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.

On this episode, Jamie, Rob, and Jennifer chat with Tony Award-winning playwright, librettist, screenwriter, and activist David Henry Hwang. We discuss David’s very early start as a playwright, his complicated relationship with “The King And I” and how the 2016 election changed the course of his newest work, “Soft Power.” David also discusses his role as Chair of the American Theater Wing, his lifelong activism, including his views on color conscious casting, and his brief stint in a punk band.

This week’s music: We hear a brief clip from David’s punk band days with John Vomit and the Leather Scabs, “I Suck,” a small sample of the score from “Soft Power” and “One Hundred Million Miracles” from the 2001 Revival of “Flower Drum Song."