it would run more than a week. However, even with all of this stacked against it, Shuffle Along immediately became a giant hit – true over-night sensation!

To celebrate Broadway Nation’s 50th episode I am very pleased to announce the inauguration of the Broadway Nation “Backstage Pass Club”

If you love this podcast and want to delve even deeper into the world of Broadway musicals, I invite you to become a member of the

"Broadway Nation Backstage Pass Club".

For as little as $7.00 a month members will receive exclusive access to never-before-heard, unedited versions of every Season Two interview, and many from Season One as well! I often record at least twice as much conversation as ends up in the public episodes, and this includes additional in-depth conversations with my frequent co-host Albert Evans. You will also have the opportunity to ask us any questions about Broadway musicals that you would like to hear answered and propose topics you would like me to cover -- all of which I will incorporate into a special series of “Ask Me Anything About Broadway” episodes. Last, but certainly not least, you will receive special “on-air” shout-outs and acknowledgement of your vital support of this podcast. And if you are feeling especially enthusiastic about Broadway Nation there are Patron and Producer levels available as well.

To join please visit our website at www. Broadway-Nation.com. and just click the link included in the show notes for this episode.

THANK YOU "Backstage Pass Club" Founding Members: Roger Klorese, Neil Hoyt, Chris Moad, and Daniel Cox

And Producer Level members: Bob Braun, Steve & Paula Reynolds, Tracy Wellens, Gary Fuller & Randy Everett.

Thank you all so much, and welcome to the club!

Special thanks to Pauls Macs for his help in editing this episode, to KVSH 101.9 the Voice of Vashon, WA, and to the entire team at the Broadway Podcast Network.

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Episode 49: 100 YEARS OF SHUFFLE ALONG!, part 3 Dec 09, 2021

This year marks the 100th Anniversary of Shuffle Along!, the groundbreaking musical that kicked off an entire decade of vibrant black musical theatre on Broadway which included more than a dozen shows that were created by black songwriters, black bookwriters, black producers, black directors and choreographers -- and these shows brought hundreds of black actors, singers, dancers, and musicians to Broadway.

This landmark is being celebrated with the release of two wonderful new books. Earlier this season in Episodes 37 & 38, I had the great pleasure of chatting with author Cassen Gains about his book: Footnotes: The Black Artists Who Rewrote the Rules of the Great White Way.

Today my guests are the co-authors of the first full biography of Shuffle Along’s composer: Eubie Blake: Rags, Rhythm and Race.

Richard Carlin is the Grammy Award-winning author of numerous books on popular music, including Country Music, The Big Book of Country, and Worlds of Sound: The Story of Smithsonian Folkways.

Ken Bloom is the Grammy Award-winning author of Show and Tell: The New Book of Broadway Anecdotes, Broadway Musicals: The 101 Greatest Shows of All Time, and Broadway: An Encyclopedia. He is the co-founder of Harbinger Records, has been a Broadway correspondent for NPR and the CBC, and has directed and produced shows at Town Hall, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, among other venues.

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Episode 48: MY FIRST SONDHEIM with special guest Albert Evans Dec 02, 2021

This week’s episode is a little different.

I recorded this just five days after it was announced that Stephen Sondheim had died and as it happened my friend, colleague and frequent co-host and contributor to Broadway Nation, Albert Evans, was spending the Thanksgiving weekend with me, and so we were together when this news began to break and during the incredible reaction and response this loss over the days that followed.

The coverage of Sondheim’s life and legacy in both traditional and social media has been phenomenal including four full pages in the NY Times, extended tributes on TV, radio and other newspapers, trending on Twitter and a near total domination of all theater related social media -- all richly deserved of course – but still somewhat unexpected for someone who was primarily a theater artist.

I think this reflects the hidden importance and impact of the Broadway musical on American and world culture. Most of the time the media simply ignores Broadway but once in a while it breaks through and reveals how ingrained it is in the fabric of our lives.

Of course, Sondheim has been mentioned countless times over the 47 episodes of this podcast and 16 of those episodes have focused in a major way on his life and his work. I point you toward a few of those below and at the end of this episode.

But for this episode, rather than talk about Sondheim’s one of a kind place in the history of the Broadway musical and his impact on the form – as we have done on so many other episodes – Albert and I took our inspiration from the many personal memories that people have been posting and sharing about their own interactions with Sondheim, and especially how his shows and songs have impacted and affected their lives.

So, before the weekend was over Albert and I decided to switch on the microphone and look back to the very first times that the work of Stephen Sondheim entered our lives.

We would love to hear about your first time experiencing of the artistry of Stephen Sondheim and feature those memories on an upcoming episode. And we have made it extremely easy for you to share them. Just go the Broadway nation website at www.Broadway-nation.com and on the bottom right corner of the home page you will find a microphone icon. Simply click on that and share with us you’re first Sondheim experiences!

Broadway Nation is written and produced by me David Armstrong.

For more on the life and work of Stephen Sondheim I recommend that you listen to Episodes 11 and 12 in which we explore the legacy that was handed down directly from Otto Harbach to Oscar Hammerstien to Sondheim to Lin-Manuel Miranda.

You may also want to check out Episodes 19 and 20 which deal with West Side Story and Gypsy, Episode 26: titled Harold Prince and the Concept Musical and covers Prince and Sondheim’s collaboration’s on Company and Follies, and Episode 28 which is subtitled Sondheim vs the Poperetta. And his works figure prominently in all three episodes dedicated to the major themes of the Broadway musical.

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Episode 47: "Listening To The Audience" Nov 25, 2021

This is the second part of my recent conversation with Irene Sankoff & David Hein -- the dynamic writing team and married couple that created the international smash hit musical Come From Away.

Five productions of Come From Away have recently reopened around the world: Broadway, Toronto, London, Sydney and on tour across America. A new Dutch production has just opened, as well, and a live filmed version of the show is streaming on Apple TV+.

On the previous episode Irene and David related how they got hooked on musicals, and how they went from their first show based on a true story -- My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding -- to deciding to create a musical based on the real life events that happened in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland in the days following 9/11. They also described what it was like to attend the 10th Anniversary of the events in Gander and then begin to transform the stories they heard there into a musical during an early workshop production at The Canadian Music Theatre Project at Sheridan College. We also explored the classic Broadway shows that influenced and inspired the writing of their book, music, and lyrics for Come From Away.

If you missed part one you may want to go back and catch up on that episode before you listen to this one.

Today we look at the extensive development process that CFA went through on its journey to Broadway - including a workshop in Seattle, a series of productions at the La Jolla Playhouse, The Seattle Rep, Ford’s Theater in DC. and the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto, as well as a thrilling concert presentation in Gander where it all began.

Back in 2015, I served as the Executive Producer and Artistic Director of The 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle and, as such, I had the great pleasure of co-producing that original Seattle workshop of Come From Away. This was the first time that the show’s Tony award winning director Christopher Ashley and choreographer, Kelly Devine began to work on the show -- and it was great fun to recall that exciting experience with Irene and David.

Come From Away is the fifth musical to originate in Canada and eventually open on Broadway.

The first was 1974’s Rockabye Hamlet with book, music and lyrics by Cliff Jones. This rock musical adaptation of Shakespeare was originally titled Kronborg 1582 and was well received, first as a radio series on the CBC, and then at the Charlottetown Theatre Festival and on tour in Canada, before being retitled and opening on Broadway with Gower Champion as the director. It became a legendary flop and closed after 7 performances.

Next, in 1980 came the intimate and engaging Billy Bishop Goes To War written by John McLachlan Gray the show featured one actor to playing18 different roles to tell the story of real life Canadian fighter pilot Billy Bishop during the first World War. This show nearly doubled the run of Rockabye Hamlet closing after 12 performances. However, over the next ten years Billy Bishop Goes To War received scores of productions at theaters all across North America.

The Story Of My Life, with music and lyrics by Neil Bartram and book by Brian Hill, opened on Broadway in 2009. Unfortunately, it had an even shorter run than either of the previous two Canadian shows.

However, one year earlier, a group of Canadian writers finally scored a significant hit with The Drowsy Chaperone – book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar, and music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert & Greg Morrison. This delightful show opened on Broadway in 2008, received Tony Awards for Best Book and Best Original Score, and ran for 674 performances.

There have been a few other Canadian writers that found success on Broadway – Galt McDermott being the most famous of them – but that was with shows that originated in the US.

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Episode 46: "ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS" Nov 18, 2021

My guests today are Irene Sankoff & David Hein – the dynamic writing team and married couple that created the giant international smash hit musical Come From Away.

Five productions of Come From Away have recently reopened around the world: Broadway, Toronto, London, Sydney and on tour across America. A live filmed version of the show is also streaming on Apple TV+.

Irene and David won the 2019 Olivier Awardand were nominated for the 2018 GrammyAward and the 2017 Tony Award for theirbook and score for Come From Away, with the show itself winning the 2019 Olivier Award for Best Musical, three 2017 Dora Mavor Moore Awards, four Helen Hayes Awards, five Outer Critics Circle Awards and three Drama Desk Awards including Best Musical. David and Irene were also the recipients of the 2017 Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk awards for Best Book. A live filmed version of Come From Away is now streaming on Apple TV+. Their first show, My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding (based onDavid’s mother’s true story) was produced by Mirvish Productions in Toronto and played and won Best Musical awards across North America, with Sankoff and Hein performing in most productions. They are currently working on projects with Disney, Warner Bros. and Netflix. Irene and David are the recipients of the Good Neighbour Award from the Four Freedoms Park Conservancy and the Meritorious Service Cross of Canada. They are proud members of the Dramatists Guild, Writer’s Guild East and ASCAP. @sankoffandhein

In this conversation we explore the how Come From Away fits into the history of the Broadway musical – which musical theater writers from the past influenced Irene and David, and what classic shows inspired them. And we will look back at their first musical which has the memorable title: My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding. But first I wanted to find out how they got started down this path in the first place.

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Episode 45: CHILDREN WILL LISTEN, part 2 Nov 11, 2021

This episode continues my conversation with author Stacy Wolf about her most recent book: Beyond Broadway: The Pleasure And Promise of Musical Theater Across America , where she relates her cross-country journey from Maine to California during which she visited grade schools, middle schools, high schools, summer camps, festivals, and community theater in cities and towns, large and very small, and along the way discovered that the Broadway musical is alive and thriving! Beyond Broadway also explores the relationship between the worlds of amateur and professional musical theater and why that interaction is so crucial to the health and future of The Broadway Musical.

Stacy is a Professor of Theater at Princeton University and the author of the acclaimed books Changed for Good: A Feminist History of the Broadway Musical, A Problem Like Maria: Gender and Sexuality in the American Musical – and she also co-edited The Oxford Handbook of the American Musical.

If you missed part one you may want to go back and listen to that episode before you continue with this one.

Shows and topics we discuss include high schools producing Into The Woods, The Jimmy Awards, the history of Community Theaters in America, The Sound Of Music, the Zilker Theater in Austin, Texas, the Kelsey Theater in West Windsor, NJ, and more!

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Episode 44: Children Will Listen Nov 04, 2021

I recently had the pleasure of to chatting with author Stacy Wolf about her most recent book entitled, Beyond Broadway: The Pleasure And Promise of Musical Theater Across America.

Stacy is a Professor of Theater at Princeton University and the Director of their Program in Music Theater. She is also a leading scholar of musical theater, and her other acclaimed books include Changed for Good: A Feminist History of the Broadway Musical, A Problem Like Maria: Gender and Sexuality in the American Musical. In addition she co-edited The Oxford Handbook of the American Musical.

As the title suggests, in her new book Stacy Woolf take us beyond Broadway on a cross country journey that stretches from Maine to California. Along the way she meets and interviews more than 200 people and discovers that the Broadway musical is alive and thriving in grade schools, middle schools, high schools, summer camps, festivals, and community theater in cities and towns both large and very small all across America. Perhaps most importantly she illuminates how and why the relationship and interaction between the worlds of professional and amateur musical theater is so crucial to the health and future of The Broadway Musical.

The topics, people and shows that we discuss include Stephen Sondheim, Freddie Gershan, Into The Woods, Junior Theater Festival, Music Theatre International (MTI). Fiddler On The Roof, Annie, Frank Loessor, Summer Camps, The Mountain Play, Guys & Dolls, and “ the Backstage Diva.

Broadway Nation is written and produced by me – David Armstrong.

If you enjoyed this podcast, you can help other like-minded people find Broadway Nation by rating and reviewing the show on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen. It really does help spread the word about Broadway Nation.

Special thanks to KVSH 101.9 the voice of beautiful Vashon Island, WA and to the entire team at the Broadway Podcast Network.

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Episode 43: TAILS OF BROADWAY! with theatrical animal trainer BILL BERLONI Oct 28, 2021

My guest today is theatrical animal trainer Bill Berloni.

Beginning with the original production of ANNIE in 1977, Bill has provided and trained animals of all species and sizes for 27 Broadway musicals and plays, as well as for countless Off-Broadway shows, National Tours, regional theaters, movies, television shows, commercials and the NYC Ballet – and he found almost all of those animal actors in shelters, humane societies and rescue leagues.

His awards include a 2011 Tony Honor for “Excellence in the Theater”, a 2014 Outer Critics Circle Award for “Special Achievement”, and a 2017 Drama League Award for “Unique Contribution to the Theatre” all in acknowledgment of an incredible Broadway career that has included two revivals of Annie, The Woman In White, Gypsy, Legally Blonde, The Lt of Inishmore, A Christmas Story, and The Ferryman.

Bill recently released a third edition of his book, Broadway Tails: Heartfelt Stories Of Rescued Dogs Who Became Show Biz Superstars. I have to say it’s a surprisingly affecting book, and I was not expecting to be tearing up a many times as I did when I was reading the new edition in preparation for this podcast.

Broadway Nation is written and produced by me – David Armstrong.

I invite you to follow Broadway Nation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – where you can find out more about my guests and episodes and interact with large and lively community of Broadway fans.

Special thanks to KVSH 101.9 the voice of beautiful Vashon Island, WA and to the entire team at the Broadway Podcast Network.

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Episode 42: Fifty Years On Broadway with Lee Roy Reams!, Part 3 Oct 21, 2021

This is the final part of my conversation with Broadway actor, singer, dancer, director and choreographer Lee Roy Reams, at least for now. I am sure I will have Lee Roy back for another discussion in the not so distant future. There is no end to the amazing insights and classic show-biz stories that he has locked in his memories. If you missed the first two parts you may want to listen to those episodes first.

We begin this episode with Lee Roy sharing his experience playing "Cornelius Hackle" in the 1978 Broadway revival of Hello, Dolly! which was directed by an amazing woman named Lucia Victor. During her 45 year career on she was involved in more than 30 Broadway shows as a performer, producer, Casting director, stage manager and most significantly as the Production Stage Manager, Assistant To Gower Champion, and/or Production Supervisor on the original productions of Hello, Dolly, I Do, I Do, and 42nd Street.

Along the way you will hear hilarious and heartbreaking stories about Carol Channing, David Merrick, Marge Champion, Bob Fosse and more! And most thrillingly Lee Roy takes us inside the creation of the smash his Broadway musical 42nd Street, illustrates the genius of its director & choreographer, Gower Champion, andshares all the incredible drama of its legendary Opening Night!

Broadway Nation is written and produced by me David Armstrong.

If you enjoy this podcast please follow, rate and review the Broadway Nation on apple podcasts or wherever you listen. This will really does help other people who may be interested to discover the show as you have. Special thanks to KVSH 101.9 The Voice of beautiful Vashon,, Island, WA, and to the entire team at the Broadway Podcast Network..

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Episode 41: Fifty Years On Broadway -- with Lee Roy Reams! Oct 14, 2021

This is the second part of my conversation with Broadway actor, singer, dancer, director and choreographer Lee Roy Reams whose nine Broadway musicals span from Sweet Charity in 1966 to The Producers in 1996, and as you will hear – he is still going strong!

If you missed Part 1 you may want to listen to that episode first. We left off there with Lee Roy leaving his job as a dancer on the Carol Burnett Show in Hollywood and heading back to NYC because he was determined to move out of the chorus and start playing principal roles.

The many shows, stars and Broadway creators that we discuss include Richard Rodgers, Agnes DeMille, Gemze De Lappe and the 1969 Lincoln Center revival of Oklahoma!; Lauren Bacall, Penny Fuller, Bonnie Franklin, Ron Field and the Tony Award winning Best Musical Applause; as well asCarol Channing, Comden & Green, Joe Layton, Ernie Flatt, Peter Gennaro, and the musical Lorelie. And more!

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Episode 40: FIFTY YEARS ON BROADWAY! with LEE ROY REAMS Oct 07, 2021

I recently had the delightful opportunity to chat with beloved Broadway actor, singer, dancer, director and choreographer Lee Roy Reams whose nine Broadway musicals span from Sweet Charity in 1966 to The Producers in 1996, and he is still going strong having recently celebrated his 79th birthday with performances at 54 Below and The York Theatre Company!

Our conversation ranges from his childhood dancing schools in his hometown of Covington, Kentucky, to college in Cincinnati, to his dancing with the stars in summer stock, nightclubs, and on most of the big TV variety shows, and along the way working with many of the greatest directors and choreographers in Broadway history.

Hang on to your hats – talking with Lee Roy is always a wild and irreverent ride!

You can see Lee Roy dance the "Cool Hand Luke" number that is mentioned in this episode (along with several other of his fabulous TV appearances with Gwen Verdon and other stars) on YouTube -- and I have included links to those in the Broadway Nation Facebook Group.

Next week on October 13 and 14 the Fosse-Verdon Legacy will present a piece entitled the “Sweet Gwen Suite” as part of the New York City Center Fall for Dance Festival. This new dance piece is adapted from three dance numbers that were performed by Gwen Verdon on television including “Cool Hand Luke”.

On the next episode of Broadway Nation we will follow Lee Roy back to NY where he will indeed break out of the chorus and make history playing one of the first openly gay characters in Broadway musical history.

Broadway Nation is written and produced by me – David Armstrong. If you enjoyed this podcast, you can help other like-minded people find Broadway Nation by rating and reviewing the show on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen. I thank you in advance for helping to spread the word about Broadway Nation.

Special thanks to KVSH 101.9 the voice of beautiful Vashon Island, WA and to the entire team at the Broadway Podcast Network.

Note: This episode contains some salty language as well as a vintage lyric that includes a nickname for Broadway dancers that many consider to be offensive today.

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Episode 39: Carolyn, Dorothy, David and More: Cy Coleman's Lyricists Sep 30, 2021

During an incredible Broadway career that stretched from 1953 to 1998, composer Cy Coleman created the music for 12 Broadway musicals. Unlike most Broadway composers, however, he was never part of an ongoing songwriting team but instead worked with seven very talented but very different collaborators. My guest today is one of those esteemed lyricists -- David Zippel who partnered with Cy Coleman on the score for the 1990 Tony Award winning "Best Musical", City Of Angels the hit musical that altogether received 10 Tony Awards including Coleman and Zippel’s win for Best Score. That show launched David on his own stellar career which has honored with two Academy Award nominations, two Grammy Award nominations, and three Golden Globe nominations. His songs can be heard on over twenty-five million CDs around the world that include recording by Stevie Wonder, Christina Aguilera, Mel Torme, Ricky Martin, Cleo Laine, Barbara Cook, Nancy LaMott, and include the Original Broadway Cast and Soundtrack recordings of The Goodbye Girl, The Women In White, The Swan Princess and Disney’s Hercules and Disney’s Mulan.

David and I first met shortly after we had both arrived in NY in the early 1980’s and have remained friends and colleagues ever since. Today we begin our conversation talking about Coleman’s Russian-Jewish heritage. So many Broadway songwriters -- Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Richard Rodgers, Harold Arlen, Leonard Bernstein to name just a few were the children or grandchildren of Russian-Jewish immigrants.

If you enjoy this podcast, I invite to join my Broadway Nation Facebook Group where there is a large and lively community of musical theater enthusiasts. We have a great deal of fun and I feel certain that you will too!

And If you would like to hear more about Carolyn Leigh, Dorothy Fields, Betty Comden and other women who invented the Broadway musical, you may want to check out Episode 7 and 8 of Broadway Nation.

Special thanks Special thank the Julia Murney and David David Burnham, everyone at KVSH 101.9 FM the voice of beautiful Vashon, Island Washington, and to the entire team at the Broadway Podcast Network.

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Episode 38: 100 Years of Shuffle Along, Part 2 Sep 23, 2021

This week I continue my conversation with author Cassen Gaines whose fascinating new book Footnotes: The Black Artists Who Rewrote the Rules of the Great White Way tells the story of how in 1921 four talented and determined young black vaudevillians -- Noble Sissle, Eubie Blake, Flournoy Miller and Aubrey Lyles -- against incredible odds, teamed up to produce a runaway Broadway hit that ushered in a vibrant decade of Black Musicals on Broadway.

If you missed the first episode of this series you may want to go back and listen to that before you continuing with this one.

Although we now know that Shuffle Along became a giant, unprecedented hit -- no one, except for possibly the shows four creators, could have expected that it would have any chance of success. There had not been a black musical on Broadway in more than 10 years, and some people were even suggesting if Shuffle Along opened it might insight a race war! That's where we begin out conversation.

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Episode 37: 100 Years of SHUFFLE ALONG!, Part 1 Sep 16, 2021

This year marks the 100th Anniversary of Shuffle Along! The groundbreaking musical that kicked off a decade of vibrant black musical theatre on Broadway which included more than a dozen shows created by black songwriters, black bookwriters, black producers, black directors and choreographers -- and these shows brought hundreds of black actors, singers, dancers, and musicians to Broadway.

This landmark event is being celebrated with the release of two wonderful new books – including the first full biography of Shuffle Along’s composer titled -- Eubie Blake: Rags, Rhythm and Race by Richard Carlin & Ken Bloom

And Footnotes: The Black Artists Who Rewrote the Rules of the Great White Way by Caseen Gaines.

I have had the great pleasure of interviewing the authors of both of these books and you have the opportunity to meet all three of them in a series of upcoming episodes.

This week it is my honor to introduce you to Caseen Gaines whose extraordinary book, Footnotes, tells the story of how four young black artists -- Noble Sissle, Eubie Blake, Flournoy Miller and Aubrey Lyles overcame poverty, racism, violence and the legacy of slavery to produce a runaway Broadway hit that ushered in both the Harlem Renascence and the “Jazz Age” on Broadway.

If you pay close attention to Broadway, as I know many of my listeners do, you will remember the that in 2016, writer and director George C. Wolfe created a star-studded Broadway musical which he tittled “Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed”. As that title suggests, this was not a revival or revisal of the of the original show but instead it attempted to tell the behind-the-scenes story of the making of Shuffle Along. You will also remember that it closed rather abrubtly and unexpectedly less than 3 months after it opened.

There was, however, at least one positive outcome from the early demise of that show -- and that’s where my conversation with Caseen begins.

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Episode 36: Everything Sondheim: Inside the Creation of The Stephen Sondheim Encyclopedia with author Rick Pender Sep 09, 2021

Author Rick Pender takes us inside the creation of The Stephen Sondheim Encyclopedia.

Rick Pender is a longtime member and former chair of the American Theater Critics Association. He first began reviewing theater in 1985 for a public radio station he managed at Northern Kentucky University. He later became the theater critic for CityBeat – Cincinnati’s alternative weekly newspaper -- and eventually became its arts and culture editor. He also often contributed articles to The Sondheim Review, a quarterly magazine that I know many of you remember fondly, and for 12 years, from 2004 to 2016, he served as its managing editor. His latest venture, The Stephen Sondheim Encyclopedia, is a 638 page overview of anything and everything related to Sondheim’s work, life and career. It was published earlier this year and has been selling briskly and receiving rave reviews.

The Stephen Sondheim Encyclopedia is available in hardcover and e-book from Rowman & Littlefield. However, if you go to Rick Pender’s website, rickpenderwrites.com, you will find a code that will provide you with a 30% discount.

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Episode 35: "Sensory Abundance!": or, Why We Are Hooked On Musicals Jan 22, 2021

Why are the great Musicals so unforgettable? Why do musicals have so much power and impact? How is it that they are able to live in our hearts and memories for a lifetime?

Musicals are experiences that get embedded in our psyche. We remember them forever -- vividly and in often in great and specific detail. And they get embedded in our emotional and physical memory as well. Our bodies and nervous systems recall how we felt when we experienced them years, even lifetimes later. In this Season One finale Episode Albert Evans and I tell our own stories of when, how, and why we fell in love with Broadway Musicals and suggest why this happens to so many of us.

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Episode 34: Community: The Major Themes Of The Broadway Musical, part 3 Jan 14, 2021

Over the past two episode we’ve explored the principal themes that underly the greatest number of Broadway Musicals. Two weeks ago we looked at “Transgressive Women”, last week it was “Equity, Justice and Inclusion”, and today we explore “Community”.

The Musical theater is a very effective form for dramatizing entire communities of people – and often the community itself becomes a major character in the drama. Because of this natural ability, dozens of Broadway musicals - including many of the most popular, acclaimed and influential - focus nearly as much on the triumphs and tribulations of the community in the story, as they do the of the individual central characters. In these shows the fate and fortunes of hero and heroine are completely tied into , and dependent on the ability of the community to thrive and function – and visa versa.

In this episode I explore the ways in which Community central to the musicals Fiddler On The Roof, Oklahoma!, Brigadoon, A Chorus Line, Pippin, The Music Man, Cats, Sweeney Todd, Come From Away and more!

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Episode 33: Equity, Justice & Inclusion: The Major Themes of the Broadway Musical, part 2 Jan 07, 2021

At the beginning of each episode of this podcast I state that the Broadway Musical was invented by various marginalized and disenfranchised people, and that in the process of creating it, they transformed American culture as well. This is the second of several episodes in which I demonstrate exactly why I think that is true, and how it happened.

When we consider the people who created the musical it certainly should not be surprising that there are at least 30 popular and successful Broadway musicals that have stories, plots and themes that explicitly deal with Equity, Justice, and Inclusion in regard to Race, Ethnicity and Culture.

People are sometimes surprised when I tell them that this is one the Broadway musical’s principal themes. They don’t think of musicals in that way. But as we have seen over the past 32 episodes -- musicals have always closely reflected American culture, and from the very beginning, these issues have been at the center of America’s story and our country’s many attempts -- and recurring failures -- to fulfill and achieve its founding principal -- that all people are created equal.

The great musicals that I profile today include The Red Moon, As Thousands Cheer, Show Boat, South Pacific, The King And I, West Side Story, Fiddler On The Roof, Cabaret, Ragtime, Hairspray, and Wicked.

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Special Bonus Episode: "White Christmas": The Story Behind The World's Most Popular Song, Part 2 Dec 30, 2020

This is the second of two special holiday bonus episodes of Broadway Nation. Just like the first, this is an audio version of a Broadway Nation Live! performance that was given in December of 2019 at the Vashon Center For The Performing Arts on Vashon Island, WA. If you prefer to watch a video of this performance you can stream it on their website at: vashoncenterforthearts.org

In Part One we looked at how the Jewish-Russian immigrant songwriter, Irving Berlin -- in addition to being one of the prime inventors of the Broadway Musical -- also created an entirely new category of popular song: “the Christmas Standard”. In this episode we explore how Berlin was aided and abetted in that endeavor by the son of Irish and German immigrants from Washington State who became one of the most popular performers of all time -- Bing Crosby. Along with Judy Garland I call Bing one of Broadway’s greatest stars who never appeared on Broadway.

But first, we start off with Albert Evans’ amazing in-depth analysis of the genius of Irving Berlin, and the inspiration and craft that is behind the most popular song of all time. As you will remember the last episode ended with me introducing Albert and asking him this question: “Why? Why, is White Christmas the most popular song of all time?” You won’t want to miss his answer!

This live show features musical performances by Cayman Ilika, Eric Ankrim, Chris DiStefano, and Albert Evans. Happy New Year!

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Special Bonus Episode: "White Christmas": The Story Behind The World's Most Popular Song, Part 1 Dec 24, 2020

This special holiday bonus episode of Broadway Nation is an audio version of a Broadway Nation Live! performance that was presented in December of 2019 at the Vashon Center For The Performing Arts on Vashon Island in Washington State. If you would prefer to watch a video of this performance you can stream it on their website at: vashoncenterforthearts.org

Several previous episodes of Broadway Nation have explored the crucial role that the Jewish-Russian immigrant songwriter, Irving Berlin, played in the invention of the Broadway Musical. Now I share the story of how he also invented an entirely new category of popular song – the Christmas standard.

This live show features musical performances by Cayman Ilika, Eric Ankrim, Chris Distefano, and Albert Evans. Next week we will be back with part 2. Happy holidays!

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Episode 32: Transgressive Women: Major Themes of the Broadway Musical, part 1. Dec 16, 2020

This is the first of three episodes highlighting the principal themes of the Broadway Musical. Today I look at the single most ubiquitous and pervasive theme: “Transgressive Women”.

For more than 100 years an overwhelming majority of musicals have featured transgressive female characters who break the rules, and refuse to follow the path that society has set out for them. And more often than not they are the protagonist, or co-protagonist, of the story.

However, for some reason musicals are not generally perceived in this way. Most people would not identify this as one of the Broadway Musicals principal attributes. I believe that is part of their subversive power. In fact I would contend that the musicals themselves, as well as the characters, are transgressive.

From “Laurey” in Oklahoma! to “Elphaba” in Wicked. From “Annie Oakley” to “Tracy Turnblad”. From “Maria” in The Sound Of Music to “Effie” in Dreamgirls. Dynamic women have always been at the center of America’s signature Art Form.

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Episode 31:"Defying Gravity" - The Broadway Musical in the 21st Century Dec 09, 2020

In today’s episode I focus on the Broadway Musicals of the 21st Century.

Perhaps surprisingly, the current generation of Broadway creators has re-embraced and reinvigorated both the “Musical Comedy” and the “Musical Play” in ways that I think would make Rodgers & Hammerstein very proud. At the same time they have introduced something sort of new – the “Jukebox Musical”. In the process, and with a major assist from the Walt Disney Company, the Broadway Musical has achieved new heights of prosperity, popularity and cultural relevance in the 21st Century.

The new-fashioned, 21st Century musical comedies highlighted in this episode include: Hairspray, Avenue Q, Monty Python’s Spamalot, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Legally Blonde, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Drowsy Chaperone, Curtains, The Book of Mormon, Kinky Boots, A Christmas Story, A Gentlemen’s Guide to Love And Murder, ELF, Something Rotten, The Prom, Beetlejuice, and the upcoming Mrs. Doubtfire.

The most recent major innovation in musicals are shows that are often called “Jukebox Musicals”. This new kind of musical emerged at the dawn of the 21st Century and has become enormously popular and somewhat controversial.

What exactly is a “Jukebox Musical”? My definition is that they are musicals that tell their story using a collection of previously existing songs rather than songs that were written specifically for the show. Most often these are pop songs that were not originally conceived for the theater.

There are really two different kinds of jukebox musicals: biographical musical that dramatizes the life and times of a legendary performer, songwriter, group, or band and is built around the music and lyrics they created and/or made famous. - and shows like Mamma Mia! that employ pre-existing hit songs to tell new, original stories.

Finally, that brings us to the “Musical Play”. This durable form is still going strong!

The first hit “musical play” of the 21st Century was Wicked. With music & lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, and a book by Winnie Holtsman, this musical is adapted from Gregory Maguire’s best-selling 1995 novel titled Wicked: The Life And Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. So far, Wicked has been playing 17 years on Broadway and is the 5th longest running show of all time.

Wicked has been followed by a string of vibrant, popular and acclaimed musical plays that do not shy away from tackling important and provocative subject matter. These include The Color Purple, Spring Awakening, The Light In The Piazza, Grey Gardens, In The Heights, Billy Elliott, Next To Normal, Memphis, Once, Fun Home, Hamilton, Waitress, Dear Evan Hanson, Come From Away, The Great Comet, The Band’s Visit and Hadestown.

Not one of them is a conventional love story. Seven of them deal with issues racial equity, social justice and inclusion. Four of them deal with mental health issues. Six of them include queer leading characters. Almost all of them focus on transgressive women who reject and break the rules of society. And almost all deal with the challenges of forming and maintaining a community.

And these three themes – Racial and social justice, Transgressive women and community -- dominate the 21st century musical comedies as well. None of this should be a surprise because -- as we will discover on the next episode of Broadway Nation -- these have been the primary and most prevalent themes of the Broadway musical throughout its history. One of these 3 themes are at the center of almost every musical, and they are what have made this art form so powerful, popular, and subversive.

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Episode 30: "Razzle Dazzle": The Broadway Musicals Of The 1990s, Part 2 Dec 02, 2020

In the second half of my interview with NY Post columnist Michael Riedel about his new book, Singular Sensation – The Triumph of Broadway we continue the story of the Broadway Musical as it moved from the final decade of the 20th Century into the new millennium. Last week’s episode ended with our discussion of the musical Crazy For You and the 1992 revival of Guys & Dolls, two productions that laid the seeds of what soon became a major trend on Broadway – the return of the Musical Comedy. Today we pick up with another herald of that development -- the stripped down, bare stage, modern dress revival of the Bob Fosse, Kander & Ebb musical CHICAGO that opened on Broadway in 1996 and – up until the shutdown – was still running 24 years later.

These three shows helped to spark a triumphant comeback for brand new musical comedies (which had been missing from Broadway for nearly 10 years) beginning with The Full Monty and Mel Brook’s The Producers.

Meanwhile another major development of the 90s was taking place – the rise of Disney on Broadway, and the unprecedented popularity of their unconventional, bold, risk taking production of The Lion King.

We close with a timely discussion of the tremendous challenges Broadway faced in the days, weeks and months following 9/11, and the roadmap that may or may not provide for the theater industry’s reopening and recovery as we move out of the pandemic over the next year.

Along the way you will hear insider stories about some of Broadway’s brightest lights – Nathan Lane, Mathew Broderick, David Yasbeck, Susan Stroman, Mel Brooks, Julie Taymor and more.

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Episode 29: "The Triumph Of Broadway": The Musicals Of The 1990s, part 1 - with special guest Michael Riedel Nov 25, 2020

I recently had a chance to interview NY Post columnist Michael Riedel about his new book, Singular Sensation, and that conversation proved to be the perfect vehicle to tell the story of the Broadway Musical during the final decade of the 20th Century. Michael not only had covered the events and personalities of this period first-hand in his newspaper columns during 1990s -- for the book he also reached out and interviewed more than 100 key people -- from Andrew Llyod Webber to Patti Lupone -- so that he could really flesh out the full story of this momentous time.

During the course of our conversation we cover the sudden demise of the British Invasion with Sunset Blvd., the return of the rock musical with RENT, and the return of the musical comedy with Crazy For You and the revival of Guys & Dolls.

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Episode 28: Cameron Mackintosh & The British Invasion of Broadway (or Sondheim vs the Poperetta) Nov 18, 2020

In this episode I explore what is often called “The British Invasion of Broadway” – a ten-year period during which it seemed that writers, directors, designers, producers and even performers from the UK had sailed in, taken over Broadway, and commandeered America’s signature art form – the Musical.

At the center of this revolution was trio of spectacular and bombastic “Mega Musicals” that dominated Broadway during the 1990s – Les Miserables, Phantom Of The Opera, and Miss Saigon. All of them were first produced on London’s West End before coming to Broadway, and they all went on to became worldwide sensations. Perhaps most unexpectedly, together they brought the Operetta back to Broadway. These “Poperettas” as they are appropriately called all have one other thing in common: producer Cameron Mackintosh.

There were still a few Americans that figured prominently during this period: Harold Prince, who directed Phantom Of The Opera, and Stephen Sondheim who, in great contrast to the bombastic “Brit Hits”, created a series of small-scale, artsy, concept musicals – Sunday In The Park With George, Into The Woods, and Passion – in collaboration with a new partner, director and playwright James Lapine. Finally, I profile the one American who achieved a measure of success through adopting the British Poperetta model – composer Frank Wlidhorn.

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Episode 27: Broadway Comes Out: Gay Liberation & The AIDS Crisis On Broadway - The Modern Era, part 6 Nov 11, 2020

The progressive and disruptive social movements of the 1960s and 70s had a huge impact on the Broadway Musical and were reflected back into the culture by them. These include the Civil Rights movement, Women’s Liberation, Black Power, and the Gay Liberation Movement.

The Stonewall Rebellion in 1969 brought gay issues into the mainstream and during the 1970s LGBTQ+ people would become “out, loud, and proud” in significant numbers.

Of course, it makes sense that this new visibility and feeling of liberation would be felt on Broadway where there had always been a large representation of queer people throughout the industry, including in positions of leadership. As a result queer characters and stories began appearing on Broadway -- especially in plays -- but also in a few musicals as well.

In this episode I explore the growing visibility of openly queer content on Broadway in musicals such as Hair, Coco, Applause, Seesaw, A Chorus Line, La Cage Aux Folles, and the works of William Finn.

I also recount the devastating effect that the AIDS Crisis had on Broadway during the 1980s and 90s when a whole generation of creative talent was eliminated or sidelined by the disease.

AIDS claimed the lives of hundreds of actors, singers, musicians, stage managers, production assistants, and designers -- as well as scores of dancers that had been trained by Bennett, Fosse, Champion, and Tune and might have one day become influential directors and choreographers themselves.

The devastation of AIDS opened the door to the “British Invasion” that would soon dominate Broadway.

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Episode 26: Harold Prince & the Concept Musical - The Modern Era of Broadway, part 5 Nov 04, 2020

In this episode I explore the history of what is called the “Concept Musical”, including its key creators: Harold Prince, Stephen Sondheim, Kander & Ebb, Bob Fosse, Michael Bennett and their game changing musicals Cabaret, Company, Follies, A Chorus Line, Chicago, Cats, and Dreamgirls.

The central figure in the emergence of the Concept Musical is Harold Prince. In a career that lasted more than 60 years, Prince produced and/or directed more than 40 Broadway shows, and in the process received 21 Tony awards more than any other single individual.

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Episode 25: The Black Musical Returns! - The Modern Era of Broadway, part 4. Oct 28, 2020

Over the last three episodes I charted the rise of the Rock Musical – from HAIR to EVITA, - as well as the very unlikely “Nostalgia Craze” that swept Broadway and America during the 1970’s.

1970s Broadway experienced another blast from the past with the return of the Black Musical. More than a dozen hit black musicals opened during the decade, and three of them won the Tony Award for BEST MUSICAL.

About half of these were new, original musical plays – mostly adaptations of popular plays or novels. All of them employed a combination of rhythm & blues, pop, rock, jazz and traditional Broadway style music to help tell their stories.

The other half were musical revues that showcased the classic songs of the great black songwriters of the 1920s, 30s and 40s. These shows represented a significant black wing of the ongoing Nostalgia Craze.

Please join me as I explore the musical plays PURLIE, RAISIN, and THE WIZ,; the gospel musicals DON’T BOTHER ME I CAN’T COPE, AND YOUR ARMS TOO SHORT TO BOX WITH GOD.; and the songbook revues BUBBLING BROWN SUGAR, AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’, EUBIE!, SOPHISTICATED LADIES, and BLACK AND BLUE.

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Episode 24: Crazy For Nostalgia - The Modern Era of Broadway, part 3 Oct 21, 2020

In this episode I continue my review of Broadway’s Nostalgia Craze of the 1970s and beyond.

Many of the musicals that emerged in the late 60s and very early 70s were also influenced by the incipient Nostalgia Craze, even if overall their shows were decidedly modern. HAIR, Jesus Christ Superstar, Godspell, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Applause all included musical sequences that recalled theVaudeville era and Silver Age of Broadway. So nostalgia was in the air, and then No, No, Nanette sent it into the stratosphere!

And all of this was before the nostalgia craze expanded to include the 1950s.

Almost exactly one year after the premiere of Nanette the musical Grease opened on Broadway. It became wildly popular and ran for eight years on Broadway passing Fiddler to become the longest running musical of all time until A Chorus Line passed it. And Grease’s enormous success set into motion a 1950s wing of the nostalgia craze by inspiring both the movie American Grafiiti (1973) and the TV show Happy Days (1974).

The success of Nanette led directly to a 1973 revival Irene, the smash hit musical that opened in 1919 and became the longest running musical of its day. And Grease led directly to Over Here !, the 1974 musical in which the director, choreographer and producers of Grease attempted to do for the 1940s, what their previous show had done for the 1950s. The two still living Andrews Sisters, Patty and Maxine, where enticed to star in Over Here!, and the Sherman Brothers, of Disney fame, provided a terrific set of brand new very authentic sounding Big Band era style songs for them to swing.

Broadway’s Nostalgia Craze continued with a hit 1975 revival of the Jerome Kern Princess Theater musical Very Good Eddie, then in 1979 both the 1928 Edie Cantor vehicle Whoopee! and the 1930’s style classic Burlesque show, Sugar Babies.

It was inevitable that the movie 42nd Street itself would be transformed into a Broadway stage musical in 1980. That same season there was the Marx Brothers inspired revusical A Day In Hollywood A Night In The Ukraine. 1983 brought ahit revival of Rodgers & Hart’s On Your Toes, and over the next decade there would be two Gershwin “revisals”, both of them so heavily reworked that they were given new titles: My One And Only in 1983, and Crazy For You in 1993. In between, came the Broadway debut of a 1937 London hit Me And My Girl in 1986.

I would even include the 1980 blockbuster Annie in this category. Although it was, of course, an entirely new musical it certainly played on nostalgia for the comic strip and radio show Little Orphan Annie from the Depression Era, and smartly used that to echo the recession of the 1970’s.

Some people would say that the Nostalgia Craze never ended, at least as far as Broadway is concerned. Although, revivals of popular musicals have been part of the Broadway mix throughout most of its 120+ year history, the success of No, No, Nanette and its successors created a pattern and expectation that in every season – there should be at least enough revivals to fill out a Tony Award “Best Revival” category. And you could say that the immense popularity of City Center’s Encore Series is an extension of the Nostalgia Craze, as well. I for one hope that we will never tire of rediscovering and reinventing the great musicals of the past.

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Episode 23: "Everything Old Is New Again": The Modern Era of Broadway, Part 2. Oct 14, 2020

In the last episode I outlined how a new wave of brash young songwriters swept aside the Golden Age and ushered in Broadway’s Modern Era with shows such as Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Godspell and Two Gentleman of Verona.

But surprisingly, in the midst of this ongoing triumph and ascendance of the Rock Musical, the biggest hit of 1971 was a revival of the Silver Age musical comedy, NO, NO, NANETTE. That’s right the Vincent Youmans musical that has introduced the songs “Tea For Two” and “I Want To Be Happy” way back in the Roaring 20s.

With a heavily retooled book, sparkling new orchestrations and arrangements, and a snazzy, art deco inspired set and costume design, this reincarnation of No, No, Nanette was billed as “the new 1925 musical”. And it became a smash hit, running for 861 performances, and winning 4 Tony Awards for Choreography, Costume Design, and for two of its stars Helen Gallagher, and another vintage movie star, comedian Patsy Kelly. And, after years of it being almost entirely absent from Broadway -- Nanette brought tap dancing back into fashion in a major way.

Most significantly, Nanette fanned a mania for everything and anything that recalled the music, style, and glamour of the 20s, 30s and 40s. The press dubbed this mania “The Nostalgia Craze” as it quickly spread into every aspect of American life.

In this episode Albert Evans and I explore the origins of Broadway’s “Nostalgia Craze of the 1970s” -- where it came from, and what artistic, social and cultural forces came together to spark this unlikely phenomenon. We look at its roots in the counterculture youth rebellion of the 1960’s, the rediscovery of classic films from the 1930s and 40s on television, and in the popularization of gay camp culture via the off-off Broadway mega hit DAMES AT SEA. All of this would lead to the triumphant 1971 Broadway revival of NO, NO, NANETTE, which was billed as “the new 1925 musical”.

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Episode 22: "Let The Sun Shine In" -- The Modern Era Of Broadway, Part 1 Oct 07, 2020

Although nobody knew it at the time, in April of 1968 “The Golden Age of Broadway” came to an abrupt end on the opening night of the “tribal rock musical” HAIR, which took America by storm and created a shocking jump cut into what I call “The Modern Era" of the Broadway Musical. In this episode I share the story of the emergence and rise of the so called “Rock Musical”.

To many HAIR, and the "Rock Musical", seemed like a total betrayal of the values, craftsmanship and traditions of Broadway. However, I see it, and the other new forms of musicals that rose to the forefront in The Modern Era, as just part of the inevitable ongoing evolution of a form that had always closely reflected what was going on in American culture.

In the immediate wake of HAIR there were many shows that tried to emulate its triumph -- but only three found real success: Jesus Christ Superstar, Godspell, and Two Gentlemen of Verona. Later, the success of Godspell would lead directly to PIPPIN, and the success of Superstar led to Webber & Rice’s 1979 blockbuster EVITA, and the expansion and of their early musical Joseph And His Technicolor Dreamcoat.

The term “Rock Musical” is something of a misnomer. Rock music, in is purest form, actually does not lend itself very well to musical theater storytelling. It’s musical, rhythmic, and lyric forms are much too limited and repetitive. The most successful “Rock Musicals” – from HAIR to RENT -- would more actually be called “rock flavored” musicals that employ a variety of rock, pop, R&B, folk, and latin styles mixed with traditional forms of songwriting.

Over the coming years both Stephen Schwartz and Andrew Lloyd-Webber would move further and further away from Rock and do what Broadway composers had always done – combine the pop music of their day with an eclectic mix of musicals styles that best suited the story and characters they were dramatizing.

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Episode 21: Jerry Herman & The Golden Age of Broadway, part 3. Sep 30, 2020

As the 1950’s came to a close, Broadway Musicals were at the very center of American culture.

Then in 1960, as if on cue, two immensely popular shows – The Fantasticks, and Bye, Bye Birdie – kick off the decade by foreshadowing several major changes in American culture that will dramatically affect the Broadway Musical, and by the end of the decade, leave its very future in doubt.

The brilliant creators profiled in this episode include Schmidt & Jones, Strouse & Adams, Michael Stewart, Gower Champion, Jerry Herman, and Bock & Harnick.

As well as the string of classic musicals that bring the “Golden Age Of Broadway” to its climax – Oliver!; Stop The World I Want To Get Off; The Roar Of The Greasepaint And The Smell Of The Crowd, Man Of La Mancha; Fiddler On The Roof, and what I call the "Big Transgressive Lady" Shows – Hello, Dolly!, Sweet Charity, and Mame.

If you enjoy BROADWAY NATION please follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts!

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Episode 20: GYPSY vs. THE SOUND OF MUSIC & The Golden Age Of Broadway Sep 23, 2020

The 1950s were crowned by four legendary musicals that went head to head for the “Best Musical” prize at the TONY Awards. In the last episode we looked at the 1958 contest of West Side Story vs. The Music Man,. In this episode I focus on the 1959–1960 which brought us Gypsy vs. The Sound Of Music. And you could subtitle this episode Ethel Merman vs. Mary Martin!

Spoiler alert: There was a tie for the Best Musical Tony Award that season, but if you don’t already know the story, it probably didn’t end up the way you think it would have. As with the previous pair, there are still Broadway mavens that remain outraged over which show won, and which musical was in their view unjustly denied its rightful award!

And in addition to Merman and Martin, the giants of Broadway that are figure significantly in this episode include: David Merrick, Leland Hayward,, July Styne, Stephen Sondheim, Arthur Laurents, Jerome Robbins, Joe Layton and, of course, Rodgers & Hammerstein,

WARNING:: There are a few historically correct curse words used in this episode. You know how theater people are!

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Episode 19: West Side Story vs. The Music Man & The Golden Age of Broadway Sep 16, 2020

Every Broadway theater season during the 1950’s gave us at least one great, classic Golden Age musical – and a number of seasons produced several.

The decade was crowned by four legendary musicals that went head to head for the “Best Musical” prize at the TONY Awards. During the 1957–1958 season it was West Side Story vs. The Music Man, and 1959–1960 brought us Gypsy vs. The Sound Of Music. Of course, there are still Broadway aficionados that remain upset over which shows won, and which musicals were “robbed” of the award!

In this episode, Albert Evans and I take an in-depth look at that first pairing: West Side Story vs. The Music Man. We explore the conception, development and storied history of these legendary shows, and look “under the hood” to discover just what it is that makes them so great. We also profile their illustrious creators: Leonard Bernstein, Jerome Robbins, Arthur Laurents, Stephen Sondheim, Meredith Wilson and more.

Perhaps most interestingly, we look past their seemingly very different surfaces to discover that they actually have a great deal in common! And after you listen, let me know which show you think truly deserved the TONY.

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Episode 18: Patricia Zipprodt & The Women That Invented Broadway Sep 09, 2020

This is the second part of my discussion with Tony Award winning Costume Designer Ann Hould-Ward in which we trace the legacy chain of Broadway costume design expertise that was handed down directly over a 100 year period from Aileen Bernstein to Irene Sharriff to Patricia Zipprott to Ann Hould-Ward, herself. If you missed the previous episode you may want to listen to that first. During our discussion was also touch on the careers of the legendary designers Florence Klotz, Ann Roth, Willa Kim, and Theaoni Aldredge. All in all, these amazing women designed more than 500 Broadway plays and musicals!

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Episode 17: Irene Sharaff And The Women That Invented Broadway Sep 02, 2020

Irene Sharraff is the legendary Broadway costume designer whose incredible 56 year career spanned from 1933 to 1989. She designed the costumes for more than 52 Broadway musicals including As Thousands Cheer, Jubilee, On Your Toes, The Boys From Syracuse, Lady In The Dark, The King And I, West Side Story, Flower Drum Song, Funny Girl, Sweet Charity, and Jerome Robbins Broadway. She was nominated for six Tony Awards and won the Tony for The King And I, and she recieved five Academy Awards for her designs for the now classic films An American In Paris, The King And I, West Side Story, Cleopatra, and Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf.

One of the main threads of this podcast is how the arts and crafts of the Broadway Musical have been handed down directly from one practitioner to the next, generation to generation.

Irene Sharaff is at the center of a succession of dynamic women that goes back more than 100 years to the earliest days of the Broadway Musical, and continues right up to today. All of these women were mentored by one or more of the great female designers that came before them, all of them became Tony Award winning star designers in their own right, and all of have passed on the art and craft of theatrical costume design to the next generation.

In this episode I trace the legacy chain of Broadway costume design that was handed down from Aileen Bernstein to Irene Sharaff to Patricia Zipprott to Ann Hould-Ward. I recently had the pleasure of discussing all this with Ann Hould-Ward herself.

Ann Hould-Ward is the Tony Award winning costume designer whose work includes the original Broadway productions of Beauty And The Beast, Into The Woods, Sunday In The Park With George, Falsettos, and the revival of The Color Purple.

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Episode 16: Jule Styne, Frank Loesser & The Golden Age of Broadway, Part 2 Aug 26, 2020

The Golden Age of Broadway’s new revolutionary way of writing musicals did not just apply to musical plays like those of Rodgers & Hammerstein and Lerner & Loewe – it also transformed the Musical Comedy. These shows too would now need to have well-structured plots, and three dimensional, captivating characters. Two unlikely “Silver Age” songwriters would pioneer this new development – Irving Berlin and Cole Porter.

In this episode I share the stories of how their success with Annie Get Your Gun and Kiss Me Kate inspired a new generation of writers, directors, choreographers, stars and producers including Jule Styne, Frank Loessor, Adler & Ross, Jerome Robbins, Bob Fosse, Gwen Verdon and Michael Kidd to bring the Musical Comedy to new heights!

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Episode 15: Trude Rittman & The Women That Invented Broadway Aug 19, 2020

You may not know the name, Trude Rittman, but you have certainly heard her music. During the "Golden Age of Broadway" (and beyond) she composed music for 33 Broadway musicals including Carousel, Brigadoon, South Pacific, Fininan’s Rainbow, The King and I, My Fair Lady, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Peter Pan, The Sound of Music, and Camelot. In this episode Albert Evans and I tell the story of one of the least known, but most significant, women that invented the musical.

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Episode 14: Lerner & Loewe and the "Golden Age of Broadway", Part 1 Aug 12, 2020

Over the last few episodes we explored how Oklahoma! and Carousel created a groundbreaking disruption that changed the Broadway Musical forever, and ushered in the “Golden Age of Broadway” -- which in my estimation began on the opening night of Carousel and extended through the 1960’s. However, not all of the credit for can be given to Hammerstein and Rodgers for inspiring this revolution.

In this episode I will explore two other musicals that led to this Golden Age -- Lady In The Dark and On The Town. And I highlight the career of Lerner & Loewe, the first major team to follow in Rodgers & Hammerstein’s footsteps, and rival their achievements with their musicals Brigadoon, My Fair Lady, and Camelot!

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Episode 13: How "The Bench Scene" Changed Broadway Aug 05, 2020

Stephen Sondheim considers "The Bench Scene" in Rodgers & Hammerstein's CAROUSEL to be “the singular most important moment in the evolution of contemporary musicals.” In this episode the amazing Albert Evans takes us inside the music with a fascinating, in-depth look at this landmark musical sequence, and explains how and why it was such a crucial and important development in the invention of the Broadway Musical. The Bench Scene's innovations would go on to inspire nearly every musical theater writer, from Golden Age right up to today, and its influence can clearly be seen in the shows such as West Side Story, Gypsy, Sweeney Todd, Ragtime, Les Miserable, Hadestown, and Hamilton -- to name only a few.

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Episode 12: The Harbach, Hammerstein, Sondheim, Miranda Connection, Part 2 Jul 29, 2020

In this episode Albert Evans and I continue our exploration of the amazing "legacy chain" during which the art and craft of writing Broadway Musicals was handed down directly from Otto Harbach to Oscar Hammerstein to Stephen Sondheim to Lin-Manwell Miranda. The shows of these four great artists encompass nearly the entire 125 year history of the Musical and demonstrate how the Musical evolved from "Silver Age" to "Golden Age" to the "Modern Era", and right up to HAMILTON today.

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Episode 11: The Harbach, Hammerstein, Sondheim, Miranda Connection, Part 1. Jul 22, 2020

The art and a craft of creating Broadway Musicals has been passed down directly from one artist to the next, generation to generation, for more than 125 years. We can literally trace the first-hand connections between composers, lyricists, bookwriters, directors, producers and performers from the earliest days of the musical right up to those working on Broadway today.

In this episode and the next Albert Evans and I explore one of the most significant examples of this kind of "legacy chain" -- the knowledge, understanding, and skills that were handed down directly from Otto Harbach to Oscar Hammerstein to Stephen Sondheim to Lin-Manwell Miranda. Listen to the story of how the Musical evolved from "Silver Age" to "Golden Age" and right up to HAMILTON today.

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Episode 10: Dietz & Schwartz And The Silver Age of Broadway, Part 2 Jul 15, 2020

During the 1930s Broadway was severely impacted by the economic disaster of the "Great Depression". However, somehow out of all that hardship and struggle came an extraordinary period of artistic achievement and spectacular continuing development for the Broadway Musical. The inventors of these shows included several new and defining masters of the musical, as well as many of the bright lights of the 1920’s, who now achieved their full wattage in the 1930’s. Among these were Dietz & Schwartz., Lindsay & Crouse, Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hart, The Gershwins, and George "Mr" Abbott.

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Episode 9: George Gershwin & "The Silver Age" of Broadway! Jul 08, 2020

Most historians have labeled the entire period from the 1920’s through the 1960’s, “The Golden Age of Broadway”, but I find it much more useful to call the era that spans from the end of WWI to the opening of Carousel in 1945, “The Silver Age of Broadway”. During this vibrant time more than 300 musical comedies, operettas, and revues opened on Broadway, and overwhelmingly they were the creation of a second wave of Jewish, Irish, African-American, and Queer men and women. In this episode I focus on the the 1920’s – “The Jazz Age” – and the contributions of George & Ira Gershwin; Rudolf Friml; Rodgers & Hart; Vincent Youmans & Irving Ceasar; DeSylva, Brown & Henderson and more!

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Episode 8: Agnes DeMille & The Women That Invented Broadway Jun 24, 2020

Women have played a much more significant role in the history of the Broadway Musical than they are generally given credit for. In this episode I share the often overlooked stories of Broadway's groundbreaking female choreographers including Aida Overton Walker, Gertrude Hoffman, Albertina Rauch, Hanya Holm,, Onna White, and especially Agnes DeMille who may be the most important woman in the history of the Musical. I also profile the women who direct and choreograph during the modern era, and the two queer women that basically invented the art and craft of Broadway lighting design: Jean Rosenthal & Tharon Musser. Special thanks to Alan Fitzpatrick for his vocal acting contributions.

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Episode 7: Dorothy Fields & The Women That Invented Broadway Jun 20, 2020

Women have had a much more significant impact on the Broadway Musical than has generally been reported or acknowledged. In fact, talented, dynamic women have been a major force in the creation and development of the American musical theater from the very beginning and right up to today.

In this episode my special guest Albert Evans and I will share the often overlooked stories of songwriters and bookwriters Rida Johnson Young, Dorothy Donnelly, Nora Bays, Ann Ronell, Kay Swift, Betty Comden, Bella Spewack, Mary Rodgers, Carolyn Leigh, and especially Dorothy Fields, whose amazing 50-year career stretched from the vaudeville era to the age of rock!

Special thanks to Billie Wildrick for her voice acting contributions.

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Episode 6: Lorenz Hart & The Queers That Invented Broadway! Jun 13, 2020

To a great extent the Broadway Musical has been a queer creation -- and for more than 125 years the musical theater world has been filled with brilliant and creative LGBTQ people, including many in the highest positions of power and influence. In this episode David Armstrong shares the fascinating stories Broadway's defining queer choreographers Robert Alton & Jack Cole, the legendary gay songwriters Noel Coward and Larry Hart, directors Monty Wooley and Moss Hart, and prolific bookwriter Herbert Fields, who is without doubt one of the most significant and least known inventors of the Broadway Musical!

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Episode 5: Cole Porter & The Queers That Invented Broadway Jun 06, 2020

From its earliest days, the Broadway Musical has to a very large degree, been a Queer creation. In this episode David Armstrong shares the fascinating stories of early queer producing and life partners Charles Frohman and Charles Dillingham; the first great gay director Hassard Short; drag superstars Julian Eltinge & Bert Savoy; the "Pansy Craze"; and the delightful, delicious and delovely Cole Porter!

Special thanks to Billie Wildrick and David Sabella for their vocal contributions.

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Episode 4: Eubie Blake & The African-Americans That Invented Broadway May 30, 2020

The 1920's brought the second great era of musicals that were written by, staged by, and starring African-American theater artists to Broadway. In this episode I profile these brilliant creators and stars including Eubie Blake & Noble Sissle, Flournoy Miller & Aurbry Lyles, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, and their musicals -- "Shuffle Along", "Runnin' Wild", "Blackbirds of 1929", "Hot Chocolates" and more. It also includes a brief history of that great African-American/Irish-American co-creation -- Tap Dancing.

And featuring music by The Paragon Ragtime Orchestra -- for more music from this era check out their terrific "Black Manhattan" series of recordings.

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Episode 3 - Bob Cole & The African-Americans That Invented Broadway May 23, 2020

African-American theater artists played a much larger role in the creation of the Broadway Musical than is generally acknowledged -- including an entire decade of nearly forgotten hit shows and songs! In this episode we will rediscover the early history of Black Broadway, and the amazingly multi-talented men and women whose legacy still inspires Broadway today,

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Episode 2 - Irving Berlin & The Immigrants That Invented Broadway May 16, 2020

In this episode David Armstrong and special quest Albert Evans continue the amazing story of how Jewish, Irish and other immigrants invented the Broadway Musical -- including the immortal contributions of Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, McCarthy & Tierney, Eddie Cantor, Fanny Brice,, and Florenz Ziegfeld.

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Episode 1 - George M. Cohan & The Immigrants That Invented Broadway Apr 29, 2020

In this episode, host David Armstrong, along with special guest, Albert Evans, begin to tell the amazing story of how Immigrants, Jews, Queers, and African-Americans invented America's signature art form -- the Broadway Musical.

The Broadway Musical was born around the turn of the last century and it emerged out of what we used to call “the melting pot” – that simmering confluence of cultures and races that were packed into the teeming tenement neighborhoods of New York City. To an enormous extent the Musical can be called an “Immigrant art form” – it certainly was originated almost entirely by men and women from outside of the mainstream of society.” What they created was something totally new. A popular, democratic kind of music-theater that -- like most great American inventions -- was inspired by both a strong desire to express oneself, and a strong necessity to put food on the table. The concept of “the melting pot” has lost favor with some historians, but it remains a very apt description of how various multi-cultural artistic traditions blended together to create the American musical.

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