Broadway Babies: A Musical Theatre Podcast (Alex Ewald & Daisha Togawa)

Woo LAWD. Here we go, our big 50th episode! The Broadway Babies dove head-first into their first play of our podcast, as part of our Broadway Babies Take Manhattan Tour. Join Alex and Daisha as they navigate the psychosexual minefields, major surprises and even their own personal struggles in the polarizing new Broadway play "Slave Play." (We do discuss spoiler details about this uncomfortable saga of three interracial couples, so proceed with caution!)

*This episode does feature a lot of discussion about slavery, violence and sexual behaviors, often simultaneously. We try to stay mostly lighthearted, much like the play itself, but these can be heavy themes regardless. So if this is a subject you're sensitive about, here's fair warning about that, as well.*

Play by Jeremy O. Harris
Directed by Robert O'Hara

Show Notes:

• White women? Getting offended at being called out? Groundbreaking. (But honestly, kind of the play's intention.)
• If you're interested in the idea of generational trauma and historical legacy...Y'all need to watch HBO's "Watchmen," too.

“There's a hole in the world like a big black pit who are filled with people who are filled with shit, and the vermin of the world inhabit it.” Aaaand on that note, let’s brood our way into the Halloween season with Alex and Daisha! What better way to start off a fresh new batch up episodes than with a Sondheim musical? Hold on to your jugulars, it’s about to get bloody: The Broadway Babies are reviewing the 1979 recording of "Sweeney Todd"! We're are swinging razors, opinions, and of course, the facts surrounding Sondheim’s most popular musical, as we discuss the history of Sweeney, the versatility of the show, and musical elements that make Sweeney so special. So what are you waiting for?! Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd with the Broadway Babies as they take a deep dive into the spooky vengeance musical to end all spooky vengeance musicals. Be sure to let us know your favorite production of Sweeney Todd on Facebook or Twitter!!! 

Cast recording: Amazon | Spotify

Film (only the George Hearn version): iTunes | Amazon 

Songs:

• "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd” (performed by Len Cariou and Ensemble)
• "A Little Priest” (Angela Lansbury and Len Cariou)
• "God That’s Good” (Angela Lansbury, Ken Jennings, and Ensemble)
• "Not While I’m Around” (Ken Jennings)
• "Final Sequence” (Angela Lansbury and Len Cariou)

Show Notes:

• Super cool audio of Sondheim and Hal Prince trying to sell an unfinished Sweeney to backers!
• Sondheim talking about how hard Epiphany was to write

• Sondheim teaches My Friends
• A Sondheim interview about Sweeney!
• Majorly cool playlist of someone who actually analyzed Sweeney Todd if you want something more in depth and theory based 
• Emma Thompson as Lovett 
• Patti doing what she does best 
• One of Daisha’s fave classical sopranos singing Green Finch in concert 

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Wouldn’t it be loverly if the Broadway Babies discussed the dynamic Pygmalion musical "My Fair Lady"? Just you wait, this episode is diving into some juicy drama surrounding the 2001 West End revival’s multiple Elizas, the importance of healthy singing as a live performer, the relationship between Eliza and Henry, and more! With a little bit of luck, maybe we will be able to unpack this beast of a show in an hour …

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

iTunes | Spotify | Amazon CD

Songs

• "Overture/Prologue"
• "I Could Have Danced All Night" (performed by Martine McCutcheon)
• "On the Street Where You Live" (performed by Mark Umbers)
• "With a Little Bit of Luck" (performed by Dennis Waterman)
• "Ascot Gavotte" (performed by My Fair Lady company)
• "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" (performed by Jonathan Pryce)

(All lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner & music by Frederick Loewe; orchestrated by William David Brohn)

Show Notes

• A news profile about Martine McCutcheon’s understudy, Alexandra Jay, who had her own 42nd Street moment when she had to go on as Eliza on the eve of opening night with about a day’s notice. It’s very press-controlled, fluff piece-y, lots of quotes from Cameron Mackintosh, and it weirdly talks about her salaries at jobs.
• A really interesting documentary on YouTube about the 2001 "My Fair Lady" West End production, with rehearsal scenes of "The Rain in Spain" and "With a Little Bit of Luck," as well as the production history of the musical and its then-infamous straight play source material
• Jonathan Pryce shares his opinions about the “Eliza flux” with some pretty straightforward American talk show hosts…
• Martine McCutcheon sings "Loverly" on a TV show, and she’s loverly, but it’s not quite up to par as a classical voice.
• For what I mean by that: A video of Audra taking a high-as-hell D flat in "Danced All Night" after pianist Seth Rudetsky surprises her with a key change, and she still nails it because she’s just FLAWLESS.

Now for something that is supposed to be similar to “A Star Is Born”, but is completely different: 

Your two favorite shit-talkers are never too far from going off the deep-end, but this episode might send Daisha over the edge. The Broadway Babies venture through over-charted territory in another attempt at the artist’s journey film: Mariah Carey’s star vehicle crash "Glitter." Alex and Daisha try to make sense of the plot while also chatting about the D R A M A surrounding this period in Mariah’s life. 

Full show notes at broadwaybabies.libsyn.com/website

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies

 Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Where to watch: HBO Max | Hulu 

Distributed by 20th Century Fox

Songs:

• “Loverboy” performed by Mariah Carey ft. Cameo
• “Didn’t Mean to Turn You On” by Mariah Carey* 
• “Reflections (Care Enough)," by Mariah Carey**
• “Never Too Far," by Mariah Carey

Music by Mariah Carey, James Harris III and Terry Lewis, Philippe Pierre, and Larry Blackmon and Thomas Jenkins

Distributed by Virgin Records

Show Notes:

• The riff we kept talking about (starts at :59)
• If ya want a lil analysis of the riff
• In case you want to learn how to sing the LTW riff
• Mariah talking about Jennifer “I don’t know her” Lopez and then playing “Does! She! Know! Her!?” on WWHL because Andy Cohen is a messy bicth who loves drama
• Now let’s talk about her acting… 
• Mariah’s 1991 SNL rehearsal of Vanishing
• How Mariah’s Lambily made #JusticeforGlitter happen: 
• An interview from 2001 about Glitter
• Pre-order Mariah’s memoir out in September…she’s gonna talk about “Glitter” 

Hello Listeners! We are back with a new Movie Musical episode, and it’s about to get WEIRD. This week we are discovering the magic of a musical comprised fully of recitative.....The Umbrellas of Cherbourg! Join us as we butcher the French language, discuss the plot, and if this movie musical worked as a whole without the use of songs. Also, BONUS CHALLENGE for listeners: say “parapluie” five times fast with correct French pronunciation. Let us know in the comments if you succeeded! 

Music

• Danielle Licari dubbing Genevieve, José Bartel for Guy, Christiane Legrand as Mme. Emery
• Music by Michel Legrand, libretto by Jacques Demy

Released by 20th Century Fox 

Show Notes

• This music set to ice skating by Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, it’s just divine.
• Composer Michel Legrand performing the theme song “I Will Wait for You” in English in the 1970s.
• Legrand, again, conducting the Brussels Philharmonic playing the theme music.
• A brief video essay explaining the French New Wave of the late-50s/early-60s, which undoubtedly had influence on this and many other films of the same time period
• A show clip of “Umbrellas’” stage production in the West End in 2011, with creative staging and ensemble involvement

Beloved Listeners, we are back, stuck in the house, spiraling mentally, and better than ever! The Broadway Babies are interrupting your regularly scheduled social media scrolling to honor a very special creative who left us too soon: THE Adam Schlesinger. Join us in a special episode covering the 1996 teen band comedy (this is a made-up genre) “That Thing You Do” featuring Schlesinger’s ear worm of a title song that kept our toes tapping each time we heard it. Alex and Daisha wish all of their listeners health and happiness as we all cope with the effects of COVID-19 around the world. Stay safe and healthy, and they hope their goofy asses can bring a little levity into your lives during these heavy times. 

Where to watch: Hulu (via Cinemax) | YouTube

Songs:

• “That Thing You Do” performed by The Wonders

Music by Adam Schlesinger 

Distributed by 20th Century Fox

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies

Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Show Notes:

• So this happened right after recording….
• NPR remembering Schlesinger
• Link to the Artist Relief Fund
• Link to the Artist Relief Tree

Cast recording: Amazon | Spotify

Film: YouTube | Amazon 

Songs:

• "Little Shop of Horrors” (performed by Tichina Arnold, Michelle Weeks, and Tisha Campbell)
• "Grow for Me” (Rick Moranis, Tichina Arnold, Michelle Weeks, and Tisha Campbell)
• "Feed Me (Git It)” (Rick Moranis, Levi Stubbs, Tichina Arnold, Michelle Weeks, and Tisha Campbell)
• "Suddenly Seymour" (Ellen Greene, Rick Moranis, Tichina Arnold, Michelle Weeks, and Tisha Campbell)
• "Mean Green Mother from Outer Space” (Levi Stubbs and Chorus)

Show Notes:

• Since we were pressed for time: The story of the Broadway revival’s butchering and fixing.
• Frank Oz recounts the story of the original ending and its re-release.
• "Suddenly Seymour" from the Pasadena Playhouse production on the Late-Late Show. 
• Ellen Greene doing Audrey live at Encores in 2015, get it gurl!
• The Encores version with Audrey II’s actor actually on stage.
• A first look at the new off-Broadway revival
• A cute Groff interview
• Would Gaga be a good Audrey?

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

The Broadway Babies hope all of y’all are thriving in the summer heat and staying safe! Here’s part 2 of “A Star is Born.” Let Alex and Daisha know what you think about the movie on Facebook or Twitter! 

TW/CW: suicide and extreme drug use 

Where to watch: HBO Max | Amazon 

Songs:

• “Always Remember Us This Way” performed by Lady Gaga
• “Why Did You Do That?” by Lady Gaga
• “I’ll Never Love Again” by Lady Gaga 

Music by Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna, Lady Gaga, Diane Warren, Aaron Raitiere, Natalie Hemby, Mark Nilan Jr., Nick Monson, Paul “DJWS” Blair

Distributed by Interscope Records

Show Notes:

• Naya Rivera singing Valerie
• Naya singing Landslide and then a clip of her talking about it
• Nick Cordero singing “You’ll Still be Mine” 
• Just look at the chemistry between Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga in their performance of Shallow at the 2019 Oscars!

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies 

Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Well I think it’s gonna be a long, long time before we watch a biopic this fun and fresh! Hello listeners, blast off with Alex and a Daisha into a new episode about "Rocketman," the 2019 musical biopic about the effervescent rock icon, Elton John! The Babies are discussing how the importance of ethical representation, abuse and addiction, and how the gorgeous fantasy elements changes the impact of what could have been a run-of-the-mill biopic. So wash your hands, take a seat, put on your electric boots and mohair suit, and enjoy the episode (which we'll be releasing on Thursdays now to better fit Alex's work schedule)!

Also, arrest the cops who murdered Breonna Taylor. 

Where to watch: Hulu | Amazon 

Songs:

• “The Bitch Is Back” performed by Taron Egerton
• “Crocodile Rock”
• “Your Song” 
• “Rocket Man”

Music by Elton John and Bernie Taupin

Released by Virgin EMI Records

Show Notes:

• The Laverne Cox clip Daisha was talking about is actually not a clip but in the documentary itself, which is here. 
• Elton’s Guardian tell-all 
• The costumesssss
• Rolling Stone’s article on fact checking the obviously super-factual “Rocketman”
• Elton in Kingsman 2 kicking ass and smashing guys' heads with pianos.
• I guess Taron’s audition for Rocketman?

How you can help right now:

• Donate to the charity for George Floyd‘s daughter, Gianna Floyd.
• Sign the petitions to bring justice to the victims of police killings.
• Donate to the Louisville Community Bailout Fund, or refer to the list of U.S. bailout fund donations here. 
• Donate to the fund for the community of black trans women who live in Atlanta and are sex workers and/or homeless. 
• Educate yourself on issues facing the Black Lives Matter movement.
• Learn how to be safe if you're out protesting and getting tested for COVID-19.
• And finally: REGISTER TO VOTE!
• And finally finally: Learn more about what and how the Elton John AIDS Foundation funds (mostly organizations that deliver HIV programs to marginalized groups)

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies

 Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Ladies and gentlemen, the Broadway Babies are proud to present the "Dreamgirls," in their return appearance on the podcast! We're steppin' to the bad side this week to talk about the 2006 movie adaptation of the musical. Gorgeous direction and a star-studded all-black cast, including Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Hudson in her star-is-born role, breathe new life into this iconic story ... for the most part. Let's get into all the drama, in part one of our convo! (Because Alex's power went out AGAIN, mid-recording...which is why we're a date late!)

We also want to take a moment to address what's going on in our country at the moment. It's our role as people with a public platform to use that to support those who need that kind of amplifying, which we'll continue to commit to doing every week. We 100% support ending police brutality and systemic racial injustice, and empowering the Black Lives Matter movement!

Where to watch: Amazon Prime | iTunes | YouTube Movies 

Songs:

• "I'm Lookin' for Something Baby," performed by Maxi Anderson, Charlene Carmen and Kesha Ealy
• "Dreamgirls," by Beyoncé Knowles, Anika Noni Rose and Jennifer Hudson
• "Love You I Do," by Jennifer Hudson*
• "Family," by Keith Robinson, Beyoncé Knowles, Anika Noni Rose and Jamie Foxx

Music by Henry Krieger, lyrics by Tom Eyen

*Lyrics by Siedah Garrett

Released by Sony Music Entertainment

Show Notes:

• We'll have our complete show notes next week!

How you can help right now:

• Donate to the charity for George Floyd‘s daughter, Gianna Floyd.
• Sign the petitions to bring justice to the victims of police killings.
• Donate to the Louisville Community Bailout Fund, or refer to the list of U.S. bailout fund donations here. 
• Donate to the fund for the community of black trans women who live in Atlanta and are sex workers and/or homeless. 
• Educate yourself on issues facing the Black Lives Matter movement.
• Learn how to be safe if you're out protesting and getting tested for COVID-19.
• And finally: REGISTER TO VOTE!

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies

Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

The Broadway Babies are back to the dirty streets of the Paris slums, in our second take on the classic, iconic, epic musical "Les Misérables." This week, we're hot-taking the 2012 movie musical, featuring plenty of Hollywood's biggest stars, out in the darkness. So let's hear the people sing the songs of angry men — in close-up and with mostly improper vocal technique!

Also, bonus surprise: Later this week, we'll also be posting on our Facebook page our video recording of this episode, which will be shown during a fundraising livestream by the Gaslight Theatre in Enid, Oklahoma!

Where to watch: Netflix

Music by Claude-Michel Schönberg and original lyrics by Alain Boublil, English version by Herbert Kretzmer

Show Notes

• Behind the scenes of the movie filming, including the set design, the costuming and filming, where you see there were other cameras used in scenes besides close-ups...

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies

Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Happy Halloween, fellow slayers! We are celebrating the day AND ending our sPoOkY musical season with a bang...or a fang in this case. Join Alex, Daisha, and the Scooby Gang as they all embark on the TV show musical episode that started it all: “Once More, with Feeling,” from Joss Whedon’s cult series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"! Alex and Daisha gush over the show and its the concept, as well as break down the episode, and share our thoughts about the music and how it was executed. Now sit back, relax, and binge on expensive candy you pretended to buy for the trick-or-treaters and enjoy the show! It'll give you something to sing about!

Cast recording: YouTube | Amazon | Spotify

Episode: YouTube | Amazon | Hulu (entire series with subscription)

Songs:

• "Going Through the Motions," performed by Sarah Michelle Gellar
• "I'll Never Tell," by Emma Caulfield and Nicholas Brendon
• "Under Your Spell," by Amber Benson
• "Walk Through the Fire," by the cast of "Buffy TVS"

Show Notes:

Welcome back listeners, as we take a troika ride to the past to 19th century Russia, where everyone's got nine different names in Dave Malloy's take on the Russian literary paperweight "War & Peace." His electropop opera, "Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812," follows the young Natasha fumbling her way into Moscow high society, while there's a war going on out there somewhere ... and what about Pierre? Join us as we try to unpack the story of this ambitious stage adaptation, its incredible diversity of music and casting, and its own meteoric rise to Broadway — and how it burned out so quickly. Raz, dva, tri! 

Broadway cast recording: iTunes | Spotify | Amazon Prime

Original cast recording: iTunes | Spotify | Amazon

Music: 

• "Prologue," performed by Josh Groban and cast
• "No One Else," by Denee Benton
• "Charming," by Amber Gray 
• "Letters," by Lucas Steele and cast
• "Sonya Alone," by Brittain Ashford
• "Dust and Ashes," by Josh Groban and cast

Music, Lyrics, and Book by Dave Malloy 

Distributed by Release Records.

Show Notes:

• Dave Malloy left super interesting verified notes on the Genius lyrics for both the original and Broadway cast recordings.
• Both Sonyas, Ingrid Michaelson and Brittain Ashford, harmonizing “Sonya Alone”
• Cabaret night at Green Room 42 of a bunch of the cast doing songs from different musicals that inspired Dave for the show — Lucas Steele even steals THIS SHOW with his Hedwig number
• Dave Malloy and “Great Comet” cast perform his song “Squeeze of the Hand” from his version of “Moby Dick”
• Dave’s website, which talks about his plans for “Moby Dick”

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

“Grease” is the word this week, as Alex and Daisha chat about the movie everyone knows and loves, Grease, from 1978! Join the Broadway Babies as they dive into this teen drama that is either loved, or dismissed as problematic. Topics for the week are: performing gender in the film, Grease as satire, viewing a 1978 film with a 2018 lens, and OF COURSE, we chat about Grease’s take on nostalgia. We hope you enjoy! 

Songs:

• “Grease,” performed by Frankie Valli*
• “Greased Lightnin,’” by John Travolta, Jeff Conaway and T-Birds
• “Beauty School Dropout,” by Frankie Avalon
• “There Are Worse Things I Could Do,” by Stockard Channing
• “You’re the One That I Want,” by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John**
• “We Go Together,” by cast of “Grease”

Music and lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey

*By Barry Gibb

**By John Farrar

Distributed by RSO Records

Show Notes

• ScreenPrism has a really insightful video about how this movie demonstrates the teenage performance of gender.
• Director Randal Kleiser did a “Notes on a Scene” session with Vanity Fair about shooting the carnival and “You’re the One that I Want.”
• Another piece by Vanity Fair about how "Grease" beat the odds to become the biggest movie-musical of the 20th century...and the story of its eccentric producer, Allan Carr.  
• There are no words about this *cringe* music video reunion of Travolta and OLN…
• On the other hand, what's basically this “Summer Nights” recreation from “Glee” isn’t that...bad?
• The trailer for Disney's "Teen Beach Movie" — up to you to decide to watch it or not.

Listen...when Stephanie J. Block and Rachel Chavkin finally win their Tonys, you know Pride Month is gonna be OK. And Sunday night's ceremony proved all was right on Broadway, with many Bway vets and capital-I Important productions getting their dues. Let's talk about the highlights, the lowlights and everything in between as the Broadway Babies do their play-by-play of the biggest night on the Great White Way. 

Show Notes:

• Billy Porter is the goddess-send we need this Pride, talking about casting double standards and then slaying red carpets left and right, honey.
• Cher is Stephanie's biggest fan, honestly.

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Welcome back, dear listeners! We took a brief hiatus so Alex could get his silly laptop in the shop. So now that we're back, after a brief update on what's happened in the world of Broadway, it's onto the weirdest movie we've watched yet: Jim Henson's "Labyrinth," starring minor-age Jennifer Connelly as a feisty heroine, dozens of dirty-looking puppets, and David Bowie's codpie- we mean, David Bowie! This week, we go all in on the plot of this super-’80s movie that just so happened to be a musical. Like, how ridiculous it is that Jennifer Connelly didn't just check her baby brother's diaper, the level of creepiness of a 40-something rockstar romancing a teenager, and how familiar this story and its themes actually were once we got past the Shart Lake City of it all. Join us as we go for a trip into the "Labyrinth"...hope we don't meet any scary headless birds or talking hands!

(Episode not sponsored by Squatty PottyTM)

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Film: iTunes | Amazon Prime 

Recording: iTunes | Amazon | Spotify

Music*:

• "Magic Dance"
• "Chilly Down," performed by Charles Augins, Richard Bodkin, Kevin Clash and Danny John-Jules
• "As the World Falls Down"
• "Within You"
• "Underground"

All music performed by David Bowie unless noted otherwise; all music written by David Bowie. 

Distributed by EMI 

Show Notes

• Here are some of the “Labyrinth” concept designs from Brian Froud that inspired 
• Princess Diana meets Ludo at the film's Royal premiere
• Lin-Manuel Miranda in the New York Times on his love for movie-musicals — one of them he grew up on was “Labyrinth,” the “David Bowie musical.”
• Jennifer Connelly’s audition is kind of...better than her in the movie...?
• A Life magazine memorial feature-obit about Jim Henson’s life and death, which talks about “Labyrinth’s” legacy

Hello Listeners! We won’t be raining on your parade with this upcoming season! Welcome to a new string of episodes dedicated to beloved Broadway icon: Barbra Streisand! The Broadway Babies are marching through Streisand’s movie musicals, starting with her first: "Funny Girl"! We hope you enjoy the evolution of Babs on the Silver Screen. She’s a star on screen, on the stage, and in our hearts! Spend some quality listening time with Alex and Daisha as they chat about this fun classic.

Where to watch: Amazon | iTunes 

Music by Jule Styne

Lyrics by Bob Merrill

Distributed by Columbia Pictures

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies

Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Welcome to West Covina — only two hours from the beach! With brand new pals and new career, unhappy lawyer Rebecca Bunch makes the biggest move of her life to follow the boy she definitely doesn't love...all with musical numbers! We sit down this week to talk all things crazy on the CW musical-comedy "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend's" first episode, "Josh Just Happens to Live Here!" 

Trigger warning: There is some talk in the beginning about suicide and depression, so please skip ahead to the first musical break if this conversation is too sensitive a topic.

Also, audio warning: Yes, there's some faint music playing in the background of Alex's audio — his headphones were picking up the local Christian music station (perfect timing) because technology is weird, but it's being Olivia Pope-handled!

TV show: Netflix | CW.com | Amazon | iTunes

Season 1, vol. 1 soundtrack: iTunes | Spotify | Amazon

Music: 

• "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Theme," performed by Rachel Bloom
• "West Covina," by Rachel Bloom (written by Bloom and Jerome Kurtenbach)
• "The Sexy Getting Ready Song," by Rachel Bloom feat. Nipsey Hussle (written by Bloom, Jack Dolgen and Mike Geier)
• "West Covina (reprise)," by Rachel Bloom and Donna Lynne Champlin (written by Bloom and Jerome Kurtenbach)

Music and Lyrics by Rachel Bloom, Jack Dolgen and Adam Schlesinger

Distributed by Warner Bros. Entertainment.

Show Notes:

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 and Lifeline chat
• Rachel Bloom, Aline Brosh-McKenna, Adam Schlesinger and Jack Dolgen also recorded a commentary album discussing the writing and filming of each and all the songs of season 1.
• The show's creators (Rachel and Aline) talk about working with the late Nipsey Hussle on filming the "Sexy Getting Ready Song." 
• She's more known for "Fuck Me, Ray Bradbury," but this song is basically Rachel Bloom's chaotic musical energy in a nutshell.
• Actually, here’s just her entire YouTube channel, with most of her old stuff at the bottom

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

The devil took the hindmost with this confusing sorta-sequel to everyone's favorite "opera." Join Alex and Daisha as they strap into this carnival ride of a musical, Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Love Never Dies." The Broadway Babies are up to their usual shenanigans with the additional tasks of detangling this confusing plot, comparing the sequel to "Phantom of the Opera," and giving their final verdict on the 2012 Australian production. Is this musical a dud, or does it need one more new production team in the mix?

Cast recording: Amazon | Spotify | Apple Music

Video recording: BroadwayHD | Amazon

Songs:

• "Til I Hear You Sing," performed by Ben Lewis
• "Beneath a Moonless Sky," by Ben Lewis and Anna O'Byrne
• "Dear Old Friend," by Anna O'Byrne, Simon Gleeson, Sharon Millerchip and Maria Mercedes
• "Love Never Dies," by Anna O'Byrne

Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Glenn Slater and Charles Hart

Produced by The Really Useful Group Ltd., under exclusive license to Polydor Limited to release.

Show Notes:

• A story of the show for NPR from before it debuted in London. 
• Could "Love Never Dies" come to Broadway? Because the tour did well? Let's guess!
• ALW and The Wizard of Oz ... as he talks to the New York Times about why he thinks the show didn't go well and what he planned next in 2012 (aka a puff piece).
• The show's 'World Tour' website seems pretty dry...but you can get on the waitlist!
• "Like the Phantom himself, this new show lives in anguish, yearning to reveal itself and be loved." 
• Oh boy... ALW loves having popular singers do singles of his big songs. Barbra, this ain't.
• Who is your fave Christine? Sierra and ALW performing the title song!

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Alex and Daisha finally managed to categorize this season just in time for its finale! Together, we have trudged through most iterations of the "stars-being-birthed genre." Some were better than others, but they all pretty much had the same floor plan. Now, in their final episode, The Broadway Babies have decided to end with a mockumentary. Especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, the general public seems to be exhausted with celebrity culture, and “This is Spinal Tap” lets us know that celebrity ego hasn’t changed much in 36 years. Let us know what you thought about our season on Facebook or Twitter. How would you rank the movies we covered from favorite to least-favorite?

Where to watch: YouTube | iTunes 

Distributed by Embassy Pictures

Songs:

• "Big Bottom"
• "Listen to the Flower People"
• “Sex Farm”
• “Stonehenge”

All songs performed by Spinal Tap

Music by Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer Rob Reiner

Distributed by Universal Music

Show Notes:

• The real inspo behind Spinal Tap

• If you're interested in Christopher Guest's other movies, here's a, let's say, teaser.

• Nigel, David and Derek share their wisdom about how jazz is “an accident waiting to have happened” in an exclusive 2009 interview!

• The core four reunited talking about the making of the film last year.

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies

Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, listeners! It's Daisha's turn to pick one of her favorite musicals, and leapin' lizards, she picked the original "Annie" movie musical from 1982! Let's take a trip down Easy Street to Miss Hannigan's Orphanage for Girls and Oliver Warbucks' amazing mansion as we talk shop on the history of the movie, its theatre and comic strip source material and the odd changes made from stage to screen. 

Film

Amazon Prime | iTunes 

Music

• "Tomorrow," performed by Aileen Quinn
• "Hard Knock Life," by Aileen Quinn and orphan girls
• "Maybe," by Aileen Quinn
• "I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here," by Ann Reinking, Aileen Quinn and servants
• "Little Girls," by Carol Burnett
• "Let's Go to the Movies," by Ann Reinking, Albert Finney and ensemble
• "Easy Street," by Tim Curry, Carol Burnett and Bernadette Peters

Soundtrack available on Amazon Prime. 

Released by Sony Legacy.

Music by Charles Strouse; lyrics by Martin Charnin

Show Notes

Like we said, there are only two important show notes this week:

• Carol Burnett giving an iconic master class on playing drunk
• Bernadette Peters being iconic on the Playboy cover

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Dystopian trash city à la Mad Max/Sin City? Check.

Big-pharma corporatocracy? Check. 

Unnecessary gore? Plenty.

Alexa Vega from Spy Kids and Anthony Head from Buffy? Check AND check.

Music???? I guess.

Happy Valentine's Day, fellow Broadway Babies. Oh, Doctor Jesus, help us please this week. Alex and Daisha got plenty of somethin’ to say about this 2012 musical, which was adapted from an opera that was adapted from a play that was adapted from a book. Prepare thyself for our special V-Day episode on "The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess" (sry DuBose Heyward), starring Audra McDonald and Norm Lewis as the classic/problematic title characters. Join us in an intense discussion about the appropriateness of writing stories about communities and cultures you don’t belong to, the beautiful Gershwin/Heyward music and how harmful stereotypes about race and ethnicity are because they ain’t necessarily so.

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Cast recording: iTunes | Spotify | Amazon Prime

Songs

• Summertime (performed by Nikki Renee Daniels)
• I Got Plenty of Nothing (by Norm Lewis and company)
• Bess, You Is My Woman Now (by Audra McDonald and Norm Lewis)
• My Man’s Gone Now (by Bryonha Marie Parham and company)
• Oh, Doctor Jesus (by Bryonha Marie Parham and company)
• It Ain’t Necessarily So (by David Alan Grier and company)

Show Notes

• An in-depth NPR interview with Audra McDonald about all aspects of the production
• Stephen Sondheim's aforementioned letter to the New York Times criticizing — no, roasting — the Broadway revival and its female-led creative team.
• Audra responding to the criticism of the production.
• Look, what a helpful study guide about the history of the opera that I found
• Fantasia yassss — probably the first time a lot of younger folks heard "Summertime" 
• An interesting thinkpiece from HuffPost about whether white people can tell the stories of other cultures

Pack up your troubles, c’mon get happy, and meet Alex and Daisha Over the Rainbow (or in your car, or in your homes) to talk about one of the biggest household names of the 20th century: Judy Garland. The Broadway Babies are continuing their ever-evolving music biz-themed season with Judy's 2019 biopic titled..."Judy." The Babies discuss some heavy topics as they trudge through the content-heavy plot, and try to unpack the message the team behind the movie was trying to send. Let Alex and Daisha know what you think about Judy the person AND “Judy” the movie on Facebook or Twitter! 

Where to watch: YouTube | Amazon 

Songs:

• “Come Rain or Come Shine,” performed by Renée Zellweger
• "The Trolley Song"
• “San Francisco”
• “All By Myself"
• “Over the Rainbow”

All songs performed by Zellweger

Music orchestrated by Gabriel Zared 

Released by Decca Records

Show Notes:

• Watch this Judy TV performance, please!
• And how could we not forget...Judy "hates" Barbra lmao
• Judy truly wanted to be known as a happy person who had a happy life.
• Renée on learning to play and understand Judy
• A really great podcast episode about Judy’s life and death
• Let’s debate the myth that Judy’s funeral inspired the Stonewall Riots
• A review from the Guardian (the Observer) of her 1968 show

How you can help right now:

• Sign the petitions to bring justice to the victims of police killings.
• Donate to the Louisville Community Bailout Fund, or refer to the list of U.S. bailout fund donations here. 
• Donate to the fund for the community of black trans women who live in Atlanta and are sex workers and/or homeless. 
• Educate yourself on issues facing the Black Lives Matter movement.
• Learn how to be safe if you're out protesting and getting tested for COVID-19.
• And finally: REGISTER TO VOTE!

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies

 Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Getting to know us, getting to know all about us...PART TWO!

Hello listeners! This Part Two of our Q&A episode, AND ALSO EPISODE 20 OF OUR PODCAST!!!!!! When we first started this podcast, our goal was to learn as much as we can about an artform we love. It is such a privilege to share what we have learned and open up the conversation to the public! Since we have been recording for awhile now, we thought that it would be nice to have a Q&A with surprise questions about our personal and professional lives...but, of course, within the scope of musical theatre! These were super fun to do, so if you want to join in on the fun, let us know the answers to some of these questions on social media, or ask us questions! We hope you enjoy! 

**SO SORRY FOR DAISHA'S SOUND QUALITY!!!! HER CATS UNPLUGGED HER MIC!**

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Happy New Queers! How crazy it's been we've been doing this damn thing for two full years now? To start the year off with a bang or two, we're talking more "Frozen" this week, today all about the new-ish sequel to the 2013 animated smash. Our thoughts? We do keep saying we liked it, but there are lots of points to be made about Elsa's continuing gay sub-narrative, the film's maybe-too-tidy themes of reparations and mixed heritage, and how much more mature this story felt this go-around. Let us know your thoughts on "Frozen 2"! 

Soundtrack: iTunes | Amazon | Spotify

Show Notes

• More on how Disney Animated Studios and the "Frozen 2" creative team worked with the Sami people in an official capacity. 
• Check out Brendon Urie & Panic's official cover of "Into the Unknown"...in the same damn key, this hoe!
• Meanwhile, it's fun to watch this music producer react to Idina's version.
• This article saying "Into the Unknown" isn't the best song in the film...hard disagree, but Vox makes a lot of comparisons to the score of "Wicked," which we didn't have time for. And mentions the bonus tracks, which are great.

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Hold on to your papes and strap on your tap shoes, y’all: The Broadway Babies are about to seize the "Newsies"! We will be discussing the real history behind the story, the X-TREME "Newsies" fandom, and how Disney has a trend of making squeaky-clean musicals. Oh, and how "Something to Believe In” is the weirdest love song we have ever heard. Anyway, tune in for plenty of laughter, unqualified opinions, PAPES, and — of course... — "Santa Fe" as we talk about the 2017 filmed production of "Newsies"!

iTunes Video | Amazon Video | Netflix | Spotify

Songs

• "Overture" 
• "Seize the Day" (performed by Ben Fankhauser, Jeremy Jordan and Newsboys)
• "Watch What Happens" (by Kara Lindsay)
• "King of New York" (by Newsboys and Kara Lindsay)
• "Santa Fe" (by Jeremy Jordan)
• "Something to Believe In" (by Jeremy Jordan and Kara Lindsay)

(Music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Jack Feldman)

Show Notes

• “Children of the City: At Work and at Play” by David Nasaw is a great book about the actual newspaper boys’ strikes in the 1890s that inspired “Newsies”
• A longer explanation of “yellow journalism” and how the World and the Journal presumably helped start a war: 
• Jeremy Jordan being one of the best Tonys ever, so much better than Jack Kelly
• Here's that Channing Tatum literally-gay sailor tap number from "Hail Caesar!" 
• On a final note, Andrew Keenan-Bolger co-created and -directed a really amazing, hilarious web series around five years ago called “Submissions Only” about Broadway actors and auditioners, which either starred or cameoed basically every known Broadway actor, including pre-”Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” Santino Fontana and Donna-Lynne Champlin.

It’s time to tip your hat and tap your toes to movie musical of the week: Top Hat, starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. This is one of nine of their collaborations together and is so fun! Join us as we compare the major advances of this movie to The Broadway Melody, as well as the drama surrounding “the feather dress.” Show us love and let us know what you think about our season so far!

Episode Three and the others were two hours, but my dear, you’re still here! If you haven’t guessed already, the Broadway Babies are losing our minds about this show, but it’s OK, love will see us through the intense unpacking of composer Stephen Sondheim's early-Broadway love letter, "Follies." Alex and Daisha will be focusing on the legendary 1985 concert version starring Barbara Cook, Elaine Stritch, Carol Burnett, Mandy Patinkin and many more Broadway icons. Listen to us gush over the amazingly talented cast, examine Sondheim’s genius storytelling and lyrics, and discuss Sondheim's strong older female characters. 

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Concert film: Amazon | BroadwayHD

Accompanying documentary found on YouTube (with basically the same clips from the concert videos)

Cast recording: Amazon | iTunes | Spotify

Songs

• "Broadway Baby" (performed by Elaine Stritch)
• "Who's That Woman?" (by Phyllis Newman and Follies girls)
• "Losing My Mind" (by Barbara Cook)
• "The Story of Lucy and Jessie" (by Lee Remick)
• "One More Kiss" (by Erie Mills and Licia Albanese)

All music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Show Notes

• Stephen Sondheim’s Hat Box lyric book set, on Amazon
• On that note, probably the most honest, humble, logical explanation of music writing, courtesy of Steve, with a collection of interviews of his: what pencils, the rhyming dictionary, when he drinks, his posture, his process — he naps
• A fascinating read: A primer from the AV Club on the man himself, starting with the basics and working into the deep cuts
• Elaine Stritch’s “I’m Still Here," probably the definitive version because it feels like it was written for her
• Marin Mazzie’s “Losing My Mind”, which really hits you right in the gut with a full-bodied character created in less than four minutes, and it’s even sweeter because former co-star Donna Murphy grabs her hand afterward
• Sondheim muse Donna Murphy’s “Could I Leave You?” that just leaves you breathless (These are all from Sondheim’s 85th birthday concert)
• Sondheim famously will rewrite songs for famous singers who ask, like Barbra Streisand: Here’s one version of “I’m Still Here” for Carrie Fisher’s “Postcards from the Edge,” basically devoured by Shirley MacLaine (basically a proxy for Debbie Reynolds)
• I really just love this song, you guys: Jeremy Jordan does it justice

Phewwww, after a long hiatus because of COVID and computer issues, the Broadway Babies are ready and able to finish off this season of Barbra Streisand movie musicals at the start of the new year! Alex and Daisha are taking y’all on a trip to Eastern Europe at the turn of the 20th century in Barbra’s final movie musical, 1983's "Yentl," as she makes her final metamorphosis into the multi-hyphenate superstar we know and love. The Bbys hope you enjoyed this season as much as they did and want to know: what’s your ranking of this season’s movies?

Where to watch: YouTube | Amazon 

Music by Michel Legrand; lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman 

Distributed by MGM/UA Entertainment Company

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies

Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

It's Yule tidings once again, listeners, so the Broadway Babies have a special, appropriately festive episode this Xmas — Disney's runaway 2013 blockbuster "Frozen," or alternatively titled: "Gloves and Accidents." Part classic Snow Queen fairy tale and part coming-of-age story of two very different sisters, this movie is bursting with catchy music, gorgeous 3-D animation, hilarious side characters and the Mouse's attempts at making up for past...let's say choices. We'll talk about if they succeeded, how this winter's tale turned into a phenomenon and where they can go from here.

Soundtrack: iTunes | Amazon | Spotify

Film: iTunes | Amazon | Disney Plus

Show Notes

• The “wickedly talented” …. Adele Dazeem
• More on the Frozen merch shortages from 2014.
• The Ice Hotel in Quebec City
• Coco Peru gives a better "Frozen" plot summary than we could ever dream of.
• If you're interested in the Broadway production, here's a good showcase of how it's different enough from the movie. Tickets are available for the touring production.

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Cast recording: Amazon | iTunes

Video recording: iTunes | Amazon

Songs:

• "The Point of No Return," performed by Sierra Boggess and Ramin Karimloo
• “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again,” by Sierra Boggess 

Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe. 

Released by Really Useful Group Ltd.

Show Notes:

• Learn about the Palais Garnier — the real Parisian opera house that inspired “Phantom of the Opera” and that Hal Prince visited
• Lindsey Ellis’ history lesson about the character of the Phantom post-ALW
• Another session of the infernal court in Musical Hell: the movie version of “Phantom of the Opera”
• “Home” from “Phantom” by Maury Yeston and Arthur Kopit
• Snippets of opera ALW probably drew inspiration from:

  • Hannibal seems to be based on Aida’s extra-ness. General exoticism and grand staging and costumes in opera.

  • The Il Muto scenes
    • Laughing choruses in opera such as Verdi’s Falstaff and Mein Herr Marquis from Die Fledermaus.
    • A young girl dressed as a cheeky boy or young man is pretty standard. A pretty standard example this scene was taken from is The Marriage of Figaro, and opera by Mozart with a silly and smitten young man named Cherubino and the cunning Countess he is in love with. Phantom sort of combines Susanna and Cherubino and makes it his own.

Getting to know us, getting to know all about us...

Hello listeners! Since we have been recording for awhile now, we thought that it would be nice to have a Q&A with surprise questions about our personal and professional lives...but, of course, within the scope of musical theatre. These were super fun to do, so if you want to join in on the fun, let us know the answers to some of these questions on social media, or ask us questions! We hope you enjoy! 

**SO SORRY FOR DAISHA'S SOUND QUALITY!!!! HER CATS UNPLUGGED HER MIC!**

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Crying at all is not allowed, not in our podcast on a cloud. Dream the dream with the Broadway Babies as they take on another MEGA musical/MEGA concert: the French-born tear jerker, Les Misérables! Prepare yourself for self-indulgent musical bliss in the form of Lea Salonga, Judy Kuhn, Michael Ball, and the giant chorus screaming in mom jeans and concert T's in the background. Alex and Daisha will chat about the 10th anniversary “Dream Cast” concert version and the pros and cons of a huge musical being pared down into a concert version. 

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies 

Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Cast recording: Amazon | iTunes

Video recording: Amazon

Songs

• "Prologue: Work Song" (Performed by Colm Wilkinson, Philip Quast and Ensemble)
• "Castle on a Cloud" (by Hannah Chick)
• "On my Own" (by Lea Salonga)
• "Little Fall of Rain" (by Lea Salonga and Michael Ball)
• "Bring Him Home" (by Colm Wilkinson)
• "One Day More" (by Colm Wilkinson, Michael Ball, Judy Kuhn, Lea Salonga, etc. and Ensemble)

Music by Claude-Michel Schönberg and original lyrics by Alain Boublil, English version by Herbert Kretzmer

Distributed by Sony Pictures and BBC Video

Show Notes

• The iconic medley of Les Mis' 1987 Tonys performance 
• A pretty thorough video about Les Mis by former Nostalgia Chick Lindsey Ellis (stop after the weird song thing starts).
• Lea Salonga’s audition for Kim in "Miss Saigon" 
• Some major side eye about the movie from the lady (Marni Nixon RIP) who was the singing voice for basically everyone in the 50s and 60s.

Hello Listeners! It’s time to start a new school year AND a new season of Broadway Babies! We hope you’re as excited as we are to take a deep dive into the Movie Musicals of the Decades! We will be looking at movie musicals from the 1920s to today, and basing an episode on the musical that we think captures the spirit and the aesthetic of that decade. This episode is on the Academy Award winning classic, The Broadway Melody! We will be discussing the quality of the movie as well as the music, the story, the choreography, and other elements of musicals that apply. Join us in the discussion during the season about the evolution of the movie musical! 

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Where to watch: Amazon| iTunes| YouTube

Music:

• "The Broadway Melody," performed by Charles King
• "My Boyfriend," by Bessie Love and Anita Page
• "You Were Meant for Me," by Charles King
• "The Broadway Melody (reprise)," by Charles King

Music and lyrics by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed

Released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Show Notes:

• The New York Times’ review from 1929.
• Turner Classic Movies
• Comet over Hollywood
•  Tap dancing scene!!
• You Were Meant for Me from “Singin’ in the Rain,” this time sung by Gene Kelly
• An interesting...and disappointing story about Arthur Freed in his later years.

Dear Listeners, join us this week to chat about a 2015 revival that is too beautiful for words, "The Color Purple," starring Cynthia Erivo, Danielle Brooks and Jennifer Hudson. Alex and Daisha will be discussing how dynamic this revival is, the original production, and the intersections of oppression that the resilient, brave, and endlessly charming characters endure in the story. We will also be discussing the novel and movie adaptation. This is our last episode in our Black History Month season, but we are NOT done unpacking the elephants in the musical theatre room. Thank you for tuning in every week this month as we say "hell no" to oppression!

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Cast recording: Amazon | iTunes

Songs

• "Our Prayer" (performed by Cynthia Erivo and Joaquina Kalukango)
• "Hell No!" (by Danielle Brooks)
• "Push Da Button" (by Jennifer Hudson)
• "I'm Here" (by Cynthia Erivo)

Music and lyrics by Stephen Bray, Brenda Russell and Allee Willis.

Show Notes

• Cynthia Erivo’s performance of “I’m Here” on the Late Show with appropriate #mood clips of Oprah spliced in there
• Here’s Whoopi Goldberg herself talking on OWN about how she got the role of Celie in the film version
• Alex was wrong, it was a performance of the title song that won the cast a Daytime Emmy on the “Today Show”
• Here is the Pyramid of White Supremacy Daisha spoke about at the end of the episode.
  • Here's the original source material we highly recommend reading. The pyramid was brought into media spotlight when Erin Stutelberg. A professor at Salisbury University for the class “Diversity and the Self,” which is a required course for all Elementary Education majors. 

Oh, what a little sunlight can do! The Broadway Babies are back from our summer vacation, and we're diving right into the deep end with our next show: Audra McDonald's star turn as doomed jazz singer Billie Holiday in the "musical play" "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill." Originally a Broadway revival in 2014, the show was filmed for a TV movie that aired on HBO in 2016 — and we're here to talk Billie's life story and how its leading lady elevates the play's iffy dialogue and plot. 

TV movie available online at HBO.com

Cast recording: Spotify | Amazon | Apple Music

Music

• "What a Little Moonlight Can Do"
• "God Bless the Child"
• "Strange Fruit"
• "Deep Song"

All songs performed by Audra McDonald.

Released by PS Classics.

Show Notes

• To keep from going into a whole YouTube concert of her, here’s two of Audra’s iconic performances that really show her range and talent, both vocal and acting: ”The Glamorous Life” and “Down With Love”. There will be more to come… 
• She always gives the best Tony speeches, by the way. 
• And the best interviews because she’s just so down to earth but also earth-shatteringly talented...she’s classy, sassy, and just a touch bit ass-y. 
• “All Stars 4” co-winner Monet X Change made a powerful music video of “Strange Fruit” that, let’s say, modernizes the song.
• And last but definitely not least, here’s the real Billie really singing “Strange Fruit” in 1959, the same year the play takes place and the year she died.

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies | Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Back to Paris again, dearest listeners, where we tackle our most special show yet: the original production of Stephen Sondheim's personal opus "Sunday in the Park with George." Filled with color and light and based on French painter Georges Seurat's own influential artwork, this musical has left a major impact on us and many other Broadway babies around the world since its debut in 1984. Put down your pastries and your parasols as we sing the praises of Bernadette Peters and Mandy Patinkin, discuss the topsy-turvy energy of its production history and wonder why this show makes us feel such feelings. It's getting orange!

DVD: Amazon | Apple Video

Cast recording: Amazon Music | Apple Music | Spotify

Music

• “Sunday in the Park with George,” performed by Bernadette Peters and Mandy Patinkin
• “Color and Light,” by Peters and Patinkin
• “Finishing the Hat,” by Patinkin
• “Children and Art,” by Peters
• “Move On,” by Peters and Patinkin
• “Sunday (reprise),” by company, Peters and Patinkin

Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Released by BMG Music Inc.

Show Notes

• Again plugging Sondheim’s Hat Box collection of his lyrics from all his major shows: It’s such an eye-opening page turner from “Saturday Night” to “Road Show.”
• Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters reunited to “move on” at a recent Sondheim birthday concert, and it’s as touching as you’d expect
• A-list Actór Jake Gyllenhaal recently starred in a Broadway revival and showed just how skilled a singer he is in a music video of “Finishing the Hat.”
• Also, that production, with Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford, was JUST announced to be transferring to the West End in 2020 ... like, the day after we recorded this...
• Finally, just take this in: Steve performing "Move On" at Michael Bennett's funeral.

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Happy new year, listeners! Christmas bells aren't ringing anymore, but we're here to measure a year in the life of those iconic bohemians, artists and lovers once more with our semi-hot take on last week's "Rent (Not-so-)Live!" We give our thoughts on the backstage drama that affected the production and resulted in the lowest ratings for a live musical yet, reveal what surprising changes we loved, and mispronounce Keala Settle's name repeatedly (yes, we know). 

Watch the broadcast online here.

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Good morning, Baltimore! It takes two to tackle a musical this big, blonde, and beautiful, so the Broadway Babies are teasing up their best beehives to chat about 2016’s TV event, “Hairspray Live!” Wow! In this episode, Alex and Daisha are talking about music, if the musical has a message of "colorblindness" and if that is an effective way to end racism and prejudices, and about what defines good allyship. Now run and tell that!

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Video: Amazon Video | iTunes 

Cast recording: Spotify | iTunes | Amazon

Songs

• "Good Morning, Baltimore!" (performed by Maddie Baillio and ensemble)
• "Welcome to the Sixties" (by Maddie Baillio, Harvey Fierstein, Sean Hayes, the Dynamites, ensemble)
• "I Know Where I've Been" (by Jennifer Hudson)
• "Run and Tell That" (by Ephraim Sykes)
• "Mama I'm a Big Girl Now" (by Maddie Baillio, Ariana Grande, Dove Cameron, etc.)
• "You Can't Stop the Beat" (by Maddie Baillio, Harvey Fierstein, Jennifer Hudson, Ariana Grande, etc., ensemble)

Music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman

Show Notes

• A timely article about how "Hairspray's" black-and-white (no pun intended) portrayal of racism works...and doesn't.
• A great resource guide for learning how to better be an ally against oppression in America
• The Rotten Tomatoes ratings ranking of all the live televised musicals, up to December 2017’s “A Christmas Story”
• Hey guys, it's me Nikki Blonsky from the movie HAIRSPRAY ... 

Hey, big spenders! Willkommen to another warm take episode, as the Broadway Babies gab about the first episode of FX's dazzling true-Broadway-story miniseries, "Fosse/Verdon." Starring Sam Rockwell and Michelle Williams as the performing legends, the series promises a look behind the red curtain and features a supporting gallery of Broadway icons — and we're here to dish about all of it. Now let us show you fun, laughs and a good time!

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Here is a lion! Welcome to Pride Rock, the glamorous, regal, iconic site of this week's movie musical, Disney's epic AF "The Lion King." Featuring a cast of what feels like 50 famous actors, this 90s nostalgia trip is one helluva ride into the Pridelands, as young Simba must face his destiny after his father meets a tragic fate at the paws of his scheming, fabulous uncle Scar. 

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Film (only available for purchase):

iTunes | Amazon

Cast recording:

iTunes | Amazon Music | Spotify

Music:

• "The Circle of Life," performed by Carmen Twillie and Lebo M.
• "I Just Can't Wait to be King," by Jason Weaver, Rowan Atkinson and Laura Williams
• "Be Prepared," by Jeremy Irons, Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin and Jim Cummings
• "Hakuna Matata," by Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Jason Weaver and Joseph Williams
• "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" by Joseph Williams, Sally Dworsky, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella and Kristle Edwards
• "King of Pride Rock/Circle of Life (reprise)," composed by Hans Zimmer, featuring Lebo M.

Music by Elton John; lyrics by Tim Rice; arranged by Hans Zimmer.

All music is owned under copyright by the Walt Disney Records, under the Walt Disney Corporation. This music is used under fair use doctrine for comment, criticism and educational purposes.

Show Notes

• The teaser trailer for the “live” remake came out JUST after we recorded this. Go watch it NOW.
• Disney’s official making-of featurette of “The Lion King” released on its 1995 VHS, hosted by the late Robert Guillaime (the voice of Rafiki). There are lot of behind-the-scenes clips of the actual recordings, performances and animations, as well as the live animals used to model the characters.
• Here’s another, more recent, much better filmed documentary about the making of the film and its legacy since — reuniting the original animation team, some of its actors and its directors, as well as discussing the Broadway musical and interviewing Julie Taymor.
• This YouTuber animated over a minute of the Broadway musical’s song “The Madness of King Scar,” with Scar going all creepy-Frollo on Adult Nala, apparently based on a scene removed from the film. We wonder why…
• Here’s the AFI’s top 10 Animated Films. It’s a bit...skewed.
• This article from Grantland explains why “The Lion King” has a perfect first scene. Because magic. Simple movie magic.

It takes a lot to make a stew, and Alex and Daisha have had their fill in this disturbing episode. Hang on tight, y’all!

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies

 Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Where to listen: YouTube 

Music by Shawn Coleman and Michael Kohler

Lyrics by Casper Kelly

Distributed by Adult Swim 

Show Notes

• An oral history of "Too Many Cooks"

Holy production budget, Batman! Get ready to hear that new music as Alex and Daisha chat about the original Broadway production of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty’s musical "Ragtime," starring Brian Stokes Mitchell, Marin Mazzie, Peter Friedman, and Audra McDonald! Join us as we discuss life at the turn of the 20th century, the thematic representations presented by each of the characters, and how the music and over-the-top staging helped highlight the social and cultural divide of Americans, but also the internal pulse that unites us.

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Cast recording: iTunes | Spotify | Amazon

Songs

• "Prologue" (performed by Ragtime company)
• "New Music" (by Mark Jacobi, Marin Mazzie, Steven Sutcliffe, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Audra McDonald and company)
• "Your Daddy's Son" (by Audra McDonald)
• "He Wanted to Say" (by Steven Sutcliffe and company)
• "Goodbye, My Love" and "Back to Before" (by Marin Mazzie)
• "Wheels of a Dream (reprise)" (by Brian Stokes Mitchell, Audra McDonald and company)

Music composed by Stephen Flaherty; lyrics by Lynn Ahrens

Show Notes

• A video of what is assumed to be the real Evelyn Nesbitt singing in the 1930s
• An edited documentary about the revival and the history of the musical
• Another video from the American Theatre Wing of a panel with the creative team, including troubled producer Garth Strabinsky — all white people — discussing the history of the production.
• Here’s a brief video history of ragtime, the musical genre itself.
• Police Violence Report’s 2017 report, with the findings summarized into graphics.
• Basically the CliffNotes of the "Ragtime" novel explaining most of the name characters.

How do you document real life, when real life’s getting more like fiction each day? Good question. Hello listener, there’s no day but today, so the Broadway Babies decided to switch it up on y’all and add an outlier to the MEGA musical season that they felt deserved to be recognized for being the angsty sensation that swept the nation: RENT RENT RENT RE-ENT RENT!!!! Hang out with Alex and Daisha in Alphabet City while they discuss why Rent deserves a MEGA MUSICAL STATUS, as well as their opinions on why Rent hasn’t aged well, but the source material, La Bohème, has. Let us know what you think in the comments!

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

OBC Cast recording (sorry): Amazon |iTunes

Video recording: iTunes | Amazon

Songs:

• “Rent,” performed by Adam Kantor, Will Chase and ensemble
• “Light My Candle,” by Renée Elise Goldsberry and Will Chase
• “Take Me or Leave Me,” by Eden Espinosa and Tracie Thoms
• “I’ll Cover U (reprise),” by Michael McElroy and ensemble
• “Seasons of Love,” by Gwen Stewart and ensemble

Music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson

Distributed by Sony Pictures

Show Notes:

• Everyone has AIDS! AIDS AIDS AIDS AIDS! 
• Gavin Creel and Aaron Tveit’s “Take Me or Leave Me,” maybe the sexiest thing ever seen: 
• "When it comes to 1990s time capsules, though, you can't do much better than Rent. Sure, it was technically set in 1989, but the musical is far more about the decade's response to the '80s than anything else."
• This is horrifying. News stories from 1982-1992 about HIV/AIDS. People were horribly mistreated. 
• The Final Days backstage.
• It's Rent, but the opera version! (Also, we encourage y'all to go see La Bohème live! It's ALWAYS being performed and probably at an opera house near you!)

Hey, listeners! Alex was actually in New York City last week, so we have a special episode for you — the fabulous revival of "Hello, Dolly!" starring Bernadette Peters, a favorite of the Broadway Babies. Since Daisha's out doing opera things (break a leg, ma'am!), Alex invited his pal Ricky to sub in after they both put on their Sunday clothes and saw the matinee! So no music clips, no show notes, just a sort of-quick chat about what they loved about this musical. (Apologies ahead of time for the audio quality, all we used this week was a recorder) Enjoy the show!!

Music:

• “I Got Rhythm,” performed by Gene Kelly
• “Tra-La-La (This Time It’s Really Love),” by Gene Kelly and Oscar Levant
• “Love is Here to Stay,” by Gene Kelly
• “I’ll Build a Stairway to Paradise,” by Georges Guétary
• “An American in Paris,” danced by Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron

Music by Ira Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin

Show Notes

• How “An American in Paris” changed the Hollywood movie musical for good
• Martin Scorsese’s personal journey through musicals in Hollywood
• The Broadway production of “An American in Paris” performing the title number at the White House
• Julian Ovenden’s (from “Downton Abbey”) rendition of “I’ll Build a Stairway to Paradise” will just blow you away.
• Get tickets to see the Broadway production in cinemas later this month!

“CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!” went the podcast! And despite all the noise, we are excited to chat with y’all about the heartwarming, fun-filled Classic from 1944; Meet Me in St. Louis! Join us as we dissect this sweet love letter to St. Louis starring Judy Garland. We will be discussing the musical choices as related the the direction of the film, our favorite scenes, and St. Louis’ own little serial killer sweetheart: Tootie. This episode is a load of fun and we are starting to get into the meat and potatoes of movie musical production. Let us know what you think about Meet Me in Saint Louis and the season so far! Join us on social media to discuss what 3 decades of movie musicals has added to the tradition you know and love. 

In an unexpected twist, the Broadway Babies have started a new season during these weird ass times we are in: Not Another QuaranTEEN movie: reviewing movies about teenage coming-of-age bands! Join Alex and Daisha this week as they stroll down memory lane with 2001’s live-action "Josie and the Pussycats"! There will be jokes, there will be poor fashion choices, there will be pop rock. We hope you think this movie is as iconic as we do! Stay safe!

Where to watch: Hulu (via Cinemax) | Amazon 

Songs:

• "Josie and the Pussycats" theme song*
• “3 Small Words"
• “Pretend to Be Nice” 
• “You’re a Star”

Performed by Josie and the Pussycats

Music by Babyface, Adam Duritz, Adam Schlesinger, Dave Gibbs and more!

*(Theme song by William Hanna, Joseph Barbera and Hoyt Curtin)

Distributed by Sony Music Soundtrax and Playtone Records.

Show Notes:

• JATP was ahead of its time and has a cult following of millennials.
• Here’s a “fun fact” Buzzfeed listicle! 
• That Ebert review we talked about.
• A replica of the thoughts going through Alex and Daisha’s mind while watching this movie https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/67-thoughts-we-had-while-watching-josie-and-the-pussycats
• Info on the 2016 comics  reboot!

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies

Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Hello, Listeners! It's so nice to have you back where you belong!

Alex and Daisha hope y’all exercised your right to vote and are staying safe. Hopefully this light-hearted episode (which was recorded well before Election Day) will quell some of your election anxieties. The Broadway Babies are comin’ at ya with a new episode in their Barbra Streisand season! This week is Barbra’s second movie musical and perhaps her most extravagant. In this movie, a young Babs plays a woman about 20 years her senior and absolutely slays. Get ready for "Hello, Dolly!"

Where to watch: Disney+ | Amazon 

Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman

Distributed by 20th Century Fox

Show Notes:

• Here’s some Carol. 
• Here’s some Bernadette. 
• Here’s some Ethel. 
• Here’s some Bette. 
• Here’s some Louis. 
• Here’s some Pearl! (Plus the announcement of her special win!)

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies

Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Did we just hear an alarm start ringing? No, it’s just our first episode, you guys! And it’s a doozy of a show that we Broadway Babies decided to talk about: the original off-Broadway 2002 production of Jason Robert Brown’s “The Last Five Years.” We'll go down the track list rabbit hole of this cast recording, song by song, talk about its insightful score, how much Alex adores Sherie Rene Scott, Daisha definitely not being Team Jamie, and then give our totally unqualified critiques of the show. Grab your corned beef sandwich, put on your Daisy Mae sweater, and take your time!

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

iTunes / Spotify / Amazon

Songs:

“I’m Still Hurting” by Sherie Rene Scott

“The Next Ten Minutes” by Norbert Leo Butz and Sherie Rene Scott

“Climbing Uphill” by Sherie Rene Scott

Show Notes:

• This Google Plus blog has an amazing musical/lyrical/dramatic analysis of almost every song in the show’s original cast recording. Like, he goes into such detail about one word or lyric line and it’s just fantastic to give a read.
• There’s a Last Five Years medley; it’s kind of weird mostly because it was too short and not enough Cathy songs.
• Miscast Raul Esparza and guest star NLB do Next Ten Minutes omg.
• Someone also proposed to his wife with Next Ten Minutes, which is sweet, until you remember what happens in the show.

That's right, dearest darlingest listeners — another star is born! This week's Barbra Streisand episode tackles another long-ass movie-musical romance, this time her (let's say, controversial) iteration of the "Star Is Born" cinematic universe, with Kris Kristofferson and the awkwardly overbearing influence of Barbra's producer-boyfriend. So let's get our perms done, breakfast pizza out of the oven, and talk such amazing topics like extra backlighting, awkward racial undertones and side-boob!

Music by Barbra Streisand, Paul Williams, Kenneth Asher, etc.

Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures

Show Notes

• The YouTube channel Be Kind Rewind's overview and comparison of all the ASIB movies
• Podcast You Must Remember This' episode about the making of Barbra's "A Star is Born"

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies

Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Dearest listeners, this week we are going off the deep end over our more somber picks of the season. It’s a tale as old as time, unfortunately, and a very common story in the showbiz movie genre. Watch the Broadway Babies dive in as they discuss the 2018 remade of “A Star is Born”, starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga! In this first part, Alex and Daisha chat about the foundational aspects of movies like this, just how Hollywood decided to give this story a fourth go-around, and maybe if it's time to let the old ways die.

TW/CW: suicide and extreme drug/alcohol use 

Where to watch: HBO Max | Amazon 

Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures

Songs:

• “Maybe It's Time," performed by Bradley Cooper (written by Jason Isbell)
• "Shallow," by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper (written by Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt)

Released by Interscope Records

Show Notes:

• Bradley Cooper on how hard it was to get ASIB... off the ground 
• Easter eggs in ASIB
• “I probably said this earlier but...”: 
• The YouTube channel Be Kind Rewind has several interesting video essays about both the movie franchise’s history and both the Best Actress Oscar races for the Judy Garland and Lady Gaga years...and why neither of them won
• Lady Gaga at the Oscars doing "Sound of Music," probably when we all realized (again) that she could sing.

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies

 Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

There was a "Broadway Album"-sized hole in Alex and Daisha’s heart after ending the Barbra season last week, so they filled it. Join the Broadway Babies in a continuation of their already drawn-out season. Is this the actual conclusion to their Barbra season or will they keep making episodes about the rest of her 36 studio albums? Stay tuned and find out next week!! 

Where to listen: YouTube | Spotify

Music by omg Sondheim, Rogers & Hammerstein, Bernstein, Frank Loesser, The Gershwins, Jerome Kern, Tim Rice, Benny Andersson, and  Björn Ulvaeus

Distributed by Columbia 

Show Notes:

• If you like the genre/style shifts in this, opera star Joyce DiDonato recently made an album doing this very same thing with musical theatre, opera, and art song. 
• Here's all the Barbra Archives stuff on the album! 

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies

Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

OK, lions, now let's get in formation! The Broadway Babies are back from a much-needed summer break to share our thoughts on Disney's latest remake, "The Lion King," which has roared through the box office and left fans of the original divided over the movie's photorealistic yet dulled CGI'd Pridelands, its confusingly changed plot and somewhat questionable vocal talents. 

Show Notes

• Moira Kelly (the original voice of Nala) talks about how hard the voice acting experience is
• Since we do draw a line between "The Jungle Book" and "The Lion King," here's a more detailed comparison about the successes and failures of both movies.
• A really interesting (albeit all about economic theory, so bear with us) video essay take on the financial reasons behind all the recent Disney remakes… spoiler alert: It’s capitalism’s fault!!!

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

I really, really, really wanna zig-a-zig ahhhh (and a new episode!) As you all know by now, Alex and Daisha make their own rules, so it shouldn’t surprise you that they are doing an episode on the not-really-movie-musical movie based on the greatest girl band of all time: "Spice World"! Join the Broadway Babies as they fan-girl over this hilarious, kooky, British movie about a week-in-the-life of the Spice Girls. With all that said, Alex and Daisha have one question for you: Which Spice Girl are you? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter, and tune in until the end of the episode to find out which ones they are. 

"Soundtrack": Amazon Prime | Apple Music | Spotify

Film (for purchase only): Amazon

Songs:

• "Too Much"
• "Say You'll Be There"
• "Viva Forever"
• "Wannabe"
• "Spice Up Your Life"
• "Lady is a Vamp"

Music all written and performed by the Spice Girls. 

Released by Virgin Records.

Show Notes:

• The behind-the-scenes featurette of "Spice World."
• Too Much music video of their personas vs. the Holler video as random queens of the elements 
• The Spice Bus was available on AirBNnB!
• A real thorough Vice story about the transformation of feminism in the '90s through the filter of the Spice Girls' "Girl Power" and its more radical origins.
• Meanwhile, here's another story about the girls' 
• Here's exactly what the dress code was at that London club.
• Megafan Liz West is an angel for this.
• Spice Girls without the spice! Geri | Mel C. & Emma

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Happy New-ish Year, listeners, and hello, young lovers! After a few weeks away, shall we tell you what we think of one of the most romantic, epic musicals of all time — Rodgers and Hammerstein's "The King and I"? The 2018 West End production starring Queen Kelli O'Hara and Ken Watanabe is something wonderful — and we adore it so much we decided to start a season on musicals we love, to start off 2019 (and Valentine's) with a happy tune. The Broadway Babies will go over the backstage drama that surrounded this musical from the beginning, how iconic Ruthie Ann Miles' Lady Thiang is, the racial tensions both in and out of the show, etc. etc. etc. Now, come...shall we dance?

Film: Amazon Video | BroadwayHD

Cast recording: iTunes | Spotify

Music: 

• "Getting to Know You," performed by Kelli O'Hara
• "A Puzzlement," by Ken Watanabe
• "Hello, Young Lovers," by Kelli O'Hara
• "Shall I Tell You What I Think of You," by Kelli O'Hara
• "Something Wonderful," by Ruthie Ann Miles
• "Shall We Dance," by Kelli O'Hara, Ken Watanabe, conducted by Ted Sperling
• "Finale Ultimo," conducted by Ted Sperling

Music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II; copyright owned by the Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization.

Album distributed by Universal Music Classics, a division of UMG Recordings Inc.

Show Notes:

• A discussion of race in The King and I when it was staged in Australia in 2014, referring to both the movie and the 1991 production that moved to Broadway.
• A portrait of the OG Anna in the OG ballgown, Gertrude MFin' Lawrence
• The King and I animated trailer … with tigers and dragons and Julie Andrews-lite Anna, oh my!
• Lincoln Center Theatre’s LincTix discount program for 21-35-year-olds, where tickets are like half off!
• Get ready for "Disobedience," (2017) starring Anna and Lady Thiang. It's a 'ship.

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

TOUCH MEEE! IT’S SO EASY TO LEAVE ME! All alone with the memory, of our days in this MEGA musical season… Hello listeners! This is the final episode in the Broadway Babies’ SUPER MEGAMUSICAL MEGASEASON, and they decided to spend it discussing Jellicle songs for Jellicle Cats! Cats by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber is the O.G. of MEGAmusicals, and Alex and Daisha thought it wise to end at the beginning. Join them as they discuss the usual ins and outs of the musical, the weird impact Cats had on Blockbuster musicals, and who ACTUALLY deserved to ascend to Heaviside Layer. They also wrap up the season with some final thoughts on the value of MEGAmusicals. Hope you’re cat people...or fans of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video, because that’s what you’ve gotta work with on this episode of Broadway Babies!

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

OBC Cast recording: Spotify | Amazon | iTunes

Video recording: iTunes | Amazon | Amazon/BroadwayHD

Songs:

• "Prologue: Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats" performed by  Company
• “The Rum Tum Tugger” by John Partridge and Company
• "The Naming of Cats" by Tony Timberlake, Michael Gruber, and Company
• "Gus: The Theatre Cat" by Tony Timberlake and Susan Jane Tanner
• "Memory" by Elaine Page and Helen Massey

Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by T.S. Eliot

Distributed by Really Useful Films

Show Notes:

• BBC’s “The Story of Musicals” has a segment on “Cats,” its production history and its impact on British musical theatre
• This retrospective by the UK Independent goes into more detail about “Cats’” branding and merchandising impact, as well as its West End and populist legacy
• Does “Memory” sound at all like the flute bridge solo in “California Dreamin’”? Like Ravel’s “Bolero” ballet movement? Listen and decide for yourself!
• I always love watching the “Who sang it best?” videos: This one is of the “Memory” climax!
• A fun read! 
• The source material!
• The singing voice of Jemima! 
• A side by side a fan did of Casteleyn and Massey performing Jemima 
• Entering the gates of Hell
• IT WAS BETTY BUCKLEY (start at 7:25 for an example of enviable breath support, or 4:30 for the whole song, which is beautiful!)

Mamma Mia, here we go again! in another episode about Barbra Streisand and another episode about Barbra playing Fanny Brice! This week the Broadway Babies are covering Ms. Streisand’s fourth movie musical: the less popular, underrated sequel to Funny Girl: 1975’s "Funny Lady." Join Alex and Daisha as they track both Fanny Brice and Barbra’s evolution and maturation in this dark-and-gritty sequel, with music by Kander and Ebb. The Bbys hope that you enjoy this interesting and compelling movie musical. Let them know what you think via the “Broadway Babies: A Musical Theatre Podcast” Facebook page!

Where to watch: YouTube | Amazon 

Original music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb

Distributed by Columbia Pictures

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies

 Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

What's new, pussycats? This week we're taking a break from our regularly scheduled programming to talk about "Documentary Now's" episode about the recording of a musical cast album, "Co-op: The Musical." Written by John Mulaney and Seth Meyers, the episode is a loving yet biting sendup of the making of Stephen Sondheim's "Company" cast album in 1970 and shows us the ups and downs of one grueling overnight recording session, with Mulaney as silently demanding genius-savant composer Simon Sawyer (ring any bells?). 

Episode: Amazon Video 

Cast recording: YouTube

Show Notes:

• More about Stephen Sondheim's iconic take on "Co-op" and its music.
• Here's him master-classing and also shading students doing "Getting Married Today."  
• Probably the crown jewel of John Mulaney's standup repertoire, which is saying something: The Salt and Pepper Diner.
• OK, fine, here's another one: The One Thing You Can't Replace.
• John Mulaney also wrote all the sketches of Stefon, the gay, Ed Hardy-wearing event correspondent who's in love with Seth Meyers.

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Listeners, we have gone past the point of no return in this TWO-PART, MEGA MUSICAL EPISODE!!! Masks will be ripped off, costumes will be grand, and chandeliers will swing in this musical spectacular. This week, the Broadway Babies jump in, lassos spinning, to rein in the king of MEGA musicals: The Phantom of the Opera. Join Alex and Daisha as they discuss the 25th Anniversary, Royal Albert Hall performance starring Sierra Boggess, Ramin Karimloo and Hadley Fraser. Phantom of the Opera is glamorously basic, captivatingly simple, and addictively charming, but why? Let us know what you think after listening! 

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Cast recording: Amazon | iTunes

Video recording: iTunes | Amazon

Songs:

• “The Phantom of the Opera,” performed by Sierra Boggess and Ramin Karimloo
• ”Think of Me,” by Wendy Ferguson and Sierra Boggess
• “Notes.../Prima Donna,” by Wendy Ferguson, Hadley Fraser, Barry James, Gareth Shook, etc.

Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe. 

Released by Really Useful Group Ltd.

Show Notes:

• Frank Rich’s 1988 New York Times review of the original production had some shade to throw Lloyd Webber’s way … and especially about his wife, y’all
• The unmasking scene is so much scarier in the silent Lon Chaney film; the 2004 movie’s unmasking scene, on the other hand
• The really great book “Razzle Dazzle” by Michael Riedel, among other stories, details the history of both Les Mis and Phantom when they came to the West End and then Broadway — and some of the Drama that ensued when the Shubert Group tried to book it into the Majestic in New York
• Ben Lewis singing "Till I Hear You Sing" from Love Never Dies
• An article about a TV show about how sleazy Times Square used to be. There are cool pictures!

Merry Christmas and happy holidays, our dear listeners! For this Very Special Holiday Episode, the Broadway Babies have some things to say about the recently released Netflix movie-musical about a humbug inventor/toymaker who just needs to believe in the power of love to save the day! Did you think this original Christmas story was as cheesy as we did — and is that a bad thing? 

Also a special mention to the recent passings of Broadway legends Ann Reinking and Rebecca Luker — both incomparably talented, lovely women gone too soon.

Music by Philip Lawrence, Davy Nathan, Michael Diskint and John Legend.

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies

Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Because we're honestly very ready to move on from the Big Apple, we're giving you a two-for-one episode about the latter two shows we spent the rest of our New York trip seeing (most of...). "The Inheritance" by Matthew Lopez is an emotional story that examines, maybe a little clumsily and excessively, what it means to be a gay man in present-day New York, inspired by "Howard's End" by E.M. Forster. Does it succeed as a new addition to the canon of "epic gay theatre"?

And on our last day together, we got just a little touch of star quality listening to Solea Pfeiffer belt the living hell out of the title role in the City Center production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice favorite, "Evita." Joined by a talented bunch of supporting actors and a killer ensemble, let's break down what changes made this one stand out from all the others.

Show Notes:

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Chicks and ducks and geese better scurry when this dark revival comes around. Hello listeners! The Broadway Babies had a small stint in the Big Apple and have a whole line up of Broadway plays and musicals to chat about with you! First on the list is the revival that stole our hearts (and the "Best Revival of a Musical" Tony): Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! Alex and Daisha will discuss the complicated emotions that resulted from watching this revised version of a Golden Age favorite! 

Soundtrack: iTunes | Amazon | Spotify

Show Notes:

Listeners, we're here to make you happy with another episode about the blockbuster 2006 musical-movie "Dreamgirls"! Now that we've covered the background of the movie (and Alex got his power back on!), we're going to go all-in on this epic af plot, full of iconic cultural resets. Let's get into in the drama!

Where to watch: Amazon Prime | iTunes | YouTube Movies 

Songs:

• "Patience," performed by Eddie Murphy and Anika Noni Rose*
• "I Am Changing," by Jennifer Hudson
• "Jimmy's Rap," by Eddie Murphy
• "Listen," by Beyoncé Knowles**

Music by Henry Krieger, lyrics by Tom Eyen

*Lyrics by Henry Krieger and Willie Reale

**Lyrics by Henry Krieger, Anne Preven, Scott Cutler and Beyoncé Knowles

Released by Sony Music Entertainment

Show Notes:

• Meet the Supremes!
• Listen to probably Florence Ballard's best B-side solo, which is very Etta James meets Martha Vandella
• The real-life Lorrell Mary Wilson talks out about Flo and her problems that led to alcoholism and eventually her death.
• And here she talks about how she was snubbed for the 2000 reunion tour. "Diane...is Diane, that's something," omg.
• On a different note: Here's more information on the five-day Detroit Riots of 1967.
• Michael Jackson performed "Billie Jean" and debuted the moonwalk — and the iconic white glove — at Motown's 25th anniversary TV special in 1983. It was a true cultural reset.
• Jennifer Hudson talks on Oprah about how she got the role and gets an apology from Simon Cowell for being shady, plus Anika talks about her drama!
• And last but NOT LEAST: Both Jennifers Holliday and Hudson take the stage together for an iconic powerhouse "And I Am Telling You" to destroy everyone ever.

How you can help right now:

• Donate to the charity for George Floyd‘s daughter, Gianna Floyd.
• Sign the petitions to bring justice to the victims of police killings.
• Donate to the Louisville Community Bailout Fund, or refer to the list of U.S. bailout fund donations here. 
• Donate to the fund for the community of black trans women who live in Atlanta and are sex workers and/or homeless. 
• Educate yourself on issues facing the Black Lives Matter movement.
• Learn how to be safe if you're out protesting and getting tested for COVID-19.
• And finally: REGISTER TO VOTE!

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies

Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

City of stars...sry I can't see you in this smog. HERE IT IS, FOLKS: the final episode in this DOOZY of a season! We have spent the last few months going through defining movies of each decade, and we are finally to the 2010s. In this episode, Alex and Daisha examine the cinematic and musical tools used from the popular movie musicals of decades past. They also talk about the plot and how some of the holes in the story took away from beauty of the film. After this giant episode, we want to turn the mic to our listeners: what did you think about the progression of the movie musical through the decades? What do y'all think the future of movie musicals entails? We had so much fun with this season, what do y'all think our next season should be? 

Film: DVD/Blu-Ray | iTunes | Amazon Prime | Google Play

Soundtrack: iTunes | Amazon Prime | Spotify

Distributed by Lionsgate Pictures.

Music Clips:

• “Another Day of Sun,” performed by “La La Land” cast
• “Someone in the Crowd,” by “La La Land” cast
• “Herman’s Habit,” by Justin Hurwitz
• “A Lovely Night,” by Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling
• “City of Stars,” by Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling
• “Audition (Fools Who Dream),” by Emma Stone

Music by Justin Hurwitz and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul

Album distributed by Interscope Records.

Show Notes

• And Best Picture goes to … “La La Land?!”
• Emma Stone’s own reaction to the mix-up debacle.
• Here’s your guide to the backlash of “La La Land” if you’re feeling in the mood.
• SNL’s La La Land interrogation… awwww, Moonlight, it’s so important.
• The movie’s choreographer Mandy Moore breaks down the opening freeway scene’s choreography for Vanity Fair.
• Jimmy Fowlie’s “So Long, Boulder City!” featuring a long-ass costume change and set change and a climactic fake-dance duet breakdown.
• This channel explains some of the specific movie-musical references that we might have missed from the film — and the dream dance sequence, in particular.

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Our movie musicals of the decades, ranked:

Daisha’s:

1. Top Hat
2. Meet Me in St. Louis
3. An American in Paris
4. Grease
5. The Lion King
6. Moulin Rouge
7. La La Land
8. Broadway Melody of 1929
9. Umbrellas of Cherbourg
10. Labyrinth

Alex’s:

1. Grease
2. The Lion King
3. Moulin Rouge (yes, I moved this up)
4. Meet Me in St. Louis
5. Top Hat
6. Labyrinth
7. La La Land
8. An American in Paris
9. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
10. The Broadway Melody of 1929

And “New York, New York” isn’t even allowed on the list, BYE

Before you roll your eyes, we are reviewing THE MOVIE, OKAY?!?! Dear listeners, if we are doing a season on musicals we love, Daisha has to include Jason Robert Brown’s The Last Five Years or she will explode. Join Alex and Daisha as they compare the movie with the musical and talk about how movie adaptations can add to a story when visual elements are used tastefully. What do you think about film adaptations of musicals? Let us know in the comments, through email, or via our social media accounts!

Film: Amazon Video 

Cast recording: iTunes | Spotify

Music: 

• "Moving Too Fast," performed by Jeremy Jordan
• "Summer in Ohio," by Anna Kendrick
• "If I Didn’t Believe in You," by Jeremy Jordan
• "Goodbye Until Tomorrow/I Could Never Rescue You," by Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan

Music, Lyrics, and Book by Jason Robert Brown

Film distributed by Radius-TWC 

Show Notes:

•  Reunited, and it feels SO GOOD!
• Come and play with us, Jamie
• !!!!!!!
• People (Broadway people) have been freaking out over Jeremy Jordan and Laura Osnes’ mash-up of “Ten Minutes Ago/Next Ten Minutes,” but they did this at a show like five years ago lmao

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Seasons may change, winter to spring, but we love this movie until the end of time! Our movie musical for the week is the overwhelming Baz Luhrmann mélange of major Romantic operas: Moulin Rouge! It’s hard not to love this glitter-covered jukebox musical as it takes us through a rollercoaster of emotions and pop song medleys. Join Alex and Daisha as they discuss how the modernity of the movie works well with the turn of the century setting, the music (of course), and how the movie handles its many themes, including the bohemian lifestyle, sickness, and jealousy. Do you think Moulin Rouge! is spectacular spectacular? Let us know your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter. Enjoy the show! 

Film:

iTunes | Amazon Prime

Soundtracks:

iTunes (Vol. 1 / Vol. 2) | Spotify (Vol. 1 / Vol. 2) | Amazon (Vol. 1 / Vol. 2)

Show Notes

• Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor had a reunion last year, and it’s so goddamn cute... and insightful, of course!
• YouTube channel ScreenPrism actually just made a video essay about Nicole Kidman and her unique screen persona, just like we were talking about.
• This couple is...actually kinda cute covering “Come What May”?
• The Broadway musical is all about “Beauty” this week…
• An interesting history of the actual Moulin Rouge dance hall and Toulouse-Latrec's paintings. 

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Phone rings, door chimes, in comes Episode 10! It’s been a while, but we are back and ready to talk about everyone’s favorite subjects: commitment issues and marriage! At least these issues are set to some brilliant music and hilarious dialogue in the 2006 revival of Stephen Sondheim’s "Company"! 

What's the buzz, listeners? We'll tell you what's a'happenin'! The Broadway Babies are back and better than ever! Now it’s time to get petty and start our season of MEGA musicals. This season is comprised entirely of "doozies," starting with the NBC concert of the king of megamusicals’ tomb-quaking classic, "Jesus Christ Superstar Live!" Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s rock musical entertains the 5,000 while providing commentary on what celebrity can do to the individual as well as the general public. Alex and Daisha discuss the themes of loneliness, celebrity, and tough choices woven through Webber’s motive-ridden classic. 

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Cast recording: Amazon | iTunes | Spotify

Video: Hulu | NBC.com

Songs

• "Prologue"/"Heaven on their Minds" (performed by Orchestra/ Brandon Victor Dixon)
• "Everything is Alright" (by Sara Bareilles and Ensemble)
• "Gethsemane (I only want to say)" (by John Legend)
• "King Herod's Song" (by Alice Cooper)
• "Superstar" (by Brandon Victor Dixon and Ensemble)

Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice book by God.

Released by Sony Masterworks.

Show Notes

• Who sang the “Gethsemane” high note (G5) the best? You decide!
• A behind-the-scenes documentary clip from the 2000 film about the idea of Rice’s and Webber’s making the story about Judas’ betrayal and his character
• We barely talked about it at all, but there was a 2012 Broadway revival of this show that was just as Tony nominated as any other production of this (Best Revival and Actor): Here are a couple highlights from the show
• John Legend discussing the role: “I think we've gotten used to seeing Jesus look like he came from Oslo, when, you know, obviously he was born and raised in the Middle East and probably looked a lot closer to me.”
• The second best thing to ever come from early 2000s reality TV (the first being New York from “Flavor of Love)

Could it be? Yes, it could. Something's coming, something good: A new episode!!! Hello Sharks and Jets, the Broadway Babies are headed to the West Side to review an adaptation of one of the most well-known stories ever told: Romeo and Juliet. Bernstein's "West Side Story" grabs ahold of racial and socioeconomic disparities of poor folks in a neighborhood and mixes them with Shakespearean tragedy to create this masterpiece that is still relevant today. Alex and Daisha will discuss the plot, production history, Bernstein's musical daring, and would it be an episode of Broadway Babies if Stephen Sondheim weren't in the mix somewhere? Do you love this musical classic? Tell us why on Facebook or Twitter!

Soundtrack: iTunes | Amazon | Spotify

Film: YouTube | Amazon | iTunes

Songs:

• "Jets Song," performed by Russ Tamblyn
• "Maria," by Jim Bryant
• "America," by Rita Moreno, George Chakiris, the Sharks 
• "I Feel Pretty," by Marni Nixon, Yvonne Othon, Suzie Kaye, Joanne Miya 
• "I Have a Love," by Marni Nixon and Betty Wand

Show Notes:

Welcome back, dear friends! This week we're dishing on the 2016 revival of one of the loveliest musicals around the corner, "She Loves Me." Boasting one of the best ensemble casts this side of Hungary, this revival starring podcast fave Laura Benanti and a charming Zachary Levi as sparring coworkers/pen-pal lovers (who don't quite know it yet) is as delicious as sweets from a musical box. So grab a carton of vanilla ice cream and enter the wonderful, ordinary world of Maraczek's Parfumerie. Do call again, won't you?

Film: Amazon | BroadwayHD 

Cast recording: Spotify | Apple Music

Music

• "Tonight at Eight," performed by Zachary Levi
• "Ilona," by Gavin Creel, Jane Krakowski, Nicholas Barasch and Michael McGrath
• "Dear Friend," by Laura Benanti
• "Try Me," by Nicholas Barasch
• "Bows," by "She Loves Me" company

Licensed by Ghostlight Records Inc. Released by Razor & Tie Recordings via Concord Music Group Inc. 

Show Notes

• There are so, so many things to show why Laura Benanti is iconic, but what could be more on-brand than watching her as Fosca from "Passion" in Times Square?
• OK fine, here's this too, her now-annual tradition!
• Sweetheart Jane Krakowski has the most touching story about doing the show as Ilona, and got a whole profile feature on CBS Morning News about it.
• But then here's Jane being iconic with her extra-ness ... which won her a Tony as soon as she first came down the ceiling.
• "Vanilla Ice Cream" is so overdone, but sometimes a soprano really pulls it off at her recital, gurl.
• Barbara Cook. The legend.

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies | Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Hello Daddy! Hello Mom! (jk they don’t listen to this podcast) Alex and Daisha hope all of our listeners are thriving and demanding justice at every turn. This week, the bbys are discussing the 2010 biopic, "The Runaways"! Tune in for the Broadway Babies’ ever-evolving *opinions* on the movie, its message, and the girl-band legacy of The Runaways, particularly the legacies of Cherie Currie and Joan Jett.

**This episode was recorded before the murder of George Floyd. We are releasing the epi as planned, but are not being silent and are consciously speaking out on our respective platforms. Black lives matter to us all day, every day.

Where to watch: Netflix | Amazon Prime 

Songs:

• "Cherry Bomb," performed by Dakota Fanning
• "California Paradise," by Dakota Fanning
• “Queens of Noise," by Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning
• “Dead End Justice," by Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning

Show Notes:

• Rover’s Morning Glory interviews Cherie Currie
• Jackie Fuchs talks about her rape
• Cherie Currie interview
• Cherry Bomb live in Japan from 1977
• The K-Stew Totinos skit
• Cherie Currie, chainsaw extraordinaire 

How you can help right now:

• Donate to the charity for George Floyd‘s daughter, Gianna Floyd.
• Sign the petitions to bring justice to the victims of police killings.
• Donate to the Louisville Community Bailout Fund, or refer to the list of U.S. bailout fund donations here. 
• Donate to the fund for the community of black trans women who live in Atlanta and are sex workers and/or homeless. 
• Educate yourself on issues facing the Black Lives Matter movement.
• Learn how to be safe if you're out protesting and getting tested for COVID-19.
• And finally: REGISTER TO VOTE!

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies

Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Get out your hymn books and habits — for this week's musical service, we're dishing on the joyful noise of Broadway's "Sister Act." The Broadway Babies have lots to say about this screen-to-stage adaptation (our second Whoopi movie!), including its original 1992 film, pond-hopping production history, and star-making turn for Patina Miller, who doesn't quite get enough to do in this show. Featuring a scene-stealing Victoria Clark as the holier-than-thou Mother Superior, "Sister Act" is a rollicking time at the theatre that'll take you straight to church! 

Cast recording (West End): Spotify | iTunes

Music: 

• "Take Me to Heaven," performed by Patina Miller, Debbie Kurup and Amy Booth Steel
• "Fabulous, Baby," by Patina Miller, Debbie Kurup and Amy Booth Steel
• "Raise Your Voice," by Patina Miller and company
• "Bless Our Show," by Patina Miller and company
• "Sister Act," by Patina Miller

Music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Glenn Slater

Distributed by Ghostlight Records.

Show Notes:

• This is more an added CXG show note, but this is the season 1 sheet music from the CW website for anyone interested.
• Patina Miller SANGS about being...a "Random Black Girl." 
• Here, she meets Whoopi for the first time.
• We didn't talk much about the sequel movie, "Back in the Habit" (...sigh), but Lauryn Hill, ladies and gents.

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Picture it, Merano, 1979. The beauty of the Alps surrounds you and the world is your oyster. Instead of enjoying a charming Alpine town, you are going to watch chess all day at the World Chess Championship: an unlikely setting for extreme drama. Join Alex and Daisha as they discuss the MEGA musical Chess (in Concert at Royal Albert Hall, again). The Broadway Babies will chat about the moldable plot, and how unique Chess' story is because the game and its players are a metaphor for the Cold War. We soon learn that in the end each character is a "prawn"...or "pawn" in the game of war. It's heavy material, but enlivened by beautiful singing and acting from Josh Groban, Adam Pascal, Idina Menzel, Kerry Ellis, and David Bedella!

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Cast recording: Amazon | iTunes

Video recording: iTunes | Amazon 

Songs:

• "Chess Game #1," by London Philharmonic Orchestra
• "Merano/What a Scene! What a Joy!" performed by West End Chorus & Adam Pascal and Idina Menzel
• "Anthem," by Josh Groban
• "Nobody's Side," by Idina Menzel
• "Someone Else's Story," by Kerry Ellis
• "Golden Bangkok"/"One Night in Bangkok," performed by Adam Pascal and Ensemble
• "Quartet (A Model of Decorum and Tranquility)," by Idina Menzel, Josh Groban, David Bedella and Marti Pellow
• "I Know Him So Well," by Idina Menzel and Kerry Ellis

Music by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, lyrics by Tim Rice

Released by Reprise Records

Show Notes

• A review of the Kennedy Center's 2018 production of Chess with a rough critique of the musical and its new book by Danny Strong.
• Yikes!
• Please watch this. (Take note of the chessboard choir folders.)

Hello everyone! We had a not-so-brief hiatus, but are back and ready to continue our Barbra Streisand movie musical season with her third movie musical, "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever." Somehow, this movie manages to be just as extra as the previous two with a fraction of the budget because of the costumes, the special effects, and well, Ms. Streisand herself! Join Alex and Daisha as they unravel the deeper message (in their opinion) behind this strange yet endearing musical. 

Where to watch: YouTube | Amazon 

Music by Burton Lane, lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner

Distributed by Paramount Pictures

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies

Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Arrr ya ready, listeners?! This week, we're heading under the sea to the cartoon paradise of Bikini Bottom to talk about the TV airing of the "SpongeBob SquarePants" musical. Featuring a hunky, bendy leading man, this isn't your regular theme-park show, either — we're talking fun and funky thrift store costumes, pool noodles for kelp, and jellyfish made of umbrellas. We've got (almost) nothing but good things to say about this original take on the modern Nickelodeon classic...five...hours...later.

Where to watch: Amazon Prime

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

• Playbill article about the live broadcast 
  
• Everybody loves Ethan!
• Ethan Slater not singing Spongebob 
• Looolll this laugh tutorial 
• Plankton as Emcee

There's always time for a song for the Broadway Babies! This week, we're going to keep looking at the wild AF hellscape corner of the internet with another fever-dream musical, the British children's show-surreal-horror-satire-web series "Don't Hug Me I'm Scared." So today, let's go on a journey and talk about about the ups and downs of learning to get creative while also learning to live in a society.

Where to watch: YouTube

Music and lyrics by Joseph Pelling

Show Notes

• A couple theories about children and the media (like bringing in the BBC licensing and ITV being created)
• Another video theory about the dreaming Red Guy refusing to grow up even though he’s tired of being a kid (and the other two are his imaginary puppet friends)
• Roy having some choice words for his son.
• An update on the DHMIS TV show — is it still happening?

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies

Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

We're your Broadway Babies, and listeners, we'll make you happy this week! It's a new season of our podcast, and to kick it off, we're going to talk about another concert of another Michael Bennett masterwork, the 2001 "Dreamgirls in Concert" benefiting the Actors Fund of America, starring Lillias White, Audra McDonald and Heather Headley. Get ready for conversations surrounding race issues in America that bleed over into the theatre as we kick off this season on race issues in America for Black History Month. We will be talking about the energetic and fun music that brings Motown to life, the vocal expectations of roles for black women in musical theatre, and accurate portrayals of minorities in musical theatre. So fasten your seat belts in your Cadillac car, it’s about to get glamorous!

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Cast recording: iTunes | Spotify | Amazon

Music

• "Dreamgirls" (performed by Audra McDonald, Lillias White and Heather Headley)
• "Steppin' to the Bad Side" (by Norm Lewis, Darius de Haas, Billy Porter, James Stovall and Bobby Daye)
• "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" (by Lillias White)
• "One Night Only/One Night Only (disco reprise)" (by Lillias White, and by Audra McDonald, Heather Headley and Tamara Tunie)
• "Family" (by Darius de Haas, Billy Porter, Norm Lewis, Audra McDonald and Heather Headley)
• "Hard to Say Good-bye" (by Audra McDonald, Heather Headley and Tamara Tunie)
• "Dreamgirls (reprise)" (by Lillias White, Audra McDonald, Heather Headley and Tamara Tunie)

Show Notes

• As promised: the Dreamgirls Tonys performance with Jennifer Holliday’s legendary showstopper, along with her and everyone else winning their awards
• Here’s the NYT article about the concert with interviews with basically everyone in the cast and creative team.
• You HAVE to see this K-Pop music video inspired by Dreamgirls. The song is “Nobody” by Wonder Girls. The beginning is hilarious and also the whole video is fabulous and amazing.
• The music director of the 2001 production, Seth Rudetsky, who is still stanning out to Lillias riffing. 
  • The performance he is raving about, from another concert she stole
• Original Deena Sheryl Lee Ralph discussing Dreamgirls and her long, successful career on Broadway.
• If you would like to learn more about black girl groups in the ’60s, Mary Wilson, an original Supreme, wrote an autobiography called “Dreamgirl: My Life as a Supreme.”

Merry Christmas, fellow filthy Broadway animals! We've moved on from the movie musical into the holidays, and this Irving Berlin musical covers all of them. Christmas, Thanksgiving, Fourth of July, Arbor Day, Labor Day... Let's check into the Broadway adaptation of the classic ’40s movie musical "Holiday Inn," filmed live in 2017 for Broadway HD. This musical has everything: jump rope tapping, firework dancing, and a little Hallmark Channel romance realness. So snuggle up with your apple pie and a cup of hot chocolate (or whatever floats your Christmas boat), and welcome to the Holiday Inn!

Note: This episode contains some (mostly irreverent, but still) discussion of blackface. If this topic is any way triggering for you, skip ahead after the plot summary to the next musical break. 

---

Film: BroadwayHD | Amazon Video

Cast recording: iTunes | Spotify | Amazon Prime 

Filmed and distributed exclusively by Broadway HD

Music: 

• "I'll Capture Your Heart," performed by Bryce Pinkham and Corbin Bleu
• "Blue Skies," by Bryce Pinkham
• "Heat Wave," by Corbin Bleu and Megan Sikora
• "You're Easy to Dance With," by Corbin Bleu and Ensemble
• "Shaking the Blues Away," by Megan Lawrence, Bryce Pinkham and Ensemble
• "White Christmas," by Lora Lee Gayer and Bryce Pinkham

Music and lyrics by Irving Berlin

Album distributed by Ghostlight Records

Show Notes:

• No show notes this week, just this music video of Holidae In by Chingy that should've been a musical number. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

The Broadway Babies are dusting off our VHS tapes and pulling out our Lisa Frank gel pens to tackle this iconic production: The Wonderful World of Disney’s “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella”! Starring Brandy “sittin up in her cellar” Norwood, Whitney “I am your actual boss” Houston, and Bernadette “how can I make this power dynamic less problematic” Peters! Join Alex and Daisha as they sift through this fairy tale's long production history, the behind-the-scenes drama and the optics of color-blind casting, and discuss whether or not this movie was as progressive as it wanted to be at its inception. 

Cast recording: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Film: Amazon

Songs:

• "Impossible," performed by Whitney Houston
• “My Own Little Corner,” by Brandy Norwood
• “Falling in Love With Love,” by Bernadette Peters
• "Stepsisters' Lament," by Natalie Deselle and Veanne Cox
• "It's Possible," by Brandy and Whitney Houston

Music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II

Show Notes:

• Shondaland.com's 20th anniversary herstory of the Cinderella film has all the tea, listeners.
• WHY ARE YOU DOWN THERE: This behind-the-scenes video special on Brandy and Whitney's relationship shows more than just the memes.
• Like night and day: Brandy's take on "Roxie" was just bursting with personality, no wonder they waited outside in lights to see her!
• Audra McDonald and Mary Testa's own version of the "Stepsisters' Lament" is its own level of iconic.
• Speaking of the Stepsisters, Veanne Cox might also just have one of the best renditions of "Getting Married Today."
• Veanne has the range: Here she is getting destroyed by Julia Roberts for having two wrong feet with ugly shoes.
• The 1965 version with Ginger Rogers is free via YouTube TV!
• If you would just like the entire movie retold in GIFs

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast