For over fifty years, the big, belt voice of Karen Morrow has been filling theatres and TV screens. While audiences across America will fondly remember her numerous appearances on The Merv Griffin Show, it is her live appearances on Broadway, blasting the roof of numerous theatres, that epitomize Karen Morrow. Joining Rob & Kevin via phone, Karen reminisces on how she became known as 'the flop queen', what it was like to share the spotlight with Buddy Hackett, and how she counted Ethel Merman among her biggest fans.
You would be hard pressed to find someone who loves the theatre more than Peter Filichia. For years, Peter's observations on musical theatre have inspired countless actors, directors, and writers to start a career in show business. Now, Peter talks to Rob and Kevin, his two biggest fans, about the importance of arts education, for whom a critic should be crafting their reviews, and why he still loves the theatre. Plus, memories of Senator Joe, The Wiz, and My Fair Lady!
My Name is Asher Lev, adapted by Aaron Posner from the novel by Chaim Potok, follows the journey of a young painter torn between his Hassidic upbringing and his desperate need to fulfill his artistic promise. When his artistic genius threatens to destroy his relationship with his parents and community, young Asher realizes he must make a difficult choice between art and faith. Aaron Posner's stirring adaptation of a modern classic presented by Palisades Players SummerStage and a professional cast, made up entirely of Actors Equity members, present a heartbreaking and triumphant vision of what it means to be an artist in a world dominated by faith and tradition.
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: Great writers. Great director. Great actors. Where did they go wrong?
For over fifty years, the beautiful voice of Carol Lawrence has filled our hearts. No one will capture the love, yearning, and heart break of Maria, the doomed heroine in WEST SIDE STORY, better than the actress who originated the role: Carol Lawrence. Joining Rob and Kevin from her home in California, Carol talks about the power of WEST SIDE STORY, what it was like working with Jerome Robbins, and how the theatre still has the power to heal all souls!
Bruce Yeko is one of the most fascinating men in show business. If it wasn't for Bruce we wouldn't have the original cast recordings of such musicals as THE BAKER'S WIFE, IN TROUSERS, PRETTYBELLE, and countless other musicals that no commercial record company would have produced. Selling off his massive baseball card collection, Bruce used those funds to produce over 300 cast recordings, earning him a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.
In his 78 years of entertaining, Lawrence Merritt has truly seen it all. From dancing on Broadway in GOLDEN RAINBOW and PIPPIN, to modeling for the greatest magazines, to being an underwater dancer in Paris, Lawrence is not short on amazing stories.
My Name is Asher Lev, adapted by Aaron Posner from the novel by Chaim Potok, follows the journey of a young painter torn between his Hassidic upbringing and his desperate need to fulfill his artistic promise. When his artistic genius threatens to destroy his relationship with his parents and community, young Asher realizes he must make a difficult choice between art and faith. Aaron Posner's stirring adaptation of a modern classic presented by Palisades Players SummerStage and a professional cast, made up entirely of Actors Equity members, present a heartbreaking and triumphant vision of what it means to be an artist in a world dominated by faith and tradition.
Every week director Robert W Schneider and actor Kevin David Thomas pull back the curtain on neglected, forgotten, and underappreciated musicals, as well as bizarre performances, endearing television appearances, and all things show business. This Week: James Lipton writes a musical & Kevin extols the virtues of having three names!
Every week director Robert W Schneider and actor Kevin David Thomas pull back the curtain on neglected, forgotten, and underappreciated musicals, as well as bizarre performances, endearing television appearances, and all things show business. This Week: Rob and Kevin go to two very different churches!
Every week director Robert W Schneider and actor Kevin David Thomas pull back the curtain on neglected, forgotten, and underappreciated musicals, as well as bizarre performances, endearing television appearances, and all things show business. This Week: The grandfather of Broadway choreography and a look into the songs lost on the road to Broadway!
Orchestrator Larry Moore has been praised by the New York Daily News as 'one of the most ingenious practitioners in his profession,' and you'll find no argument in that statement once you hear Larry's fascinating story. Stopping by to pull back the curtain on the role of an orchestrator, Larry tells Rob and Kevin what it was like orchestrating such musical series favorites as 'Unsung Musicals' and 'Lost in Boston,' which recording is the greatest cast album of all time, and how he got Stephen Sondheim his Pulitzer Prize!
Every week director Robert W Schneider and actor Kevin David Thomas pull back the curtain on neglected, forgotten, and underappreciated musicals, as well as bizarre performances, endearing television appearances, and all things show business. This Week: June is bustin' out all over and the birds are flying down to Rio!
Audiences across America remember Nancy Dussault as Ted Knight's wife in TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT, Alan Arkin's wife in THE IN-LAWS, and as the original host of GOOD MORNING AMERICA. But before Nancy became a television and movie legend, she was heralded for her Broadway performances in DO-RE-MI, BAJOUR, and countless others!
Every week director Robert W Schneider and actor Kevin David Thomas pull back the curtain on neglected, forgotten, and underappreciated musicals, as well as bizarre performances, endearing television appearances, and all things show business. This Week: FLOYD COLLINS gets stuck in a cave and Ethel Merman gets stuck in a sitcom!
There are three types of musical theatre lovers: Fan, Obsessed, and Stephen Cole. Stephen, who has had a wonderfully varied career as a lyricist and librettist, invited Rob & Kevin over to the musical theatre mecca he calls his apartment to talk about the craft of writing, meeting Merman, and how social media sites, like Facebook's Forgotten Musicals page, is uniting musical theatre fans from across the globe!
Every week director Robert W Schneider and actor Kevin David Thomas pull back the curtain on neglected, forgotten, and underappreciated musicals, as well as bizarre performances, endearing television appearances, and all things show business. This week Behind the Curtain celebrates two great comediennes of the American Musical Theatre, Dorothy Loudon and JUNO!
George Lee Andrews holds the Guinness Book of World Records for the most performances in the same Broadway show, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. But, before he won that honor, he was Broadway's go-to character actor appearing in A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, STARTING HERE, and ON THE 20TH CENTURY.
Every week director Robert W Schneider and actor Kevin David Thomas pull back the curtain on neglected, forgotten, and underappreciated musicals, as well as bizarre performances, endearing television appearances, and all things show business. This week, they discuss the joys of intimate musicals, including 'They're Playing Our Song' and 'Spitfire Grill.'
Sweeney Todd. Frederik Egerman. Bill Samson. All of these roles, plus many others, were first brought to life by Tony Award winner Len Cariou. Sweeney Todd. Frederik Egerman. Bill Samson. All of these roles, plus many others, were first brought to life by Tony Award winner Len Cariou. Len dropped by Shetler Studios to share memories of his incredible career, including tackling Shakespeare, Sondheim, and everything in between.
