The Playbill Podcast: A Show on Broadway

"Was there ever a Cat(s) so clever?" That is what people are saying about Cats: The Jellicle Ball, the outstanding revival based on the award-winning and long-running musical Cats by Andrew Lloyd Webber, itself based on TS Elliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. This reimagining has breathed extravagant new life into the work by setting Cats in an entirely different context: the legendary Ballroom scene, filled with runways, house mothers, and inspired runway choreography.The production began its life at the Perelman Performing Arts Center in 2024 under the ideation and direction of Artistic Director Bill Rauch and Zhailon Levingston. It was brought to Broadway this season to immediate fanfare, earning a whopping 9 Tony Award nominations and three Tony Award victories, including Best Direction, which went to both Rauch and Levingston.In this episode, host Alex Birsh (Playbill's COO and SVP) talks to a theatre friend who’s seen the show and suggests it for those who ask them, "What should they see on Broadway?” And then he brings on his special guests, the Tony Award-winning directors of the show, Bill Rauch and Zhailon Levingston, as well as Junior LaBeija, an icon of the Ballroom scene. Junior was the emcee in the famous Paris is Burning documentary, and currently plays Gus in this production.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Throughout his life, the legendary and groundbreaking playwright August Wilson wrote ten plays chronicling the Black experience, decade by decade, throughout the twentieth century; what has been referred to as The Pittsburgh Cycle. Joe Turner’s Come and Gone takes us to the earliest chapter, 1911, just a few decades removed from the end of slavery, in the middle of the Great Migration, when hundreds of thousands of Black Americans were making their way north.The play unfolds in a Pittsburgh boarding house run by Seth Holly, played by Cedric the Entertainer, who always seems to have a steady stream of wanderers passing through his doors. His wife, Bertha, played by Taraji P. Henson, keeps the household warm, steady, and welcoming. In their world is Bynum Walker, played by Ruben Santiago-Hudson, and he’s considered a “conjure man” who speaks in riddles and visions, and of a "shiny man" he once encountered on the road, as this man carries the secret of binding people to their purpose, to “their song” as he says. And then there's Herald Loomis, played by Joshua Boone. Seven years before the time of the play, Loomis was captured by Joe Turner, who is based on a real historical figure -- a white man in Tennessee connected to the governor who would capture Black men off the roads and force them into years of illegal servitude on his chain gang. By the time Loomis escapes, he has lost everything, including his sense of self. He arrives at the boarding house with his young daughter Zonia, desperate to find his wife Martha.That is the setting of the play, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, and everything that follows is truly must-see theater, thanks to the outrageous cast, the direction from Broadway legend Debbie Allen, Costume Design by Paul Tazewell, and Set design by David Gallo.In this episode, host Alex Birsh (Playbill COO and SVP) brings on Tony nominee Joshua Boone and Tony winner Ruben Santiago-Hudson, who was nominated for his portrayal of Bynum, to discuss their experience in the play and why this show is so meaningful to them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever wished to find yourself IN a musical? That is the fate of boyfriend and girlfriend Josh and Melissa, who get trapped in the town of Schmigadoon, influenced by the Golden Age of musical theatre (and named after the Broadway classic Brigadoon). First performed at The Kennedy Center in 2025, the stage rendition of the streaming series of the same name (on AppleTV+) has just been nominated for a staggering 12 Tony Awards, including Best Musical.In this episode, host Alex Birsh (Playbill's COO and SVP) brings on a theater friend who suggests the show when someone asks what to see on Broadway.And then Birsh brings on the two stars of the show, Alex Brightman and Sara Chase, the latter of whom earned her first Tony award nomination for the role. The two of them talk about what it's like to take on characters who are stuck in a musical.Get ready to cross that bridge and try some corn puddin', as we head to the Nederlander Theatre on 41st Street for Schmigadoon!  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What lengths would you go to for the person you loved, and what lengths would the public love you for it? Those are the central themes of the play Dog Day Afternoon, an adaptation of the 1975 movie, itself a dramatization of real-life events that happened in 1972. Adapted for the stage by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis, the story centers on two men, Sonny and Sal, and their quest to rob a bank in New York City in the summer of '72. Played by real-life friends Jon Bernthal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Sonny and Sal hold up the bank, but the cast of characters in and around the bank have enough talent to STEAL in their own right, as in the show, thanks to the excellent performances by Jessica Hecht and John Ortiz.In this episode, host Alex Birsh (Playbill's C.O.O. and SVP) talks to a theatre friend who’s seen the show and suggests it when they’re asked, "What show do you recommend seeing on Broadway?"And then he brings on his special guest, the Emmy Award-winning powerhouse Jon Bernthal. They talk about the joy he is having bringing this piece to Broadway, welcoming all kinds of audiences into the theater, and the love he has for his native Ojai and creating the Ojai Theater Festival last year.Lock the doors, count your money, and yell ATTICA as we take you to the August Wilson Theatre on 52nd Street for Dog Day Afternoon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1998, composer/lyricists Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, and book writer Terrance McNally brought a big, American musical to Broadway based on Ragtime, the acclaimed novel by EL Doctorow. It was a success; the production was nominated for 13 Tony Awards and won four of them. The show ran for multiple years, launched many careers, and brought new, beautiful music to the world. That world has waited many years for a revival of this beloved musical, which tells the commingling stories of Coalhouse Walker Jr and his wife Sarah, Mother and Father and their family in the upper class in Westchester, and Tateh and his daughter, immigrants embracing a new and complex home in New York at the turn of the 20th century. Lincoln Center and its new artistic director, Lear deBessonet, have brought us the long-awaited revival at the Vivian Beaumont Theater, and it’s made a sizable splash on Broadway, playing to sold-out houses thanks to its beauty and many timely themes that are all too familiar today. In this episode, host Alex Birsh (Playbill's C.O.O. and SVP) talks to a theatre friend who’s seen the show and suggests it to those who ask, "What should I see on Broadway?" Birsh then brings on the three leading players in the show: Joshua Henry (Coalhouse), Caissie Levy (Mother), and Brandon Uranowitz (Tateh). To get tickets to Ragtime, click here. To see all of what Broadway has to offer, visit Playbill.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Lost Boys musical is on its way to Broadway, and it is one of the season’s most highly anticipated new shows. Previews start March 27th at the Palace Theatre, with tickets available now at lostboysmusical.com. The production is in the middle of the final sprint to the finish that all new shows need to take on to open on Broadway successfully, and while there is rarely time to reflect in those moments, the producing and creative teams for the show are peeling back the curtain with a three-part podcast series called "Time To Kill: Making The Lost Boys Musical." And lucky for you all, we’re releasing those episodes here on the Playbill Podcast. The hosts of the series are producers James Carpinello, Marcus Chait, and Patrick Wilson, and each episode will feature a different member or members of the creative process, such as the music, the direction, and the cast. The first episode of the series focused on the music with special guests The Rescues. In this second installment, the hosts bring on the two-time Tony Award-winning director of the musical, Michael Arden. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Playbill went to New York Comic Con in October and hosted several panels on Broadway and beyond, including one on the highly anticipated new musical The Lost Boys, based on the cult classic film. On the panel were producer and stage/screen star Patrick Wilson, two-time Tony-winning director Michael Arden, and members of the cast: Ali Louis Bourzgui, LJ Benet, and Maria Wirries. Hosted by Emmy-nominee and Broadway veteran Zachary Quinto, the panel touched on how the idea for the musical came to be and what fans should be excited about as the show gears up for its run on Broadway, with previews beginning March 27 at the Palace Theatre. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What do you get when you combine more than 11,000 performances, 124 million attendees, and six Tony Awards? You have arguably the most successful and impactful Broadway show in its history. The Lion King debuted in 1997 and has since helped lift the art form and its patrons up, spreading the joy of its work across the world through its many productions. The show, helmed by multi-time Tony Award-winner Julie Taymor, has helped jumpstart countless careers and sparked general interest in live theatre, a theme in this episode.Host Alex Birsh brings on his father, Phil Birsh (Playbill's Chairman and CEO), to talk about the indelible mark the show has made on Broadway, and they reminisce about Phil bringing Alex to The Lion King when he was eight years old.Alex then brings on two cast members, Gavin Lee (Scar) and Lindiwe Dlamini (multiple roles), who discuss what it's like to bring this show to life every day, from the perspective of the newest cast member (Lee) and the one who has been with the production since the very beginning (Dlamini).Yes...since 1997!00:25 - Sneak peek into The Lion King02:17 - Alex and Phil interview18:09 - Gavin Lee and Lindiwe Dlamini interview Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Someone must have said his name three times again...since Beetlejuice is back on Broadway for a third time! Playbill went to New York Comic Con earlier this fall and hosted several panels on Broadway, including Beetlejuice's return, Hamilton's lasting impact, the rise of Death Becomes Her, Little Shop of Horrors' impact on entertainment history, and a look into the new spring musical, The Lost Boys. We know everyone who'd want to hear these panels couldn't be there in person, so we're turning them into podcast episodes!The first one we're bringing to you is our panel on Beetlejuice, and how fans cannot get enough of the ghost with the most. We brought on the current Beetlejuice and Lydia, Justin Collette and Isabella Esler, to talk about what it takes to put this musical on. We also had Warner Bros.' executive Mark Kaufman and marketing agency SPOTCO executive Callie Goff on the panel to explain how the show, and its public image, were created in the first place. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the recurring multimedia series we make at Playbill is called My Life In The Theatre, and you can find it in the Playbill programs on Broadway, on our YouTube page, and on our website. The premise is simple: we hand a theatre legend a binder filled with Playbills of their past stage shows, and they talk to us about their time in each. The first episode we edited for this podcast was with Jonathan Groff, which got a great listener response. We wanted to turn our most recent installment into another podcast episode, especially because it features the absolute legend that is Audra McDonald, the most Tony-awarded actor in Broadway’s history, who had just finished her run in the iconic revival of Gypsy.We’ll set the scene: it’s Audra McDonald at a table, with a microphone and a big binder filled with a lot of Playbills, and a lot of memories.For those who want to watch this episode instead, click this link here!01:39 - The Secret Garden03:34 - Carousel 08:17 - Master Class11:12 - Ragtime14:25 - Marie Christine17:51 - Henry IV20:43 - A Raisin in the Sun22:40 - 110 in the Shade25:14 - Porgy and Bess26:55 - Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill30:01 - Shuffle Along, Or….31:58 - Frankie and Johnny in the Clare 34:12 - Ohio State Murders36:28 - Gypsy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of the Playbill Podcast, host Alex Birsh talks with "Roastmaster General" Jeff Ross about his new solo show, Take a Banana for the Ride. On Broadway through the end of September. Ross shines the spotlight on himself and his journey, which includes his upbringing in New Jersey and even his bouts with multiple conditions and illnesses, including alopecia. Birsh and Ross chatted on the rooftop of the Hard Rock Hotel in Times Square before Jeff's press day got fully underway. They discussed what it means to Jeff to make it to Broadway, what he’s most looking forward to, what he thinks opening night is going to be like, and how he’ll be thinking often of his good friends and family who will be with him in person and spirit, such as his late friends Gilbert Gottfried, Norm Macdonald, and Bob Saget.For tickets and more information, visit jeffrossbroadway.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hi Playbill Podcast listeners! We make a lot of content here at Playbill: for the Playbill programs, our website, and our social media/YouTube pages. While we’re working on future podcast episodes to be released later this summer, we thought you’d enjoy an audio version of an episode from My Life in the Theatre, our video series where a theatre legend walks us through their career on the stage, one Playbill at a time. This episode is our most recent, featuring the star of Just In Time on Broadway, Jonathan Groff. We’ll set the scene: it’s Jonathan Groff at a table with a microphone and a big binder, filled with a lot of Playbills and a lot of memories.01:41 - In My Life05:21 - Spring Awakening09:52 - Hair13:55 - Prayer for My Enemy16:07 - The Singing Forest17:15 - The Bacchae20:08 - The Submission20:51 - Red22:53 - The Pirates of Penzance25:16 - A New Brain28:09 - Hamilton30:41 - Little Shop of Horrors33:08 - Merrily We Roll Along35:21 - Just In TimeIf you’d like to watch this episode on our YouTube page, visit this link:https://youtu.be/W5JIgY52ozA?si=9L6PA-8Rh8zCLAmT Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the early 1990s, college students Adam Guettel and Tina Landau embarked on a wild idea: writing a musical based on the strange-but-true story of Floyd Collins, the Kentucky man who got stuck in a cave in 1925 trying to turn the cave into a tourist attraction. The topic was so intriguing because of what happened after he got stuck: the news story became one of the country's first "viral stories," reaching far and wide and creating such pandemonium that thousands would gather atop the entrance to the cave, hoping he would get rescued. After making it to an Off-Broadway theatre in 1996, the musical circled the Broadway industry for decades thanks to the clever concept by Landau and beautiful score by Adam Guettel, now a two-time Tony Award winner (and Landau is now a Tony-nominated director). The musical has finally made it to Broadway and received six Tony Award nominations, including Best Revival of a Musical and Best Leading Actor in a Musical for Jeremy Jordan, our guest for the episode. We talk about what it's like to be nominated again, his path to the show, and his thoughts on why Floyd represents the best of him. Before the interview, host Alex Birsh (Playbill's C.O.O.) brings on a theatre friend to go into why the show resonated with him so much.00:23 - Sneak Peek01:47 - Interview with theatre friend Logan Culwell-Block11:08 - Interview with Jeremy Jordan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.