Scene to Song

From dancer to director, Michael Bennett reinvented what a Broadway musical could be. Shoshana talks with Natalie Guevara, creator of Mirror Man: A Portrait of Michael Bennett and unlike many of our guests, she is someone who didn't consider herself a theater person until Michael Bennett changed that. Natalie got interested because even though Bennett gave us A Chorus Line and Dreamgirls, his name barely comes up in the same breath as Sondheim or Jonathan Larson. Natalie noticed that gap and made it her mission to fill it! They trace Bennett's journey from dancer to one of Broadway's most visionary director-choreographers, hitting Promises, Promises, Company, Follies, A Chorus Line (born from taped personal testimonies), Dreamgirls, and the unrealized projects cut short when he died of AIDS-related illness at just 44. Music featured: "Turkey Lurkey Time" from Promises, Promises "Who's That Woman" from Follies "Better" from A Class Act You can write to scenetosong@gmail.com with a comment or question or to be a guest. Follow on Instagram @‌ScenetoSong and on Facebook at "Scene to Song with Shoshana Greenberg Podcast." Sign up for the monthly e-newsletter at scenetosong.substack.com and consider supporting on Patreon. Theme music by Julia Meinwald.

In this episode, dramaturg, director and producer Shaun Leisher discusses the Muppet movies as musical theater. We also talk about the song "Side by Side/What Would We Do Without You" from Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's 1970 musical Company, specifically The Muppet Show version with Loretta Swit.You can write to scenetosong@gmail.com with a comment or question about an episode or about musical theater, or if you’d like to be a podcast guest. Follow on Instagram at @ScenetoSong and on Facebook at “Scene to Song with Shoshana Greenberg Podcast.” And be sure to sign up for the new monthly e-newsletter at scenetosong.substack.com. Contribute to the Patreon. The theme music is by Julia Meinwald. Music played in this episode:"Moving Right Along" from The Muppet Movie"Rainbow Connection" from The Muppet Movie"Going to Go Back There One Day" from The Muppet Movie"Hey It’s a Movie" from The Great Muppet Caper"Happiness Hotel" from The Great Muppet Caper"Cabin Fever" from Muppet Treasure Island"You Can’t Take No for an Answer" from The Muppets Take Manhattan"Scrooge" from The Muppet Christmas Carol"Side by Side/What Would We Do Without You" from Company

In this episode, writer and director Michael Boyd discusses Tom O'Horgan, Helen Miller, and Eve Merriam's 1971 musical Inner City, the story behind this short-lived musical, most likely the first Broadway musical with a score by two women, as well as a look some of the songs. We also talk about the song "Hushaby/My Mother Said" from Inner City.You can write to scenetosong@gmail.com with a comment or question about an episode or about musical theater, or if you’d like to be a podcast guest. Follow on Instagram at @ScenetoSong and on Facebook at “Scene to Song with Shoshana Greenberg Podcast.” And be sure to sign up for the new monthly e-newsletter at scenetosong.substack.com. Contribute to the Patreon. The theme music is by Julia Meinwald.StageStuck! Conference Information

In this episode, writer Rick Rhobajt Widen discusses bible musicals, running the gamut from Children of Eden, Two by Two, and Jesus Christ Superstar to religion-adjacent musicals like Saved and Leap of Faith . We also talk about the song "Writing a Gospel Play" from Michael R. Jackson's 2022 musical A Strange Loop.You can write to scenetosong@gmail.com with a comment or question about an episode or about musical theater, or if you’d like to be a podcast guest. Follow on Instagram at @ScenetoSong and on Facebook at “Scene to Song with Shoshana Greenberg Podcast.” And be sure to sign up for the new monthly e-newsletter at scenetosong.substack.com. Contribute to the Patreon. The theme music is by Julia Meinwald.Music played in this episode:"Generations" from Children of Eden"Why Me?" from Two by Two"Deborah (Lead Me to the Rock)" from Bible Women"Answer Me" from The Band’s Visit"Two by Two" from Two by Two"Samuel Anoints David" from King David"I Don’t Know How to Love Him" from Jesus Christ Superstar"Feelings" from The Apple Tree"Writing a Gospel Play" from A Strange Loop"Faith Hope Love" by Rick Rhobajt Widen

In this episode, composer, lyricist, music director, and educator Katya Stanislavskaya discusses representations of Russia/the USSR in musical theater from Fiddler on the Roof to Anastasia to off-Broadway's Iron Curtain and many in between. We also talk about the song "The Beauty Is" from Adam Guettel and Craig Lucas's 2005 musical The Light in the Piazza.You can write to scenetosong@gmail.com with a comment or question about an episode or about musical theater, or if you’d like to be a podcast guest. Follow on Instagram at @ScenetoSong and on Facebook at “Scene to Song with Shoshana Greenberg Podcast.” And be sure to sign up for the new monthly e-newsletter at scenetosong.substack.com. Contribute to the Patreon. The theme music is by Julia Meinwald.Music played in this episode:"To Life" from Fiddler on the Roof"Prologue" from Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812"No One Else" from Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812"Crossing a Bridge" from Anastasia"Two Worlds" from Doctor Zhivago"That's Capital" from Iron Curtain"Our Time" from Lempicka"The Beauty Is" from The Light in the Piazza

In this episode, writer, dramaturg, and publishing professional William Forrest discusses the Sherman Brothers' Movie Musicals for Disney, tracing their trajectory from their early pop hits to the sophistication of of the book musical in such films as Mary Poppins (1964). We also talk about the song "Soon It's Gonna Rain" from Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt's 1960 musical The Fantasticks.You can write to scenetosong@gmail.com with a comment or question about an episode or about musical theater, or if you’d like to be a podcast guest. Follow on Instagram at @ScenetoSong and on Facebook at “Scene to Song with Shoshana Greenberg Podcast.” And be sure to sign up for the new monthly e-newsletter at scenetosong.substack.com. Contribute to the Patreon. The theme music is by Julia Meinwald.Music played in this episode:"Pineapple Princess" by The Sherman Brothers"The Parent Trap" from The Parent Trap"Chim Chim Cheree" from Mary Poppins"A Spoonful of Sugar" from Mary Poppins"Valentine Candy" from The Happiest Millionaire "Soon It’s Gonna Rain" from The Fantasticks

In this episode, composer, lyricist, and playwright Spencer Robelen discusses musical theater in the films of Alfred Hitchcock, from his early silent movies to Waltzes from Vienna to Stage Fright to The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956). We also talk about the song "Miss Up-to-Date" from his 1929 film Blackmail.You can write to scenetosong@gmail.com with a comment or question about an episode or about musical theater, or if you’d like to be a podcast guest. Follow on Instagram at @ScenetoSong and on Facebook at “Scene to Song with Shoshana Greenberg Podcast.” And be sure to sign up for the new monthly e-newsletter at scenetosong.substack.com. Contribute to the Patreon. The theme music is by Julia Meinwald.Music played in this episode:"Like a Star in the Sky" from Waltzes from Vienna"With All My Heart" from Waltzes from Vienna"The Laziest Gal in Town" by Cole Porter, sung by Marlene Dietrich in Stage Fright"Que Sera Sera" by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans, sung by Doris Day in The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)"Miss Up-to-Date" by Billy Mayerl and Frank Eyton, sung by Cyril Ritchard in Blackmail

In this episode, artistic director, producer, director, and podcast host Robert W. Schneider discusses queer characters in musical theater as part of his upcoming book. We also talk about the song "I Am What I Am" from Jerry Herman and a book by Harvey Fierstein's 1983 musical La Cage aux Folles.You can write to scenetosong@gmail.com with a comment or question about an episode or about musical theater, or if you’d like to be a podcast guest. Follow on Instagram at @ScenetoSong, on X/Twitter at @SceneSong, and on Facebook at “Scene to Song with Shoshana Greenberg Podcast.” And be sure to sign up for the new monthly e-newsletter at scenetosong.substack.com. Contribute to the Patreon. The theme music is by Julia Meinwald.Music played in this episode:"Giving it Up for Love" from Boy Meets Boy"I am what I am" from La Cage aux Folles