On this week’s show, Jamie and Rob talk through Jamie’s personal top ten list of showstopping production numbers, celebrating some of the greatest moments in Broadway musical theatre history. They take a look at the extraordinary work of choreographers like Bob Fosse, Michael Bennett, Tommy Tune, Onna White, Jerome Robbins, Gower Champion, and Agnes DeMille, and dig into some of the more unheralded contributions from composer/lyricists, orchestrators, dance arrangers, and designers that combined with top-notch performers to make the best showstoppers. What’s number one? Tune in to find out.

 This week’s music: “Glory” from “Pippin”, “Overture”, and “Mame” from “Mame”.  “42nd Street” from “42nd Street (Original Recording)”, “Wedding Dance” from “Fiddler on the Roof (New Broadway Cast Recording)”.  “Steam Heat” from “The Pajama Game”, “Dance at the Gym: Bass, and Jump” from “Bernstein: West Side Story”, “Ballet” from “Oklahoma! (1998 Royal National Theatre Cast Recording)”, “Turkey Lurkey Time” from “Promise, Promises”.  “The Rich Man’s Frug” from “Sweet Charity (Original Cast Recording)”, “H-A-P-P-Y / We’ll Take A Glass” from “Grand Hotel” and “The Music and the Mirror” from “A Chorus Line”.

On this week’s show, Jamie and Rob take a deep dive into one of their favorite musicals: “West Side Story”. After exploring the fascinating story behind the creation of this landmark classic musical, they chat with Belgian director Ivo van Hove about his re-imagined 2020 Broadway production. Then, they moderate an exclusive discussion with Broadway legend Carol Lawrence and Broadway’s latest sensation Shereen Pimentel—the original and current Maria in conversation across 63 years! How do they really feel about “I Feel Pretty”? Tune in to find out.

This week's music: "Prologue", "West Side Story, Original Broadway Cast". "Prologue", "Bernstein: West Side Story, San Francisco Symphony". "Something's Coming", "West Side Story 2020 Revival". "Cool", "I Have A Love", from "West Side Story, Original Broadway Cast". "Tonight (Quintet)" "West Side Story, New Broadway Cast Recording, 2009". "Mambo", "Bernstein: West Side Story, San Francisco Symphony". "Rumble", "Tonight", "America", and "Krupke", from the "West Side Story 2020 Revival". "Overture", "Dance at the Gym" and "Prologue" from "West Side Story; Original Motion Picture Soundtrack". "I Feel Pretty" "I Have A Love", and "Tonight", from "West Side Story, Original Broadway Cast".

Jamie and Rob kick off season three with 11-time Grammy Award nominated recording artist and Tony Award nominated star of stage and screen Vanessa Williams, one of the most respected and multi-faceted performers in the entertainment industry. Together, they discuss Vanessa’s work as a founder of Black Theatre United, her 1994 Broadway debut in “Kiss of the Spiderwoman”, her West End debut in “City of Angels”, the current shut down, her reflections on the work of Stephen Sondheim, and what she hopes to see when live performance returns.

 This week’s music: “Save the Best for Last”, “And the Moon Grows Dimmer”, “I Do Miracles”, “Where You Are”, “Gimmie Love”, “Kiss of the Spiderwoman” all from the 1994 cast recording of “Kiss of the Spiderwoman”.  “Good Thing Going”, “Losing My Mind/Not A Day Goes By”, and “Good Thing Going”, from “Sondheim on Sondheim”.  “Children Will Listen” from “Into the Woods”.  “Any Place I Hang My Hat is Home”, from “St. Louis Woman” and “Happy Days Are Here Again”

On this week’s episode, Jamie and Rob dive into the world of famous (and infamous!) Broadway flop musicals with a special two-part show focusing on these flawed and fabulous gems. They kick it all off with a look back at “Carrie” (1988) with word from its original star, the incredible Betty Buckley, who provides a rare peak into that experience.  Then, Rob and Jamie move on to discuss such musicals as “Kelly” and “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”, and some less “successful” works by Rodgers & Hammerstein and Stephen Sondheim. Part two follows next week.

This week’s music: “Overture”, “Eve Was Weak”, “Carrie”, and “Out For Blood”, from “Carrie”.  “Opening: Joseph Taylor, Jr.” and “The Gentlemen Is A Dope”, from “Allegro”, “Sweet Thursday”, “Overture”, from “Pipe Dream”, “Me And My Town” from “Anyone Can Whistle”, “Overture”, “Like It Was”, from “Merrily We Roll Along”, and “Who Needs Her” from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”.

On this week’s episode, Rob and Jamie venture to the “City of Brotherly Love” to catch up with the fabulous Carolee Carmello.  As she winds down the national tour of “Hello, Dolly!”,  they sit down to discuss her remarkable career, her incredible voice, and what playing Dolly Levi has meant to her at this time in history.  Before that, Rob and Jamie geek out about their Carolee Carmello fandom and, a bit later, Rob gives a look into Philadelphia’s historic Academy of Music.

This week’s music: “Under Separate Cover”, from “A Class Act”, “The Winner Takes It All”, from “Mamma Mia”, “Prologue”, from “City of Angels”, “Rose’s Turn” from “Gypsy”, and “You Don’t Know This Man” and “All The Wasted Time” from “Parade”.

On this week’s show, Jamie, Rob, and Jennifer are joined by Tony and Academy Award nominated star of stage and screen, Barbara Barrie, who originated the role of Sarah in Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s landmark musical “Company” in 1970.  We discuss that iconic show, including her experience working with Harold Prince and Elaine Stritch, and the legendary eighteen hour recording session of the original cast album. Later on, Rob gives more background on the famous documentary about that recording session. 

This week’s music: “The Little Things You Do Together”, “Barcelona”, “Getting Married Today”, “Poor Baby”, “Company”, “Side By Side”, “Finale”, all from “Company”.

We love a list! On this week’s show, Rob and Jamie discuss Rob’s top ten favorite shows from 2019 (plus a few of his honorable mentions) as reviewed on Stage Left. Tweet us your top ten @fabulousInvalid!

This week’s music: “Burning Down The House”, “American Utopia”, “Election Night”, from “Soft Power”, “Prologue”, and “Who’s That Woman” from “Follies: 2018 National Theater Recording”, “Road To Hell”and “Road To Hell, reprise”, from “Hadestown”and “Today” from “A Strange Loop”.

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.

On this week’s show, we talk with two time Olivier Award winner and Tony Award nominee Tracie Bennett. Tracie is best known for her roles in the West End stage at Velma Von Tussle in Hairspray, Laura Henderson in Mrs. Henderson Presents, and Carlotta Campion in Follies. Tracie discusses playing Judy Garland, working with Stephen Sondheim, training to be a stunt woman, getting her start on the popular British Soap Opera, “Coronation Street,” and why the show must always go on. Rob, Jamie and Jennifer discuss what you can do to help in the Midterm Elections (VOTE) and what Halloween looks like backstage on Broadway.

This week’s music:  “The Theme From Halloween,” “Freedom” from “Shenandoah.” Our very own Jennifer Simard singing “Never Can Say Goodbye” from Disaster, The Musical.  Judy Garland, singing “After You’ve Gone,” and Tracie Bennett singing “Smile” from End of the Rainbow.