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[0:32] Heather Bedor: Holy Monday, Batman. How's it going, Amber?

[0:39] Amber Brzezinski: It's going. New Monday, new location as always for me.

[0:45] Heather Bedor: Same. I mean, this is clearly not my apartment. I am at an undisclosed location in Pong Coast.

[0:52] Amber Brzezinski: Great. I feel like I've inhabited somebody else's room.

[0:57] Heather Bedor: Where are you?

[0:57] Amber Brzezinski: Yeah, your internet is still crap.

[1:01] Heather Bedor: I'm in the middle of the woods at, um, the dog sitting.

[1:06] Amber Brzezinski: The dog sitting. Why is my internet still crappy? What is it doing now?

[1:10] Heather Bedor: I don't know. It just was freezing up before we started. It's okay for now, but okay.

[1:16] Amber Brzezinski: Well, let's not jinx it.

[1:18] Heather Bedor: Let's not jinx it at all. Uh, welcome to another rousing edition of the Broadway Fan Club podcast. I'm Heather and that is Amber, and we have Brrrrr. Our lovely friend Marc Bonanni coming to the stage.

[1:35] Amber Brzezinski: Oh my god, Marc, I'm so excited we finally made this work.

[1:38] Marc Bonanni: I know, I know. I've been on you for a good while, and then I was like, I technology.

[1:45] Amber Brzezinski: You're like, I don't get it.

[1:46] Marc Bonanni: I'm like, oh, technology.

[1:48] Amber Brzezinski: That's about right.

[1:49] Marc Bonanni: Yeah, it's always technology. Well, I'm so happy to be here. Finally.

[1:53] Heather Bedor: Do you want to? Um, we are very happy that you can join us? Do you want to give the people your like elevator pitch? Like, who are you? What do you do? Why are you here? We'll tell you why you're here.

[2:04] Marc Bonanni: Yeah. So I am a mega Broadway nerd, and I run the YouTube channel Broadway by Ghost Light, where I have a few different series on it, but the two big ones are the Broadway breakdowns where I really dive into amazing, by the way.

[2:22] Heather Bedor: Thank you so much.

[2:23] Marc Bonanni: There's definitely my proudest pieces of content on there. Uh, where yeah, really dive into an older show, forgotten for the most part, and give people the backstory and history, but also a really detailed plot synopsis because some of these shows you're never gonna get to see a production of, most likely.

[2:42] Marc Bonanni: Um, and then the other series I do every other week is Broadway Jeopardy, where it's 26 clues, Jeopardy style, not only the questions, but then I usually give little, I call them kid bits, little trivia stories afterwards.

[2:58] Heather Bedor: So, and it looks like we're pretty similar. Um, I just finished episode 90, and you're at 95, right?

[3:04] Marc Bonanni: So we're at 95 official episodes of the Broadway Fan Club podcast, but we've had some like theater show takeovers and like, like we had Hannah Cruz, we did like a Hannah Cruz special. So in our real number, yeah, we're at 95.

[3:20] Heather Bedor: So we, how long have you been doing your show for?

[3:24] Marc Bonanni: I can't remember when I started Jeopardy. I used to do it every week for a really long time.

[3:29] Heather Bedor: Right.

[3:29] Marc Bonanni: And then I had to do it every other week. Um, I should know when I started. It's been at least a couple years. I know I've had like two Halloween episodes for sure.

[3:43] Amber Brzezinski: Yeah, us too.

[3:44] Marc Bonanni: Us too. Because we started, um, April 2024, which is nuts to say. Um, but we've been doing it and we absolutely love it. But and your Broadway Jeopardy, um, has helped strengthen my friendship with Chris Levy and Med Wilkinson because I'll go over to their house and we will watch Broadway Jeopardy.

[4:02] Amber Brzezinski: And it is like the best version of like chosen family game night. Um, and it's some deep cuts, Marc. You've got some deep cuts in there, and you come up with these off the top of your head.

[4:17] Marc Bonanni: I mean, sometimes, you know, the more episode, I mean, I've written well over 2,000 clues by now. Uh, 26 clues over 90 episodes. Uh, so I do, yeah. I mean, I love the really, I love the fluffs, I love the obscure shows. So I really have to curb my desire to like talk about shows from 1917 or something like that.

[4:40] Marc Bonanni: Um, but yeah, I do have to do the deeper cuts. Uh, you know, I can only ask so many questions about My Fair Lady or Oklahoma. The, and, and you know, besides having a fun game and, you know, getting to show off, I think it's also about education, so exposing people to shows that they may never have even heard of. Um, at least they could be like, oh yeah, I think I heard about that on Broadway Jeopardy.

[5:06] Amber Brzezinski: Chris has said Broadway Jeopardy debuted June 5th, 2024.

[5:10] Marc Bonanni: You're welcome.

[5:11] Amber Brzezinski: Well, thank you. Oh my god, and they have the, my husband works in this area, one of my favorite. I have that sticker right over here, actually.

[5:18] Marc Bonanni: Yes. Well, Chris is actually on your, um, he's one of your like supporters, so you actually have him on the love Chris Levy.

[5:29] Amber Brzezinski: Um, we, uh, I'm gonna brag for a little.

[5:33] Marc Bonanni: Well, I'm gonna, I'm gonna brag a little bit because Chris was just in the city, um, and he did like a whirlwind. Um, he saw Lost Boys, he saw Shmegadoon, he saw Titanic, and he was trying to shove a show in yesterday before flying back to Orlando, and he was like, Oh, what do I do? I was like, go do Every Brilliant Thing, and he or like Spelling Bee, something because he's a musicals guy, and I was like, but Every Brilliant Thing I think of anybody, I think you'll appreciate it.

[5:39] Marc Bonanni: And he was like, I'll give it a try. He went, he loved as you do, and he made his Broadway debut because he's sitting there, and the stage manager, because Chris has this illustrious, beautiful like white beard now. He has an act of redhead. So this beard is beautiful and long, and he just looks like he has wisdom because he does, and he knows so much. Um, but they chose him to be the professor, and so he was so excited, and then he left and, um, just had that, you've seen the show, Marc, right?

[6:49] Marc Bonanni: I have not.

[6:49] Amber Brzezinski: You haven't seen Every Brilliant Thing yet?

[6:53] Marc Bonanni: I was invited. I would have gotten to go for Mariska. I can never say her name. Uh huh. I would say like dress rehearsal. They had like an advice of audience for that. But I couldn't, my wife and I couldn't go at the last minute, and I couldn't get in to see Daniel Radcliffe. Um, we had the press night for Dan Radcliffe, I'm gonna tell you in amazing. I happened to sit in between my friend Kendra and then who walks in talking about Newsies before the show, the one and only Tommy Bracco. So I had good company around me. I hadn't seen him in years. I was like, all right, we're gonna do this. And it was just the craziest thing. Chris, I'm not giving spoilers, but you'll leave having just a wonderful feeling, and it's a tough subject of reach. Um, but it's handled so well and delightfully. So, um, and I guess we can, I don't want to talk about like moving on from like a happy topic to a sad topic, but the show does discuss suicide.

[7:51] Amber Brzezinski: Um, and I do want to acknowledge, I don't want to say the elephant in the room here, um, but there have been a couple of people that have left the stage permanently.

[8:04] Marc Bonanni: Um, so the one and only Josh Crissetti, uh, passed away yesterday at the age of 44, um, by his own hand. So that's devastating news. Um, if you know that name, he was in Something Rotten, he was the younger Bottom brother, he was in It Should Have Been You. Um, such talent and such a love of life, and one of Rob McClure's best friends, so it's hitting the world hard.

[8:35] Amber Brzezinski: And then today, um, not necessarily known for his theater work, but for his mainstream, um, movie, Sam Neill passed away today.

[8:45] Marc Bonanni: So it has been a bit of a day slash a week. Um, and then we're getting hit with all sorts of wonky theater news. So do we want to get into a little bit of theater news for a little bit, kids?

[9:00] Amber Brzezinski: Sure.

[9:01] Marc Bonanni: I'm having some trouble sharing to the groups for some reason. It's like nothing is sharing.

[9:07] Amber Brzezinski: So this is fun.

[9:09] Marc Bonanni: And that's okay. So we have about 200 of them, and whatever happens, happens, and we'll have a good time with it. And if you're up for it, we'll play a little bit of Broadway Jeopardy in a little bit too, Amber.

[9:21] Amber Brzezinski: Yeah, I mean, like I'm terrible, but like, yeah.

[9:25] Marc Bonanni: Mark's questions are really challenging, but Marc, I'm gonna say, okay, I gushed about this before with you. I love the Broadway brass band, and yes.

[9:37] Marc Bonanni: Benny, what he does is amazing.

[9:41] Amber Brzezinski: Just the Phantom of the Opera is like that.

[9:45] Marc Bonanni: Is my everything on my phone? Everything.

[9:49] Amber Brzezinski: Um, and you've done such a great job making sure that they're included. So thank you for that. Um, but yeah, let's talk some Broadway news. Uh, do we want to talk let the cat out of the bag? Was it too soon?

[10:01] Marc Bonanni: I'm actually ready.

[10:07] Amber Brzezinski: Oh, Amber is in mourning.

[10:09] Marc Bonanni: Oh the veil.

[10:12] Amber Brzezinski: And then wearing matchmaker, matchmaker, make me.

[10:16] Marc Bonanni: I'm wearing my Skimbleshanks tour tee.

[10:20] Amber Brzezinski: Oh my god. So, um, I feel like Lydia Deeds, like, no one talked to me. I'm in mourning.

[10:25] Marc Bonanni: Don't jump off the roof.

[10:31] Amber Brzezinski: Um, I'm not gonna say I'm not surprised.

[10:38] Marc Bonanni: Why do you say then?

[10:40] Amber Brzezinski: Ticket sales have been slumping?

[10:43] Marc Bonanni: Um yes.

[10:46] Amber Brzezinski: Um, prices have been shot sky high. Audience members as they're leaving have been encouraged by ushers. Please share to social media.

[10:56] Marc Bonanni: Please tag us to help us stay open.

[10:59] Amber Brzezinski: Um, I didn't see this having a long run because it's, and it's a great show. I know Amber is so obsessed, like so many are I haven't seen it.

[11:09] Marc Bonanni: Um, this version.

[11:11] Amber Brzezinski: Cats was never my show.

[11:13] Marc Bonanni: Um, Phantom, clearly, but it's such a niche market, and it's always hard to do a transfer from off-Broadway onto Broadway with such a different iteration of a show.

[11:26] Amber Brzezinski: Even transferring a main show to a main show, look at Dead Outlaw.

[11:30] Marc Bonanni: Dead Outlaw, Andrew Durand, incredible. They're off-Broadway success, and they transfer on Broadway and gone.

[11:40] Amber Brzezinski: So there were so many signs, and Amber, you were saying new before it was made public because there were so many rumors swirling, right?

[11:51] Marc Bonanni: So, um, I don't know. What do you think, Mark?

[11:55] Marc Bonanni: I think it's a real shame. Um, I ask because I used to really keep up with the grosses and be really on top of it. In the last few years, I've sort of, I don't really look at that much anymore or the message boards.

[12:08] Amber Brzezinski: Um, I was shocked when they posted and really sad.

[12:15] Marc Bonanni: I think it's, I hated Cats, the musical.

[12:20] Amber Brzezinski: I it just I didn't get it.

[12:23] Marc Bonanni: I didn't, it was whatever. But this production, I don't want to say fixed it, but no, but a lot of people have said that they act because if you ask a Cats fan, an original Cats fan, describe the show Cats.

[12:39] Amber Brzezinski: Well, it's human like cats that go through this, and then one dies, and then there's the pimp and the old one, and like they cannot go.

[12:50] Marc Bonanni: Well, like you could do a Broadway breakdown for it. Like there's no this person enters the room, this happens, this happens, this assassin happens, climax, da-da-da-da. This person dies, goodbye.

[13:03] Amber Brzezinski: Um, but from what I've heard is that this now makes a cohesive and makes a good storytelling.

[13:10] Marc Bonanni: Chris just thought, yes, we just talked about this, Chris. I just saw it this weekend, and I wish I could go back. It gives the cats and Cats a purpose and a reason to sing.

[13:19] Amber Brzezinski: So many people seem to have the same experience. We hated the original, and now we get it and love it. It's like Spring Awakening 2015.

[13:26] Marc Bonanni: Yeah, I think there's a cult-like following to it that even swept away, I'll compare it to Swept Away.

[13:32] Marc Bonanni: You see a show, it's impactful, you're like, this show is amazing. It closes, and you're like, what did I just miss? Where did we go wrong? Was Broadway not ready for it? Where are we at? But go, I didn't mean to interrupt you, Mark, but go on, continue.

[13:47] Marc Bonanni: No, I uh it's so interesting. I also saw Swept Away, but I had the opposite reaction to you, it seems.

[13:53] Amber Brzezinski: You didn't enjoy Swept.

[13:54] Marc Bonanni: I did not. I did not enjoy maybe it's because I know a good majority of the cast that I enjoyed it more. I mean, I love John Gallagher Jr. I was the merch manager for American Idiot back in the day. And saw that show 50 plus. If you watch the Broadway Idiot documentary, you can see me and my wife are like, hmm, a real it's a it's a second, but we're right there.

[14:17] Amber Brzezinski: That's so exciting.

[14:19] Marc Bonanni: I love Johnny, he's great, yeah. Um yeah, I was not a I was not a fan of So I also I had never heard of the Avid Brothers. I didn't know it was a joke box musical until the guy next to me was singing along, and I was like, how does this guy this is like a fourth preview? How does this person know about it?

[14:34] Amber Brzezinski: Yeah, and those Avid Sailors are serious fans. Holy moly.

[14:38] Marc Bonanni: Yeah. The physical production, beautiful on the performances, anyway. We don't need to get into it.

[14:44] Amber Brzezinski: That's okay.

[14:45] Marc Bonanni: Uh I will go off on things and then completely forget what I was talking about. Our listeners are used to it. It's great. But Cats was uh a uh transformative. This was a transformative production. And then, you know, looking back at the Tony's, which of course it did not win, and a lot of people were upset. And rightfully, I would have awarded it to Cats if I was voting. But ragtime was spectacular. You can't discount how spectacular.

[15:15] Amber Brzezinski: But it's oh a thousand percent. It's like, do you honor the show that gives a pristine besides the original production, could not get any better production of the show, or do you award the show that transformed and it's almost a brand new piece, you know? It they're both valid.

[15:31] Marc Bonanni: Um I think I mean I've been watching Drag Race since season one, like literally since season one. Um although I did lots, you know, I did education on ballroom uh, you know, a little bit when it announced, and then I saw it off Broadway first.

[15:49] Amber Brzezinski: Right.

[15:49] Marc Bonanni: Um, but even still, I think uh so maybe I'm I'm in my bubble a little bit about people's knowledge of at least the drag. I mean, because ballroom and drag race are not the same thing. But no drag race, you you kind of will know enough to uh get into that, you know, you know what I'm saying, I think.

[16:08] Amber Brzezinski: Um, but uh yeah, I was really uh shocked and sad and and you know it is there is some moments where you're watching it and you go, Oh yeah, right, it's it's still cats. It's it's cats.

[16:20] Marc Bonanni: Um but for the most part, I think it's really a wonderful production. I brought my eleven-year-old to see it who didn't know cats from anything, and she absolutely loved it. Although she didn't like it.

[16:33] Amber Brzezinski: Yeah, it's kind of a refresh and like what Chris off that made her uncomfortable.

[16:36] Marc Bonanni: But uh I had to explain to her that lots of people in the audience did like that part. Um, and you know, I also think that I saw a few comments that were really just saying like this show is unlike anything that's ever been on Broadway before, and I think a lot of the demand and the physicality wasn't necessarily thought out.

[17:04] Amber Brzezinski: Like today's performance is canceled. Tonight's performance has been canceled because of you know, illness in the cast.

[17:11] Marc Bonanni: Like it is demanding. Was it last night as well? I I'm not sure, but like it is demanding on their bodies to be flipping and whacking and falling and flopping like on the stage and the manner in which they are doing it every night.

[17:29] Amber Brzezinski: Like ballroom, like you said, if you're a fan of ballroom, you know it's like a one-night thing. Yes, you like practice and you rehearse, but you just have like your one big performance, you sell. Whereas these, you know, amazing, amazing people are doing this eight shows a week.

[17:47] Marc Bonanni: I can't imagine. So, like, it's it's insane, insane amount on your instrument, your body, your voice, everything.

[17:57] Amber Brzezinski: Well, and it and I agree with that. It brings up, I saw somebody post this question to one of the forums. I don't remember it was on our group, it was cross-promoted somewhere else, cross-posted. And Mark, I'd be interested in your thought on this, Amber of you as well, of course. Is Broadway is is Broadway becoming, and this is not my words, this was someone else's. Was are Broadway stars not strong enough anymore?

[18:20] Marc Bonanni: Like, are we in a generation of weaker Broadway stars?

[18:24] Amber Brzezinski: And I think the answer is no. I think it takes a lot more strength to say, I need to make sure my instrument is protected, I need to make sure that I am okay, um, so I can continue longer. Because you've had people that are like, look at Frankie Grande, like literally got a freaking concussion in the middle of a performance in Titanic, walked off stage, and had to go on with the rest of the show.

[18:49] Marc Bonanni: But that was their choice. But I think that the day and age that we're in now, there's more awareness of making sure that you're taking care of yourself. I don't think it makes somebody weaker. I think it takes somebody to be stronger.

[19:02] Amber Brzezinski: Like, perfect example, Megan Hilty having a call out with Death Becomes Her, and people were losing their shit. And you know, okay, great. You want to go see Death Becomes Her starring Megan Hilty, but you're going to see Death Becomes Her. You're not going to see Megan Hilty. Maybe you are, but like, go support the show.

[19:21] Marc Bonanni: But then don't be mad because somebody is out sick. Don't preemptively be like, Well, I'm gonna get a refund if this person's out. Go enjoy the damn show. Like Jeremy Jordan started as a swing. And you gotta see somebody that got a chance to see JJ perform. Now he's a huge Broadway star, and you're like, I saw him when he he didn't even exist on the stage.

[19:43] Amber Brzezinski: So curious what your thoughts are.

[19:47] Marc Bonanni: Yeah, a few things in there. I you know, I uh for the understudy, you know, seeing an understudy and being upset about it. I while I I do I mean I have seen understudies who have gone on, I mean, I've uh, you know, uh best level understudying in 42nd Street, and uh, she's one of my favorite performers, and lots of people, Ariana DeBoes, you know, yes, you can absolutely see people on the precipice of start them.

[20:14] Amber Brzezinski: But I do get when I see a show, I want and expect to see the original cast. I expect to see the show as it was envisioned and presented to people as the show.

[20:28] Marc Bonanni: I think you know, when you get into like Chicago, you know, when it's 20 million year run, you know, yes, if if the star, I guess you're paying to see because it's all star casting. If they're out, that's one thing. But like anybody else, who uh uh um but but I I do I do get I think there is somewhat of a contract when you're advertising to see somebody and they're not in.

[20:55] Amber Brzezinski: I mean, you know, you I I understand it, I sympathize. Of course.

[20:59] Marc Bonanni: But I do get being upset. Um, I'm the first person to openly admit I called Amber because I went to go see Sutton Foster when she had just joined Sweeney, and it was Sutton and Aaron, and I walked in, and I love my Gina Duvall. We love Gina here, but I walked in and they're like, oh, Sutton Foster said on Dana Duvall's in. And I was like, I'm gonna go get a ticket for the next show because I didn't realize Sutton was out, and I was saying the show, we ran the group, like we knew the cast, but I came specifically for Sutton.

[21:29] Amber Brzezinski: So yeah, I I a hundred percent agree with that too.

[21:32] Marc Bonanni: But I think it's important for people to take care of themselves.

[21:36] Amber Brzezinski: Oh, absolutely.

[21:37] Marc Bonanni: And I think besides um people in you know, in the the show must go on sort of mentality, not going away, but sort of relaxed a little bit, and people are questioning that theory more. I think it's also more difficult to be any Broadway show now than it ever used to be.

[21:55] Amber Brzezinski: I mean, these people are rehearsing all day, but doing publicity all day, doing photo shoots, doing this, doing that, put and because we have to those all day long, yeah.

[22:05] Marc Bonanni: Yeah, because we have to have so many swings and under studies now, right? They're constant put ins, constant rehearsal, constant every I mean my wife works on uh she's in the wardrobe team for MJ, the musical, and it's yeah, constant put ins. Constant.

[22:21] Amber Brzezinski: And you know, Chris kind of asked the question, but I agree with this. Do you all think this is a byproduct of using stars to sell the show? The quote, you'll never have a hit without a star mentality.

[22:32] Marc Bonanni: Stunt casting, I mean, I think that that's kind of it too. Um, you know, you talk about Chicago. Derek Huff, this is weird. I mean, good for Derek Huff from Dancing with the Stars. Love him. He is coming into Chicago for July 20th, so in a week from today, to do the opening monologue of Chicago.

[22:55] Amber Brzezinski: He's not performing in the show, and then he's doing a talk back session at the end with Mark Ballis.

[23:02] Marc Bonanni: But why that's bizarre.

[23:08] Amber Brzezinski: Yeah.

[23:10] Marc Bonanni: Oh, I was like, I'm trying to see if this these things will go through on my damn phone.

[23:18] Amber Brzezinski: Oh, fun. Love technology.

[23:20] Marc Bonanni: Um, but yeah, uh, let me see if I can pull up the article because it was something that we got as a press release, and I was like, that's interesting, but I'm so over the stunt casting, but I understand why it's there.

[23:35] Amber Brzezinski: Well, I think in today, if sorry to no no no, this will be cut each other off all the time.

[23:42] Marc Bonanni: Uh, I think it's also the conversation about like big IP films turned into musicals. If I'm going to spend, I mean, if my if I'm gonna bring my wife and two daughters to see a Broadway show, yes, we're talking five hundred dollars for the event. Unless you're doing rush or lottery or something else, but it's anybody can't do it if you prefer family four, exactly.

[24:10] Amber Brzezinski: I mean, I TDF, but anyway, yeah, family it's still, or if I'm just going with my wife, then I have to pay 150 dollars for a babysitter, yeah, and then it will be dinner.

[24:19] Marc Bonanni: I'm a merch horse, so I buy a bunch of merch. It's a very expensive outing. So, I mean, this doesn't apply to me. I'll see any musical anytime about anything, but if you're gonna spend that kind of money and devote an entire night and playing around it, you want a little bit of assurance that you're going to enjoy it.

[24:37] Amber Brzezinski: Yeah, that's either a star you want to see, and who cares what it is, you know the property, and so it's like, okay, legally blonde. I know I love that movie. I'm probably gonna enjoy the show.

[24:46] Marc Bonanni: Or really good word of mouth, but shows can't run long enough to get word of mouth if they don't have those things, usually, unlike something like uh maybe happy ending, um, which is one of the rare uh exceptions to the rule, and thank goodness because that show I always talk about my experience going to see Maybe Happy Ending.

[25:04] Amber Brzezinski: I called Amber walking through Times Square.

[25:06] Marc Bonanni: I said, I don't know what show to see. She goes, You might as well go see Maybe Happy Ending because it's gonna be closing soon. And it was like it had just opened, and I was like, All right, I'll go, I'll go check it out. Let me go see what this is all about. And I got like a $66 ticket, front mes, and I was like, all right, well, it was nice knowing you, and then here it is still running.

[25:27] Amber Brzezinski: Yeah, it's the longest show now at the Belasco, the longest show, yeah.

[25:32] Marc Bonanni: Good for them though. It's been it's been fascinating though, but then you look at the theaters that are sitting empty. The Hudson's gonna be sitting empty soon.

[25:41] Amber Brzezinski: Um, the Majestic is sitting empty.

[25:44] Marc Bonanni: You know, we're now gonna have there's gonna be like eight theaters that are gonna sit completely empty through the summer months. And I don't know, I'm almost willing to put bets on what shows are going next. Not that I ever want to wish them ill will, but I think there are a couple of shows that like I called oh, I hate saying it, I called Death Becomes Her Closing months before they made that announcement.

[26:09] Amber Brzezinski: And I can see a couple, and I won't mention them, but I can see a couple of shows that are doing the same sort of stuff, then I'm like, okay, any day now, and I don't want to give it a time of death.

[26:25] Marc Bonanni: But I think that, you know, if you can see a show, go see a show. If you can see a tour, go see a tour. Um, my love for Heather's the musical came from slime tutorial.

[26:36] Amber Brzezinski: Oh my god, I'm trying to put my computer in.

[26:38] Marc Bonanni: Came from a slime tutorial. And I love the show so much. And I mean, Amber never got a chance to see something rotten in person, but I made her watch it and now she doesn't hate it.

[26:50] Amber Brzezinski: But I think it's important that we make everything accessible.

[26:54] Marc Bonanni: But kind of full full circle here back to you with Broadway Jeopardy, you're bringing light on things when you're doing your Broadway breakdowns, Broadway by Ghost Light.

[27:03] Marc Bonanni: Like you are shining a light on shows that haven't didn't get that social media push. They didn't get that cult-like following because of X, Y, and Z. You're bringing them back. And I think that's really important. There are shows that you'll always see a revival of, the Fantasticks, you know, Ragtime, Chorus Line, the classics that'll always come back in style because people need that new, new old feeling.

[27:30] Amber Brzezinski: Um Olivia says, for me with stunt casting, when they stunt cast, it's a good marketing and business move. And I see the bright side of it when more people see the star in the show than they will see other amazing artists in.

[27:43] Marc Bonanni: Agreed, because it is that like dangling the carrot for you to come to the show. But then what happens when that star is not in? Then people riot and they go demanding for refunds, or um, when Jordan Fisher was in Hadestown, well, our audience has heard the story before, but I was with friends and they happened to be dressed like a little bit cosplay because we were talking to some of the cast backstage, and a lady tapped my friend Kara on the shoulder and was like, I'm gonna put a bad review about the show, and because Jordan Fisher didn't come in stage door, and how dare! And I'm entitled to this. Just gross.

[28:22] Amber Brzezinski: It's just gross. Oh, Mary says, Yes, we love learning about new to us shows on Broadway Jeopardy. Look at that. Fan in the house.

[28:35] Marc Bonanni: I love bringing, yeah, go ahead.

[28:37] Amber Brzezinski: No, no, you can continue.

[28:38] Marc Bonanni: Oh, I just I love I do love bringing shows into the forefront and educating people, and that's it's the well, I'm getting ahead on making too many points in my head. I was gonna say we're here for it. That's the beginning of the channel, and even now, you know, well, I've I've sort of come to grips with how niche musical theater is and musical theater history is I didn't, you know, it's hard to imagine, but and in the beginning, it's like god, what why don't I get more people watching? Blah blah blah. And the one thing people kept recommending to me is what why don't you do a video on a show like Hamilton or something? And it's like too many there's a million videos and things about Hamilton.

[29:21] Marc Bonanni: What uh you know, so what was the what was what was the thing? What was that time in your life where you're like dang this is what I want to do because this is the breakdown I want to do. This is how like what what was that driving force that got you started doing what you're doing now?

[29:40] Marc Bonanni: Yeah, I know uh yes, I it I started the channel during the pandemic, you know, because that's you like you do during the pandemic. Um basically I had wanted to be calling myself, I still struggle with the term musical theater historian, but that's like what I wanted my chosen path to be. And so people are like, Great, what is what does a musical theater historian do? And it's seemed to be I could either write a book, which I don't enjoy writing, and writing a book seems crazy, or a podcast. And um I I wasn't I I felt like at certainly at that time everyone was doing that, and it just wasn't quite I actually did a podcast pilot, but anyway.

[30:25] Marc Bonanni: Um also at the time I was really diving into and discovering my other love, which is the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I was exploring that, and really I mean, if there's anything I know as much as Broadway, it's the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So I was watching this channel uh called New Rock Stars. I don't know if you know, and they would break down all the trailers and all the movies and this, and I just like I wish there was a channel like New Rock Stars for Broadway. And I was like, Well, let's let's sort of do that. And so that was sort of the the impetus to do vid video, I don't want to say essays, but video whatever.

[31:07] Amber Brzezinski: No, I mean, but that's similar to how Amber and I started because I was running a couple of fan groups, Amber came in as one of my admins, and we're like, nobody else runs professional community groups, nobody is doing this where they're trying to work directly with the show that they can help pipeline, it's all marketing, it's direct to consumer, but building communities. You have the fan groups that have been around for years Wicked, Moulin Rouge, Beetlejuice, the Netherlings, etc. But it's like one group that this one person or this group of people run. And Amber and I are like, Well, why don't we create the Broadway Fan Club and then have like all of our little groups and communities underneath it?

Because no one's doing that. It is time consuming. It is constantly being battered. Um, but then you get posts. We had a post the other day that was like, I met this friend and I did this, and this is what this community is all about. And thank you for letting us share it in this birthday celebration. Like, it's so cool to see that. And I know you've got those raving fans too, Marc, because that's how I found out about you.

[32:14] Marc Bonanni: Yeah, thanks. Yeah, it's it's uh, you know, when I found my core group, it uh it was really nice to to have a people who are really uh Yeah, you belong.

[32:24] Amber Brzezinski: Yeah, it's my you know I always think about the title of shows. I'd rather be nine people's favorite thing than a hundred people's ninth favorite thing.

[32:31] Marc Bonanni: I love that. Well, so what is your most obscure show that you've done a breakdown for or that you are dying to do a breakdown for?

[32:39] Amber Brzezinski: I before we before before we move on, I just need to know. Since this was vaguely addressed, we are two common interests have seen have seemed to have divulged one quick thing.

[32:56] Marc Bonanni: So I do need to hear your opinions on the Spider-Man uh Into the Dark musical.

[33:02] Amber Brzezinski: Turn off the dark, yes.

[33:04] Marc Bonanni: Turn off the dark. Thank you. Um it was amazing, and Justin Sargent was great in it.

[33:10] Amber Brzezinski: So my wife I need I need to know everything.

[33:13] Marc Bonanni: My wife worked on Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark.

[33:17] Amber Brzezinski: Okay.

[33:18] Marc Bonanni: Um so I don't uh it's in the other room. I have one of the the Spider-Man masks from Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark. It was actually Chris's mask that he felt the night he fell.

[33:31] Amber Brzezinski: Oh no!

[33:32] Marc Bonanni: His mask and gloves uh from that night.

[33:34] Amber Brzezinski: Is there blood on it?

[33:35] Marc Bonanni: There is no blood. No, he was uh fine. And then he uh he took his Spider-Man outfit and shredded it and gave each person in the casting crew a piece of his Spider-Man outfit in closing. So I have I have got the I've got all the set model pieces from it. I've got the entire cast, I've got this uh uh concept art for villains that never happened. I've got so much, I've got one of the Green Goblin prosthetic masks from it.

[34:01] Amber Brzezinski: That's really cool.

[34:02] Marc Bonanni: Oh jealous the Daily Beau. What a time on Broadway for Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark.

[34:08] Amber Brzezinski: So I saw version one, the Julie Tamore version, more times than I saw the later version.

[34:14] Marc Bonanni: We we what we had several what we called uh faux opening nights where they would set the opening night and then they would push it back, but the party would already be paid for.

[34:24] Amber Brzezinski: Yes.

[34:24] Marc Bonanni: But we kept having these faux opening night parties, and they were the most fun because there was no reviews or anything. A friend of mine here in Orlando created a show, and I'm not gonna divulge, I'll tell you later. Anyone listening can look it up. Um, pretty much covering all of the drama and bullshit.

[34:44] Amber Brzezinski: I think I remember, I think I know the the show you're talking about.

[34:47] Marc Bonanni: Uh-huh. Um that went all the way through creating the show and all of the craziness, all of the insurance oopsies, all the Julie Tamore things, all the Lion King things, so much. But the history of Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark blew my mind, and Justin Sargent's a dear friend of mine. And like I was so happy. I gotta see him. I had the Spider-Man calendars. I love it. Bouncing off the walls is still one of my favorite songs.

[35:17] Amber Brzezinski: Yeah, there's there's some numbers that are I mean I'm gonna see if I can find that gone. Did you see so you saw version two then?

[35:25] Marc Bonanni: Yes. Version one had a song that is one of those moments that are so for certainly a flop lover like me, where you're watching it and it's like the producer's movie where you're just like this like this is legendarily bad. It was called Furious, where it was all about shoes, and they were called uh Arachne was the the goddess who is a bad guy in the first version and not in the second version, but kind of anyway. She had all these they're called Furies, and they had all these legs with these high heels, and my wife used to be the person who had to like attach the legs onto the people.

[36:04] Amber Brzezinski: Oh my god.

[36:06] Marc Bonanni: Like the hustle little legs on, yeah.

[36:08] Amber Brzezinski: Yeah, yeah. God, I I wanted one of those pairs of legs when they threw them out.

[36:14] Marc Bonanni: Yeah. But yeah, like what beautiful chaos. But it was so much more interesting, version one for all its messiness and now granted, I was not a Marvel person at that point, so like the the bastardization of the origin story and changing things didn't bother me at all. Maybe it would now, maybe, but like I I understand it more, but like that didn't bother me. And it was so much more interesting than the second version, which was basically the original Raimi movie on stage. That's basically what it was.

[36:50] Amber Brzezinski: But like in the original version, the Green Goblin dies at the end of Act One, and you're like, What? Where do we go from here? This is so interesting.

[36:56] Marc Bonanni: And um, I did find Bouncing Off the Walls version one with Reeve. I'm gonna play it so we can all enjoy this because why the hell not?

[37:09] Amber Brzezinski: Yes, that's exactly right, Chris. This sounds like Kiss of a Spider Woman at Sony pre purchase when act two opened with the number we called hot sweaty gay, nothing like a name.

[37:19] Marc Bonanni: Um yes, all right, stand by because this let's let's just all enjoy this together.

[37:26] Amber Brzezinski: I'm glad you brought it up, but tech I don't ever think of like Spider-Man being really heavy in the MCU, like movie-wise, because technically he was a Sony bitch for so long.

[37:38] Marc Bonanni: Well, but Tom Hollins is all four of them are MCU.

[37:41] Amber Brzezinski: Oh yeah. I'm okay with that.

[37:44] Marc Bonanni: All right, stand by everybody, because you know, why not? And plus, like, you know, it's not every day you have a uh superhero musical.

[37:52] Amber Brzezinski: That's fair.

[37:53] Marc Bonanni: All right, can we see this? Okay, here we go, everybody. Enjoy Reeves.

[38:02] Amber Brzezinski: Yeah, all these people below got cut.

[38:04] Marc Bonanni: Oh, yeah.

[38:05] Amber Brzezinski: In version two.

[38:07] Marc Bonanni: But like a rock.

[38:24] Marc Bonanni: I told you, beautiful chaos. The set design was so cool, but it's freaking Reeve.

[39:01] Amber Brzezinski: Like the athleticism of this class.

[39:12] Marc Bonanni: Singing upside down.

[39:14] Amber Brzezinski: Right? Like a musical fun house.

[39:31] Marc Bonanni: Amazing. There was a number where you had to run on a treadmill, like for the whole number running on a treadmill. It's crazy.

[39:43] Amber Brzezinski: Yeah.

[39:44] Marc Bonanni: It was a time.

[39:47] Amber Brzezinski: That was my wife's first show working on Broadway as a in the wardrobe department.

[39:51] Marc Bonanni: What a hell of a way to start off her career.

[39:54] Amber Brzezinski: What a hell of a way. Um, all right. Well, do you want to just jump into some Jeopardy? Because the show's off the wall.

[40:04] Marc Bonanni: Just like Reeve.

[40:06] Amber Brzezinski: Just like Reeve. Love our Reeve. Alright, shall we?

[40:13] Marc Bonanni: Do you want to what are you feeling, Marc? You're our guest.

[40:15] Marc Bonanni: I mean, sure, if that sounds fun to people, yeah. I mean, I I pulled a category from a past episode and just did the category. I will say I am having a difficult time sharing live to places, so if last time people are not answering, it's because nothing is going through.

[40:33] Amber Brzezinski: So honestly, I think it's just fun to watch us snip it as per we do, and then uh maybe one of these days we will have Mark create an official like the Broadway Fan Club category or show.

[40:46] Marc Bonanni: And I have done personalized episodes for people before. I mean, we only have 9.2 million followers, Mark.

[40:54] Amber Brzezinski: So I just said 10,000 subscribers and that was amazing.

[41:00] Marc Bonanni: But nine million.

[41:02] Amber Brzezinski: Yeah, but they're all uh they're the majority of them are on Facebook. So we need them to go over to our YouTube because then you know they can see this all the time.

[41:11] Heather Bedor: And then we need them to download episodes on the Broadway Podcast Network, because why not? Um yeah, let's play a little bit of this uh show, shall we?

[41:17] Amber Brzezinski: Shall we?

[41:21] Marc Bonanni: I can't talk. Um Yeah, you get you only get five seconds to answer, so it's not when you do it, how long does it make?

[41:32] Heather Bedor: Let's let's go over the schematics and logistics. So when you create an episode, how long does it take you to write all the questions or answers?

[41:41] Marc Bonanni: Um once I come up with a category, I can usually come up with the clues pretty quickly. I would say it takes maybe a day, two days to fully write an episode.

[41:56] Heather Bedor: Okay. And now, do you do this full time or are you doing other things as well?

[42:02] Marc Bonanni: No, I I what I am, I was a stay-at-home dad um for since my oldest daughter was born, but she's 11 now, so it's it's been a long time.

[42:12] Amber Brzezinski: But she's the one that didn't like Rum Tum Tugger, yeah.

[42:16] Marc Bonanni: Yeah, or at least she claimed to. I don't know. But um she's 11, I promise.

[42:21] Amber Brzezinski: Yeah, yeah, she's always still off cooties at that point.

[42:24] Marc Bonanni: Yeah. Take her to Lost Boys, the story by Chase.

[42:27] Amber Brzezinski: I did see her, I she did see Lost Boys with me. I did take it a lot, she loved it. I mean, I think Lost Boys and Juliet are like the shows for Juliet too.

[42:38] Marc Bonanni: Yeah. Her first musical was Mean Girls at the age of four.

[42:42] Amber Brzezinski: Oh, okay. Did she wear pink?

[42:44] Marc Bonanni: She does wear pink. She actually just got cast in her middle school's production of Mean Girls Jr. and she's playing Katie.

[42:50] Amber Brzezinski: Yes! Oh my goodness!

[42:53] Marc Bonanni: But she had to have three calls.

[42:54] Amber Brzezinski: Whole circle moment.

[42:56] Marc Bonanni: Three callbacks.

[42:57] Amber Brzezinski: Three callbacks performing arts middle school. So it's like a you know, it's a big deal.

[43:02] Marc Bonanni: This she got three.

[43:05] Amber Brzezinski: Three callbacks, plus the initial audition, yeah. What's her name?

[43:09] Marc Bonanni: Lily.

[43:10] Amber Brzezinski: Yay, Lily. Good job, Lily. We're very, very proud. She's in California right now in a production of Mary Poppins, which we're gonna go out next week to see.

[43:18] Marc Bonanni: So speaking of Mary Poppins, before we get this video showing, I learned that Tracy Ellis Ross uh has named the dog in Every Brilliant Thing Mary Poppins.

[43:27] Amber Brzezinski: So every actor um that portrays the characters in Every Brilliant Thing get to name the dog.

[43:34] Marc Bonanni: So for Dan Radcliffe, it was Indiana Bones and I don't know who Marishka had, um, what her dog's name was, but Tracy Ellis Ross's dog is Mary Poppins.

[43:44] Amber Brzezinski: So there's that I'm Mary Poppins, y'all.

[43:46] Marc Bonanni: Oh god, it's Guardian part of the board.

[43:49] Amber Brzezinski: Oh, you know what news? I'm so sorry that I feel like I have to mention before. Just because it's like three years in the making.

[43:58] Marc Bonanni: Tommy tour. We didn't talk about the Tommy tour, the Who's Tommy Tour.

[44:03] Amber Brzezinski: I enjoyed the revival. It's a weird one. People are really, really excited.

[44:08] Marc Bonanni: Like it is. Did you say it's a weird show?

[44:11] Amber Brzezinski: Oh, it is. And and the direction of this version is like, what is it? Is like very unique. It's like a very interesting portrayal.

[44:22] Marc Bonanni: And people have been like, it's been literal years of people saying, like, when will we hear about the Tommy Tour?

[44:28] Amber Brzezinski: Yeah. The time has come. The Tommy Tour is happening.

[44:32] Marc Bonanni: For me, Loryn Litaro, the choreographer, was the star of revival.

[44:36] Amber Brzezinski: We love it. We are fans.

[44:39] Marc Bonanni: Yeah. I got to work with her on Joy.

[44:42] Amber Brzezinski: Um, which one?

[44:44] Marc Bonanni: I saw Joy. It was a show that I went on uh I did that opening the when the box office opened and we got like $19 tickets.

[44:53] Amber Brzezinski: I was there. I was there for the the press night. It was very interesting.

[44:58] Marc Bonanni: And she brought a mop home on a plane.

[45:00] Amber Brzezinski: My wife just opened a mop and used it. She thought I'd been saving it this whole time because I saved I have a no let me let me tell you something. Amber's not kidding.

[45:08] Marc Bonanni: I took this mop in pristine condition. Um all the way through Manhattan. I got it approved to take onto a plane back to Orlando, got it home. I don't even think Amber think I told you this. I shit you not, ladies and gentlemen. When I moved to my new apartment in May, I went to go get my dad water or something because my dad had come out to help. Um I come back. He goes, Oh, I just mopped your bathroom. And I was like, With what?

[45:42] Amber Brzezinski: I went nuclear.

[45:46] Marc Bonanni: He took when I tell you, okay. So for anyone that does not know, so they had the mop, the official mop of the Miracle Mop, but it was wrapped in plastic cellophane, as as it is, and it had a card that said, I went to, I think mine was like I went to joy, and all I got was this mop or something silly. Legitimate like bow and everything.

[46:10] Amber Brzezinski: My dad opened up my mop and used it in the bathroom, and I lost my mind, and I'm just like, because that was the first official show that I worked with.

[46:22] Marc Bonanni: And you went through so much. I like I called when I knew you were seeing the show. I was like, I didn't even have to like I was like, she's coming home with the mop.

[46:32] Amber Brzezinski: Like I I like wanted to type it out before the show. Well, you remember how I got it. We have moped. You like took it. You bring it not gave it to me.

[46:41] Marc Bonanni: Oh, okay. Yeah. I was like, someone else got it, and you were like, I wanted the mop, and they were like, Here, no, Brenda didn't want it. That's how we became friends.

[46:51] Amber Brzezinski: So, for anyone that didn't see Joy, it's the story of it's very QVC based off Miracle Mop. It's crazy, but there's an actual scene where they're running through and trying to sell the mop to people, and so they'll actually give you like a stunt mop, and then at the end you get to trade it in for an actual mop.

[47:11] Marc Bonanni: I was just I was pissed. So your wife used yours, yes, with my permission.

[47:16] Amber Brzezinski: Oh, okay. It I would have I would have had to have kept it in pristine condition if it said joy on it somewhere.

[47:23] Marc Bonanni: Somewhere besides just the card. Yeah, I can't deal with like I love stuffed animals from Broadway shows.

[47:30] Amber Brzezinski: Yes. But nowadays they're just stuffed animals with a tag on it that can come off, which no, no ma'am.

[47:41] Marc Bonanni: Okay. But here's the thing Pudgy from Boop, it's very much pudgy.

[47:45] Amber Brzezinski: Very much pudgy. That was almost the exception. And then um, oh my god, my so you've got my brain is sweat completely blank.

[47:56] Marc Bonanni: Stranger Things cat.

[47:59] Amber Brzezinski: Are you opening up your closet of plush?

[48:03] Marc Bonanni: Yeah, you're talking yeah, just the bandit. Banana the musical Corgi.

[48:07] Amber Brzezinski: Yeah. At least the bandana is better than Yeah.

[48:11] Marc Bonanni: Oh my god, why can I think of the name of the dead cat from Stranger Things?

[48:15] Amber Brzezinski: Prancer.

[48:16] Marc Bonanni: Prancer. I mean it is just a squished cat.

[48:20] Amber Brzezinski: Oh my god. But I like it because it's like it's like a fourth row orchestra for that show. And I was making fun of my wife before. I was like, Don't you scream and embarrass me, blah blah blah. When that cat did its thing, I screamed so loud.

[48:36] Marc Bonanni: I will I was horribly embarrassed. Did you scream at the rats in the lab?

[48:43] Amber Brzezinski: I don't think so.

[48:45] Marc Bonanni: Okay, because it's so quick. Maybe. I can't remember. That was a fun show though. I'm nervous for paranormal activity.

[48:53] Amber Brzezinski: Because I don't do horror movies, but I'll see the play.

[48:56] Marc Bonanni: Oh, Larry's actually on the production team for paranormal activity. I'm a big baby. I'm a huge baby.

[49:01] Amber Brzezinski: I am a paranormal activity is one of my favorite horror movies 'cause I don't get scared in horror movies, but that one gives me the creeps.

[49:08] Marc Bonanni: I am so excited for paranormal activity. And it's coming out right before spooky season, so why not?

[49:13] Amber Brzezinski: There you go. I'm excited. Alright, shall we get to this video?

[49:17] Marc Bonanni: Oh yeah. I think the category is pistol packing mamas, which is well, I think I explained it in the video.

[49:22] Amber Brzezinski: I'll shut up.

[49:23] Marc Bonanni: No, I mean you could you can give us a precursor. Well, it's just it's just women from musicals who deal with guns or talk about guns.

[49:31] Amber Brzezinski: So a chick that carries a loaded weapon. Cool. Stand by and if you're in our comment section live, you're more than welcome to answer.

[49:38] Marc Bonanni: And if you're playing long at home posts, still answer because it's fun. We're gonna sit and we're probably gonna talk through the categories and we'll we'll see. We'll just see where it goes. It's just an experiment.

[49:49] Amber Brzezinski: But we want to show off what Mark can do because this is every other Friday. We'll make sure you guys see his YouTube.

[49:55] Marc Bonanni: Um, and that way you can play along at home as well. Stand by. Please stand by pistol packing mamas.

[50:05] Amber Brzezinski: We love us. Here we go. Let me unmute so we can hear your voice.

[50:16] Marc Bonanni: Taking aim at the pistol pack and mamas category. Your next 200 clue is Warrior Billy Flynn claims Roxy Hart and her lover both reached for the gun in this beloved musical.

[50:34] Amber Brzezinski: What is Chicago?

[50:36] Marc Bonanni: Yeah. For the song that a ventriloquist and his dummy was always there. If you listen to the early demos for Chicago performed by John Cander and Fred Ed themselves, you'll hear a very different version of we both reach for the gun.

[50:49] Amber Brzezinski: What about Fred Casey, Mr. Cog?

[50:51] Marc Bonanni: Well, I saw him come and collect me. I was much too afraid to run, and an awful look was in his eyes. When we both reached for the gun.

[51:03] Amber Brzezinski: Oh, yes, we both gone. See, Mark, I love that you also educate with each computer of the most part.

[51:09] Marc Bonanni: And also Chris Lady says, What is Shakato?

[51:12] Amber Brzezinski: Chicago. Always the right answer.

[51:14] Marc Bonanni: According to Annie Oakley and Annie Gets Your Gun, you can't get this with a gun.

[51:20] Amber Brzezinski: Alright, come on, comment section. What is a man?

[51:26] Marc Bonanni: The very funny show tune has been recorded many times by many of the artists you would assume. Doris Day, Mary Martin, Edie Gourmet, Ethel Merman, of course. But surprisingly, you can't get a man with a gun was also covered by Icelandic pop star Bjork in a 1990 studio album titled Glean Glow.

[51:45] Amber Brzezinski: Feast Vinex and Sickness Island Fan. Returning to the scene of the crime in the pistol pack and mama's category gives us the $600 clue.

[52:04] Marc Bonanni: In Sunset Boulevard, aging movie star Norma Desmond shoots this man after he tells her he's leaving her.

[52:17] Amber Brzezinski: Who is Soda Scout?

[52:18] Marc Bonanni: We also have a very different musical version of Sunset Boulevard. And we're lost. Along with bookwriter Bert Ship. He actually envisioned movie star Jeanette McDonald starring in it and had the show outlined in the first scene written.

[52:36] Amber Brzezinski: He later abandoned the project, though, when he met filmmaker Billy Wilder, the man behind the original film version of the world. He didn't think Sunset would work as a musical and instead suggested it as an opera instead.

[52:49] Marc Bonanni: Years later, Hell Prince acquired the rights to the story and again approached Sondheim to write the score, now with Angela Lansbury in mind to star. But because of his past encounter with Billy Wilder, Sondheim declined.

[53:00] Amber Brzezinski: Prince actually also approached Candoran Ebb, who declined to work on it as well. And Prince also asked Andrew Lloyd Weber, too, in the mid-1970s.

[53:09] Marc Bonanni: Weber was obviously interested, but wouldn't work on the musical version of Sunset until the 1990s. This was after Hell Princess's version had dropped.

[53:17] Amber Brzezinski: Jesus. Take your shot at the Hinder Dollar Clue in the pistol pack and mamas category with In West Side's story. When Maria asks how many bullets are left, she's addressing this member of the sharks.

[53:31] Marc Bonanni: Such a good question, though, Mark. Such good questions.

[53:33] Amber Brzezinski: Who is Chino?

[53:37] Marc Bonanni: Chino is Bernardo's best friend and the one that's a good one. Mary is up arrested in the musical spot. Just for Levy is not baby part.

[53:49] Amber Brzezinski: I see that production. Holstering the pistol pack and mamas category now with the thousand dollar clue.

[53:57] Marc Bonanni: The legally blind Rita Laporta wreaks havoc with a gun in this off-Broadway musical comedy.

[54:07] Marc Bonanni: I think a lot of it. What is Lucky Stiff? Lucky Stiff is a fun, zany musical with a score by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, which opened off Broadway in 1988. There is a film version of the musical from 2014, which got a very limited release and did not garner good reviews, but I enjoyed it. I think the average filmgoer would be a bit flummoxed by the movie. But if you're a fan of musicals, you should definitely check it out. Very theatrical. Chris Stevie says the movie math, but the show was great. Shell, Cheyenne Jackson, and many more. We love our now we've reached the final Jeopardy round, everyone. Time to tally up your scores and decide how much you want to wager in the category Hades Town.

Yes, in the next episode, the incredible Tony-winning musical Hades Town is getting its own category. Here is your final clue. This singer-songwriter sang the part of Persephone on the original concept album of the musical before later taking over the role on Broadway for a stint in 2024.

[55:20] Amber Brzezinski: Who is Ani DeFranco? The concept album for Hades Town was released in 2010 with several different performers playing the various roles, including popular folk rock singer Ani DeFranco. As the coup stated, DeFranco made her Broadway debut in Hades Town in 2024, returning to the role of Persephone, which was originated by Amber Gray.

[55:39] Marc Bonanni: Yep. Oh, and that's I love that. Yes, Chris Cavie says, Lesbians everywhere in this one. Um, and then Mary asked Aeneas Mitchell, and I have a fun story about that. Um, I was at BroadwayCon a couple of years ago, and there was like a bracelet trading group, and this one girl was so sweet. She's like, I don't have any bracelets to trade it, Amber had made a ton because that's what we do. Like our Etsy shop, Amber works her little fingers to the bone. And she's like, I don't have any bracelets to trade. I just have this like signed Hades Town Playbill. And I was like, Oh, that's cool. Like, I was gonna give her a bracelet anyways, because why not? And I was like, who signed it? She goes, I don't know, um, Annie something, I don't know. The like the writer, and I was like, Aeneas Mitchell, yeah, I'll give you a bracelet for that. Like it was bent and ripped and stuff. I was like, that's cool. I love Hades Town.

[56:36] Heather Bedor: Oh, me too. I thought several times pre-Broadway when it was off Broadway. And it I've never seen a show work so brilliantly and get changed so much for Broadway and still work brilliantly. I mean, I was at the 2000 show, and that was incredible um in its own right, but I'm very selective with who's coming in as Orpheus for whatever reason, because I resonate with some of them, and I was like, this is believable. Some of them I'm like, uh not my thing, because I saw the original cast and I know a lot, and I'm just like it's some of them I'm like, I will go see it because I love the show, but also like I'm not going to see it just because I'm throwing out a random name, like Jordan Fisher.

[57:26] Marc Bonanni: I'm not going just because of Jordan Fisher. Yeah, yeah. I'm surprised David Danao, who is the original original Orpheus, has not come and done the Broadway because he was so great. I love him so much. I was thrilled when he did Oklahoma. I was hoping that would launch him into a big continuous career, which you know it still could, but uh uh let's go. Let's get him back on stage. Right. Well, no, you know all of these like old school, like needing a lot more love shows. What show do you think is like due for a true revival?

[58:00] Amber Brzezinski: Uh, the best musical winner of 1990, City of Angels. City of Angels. If the people I want everyone involved in the Lost Boys to do City of Angels. I mean, I'll just text Marcus. Can you please choose it? Because it's gotta be a big production, which is a problem because it's not based on you know, it's not a famous name, it's not a well-known property, but it's gotta be a big lavish production. Um so fun. The score is so great. And I think uh it would find a whole new audience. So that's definitely what is six Tony's in one best musical, best book of a musical, best original score. Yeah, I mean it's Cy Coleman, James Naughton was the original star with Greg Edelman, it's uh and Randy Graf. It's so great. And it's one of those rare best musical winners to uh to not be remembered today.

[59:00] Marc Bonanni: Uh when I fall asleep at night, I do all from 1949 all the way Audrey Best Musical Winner, and then every best actor winner in a musical, every actress, every revival. Oh my god, that's how you put yourself to sleep. Yeah, I go through, I have it memorized all the all the years from the 49 for best musical. 47 was the first year of the Tonies, but 49 was the first best musical. I have friends that do um uh like an Oscars random. So every week they cover the best Oscar from like this year to this year, and like that's their whole podcast, and it's great. Um, I just I won't make you, Netflix, but I used to put on Gilmore Girls and go to sleep.

[59:42] Amber Brzezinski: Yeah, that's what I would do. I used to do a week of development back in the day that was my show to fall asleep. Fair, fair enough my ex used to watch Seinfeld fall asleep there's nothing that's another one to Jerry Seinfeld I felt about because there's no feeling there's no there's no thoughtful there's no very special episodes no my ex used to watch parts of the Caribbean and I would always joke like but like if I like needed to like put him to bed I would just like put that movie on and before the boat would even come out of the fog he would be like snoring I was like easy easy done deal put you right to bed oh my goodness well I know that we're running out of time because you've been so generous with it tonight um Amber shall we ask our signature questions to sign us out um I mean yes but I just also want to like I wanted I want to share some fun Sunset Boulevard trivia with you.

[1:00:39] Marc Bonanni: Go on do you know about the the Ron and Nancy Reagan original Sunset Boulevard drama? No so apparently uh the Reagans went out to see Glenn Close in Sunset when it was in LA and he was probably president like three years or so after this they're all talking to the company backstage um and he goes up to Alan Campbell and literally says they should turn this into a movie. This would work so well as a movie. This would be a great movie. They should make this a movie. And Nancy literally had to be like, Ron, it already was a movie. Not only was it a movie, but he was the president of SAG when it came out and caused a whole union scuffle about retirement funding. He likes made a whole kerfuffle. So then, like 10 minutes later, uh he walks up to uh um Glenn Close and says, Again, you know, this would make a great movie.

[1:02:05] Amber Brzezinski: That's ridiculous. Yeah. Oh, wait, Chris Lee says, but Reagan was out in 88, and Sunset didn't open until 94. Yeah, well, he was still alive in '94. He still can't see the show. Right. Yeah. Wasn't in church. Yeah. Well, there you go. Yeah, it was three years after he, it was after he was actively president, like three years after he was. Yeah, but that was when he was like an actor. When in the 50s, no, well, that's like when you talk about Greece being a movie and being like, well, you know, it it would probably do well on the stage, but like it's I'm glad it's a movie. And I'm like, let me tell you a little. Have you heard of Rosie O'Donnell?

[1:02:52] Marc Bonanni: So yes, our I've been threatening that Nuzius needs to do a revival, but uh I agree, City of Angels. You know what I would also love to see? Wonderland. That was the reaction I was expecting, but it's true. Wonderland. I saw a closing, I was a closing performance of Wonderland. Yeah, I mean, uh I wouldn't invest in it, but I'd see it. I there's there's very few shows that I would never see again. I can only think of two, and I'm not gonna be able to do that. I mean, do we do we as a group here, and obviously our peanut gallery can chime in. Do we think Phantom is gonna make its way back to New York outside of Masquerade?

[1:03:42] Amber Brzezinski: Oh yeah, that's the rumored next occupant for the Majestic is just Phantom movie. It's been like that since before Beaches came and went. Yeah. But I think that it needs to be renovated. Well, that's also like outside the Imperial with chess. I'm like, it's just it needs to renovate and things need to start coming back in. But the Majestic, from what I'm hearing, the Majestic is also gonna get the marquee painted black. Did you hear this? And I'm very unhappy with this.

[1:04:07] Marc Bonanni: Well, that's they had it, they painted the whole outside of the theater black for the original production. I know, but at the same time, when they uncovered the red for the marquee, that was incredible, but they're painting that black again. Why? Hopefully it'll be like when they did this with Le Miz. Hopefully it'll be like what? Uh when they when they did this with Le Miz, when Le Miz, the original production closed, it came back like three years later, and that did it sort of did not last long. So hopefully it'll be like that. I think Phantom has had a good a good run of things. Masquerade's great. We can keep Masquerade, but Masquerade is insane, and I love it.

[1:04:47] Heather Bedor: All right. Let's get you out of here. Amber, you ask your question, I'll ask my question, and then we'll push out all of Mark's social media so we can see a lot more people playing Broadway Jeopardy because Jacob walked walked into a room and little tiny Mark was in there and you got to see him again. Um what what do you think he would be most impressed by with your life these days? What do you think would shock him the most? What would you say to little Mark with exactly?

[1:05:23] Marc Bonanni: I am RuPaul. Um I think I mean I grew up in Southern California and nobody in my family knew theater, liked theater. It was not a thing. All my whole family's race car drivers. Um and I think it was Muppets Take Manhattan that shaped my life because I wanted to from a very young age move to New York and be in. It really dictated my entire life. Um so I I mean it really did. That's one of my holy grail items. I have a massive collection of props and costumes from Broadway shows and musical movie musicals and uh Manhattan Melodies playbills, like one of my golden holy grail items that I want to have eventually.

[1:06:13] Amber Brzezinski: Um I will find one. Yes. Anyway, I think my younger self would just be impressed that I'm here in New York and I I mean I'm not a Broadway performer. I get to go to a lot of places because my wife is, but you know, there's several theaters where I can just pop backstage and walk backstage and and be accepted there, and I know the backstage area, and I get to be in this space, and I think that would be really special to to younger me.

[1:06:47] Marc Bonanni: I love that I remember like my year well let's see 2019 when Beetlejuice was in previews I had friends that happened to be in the city with me at the same time and we happened to be at the same show. It was a second preview and they were going backstage because they knew somebody part of the production I was like that's a thing you can do because I would have never thought I'm not the autograph hound. I don't care about selfies but I never thought about that and I remember talking to a friend of mine Kittle Michael Marino and I was like I want to go backstage in a theater just once because I think that would be so cool. Like the first time I went through Museum of Broadway and I went through that entire thing being a backstage girly stage managing production I'm like this is so cool.

[1:07:29] Marc Bonanni: And then I did and I'm very happy Amber Artolino took me backstage to the Winter Garden when she was doing Back to the Future and I was like I am backstage at one of the lot like what what is my life? Like it was such a cool experience and I've had that and it's like when you ha when you have an experience I think it I won't I I will say it's life changing because and Mark correct me if I'm wrong New York and Broadway world it's just local theater. They just happen to have a hell of a lot more stages and it's kind of a tourist trap.

[1:08:03] Amber Brzezinski: Absolutely yep.

[1:08:09] Marc Bonanni: When you realize that Broadway is just local theater on a bigger scale I think that changes the perspective for a lot.

[1:08:17] Amber Brzezinski: Yeah.

[1:08:18] Marc Bonanni: But these these buildings, you know, are gorgeous and historical and and to me, they're they're temples. I mean, yes. They're you know, I'm not religious, but like I'm gonna use the word they're holy places to me. Um I'd say that secularly, but yeah, so like getting through merch and different things, like getting to sit in a Broadway house by myself with literally no one else in there, lights all off, lights all on, getting on the stage. I mean, that's wild to me, and and I feel very fortunate.

[1:08:52] Marc Bonanni: I am not a religious person, but I had what I can only describe as a religious experience when I went into the Disney, like the Broadway office, like in the new Am, like going in and then getting the full tour from a friend and like learning about like the catwalk and the ghosts and like the old theater that was the after hours theater, and you're like, I am surrounded by history, and you can feel that energy, and like I agree. Amber and I um for Water for Elephants, we were the only ones in the theater during like a fight call right before opening night.

[1:09:24] Amber Brzezinski: Yeah, the imperial great theater.

[1:09:27] Marc Bonanni: What is happening? Like, but when you when you break it down like that for sure, for sure.

[1:09:32] Marc Bonanni: I have an artifact from that from the rooftop theater. You were just talking about the rooftop theater on top of the so that Ziegfeld, Florence Ziggfeld used to have what's called the midnight frolics up there after the Follies at the big theater, and so it was only the hype uh spending important people who would get to go to the rooftop garden. And because they've been at the Follies all night, he didn't want them tiring their hands by clapping too much. So he had these little mallets there where they would get the tap. So this is actually one of the Ziegfeld mallets.

[1:10:03] Amber Brzezinski: I love that you have that right in front of you.

[1:10:05] Marc Bonanni: Um yeah, it's this is one of my favorite little right out. Yeah, so it's called the frolic, and you know, knocking out that's an original, and that's in that kind of one of the actual knockers from yeah, from the Zig Club and love your knockers, it's great. I'm a big knockers guy.

[1:10:20] Amber Brzezinski: What can I say?

[1:10:22] Marc Bonanni: Not a typical Broadway fan, but you know, but it it when you get to hold history in your hand like that, like I and our our audience has heard B. Silly stories. Amber and I left at we were at Waterfall Offens during Flea, and we come out. You know Flea, well, Broadway Flea is Oh, yes. It's and you you know what happens when Broadway Flea closes up. And there's just a whole bunch of trash bags filled with a whole bunch of stuff, and you're like, how? I have like 23 pairs of leggings from the masquerade scene of fandom, and I'm like, what do I do with these? I was talking in Jedi with scenery. I was like, these are like it's just such a cool thing to hold a history in your hand for sure.

[1:12:01] Marc Bonanni: Uh it's Rod and Nikki's beds. Yes. Uh from the Fantasies Come True number when they're in the bed standing up. It's those two beds and their little glasses and aerial shot. Yeah, it's the actual one from the set.

[1:12:01] Amber Brzezinski: Yeah, yeah.

[1:12:01] Marc Bonanni: And uh yeah, some of my most prized possessions are things that people wouldn't even care about.

[1:12:01] Amber Brzezinski: And that's what's your most prized possession?

[1:12:01] Marc Bonanni: Oh gosh, well, I love my knocker. Um, another one is uh Tony Pasteur was the father of Vaudeville. He invented Vaudeville as we know it, and I have I have a comp ticket for Tony Pastor's theater signed by Tony Pastor.

[1:12:01] Amber Brzezinski: That's cool.

[1:12:01] Marc Bonanni: Uh from like 1898 or something like that. Uh a lot of those things are are really special. But I all my props and costumes. I don't know my wife's very generous and she lets me fill. Our bed our bed uh headboard is part of the set of Avenue Q. I mean, it's crazy.

[1:12:01] Amber Brzezinski: Okay, what part of the set?

[1:12:13] Amber Brzezinski: I love that. Avenue Q is one of my favorites.

[1:12:15] Marc Bonanni: Uh and Christopher Levy says, uh, hey, Peter Allen wrote a whole song about knocking.

[1:12:19] Amber Brzezinski: He sure did Peter Allen.

[1:12:21] Marc Bonanni: Yeah, legs diamond. Yeah, Avenue Q. I actually did the first national tour of Avenue Q for a year and a half, which is I got to be really good friends with Rob McClure on that. Um love Rob.

[1:12:30] Amber Brzezinski: Well, were you doing merch for it or were you?

[1:12:32] Marc Bonanni: I was the merch manager for the national tour of Av. Yeah, I did I did merch for well over a decade. I did 70 different Broadway now probably shows, but then my wife and I did tour for three and a half years doing merch. So all over the country.

[1:12:44] Amber Brzezinski: I have an Avenue Q book, I think it's in French that I got from Fle Flea that's furry orange.

[1:12:50] Marc Bonanni: Yes, the yes, the orange free book. We used to sell it. It's great.

[1:12:53] Amber Brzezinski: Mm-hmm.

[1:12:54] Marc Bonanni: I have it. All right, I'll ask what I have to ask. Was Rob McClure running all the seats in the theater on the tour?

[1:13:02] Amber Brzezinski: Sure was at that time or he sure was.

[1:13:06] Marc Bonanni: And you get to some of these big theaters. I mean, you know, the Fox in St. Louis and things like that. That man ran. Yeah, he would film everything and he had um I watched him get engaged to Maggie, his wife, uh at one of the theaters there. That was that was so special getting to know him and then I love that he does that. Like what a challenge. He's he's the man, yeah.

[1:13:29] Amber Brzezinski: We we had a really great time on that tour.

[1:13:32] Marc Bonanni: I can only imagine.

[1:13:33] Amber Brzezinski: Alright, I'm asking you my question. And okay. Because I've held you so long and I don't want your wife and kids to be angry with us because we want you to come back.

[1:13:41] Marc Bonanni: So I'm good.

[1:13:42] Amber Brzezinski: Okay. Uh uh, is there a question that you've always wanted to answer but have never been asked? And what is that answer?

[1:13:49] Marc Bonanni: Oh my gosh, is there a question I've always wanted to be asked?

[1:13:54] Amber Brzezinski: Mm-hmm.

[1:14:01] Marc Bonanni: And I've never been asked, how are you so attractive?

[1:14:04] Amber Brzezinski: No, I don't I don't know.

[1:14:06] Marc Bonanni: How are you so attractive? The answer is uh I think you need to check your prescription. Um, I don't I don't know. Question I've what a great question that I have no answer to.

[1:14:27] Marc Bonanni: What the one that popped into my head was what's the question uh that uh the um James Lipton used to ask, like if if God is real and met you at the you know he ended every actor studio with?

[1:14:40] Amber Brzezinski: Yes, yeah.

[1:14:40] Marc Bonanni: I've never been asked that question. If if God is real, what would you like to hear him say at the Pearl the Gates?

[1:14:46] Amber Brzezinski: Do it.

[1:14:46] Marc Bonanni: What is it? Curtain starts at eight. Here's your ticket.

[1:14:52] Amber Brzezinski: I love that. That's gonna be your epitaph.

[1:14:55] Marc Bonanni: Yeah, that's what I want. I want to be a professional audience member. That's what I want. I that's what I want to to be, a professional audience member.

[1:15:03] Amber Brzezinski: Don't say that because then people are gonna think you want to be an influencer.

[1:15:07] Marc Bonanni: Yeah.

[1:15:09] Amber Brzezinski: You know, there's a little part of me that tries every once in a while to like enter that sphere, but then it's like I'm not posting all the time and everyone. Get ready with me as I Yeah.

[1:15:17] Marc Bonanni: With me as I, you know, try to crack my back for the millionth time as I make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for the kid and try to make it for a seven o'clock curtain. No, there's a difference between an influencer and uh with no disrespect to the influencers that we know, not not disrespect, but like Amber and I and I've also gotten this vibe from you. You're not like a look at me, look at me. It's look what I'm like, I want to do this for you. Like when you do your Broadway breakdowns, when you do Broadway Jeopardy, when you when you have these lectures, you're doing all of these things because you want to educate and continue the world of theater. You're not saying remember me, Marc Bonanni.

You're saying remember the show from the 40s. This is Broadway is sacred to me, and so all Broadway, and so the the shows that have sort of been left behind because people spent years of their life sometimes working on these shows. No one wants to write a bad show or show that doesn't do well, and every every show for the most part deserves to be remembered.

[1:16:18] Chris: I think influencers are the opposite of professional audience.

[1:16:23] Marc Bonanni: You know, I don't want to be an influencer, but you know what? I really really really want the swag boxes and bags and all the the stuff that like when they get their little Paddington suitcases, like that's what I send me those.

[1:16:34] Amber Brzezinski: Yeah.

[1:16:35] Marc Bonanni: I know it won't do anything for the um or just make friends that go to the road show and don't want any of a slag. I may have it in. Give me I I want to be on the swag list so badly. That's all I want. That's why I would do influencer.

[1:16:54] Chris: is like loving you over here.

[1:16:56] Marc Bonanni: He also says one of the best things I love about Mark is that you don't show off. No, hi, I'm Mark, and I know more about musicals than anyone else.

[1:17:03] Amber Brzezinski: Although you could say that.

[1:17:05] Marc Bonanni: That is very kind. I certainly don't know more about you know you do.

[1:17:10] Marc Bonanni: I I do know a lot, and it's it's I've I'm a I I have very low self-esteem. So I'm trying to be better about yes, I I know more than the average person, I'd say. But you know, then I know people who are just encyclopedias that like I can't even.

[1:17:24] Amber Brzezinski: Okay, I don't think anyone else in the world breaks down the Tony Award and like the categories to go to sleep.

[1:17:31] Marc Bonanni: That is some like that's just ADHD.

[1:17:34] Amber Brzezinski: That's no, you're no you're the rain man.

[1:17:40] Marc Bonanni: Uh yeah, yeah.

[1:17:45] Amber Brzezinski: And and Mary says, but we do love when he shows off his props and memorabilia.

[1:17:49] Marc Bonanni: Yes, we love when Mark shows off his knocker. So um, you are always lovely and always welcome to be here, Mark.

[1:17:59] Marc Bonanni: Um so much for having me.

[1:18:02] Amber Brzezinski: Yeah. Um, if you are not already following, I'm just like I'm in a desk chair about contorn. This is fun tonight. If you're not already following Mark on YouTube, please go to his YouTube at Broadway by Ghost Light. You can see Broadway Jeopardy every Friday night.

[1:18:17] Marc Bonanni: Next one is this Friday.

[1:18:19] Amber Brzezinski: Did I miss a week? Because I'm out of time. I just had one on Friday, so it'll be a a week and a few years.

[1:18:25] Marc Bonanni: Yeah.

[1:18:25] Amber Brzezinski: So but you can see all of your previous episodes as well.

[1:18:29] Marc Bonanni: Yep.

[1:18:30] Amber Brzezinski: Um, and then you can also see the Broadway breakdowns and all sorts of crazy incredible stuff. Um where Mark doesn't show off how smart he is, but he is.

[1:18:40] Marc Bonanni: I have a whole series. I used to have a whole series where I showed off a prop every week and talked about it.

[1:18:44] Amber Brzezinski: Prop table.

[1:18:45] Marc Bonanni: That's the same thing. I mean, if you just want to start doing that on our show, you can also do that. We're like, we'll have a five-minute highlight where you're like, This is this prop.

[1:18:54] Marc Bonanni: I literally I've got just bins and bins and closets of Broadway props. And I mean, I literally pulled something out of that one. I think that I think that we might need to create a new segment on the Broadway fan club.

[1:19:07] Amber Brzezinski: Hey, says I loved props table.

[1:19:10] Marc Bonanni: Yay, and he was the one. That's also Broadway 101.

[1:19:15] Amber Brzezinski: Yeah, these some of the ones I really enjoy. They probably went on one, but they just didn't they just didn't catch on. And not that I'm doing it for views, but you know.

[1:19:23] Marc Bonanni: Well, luckily you can join us anytime you want, and you can have your own Mark Benani horror.

[1:19:28] Amber Brzezinski: Awesome.

[1:19:29] Marc Bonanni: There you go. Yes, anytime. But definitely come join us. Anyone that is not following Mark, go follow Mark. And then on top of that, make sure you're following us because that's important too. Because we can have Mark back on and you can hear both of us. You can go right to our uh URL for our podcast network page or Broadway Podcast.com. And uh maybe we'll make a Broadway Jeopardy bracelet. How are you feeling about that, Amber?

[1:19:54] Amber Brzezinski: Yeah, that'd be fun.

[1:19:57] Marc Bonanni: Maybe we'll do that. We'll have a special collab, Mark, if you're down for it. Because we love these bracelets. If you can go to the Broadway fanclub.etsy.com and check out anything, and maybe you'll see a Broadway Jeopardy bracelet in the near future. But definitely come check us out and make sure you check out Mark. Um and that's it. That's that's really it. It's keeping the magic of theater alive. And if it wasn't for people like Mark Benani, I don't think that people would have an avenue to learn and be excited about. So thank you, Mark.

[1:20:29] Marc Bonanni: Oh, well, thank you. That that really makes me feel real good.

[1:20:32] Amber Brzezinski: Good.

[1:20:33] Marc Bonanni: You're so welcome.

[1:20:35] Amber Brzezinski: Yee honk.

[1:20:36] Marc Bonanni: Yee honk.

[1:20:37] Amber Brzezinski: Um, but we will talk to everybody soon. We always have a saying here, Mark, and you'll appreciate this one. When Broadway's dark, we keep that ghost light burning.

[1:20:46] Marc Bonanni: I will see you guys next week.

[1:20:49] Amber Brzezinski: Isn't that the best?

[1:20:53] Marc Bonanni: I love it. That's why it's always great. It's always fantastic.