BROADWAY NATION

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

Show notes

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.

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

Show notes

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!”

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ROBERT BRAUN

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Special thanks to our newest PATRONS:

Ruth Oberg

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and

Kelly Allen

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

Show notes

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

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

Show notes

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!

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GARY FULLER & RANDY EVERETT.

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

Show notes

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.

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

Show notes

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.

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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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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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