Playwright and teaching artist Thembi Duncan is here to talk about the film version of THE WIZ. Topics include: Baby Thembi, Can Beyoncé act?, and white man Patrick asking racially sensitive questions in a hopefully respectful manner that Thembi handles with a kindness and grace rarely seen in this day and age.

Featured recording:

THE WIZ - Original Soundtrack (1978)

Jimmy and Patrick divert into the rich vein that is the major motion picture adaptation of RENT. Lord help us.

The thrilling conclusion to our deep-dive into THE WILD PARTY. We talk the La Chuisa/Wolfe Broadway version, Mandy Patinkin, the philosophy of adaptation, Mandy Patinkin, which we prefer, and Mandy Patinkin in . . . (not a joke, wish it was) blackface.

Poem excerpts read and recorded by Lee Liebeskind.

Dramaturg Lauren Halvorsen is here for the first of our epic, two-part dive into both musical versions of THE WILD PARTY. Here we cover not only Andrew Lippa's off-Broadway take on Queenie, Burrs, Black, et al.; we also talk through Joseph Moncure March's novella-length poem upon which both musicals are based.

Poem excerpts read and recorded by Lee Liebeskind.

Featured recording:

THE WILD PARTY - Original Cast Recording (2000)

The next two episodes of this podcast will feature Lauren Halvorsen discussing both Andrew Lippa and Michael John La Chuisa's interpretations of THE WILD PARTY.

So before we dig deep into one of the oddest coincidences in New York theatre history, I'm bringing you this excised bit from James Finley's episode about THE LIFE where James compares the two shows from the perspective of having been in both.

We’ve started a Patreon! If you sign up at http://www.patreon.com/originalcastpod, every month you’ll receive an episode of our new series The Original Cast at the Movies where Patrick and 2-3 guests discuss a musical movie. So here on the main feed is the pilot episode. New episodes start January 27th!

Kari Ginsburg (Gypsy), Kenny Neal (Starlight Express), and Emily Zickler (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street) join Patrick to discuss Baz Luhrmann's 2001 Academy Award-winning epic love poem.

All those little bits excised from Patrick and Emily's discussion of SWEENEY TODD edited into one "coherent" conversation.

Topics include: the un-standable innocence of Tobias Ragg, the un-supressable essence Patti LuPone, and the unbearable bareness of John Doyle.

Four-time Helen Hayes Award-winner Holly Twyford is here to talk about one of the biggest hit musicals of all time.

Topics include: singing along in the audience, stars who own it, and what is the deal with Pepper?

During their SIDE SHOW discussion, Patrick and Jon Jon took a detour into Jon Jon's formal musical training in violin and the difference between two connected groups of creative people.

Playbill writer Logan Culwell-Block stops by ostensibly to talk about LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS but Patrick and he nerd out pretty fast. Topics include: How should a cast album be produced? Early versions of how Seymour killed the dentist. And why in the name of heavenly glory would you autotune Jerry Orbach?!?

What do you listen to on a long drive?

with:
Lauren R Alexander
Beth Amann
Evan Casey
Jensen Clifford
Sara E. Cohen
Roddy Flynn
Kari Ginsburg
Heather Hurley
Lee Liebeskind
Don Mike Mendoza
Danielle Mohlman
Tracy Lynn Olivera
Farrell Parker
Michelle Polera
Megan Reichelt
Bridget Grace Sheaff
Amanda Zeitler
Emily Zickler

During their CATS conversation, Natalie and Patrick get deep and sad. Because real-life costuming missteps are the wooooooorst missteps.

Actor James Finley talks about Cy Coleman’s last Broadway show that was more successful than Patrick remembers but does have a terrible title. Topics include: tap-dancing bartenders, why baritones are always villains, and how a high school glee club wound up at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre one Sunday in 1997.

A snippet from Patrick's conversation with Charlene V. Smith about the London cast album of MAN OF LA MANCHA about what does historical accuracy actually mean?

Also HAMILTON.

Also is GRAVITY a feminist film?

Also HAMILTON.

Also what is identity?

Also HAMILTON.

And RENT.

Actress and Soul Cycle instructor Michelle Polera stops by to talk about that magical place 18 blocks east of 1st Avenue on the Lower East Side.

Topics include: puppet sex, puppet nudity, how Michelle is afraid of puppets, and schadenfreude.

Roddy, Kari, and Patrick debate the very nature of criticism from all points-of-view in this cut conversation from our 2017 Tonys episode.

One of Patrick's favorite people: Danielle Mohlman, playwright and self-appointed co-producer of this podcast, stops in to talk about the definitive rock opera about Jesus of Nazareth.

Featured recording:

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR - A Rock Opera (1970)

In this cut conversation from our NO WAY TO TREAT A LADY episode, Doug and Patrick discuss something they both love and wish was more popular.

Cuts from our INTO THE WOODS and WICKED episodes both about a show called THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA.

Maybe you’ve heard of it.

Helen Hayes Award-winning actress Emily Zickler is here to talk about Sondheim's masterwork of Gothic horror. Topics include: a baritone with legs, Nellie toast, and how in the world does Cosette not recognize Thénardier or Eponine in the second half of Act I of LES MISÉRABLES? I mean she lived with them for nine years! NINE!