I was very lucky to have the chance to chat with Kurt Peterson who produced Sondheim: A Musical Tribute and was in the original Broadway cast of Follies (1971). Kurt spills some tea on how the first Sondheim tribute came together, talks about his plans for the upcoming 50th anniversary, and what it was like to be in Follies before it was considered a classic of American musical theatre. You can learn more about Kurt and his work at his website: James Williams Productions Dot Com.
Have you checked out our PATREON? You haven't? Then how are you going to listen to our patrons-only podcast The Original Cast at the Movies? April's episode has perennial favorites Kari Ginsburg (Gypsy, et al.) and Roddy Flynn (Anyone Can Whistle, et al.) talking Yentl (1983), Barbara Streisand's epic story about a woman pretending to be a man so she can study the Talmud and sing alone in the woods with candles.
Get tickets for Tinker Bell by Patrick Flynn now playing at First Stage Milwaukee!!
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Some musicals have title songs and we cover a bunch: good, bad, and in-between.
Featured recordings: Hello, Dolly! - The Original Broadway Cast Recording (1984) • Mame - Original Broadway Cast (1966) • La Cage Aux Folles - Original Cast Recording (1983)
LIVE SHOW! Sunday, April 14, 12:00pm at the Flying V Awesome-a-Thon in Bethesda, MD! Our theme this time out is "Musicals Based on Comics!" Go to UnknownPenguin.com/Live for more information.
This episode was recorded at Broadway Records. Go to BroadwayRecords.com to view and shop from their extensive catalog of cast albums, solo albums, and live recordings.
Have you checked out our PATREON? You haven't? Then how are you going to listen to our patrons-only podcast The Original Cast at the Movies? March's episode has Logan Culwell-Block (Little Shop of Horrors 1982) and Kimberly Cooper Schmidt (The Light in the Piazza) talking about The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T (1953), Dr. Suess's movie for everyone who hated piano lessons.
Kimberly and Patrick start out talking about My Fair Lady at Lincoln Center and end up talking about Be More Chill by way of the time Patrick went to an Arctic Monkeys show and Matt Helders wore a Go-Pro.
LIVE SHOW! Sunday, April 14, 12:00pm at the Flying V Awesome-a-Thon in Bethesda, MD! Our theme this time out is "Musicals Based on Comics!" Go to UnknownPenguin.com/Live for more information.
Have you checked out our PATREON? You haven't? Then how are you going to listen to our patrons-only podcast The Original Cast at the Movies? March's episode has Logan Culwell-Block (Little Shop of Horrors 1982) and Kimberly Cooper Schmidt (The Light in the Piazza) talking about The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T (1953), Dr. Suess's movie for everyone who hated piano lessons.
Golden-age musicals are problematic. Even the ones you don't think are problematic are problematic.
Have you checked out our PATREON? You haven't? Then how are you going to listen to our patrons-only podcast The Original Cast at the Movies? February's episode features Lauren Halvorsen (The Wild Party) and Kenny Neal (Starlight Express) talking about Bugsy Malone (1976) which is like the Little Rascals doing GoodFellas to the Xanadu soundtrack.
Before it was a Flaherty/Ahrens/McNally musical, Ragtime was a Miloš Forman movie.
And before that, it was a novel by E.L. Doctorow.
And before that, some of the characters were real people.
And before that, some of those real people were real babies.
We don't go back that far.
Featured recordings: Ragtime - Original Broadway Cast Recording (1997)
Have you checked out our PATREON? You haven't? Then how are you going to listen to our patrons-only podcast The Original Cast at the Movies? February's episode features Lauren Halvorsen (The Wild Party) and Kenny Neal (Starlight Express) talking about Bugsy Malone (1976) which is like the Little Rascals doing GoodFellas to the Xanadu soundtrack.
Patrick is a guest this week on the wonderful Broadway Baby Podcast talking about Chess (shocker). Here's a snippet of the episode to whet your appetite.
The full episode is available HERE.
Enjoy!
Have you checked out our PATREON? You haven't? Then how are you going to listen to our patrons-only podcast The Original Cast at the Movies? January's episode features Beth Amman (Wicked) and Don Mike Mendoza (Hot Mikado ; Do I Hear a Waltz? 1965) talking about the Disney/Rodgers & Hammerstein TV event starring Whitney Houston and Brandy: Cinderella (1997).
Did you know you could major in "Hope Theory?" Did you know "Hope Theory" was a thing? Patrick didn't.
Have you checked out our PATREON? You haven't? Then how are you going to listen to our patrons-only podcast The Original Cast at the Movies? January's episode features Beth Amman (Wicked) and Don Mike Mendoza (Hot Mikado / Do I Hear a Waltz? 1965) talking about the Disney/Rodgers & Hammerstein TV event starring Whitney Houston and Brandy: Cinderella (1997).
We were all in high school (some of you, statistically, still are), we all did theatre in high school (some of you, statistically, still do), we all had a tap solo sophomore year in Funny Girl that probably should've been cut but we can still do on command 23 years later . . . just me? We talk about all that.
Also parenting.
Have you checked out our PATREON? You haven't? Then how are you going to listen to our patrons-only podcast The Original Cast at the Movies? December's episode features Emma Jackson (Brigadoon 1990) and Farrell Parker (A Chorus Line 1975) talking about the holiday classic: White Christmas (1954).
Doug Wilder is an actor/director/filmmaker. During his episode about No Way to Treat a Lady, we talked about the idea of self-production and what a double-edged sword it can be.
Have you checked out our PATREON? You haven't? Then how are you going to listen to our patrons-only podcast The Original Cast at the Movies? November's episode features Peter Boyer (The Fantasticks 1960) and Jenny Male (Urinetown: The Musical) talking about the Marx Brothers' masterpiece: Duck Soup (1933).
Vaughn is the Artistic Director of the Santa Fe Playhouse. During his episode on the GroovyLily musical Striking 12, we discussed two other musicals he wrote/co-wrote: You or Whatever I Can Get and Disco Jesus and the Apostles of Funk, both of which debuted at the Capitol Fringe Festival here in D.C.
Featured recordings:
Striking 12 - The New GrooveLily Musical (2005)
Have you checked out our PATREON? You haven't? Then how are you going to listen to our patrons-only podcast The Original Cast at the Movies? November's episode features Peter Boyer (The Fantasticks - 1960) and Jenny Male (Urinetown: The Musical) talking about the Marx Brothers' masterpiece: Duck Soup (1933).
During pianist and music director Elisa Rosman's episode on Falsettos, we discussed what makes a song difficult and/or fun to play. We also cover what an audition is like from the point-of-view of that person at the piano to whom you just handed your sheet music.
Featured recordings: Falsettoland - Original Cast (1990) • Sunday in the Park with George - Original Cast Recording (1984) • The Light in the Piazza - Original Broadway Cast Recording (2005) • The Last Five Years - Original Cast Recording (2002) • My Fair Lady - Original Broadway Cast (1956) • Thoroughly Modern Millie - Original Broadway Cast Recording (2002)
Have you checked out our PATREON? You haven't? Then how are you going to listen to our patrons-only podcast The Original Cast at the Movies? November's episode features Peter Boyer (The Fantasticks - 1960) and Jenny Male (Urinetown: The Musical) talking about the Marx Brothers' masterpiece: Duck Soup (1933).
We bid adieu to Adventure Theatre MTC's production of Tinker Bell with Capt. Hook (Peter Boyer) returning in this excised conversation about Shakespeare and musicals. Which comes up a lot on this show.
Featured recordings:
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson - Original Cast Recording (2010)
Have you checked out our PATREON? You haven't? Then how are you going to listen to our patrons-only podcast The Original Cast at the Movies? August's episode features Harrison Smith and Bridget Grace Sheaff discussing the most glorious musical Gene Kelly ever appeared in: Xanadu (1980).
Tinker Bell (by Patrick Flynn) is now running at Adventure Theatre MTC. Throughout the run, all our episodes will be related to the production.
Tinker Bell herself is here for a new Intermission about playing more than one role in the same show.
Have you checked out our PATREON? You haven't? Then how are you going to listen to our patrons-only podcast The Original Cast at the Movies? August's episode features Harrison Smith and Bridget Grace Sheaff discussing the most glorious musical Gene Kelly ever appeared in: Xanadu (1980).
Tinker Bell (by Patrick Flynn) is now running at Adventure Theatre MTC. Throughout the run, all our episodes will be related to the production.
So here's a re-release of Michael & Patrick's detoured into one of Patrick’s pet peeves: bad lyricism. And it goes there.
Featured recordings:
Girl - Pharrell Williams (2014)
Feeling Strangely Fine - Semisonic (1998)
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not - Arctic Monkeys (2005)
Les Misérables - Original Broadway Cast Recording (1987)
The Lion King - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1994)
West Side Story - Original Broadway Cast (1957)
Have you checked out our PATREON? You haven't? Then how are you going to listen to our patrons-only podcast The Original Cast at the Movies? July's episode features Kenny Neal and Michelle Polera talking about The Beatles' first feature A Hard Day's Night (1964).
Tinker Bell (by Patrick Flynn) is now running at Adventure Theatre MTC. Throughout the run, all our episodes will be related to the production.
Brittany is production manager for Tinker Bell and in this cut conversation from her Next to Normal episode, she and Patrick discuss the enigma that is Alice Ripley.
Featured recordings:
"Peppermint Twist" - Joey Dee and the Starliters (1961)
Have you checked out our PATREON? You haven't? Then how are you going to listen to our patrons-only podcast The Original Cast at the Movies? July's episode features Kenny Neal and Michelle Polera talking about The Beatles' first feature A Hard Day's Night (1964).
Thembi and Patrick move from Beyoncé to DREAMGIRLS to Diana Ross to THE WIZ back to Beyoncé her seminal albums LEMONADE.
Featured recording:
LEMONADE - Beyoncé (2013)
Have you checked out our new PATREON? You haven't? Then how are you going to listen to our patrons-only podcast THE ORIGINAL CAST AT THE MOVIES? May's episode (now available) features Roddy Flynn & Kari Ginsburg talking about one of Patrick's favorite forgotten films WHO IS HARRY KELLERMAN AND WHY IS HE SAYING THOSE TERRIBLE THINGS ABOUT ME? (1971).
Patrick and Beth talk about kids, kids producers, then producing, then kids again. It all makes sense.
Have you checked out our new PATREON? You haven't? Then how are you going to listen to our patrons-only podcast THE ORIGINAL CAST AT THE MOVIES? May's episode features Roddy Flynn & Kari Ginsburg talking about one of Patrick's favorite forgotten films WHO IS HARRY KLLERMAN AND WHY IS HE SAYING THOSE TERRIBLE THINGS ABOUT ME? (1971).
When one has a Shakespeare scholar as a guest, one talks about Shakespeare. Especially when the guest and one agree on so much about Shakespeare.
Have you checked out our new PATREON? You haven't? Then how are you going to listen to our patrons-only podcast THE ORIGINAL CAST AT THE MOVIES? April's episode (now available) features Charlene V. Smith and Sara E. Cohen talking about Mike Leigh's Gilbert & Sullivan film TOPSY-TURVY (1999).
The final bit of my December 2016 conversation with Tony Award-winner Daisy Eagan is a nostalgic trip down problematic lane and a hopeful look forward.
Have you checked out our new PATREON? You haven't? Then how are you going to listen to our patrons-only podcast THE ORIGINAL CAST AT THE MOVIES? April's episode features Charlene V. Smith and Sara E. Cohen talking about Mike Leigh's Gilbert & Sullivan film TOPSY-TURVY (1999).
Don Mike returns in 3 weeks to talk about DO I HEAR A WALTZ? but before he does, here's a snip from that conversation about MEAN GIRLS which opens this week at the August Wilson.
Have you checked out our new PATREON? You haven't? Then how are you going to listen to our patrons-only podcast THE ORIGINAL CAST AT THE MOVIES? March's episode (now available) features Lee Libeskind and Liz Maestri talking about that American movie musical classic FROM JUSTIN TO KELLY (2003).
Actress Holly Twyford talks about her musical debut as Desiree in A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC at Signature. A daunting undertaking for which she is currently nominated for a Helen Hayes Award.
Featured recordings:
A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC - Original Broadway Cast (1973)
THE BROADWAY ALBUM - Barbra Streisand (1985)
FOLLIES - The Complete Recording (1998)
FOLLIES - Original Broadway Cast (1971)
A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1977)
Have you checked out our new PATREON? You haven't? Then how are you going to listen to our patrons-only podcast THE ORIGINAL CAST AT THE MOVIES? This month's episode features Lee Liebeskind and Liz Maestri talking about FROM JUSTIN TO KELLY - the greatest movie starring two American Idol winners playing not themselves made in 2003.
Logan Culwell-Block is back for this excised conversation about collaboration. Also Barbara Dickson. Also Logan didn't really think ASSASSINScame out in 1976. That was an auditory error.
Featured recordings:
THE SOUND OF MUSIC - An Original Soundtrack Recording (1965)
EVITA - An Opera Based on the Life of Eva Peron, 1919-1952 (1976)
Have you checked out our new PATREON? You haven't? Then how are you going to listen to our patrons-only podcast THE ORIGINAL CAST AT THE MOVIES? February's episode features Natalie Ann Piegari and Amanda Zeitler talking about Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (1991).
Three quick conversations excised from Danielle Mohlman's episode about JESUS CHRIST SUPERTAR including an amazing surprise I'm so excited for you to hear omigod, you guys.
Featured recordings:
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR - A Rock Opera (1970)
TILL TOMORROW b/w Try It and See - Rita Pavone (1969)
Bethesda Play-in-a-Day Tickets and Information!
Have you checked out our new PATREON? You haven't? Then how are you going to listen to our patrons-only podcast THE ORIGINAL CAST AT THE MOVIES? This month's episode features Natalie Ann Piegari and Amanda Zeitler talking about Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (1991)?