On this week’s episode, Rob, Jamie, and Leslie—and a couple of special guests—recap the 2019 Tony Awards live from the O&M “After After Party” at The Carlyle Hotel.

This Week’s Music: “Well Did You Evah” from the film “High Society,” ”Livin’ It Up On Top” and “Wait For Me” from Hadestown, Leslie Kritzer singing “Day-O” and “No Reason” from Beetlejuice, “Just My Imagination” from Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations, and “We’ll Take A Glass” from the Tony broadcast.

On this week’s episode, Rob and Jamie are back at Orso for one final time this season. They are joined by actor and producer Tom Hulce who was nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in the film “Amadeus,” and is the producer of the Broadway hits Spring Awakening, American Idiot, and this season’s 12-time Tony Award-nominated sensation Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations.

This week’s music: “It’s Not About Me” and “Unruly Heart” from The Prom.  “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg,” “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me,” and “Papa Was A Rollin' Stone” all from Ain’t Too Proud: The Life And Times of the Temptations., “Mamma Who Bore Me” and “The Bitch Of Living” from Spring Awakening, and  “Poor Little Person” from Henry, Sweet Henry.

On this week’s episode, Rob and Jamie go over Rob’s “Stage Left” 2019 Tony Award predictions of who “should win” vs. who “will win” in each of the 26 Tony Award categories. Agree? Disagree? Let us know on social media!

On this week’s episode, Mr. Wiz himself, André De Shields, joins Jamie and Rob for dinner at Orso Restaurant to discuss his 50 year career as a performing artist during which he has played such seminal roles as The Wiz in “The Wiz,” The Viper in Ain’t Misbehavin’, The Jester in Play On!, Horse in “The Full Monty”, and his current Tony-nominated role as Hermes in Hadestown on Broadway. Take a seat, and learn some lessons from a theatrical legend and master.  

This week’s music: André De Shields performing “The Viper’s Drag” from Ain’t Misbehavin’, “Way Down Hadestown” from Hadestown., Stephanie Mills singing “Home” from The Wiz, and André singing “So You Wanted To See The Wizard” from “The Wiz” and “I’m Just A Lucky So And So” from Play On!

On this week’s episode, Rob, and Jamie sit down with Mark Swartz, the Archive Director of The Shubert Archive.  Since the mid-'70s, The Shubert Archive has processed and cataloged over one hundred years of theater history, including costume and set designs, scripts, music, publicity materials, photographs, correspondence, business records, and architectural plans. Mark discusses the history of the archive, how things get processed, some of his favorite items, and why the Shubert Organization is truly the heart of Broadway.  And, finally, Rob gives us more information on the Shubert brothers and the legendary Shubert Theatre.

On this week’s episode, Rob, Jennifer, Jamie, and guest co-host Jo Ann Venezano sit down with Jennifer Laura Thompson and Michael Park, stars of Dear Evan Hansen. Jo Ann, who won an Audience Rewards contest to come on our show, is a “Super Fan” or “Extreme Theatergoer” as The New Yorker characterized her; she has seen Dear Evan Hansen 45 times and Spring Awakening over 500 hundred times. Michael Park (who joins us for our topics section), Jamie, Rob, and Jennifer talk with Jo Ann about her theatergoing habits.  A bit later, we chat with Jennifer Laura Thompson and Michael Park about being with Dear Evan Hansen from the beginning, and what it’s like today in the Murphy household.  And, finally, Rob gives us more information on the Audience Rewards program.

This week’s music: “The Heat Is On” from “Miss Saigon: The Definitive Recording”, and from the Original Cast Recording of Dear Evan Hansen: “Waving Through A Window”, “Anybody Have A Map”, "Requiem”, “To Break In A Glove”, and “Finale”.

On this week’s episode, Rob, Jennifer, and Jamie talk to Broadway casting director, Tara Rubin.  For over thirty years, Tara has been casting Broadway shows like The Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Jersey Boys, Dear Evan Hansen, and this season’s hit Ain’t To Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations. We talk to Tara about how she got her start, what it’s like working on The Phantom of the Opera for so many years, and what makes a good audition.  A little bit later, Rob gives us a closer look into the Casting Society of America (the “C.S.A.” you often see after a casting director’s name).

This week’s music: “Putting It Together" from Sunday in the Park with George, “Opening, I Hope I Get It” from A Chorus Line, “Think of Me” from The Phantom of the Opera, “The Theme from Another World” by Crystal Gayle and Garry Morris and “A Beat Behind” from The Goodbye Girl.

On this week’s episode, Rob and Jamie talk to director extraordinaire, Des McAnuff.  Over nearly four decades, Des has directed such smash hits as Big River, The Who’s Tommy, Jersey Boys, and this season’s hit Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations. We talk to Des about directing, running a regional theater, and how you don’t say “no” when Otis Williams asks you to direct a show about his life.  Later, Rob gives a closer look into the legendary La Jolla Playhouse.

 This week’s music: “Brotherhood of Man, “ “A Secretary Is Not A Toy” from How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying The New Broadway Cast Recording (1995), “The Royal Nonesuch” from Big River, and “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” from Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations.

On this week’s episode, Jamie and Rob come to you from the Curran Theatre in San Francisco where they caught a production of The Jungle and sat down with playwright Joe Robertson, founding co-artistic director of Good Chance Theatre, which connects people, stories, and cultures with a focus on refugee populations.  The Jungle grew out of the seven months Joe Robertson and Joe Murphy spent running a theater in the makeshift refugee and migrant camp in Calais, France.  Before they talk to Joe, Jamie and Rob talk about the history of the legendary Curran Theatre, and to close, Rob digs deeper into the history of The Jungle, including a few ways you can help with the ongoing refugee crisis in Europe.

This week, Jamie and Rob are joined by Ted Sperling and John Miller, the music director and artistic advisor, respectively, of the new NYU Broadway Orchestra, a program to train the next generation of pit musicians. Ted is a musical director, supervisor, conductor, arranger, composer, and orchestrator extraordinaire with 15 Broadway credits under his belt, including the current revival of My Fair Lady. John is a legendary bass player, music coordinator, and occasional actor and vocalist who has worked on more than 130 Broadway shows! Before the interview, Jamie and Rob argue about 1776 the musical and a bit later, Rob gives us a little more information about the size and locations of Broadway pit orchestras.

This week’s music: “Opening Doors” from Merrily We Roll Along, the Overture to Gypsy, “Come Follow the Band” from Barnum, and the NYU Broadway Orchestra’s Anything Goes Overture.

This week, Jamie and Rob sit down with Broadway legend Beth Leavel.  We discuss her incredible career, including 13 Broadway roles, and her current star turn in The Prom.  Beth talks about her first Broadway audition (for Cats), creating new roles, including two written specifically for her, playing “divas,” and what makes Dee Dee Allen tick. Before we chat with Beth, Rob and Jamie talk about a recent trip to Long Island, missed trains, and Into The Woods.  And to close, Rob gives an overview of original musicals, like the The Prom, that are based on actual events.

This week’s music: Melissa Errico singing “No More” and “Overture/Audition” from the Original Cast of 42nd Street, Pearl Bailey singing “Before the Parade Passes By” from Hello Dolly, “Tonight Belongs to You” from The Prom, and Beth Leavel singing “It’s Not About Me” from The Prom and “As We Stumble Along” from The Drowsy Chaperone.

This week, Jamie and Rob sit down with self-proclaimed “theater nerd” Ted Chapin, whose knowledge and love of the theater extends well beyond his over 30 year career at The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization, the licensing agency, rental library, and music publishing company that oversees the R&H catalogue, and countless others, including Irving Berlin, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and more. We talk about Ted’s career at R&H, his favorite of their shows, and, of course, his incredible book, “Everything Was Possible”, an account of his time working on the original production of Follies.

This week’s music: The King and I ‘s“Finale to Act 1,” Lincoln Center Theater’s South Pacific, City Center Encore’s production of Pipe Dream “Overture” and “Sweet Thursday,” Liz Callaway singing “The Gentlemen Is A Dope” from Allegro and Alexis Smith singing “Could I Leave You” from Follies.

This week, Jennifer, Jamie, and Rob sit down with Broadway veteran Jose Llana at Orso Restaurant. We discuss Jose’s life and 24-year career in the theater, including his marriage, the 2016 election, his roles in The King and I, Flower Drum Song, and On The Town. We also chat about representation on Broadway, having to tell his Filipina mother he was playing dictator Ferdinand Marcos in Here Lies Love, and the incontrovertible coolness of David Byrne.  Before Jose joins us, we discuss our love for Orso, The Big Apple, and how to relax and survive living in the city. Finally, Rob gives us a bit of insight into the wonderful wealth of Filipino performers working on Broadway.

This week’s music: Jose singing “I Have Dreamed” from The King and I, Jose and Lea Salonga singing “You Are Beautiful” from Flower Drum Song, “Stay Up Late” by “The Talking Heads,” Jose Singing “A Perfect Hand” from Here Lies Love, and Ruthie Ann Miles singing “Why Don’t You Love Me” and “Here Lies Love,” from Here Lies Love.

This week, while the ladies are away, Jamie and Rob offer a special “Spring Preview” episode to discuss the upcoming new shows on Broadway, what’s going on in London, Glenn Close, and Jamie’s age.

This week’s music: Tracie Bennett singing “I’m Still Here,”  Dorothy Collins and John McMartin sing “Don’t Look At Me,” “Tom, Dick or Harry” from Kiss Me, Kate, “Michael in the Bathroom” from Be More Chill , and “Tradition” from Fiddler on the Roof.

On this week’s show, we sit down with Mary Testa and Ali Stroker, two of the stars of the upcoming Broadway revival of Oklahoma! We discuss what makes this production of Oklahoma! so unique and the enduring legacy of this magnificent show.  

 This week’s music: Damon Daunno singing “The Surrey With The Fringe On Top,” Nancy Walker singing “I Can Cook Too,” the Annie “Overture,” music from the “Ballet” and the “Final Outro” from the 1999 Royal National Theatre recording of Oklahoma!

This week’s show features our sit down with Heather Hitchens, President and CEO of the American Theatre Wing, and Patrick Pacheco, a journalist and award-winning commentator who served as editor of American Theatre Wing, an Oral History, a beautiful book published last year to celebrate 100 years of The Wing—an organization dedicated to supporting excellence and education in theater.  We discuss the mission of the Wing over the last one hundred years, diversity, inclusion, education, and what the future looks like.  But before that, Jennifer, Jamie, and Rob each share the show that “did it” for them.

 This week’s music: Irene Ryan singing “No Time At All” from “Pippin”, “Charming” from “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812”, and “Far From the Home I Love” from the Original Cast Recording of “Fiddler on the Roof.”

On this week’s show, we speak with Jacob Dickey, who is currently in the ensemble of Disney’s “Aladdin” on Broadway where he also covers the roles of Aladdin and Kassim.  We talk with Jacob about what it is like working on his first Broadway show, covering multiple roles, being in a long run of a show, “Aladdin Camp,” and his love for biscuits.  Before that, Rob and Jamie welcome back Leslie Kritzer.  And later in the show, Rob takes us through a little history of Disney Theatrical Productions and the New Amsterdam Theatre
 
This week’s music: Coronet Man from “Funny Girl,” All That’s Known from “Spring Awakening," When You Believe from "Prince of Egypt" (featuring Jacob Dickey), Arabian Night’s, Proud of Your Boy (featuring Jacob Dickey) and Babkak, Omar, Aladdin, Kassim all from Disney’s “Aladdin."

On this week’s show, we speak with Jon Hoche, Danny Miller, and Jacob Williams who are “The Voodoo Team” from King Kong on Broadway. Jon is the voice of Kong, Danny is responsible for Kong’s jaw movement and facial expressions, and Jacob calls the cues and operates Kong’s shoulders, arms, and wrists. Together, they help bring Kong to life on stage eight times a week. They share with us some secrets about the creature and talk about the magic of the show and their life-long work in puppetry. But, before that, Rob and Jamie talk about a lucky stash of vintage Playbills.

On this week’s show, we speak with Broadway star and cabaret legend, Christine Andreas.  We discuss Christine’s brilliant fourth solo album, “Piaf: No Regrets,” being haunted by Edith Piaf, and her star turn in My Fair Lady and Oklahoma! to name a few. Jennifer, Rob, and Jamie discuss Skittles™: The Musical and Rob gives us a closer look at Edith Piaf.

This week’s music: Christine Andreas singing “Hymne À L’Amour,” “La Vie En Rose,” “I Could Have Danced All Night’, “Out Of My Dreams,” "Non, Je Regrette Rien,” and “Many A New Day." 

On this week’s show, we speak with “Dear Evan Hansen” and “The Real O’Neals” star Noah Galvin who is about to appear in MCC’s “Alice by Heart”, a new musical.  Noah discusses beginning his career at the age of ten, working in almost every off-Broadway house in New York City, the differences between TV and theater, his newfound love of baking, and the cuisine of Yotam Ottolenghi. Before all of that, Rob and Jamie discuss the recent passing of Broadway legend Carol Channing.

This week’s music: Carol Channing singing “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” and “So Long Dearie.”  From “You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown” 1999 Revival, “The Kite” and “Bows: Happiness."