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Stagecraft with Gordon Cox
Podcasts

Stagecraft with Gordon Cox

Behind the scenes with the biggest stars on Broadway, Off Broadway and beyond. Hosted by Gordon Cox.

All Episodes

How to Sing Like Louis Armstrong

How to Sing Like Louis Armstrong

The Tony-winning actor James Monroe Iglehart on how he nails the legendary voice of Louis Armstrong in the new Broadway bio-musical “A Wonderful World” – and why he hopes his involvement as co-director of the show leads to more directing gigs in the future.

37 mins
Nov 26
Megan Hilty & Jennifer Simard: Death Becomes Them

Megan Hilty & Jennifer Simard: Death Becomes Them

The stars of the new Broadway musical adaptation of "Death Becomes Her" talk comic timing, macabre special effects, and why Hilty always knew "Death Becomes Her" would make a great musical.

28 mins
Nov 12
Playing Robots, Being Human

Playing Robots, Being Human

Darren Criss and Helen J. Shen, the stars of the new Broadway musical "Maybe Happy Ending," on cross-cultural storytelling, navigating their show's technologically complex set, and why robots are uniquely suited to telling a very human story.

36 mins
Oct 29
Nicole Scherzinger, Jim Parsons and More From the Business of Broadway 2024

Nicole Scherzinger, Jim Parsons and More From the Business of Broadway 2024

In this supersized episode of Stagecraft, we bring you three conversations from Variety's Business of Broadway breakfast, featuring the stars, creators and producers behind some of the biggest shows on Broadway this fall.

1 h 19 mins
Oct 15
Jez Butterworth & Sam Mendes Hike ‘The Hills of California’

Jez Butterworth & Sam Mendes Hike ‘The Hills of California’

The Tony-winning playwright and Oscar and Tony-winning director talk memory, loss and making “The Hills of California,” their latest Broadway play. Plus: the joys and pitfalls of franchise moviemaking.

40 mins
Oct 1
Daniel Dae Kim Wants to Make You Laugh

Daniel Dae Kim Wants to Make You Laugh

The "Lost" and "Hawaii Five-0" actor takes listeners behind the scenes of his return to Broadway, portraying a flawed, fictionalized version of the playwright David Henry Hwang in Hwang's comedy of mistaken racial identities, "Yellow Face."

33 mins
Sep 17
How a Theatermaker Makes Opera

How a Theatermaker Makes Opera

Jeanine Tesori, the Tony winning composer of “Kimberly Akimbo” and “Fun Home,” talks about her upcoming Metropolitan Opera debut, “Grounded,” and what it’s like when a musical theater composer finds herself working with an 80-piece orchestra and 60-voice ensemble.

31 mins
Sep 3
My Reading With the Hirschfeld Broadway Tarot

My Reading With the Hirschfeld Broadway Tarot

There's a new tarot deck that brings Broadway to the tarot through the work of legendary caricaturist Al Hirschfeld — and I got a taste of the deck in action with a reading from its creator, Emily McGill, in a conversation about the spirituality of theater, the "casting" of theatrical icons as specific tarot cards, and how theater fans might use the deck for insight and self-reflection.

34 mins
Aug 20
Sutton Foster Gets Unhinged

Sutton Foster Gets Unhinged

Talking with Tony-winning Broadway star, who says she’s playing “an unhinged version of myself” in the new Broadway revival of “Once Upon a Mattress.”

28 mins
Aug 6
'Cats' Meets Drag Ball Culture

'Cats' Meets Drag Ball Culture

Behind the scenes with three of the creators of "Cats: The Jellicle Ball," the colorful, queer reimagining of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical that's become a breakout hit of the summer.

36 mins
Jul 23
Tony Awards Telecast Producers Promise to Wow You

Tony Awards Telecast Producers Promise to Wow You

Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner, the directing-producing duo behind the Tony Awards telecast, talk wowing the audience, innovating the staging, and why the Tonys always have the best acceptance speeches.

34 mins
Jun 14
Sarah Paulson Gets Real About Tony Season

Sarah Paulson Gets Real About Tony Season

The Tony-nominated star of "Appropriate," Sarah Paulson, and its nominated playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins share some real talk about Tony season, reveal how the extended run of "Appropriate" has changed things both for the actors on onstage and for the audiences in the house, and banter about why Paulson should maybe play Prince in "Purple Rain."

40 mins
Jun 4
Backstage With Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin

Backstage With Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin

The Tony-nominated stars of "Cabaret" take listeners backstage for a peek at the "synchronized chaos" behind the scenes, and talk rowdy crowds, critics, and Redmayne's fourth go-round in the role of the Emcee.

34 mins
May 28
Jessica Lange Feels 'Wild and Liberated' in 'Mother Play'

Jessica Lange Feels 'Wild and Liberated' in 'Mother Play'

Oscar, Emmy and Tony winning actress Lange, now on Broadway in a Tony-nominated performance in "Mother Play," discusses premiering a new play on Broadway, explains why she could do without Wednesday matinees, and reveals why her recent work has her feeling "wild and liberated."

34 mins
May 14
Talking 'Lempicka' With Tony Nominees Eden Espinosa and Amber Iman

Talking 'Lempicka' With Tony Nominees Eden Espinosa and Amber Iman

In a conversation recorded before the announcement of the Tony nominations, actors Espinosa and Iman talk criticism discourse, the irresistible allure of Lempicka, and the Broadway community that’s rallied around their show.

32 mins
Apr 30
For Grant Gustin, The Hard Parts Are His Favorite Parts

For Grant Gustin, The Hard Parts Are His Favorite Parts

Now starring on Broadway in the critically acclaimed "Water for Elephants," Gustin shares what's most challenging — and most rewarding — about his first return to musical theater after nine years as the star of the long-running CW series "The Flash."

34 mins
Apr 16
Bernadette Peters Wants to Play Sweeney Todd

Bernadette Peters Wants to Play Sweeney Todd

Recorded live on the Broadway Cruise, musical theater icon Peters recalls the moment she fell in love with Sondheim's work, shares the biggest lessons she's learned in her career, and reveals the one Sondheim role she'd still love to play.

34 mins
Apr 2
From 'Succession' to 'Stereophonic' With Juliana Canfield

From 'Succession' to 'Stereophonic' With Juliana Canfield

Soon to make her Broadway debut in the buzzy play “Stereophonic,” Canfield talks learning all those overlapping lines, telling an accidental lie on the way to winning her part in the show, the “Succession” diaspora on stage, and that one time the “Stereophonic” cast became a real band in Brooklyn.

39 mins
Mar 19
Love, Loss, Time, and Lots of Onstage Rain

Love, Loss, Time, and Lots of Onstage Rain

How the creators of the new Broadway musical adaptation of "The Notebook," Ingrid Michaelson and Bekah Brunstetter, aim to both satisfy and surprise—and why the show's theatricality makes the popular story even more universal.

39 mins
Mar 5
How To Be A Theater Influencer

How To Be A Theater Influencer

Two theater influencers, Kristin Hopkins and Ashley Hufford, reveal the secrets of becoming a theater influencer. The first thing to know: There's not much money in it, but there's a lot of free theater. "If I wanted this to be my day job, I should have done beauty influencing," Hufford jokes.

37 mins
Feb 20
How 'Ilinoise' Takes a Page From 'A Chorus Line'

How 'Ilinoise' Takes a Page From 'A Chorus Line'

Director-choreographer Justin Peck and Pulitzer winning playwright Jackie Sibblies Drury talk about making a nontraditional dance musical based on Sufjan Stevens’ “genre-defying” album “Illinoise.” The show is now having its world premiere at Chicago Shakespeare Theater and will run at the Park Avenue Armory in Manhattan in March.

32 mins
Feb 6
The ‘Reservation Dogs’ Creators Wrote a Play

The ‘Reservation Dogs’ Creators Wrote a Play

Just as the acclaimed FX series "Reservation Dogs" was being developed, five of the writers involved in the show were premiering their first play.

27 mins
Jan 23
The 21 Year Backstory of 'Days of Wine and Roses'

The 21 Year Backstory of 'Days of Wine and Roses'

Stars Kelli O'Hara and Brian D'Arcy James on the joyous challenges of Adam Guettel's new Broadway musical.

38 mins
Jan 9
Stephen Schwartz is a Busy Guy

Stephen Schwartz is a Busy Guy

The storied Broadway composer shares his latest updates on the "Wicked" movie, the VOD release of "The Prince of Egypt," and the songs he's writing for Kristin Chenoweth in "Queen of Versailles."

29 mins
12/12/23
'Waitress' Changed How Sara Bareilles Writes Songs

'Waitress' Changed How Sara Bareilles Writes Songs

With a filmed version of the Broadway production of "Waitress" hitting theatres, the singer-songwriter-actor reveals all the ways that her involvement in the musical changed her work — and her life.

28 mins
12/5/23
The 'Spamalot' Cast Can't Keep a Straight Face

The 'Spamalot' Cast Can't Keep a Straight Face

Actors James Monroe Iglehart, Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer and Michael Urie detail the onstage (and backstage!) shenanigans in "Spamalot."

36 mins
11/28/23
Sierra Boggess and Warren Carlyle Make 'Harmony'

Sierra Boggess and Warren Carlyle Make 'Harmony'

The actress and the director-choreographer talk working with Barry Manilow, the cast addition that changed the whole show, and how rare it is to hear a duet for a soprano and a belter.

31 mins
11/14/23
How Patrick Page Summons Shakespeare's Devils

How Patrick Page Summons Shakespeare's Devils

The "Hadestown" Tony nominee on his new solo show "All the Devils Are Here," working with hearing loss, and when he grew into that deep, deep voice.

34 mins
10/31/23
Stars Come Out for Variety's Business of Broadway

Stars Come Out for Variety's Business of Broadway

Presenting two lively discussions from Variety's 2023 Business of Broadway breakfast: In the keynote conversation, Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff and Lindsay Mendez reveal the reasons they work so well together in the buzzy revival of "Merrily We Roll Along"—and give each other a healthy dose of ribbing along the way.

55 mins
10/17/23
Leslie Odom, Jr. is the Happiest He's Ever Been

Leslie Odom, Jr. is the Happiest He's Ever Been

Generous comedy, divine inspiration and life lessons with the "Hamilton" Tony winner who is now the star and producer of "Purlie Victorious."

36 mins
10/3/23
Rachel Bloom's Death-Defying Act

Rachel Bloom's Death-Defying Act

Bloom talks trunk songs, cut jokes, demo derbies and wrestling with mortality in "Death, Let Me Do My Show."

31 mins
9/19/23
The Hidden Art and Craft of Broadway Video Design

The Hidden Art and Craft of Broadway Video Design

Finn Ross and Nina Dunn, two designers responsible for the most striking video work now on Broadway, take us behind the scenes -- and behind the screens -- of "Back to the Future" and "The Shark is Broken."

39 mins
9/5/23
This Musical is a Videogame

This Musical is a Videogame

And now for something completely different: I talk with three of the creators behind Stray Gods, the new videogame that describes itself as a "Roleplaying Musical." Taking us behind the scenes (behind the code?) of this unusual genre mashup are Summerfall Studios creative director David Gaider, composer Austin Wintory and actor Anjali Bhimani.

44 mins
8/22/23
Theater Is (Not) Doomed

Theater Is (Not) Doomed

In the trenches with three theater leaders from organizations around the US and in the UK as they battle the economic crisis facing theaters everywhere.

43 mins
8/8/23
Jason Alexander Has So Much Theater in the Works

Jason Alexander Has So Much Theater in the Works

Alexander, the “Seinfeld” star who directed the new Broadway comedy “The Cottage,” talks the choreography of comedy and spills details on all the theater projects he’s developing for Broadway and beyond.

43 mins
7/25/23
How Theater Kids Improvised an Entire Movie

How Theater Kids Improvised an Entire Movie

"Theater Camp" co-creator and star Molly Gordon talks kissing gay boys at camp, improv comedy with kids, and crushing on Ben Platt.

31 mins
7/11/23
Conrad Ricamora Hates to Break Up the Party

Conrad Ricamora Hates to Break Up the Party

The "Here Lies Love" actor on queer characters, Filipino pride and the cognitive dissonance of singing about the Marcos regime in a karaoke dance party.

30 mins
6/27/23
Busy in Theater, On Strike in TV

Busy in Theater, On Strike in TV

Writer Tori Sampson, whose play “This Land Was Made” is now running off Broadway, shares her POV as one of the many writers who love the theater but make most of their living in TV.

36 mins
6/13/23
Jessica Chastain is Trapped in 'A Doll's House'

Jessica Chastain is Trapped in 'A Doll's House'

The Tony-nominated actress offers a deep-dive into her performance's signature moments – and why one of them made her think of “Evil Dead.”

34 mins
5/30/23
Ben Platt Had Tony Advice for Micaela Diamond

Ben Platt Had Tony Advice for Micaela Diamond

The Tony-nominated duo on the urgency of "Parade," owning their Jewish identities and living in the awards-season moment.

36 mins
5/23/23
Corey Hawkins Chose Fearlessness

Corey Hawkins Chose Fearlessness

The actor talks Tony nominations, “Topdog/Underdog,” a surprise dinner with Patti LuPone and an inspiration from Mark Rylance.

42 mins
5/15/23
“The Thanksgiving Play” is Just the Beginning

“The Thanksgiving Play” is Just the Beginning

It's the year of Larissa FastHorse, Broadway’s first known Native American female playwright, with six(!) plays coming up in 2023.

35 mins
4/18/23
The Secrets and Tricks of Broadway's 'Life of Pi'

The Secrets and Tricks of Broadway's 'Life of Pi'

Three of the Olivier Award-winning play's creators reveal the techniques, the illusions and the cheats that make a puppet feel alive.

35 mins
4/4/23
Tom Stoppard's Wine of Life

Tom Stoppard's Wine of Life

The celebrated playwright talks the Broadway success of "Leopoldstadt," plays vs.

37 mins
3/21/23
Nathan Lane Shares His Acting Secrets

Nathan Lane Shares His Acting Secrets

The Tony-winning actor, now starring in “Pictures From Home,” reveals how he crafted performances in “Angels in America” and “The Iceman Cometh.”

40 mins
3/7/23
‘Rent,’ ‘Star Trek’ and the Art of Reliving Loss

‘Rent,’ ‘Star Trek’ and the Art of Reliving Loss

Original “Rent” cast member and current “Star Trek” trailblazer Anthony Rapp talks bringing his stage memoir “Without You” to New York, and along the way pinpoints what “Rent” and “Star Trek” have in common and shares the reasons behind his ongoing advocacy for survivors of Hollywood abuse.

35 mins
2/21/23
National Black Theater and the Antidote We All Needed

National Black Theater and the Antidote We All Needed

Leaders of the 55-year-old Harlem institution on stepping up to Broadway for the first time with "Fat Ham," community, care and creating a home.

44 mins
2/7/23
How Stephen McKinley Henderson Hears the Music in a Playwright

How Stephen McKinley Henderson Hears the Music in a Playwright

The celebrated actor and August Wilson regular on finding the rhythms of "Between Riverside and Crazy."

37 mins
1/24/23
How Audra McDonald's Art and Activism Came Together for 'Ohio State Murders'

How Audra McDonald's Art and Activism Came Together for 'Ohio State Murders'

The six-time Tony winner on Adrienne Kennedy, Black Theatre United and her fancy new dressing rooms at the James Earl Jones Theater.

36 mins
1/10/23
Why Deirdre O'Connell's Tony Award Hasn't Changed Her Life

Why Deirdre O'Connell's Tony Award Hasn't Changed Her Life

The actor ("Dana H."), now starring in "Becky Nurse of Salem," on making a career off Broadway and her search for un-self-consciousness.

33 mins
12/13/22
How Joshua Dela Cruz Brought Broadway to 'Blue's Clues'

How Joshua Dela Cruz Brought Broadway to 'Blue's Clues'

The host and star of 'Blue's Big City Adventure' on Broadway role models, backstage 'Aladdin' antics, and Times Square dance numbers.

34 mins
12/6/22
How to Produce a Museum of Broadway

How to Produce a Museum of Broadway

The co-founders of the new museum on the story it's telling, the philosophy behind it, and why it's like Switzerland.

37 mins
11/22/22
‘The Lion King’ Turns 25

‘The Lion King’ Turns 25

Director Julie Taymor celebrates the Disney musical’s Broadway birthday, revealing how she did it, what she learned and what’s next.

36 mins
11/8/22
The Business of Broadway with Samuel L. Jackson, LaChanze, Lee Daniels and Many More

The Business of Broadway with Samuel L. Jackson, LaChanze, Lee Daniels and Many More

In this supersized episode, we present three of the panels and keynote conversations from Variety's 2022 Business of Broadway breakfast: 3:25: A conversation with producers LaChanze ("Topdog/Underdog," "Kimberly Akimbo"), Lee Daniels ("Ain't No' Mo'"), Cindy Tolan ("Death of a Salesman") and Ken Davenport ("A Beautiful Noise"), moderated by Eric Piecuch of City National Bank.

1 h 10 mins
10/25/22
'Topdog/Underdog' Has a Superpower

'Topdog/Underdog' Has a Superpower

Writer Suzan-Lori Parks and director Kenny Leon on spiritual inspiration, making work that matters and why this Pulitzer-winning play is like 'Doctor Strange.'

37 mins
10/11/22
Getting Intimate in ‘Cost of Living’

Getting Intimate in ‘Cost of Living’

Actors Gregg Mozgala and Kara Young talk care and connection in the award-winning Broadway play.

36 mins
9/27/22
How Patina Miller Made ‘Into the Woods’ Her Own

How Patina Miller Made ‘Into the Woods’ Her Own

The Tony winner and star of TV’s “Raising Kanan” talks Sondheim, motherhood and getting the Witch’s Rap right.

25 mins
9/13/22
Meaner, Funnier, Even More Revealing

Meaner, Funnier, Even More Revealing

How writer Jesse Green worked with Mary Rodgers to make her memoir "Shy" as lively, candid and cutting as she wanted it to be.

36 mins
8/30/22
How Cornelius Smith Jr. Sings Frederick Douglass to Life

How Cornelius Smith Jr. Sings Frederick Douglass to Life

The “Scandal” actor on “American Prophet,” Douglass and the often-overlooked woman behind the man.

36 mins
8/16/22
How Amir Arison Learned to Love "The Kite Runner"

How Amir Arison Learned to Love "The Kite Runner"

“The Black List” actor on living in the moment, exiting a successful TV show and how his life was changed by "My Robot Buddy."

36 mins
8/2/22
The Bestselling Novelist Who's Now a Prolific Musical Theater Writer

The Bestselling Novelist Who's Now a Prolific Musical Theater Writer

Jodi Picoult on her full-steam-ahead theater career with "Between the Lines," "The Book Thief" and "Austenland."

37 mins
7/19/22
Winning the Pulitzer Made James Ijames Braver

Winning the Pulitzer Made James Ijames Braver

The "Fat Ham" playwright on queering "Hamlet," decentralizing artistic leadership and writing prolifically.

42 mins
7/5/22
How Joaquina Kalukango Celebrated Her Tony Win

How Joaquina Kalukango Celebrated Her Tony Win

The "Paradise Square" actor explains how her role in the Broadway musical came along at exactly the moment she needed it most.

30 mins
6/21/22
‘How I Learned to Drive’ in the Rearview

‘How I Learned to Drive’ in the Rearview

Actor David Morse and playwright Paula Vogel on what they’ve learned revisiting the Pulitzer-winning, Tony-nominated play.

37 mins
6/7/22
Jesse Williams is a Theater Guy Now

Jesse Williams is a Theater Guy Now

The former "Grey's Anatomy" star on "Take Me Out," his Tony nomination and why theater is like baseball.

35 mins
5/31/22
'A Strange Loop' is Tony-Nominated and We Have Thoughts. All Six of Them.

'A Strange Loop' is Tony-Nominated and We Have Thoughts. All Six of Them.

Meet the dynamic ensemble of actors who play the Thoughts of a young queer Black man in the Tony-nominated Broadway musical "A Strange Loop": Antwayn Hopper, James Jackson Jr., John-Michael Lyles, Jason Veasey and Tony nominees L Morgan Lee and John-Andrew Morrison.

53 mins
5/17/22
Debra Messing Will Always Defend Her 'Smash' Scarves

Debra Messing Will Always Defend Her 'Smash' Scarves

Now on Broadway in 'Birthday Candles,' the actor talks aging 90 years in 90 minutes, live studio audiences and what she knows about what's next for 'Smash.'

35 mins
5/3/22
Why ‘Suffs’ is More Than Just ‘Hermilton’

Why ‘Suffs’ is More Than Just ‘Hermilton’

Actors Phillipa Soo and Jenn Colella on singing American history, filming musicals and acting in the moment.

31 mins
4/5/22
Meet the Musician Breaking Broadway Barriers With ‘Macbeth’

Meet the Musician Breaking Broadway Barriers With ‘Macbeth’

Singer-songwriter and disability advocate Gaelynn Lea on accessibility, growing up in a theater and making moody tunes for Daniel Craig and Ruth Negga.

34 mins
3/22/22
How New Science Can Keep Broadway Voices Healthier

How New Science Can Keep Broadway Voices Healthier

Two experts hope a “vocal Fitbit” can change Broadway’s voice health practices. With Professors Ana Flavia Zuim and Celia Stewart.

35 mins
3/8/22
From Understudy to History Maker

From Understudy to History Maker

Broadway's first Black Glinda on her landmark first show, her advice for young performers and what she learned from being a swing.

34 mins
2/22/22
Lynn Nottage Wants to Replace Judgment With Curiosity

Lynn Nottage Wants to Replace Judgment With Curiosity

The "MJ" and "Intimate Apparel" writer talks operas vs. musicals, artistic legacy vs. personal legacy, and why she's not reading reviews right now.

31 mins
2/8/22
Dominique Morisseau Always Has Nine Irons in the Fire

Dominique Morisseau Always Has Nine Irons in the Fire

The “Skeleton Crew” writer on lifting up Detroit, the influence of August Wilson, the closing of “Ain’t Too Proud” and the advice she got from Chadwick Boseman.

39 mins
1/25/22
Robin de Jesús Was Always Playing The Long Game

Robin de Jesús Was Always Playing The Long Game

The Tony-nominated actor, now in “Tick, Tick… Boom!,” talks honoring his ancestors and shares the setbacks that kept him humble.

33 mins
1/11/22
Why Peter Dinklage Didn’t Want a Fake Nose for ‘Cyrano’

Why Peter Dinklage Didn’t Want a Fake Nose for ‘Cyrano’

The “Game of Thrones” actor talks singing, Cyrano, great theater roles and filming on the side of an active volcano.

31 mins
12/21/21
How The Cast of 'Company' Learned of Stephen Sondheim's Death

How The Cast of 'Company' Learned of Stephen Sondheim's Death

Director Marianne Elliott and actor Matt Doyle on hearing the news backstage, paying tribute to the composer's talent, and singing "Getting Married Today."

35 mins
12/7/21
Uzo Aduba's New Broadway Role Reminds Her of Jaws

Uzo Aduba's New Broadway Role Reminds Her of Jaws

The star of Lynn Nottage's 'Clyde's' talks second chances, sandwich nirvana, and why Clyde is like Jaws.

33 mins
11/23/21
How Edie Falco's Handprint Inspired Her New Play

How Edie Falco's Handprint Inspired Her New Play

Falco, Blair Brown and Marin Ireland reveal the Easter eggs and secrets behind the new play "Morning Sun."

42 mins
11/9/21
'Caroline, or Change,' Then and Now, with Anika Noni Rose and Samantha Williams

'Caroline, or Change,' Then and Now, with Anika Noni Rose and Samantha Williams

Two actors with a shared connection to the Broadway musical discuss the timely return of the show.

39 mins
10/26/21
Andrew Lloyd Webber Talks Industry Advocacy, Taylor Swift and Trans Performers

Andrew Lloyd Webber Talks Industry Advocacy, Taylor Swift and Trans Performers

A keynote conversation with Webber and a panel featuring on-the-rise producers, both recorded live at Variety's Legit! The Return to Broadway.

58 mins
10/19/21
Norm Lewis' New Rhythms

Norm Lewis' New Rhythms

The Broadway fan favorite on "Phantom of the Opera," the freedom of starring in a play, and... mushroom coffee?

37 mins
10/12/21
The 'Playwriting Sisters' Bringing Shows Back After the Shutdown

The 'Playwriting Sisters' Bringing Shows Back After the Shutdown

Playwrights Jocelyn Bioh ("Nollywood Dreams") and Martyna Majok ("Sanctuary City") discuss returning, 18 months later, to plays the pandemic had paused.

35 mins
9/28/21
'Broadway Will Not Look The Same'

'Broadway Will Not Look The Same'

Gennean Scott, the Broadway League's first Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, on the initiatives she's leading to ensure the industry's evolution.

31 mins
9/14/21
Inside Disney Theatrical’s Global Restart

Inside Disney Theatrical’s Global Restart

Producer Thomas Schumacher and Anne Quart on opening 23 shows in 7 months, from Broadway to London to Mexico City to Tokyo.

38 mins
8/31/21
Broadway's COVID Expert on Returning to Theater Safely

Broadway's COVID Expert on Returning to Theater Safely

Broadway's leading COVID advisor, Dr. Blythe Adamson, talks epidemiology, economics, safety and the delta variant.

38 mins
8/17/21
What Theater Needs Now

What Theater Needs Now

Jesse Cameron Alick’s new Sundance Institute study reveals how influential artists and leaders imagine the future of theater and live performance.

37 mins
8/4/21
How 'Pass Over' is Making 'Precedent-Level Changes' to Broadway

How 'Pass Over' is Making 'Precedent-Level Changes' to Broadway

Playwright-producer Antoinette Nwandu and director Danya Taymor on how they're doing things differently -- both onstage and behind the scenes.

40 mins
7/20/21
Blurring the Lines Between Theater and Ritual

Blurring the Lines Between Theater and Ritual

How playwright Aleshea Harris and director Whitney White conduct an orchestra of Black experience in "What to Send Up When It Goes Down."

39 mins
7/6/21
 Why 'Rent' is Still a Revolution

Why 'Rent' is Still a Revolution

Talking with Andy Señor Jr., the former Angel behind the new documentary "Revolution Rent."

32 mins
6/22/21
'In the Heights': The Cuts, The Changes, The Ropa Vieja

'In the Heights': The Cuts, The Changes, The Ropa Vieja

Writer Quiara Alegría Hudes on going big, and getting intimate, with the movie version of 'In the Heights.'

33 mins
6/8/21
Launching Broadway's Future Black Leaders

Launching Broadway's Future Black Leaders

How the new Theatre Leadership Project aims to welcome emerging Black professionals to the theater industry.

38 mins
5/25/21
The Theater Tour That Became a Movie

The Theater Tour That Became a Movie

Behind the transformation of Heather Christian's 'Animal Wisdom' into a boundary-blurring new film.

40 mins
5/11/21
Making Digital Theater is Like Shooting 'Star Wars'

Making Digital Theater is Like Shooting 'Star Wars'

Director Lileana Blain-Cruz and producer Jim Glaub on “The Baltimore Waltz” and why virtual theater is a lot more complicated than it looks.

33 mins
4/27/21
How Theater Makers Have Mobilized to Stop Asian Hate

How Theater Makers Have Mobilized to Stop Asian Hate

Artist-activists Christine Toy Johnson and Leslie Ishii on how theater can be an important part of the movement.

32 mins
4/13/21
BONUS: Meet the Squabbling Producers of 'Avvatar: The Musical'

BONUS: Meet the Squabbling Producers of 'Avvatar: The Musical'

Lillias White and James Monroe Iglehart play the bickering backers of a massive, controversial, and entirely fictional Broadway musical version of "Avatar." Recorded in collaboration with the audio comedy As The Curtain Rises.

26 mins
4/6/21
The Gonzo Journalism Preserving Broadway History

The Gonzo Journalism Preserving Broadway History

Historian and producer Jennifer Ashley Tepper on the latest volume of her theater-by-theater chronicle, The Untold Stories of Broadway.

34 mins
3/30/21
How Blair Underwood Found New Colors in ‘Paradise Blue’

How Blair Underwood Found New Colors in ‘Paradise Blue’

Behind the scenes of the new audio adaptation of Dominique Morisseau’s play, with Underwood and Mandy Greenfield, the artistic director of Williamstown Theatre Festival.

33 mins
3/16/21
The Case for a New Federal Theater Project

The Case for a New Federal Theater Project

Nataki Garrett, the artistic director of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, on getting the theater industry the support it deserves during the pandemic.

36 mins
3/2/21
Broadway Gave Mike Nichols His Juiciest Backstage Stories

Broadway Gave Mike Nichols His Juiciest Backstage Stories

The author of "Mike Nichols: A Life," Mark Harris, on the director's life and influential work -- and the dramas behind the scenes.

32 mins
2/16/21
The Oscar Winner Helping Off Broadway Find Life on Screen

The Oscar Winner Helping Off Broadway Find Life on Screen

How John Ridley ("12 Years a Slave," "American Crime") and theater veteran Scott Elliott got together for the starry "grand experiment" of The New Group Off Stage.

43 mins
2/2/21
From 'Slave Play' to Marvel Superhero

From 'Slave Play' to Marvel Superhero

"WandaVision" actor Teyonah Parris on moving from an Off Broadway buzzmagnet into one of the biggest franchises in Hollywood.

34 mins
1/19/21
The New York Native Who Found Playwriting Success in L.A.

The New York Native Who Found Playwriting Success in L.A.

Writer Kemp Powers on adapting his play "One Night in Miami" into a buzzy new film, and why L.A. was more welcoming to his work than New York.

36 mins
1/7/21
The August Wilson Expert Who Brought 'Ma Rainey' to the Screen

The August Wilson Expert Who Brought 'Ma Rainey' to the Screen

One of the foremost interpreters of Wilson's work, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, on how he crafted his screenplay for "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom."

32 mins
12/22/20
Ariana DeBose Has a Date With "The Prom"

Ariana DeBose Has a Date With "The Prom"

The Tony-nominated actor ("Hamilton," "West Side Story") is having a screen moment with stage musicals.

36 mins
12/8/20
The Legacy Black Theater Transforming to Meet the Times

The Legacy Black Theater Transforming to Meet the Times

Sarah Bellamy, the artistic director of Penumbra in St. Paul, Minn., on making theater the centerpiece of a new center for racial healing.

35 mins
11/24/20
This Dramatic Thriller Stars Half of Broadway

This Dramatic Thriller Stars Half of Broadway

Writer-director-actor Arian Moayed on how the theater community turned out for his starry screen thriller, “The Accidental Wolf.” "The Accidental Wolf” on Topic: http://go.topic.com/varietytaw.

36 mins
11/10/20
Baz Luhrmann & His Broadway Team on Making 'Moulin Rouge'

Baz Luhrmann & His Broadway Team on Making 'Moulin Rouge'

Luhrmann and the creators of the stage musical talk putting the show together, shutting it all down, and why its message feels more relevant than ever.

1 h 15 mins
10/27/20
Why Ashley Park Calls Darren Star the Sondheim of TV

Why Ashley Park Calls Darren Star the Sondheim of TV

The "Mean Girls" Tony nominee talks "Emily in Paris" and how she'll help make "Thoroughly Modern Millie" a musical for everyone.

37 mins
10/13/20
The New Voices of Broadway

The New Voices of Broadway

How playwrights Katori Hall, Jeremy O. Harris and Matthew López think about shaping the future of Broadway.

35 mins
9/29/20
How One Entrepreneur is Making the Change She Wants to See

How One Entrepreneur is Making the Change She Wants to See

ChiChi Anyanwu braved the pandemic to launch a management company focused on diverse talent.

35 mins
9/15/20
Theater Laid the Foundation for Kenny Ortega’s Hollywood Success

Theater Laid the Foundation for Kenny Ortega’s Hollywood Success

How to craft dances for screens, with the director of “High School Musical” and Netflix’s upcoming “Julie and the Phantoms.”

33 mins
9/1/20
How One London Theater is Thriving During the Pandemic

How One London Theater is Thriving During the Pandemic

Lynette Linton, artistic director of the Bush Theatre, on reopening, responding and why now is the time for new work.

32 mins
8/18/20
Harvey Fierstein on the Timely Lessons of AIDS, Gay Rights and Bella Abzug

Harvey Fierstein on the Timely Lessons of AIDS, Gay Rights and Bella Abzug

The Broadway favorite reveals how his work, including new Audible release “Bella Bella,” speaks to the current moment.

38 mins
8/4/20
How Theater Meets Activism With the Broadway Advocacy Coalition

How Theater Meets Activism With the Broadway Advocacy Coalition

Co-founders Adrienne Warren and Zhailon Levingston on BAC's work at the intersection of arts and activism.

40 mins
7/21/20
Sarah Jones' New Theater is Instagram

Sarah Jones' New Theater is Instagram

The writer-performer gets both personal and political on her new Instagram Live show.

39 mins
7/14/20
How One Theater Leader Practices Anti-Racism

How One Theater Leader Practices Anti-Racism

Baltimore Center Stage artistic director Stephanie Ybarra on her ongoing anti-racism work, at her own theater and in the industry at large.

39 mins
6/30/20
The Overlooked Composer Who Inspired Broadway's Rising Stars

The Overlooked Composer Who Inspired Broadway's Rising Stars

Shaina Taub and Kris Kukul on "The Liz Swados Project," the starry new album celebrating Swados' work and influence.

31 mins
6/16/20
What Does Anti-Racist Theater Look Like?

What Does Anti-Racist Theater Look Like?

What Broadway and the theater industry can do to work toward anti-racism, with artist, educator and activist Nicole Brewer.

38 mins
6/9/20
Swerving to Serve a Theater Community in Lockdown

Swerving to Serve a Theater Community in Lockdown

Playwright Sarah Ruhl on how the new theater site 3Views changed its mission after the pandemic hit.

33 mins
6/2/20
Michael R. Jackson Has Finally Accepted He’s a Composer

Michael R. Jackson Has Finally Accepted He’s a Composer

The Pulitzer-winning creator of “A Strange Loop” on how he celebrated in lockdown, why he used to balk at being called a composer, and how “A Chorus Line” made him cry at his office temp job.

40 mins
5/26/20
Lockdown Theater’s Most In-Demand Director

Lockdown Theater’s Most In-Demand Director

Broadway’s go-to livestream director Paul Wontorek on what works, what doesn’t, and what’s next.

33 mins
5/19/20
Brian Stokes Mitchell's Fight to Help the Whole Industry Get Better

Brian Stokes Mitchell's Fight to Help the Whole Industry Get Better

The Tony-winning Broadway favorite on his coronavirus recovery, the Actors Fund, and why “Impossible Dream” is the perfect song for right now.

30 mins
5/12/20
'Moulin Rouge!,' 'King Kong' and the View from Down Under

'Moulin Rouge!,' 'King Kong' and the View from Down Under

Global Creatures CEO Carmen Pavlovic on what it's like producing theater around the world right now, and what comes next.

37 mins
5/5/20
Alex Newell is Destined for Effie

Alex Newell is Destined for Effie

The Broadway alum, now on “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist," talks genderfluidity, Barbara Streisand and their “Dreamgirls” goals.

26 mins
4/28/20
What Pandemic Theater Can Sound Like

What Pandemic Theater Can Sound Like

Audible's Kate Navin on the Williamstown Theater Festival and one way to sustain theater in the coming months.

31 mins
4/21/20
Binge-Watching Broadway

Binge-Watching Broadway

How fans are devouring theater in the time of social distancing, with the co-founders of BroadwayHD.

28 mins
4/14/20
Broadway's Always Been Edgy

Broadway's Always Been Edgy

Set during the Golden Age of Broadway, Emily Neuberger's new novel "A Tender Thing" reminds us musicals were made to push boundaries.

34 mins
4/7/20
How Off Broadway Copes With the Coronavirus Shutdown

How Off Broadway Copes With the Coronavirus Shutdown

Playwright Martyna Majok and theater executive Jeremy Blocker on "Sanctuary City" and surviving the shutdown.

39 mins
3/31/20
Karen Olivo on 'Moulin Rouge!' and Life in the Broadway Shutdown

Karen Olivo on 'Moulin Rouge!' and Life in the Broadway Shutdown

The "Moulin Rouge!" star talks shaping Satine, 'In the Heights' anticipation and the felting on her to-do list.

39 mins
3/24/20
What Lois Smith Learned From the Greats

What Lois Smith Learned From the Greats

The actress, now in "The Inheritance," on the lessons of Elia Kazan, Lee Strasberg, and more.

37 mins
3/10/20
How 'Six' Conquered the World

How 'Six' Conquered the World

"Six" creators Toby Marlow, Lucy Moss and Jamie Armitage on Tudor queens, pop icons and conference rooms in Edinburgh.

39 mins
3/3/20
Katori Hall's 'Quiet Revolution'

Katori Hall's 'Quiet Revolution'

The playwright talks hot wings, Tina Turner, and Lil Bad Cousin, her rapping alter ego.

44 mins
2/25/20
How 'Cambodian Rock Band' Became One of the Most Produced Plays in the U.S.

How 'Cambodian Rock Band' Became One of the Most Produced Plays in the U.S.

Bending genres, confronting history and rocking out, with playwright Lauren Yee and director Chay Yew.

33 mins
2/18/20
Duncan Sheik Created a Monster

Duncan Sheik Created a Monster

The Tony-winning composer, whose latest musical "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice" is now playing Off Broadway, talks the Buddhist mafia, his controversial thoughts about songs forwarding plot, and the trend he helped launch with "Spring Awakening."

35 mins
2/11/20
Vampires, Cowboys and Stealth Diversity

Vampires, Cowboys and Stealth Diversity

Writer Qui Nguyen, the co-founder of Vampire Cowboys Theater Company, talks stage superheroes, Comic-Con and his new play "Revenge Song," about historical badass Julie d'Aubigny.

33 mins
2/4/20
"Mrs. Doubtfire," Live From BroadwayCon

"Mrs. Doubtfire," Live From BroadwayCon

Gender politics, quick changes and honoring Robin Williams: a live conversation with Rob McClure, Jerry Zaks and more, recorded at BroadwayCon 2020.

49 mins
1/28/20
Why Not Do The Crazy Thing?

Why Not Do The Crazy Thing?

Why playwright Bess Wohl, now making her Broadway debut with “Grand Horizons,” keeps asking for the impossible.

36 mins
1/21/20
What Laura Linney Learns From Bad Shows

What Laura Linney Learns From Bad Shows

The "Ozark" actress, now on Broadway in "My Name is Lucy Barton," on the lessons of failure, her favorite costars and why solo shows are "bonkers."

30 mins
1/14/20
Sometimes Theater Is Just Like Football

Sometimes Theater Is Just Like Football

Actor-producer Nnamdi Asomugha traded in pro football for Broadway, where he’s now starring in “A Soldier’s Play.”

32 mins
1/7/20
The Surreal Spectacle of ‘Cats,’ Explained

The Surreal Spectacle of ‘Cats,’ Explained

Director Tom Hooper talks digital fur, trailer reactions and the reason that only some cats wear shoes.

35 mins
12/19/19
Lucas Hnath's Own Play Gave Him Nightmares

Lucas Hnath's Own Play Gave Him Nightmares

The playwright behind "The Thin Place" and "Dana H." talks mental remapping, performing trauma and why in ghost stories, less is more.

32 mins
12/10/19
Let's Talk About Sex Onstage

Let's Talk About Sex Onstage

How Broadway's first intimacy director, Claire Warden, is helping to revolutionize how actors get intimate.

37 mins
12/3/19
How To Be The Most-Produced Playwright in America

How To Be The Most-Produced Playwright in America

Writer Lauren Gunderson reveals the secrets to her success. Step 1: Write. A lot.

34 mins
11/26/19
Jonathan Groff Knows He’s a Spitter

Jonathan Groff Knows He’s a Spitter

The star of "Mindhunter" and "Frozen 2" gets wet for his current gig in "Little Shop of Horrors."

35 mins
11/19/19
Brian Cox on Shakespeare, 'Succession' and the Crisis We're In

Brian Cox on Shakespeare, 'Succession' and the Crisis We're In

Why the actor, now on Broadway in 'The Great Society,' chases 'scripts of the now.'

38 mins
11/12/19
How 'The Lightning Thief' Hopes to Open Up Broadway

How 'The Lightning Thief' Hopes to Open Up Broadway

The musical's creative team talks pushing boundaries and sea changes.

32 mins
11/5/19
The Impact of 'For Colored Girls,' Then and Now
31 mins
10/29/19
The 'Soft Power' of Musicals to Change Minds

The 'Soft Power' of Musicals to Change Minds

Composer Jeanine Tesori on how musicals can spur change, and how her latest changed her.

30 mins
10/22/19
How 'Jagged Little Pill' Will Rock Broadway

How 'Jagged Little Pill' Will Rock Broadway

Meet the creators and producers bringing Alanis to Broadway. Recorded at Variety's Business of Broadway breakfast.

28 mins
10/15/19
Kristin Chenoweth Wants to Write a Broadway Musical

Kristin Chenoweth Wants to Write a Broadway Musical

The Broadway favorite dishes on her new album, her worst flub, and the bucket-list musical she wants to write.

36 mins
10/8/19
The Broadway Controversies and Coups of Two Acting Greats

The Broadway Controversies and Coups of Two Acting Greats

Eileen Atkins and Jonathan Pryce, now in “The Height of the Storm,” reveal favorite roles, Broadway memories and the “Phantom” casting that never was.

34 mins
10/1/19
Why Tom Hiddleston Thinks Everyone Should Play Hamlet

Why Tom Hiddleston Thinks Everyone Should Play Hamlet

Hiddleston and his co-stars in "Betrayal," Zawe Ashton and Charlie Cox, talk Pinter, dick-swinging and superheroes.

30 mins
9/24/19
Derren Brown Spills His Broadway 'Secret'

Derren Brown Spills His Broadway 'Secret'

The mentalist and illusionist on the magic of theater, the theatrics of magic, and why he's banned from casinos all across the U.K.

34 mins
9/10/19
How Joel Grey Made 'Fiddler' New Again

How Joel Grey Made 'Fiddler' New Again

The actor, director and photographer talks directing in a language he doesn't know, memories of Hal Prince, and sexy flowers.

37 mins
8/27/19
Jake Gyllenhaal is his 'Best Self' in the Theater

Jake Gyllenhaal is his 'Best Self' in the Theater

Behind the scenes at Broadway's "Sea Wall/A Life,' with Gyllenhaal and director Carrie Cracknell.

35 mins
8/13/19
What Rita Rudner Learned From Broadway Greats

What Rita Rudner Learned From Broadway Greats

The comic, now starring in musical "Two's a Crowd," started out in some legendary Broadway shows.

27 mins
7/30/19
The Special Sauce in Broadway's 'Moulin Rouge!'

The Special Sauce in Broadway's 'Moulin Rouge!'

Writer John Logan and director Alex Timbers bring elephants, windmills, Baz and Beyoncé to Broadway.

33 mins
7/16/19
Plays for Your Ears

Plays for Your Ears

How Jeremy McCarter acts locally but thinks globally with podcast series Make-Believe.

28 mins
7/2/19
New List, New Leaders for The Kilroys

New List, New Leaders for The Kilroys

Playwrights Hilary Bettis and Caroline V. McGraw on how the collective will expand its push for parity.

36 mins
6/25/19
Audra McDonald Faces Her Fear in 'Frankie and Johnny'

Audra McDonald Faces Her Fear in 'Frankie and Johnny'

The Tony-winning actress talks intimacy onstage, Broadway diversity and why she calls Michael Shannon "The Rev."

34 mins
6/18/19
How Disney Taught a Generation to Love Musicals

How Disney Taught a Generation to Love Musicals

From early Broadway days to Marvel and Star Wars, with Disney Theatrical president Thomas Schumacher.

28 mins
6/11/19
Why Tony Rehearsals Make James Corden Cry

Why Tony Rehearsals Make James Corden Cry

Get a backstage glimpse at the Tony Awards from this year's host.

36 mins
6/7/19
Rosemary Harris' Tony Has a Typo

Rosemary Harris' Tony Has a Typo

Tales from the actress’ storied career, including that time she got discovered walking a gay dog.

40 mins
5/28/19
Bryan Cranston on the Exhausting Joys of Broadway

Bryan Cranston on the Exhausting Joys of Broadway

The award-winning actor spills backstage secrets behind his Tony-nominated turn in “Network.”

37 mins
5/21/19
Santino Fontana's 'Tootsie' For Our Time

Santino Fontana's 'Tootsie' For Our Time

The Tony-nominated actor on fighting the good fight, and why it’s “like a war movie” backstage.

36 mins
5/14/19
Why Aaron Sorkin Cut His Favorite Scene From 'To Kill A Mockingbird'

Why Aaron Sorkin Cut His Favorite Scene From 'To Kill A Mockingbird'

The "West Wing" writer killed his darlings to make his Broadway "Mockingbird" work.

35 mins
5/7/19
How John Cameron Mitchell's 'Anthem' Fits Into the Mitchellverse

How John Cameron Mitchell's 'Anthem' Fits Into the Mitchellverse

The 'Hedwig' creator explains how his new musical podcast series nods to his previous work.

36 mins
4/30/19
Kelli O'Hara Brings #MeToo to 'Kiss Me, Kate'

Kelli O'Hara Brings #MeToo to 'Kiss Me, Kate'

The Broadway favorite talks vocal honesty and what her Tony win means to her.

36 mins
4/23/19
The 'Dumb Joke' Hidden in 'White Noise'

The 'Dumb Joke' Hidden in 'White Noise'

Playwright Suzan-Lori Parks and director Oskar Eustis talk race, art, slavery and... bowling?

36 mins
4/16/19
'Beetlejuice' and the Biggest Taboo

'Beetlejuice' and the Biggest Taboo

The new musical's creators reveal how the show has changed since its DC tryout.

39 mins
4/9/19
Kidding Around in 'To Kill a Mockingbird'

Kidding Around in 'To Kill a Mockingbird'

How not to act your age, with Broadway favorites Celia Keenan-Bolger and Gideon Glick.

32 mins
4/2/19
How Phoebe Waller-Bridge Shocked Herself

How Phoebe Waller-Bridge Shocked Herself

The "Fleabag" and "Killing Eve" creator revisits her breakout stage role.

31 mins
3/26/19
The Balls-Out Theatricality of Sam Mendes

The Balls-Out Theatricality of Sam Mendes

The Oscar winner on “The Ferryman” and how James Bond made him a writer.

38 mins
3/19/19
Secrets of Sound Design

Secrets of Sound Design

Sound designer Gareth Owen gives theatergoers a few pointers on understanding an esoteric art.

32 mins
3/12/19
Bringing 'Oklahoma!' and Alanis to Broadway

Bringing 'Oklahoma!' and Alanis to Broadway

Producer Eva Price talks taking risks with her two big Broadway projects.

35 mins
3/5/19
Building 'Hadestown'

Building 'Hadestown'

How Anaïs Mitchell and Rachel Chavkin created their buzzy, Broadway-bound musical.

34 mins
2/26/19
Laura Benanti

Laura Benanti

The Tony winner reveals her most challenging role.

30 mins
2/19/19
Adam Shankman

Adam Shankman

A top director of Hollywood musicals spills his secrets.

36 mins
2/12/19
Jeremy Pope

Jeremy Pope

The fast-rising Broadway star on what he wishes he knew as a young actor.

35 mins
2/5/19
Making 'The Prom'

Making 'The Prom'

Bob Martin and Beth Leavel get political with their critically acclaimed new musical comedy.

29 mins
1/29/19
Ethan Hawke

Ethan Hawke

The actor talks 'True West' and the ghost of Philip Seymour Hoffman.

34 mins
1/22/19
Heidi Schreck

Heidi Schreck

The writer-performer on her scary-topical hit "What The Constitution Means To Me."

31 mins
1/15/19
Jason Robert Brown

Jason Robert Brown

The Broadway composer on writing for Ariana Grande -- and for himself.

32 mins
1/8/19
Tyne Daly & Tim Daly

Tyne Daly & Tim Daly

The real-life siblings on playing brother and sister onstage.

34 mins
12/18/18
Daniel Radcliffe

Daniel Radcliffe

The former Harry Potter on how Broadway made him a better actor.

27 mins
12/11/18
The Cher Show

The Cher Show

Creators take you backstage with 635 costumes, 6 million feathers and one pioneering superstar.

35 mins
12/4/18
Ep53 - Joan Allen

Ep53 - Joan Allen

The Tony winner talks Broadway, her favorite film and women's roles in Hollywood.

26 mins
11/27/18
Michael C. Hall

Michael C. Hall

The actor talks "Thom Pain," queer roles and more "Dexter."

31 mins
11/20/18
Glenn Close

Glenn Close

Her new play, her recent movie and what "Fatal Attraction" means in the #MeToo era.

28 mins
11/13/18
Sasson Gabay

Sasson Gabay

How "the DeNiro of Israel" stole tricks from a Tony winner in "The Band's Visit."

25 mins
11/6/18
Stockard Channing

Stockard Channing

The veteran stage and screen actress doesn't love "Grease" as much as you do.

23 mins
10/30/18
'Dear Evan Hansen': The Novel

'Dear Evan Hansen': The Novel

A YA adaptation reveals new secrets of the fan-favorite Tony winner.

29 mins
10/23/18
Aasif Mandvi

Aasif Mandvi

Why Mandvi's 20-year-old play "Sakina's Restaurant" is suddenly a political statement.

31 mins
10/16/18
Power of Broadway

Power of Broadway

Top execs talk the business of Broadway at Variety's power breakfast.

34 mins
10/9/18
Conor McPherson

Conor McPherson

He wrote a play with Bob Dylan tunes -- but don't call it a jukebox musica.

30 mins
10/2/18
Theresa Rebeck & Janet McTeer

Theresa Rebeck & Janet McTeer

The writer and star of “Bernhardt/Hamlet” on their timely play about a powerful woman.

30 mins
9/18/18
Andy Karl

Andy Karl

The "Pretty Woman" star on nostalgia, reviews, and that injured knee.

25 mins
9/4/18
Joe Iconis

Joe Iconis

How to make your musical go viral, according to the fan-fave composer.

28 mins
8/21/18
Michael Mayer & Spencer Liff

Michael Mayer & Spencer Liff

Why the Go-Go's and 16th century literature make a perfect match in "Head Over Heels."

30 mins
8/7/18
Zachary Quinto

Zachary Quinto

The "Star Trek" actor talks Broadway, gay rights and his dream role.

26 mins
7/24/18
Tatiana Maslany

Tatiana Maslany

The Emmy winner on an “Orphan Black” reunion and her timely new stage role.

26 mins
7/10/18
'Once On This Island' Producer on His Surprising Tony Win

'Once On This Island' Producer on His Surprising Tony Win

Producer Ken Davenport dissects his unexpected Tony triumph and blurs the lines with "Gettin' The Band Back Together."

29 mins
6/26/18
BD Wong

BD Wong

The Tony-winning actor, now returning to the New York stage in "The Great Leap," talks basketball in Beijing, dinosaurs, mad scientists, Whiterose, and the secret origin of his name.

28 mins
6/19/18
Ep36 - Matt Bomer and Andrew Rannells / The Boys in the Band

Ep36 - Matt Bomer and Andrew Rannells / The Boys in the Band

Two stars of the big-name revival of the landmark gay drama "The Boys in the Band" talk Broadway debuts, Tony parties, Rannells' new book and why Bomer's next Broadway show should be a musical.

29 mins
6/12/18
Ep35 - Basil Twist

Ep35 - Basil Twist

The puppeteer, a MacArthur genius grant winner, explains the difference between working downtown and working on Broadway, and spills the secrets behind the new revival of his 20-year-old breakout show, "Symphonie Fantastique."

26 mins
6/5/18
Ep34 - Andrew Garfield

Ep34 - Andrew Garfield

The actor, nominated for a Tony Award for his leading role in "Angels in America," compares the Tonys and the Oscars, talks up the timeliness of "Angels" and reveals what is, for him, "the greatest privilege in playing this part."

28 mins
5/30/18
Ep33 - Tina Fey, Jeff Richmond & Nell Benjamin

Ep33 - Tina Fey, Jeff Richmond & Nell Benjamin

The writers of the Tony-nominated "Mean Girls" -- book writer Tina Fey, composer Jeff Richmond and lyricist Nell Benjamin -- take us behind the scenes of their fetch new musical.

31 mins
5/23/18
Ep32 - LaChanze

Ep32 - LaChanze

Tony Award winner and current nominee LaChanze dishes on the Tonys, shares what it means to her to play Donna Summer in the bio-musical "Summer," and reveals why she started going by just one name.

28 mins
5/15/18
Ep31 - Lauren Ambrose & Harry Hadden-Paton

Ep31 - Lauren Ambrose & Harry Hadden-Paton

The Tony-nominated stars of Lincoln Center Theater's "My Fair Lady" talk about performing the classic musical in the era of Time's Up and reveal how Adele helped Ambrose pick up Eliza Doolittle's accent.

27 mins
5/8/18
Ep30 - Lynn Nottage

Ep30 - Lynn Nottage

The two-time Pulitzer Prize winner of "Ruined" and "Sweat" reveals the secret origins of her new play "Mlima's Tale" -- including its surprising link to Oscar-winning director Kathryn Bigelow.

26 mins
5/1/18
Ep29 - Tom Hiddleston & William Shakespeare

Ep29 - Tom Hiddleston & William Shakespeare

The "Avengers: Infinity War" star reveals how he first got hooked on The Bard and details his recent production of "Hamlet."

1 h 7 mins
4/25/18
Ep28 - Chris Evans

Ep28 - Chris Evans

Evans, now on Broadway in "Lobby Hero" and soon to reprise his signature role as Captain America in "Avengers: Infinity War," reveals his theater-kid roots, details the difficulties of spit management and ponders his future with -- or without -- Captain America.

26 mins
4/24/18
Ep27 - Jamie Parker

Ep27 - Jamie Parker

The Olivier-winning star of Broadway's "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" reveals how he got cast as the boy wizard, why he's re-read the books five or six times, and what it's like interacting with the show's international audience of superfans.

25 mins
4/17/18
Ep26 - Joshua Jackson & Lauren Ridloff

Ep26 - Joshua Jackson & Lauren Ridloff

Joshua Jackson ("Dawson's Creek," "Fringe") and newcomer Lauren Ridloff, the stars of the new Broadway revival of "Children of a Lesser God," sound off on accessibility, representation, communication and why "Children" is still so relevant today.

32 mins
4/10/18
Ep25 - Billie Piper

Ep25 - Billie Piper

The "Doctor Who" star talks about reprising her Olivier Award-winning role in "Yerma," along the way touching on her pop-star past, the film she's directing and the musical that might be in her future.

27 mins
4/3/18
Ep24 - Billy Crudup

Ep24 - Billy Crudup

There are several characters in the Off Broadway thriller "Harry Clarke." But they're all played by Billy Crudup -- who sure does get lonely up there sometimes.

29 mins
3/27/18
Ep23 - Robert Greenblatt

Ep23 - Robert Greenblatt

The chairman of NBC Entertainment is the man responsible for the network's embrace of theater, performance and live programming, from the new "Rise" to the upcoming "Jesus Christ Superstar" to "Smash" -- and he's also a theater fan and producer.

29 mins
3/20/18
Ep22 - Lee Pace

Ep22 - Lee Pace

Pace, the "Halt and Catch Fire" star who's now appearing on Broadway in "Angels in America," takes listeners behind the scenes of the "massive" Tony Kushner play -- and explains why he'd love it if Donald Trump came to see the show.

26 mins
3/13/18
Ep21 - Casey Nicholaw

Ep21 - Casey Nicholaw

Director-choreographer Casey Nicholaw, Broadway's go-to guy for musical comedy, gives the scoop on his buzzy upcoming production of "Mean Girls," and along the way talks getting "Aladdin" right, why "The Prom" is so timely and what it was like working with the "South Park" creators on "The Book of Mormon."

27 mins
3/6/18
Ep20 - Gillian Jacobs & Thomas Kail

Ep20 - Gillian Jacobs & Thomas Kail

The star of "Love" and "Community," Gillian Jacobs, and "Hamilton" director Thomas Kail talk politics, margaritas and their new Off Broadway show, "Kings."

25 mins
2/27/18
Ep19 - The Stars and Creators of Broadway's "Frozen"

Ep19 - The Stars and Creators of Broadway's "Frozen"

Actresses Caissie Levy and Patti Murin, director Michael Grandage and designer Christopher Oram, four of the leading players behind Disney's Broadway adaptation of "Frozen," talk deeper characters, new songs and high expectations -- especially from the audience members who show up in costume.

29 mins
2/20/18
Ep18 - Jake Shears & Kirstin Maldonado

Ep18 - Jake Shears & Kirstin Maldonado

Two pop musicans, Jake Shears of the Scissor Sisters and Kirstin Maldonado of Pentatonix, talk about their starring roles in Broadway's "Kinky Boots" -- and why doing theater is like "slamming heroin and jumping out of an airplane, but in front of an audience."

30 mins
2/13/18
Ep17 - Lea Salonga

Ep17 - Lea Salonga

Lea Salonga, the fan favorite who was the original star of "Miss Saigon" and is currently in "Once On This Island," talks Broadway diversity, her new album and finding musicals that "rock me to my core."

27 mins
2/6/18
Ep16 - Victor Garber

Ep16 - Victor Garber

Garber, back on Broadway opposite Bernadette Peters in "Hello, Dolly!," shares his thoughts on the theater, the Arrowverse and the idea of an "Alias" reunion -- and reveals the "weird thing" he used to have about singing, and how he got over it.

28 mins
1/30/18
Ep15 - John Lithgow

Ep15 - John Lithgow

The film, TV and stage veteran talks about his new Broadway show, "Stories By Heart" -- and reveals that even he feels like a fraud sometimes.

27 mins
1/23/18
Ep14 - Keegan-Michael Key

Ep14 - Keegan-Michael Key

The former "Key and Peele" star talks about his stage gigs in Broadway's "Meteor Shower" (opposite Amy Schumer), Off Broadways' "Hamlet" (opposite Oscar Isaac), his theater background, his "19-year detour into sketch comedy" and why he just can't stop craving the green lights.

32 mins
1/16/18
Ep13 - Stephen Adly Guirgis

Ep13 - Stephen Adly Guirgis

The Pulitzer-winning playwright ("Jesus Hopped the A Train," "Between Riverside and Crazy") talks about writing (and not writing), his recent forays into acting and why his current retrospective and residency at Signature Theater at first made him think, "Uh, oh.

29 mins
1/9/18
Ep12 - Rachel Bloom / Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Ep12 - Rachel Bloom / Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

The creator of the CW musical comedy series "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend," Rachel Bloom is a theater geek at heart.

28 mins
12/19/17
Ep11 - John Leguizamo / Latin History for Morons

Ep11 - John Leguizamo / Latin History for Morons

The writer-performer learned a lot in preparation for his new Broadway solo outing -- but his biggest takeaway is that he's "a true ghetto nerd."

28 mins
12/12/17
Ep10 - Julie Taymor & David Henry Hwang / M. Butterfly

Ep10 - Julie Taymor & David Henry Hwang / M. Butterfly

The director and playwright behind the Broadway revival of "M. Butterfly," starring Clive Owen, talk casting, stage pictures, gender in 2017, and why you can't have Borscht belt humor show up in Shanghai.

28 mins
12/5/17
Ep9 - Creators and Stars of "SpongeBob Squarepants"

Ep9 - Creators and Stars of "SpongeBob Squarepants"

Director Tina Landau and writer Kyle Jarrow peel back the curtain to explain how they took "SpongeBob Squarepants" from screen to stage, and actors Ethan Slater and Lilli Cooper reveal how they bring two iconic animated characters to life.

30 mins
11/28/17
Ep8 - Beau Willimon

Ep8 - Beau Willimon

The playwright and creator of TV shows "House of Cards" and the upcoming "The First" talks about his new Broadway play, "The Parisian Woman," starring Uma Thurman, and reveals why he's drawn to writing about politics, what it's like to write in the age of Trump, and why his TV career is still a surprise to him.

27 mins
11/21/17
Ep7 - Ayad Akhtar

Ep7 - Ayad Akhtar

The Pulitzer-winning playwright of "Disgraced" talks about his new Broadway show "Junk," revealing how his father taught him about the stock market, the ways his experience with faith has affected his writing, and how he ended up as the skinny, serious young man in the background of the movie "Vanya on 42 Street."

27 mins
11/14/17
Ep6 - Lynn Ahrens & Stephen Flaherty

Ep6 - Lynn Ahrens & Stephen Flaherty

The songwriters behind "Ragtime" and "Anastasia" talk about the new revival of their 1990 musical "Once On This Island," its found-object orchestra, diversity and authenticity on Broadway, and their "not particularly good" first song together.

27 mins
11/7/17
Ep5 - Jonathan Groff

Ep5 - Jonathan Groff

The Broadway favorite ("Hamilton," "Spring Awakening") talks about working with the famously meticulous director David Fincher in Netflix series "Mindhunter" -- and also spills the truth about the rap that Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote for Kelli O'Hara, explains why he's not on social media and reveals with Miranda calls him "the Snowden of Broadway."

27 mins
10/31/17
Ep4 - Harvey Fierstein & Michael Urie of "Torch Song"

Ep4 - Harvey Fierstein & Michael Urie of "Torch Song"

Playwright Harvey Fierstein and actor Michael Urie discuss "Torch Song," their newly revised version of Fierstein's breakout work "Torch Song Trilogy." Along the way they talk auditions, bus and truck tours, the legacy of gay history plays, and Estelle Getty.

28 mins
10/24/17
Ep3 - Tracy Letts

Ep3 - Tracy Letts

Pulitzer and Tony-winning writer and actor Tracy Letts talks about his new, politically charged play "The Minutes," as well as his latest film, buzzmagnet November release "Lady Bird." He reveals why he's never written a part for himself, why he's happy not to have acted in a play lately, and how an act of blackmail led him to discover acting as a teenager.

28 mins
10/17/17
Ep2 - Tony Shalhoub, Katrina Lenk & the Creators of "The Band's Visit"

Ep2 - Tony Shalhoub, Katrina Lenk & the Creators of "The Band's Visit"

Stars and creators of the buzzy, award-winning musical talk about bringing the Off Broadway hit to Broadway.

34 mins
10/10/17
Ep1 - Harold Prince / "Prince of Broadway" & "Sense of Occasion"

Ep1 - Harold Prince / "Prince of Broadway" & "Sense of Occasion"

Legendary Broadway producer-director Harold Prince, recipient of 21 Tony Awards, talks turkey about his storied career, his current projects, the recent revivals of his work -- and why he never wanted to be producer at all.

30 mins
10/3/17

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