This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Kevin David Thomas: The heat is on, Saigon.

[0:01] Robert W. Schneider: It's another hot summer, Kev.

[0:03] Kevin David Thomas: One might say it's one ten in the shade.

[0:05] Robert W. Schneider: You get it?

[0:06] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah.

[0:07] Robert W. Schneider: I do, Rob.

[0:07] Kevin David Thomas: I do.

[0:08] Robert W. Schneider: And how do you cool off, my friend?

[0:09] Kevin David Thomas: Well, I say dress light, and where best to begin lightening your attire than your wallet.

[0:14] Robert W. Schneider: Oh, and how would one do that?

[0:15] Kevin David Thomas: Simple, Kev.

[0:16] Kevin David Thomas: To be one of the cool kids, become one of our Patreon supporters and help keep us on the air.

[0:21] Robert W. Schneider: Head on over to Patreon.com.

[0:23] Kevin David Thomas: That's P-A-T-R-E-O-N.com and search for Behind the Curtain Broadway's Living Legends and set a monthly donation.

[0:30] Robert W. Schneider: Even a dollar a month helps us.

[0:32] Kevin David Thomas: Your contributions help us continue doing what we are doing and bringing the legend stories to your ears.

[0:38] Robert W. Schneider: Rob.

[0:39] Kevin David Thomas: Yes, Kevin.

[0:40] Robert W. Schneider: You aren't wearing any pants.

[0:42] Robert W. Schneider: Hi, I'm Robert W. Schneider.

[0:43] Kevin David Thomas: And I'm Kevin David Thomas.

[0:45] Robert W. Schneider: And this is Behind the Curtain, Broadway's Living Legends.

[0:54] Kevin David Thomas: Don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

[0:54] Robert W. Schneider: It's my first time doing this without this.

[0:52] Kevin David Thomas: I know, I know.

[0:54] Robert W. Schneider: I just want to say don't forget to follow us.

[0:57] Kevin David Thomas: Follow us on Facebook at Behind the Curtain Broadway's Living Legends.

[1:01] Robert W. Schneider: And on Twitter at Broadway Curtain.

[1:04] Kevin David Thomas: And on Instagram at Broadway Curtain Podcast.

[1:06] Robert W. Schneider: Oh, good.

[1:07] Kevin David Thomas: Plus, you can always listen to our podcast on Broadway World and Stitcher.

[1:10] Robert W. Schneider: Look at this.

[1:10] Kevin David Thomas: The actor over here.

[1:11] Robert W. Schneider: He's a cat.

[1:12] Kevin David Thomas: Good for you.

[1:12] Robert W. Schneider: We're like 10 seconds in this podcast, and we're not even like there.

[1:17] Kevin David Thomas: We will get there.

[1:18] Robert W. Schneider: We have a guest today.

[1:19] Kevin David Thomas: We do, as if you could not tell, where the energy is running high in the room.

[1:23] Robert W. Schneider: And we are a guest in this guest's home?

[1:26] Kevin David Thomas: Is that a good way of saying it?

[1:27] Robert W. Schneider: Sure.

[1:28] Kevin David Thomas: Well, it's not a guest home.

[1:29] Robert W. Schneider: I'm not that rich.

[1:31] Kevin David Thomas: Is this your country place?

[1:33] Robert W. Schneider: This is how about a country house?

[1:35] Kevin David Thomas: What?

[1:36] Robert W. Schneider: It's a weird song from Follies, '87.

[1:39] Kevin David Thomas: We like it.

[1:42] Robbie Rozelle: Country House would be fine.

[1:43] Robert W. Schneider: Oh, this is Robbie Rozelle.

[1:44] Kevin David Thomas: Welcome.

[1:46] Robert W. Schneider: Welcome back to the podcast, Robbie Rozelle.

[1:49] Kevin David Thomas: Uh, Richard, you and Richard Mulvey Jr. are now officially tied.

[1:53] Robert W. Schneider: Although Richard is gonna come next week.

[1:54] Kevin David Thomas: Leroy, Leroy is definitely up there as well.

[1:58] Robert W. Schneider: So he's gonna beat you out again.

[2:01] Robbie Rozelle: I would listen to the shit out of that.

[2:03] Kevin David Thomas: Hey, since the last time we've had Robbie on the show, something really big and exciting has happened in Robbie's life.

[2:08] Robert W. Schneider: Would you tell us what goes on Tuesday nights at 54 Below?

[2:11] Robbie Rozelle: Kevin has a baby.

[2:14] Kevin David Thomas: We've talked about the mixture.

[2:16] Robbie Rozelle: We've talked about the blessing.

[2:17] Kevin David Thomas: Oh yeah.

[2:18] Robbie Rozelle: It is a blessing.

[2:19] Robbie Rozelle: Crawford, but on Tuesday nights a new show.

[2:22] Robbie Rozelle: I'm hosting a talk show.

[2:23] Robbie Rozelle: If I talked the people in 54 into letting me have my own talk show, which is stupid.

[2:30] Kevin David Thomas: No, it's fun.

[2:30] Robbie Rozelle: It's a regular thing.

[2:31] Robbie Rozelle: It's twice a month.

[2:32] Kevin David Thomas: Um, weekly.

[2:35] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah, it is gonna go weekly.

[2:36] Kevin David Thomas: That's wow.

[2:37] Robbie Rozelle: It's going weekly, yeah.

[2:38] Kevin David Thomas: I thought it was like every couple of weeks.

[2:40] Robbie Rozelle: It was when it was first slotted, it was sort of around things that had already been scheduled.

[2:45] Robbie Rozelle: But in January we go weekly.

[2:47] Kevin David Thomas: Fantastic.

[2:48] Robbie Rozelle: That is so exciting.

[2:49] Kevin David Thomas: So congratulations.

[2:50] Robbie Rozelle: Now, another big honor, if I may, really quickly.

[2:52] Robbie Rozelle: Um, Robbie's show is the first show to have its own menu.

[2:56] Kevin David Thomas: I'm looking at it right now.

[2:59] Robbie Rozelle: Robbie, would you tell you?

[3:00] Robbie Rozelle: So you curated this.

[3:01] Robbie Rozelle: He's very well designed looking logo as well.

[3:03] Robbie Rozelle: I like to think of 54 Below as a Denny's with a dream.

[3:07] Robbie Rozelle: And so I created a menu that was built around it's like there's burgers, beef nachos, mozzarella sticks, donuts.

[3:16] Kevin David Thomas: But some of the names, please, is what we're talking about.

[3:18] Robbie Rozelle: The curated drinks are what's really good.

[3:20] Kevin David Thomas: Can you tell us about these curated drinks, please?

[3:22] Robbie Rozelle: Uh, there's the tequila mockingbird, Clara's horse.

[3:25] Kevin David Thomas: Uh huh.

[3:25] Robbie Rozelle: Clara's horse is my favorite, comes with a kids.

[3:28] Kevin David Thomas: So wrong.

[3:28] Robbie Rozelle: Uh, in the Piazza fancy.

[3:31] Robbie Rozelle: Weasley and tea.

[3:32] Kevin David Thomas: Uh, and Ginny Weasley and tea.

[3:34] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah.

[3:34] Kevin David Thomas: Because Harry Potter.

[3:36] Robbie Rozelle: And uh, The Road to Hell.

[3:39] Kevin David Thomas: The Hurricane.

[3:40] Robbie Rozelle: Well, yeah.

[3:40] Kevin David Thomas: Okay, so let me ask you if you had to pick one for Kevin and I, what would that drink be called?

[3:46] Robbie Rozelle: Oh, wait, like that would be a good one.

[3:48] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah, like a behind the curtain drink that we were drinking.

[3:53] Robbie Rozelle: Okay.

[3:54] Robbie Rozelle: As you slowly watch like the one color drip into the other.

[4:00] Robbie Rozelle: So many places to go with that.

[4:01] Robbie Rozelle: I don't even know.

[4:02] Robbie Rozelle: It's whoa.

[4:02] Robbie Rozelle: That's classy.

[4:03] Robbie Rozelle: That's really classic.

[4:05] Robbie Rozelle: That tickets are a very affordable, very affordable.

[4:07] Robbie Rozelle: $15 at 54 Below.

[4:09] Robbie Rozelle: $15, ladies and gentlemen.

[4:10] Robbie Rozelle: 9:30 p.m.

[4:11] Robbie Rozelle: And I will promise you that you will laugh your face off.

[4:13] Robbie Rozelle: You'll have some great special guests.

[4:15] Robbie Rozelle: Oh my god.

[4:15] Robbie Rozelle: We've had Tony winners, we've had Tony nominees.

[4:18] Robbie Rozelle: This, uh, I have no idea when this episode airs, so I can't tell you who's next time.

[4:22] Kevin David Thomas: Monday.

[4:23] Robbie Rozelle: Monday.

[4:23] Kevin David Thomas: Great.

[4:23] Robbie Rozelle: So tomorrow night you can see Broadway Shoshana Bean, Julia Murney, Newsy's Dan DeLuca, and songwriter Alex Sage Oyon.

[4:32] Kevin David Thomas: That is so cool.

[4:32] Robbie Rozelle: $15.

[4:33] Robbie Rozelle: And you play games, you sing songs, yeah, all sorts of stuff.

[4:36] Robbie Rozelle: Um, Matt Doyle read Patti LuPone tweets.

[4:40] Kevin David Thomas: That's fun.

[4:40] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah.

[4:41] Kevin David Thomas: Fantastic.

[4:42] Robbie Rozelle: You must be in heaven because you've always wanted to host a talk show.

[4:44] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah, it's sort of like the culmination of everything that I'm good at, which is just talking and blathering for a good hour of time.

[4:53] Kevin David Thomas: I love that we were like, mm-hmm.

[4:54] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah, yeah, exactly.

[4:56] Robbie Rozelle: You know, and just reacting in the moment to like whatever's happening on the stage.

[5:00] Robbie Rozelle: We had Bonnie Milligan and Natalie Walker do an entire scene from Into the Woods where they full out made out five times.

[5:05] Kevin David Thomas: Which scene?

[5:06] Robbie Rozelle: Uh, the any moment, moments in the woods, of course.

[5:09] Kevin David Thomas: The whole thing.

[5:10] Robbie Rozelle: Natalie Walker, Cinderella Sprints.

[5:12] Kevin David Thomas: Fantastic.

[5:12] Robbie Rozelle: Brilliant.

[5:13] Robbie Rozelle: It was incredible.

[5:14] Robbie Rozelle: And frankly, we can cancel Pride this year because I've already done it.

[5:19] Kevin David Thomas: I'm so excited this is happening.

[5:21] Kevin David Thomas: This makes me so happy.

[5:22] Robbie Rozelle: I find you guys both on that.

[5:23] Kevin David Thomas: We, Kevin, we got an invitation to be on the show.

[5:26] Robbie Rozelle: All right.

[5:26] Kevin David Thomas: I don't even know what we would do.

[5:27] Robbie Rozelle: Well, you were gonna do it.

[5:29] Robbie Rozelle: I'm just gonna throw song titles at you that you can do impressions.

[5:34] Kevin David Thomas: Oh, I would love that.

[5:35] Robbie Rozelle: Very good at it.

[5:36] Kevin David Thomas: Thank you.

[5:36] Robbie Rozelle: I'm blushing.

[5:37] Robbie Rozelle: You also could do have him do 80s theme songs from TV shows.

[5:40] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah, 100%.

[5:41] Robbie Rozelle: Like as Hervé Villechaize.

[5:43] Robbie Rozelle: Or like as Rob Goulet.

[5:44] Kevin David Thomas: Yep, Bob.

[5:46] Robbie Rozelle: So again, again, that's Tuesdays at 54 with Robbie Rozelle.

[5:50] Kevin David Thomas: Oh my goodness.

[5:51] Robbie Rozelle: 9:30.

[5:52] Kevin David Thomas: 9:30.

[5:53] Robbie Rozelle: Great.

[5:53] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah.

[5:54] Robbie Rozelle: And sometimes a 9:40, depends on the show before, you know.

[5:58] Kevin David Thomas: But listen, if you're seeing a seven o'clock show, you can run over right after your curtain.

[6:02] Robbie Rozelle: That's so true.

[6:03] Kevin David Thomas: That is absolutely true.

[6:04] Robbie Rozelle: And it's cheaper than a rush ticket.

[6:05] Kevin David Thomas: Go, yeah, go see this.

[6:06] Robbie Rozelle: I'm so happy you're doing this.

[6:10] Kevin David Thomas: Boy, it's pricey over there.

[6:12] Robbie Rozelle: It's pricey over there.

[6:13] Kevin David Thomas: It's a rush.

[6:15] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah.

[6:16] Kevin David Thomas: And I'm not.

[6:16] Robbie Rozelle: How much again said?

[6:17] Kevin David Thomas: 70.

[6:18] Robbie Rozelle: 70s rush?

[6:19] Kevin David Thomas: My age.

[6:20] Robbie Rozelle: How do they expect kids to go and see this?

[6:25] Kevin David Thomas: Last rush I had was great actress Barbara Rush.

[6:29] Robbie Rozelle: Best known as sort of Bearance in Batman.

[6:32] Kevin David Thomas: The 60s series.

[6:34] Robert W. Schneider: I own them all on iTunes.

[6:36] Kevin David Thomas: So many theaters.

[6:37] Robbie Rozelle: So many theater people are in that Batman.

[6:38] Kevin David Thomas: Truly.

[6:39] Robbie Rozelle: So many.

[6:40] Kevin David Thomas: Ethel Merman is in it.

[6:41] Robbie Rozelle: Okay, trivia.

[6:42] Robbie Rozelle: Ethel Merman plays a character named Lola Lasagna.

[6:48] Kevin David Thomas: Well now I'm hungry.

[6:53] Robbie Rozelle: I mean, come on.

[6:53] Robbie Rozelle: And the genius is Liberace is not only Liberace, but his evil twin brother.

[6:58] Kevin David Thomas: Who's like a womanizer?

[7:00] Robbie Rozelle: Typecast.

[7:02] Kevin David Thomas: Oh, that's a sideshow I'd like to see though.

[7:04] Robbie Rozelle: Liberace, Liberace, Liberace.

[7:06] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah.

[7:07] Robbie Rozelle: Just like, just like green screen.

[7:09] Kevin David Thomas: I will never go away.

[7:13] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah, he's on the case.

[7:14] Kevin David Thomas: Pounding with his rings with his eyes.

[7:16] Robbie Rozelle: Why are we here?

[7:17] Kevin David Thomas: So today.

[7:19] Robbie Rozelle: We are going to talk about the new season, the Broadway season coming up.

[7:21] Kevin David Thomas: In this episode, we're going to talk about the plays and the revival of the plays.

[7:25] Robbie Rozelle: So this is the 2019-2020.

[7:27] Kevin David Thomas: That is correct.

[7:27] Robbie Rozelle: Broadway season.

[7:28] Kevin David Thomas: Which has already begun, actually.

[7:30] Robbie Rozelle: Did you see like on New Year's Eve someone wants Barbara Walters?

[7:33] Kevin David Thomas: Please.

[7:34] Robbie Rozelle: When the ball drops.

[7:35] Kevin David Thomas: First of all, is she missing like Richard Simmons?

[7:37] Robbie Rozelle: She's around.

[7:38] Kevin David Thomas: She's been out.

[7:39] Robbie Rozelle: Maybe it was after that view book she kind of pulled away.

[7:41] Kevin David Thomas: Ladies who punch.

[7:42] Robbie Rozelle: Ladies who brunch, yeah.

[7:43] Kevin David Thomas: Punch.

[7:44] Robbie Rozelle: Oh, ladies who punch?

[7:45] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah.

[7:45] Robbie Rozelle: Oh, punch.

[7:46] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah.

[7:47] Robbie Rozelle: But maybe.

[7:48] Kevin David Thomas: No, but it's been like three years since.

[7:49] Robbie Rozelle: No one's seen her.

[7:50] Kevin David Thomas: Her last seen her appearance.

[7:52] Robbie Rozelle: No.

[7:52] Kevin David Thomas: Like Richard Simmons.

[7:53] Robbie Rozelle: Ooh.

[7:54] Kevin David Thomas: Now we're a conspiracy theory podcast.

[7:56] Robbie Rozelle: I would love, I love a good conspiracy theory.

[7:59] Kevin David Thomas: Elizabeth Hasselbeck has her.

[8:01] Robbie Rozelle: Just tied up somewhere.

[8:03] Kevin David Thomas: I think Joy Behar has her in the basement of Haas in Long Island, where Joy performs every Friday at 8 o'clock.

[8:10] Robbie Rozelle: Six o'clock.

[8:11] Kevin David Thomas: Six o'clock.

[8:13] Robbie Rozelle: Man, am I right?

[8:17] Kevin David Thomas: That's the name of my band.

[8:19] Robbie Rozelle: Thank you for that.

[8:21] Kevin David Thomas: So 2019-2020 Broadway season.

[8:24] Robbie Rozelle: But before we jump into this season, let's talk about the season we just had.

[8:27] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah.

[8:28] Robbie Rozelle: In the world of plays.

[8:29] Kevin David Thomas: Thoughts and opinions of the 2018-2019 Broadway season.

[8:32] Robbie Rozelle: Things that surprised you.

[8:34] Kevin David Thomas: Oh.

[8:35] Robbie Rozelle: Things that you particularly enjoyed.

[8:37] Kevin David Thomas: In the world of plays this last season.

[8:40] Robbie Rozelle: I will start if I may.

[8:42] Kevin David Thomas: I was shocked by how unfulfilling I found Network.

[8:46] Robbie Rozelle: Oh.

[8:47] Kevin David Thomas: And the Tony committee apparently seemed to agree with me in terms of the biggest special.

[8:51] Robbie Rozelle: Either the huh.

[8:54] Kevin David Thomas: Evo, what decade do you want to set this in?

[8:58] Robbie Rozelle: Maybe the 2000s or seven Damov?

[9:01] Kevin David Thomas: 1812.

[9:03] Robbie Rozelle: Is that Camas?

[9:05] Kevin David Thomas: He's French now.

[9:06] Robbie Rozelle: It's like, I don't know what I'm sorry.

[9:08] Kevin David Thomas: Is he from a magical land called Europea?

[9:11] Robbie Rozelle: As your accent was.

[9:12] Kevin David Thomas: I hope you don't do accent work when you teach.

[9:15] Robbie Rozelle: I do dialect work.

[9:16] Kevin David Thomas: Oh yeah, governor.

[9:17] Robbie Rozelle: That's French.

[9:19] Kevin David Thomas: Um, I loved To Kill a Mockingbird.

[9:24] Robbie Rozelle: Yes.

[9:24] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah.

[9:25] Robbie Rozelle: Like just the start to finish.

[9:27] Kevin David Thomas: It was so beautifully staged.

[9:29] Robbie Rozelle: Yes.

[9:29] Kevin David Thomas: And Celia finally winning the Tony Award.

[9:32] Robbie Rozelle: Celia winning a Tony Award.

[9:34] Kevin David Thomas: It was brilliant.

[9:35] Robbie Rozelle: Getting finally getting a Tony nomination.

[9:37] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah.

[9:42] Robbie Rozelle: The Ferryman.

[9:43] Kevin David Thomas: I did not see it.

[9:44] Robbie Rozelle: I was captivated by it.

[9:46] Kevin David Thomas: Yes.

[9:47] Robbie Rozelle: I wish I had seen it.

[9:48] Kevin David Thomas: Wasn't it nice to see again on Broadway a huge epic play with the city?

[9:51] Robbie Rozelle: It reminded me of August: Osage County.

[9:53] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah.

[9:53] Robbie Rozelle: Like that kind of family, uh, very like you said, epic.

[9:57] Robbie Rozelle: Like really, uh, it kind of like one set, really, except for the prologue.

[10:01] Kevin David Thomas: But like it really was, and it was felt like a movie.

[10:04] Robbie Rozelle: You know, it did the way it was, you know, the story was told.

[10:08] Robbie Rozelle: And the fact that producers would give so much to so many people on that stage.

[10:12] Kevin David Thomas: Do you know what I mean?

[10:13] Robbie Rozelle: Huge cast.

[10:14] Kevin David Thomas: You don't see those anymore.

[10:15] Robbie Rozelle: You just don't, and it was very exhilarating to the city.

[10:18] Kevin David Thomas: Ducks and babies.

[10:20] Robbie Rozelle: Babies.

[10:20] Kevin David Thomas: I mean, hello.

[10:21] Robbie Rozelle: I can't believe there's a baby on stage.

[10:23] Kevin David Thomas: That baby has a duck.

[10:24] Robbie Rozelle: Someone who has a baby.

[10:25] Kevin David Thomas: I'm like, how do you think?

[10:25] Robbie Rozelle: You know that baby has pink eye.

[10:27] Kevin David Thomas: What'd you say?

[10:28] Robbie Rozelle: You know that baby has pink eye from the animals.

[10:31] Kevin David Thomas: Stop that.

[10:33] Robbie Rozelle: I'm just laying truth bombs here on Behind the Curtain, Robbie's Living Legends.

[10:37] Kevin David Thomas: Thank you so much for doing that.

[10:38] Robbie Rozelle: Um, yeah, so that was it was a pretty good season for plays last year, I think.

[10:42] Kevin David Thomas: I think so.

[10:43] Robbie Rozelle: There was, uh, obviously we're gonna see politics creep into things now that you know we've had the year for the, you know, people to interpret the world that we're in right now.

[10:51] Kevin David Thomas: And yeah, fascinating last year.

[10:53] Robbie Rozelle: And I thought that was gonna have better reviews in a longer run, and it did not.

[10:58] Kevin David Thomas: I'm not that sort of really.

[11:00] Robbie Rozelle: Oh, I thought the title alone and like the star power behind it was gonna like sharp forward.

[11:04] Kevin David Thomas: But then the idea that they were like they were just themselves and the characters.

[11:08] Robbie Rozelle: I think that if you're an average theater goer, you're kind of like, What is I don't understand?

[11:12] Kevin David Thomas: Like so many of them.

[11:16] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah, Lori Metcalf and John Lithgow are playing Hillary and Bill Clinton, but they are literally just being they're not impersonating.

[11:23] Kevin David Thomas: There's no just innocent work.

[11:25] Robbie Rozelle: Right.

[11:25] Kevin David Thomas: No, no, no, no, no.

[11:26] Robbie Rozelle: And it actually is scenes if you're it started with her holding a microphone, right?

[11:31] Kevin David Thomas: Talk talking as I'm guessing Lori Metcalf.

[11:34] Robbie Rozelle: I don't like Lori Metcalf.

[11:35] Kevin David Thomas: Yes, they went right into like it was a TED talk.

[11:37] Robbie Rozelle: Yes.

[11:37] Kevin David Thomas: That suddenly like the mic went down and she's in the play.

[11:41] Robbie Rozelle: It's very theatrical.

[11:42] Kevin David Thomas: It's cool.

[11:42] Robbie Rozelle: It was a cool convention.

[11:43] Kevin David Thomas: I dig it.

[11:44] Robbie Rozelle: But I think that that was I think that had something to do with like audiences being a little alive.

[11:47] Kevin David Thomas: And Gary was also like Gary.

[11:49] Robbie Rozelle: Well, Gary was all that.

[11:53] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah, oh, truly.

[11:54] Robbie Rozelle: What it was beset by so many Andrea Martin, who like broke a rib.

[11:59] Kevin David Thomas: Rib, yeah.

[12:00] Robbie Rozelle: And so, um, Julie Halston.

[12:02] Kevin David Thomas: No, no, Julie White.

[12:03] Robbie Rozelle: So stepped in and Christine Nielsen jumped up.

[12:06] Kevin David Thomas: Right.

[12:07] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah.

[12:07] Robbie Rozelle: And it was very funny.

[12:09] Robbie Rozelle: And at times, like it was messy, but very moving, I thought.

[12:13] Robbie Rozelle: Like, I don't know what happened, but I was moved.

[12:15] Robbie Rozelle: Uh, with the weird dancing penises. And I was so happy to see something so original on a Broadway stage.

[12:22] Kevin David Thomas: Yes.

[12:23] Robbie Rozelle: And it was queer theater, which I think is important to support.

[12:26] Kevin David Thomas: Did you say queer?

[12:27] Robbie Rozelle: Queer?

[12:27] Kevin David Thomas: Queer.

[12:27] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah. We'll see more from Taylor Matt.

[12:29] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah, I think I see more from them. You know, I think he was a fascinating original writer.

[12:34] Robbie Rozelle: And great that it was produced on Broadway.

[12:36] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah. The commercial production. And good for Nathan Lane.

[12:39] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah. Well, it seems like he's seeking out, you know, non-Nathan Lane type vehicles.

[12:43] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah.

[12:44] Robbie Rozelle: Which is marvelous.

[12:45] Kevin David Thomas: Which is really marvelous. And he has the ability and latitude to do so now.

[12:47] Robbie Rozelle: Exactly. So it was a very interesting season for plays, and this season looks like it's going to be wide. The fall alone is stacked with new plays.

[12:57] Kevin David Thomas: So the first play of the season, or the first show for the 2019-2020 season, is an actual play, and that was a revival of Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune.

[13:06] Robbie Rozelle: Which I did not see.

[13:07] Kevin David Thomas: I did. But you both saw it.

[13:09] Robbie Rozelle: And it starred Audra McDonald and Michael Shannon.

[13:11] Kevin David Thomas: It's a play from the 80s.

[13:13] Robbie Rozelle: Right. How does it hold up 30 years later in the 80s?

[13:18] Kevin David Thomas: It was fascinating to see all the scenes in sequential order played by the same people right through the whole thing.

[13:24] Robbie Rozelle: You feel like you're in like an acting school and you're like scene studying. It's very easy. The great scenes. I mean, they are great scenes.

[13:29] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah.

[13:30] Robbie Rozelle: Here's the thing. It's a 90-minute play. One-on-one. It's like who's got the power. It's a 90-minute play that stretched over two acts and like two plus hours.

[13:37] Kevin David Thomas: And now in 2019, when the woman says you have to go, you have to go.

[13:41] Robbie Rozelle: You do.

[13:42] Kevin David Thomas: You do. And so it's not like Bachelorette in Paradise, where you're just like 30 minutes within the play.

[13:47] Robbie Rozelle: And so then you just felt uncomfortable. That being said, like there were beautiful moments in it. It was beautifully acted. Great actress.

[13:53] Kevin David Thomas: Magnus.

[13:54] Robbie Rozelle: I want to see more of him.

[13:55] Kevin David Thomas: Uh-huh. And then the last moment of the play when the set sort of swooshed back.

[14:00] Robbie Rozelle: And like, oh, that's what you were hiding this whole time. And just like sort of iris' out and, you know.

[14:07] Kevin David Thomas: Then I liked the set. I didn't care for the set before the.

[14:10] Robbie Rozelle: Well, for the because it's closed. What was it hiding?

[14:12] Kevin David Thomas: There was nothing. It was just like a big drop of the apartment, like very close to us because it was in a big house.

[14:18] Robbie Rozelle: But you saw like the brownstone.

[14:19] Kevin David Thomas: I didn't care for that, like the, yeah, like the West Side, sorry, brownstones on the side.

[14:24] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah. Um then but it just pushed back all the way, all the way to the back, and it felt like their world expanded.

[14:33] Kevin David Thomas: Like that's what it was. Quite literally.

[14:36] Robbie Rozelle: Truly um, yes. Beautiful. Audra McDonald can do no wrong.

[14:41] Kevin David Thomas: Michael Shannon was great. I had never seen him on stage before.

[14:44] Robbie Rozelle: Uh yeah, it but like I don't think the play holds up.

[14:48] Kevin David Thomas: Holds up in 2019.

[14:50] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah. Great. Um, you know, because I didn't get a chance to see it, I reread it recently just to become familiar with it again.

[14:56] Kevin David Thomas: And as I was reading, it was in that Terrence McNally anthology that was published a couple of years ago.

[15:00] Robbie Rozelle: But as I was reading that, I then flipped to Love! Valor! Compassion! and I reread that again.

[15:04] Kevin David Thomas: Where's the revival of that?

[15:06] Robbie Rozelle: That's a play that I would like to see. Because they've been reviving a lot of his works.

[15:11] Kevin David Thomas: Why? Together, Teeth Apart recently?

[15:14] Robbie Rozelle: Masterclass with Tyne Daly.

[15:16] Kevin David Thomas: I feel like the Masterclass, the Ritz got a revival.

[15:19] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah. I mean, all of his sort of queer plays have been getting revivals.

[15:23] Kevin David Thomas: Uh Masterclass, though, is like the play that makes the most sense for a revival because Maria Callas is sort of universal.

[15:32] Robbie Rozelle: Um but Love! Valor! Compassion! is probably his best play.

[15:36] Kevin David Thomas: I think so. I mean, did you see it or read it?

[15:38] Robbie Rozelle: Oh yeah, yeah, and the movie.

[15:39] Kevin David Thomas: There's a movie of it.

[15:40] Robbie Rozelle: I also think he's a better book writer than he is a playwright.

[15:44] Kevin David Thomas: Really?

[15:44] Robbie Rozelle: Right.

[15:44] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah.

[15:45] Robbie Rozelle: I think that he structures musicals stronger. He works better with collaborators, is what I'm saying.

[15:52] Kevin David Thomas: Oh, it's so interesting.

[15:53] Robbie Rozelle: So interesting. But Love! Valor! Compassion! is like stunning.

[15:55] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah.

[15:56] Robbie Rozelle: And almost feels like a musical without songs.

[15:58] Kevin David Thomas: Absolutely.

[15:59] Robbie Rozelle: Absolutely. Okay, cool. So that was Frankie and Johnny. Now the second play to come out this season.

[16:03] Kevin David Thomas: It's an original.

[16:04] Robbie Rozelle: It's called Seawall/A Life.

[16:07] Kevin David Thomas: Slash A Life.

[16:08] Robbie Rozelle: Starring.

[16:09] Kevin David Thomas: Starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Tom Hiddleston.

[16:11] Robbie Rozelle: Sturge.

[16:12] Kevin David Thomas: Sturge?

[16:13] Robbie Rozelle: Tom Sturge. Sorry, my bad.

[16:14] Kevin David Thomas: I think Tom Sturge is a little bit.

[16:16] Robbie Rozelle: Tom Hiddleston's in Betrayal.

[16:17] Kevin David Thomas: I'm so sorry.

[16:18] Robbie Rozelle: Which we'll talk about in another second.

[16:19] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah, exactly.

[16:20] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah, but they're really basically two one monologues.

[16:23] Kevin David Thomas: Two monologues.

[16:24] Robbie Rozelle: Two one acts, but each one's a monologue. This year is a year of like two-handers and monologues.

[16:28] Kevin David Thomas: Interesting, right?

[16:28] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah. Why are we so focused on cheaper?

[16:33] Kevin David Thomas: Well, this transferred from the public.

[16:35] Robbie Rozelle: Ah, public transfer.

[16:36] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah. This transferred to the Hudson, uh, home of the late great Head Over Heels.

[16:42] Robbie Rozelle: Um and I think it just transferred because Jake wanted to do it on Broadway.

[16:48] Kevin David Thomas: Um God bless that guy. He could be coming back buddy movies and Sunny the public.

[16:54] Robbie Rozelle: You know, Little Shop of Horrors. Hello.

[16:56] Kevin David Thomas: Like, thank you. Thank you for, you know.

[16:58] Robbie Rozelle: And it's not like he's some star that doesn't belong. I mean, I think he's quite dedicated.

[17:03] Kevin David Thomas: He's quite good at what he does.

[17:04] Robbie Rozelle: I haven't seen it yet. I'm gonna see it this month. But him and Daniel Radcliffe both to me are both fabulous stage jacks.

[17:10] Kevin David Thomas: They're both special.

[17:11] Robbie Rozelle: Both special, yeah. Um and they just keep the, you know, they'll go and make their blockbuster for Ren.

[17:17] Kevin David Thomas: So if I understand correctly, so these are two separate one acts where in one we meet Tom Sturge's, Tom Hiddleston, I'm sorry, Tom Hiddleston's character.

[17:27] Robbie Rozelle: Sturge.

[17:28] Kevin David Thomas: Sturge, I apologize, Tom Sturge, and then the second one we meet uh Jake Gyllenhaal's character, and they're two separate monologues.

[17:34] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah, and I don't think they have anything to do with each other.

[17:37] Kevin David Thomas: So Seawall is one and A Life is one.

[17:41] Robbie Rozelle: The end. Very and very depressing, I hear it's a depressing evening in the thing.

[17:45] Kevin David Thomas: A downer.

[17:45] Robbie Rozelle: So let me ask you, what was your favorite one-person show that you have ever seen?

[17:52] Kevin David Thomas: They're tough because, you know, it's a lot to watch someone sustain your attention the entire time.

[17:57] Robbie Rozelle: It's so interesting that you say that because I was reading something by Frank Rich a couple of weeks ago that said, uh, when it comes to one-person shows, it takes a certain sort of arrogance for a person to say that you're gonna watch me only for two hours and pay for it.

[18:11] Kevin David Thomas: You know, like that being said, a land stretch of liberty.

[18:14] Robbie Rozelle: Oh, thank you. It was literally all in my and Lily Tomlin and the Search for Science of Two.

[18:18] Kevin David Thomas: And that's coming back, I think they're too and the uh, uh, Holland Taylor play about Anne Richards.

[18:24] Robbie Rozelle: Oh, the Ann Richards.

[18:29] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah, okay, I'll have to check that out.

[18:31] Robbie Rozelle: It was on, uh, it played the Beaumont for a while.

[18:34] Kevin David Thomas: But this might be easier to palate because it's they're one act, so they're ostensibly shorter and, you know, yeah, and not like two hours of, I mean Stritch's show was like two and a half hours.

[18:45] Robbie Rozelle: Great.

[18:45] Kevin David Thomas: I mean, yeah, oh, and also a musical with a band and uh her life.

[18:51] Robbie Rozelle: Right. These are like characters, yeah.

[18:54] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah, I mean, and Anna Deavere Smith's, you know, Fires in the Mirror and Twilight and stuff like that.

[19:00] Robbie Rozelle: But those are also, you know, you only stay with one character for like three minutes and then she switches on you.

[19:05] Kevin David Thomas: What the Constitution Means to Me.

[19:06] Robbie Rozelle: Oh, with the constant.

[19:07] Kevin David Thomas: Oh, yeah.

[19:08] Robbie Rozelle: Well, no, there's a but I mean it's essentially a one person.

[19:12] Kevin David Thomas: And that's also, uh, Heidi Shrek has Heidi Shrek.

[19:15] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah, yeah.

[19:16] Kevin David Thomas: So it's like a her life.

[19:17] Robbie Rozelle: That's why, like Anne. I'm just gonna keep saying Anne, because like the playwrighting, you know, Holland Taylor was Ann Richards and not Holland Taylor.

[19:27] Kevin David Thomas: Yes.

[19:28] Robbie Rozelle: Another good one is uh James Whitmore in Give 'Em Hell, Harry, where he played Harry Truman.

[19:33] Kevin David Thomas: Wasn't it available on YouTube?

[19:35] Robbie Rozelle: What was the Zero?

[19:35] Kevin David Thomas: Zero Mostel was in Zero and Robert Morris Jesus?

[19:41] Robbie Rozelle: You're talking about Zero Hour?

[19:42] Kevin David Thomas: Oh, maybe.

[19:43] Robbie Rozelle: Jim Brochou doing Zero Hour?

[19:45] Kevin David Thomas: No, but there was uh also a play that he was in that was a one-man play.

[19:48] Robbie Rozelle: Zero Mostel?

[19:50] Kevin David Thomas: I feel like yes.

[19:50] Robbie Rozelle: Oh, I don't know the title of it.

[19:51] Kevin David Thomas: Yes, you're right.

[19:52] Robbie Rozelle: You're exactly right. If Susan Shulman was here, she'd tell us.

[19:55] Kevin David Thomas: She would, and then she'd say that Penn State is the only place that you can get a BFA.

[19:59] Robbie Rozelle: Get the fucking thing.

[20:01] Kevin David Thomas: I was talking about the public Susan L. Shulman.

[20:03] Robbie Rozelle: But that's her Secret Garden's going back to Australia. Did you guys know that?

[20:08] Kevin David Thomas: Susan, your mentor.

[20:09] Robbie Rozelle: Your Susan Shulman.

[20:10] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah, back to the land of Aussie.

[20:12] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah, but that original production.

[20:14] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah, exciting.

[20:15] Robbie Rozelle: Talk about that on our musicals episode, which will be next week.

[20:19] Kevin David Thomas: So after I was gonna say, and listeners, if you can think of a one-person show that you really, really enjoyed.

[20:24] Robbie Rozelle: Tweet at Broadway Curtain.

[20:25] Kevin David Thomas: Broadway Curtain.

[20:27] Robbie Rozelle: Or tweet at Diva Robbie, just to annoy him.

[20:29] Kevin David Thomas: You're welcome.

[20:31] Robbie Rozelle: Betrayal.

[20:32] Kevin David Thomas: Betrayal.

[20:32] Robbie Rozelle: The revival betrayal.

[20:33] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah.

[20:34] Robbie Rozelle: Small cast.

[20:35] Kevin David Thomas: Tom Hiddleston.

[20:35] Robbie Rozelle: There it is.

[20:37] Kevin David Thomas: Now we're now he's cast.

[20:38] Robbie Rozelle: A nice, happy, nice, happy play.

[20:40] Kevin David Thomas: I worked on that play in Ethic ADO.

[20:42] Robbie Rozelle: Did you really?

[20:43] Kevin David Thomas: Did you really?

[20:43] Robbie Rozelle: Sure did.

[20:44] Kevin David Thomas: At the Firehouse Theater.

[20:46] Robbie Rozelle: Remember that theater?

[20:47] Kevin David Thomas: It's a Pinter play.

[20:48] Robbie Rozelle: Yes.

[20:49] Kevin David Thomas: Perhaps the model is a lot of things.

[20:51] Robbie Rozelle: Lots of periods.

[20:52] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah.

[20:52] Robbie Rozelle: A lot of ellipses.

[20:54] Kevin David Thomas: Actually, I like Pinter actually.

[20:55] Robbie Rozelle: Um, this is also the play that goes backwards in time.

[20:58] Kevin David Thomas: That's merely um I like this play very much.

[21:03] Robbie Rozelle: Uh I uh it was revived recently, though.

[21:07] Kevin David Thomas: Didn't the Roundabout do it?

[21:08] Robbie Rozelle: Like a few years ago.

[21:10] Kevin David Thomas: Within the last 10 years, I want to say production, I think is coming over from West End.

[21:14] Robbie Rozelle: A lot of productions this fall at the West End.

[21:16] Kevin David Thomas: I mean, you know, there's a theater, the Pinter Theatre in West End that only does Pinter shows.

[21:21] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah.

[21:22] Kevin David Thomas: So named for him.

[21:24] Robbie Rozelle: Um, it's called the Harold Pinter Theatre.

[21:26] Kevin David Thomas: It's called the Neil Simon Theater.

[21:29] Robbie Rozelle: Dot dot dot pause.

[21:31] Kevin David Thomas: Pause.

[21:31] Robbie Rozelle: Wow. You really like Harold Pinter.

[21:33] Kevin David Thomas: I do, yeah.

[21:34] Robbie Rozelle: Boy, he's a playwright, I just don't understand.

[21:36] Kevin David Thomas: Well, I when I was in college, I read a lot of his plays.

[21:38] Robbie Rozelle: Oh, yeah, I wonder if it's different than to watch them to read because reading the pause and the periods and all of that stuff, it's so it's just fascinating to you.

[21:46] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah, I like him a lot.

[21:47] Robbie Rozelle: The Real Thing, I think, is a great play.

[21:49] Kevin David Thomas: That's Tom Stoppard.

[21:50] Robbie Rozelle: Never mind.

[21:51] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah.

[21:51] Robbie Rozelle: Wow. Only if Harold Pinter could be as good as Tom Stoppard.

[21:55] Kevin David Thomas: Guys, I feel like this is a good time to tell you all that we've had uh at least three gin and tonics a piece.

[21:59] Robbie Rozelle: This is drunk history.

[22:03] Kevin David Thomas: Musical theater history.

[22:04] Robbie Rozelle: They should do a drunk musical theater history.

[22:06] Kevin David Thomas: I've said that before.

[22:07] Robbie Rozelle: I told you that. You should do that in your show.

[22:10] Kevin David Thomas: So why don't you guys come, get us ship-faced, and we'll have some Clara's horses.

[22:14] Robbie Rozelle: And we'll talk about musical theater history.

[22:16] Kevin David Thomas: We'll talk about Angel and then Choo Chem and Poppy.

[22:22] Robbie Rozelle: What is Poppy?

[22:24] Kevin David Thomas: That was London.

[22:25] Robbie Rozelle: That's London.

[22:26] Kevin David Thomas: And it's directed by 1983.

[22:28] Robbie Rozelle: So I have the LP.

[22:29] Kevin David Thomas: It's directed by Terry Hands, who directed it.

[22:31] Robbie Rozelle: David Caddock, I think, was the music supervisor.

[22:33] Kevin David Thomas: Best story I ever heard about Terry Hands was when he was doing Carrie.

[22:36] Robbie Rozelle: What are you laughing at?

[22:37] Kevin David Thomas: About Greece?

[22:38] Robbie Rozelle: It's just like, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[22:39] Kevin David Thomas: Tell the story.

[22:40] Robbie Rozelle: Tell the story.

[22:41] Kevin David Thomas: Uh, because I'm very famous for Carrie the Musical.

[22:47] Robbie Rozelle: When Terry Hands went to direct uh the musical Carrie, he said that they everybody should look like they were in Greece.

[22:56] Kevin David Thomas: And because he was the artistic director of the time of the Royal Shakespeare Company, the costume designer thought he meant Athens, Greece, like ancient times, and not Greece, the musical Summer Lovin' had me a blast.

[23:08] Robbie Rozelle: And it stayed.

[23:10] Kevin David Thomas: Barbara Cook and a—

[23:10] Robbie Rozelle: Oh, I heard the story differently, but that's such a good version.

[23:15] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah.

[23:15] Robbie Rozelle: The story I heard was that Barry and Fran Weisler said to him, "This isn't right. It needs to be more like Greece."

[23:19] Kevin David Thomas: And he thought, "Oh, Ancient Greece."

[23:26] Robbie Rozelle: You know, either one.

[23:27] Kevin David Thomas: But you're the expert.

[23:28] Robbie Rozelle: I like both.

[23:29] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah.

[23:29] Robbie Rozelle: I can't—this is a Rorschach test.

[23:33] Kevin David Thomas: Barry and Fran were not attached to the Carrie.

[23:35] Robbie Rozelle: Say it again.

[23:36] Kevin David Thomas: Barry and Fran were not attached to the Carrie.

[23:38] Robbie Rozelle: I don't know.

[23:38] Kevin David Thomas: That's how I read.

[23:40] Robbie Rozelle: Maybe some other commercial people.

[23:40] Kevin David Thomas: It was a Dutch producer and Hersch and Fluffenferf.

[23:43] Robbie Rozelle: Viva Vincent.

[23:45] Kevin David Thomas: The Swedes.

[23:45] Robbie Rozelle: Young, young in Young Evan Von Hova.

[23:47] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah.

[23:50] Robbie Rozelle: Oh God, I can't wait to talk about Western podcast.

[23:53] Kevin David Thomas: The Height of the Storm.

[23:54] Robbie Rozelle: Another new play that's coming over from the UK.

[23:58] Kevin David Thomas: This is, I think, at Manhattan Theatre Club.

[24:00] Robbie Rozelle: Yes.

[24:00] Kevin David Thomas: This is Eileen Atkins and Jonathan Pryce.

[24:02] Robbie Rozelle: It's a two.

[24:02] Kevin David Thomas: Jonathan Pryce.

[24:03] Robbie Rozelle: Oh, I think there's some other people.

[24:06] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah, but they're like the picture and the logo.

[24:08] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[24:09] Kevin David Thomas: Um, we were watching at your place the other night.

[24:11] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah.

[24:12] Kevin David Thomas: This is completely off topic.

[24:13] Robbie Rozelle: Sorry, kids.

[24:14] Robbie Rozelle: We were watching one of those compilations.

[24:16] Kevin David Thomas: Yes.

[24:16] Robbie Rozelle: And it was the justifies the beans.

[24:18] Kevin David Thomas: And so you know these compilation videos where like they take Christopher Columbus.

[24:23] Robbie Rozelle: 30 over and over and over random people saying Columbus.

[24:27] Kevin David Thomas: Right.

[24:27] Robbie Rozelle: Or the choir.

[24:28] Robbie Rozelle: Christopher Columbus.

[24:30] Kevin David Thomas: Right.

[24:31] Robbie Rozelle: So this one was It Justifies the Beans from Into the Woods.

[24:35] Kevin David Thomas: Their last one, yes.

[24:35] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah.

[24:36] Kevin David Thomas: And how many sad cows and how many different ways they did the sad cow?

[24:41] Robbie Rozelle: And there's just one with one girl who is so over it and just pissed that she has to be on that stage holding a cow head because they didn't give her like a full body anything.

[24:53] Kevin David Thomas: She just had a literally just holding a cow.

[24:56] Robbie Rozelle: It's the funniest thing that I've seen in 2019.

[25:00] Kevin David Thomas: What's your favorite compilation one? Is it Justifies the Beans?

[25:02] Robbie Rozelle: No, it's Courtney Take a Break.

[25:04] Kevin David Thomas: Oh, Courtney Take a Break. It's also Celtic Moods because they just get bigger and crazier and more drag queen-y than Orfe ever was.

[25:11] Robbie Rozelle: Oh, okay.

[25:12] Kevin David Thomas: So it's like Celtic Moods. They just did it because Orfe did it like that.

[25:17] Robbie Rozelle: It's like you know, exactly the character like you. You can just be yourself, be like Celtic Moods. What's yours? What's yours? Your favorite compilation from the last five years, you know, the climax of like you know that's a good one.

[25:29] Robbie Rozelle: You know what I'm talking about.

[25:31] Kevin David Thomas: I like I like the These Fries Are French from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels because it'll be like these fries are French, these fries are French, these fries are French. It's some girl in her room doing it. It's my favorite.

[25:44] Robbie Rozelle: So what the hell is this play about? The li the eye of the storm? I don't know. What's it called? The Highway.

[25:47] Kevin David Thomas: I see Jonathan Pryce, Eileen Atkins. I'm looking at her. It's called The Height of the Storm.

[25:50] Robbie Rozelle: I imagine it's a little dark. How exciting for Eileen Atkins to be that.

[25:54] Kevin David Thomas: Oh, I love her. I love that. Lincoln Center's got a new play coming at us, The Great Society.

[26:00] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah.

[26:00] Kevin David Thomas: The second in the trilogy.

[26:02] Robbie Rozelle: It's gonna be a trilogy.

[26:03] Kevin David Thomas: Oh, a trilogy?

[26:03] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah, really?

[26:04] Kevin David Thomas: Of LBJ. I wonder what the third part's gonna cover.

[26:08] Robbie Rozelle: Maybe the Vietnam.

[26:09] Kevin David Thomas: Probably Vietnam and Death.

[26:11] Robbie Rozelle: Right?

[26:12] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah. Oh, that's gonna be really interesting. Now, why is Bryan Cranston not reprising his role as LBJ?

[26:18] Robbie Rozelle: Because he's already got two Tony Awards and he's fine.

[26:21] Kevin David Thomas: Or maybe he's practicing for that revival of Damn Yankees he's gonna be in.

[26:25] Robbie Rozelle: Oh, wait, is that really happening?

[26:28] Kevin David Thomas: He's allegedly not a lawyer Mr. Applegate in the Damn Yankees revival.

[26:36] Robbie Rozelle: Great. I would watch the shit out of it. I think he would be fabulous. I mean, I'm available, but if they hadn't done How to Succeed so recently, I would say he would be a great J.B. Bigley.

[26:44] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah, he'd be very funny. But so this is The Great Society.

[26:48] Robbie Rozelle: Or Ben Stone in Follies. I bet you he's a great Ben.

[26:51] Kevin David Thomas: No, this is just a podcast. We're just playing Bryan Cranston in musicals.

[26:58] Robbie Rozelle: Can't wait to see you in One Time in the Shade.

[27:01] Kevin David Thomas: Um, All the Way, which was the first play in this trilogy won Best Play, correct?

[27:04] Robbie Rozelle: Uh, the Tony Awards?

[27:05] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah.

[27:05] Robbie Rozelle: Uh, uh.

[27:06] Kevin David Thomas: And Best Actor.

[27:07] Robbie Rozelle: And then became an HBO special event.

[27:10] Kevin David Thomas: Yes.

[27:10] Robbie Rozelle: So continue on, please. The Slave Play.

[27:13] Kevin David Thomas: Uh, just Slave Play.

[27:14] Robbie Rozelle: Slave Play.

[27:15] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah, which is coming from the public.

[27:17] Robbie Rozelle: That is correct. A lot of transfers, yeah.

[27:20] Kevin David Thomas: Uh, I don't know much about it. I heard it was very controversial.

[27:24] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah.

[27:24] Kevin David Thomas: And it got raves.

[27:26] Robbie Rozelle: Yes.

[27:26] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah. I did not get to see it. The public puts out such great theater. I'm just diverse, interesting theater.

[27:34] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah. We have a revival that Roundabout's doing, The Rose Tattoo, Tennessee Williams starring Mercedes.

[27:40] Kevin David Thomas: Trip Coleman is directing this.

[27:41] Robbie Rozelle: Great. He's a young, nice young director. I love The Rose Tattoo.

[27:44] Kevin David Thomas: I do too.

[27:44] Robbie Rozelle: She did it in Williamstown a couple years ago.

[27:46] Kevin David Thomas: Oh, really?

[27:47] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah. And I think it was this production.

[27:49] Kevin David Thomas: Yes, that they're bringing in.

[27:51] Robbie Rozelle: Right, but with a different cast, except for her.

[27:53] Kevin David Thomas: Yes.

[27:53] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah. But Trip directed it.

[27:55] Kevin David Thomas: Yes, he did. I saw The Rose Tattoo in London with Zoe Wanamaker, and it was one of the most magical theatrical experiences I've ever had in my life.

[28:03] Robbie Rozelle: Do you know there's a musical version of The Rose Tattoo?

[28:05] Kevin David Thomas: I did not know that.

[28:06] Robbie Rozelle: No, what?

[28:07] Kevin David Thomas: It's called Serafina.

[28:09] Robbie Rozelle: Oh my god. I'm not being dead serious.

[28:11] Kevin David Thomas: Wait.

[28:12] Robbie Rozelle: It's called Serafina.

[28:13] Kevin David Thomas: Huh.

[28:14] Robbie Rozelle: And I have the demo of it.

[28:15] Kevin David Thomas: Wait, what?

[28:16] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah.

[28:16] Kevin David Thomas: Did you buy Dumb Foot Life?

[28:17] Robbie Rozelle: I knew you were gonna say that. I knew you were gonna say that.

[28:20] Kevin David Thomas: Oh, you're being shady.

[28:22] Robbie Rozelle: Uh, yeah. I'm excited to see it. I love Marissa Tomei.

[28:27] Kevin David Thomas: Me too. I love her in movies. I love her on stage. I love her anymore.

[28:31] Robbie Rozelle: Wait Until Dark revival with Quentin Tarantino. She was fabulous.

[28:34] Kevin David Thomas: And The Realistic Joneses. She's fantastic. One of those actresses that have literally worked her entire career too. Always, you know, sort of a joke because of the Oscar, but she's brilliant, in my opinion.

[28:49] Robbie Rozelle: Let's just talk about that Oscar thing really quickly, if we may. She won from My Cousin Vinny.

[28:54] Kevin David Thomas: Sure.

[28:54] Robbie Rozelle: And everyone's like, oh, Judy Davis should have won for Husbands and Wives. Judy Davis is brilliant. But that performance that Marissa Tomei created, My Cousin Vinny was absolutely hysterical. She deserved to win the Oscar.

[29:02] Kevin David Thomas: Everyone's like, oh, Jack Palance read it wrong.

[29:06] Robbie Rozelle: Right. He read it. It was supposed to be Judy Davis and he read it. Sorry, Jack Palance's name is not Faye Dunaway.

[29:12] Kevin David Thomas: My little homosexual boy.

[29:15] Robbie Rozelle: Smack! That's a play that's not coming in this year.

[29:18] Kevin David Thomas: No.

[29:18] Robbie Rozelle: What? T at Five.

[29:19] Kevin David Thomas: T at Five.

[29:20] Robbie Rozelle: Oh, right.

[29:20] Kevin David Thomas: Right. The Catherine Hepburn.

[29:22] Robbie Rozelle: It's supposed to be a sequel to, oh God, what was the first one? It was a sequel to Sunset Boulevard.

[29:26] Kevin David Thomas: Sorry, in Faye Dunaway.

[29:28] Robbie Rozelle: What was the Catherine Hepburn?

[29:30] Kevin David Thomas: Tea at Noon?

[29:30] Robbie Rozelle: I'm kidding. I just made that.

[29:32] Kevin David Thomas: Wait, what Catherine Hepburn?

[29:33] Robbie Rozelle: T at Five is the follow-up to a—she's not.

[29:37] Kevin David Thomas: Get out of here.

[29:39] Robbie Rozelle: Who's like we're doing Love Life before we do Coco?

[29:47] Kevin David Thomas: Encore.

[29:47] Robbie Rozelle: Even Encore's like, no, thank you.

[29:48] Kevin David Thomas: They are. Well, talking about a second stage is doing the first of two Tarell Alvin McCraney plays that are gonna come by the boys. This is Linda Vista.

[29:54] Robbie Rozelle: Yes, I've yet to see a play in that new theater, that newly refurbished in the Helen James.

[30:03] Kevin David Thomas: I did not.

[30:03] Robbie Rozelle: Oh, it's really spectacular.

[30:05] Kevin David Thomas: It's nice. I mean, it's so intimate.

[30:07] Robbie Rozelle: I remember What the Constitution Means to Me.

[30:09] Kevin David Thomas: No.

[30:10] Robbie Rozelle: Oh.

[30:10] Kevin David Thomas: This you're gonna love this theater. And now you have a child. You're not gonna go to the theater at all.

[30:15] Robbie Rozelle: I'm gonna try.

[30:17] Kevin David Thomas: I'll babysit.

[30:18] Robbie Rozelle: Oh, you like that? Robbie and I'll babysit.

[30:20] Kevin David Thomas: The Robs are squared. Another Roundabout production is The Sound Inside. This is an Adam Rapp production played by directed by David Cromer, whom I love.

[30:29] Robbie Rozelle: Oh, is it? You know so many productions that he's—and where's that at?

[30:34] Kevin David Thomas: That's going to be at Studio 54.

[30:36] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah.

[30:37] Kevin David Thomas: Directed by David Cromer. It's Mary Louise Parker.

[30:39] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah, yeah.

[30:40] Kevin David Thomas: Adam Rapp. When I was in college, yeah, everyone did scenes from Adam Rapp plays. Did you have that too?

[30:45] Robbie Rozelle: Oh, I mean, I was like a little people.

[30:49] Kevin David Thomas: What'd you have? Aeschylus?

[30:50] Robbie Rozelle: He was contemporary for you, right?

[30:52] Kevin David Thomas: Shut up.

[30:53] Robbie Rozelle: No, he wasn't quite as known then. I thought it was more like Kenneth Lonergan and John Patrick Shanley.

[31:00] Kevin David Thomas: Oh, yeah. You know what I mean? Like those stuff. Oh God, what's his name? The guy that nobody produces anymore.

[31:04] Robbie Rozelle: Neil LaBute.

[31:05] Kevin David Thomas: Yes, exactly. A lot of Neil LaBute.

[31:07] Robbie Rozelle: Yes. If you take a painting, what's that monologue he does at the end, right? When she finds out she's been fooling him. You know, and it's a fucking piece of art. If I had to hear that thing one more time in a black box with cubes, I was gonna jump out the window.

[31:21] Kevin David Thomas: You know exactly what I'm talking about.

[31:23] Robbie Rozelle: Wait, what did you have in college in your acting class?

[31:26] Kevin David Thomas: I didn't go to college.

[31:29] Robbie Rozelle: Nice. That's a brilliant, brilliant line. That's a brilliant line.

[31:34] Kevin David Thomas: That's just— but you did high school though. What high school plays did you do?

[31:36] Robbie Rozelle: The Butler Did It.

[31:38] Kevin David Thomas: And The Butler Did It singing.

[31:39] Robbie Rozelle: Arsenic and Old Lace.

[31:40] Kevin David Thomas: Who were you in Arsenic and Old Lace?

[31:41] Robbie Rozelle: I played the Boris Karloff role. The bad guy.

[31:44] Kevin David Thomas: Did you do it like Boris Karloff?

[31:46] Robbie Rozelle: Uh, no, I didn't know the reference, and you couldn't actually—like DVDs didn't exist. I'm very old.

[31:52] Kevin David Thomas: I—where is the revival of Arsenic and Old Lace? Should be starred.

[31:57] Robbie Rozelle: Do you know what though? It would sell out. People would come, that'd be a tourist special. You know what I mean? Like the death trap.

[32:04] Kevin David Thomas: Meryl Streep and Glenn Close in Arsenic and Old Lace.

[32:07] Robbie Rozelle: Patti LuPone and Christina Baranski.

[32:15] Kevin David Thomas: Um, I forgot about that show.

[32:19] Robbie Rozelle: War Paint? Remember when they had four women come on before Patti LuPone, and you all thought that was Patti LuPone? Everyone started applauding. They're like, oh, that's not her. That's not her.

[32:27] Kevin David Thomas: The best thing I saw that entire season was her laying on that bed with that grabber, the thing you use to pick up stuff from high shelves.

[32:34] Robbie Rozelle: Yes.

[32:35] Kevin David Thomas: Just holding up her jewels.

[32:36] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah, oh that was just staring at her jewels. And I was like, this is camp.

[32:40] Kevin David Thomas: Is that camp?

[32:42] Robbie Rozelle: It's camp. Put that at the Met Gala.

[32:44] Kevin David Thomas: Yep. The Met Gala. That's me, Patti in a bed, holding some diamonds with a claw.

[32:53] Robbie Rozelle: So great. What is The Sound Inside?

[32:57] Kevin David Thomas: Oh, it's Mary Louise Parker.

[32:58] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Is she doing two Broadway shows this year?

[33:01] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah. One in the fall, one in the spring.

[33:04] Robbie Rozelle: She's the Christian Borle of the season.

[33:07] Kevin David Thomas: I was gonna say, who's the actor from Ain't Too Proud?

[33:09] Robbie Rozelle: Oh, Jeremy Pope.

[33:10] Kevin David Thomas: Oh, yeah, or Jeremy Pope. Jeremy Pope is in a—Jeremy Pope. The Inheritance is coming. This is an epic boy. This play two parts has gotten fabulous reviews over in the West End with an epically good cast.

[33:23] Robbie Rozelle: Couldn't get in.

[33:24] Kevin David Thomas: Couldn't get in.

[33:24] Robbie Rozelle: Olivia won the winning.

[33:25] Kevin David Thomas: It won the Olivier.

[33:26] Robbie Rozelle: It was a big, big can't wait. And it's about a group of gay men.

[33:31] Kevin David Thomas: I'm right here, right?

[33:31] Robbie Rozelle: And Lois Smith.

[33:32] Kevin David Thomas: And Lois Smith.

[33:34] Robbie Rozelle: Who's a legend? I tried to get her on the podcast.

[33:36] Kevin David Thomas: It's kind of like you. Two gay men and you.

[33:38] Robbie Rozelle: Exactly. I'm the Lois Smith on this podcast.

[33:41] Kevin David Thomas: Hey, Lois.

[33:42] Robbie Rozelle: Hey. Loved you in Grapes of Wrath.

[33:44] Kevin David Thomas: East of Eden was great.

[33:47] Robbie Rozelle: He thinks it's East of Eden. She was great in East of Eden. I saw that.

[33:50] Kevin David Thomas: Well.

[33:52] Robbie Rozelle: The Dust Bowl.

[33:54] Kevin David Thomas: Oh my God. You guys, we're not even recording. They're doing this. This is just a coincidence that we have microphones on right now.

[34:01] Robbie Rozelle: It's a say literally we'll do the Goulet constantly.

[34:04] Kevin David Thomas: It's a kinks.

[34:05] Robbie Rozelle: And The Inheritance is directed by Stephen Daldry.

[34:07] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah.

[34:07] Robbie Rozelle: Who's a fabulous director?

[34:09] Kevin David Thomas: He's good. We're getting a lot. Okay, so how do we feel about so many imports coming from abroad? Are we okay with this?

[34:15] Robbie Rozelle: Yes, of course.

[34:16] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah, if it's good.

[34:18] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah. I mean, like if theater's good, I don't care where it comes from.

[34:21] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah.

[34:22] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah. Saves me a trip to London.

[34:24] Kevin David Thomas: I'm kidding. I always want to go to London. It's so beautiful.

[34:26] Robbie Rozelle: I—so when I was there, um, I saw a bunch of stuff and wanted—I tried to get into The Inheritance and I couldn't get a ticket. Um, I saw Eve Van Hove's All About Eve while I was over there.

[34:39] Kevin David Thomas: How was that serious?

[34:40] Robbie Rozelle: I sure did. Were they barefoot?

[34:42] Kevin David Thomas: Uh, they had, yeah. And also they had um cameras. So they projected me.

[34:46] Robbie Rozelle: No.

[34:49] Kevin David Thomas: No. We'll talk about um it as long as the theater's good. I don't care where it comes from.

[34:55] Robbie Rozelle: It has to be good.

[34:59] Kevin David Thomas: June is busting that all over. We haven't had a Christmas Carol on Broadway in a long time. This is a very, I think it'll be a traditional Christmas Carol that's coming.

[35:10] Robbie Rozelle: This isn't the Manken the Legend.

[35:13] Kevin David Thomas: Or what's his name? Like Patrick Stewart used to do his one man.

[35:17] Robbie Rozelle: Speaking of one man shows, Patrick Stewart.

[35:20] Kevin David Thomas: I used to have that on CD.

[35:21] Robbie Rozelle: Oh my gosh.

[35:22] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah. I am Ebenezer.

[35:26] Robbie Rozelle: Remember the playbook cover of him? It's him in like a white in a tuxedo with all the fog around a pointer.

[35:32] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah.

[35:32] Robbie Rozelle: It's like, what is this?

[35:34] Kevin David Thomas: It's classic. He's going where no man has gone before.

[35:38] Robbie Rozelle: The holiday songs, the traditional story. I love a good Christmas Carol.

[35:43] Kevin David Thomas: It's Christmas Carol. It's cute. It's sweet. I think it's what? It's a Lyceum Theater, I think.

[35:47] Robbie Rozelle: But yeah. With Campbell Scott as Ebenezer Scrooge.

[35:50] Kevin David Thomas: So that'll be nice. I'm a little disappointed I didn't get a call in for that.

[35:52] Robbie Rozelle: Oh.

[35:53] Kevin David Thomas: As the ghost of Christmas never.

[35:55] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah. What? As the ghost of Christmas Twinks past.

[36:01] Kevin David Thomas: Oh. When?

[36:02] Robbie Rozelle: When? Years ago.

[36:05] Kevin David Thomas: Back in the days of the unit.

[36:07] Robbie Rozelle: So think about it. What if they cast the three of us as ghosts? We would be each of us would be the ghost of what?

[36:13] Kevin David Thomas: The ghost of blank past, the ghost of what are you? What are you, Kevin?

[36:17] Kevin David Thomas: Uh, I want to say I'm probably like the happy one.

[36:20] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah, you're present.

[36:21] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah, I'm present.

[36:23] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah. I mean, I'm death, so I'm the future.

[36:26] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah, I'm the past. I live in it.

[36:29] Robbie Rozelle: There we go. That's why you have this podcast.

[36:31] Kevin David Thomas: Every morning I shower in telegrams.

[36:36] Robbie Rozelle: Because I'm the ghost of the past. See the Pledge of Allegiance. I can't.

[36:42] Robbie Rozelle: So that'll be very exciting. So that's and that pretty much closes out the uh the the the this part of the year, the first half of the year until the new year. Um so that's like what? One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight new play uh seven new plays, and then four um revivals. Uh it's it's a play heavy season.

[37:00] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah, it definitely is.

[37:01] Robbie Rozelle: Oh, yeah, definitely. When you compare it to the musicals, which we'll talk about in the next episode.

[37:07] Robert W. Schneider: Hey, podcast listeners, are you looking for a place to rehearse in New York City that is clean, spacious, and most importantly, affordable? Come check out Shetler Studios and Theatres, our wonderful host for these podcasts. Shetler is centrally located on West 54th Street between Broadway and Eighth Avenue, right in the heart of the theater district. Right in the heart, you'll find music, dance, and acting studios complemented by two black box theaters and six presentation venues. The professional facilities, inspired environment, and expert industry staff combine to provide the New York artists with an unparalleled studio experience. Visit their website at Shetler Studios.com. That's S H E T L E R Studios.com. Shetler Studios and Theatres is our home for recording the legends of Broadway, and we hope that you make it your artistic home too. That's Shetler, S-H-E-T-L-E-R-Studios.com. See you here.

[38:02] Robbie Rozelle: Uh then in the new year, uh you know, a lot of these are because we have these regional theaters on Broadway now. We should say that things like like second stage, um, roundabout Manhattan Theater Club Lincoln Center, and they're able to produce these because they have subscriber base, so that their their tickets are almost you know, our version, I would think almost like a govsid. You know, like they have donors that pay for them, they have they have you know not-for-profit status, so they were able to give us theater that we probably wouldn't see on a commercial level.

[38:29] Kevin David Thomas: Don't you think it's interesting that the um the the Great Society is at a subscription house when all the way was not?

[38:38] Robbie Rozelle: Yes.

[38:38] Kevin David Thomas: Yes, I think. Isn't that fascinating?

[38:40] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah, I didn't even think about that, but if they have star power behind it, they have to be able to do that.

[38:43] Kevin David Thomas: So that's what you have to have. You have to have a big name. I mean, it's amazing that the ferryman was done, you know, uh and as a commercial vehicle, uh, and that it was so successful, you know, just like we are but we always are there's always like a little asterisk next to it, I feel like, because we're like, oh, that happened. I can't believe it. August Dosich County happened without a star.

[39:00] Robbie Rozelle: Wow, you know, it and it was a three, you know, three-act play.

[39:03] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah.

[39:03] Robbie Rozelle: So I think it's it's it's a big deal when that does happen. But I do give you kudos to the because so many of these new plays are because of these regional theaters that are on Broadway, which is the first yeah, with the first play of the season. Uh the new year will be My Name is Lucy at Manhattan Theater Club. This is another one-person show with a Lauren Linny.

[39:21] Kevin David Thomas: Laura Linny, yeah.

[39:24] Robbie Rozelle: Uh, I don't know anything about it, but I will always look forward to seeing her live in person.

[39:28] Kevin David Thomas: Oh, wait. She was so brilliant in uh The Little Foxes.

[39:31] Robbie Rozelle: Oh, that's right. Again, there must, you know, relationship with technical.

[39:35] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah, I think she does. But she also did this uh on West Hand. This is a transfer. See, another one. Uh Richard Ear uh Ear, E Y R Ear Richard Ear.

[39:46] Robbie Rozelle: Have you oh sorry? He's the director.

[39:48] Kevin David Thomas: Uh five time Olivier winner. He also has a fabulous book that's called National Service. About and it's a it was a favorite thing. It's his diary of when he was artistic director of the national. It's really fascinating.

[40:01] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah. But this my name is Lucy Barton. Apparently, it's about a woman who wakes up from a surgery and at the foot of her bed is her mother, who she hasn't seen in years and years and years. So my question is it's a one woman show. Who is Laura Playing?

[40:16] Kevin David Thomas: Both.

[40:17] Robbie Rozelle: Probably the woman. Probably Lucy Barton. I would assume that she's the one waking up from the operation, right? And just reacting to air.

[40:24] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah.

[40:24] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah, much like B. Arthur did in that episode.

[40:26] Kevin David Thomas: As opposed to Richard, but it's the actual heir. Richard.

[40:30] Robbie Rozelle: The next play is another new play. This is this time at Roundabout. This is a soldiers play. This is uh with David Allen Greer, Blair Underwood. I am very much looking for Kenny Leon is the director. Cannot wait. I think this is gonna be something very, very special.

[40:43] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah, I love this play, and there's a good movie version of it as well.

[40:47] Robbie Rozelle: Oh, really?

[40:47] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[40:48] Robbie Rozelle: Oh, right, because Roundabout is Revival House. Yeah, this play came out in 1982.

[40:53] Kevin David Thomas: Was it on Broadway?

[40:54] Robbie Rozelle: Yes, uh, I believe so. And I know a one that was off broadcast.

[40:57] Kevin David Thomas: Maybe oh, you know what? I think you're correct. I don't think it was on Robinson. Because this is considered a uh an original new play. But it won't pull it surprise.

[41:03] Robbie Rozelle: Oh shoot. It won the pull it surprise. It's gonna be and made a big career for an actor named Adolf Caesar, who plays the guy who I think that that's the David Allen Greer role. Um watch the movie because the movie's fabulous.

[41:14] Kevin David Thomas: Okay.

[41:14] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah, really great play. Uh another uh regional production that closing out January is uh Grand Horizons. This is time another second stage at the Helen Hayes Theater. This is with uh uh Ashley Park, who's really making the round.

[41:26] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah, this is in a Williamstown.

[41:29] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah, yeah. Uh and Michael Urey and a bunch of other people, but uh Jesse Tyler Ferguson uh he just did it in Williamstown with her.

[41:39] Kevin David Thomas: He's doing Take Me Out?

[41:40] Robbie Rozelle: Jesse Tyler Ferguson.

[41:41] Kevin David Thomas: Oh, yeah, he's doing Take Me Out.

[41:43] Robbie Rozelle: Oh, that's what we're thinking of. Okay, I don't know. I mean, I know that he was in Williamstown when she was. I don't think he's doing Take Me Out in April. I think that's because he's not listed on Casting, but Priscilla Lopez is gonna be in it.

[41:55] Kevin David Thomas: What for Priscilla?

[41:56] Robbie Rozelle: So Diana Morales.

[41:57] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[41:58] Robbie Rozelle: So and they they this is a show about a couple named Bill and Nancy that whose marriage is falling apart, but they haven't announced who's playing Bill and Nancy yet. So I'm assuming we're gonna have to wait to hear more casting. There's probably been some names. Some name names that Roundabout seems to know how to get some of those some of those names.

[42:13] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah, but it seems like it's a play apparently dealing with like late-term divorce in a family.

[42:18] Robbie Rozelle: Yes. Another new play, uh that they just recently announced the casting for this birthday candles with uh Debra Messing. They have not announced the rest of the cast, but Debra Messing. Uh uh it feels like she's always flirting with uh stage production. She almost broadway she almost did a little night music. She was gonna take over for Catherine Zeta. She was like this close to doing it, and then I think uh that TV show she got was picked up uh the detective years ago, ten years ago. The diary of the mysteries of Laura or Diaries of someone she played a detective, but and then Bernie Debbie.

[42:42] Kevin David Thomas: The Mysteries of Laura, right?

[43:01] Kevin David Thomas: Oh, wow.

[43:02] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah, like when you know I think that she's considers herself a legit actor. Um I mean, like, I mean she is, but you know what I mean. Like a stage actor. I was gonna say something. I can't remember what I was gonna say about her. I got hit by a telegram in the shower today. My mind isn't the way it used to be. And that's what we call a callback kids. That's what we call a callback.

[43:21] Kevin David Thomas: In the business. So good for Debra Messing for coming back and joining us.

[43:24] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah. Um what musical would you put Debra Messing in?

[43:28] Kevin David Thomas: Oh, that's what I was gonna ask you very quickly. So it was supposed to be Debra Messing and Lauren Bacall.

[43:33] Robbie Rozelle: That's correct. That's exactly right. Lauren Bacall came to see the show two or three times. Uh and and uh I'm meeting her backstage, uh, but she didn't end up doing it because uh Matt Armflate had to go up and down stairs, and she had just had hip surgery, and so she she couldn't go up and downstairs to go to the stage right because there's no there's no crossover backstage.

[43:50] Robbie Rozelle: Um I think she's been wanting to do stage for a very long time. So I mean, you know, she did Angels uh in America Perestroika in NYU. She was Harper.

[43:50] Kevin David Thomas: What's happened to the for Lauren Bacall? Can you imagine?

[43:52] Robbie Rozelle: Lizons today. Can you imagine?

[43:54] Kevin David Thomas: I ran lines with her.

[43:56] Robbie Rozelle: Leroy.

[43:57] Kevin David Thomas: Lines of cocaine.

[44:00] Robbie Rozelle: What is it that we're living for? Applause. Applause. Welcome to the theater.

[44:07] Kevin David Thomas: We do want to woman of the year, woman of the year. Go ahead.

[44:09] Robbie Rozelle: Oh bet your friend. Oh, wait, no. It starts with I'll bet your friends are all celebrities.

[44:17] Kevin David Thomas: That's wonderful.

[44:19] Robbie Rozelle: What's so wonderful? You can go to luncheons. That's wonderful. What's so wonderful? You can. You know what I mean? Marilyn Cooper is spot on. You know. You know Rona Barrett. That's wonderful.

[44:26] Kevin David Thomas: What's so wonderful?

[44:41] Robbie Rozelle: Oh, God. I just shouldn't have been watching a clip of that. Not the clip that you think from the Tony Awards with Racy Welch.

[44:50] Kevin David Thomas: But it is Rachel Welch and Marilyn Cooper. But years later, at uh the at uh I think it's Kennedy Center or Miss Twino Sweeney's. It's uh Marvin Hamlet's conducting. It brought down the house. I think it was like the Boston Pops. I feel like she's the most one of the most we she should be a favorite thing, Marilyn Cooper, because she was so frickin' funny and so famous in her day and so well known. I feel like we forgot her a little bit more. She won the Tony for doing literally sitting on the store.

[45:17] Kevin David Thomas: Exactly, like doing nothing.

[45:18] Robbie Rozelle: Doing nothing. What was her Tony speech? Like if you stay at the table long enough, you'll come up with a winning hand.

[45:23] Kevin David Thomas: Oh, that's a really good. That's that's isn't no, that was Andre de Shields. He said that this is a good one. Yeah, but Marilyn Cooper said it first 1981 Tony Awards. You take a lot.

[45:32] Robbie Rozelle: Wow. Because you cut that last night. Think about it, dear. I would never be on Broadway today because their voices are so unique, but if they're not riffin' for Jesus, nobody wants to hear it.

[45:48] Kevin David Thomas: I kind of want to see an Emily Skinner Woman of the Year.

[45:48] Robbie Rozelle: An Emily Skinner Woman of the Year. Oh, that's interesting.

[45:55] Kevin David Thomas: Or Carly Carmelo, Woman of the Year.

[45:57] Robbie Rozelle: Well, man up the ever since that concert. I hear that's a lot.

[46:02] Kevin David Thomas: Why can't it be Alice and Janny?

[46:03] Robbie Rozelle: Why can't it be um That's a really good casting? Allison Jenny and Mark Kutish. Little nine to five reunion. Sure. And I would love to hear him sing not a day goes by.

[46:15] Kevin David Thomas: I'll d uh what? I'll day after day after day.

[46:20] Robbie Rozelle: So it's from Marily Reroll. Well, sometimes a day goes by. Sorry. Oh my god, you guys. Are you even on a Broadway Headstone podcast? No, I just saw my first Broadway show last week.

[46:30] Kevin David Thomas: Cool, cool, cool. It was Phantom. It was cool.

[46:31] Robbie Rozelle: So the we have three more uh productions to close out season of plays. Uh the the final new play is actually not a new play, but it's uh it's almost you would think it's a revival because it is uh How I Learned to Drive with the original cast some 20 plus years later.

[46:48] Kevin David Thomas: Like 25 years later.

[46:49] Robbie Rozelle: Uh David Morse and uh Mary Louise Parker. Uh her second show of the season. This is incredible. With the original director, too. Mark Broco.

[46:56] Kevin David Thomas: So it's almost like a very long uh awaited transfer.

[47:02] Robbie Rozelle: It's a hiatus. Absolutely incredible. They were like, we're gonna come in in the spring. Which spring? Twenty plus years. Two plus decades. You know, better late than never.

[47:11] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah, I mean, it's I think it's gonna be uh quite a spectacle and something really special to come on.

[47:15] Robbie Rozelle: I think so, yeah. Uh I think that play was was being done off Broadway when I came to New York some, you know, in 2002 or something around then.

[47:22] Kevin David Thomas: Yeah, beautiful play.

[47:23] Robbie Rozelle: Oh, yeah. Yeah. Absolutely uh devastating. Um, and I I'm excited uh to for them to be reunited on Broadway again. Uh and then of course the long-awaited revival of Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf? Because it's been two months since we've got the last one.

[47:37] Kevin David Thomas: It must be the most revived play.

[47:37] Robbie Rozelle: I mean, like it's the non-musical version of Gypsy. But I mean, seriously. But it continues the streak of the wonderful, yes, wonderful.

[47:52] Kevin David Thomas: I almost said Allison Janny because you just said Allison Janny, and that's in my head now.

[47:58] Robbie Rozelle: I kind of want to see Allison Janet. But Lori McCaffrey, I mean she's it's Antonio goes for four, right? It's already done. Like I believe this is a few.

[48:03] Kevin David Thomas: Four plays in four years.

[48:05] Robbie Rozelle: Oh, four five. I thought it was five. I thought it was five, but I could be.

[48:09] Kevin David Thomas: Well, let's go back. I mean, what a part. Hillary and Clinton. Uh-huh. A doll's life. Adal's life, which she won the Tony for. Yeah. And then what did she do before that? The other plays?

[48:16] Robbie Rozelle: Oh, three tall women.

[48:17] Kevin David Thomas: We've got three Talkers.

[48:18] Robbie Rozelle: Oh, yeah, three tall women. Uh and the other place was the year before that. Yeah. Yeah. Good for her. You know what? Good for her. Two TV money and just do the theater you understand. If it's Lori Metcalf doing Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf? I am there for it. I am like yes, yes, yes. Great to me.

[48:33] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah.

[48:34] Kevin David Thomas: Um, did we mention Linda?

[48:36] Robbie Rozelle: Sorry.

[48:36] Kevin David Thomas: No, go.

[48:37] Robbie Rozelle: Linda Vista.

[48:37] Kevin David Thomas: Did we talk about Linda, Bridget?

[48:39] Robbie Rozelle: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[48:39] Kevin David Thomas: We did the Tracy Letts, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[48:41] Robbie Rozelle: The second section.

[48:42] Kevin David Thomas: So the second one is the Minutes.

[48:43] Robbie Rozelle: That is, uh, they've yet to, I don't think they've announced the theater.

[48:46] Kevin David Thomas: They haven't announced the theater yet, but that's another two Tracy Letts plays in one season, and I'm excited about that.

[48:50] Robbie Rozelle: Also the all-female Glengarry Glen Ross.

[48:52] Kevin David Thomas: We have not, so with that.

[48:54] Robbie Rozelle: So this was Amy Morden, who, uh, was in August: Osage County.

[48:59] Robbie Rozelle: Right. Fabulous director. She did One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest on Broadway. Steppenwolf, big Steppenwolf person. Um, and got permission to do a female version of Glengarry Glen Ross. And it was supposed to star Patti LuPone. Oh. That's what that's what was supposed to happen. Well, then but on our musical podcast, you'll hear that it sounds like she's gonna be otherwise engaged um for Company. So I don't know what's gonna happen next, but I'm excited to see it. So the question is, is it I don't see any issue with changing the gender on it? Who would who I mean there's so many uh leading ladies who would love to play that part, I'm sure. So I guess just make that happen. Also, um Blue has been announced.

Uh if you remember, that was a play with music. Um what is Felicia Bashab, Felicia Roger? Great Michael McGrory sang the songs, one of my all-time favorite singers. Thank you very much. Yeah. Um, but uh they've yet to announce a theater for that, but um, I think that'll be a new piece of theater as well. We also did not mention Take Me Out, Take Me Out, yes. We we kind of briefed over when we talked about a little bit just like Richard Greenberg. Yeah, which I saw original I saw the original production and it was beautiful and I cared about sports for two hours. That's what I loved about that play. You didn't have to know baseball, it wasn't about it. I mean, it was that was just like what they were talking about, but you could still get everything you needed.

And Dennis O'Hare's so beautiful incredible and that's the one Jesse Tyler Ferguson is taking on that role that is correct, yes, and Scott Ellis is directing it, but it's a Second Stage production, and usually he lives at a round roundabout. Yeah, he because he's the associate arts of the water. They let him out for good behavior. They let him out for good behavior. Yeah, this was supposed to star the gentleman who got in trouble. Oh, Jesse Smollett. Yes. Jesse Smollett from uh what's that TV show? Empire. Yeah, so now not so much anymore. Uh but Take Me Out was wonderful. I think I used to do that monologue in college. I'm sure you did. The Dennis O'Hare monologue. Sure. Probably. Yeah. Why didn't they call me in for this?

Well, no. What says you have to be a name? What's this? You have to have talent? What is that? I mean, you have talent. I just don't know where. I think I left it at home. Wow. I should have gone. Sherman Oaks. Thousand Oaks, Sherman Oaks. Fuck you. Thousand Oaks. Which Oaks is it? Which Oaks? Twin Oaks. Is that Gone with the Wind? Is Gone with the Wind Twin Oaks? No, that's Tara. Oh, what's Twin Oaks? Oh my God. Tara. Are you the one? Is anybody with me? I have a confession to go there. I am a heterosexual. Where? Please don't stop being my friend. We have to take him to a meeting. Speaking of the minutes, is the first time it's reuniting Anna Shapiro, who directed August with Tracy Letts. Yes.

Great. So we're we're gonna have a lot of uh good Tracy Letts theater this coming season. Is Tracy gonna be in any of the things? He's oh I don't know if he's gonna be. I think he's in a play. Isn't he in a play? Or maybe I'm making that up. He's not in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? He was in the last time. Yeah, I saw that last time. He was so good at the city. It was incredible. He was the best part of my play. Won the Tony for it because he was absolutely incredible. He beat out, remember this? It was Nathan Lane for something, and Tom Hanks in Lucky Guy. Uh-huh. Uh huh. Oh, right. Right? Yeah. And we tried to think what the Nathan Lane was in the world. What was Nathan Lane in, folks? Help us out.

And whatever it was, Tracy Letts beat them both out. What was Nathan Lane in? Is he gonna do Butley? No, no, no. Or Butley. Oh no, Butley. I'll tell you a story about Butley. I saw Butley. Yeah. And I think this was like the first play he was doing after The Producers. He had done The Frogs, but I think this was like the first play he was doing. The Dance. The Nance. Yeah, the Nance. And so we're sitting. I was going to the Googs. So the way Butley opens is the curtain goes up and it's an office, uh school office. And Nathan Lane unlocks the door and he comes in and he looks really sad and it's dead silent. It's supposed to be dead silent. And some old Yenta next to me goes, "Look, it's Bialystock's office."

That's like his voice. Yeah, look, it's Bialystock's office. One of the old party ladies just get out of the party. Well, I think that's the full season of plays. Exciting season. It is a very exciting season. I mean, if we're only in you know August right now, it's looking to be a really exciting season. And then the question is there's things that might surprise us that we have no idea that are gonna be another one. A brilliant show. These theaters are getting packed. I mean, like it's it is always not a lot. There's no empty theaters except for the Palace, but that's being renovated. No, it's um it's playing at the Palace. I was gonna say La Cage. Me and George Hearn and Bob Goulet. Oh, yeah.

Oh, no, he did it the Marquee. I know. We're talking about Van Johnson. Van Johnson. Do you remember that? The David Letterman Van Johnson. Remember that. It was my favorite thing. It was a favorite thing. Where was Van Johnson and David Letterman and Vance? He was so angry and perturbed. Yes. La Cage at the Palace Theater with George Hearn. Like mentioning George Hearn's name was gonna sell tickets to people. You know that was built in. You have to mention George's name. Whoever the publicist was was. Susan L. Shulman was like, you have to mention George's name. It's part of the contract. It's La Cage aux Folles, Palace Theater, George Hearn. Get it right. Talking points. La Cage Palace Hearn.

And that man, he never deviated. Did not. He was like, I'll give it to you. I'll give I'll I'll do straight on for you. He was uh I was watching Murder, She Wrote like you do, and he was on with Angela. Like they were the scenes with you're like, oh, there's uh Mrs. Love. There's a murder scene she wrote where she's like with every single sweetie. She's with Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. Lynn Carey. Yeah. And then she showed up once with Harry Gordino, who was opposite her, and anyone can whistle. My favorite is just that episode with Lorna Luft where Lor it somebody gets killed on a stage. Of course. And Lorna allegedly is just very high behind everybody and just keeps like grinning and like her hand is on her head.

She's like and then remember she has to be serious because somebody's dead. But you just watch it all happen in like the background, like soft focus, while Angela's like, I think someone killed this person. You think Angela, there's a knife sticking out of his heart. Well, it is Cabot Cove. Everybody dies in Cabot Cove. What the fuck goes on in Cabot Cove? How are you a real turn, Cabot Cove? Why do you sell that to anyone moving into town? So here's a beautiful four-bedroom. I know it's only two dollars, but I'm legally required to tell you somebody was killed. Every house user's shown me, someone has been killed. Tom Bosley like wanders in. Tom Bosley with the worst fucking accent you ever heard about.

Oh, we're gonna find out that you don't talk about bad accent work. You know, he came in. Uh, I'm gonna do it like he's uh from Maine. Okay, Tom, let's hear what you got. Yeah, why do you think that, Mr. Tabah? I gotta like the shot of it, beat any of the base. LeRoy Reams says Beauty and the Beast adds. I really I was really hoping when they announced Tom Bosley was gonna play crazy old Maurice in Beauty and the Beast, he was gonna use the same voice he used as Sheriff Amos Tupper. You know who I also wanted to see? I one of my dream roles is I want to be the guy in Murder, She Wrote that's like the hard-boiled detective that says, "Now look here, Mrs. Fletcher. This is policeman's work." Right.

Don't touch, don't touch the evidence. No, get your hand out of the blood. No, please come. Leave this to the professionals, Mr. Fletcher. Old woman. She's like, oh, this knife right here. I think I it could have been killed somebody. You know you're an actor because you just picked up a knife. You wanted a prop. Mrs. Fletcher, how many guilty nieces and nephews do you have? A thousand. Fun fact. Oh my god. And on that note. We will see you next week for more happiness and laughter and hijinks. Truly. For the musical theater episode of the oncoming 2019, 2020. Hey, I've been music directing the musical Lady Black. In fact, most of the things you're talking about are songs in the in the show.

Do they have that character? Do they have a hard-boiled character? They make fun of the Tom Bosley accent. Josh Lehman played it. And he's like over. It's so much more. Oh, that's so funny. And they have the like the sexist, you know, Dr. The Doctor, the doctor, Seth Hazlitt or whatever. He's like the misogynistic, you know, like always like. All right, little lady. Yeah. Now, what do you what do you know about anything, little lady? Yeah, yeah. I mean, what does a woman know? What does a woman know? Now you listen to me because I have a bow tie and I don't have you later. And the lyric is that the opening number is like. Thanks so much, guys, for listening. Anyway. Uh, we will see you next week. Oh. Oh, until next time. Bye.

[58:22] Robert W. Schneider: Today's episode was recorded at Shetler Studios on 244 West 54th Street. Visit Shetler Studios to book your room today, and you could be as cool as us. That's S-H-E-T-L-E-R Studios.com. And a big thanks to our sound editor Daniel Schwartzberg and social media manager Bethany Ansolecki. And friends, don't forget, we want more folks to hear these incredible stories, and that's where you guys can come in and help us out.

[58:47] Kevin David Thomas: Yes, in order for people to find out about us, we need lots of ratings on iTunes. The more ratings, the more they'll come up and search us. So head on over to iTunes, search for Behind the Curtain: Broadway's Living Legends, click on our logo, click on ratings and reviews, then write a review and leave us five stars and make us feel as special as Eliza Doolittle on Eliza Doolittle Day.

[59:10] Robert W. Schneider: Or you can leave us one star and make us feel as bad as Annie did in that weird production in Boston where Annie dreamed about being adopted and then ended the show back in the orphanage. True story, Rob was there.

[59:23] Kevin David Thomas: I saw it. So head on over to iTunes and make us feel even more special than we already do.