Behind the Curtain - Page 10

Listening devices, Mrs. Lovett vs. Joanne, the role of the prompter, the top ten most produced high school plays and musicals, the soothing voices of NPR, a book that foretold the podcast, and Rob and Kevin debate the greatest musical episodes!

One of Broadway's greatest leading men, Ron Husmann, joins Rob and Kevin in a telephone discussion about his incredible Broadway career that started with FIORELLO and was a whirlwind of big shows, big stars, and big hurdles.

This Week: Kevin passes the football, Rob is confused by the meaning of NFL, celebrating the all-black revival of GUYS AND DOLLS, who wanted to be Broadway's second PHANTOM, and Peter Filichia ranks the greatest musical theatre moments in history.

If you are in the musical theatre business, chances are you have thanked heaven for the brilliance of Michael Lavine. While any one of us could easily go and pick up the scores to MY FAIR LADY, CAROUSEL, DEAR EVAN HANSEN, or HAMILTON, what do we do when we need a song cut from one of those shows? Or, the whole score of a musical that closed on opening night? What if we want to see the cut songs from OKLAHOMA? We go to Michae Lavine, who owns one of the world's largest private collections of musical theatre music.

This Week: Merrily We Roll Along, a secret YouTube clip, a magazine from the past, celebrating the orchestrator, and there WILL be trumpets! Every week director Robert W Schneider and actor Kevin David Thomas pull back the curtain on neglected, forgotten, and under appreciated musicals, as well as bizarre performances, endearing television appearances, and all things show business.

Thanking the Sound Gods, onstage mistakes, the Holy Grail of Broadway impressions is found within Robbie Rozzelle, Gwen Verdon wants to go to the movies, the joys of a second whorehouse, Tommy Tune does double duty, praising the poster, Lincoln Center's greatest weapon, and much more!

This Week: Mourning Thomas Meehan, celebrating the great bookwriters of yesterday and today, Michael Jackson wants to be David Merrick, Larry Hart meets Larry Hart, Diane Sawyer snoops around Smile, Ariel wants to go to Disneyland, and the puzzlement of the 1986-1987 Broadway season. 

THE SECRET GARDEN. LITTLE WOMEN. VIOLET. The revivals of SWEENEY TODD and THE SOUND OF MUSIC. All that, and much more, were directed by Susan H. Schulman, one of the very first female directors of musical theatre. At a time when women were rejected from Yale's graduate directing program and told to become actresses not directors, Susan triumphed in New York, and abroad!

Praising the bible of Musical Theatre geekdom, Where in the World is Ken Mandelbaum, the Beckettian podcast from last week, praising Yma Sumac (or, Amy Camus), what would go in a 'Not Since Carrie 2, and more!

One of Broadway's most acclaimed designers, Clint Ramos, joins Rob and Kevin, via phone, to discuss his illustrious career, which includes collaborating on such recent productions as SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, IN TRANSIT, ECLIPSED, VIOLET, SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION, KID VICTORY, and countless others.

Every week director Robert W Schneider and actor Kevin David Thomas pull back the curtain on neglected, forgotten, and under appreciated musicals, as well as bizarre performances, endearing television appearances, and all things show business. This Week: Celebrating Barbara Cook.

Yes, mama, there's a rainbow but stop looking at it long enough to listen to Tony nominated composer Larry Grossman discuss what it was like not only working on MINNIE'S BOYS, GOODTIME CHARLEY, GRIND, A DOLL'S LIFE, and SNOOPY, but to discuss what it was like working with Bing Crosby, David Bowie, Michael Jackson, and the Muppets! 

One of Broadway's funniest guys, John Bolton, sits down with Rob and Kevin to discuss his incredibly wild and varied career. From DAMN YANKEES to CONTACT, SPAMALOT to A CHRISTMAS STORY, to this year's smash hit, Anastasia, John looks back on it all and offers us a glimpse into what it is like being a contemporary character actor.

This Week: Singing Sunday, praising Broadway Briefing, the fight for Casting Directors, Kevin has a kiki with the Giants, Jason Robert Brown's odd writing spaces, putting a twist on a Gershwin classic, Fred Ebb teaches Liza how to sell a song, and the bitterness of 'How Much Is That Doggie In The Window?'

Put on your plaid jacket because original FOREVER PLAID cast member, Jason Graae, is sitting down with Rob and Kevin to talk about his career in theatre, cabaret, and the land of voice over. Jason's numerous credits include over 45 recordings, the original casts of DO BLACK PATENT LEATHER SHOES REALLY REFLECT UP?, STARDUST, AND A GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING, and, a personal favorite, the voice of the Lucky Charms leprechaun!

The return of Freddie Martinez, Kevin's strange obsession Rob's shower playlist, Kevin abuses the word 'kiki,' the correct way to listen to a cast recording is debated, Kevin is attacked by a Fantastick mosquito, Bert from Mary Poppins becomes a theatre cat, Rob celebrates being a Quilter, Carol Channing is The King of Siam, Rob breaks out a Yul Brenner & Rob & Kevin have dueling Channings, plus the beat boxing of John Bucchino and Friends.

This is the moment because Broadway's very own Dr. Jekyll AND Mr. Hyde, Robert Cuccioli, sits down with Rob & Kevin to look back on his career as both an actor and a director. Robert discusses such projects as AND THE WORLD GOES ROUND, ROTHSCHILD & SONS, LES MISERABLES, plus his unyielding love of Shakespeare.

Broadway bitmojis, Rob tries out a new impression, the great MADWOMAN OF CENTRAL PARK WEST debate of 2017, ATTACK OF THE ELVIS IMPERSONATORS, Jim Brochu in ZERO HOUR, which episodes of THE GOLDEN GIRLS make Rob & Kevin reach for the hanky, Bea Arthur shows shade at Jerry Herman, Rob sings a theme song, The Public Theatre controversy, has America created its own blacklist, Don Quixote sings about the wind, and a Robert Viagas book that reflects our ideas of collaboration.

Imagine growing up in a world where your neighbors were Tennessee Williams, The Marx Brothers, Alan Jay Lerner, Noel Coward, Arthur Miller, and scores of others. For Michael Colby, he did grow up in such a world because his grandparents owned New York's famous Algonquin Hotel. Now, Michael swings by Shetler to discuss with Rob and Kevin his enviable life as a real life Eloise of The Plaza.

Every week director Robert W Schneider and actor Kevin David Thomas pull back the curtain on neglected, forgotten, and under appreciated musicals, as well as bizarre performances, endearing television appearances, and all things show business. This Week: Rob & Kevin discuss their summer plans, Kevin finds his DOONESBURY, haggling with record stores, HELLO MUDDAH, HELLO ALLAN SHERMAN, and a forgotten musical makes a return after 40 years!