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[0:00] Alan Seales: Hello and welcome to another episode of The Theatre Podcast. I am Alan Seales.

[0:11] Jillian Hochman: I'm Jillian Hochman.

[0:12] Alan Seales: And we're going to give you a special little episode here that's just an end of year wrap up. The two of us have seen quite a number of shows this year, so we want to just kind of go over a few and give some recommendations for those who may be thinking about buying some tickets or whatnot.

[0:30] Jillian Hochman: Yeah, all our favorite things we've seen this year.

[0:34] Alan Seales: Well, go ahead. What'd you see? What's on the top of your list?

[0:38] Jillian Hochman: That's so many. So, I saw a total of 23 shows this year, a good mix of musicals and plays. On the top of that list, I'm going to go with a tie between Head Over Heels and SpongeBob. Those were my two favorite musicals of this year. You saw SpongeBob. What did you think?

[1:02] Alan Seales: I've said this before. I went in with no expectations in a good way. And I was thinking, okay, this is a musical about a cartoon sponge. It's either going to be really good or really bad. And fortunately, it was incredibly good. I enjoyed it a lot. I actually saw it twice.

[1:22] Jillian Hochman: Yeah, it was a great show. I am of the generation that grew up with SpongeBob. I remember when it premiered. It was very important to me. So, there's a lot of little jokes in there that were kind of tailored for people of my age. But even if you didn't get them, you still loved the show. I'm guessing you didn't get them.

[1:41] Alan Seales: Like what? I mean, I got jokes.

[1:44] Jillian Hochman: My leg, and is mayonnaise an instrument? And all these different jokes that if you know what I'm talking about, you know what I'm talking about. It's okay.

[1:51] Alan Seales: I do not.

[1:52] Jillian Hochman: It's good. It's a little child of the 90s thing.

[1:56] Alan Seales: Well, I did like it. I thought it was very good. And we've had Wesley Taylor on episode three of this podcast where he talks about some of this. Not to plug ourselves, but look what I did.

[2:08] Jillian Hochman: But to plug ourselves.

[2:08] Alan Seales: But to plug ourselves.

[2:11] Jillian Hochman: And then Head Over Heels.

[2:13] Alan Seales: What about Head Over Heels?

[2:14] Jillian Hochman: I love that show so much. I saw that one twice. I love that one as well, because it was so different. I mean, partially, it was funny in the first place. And the story is great. And who doesn't love the music of the Go-Go's? But it set itself apart in a way that a lot of other shows probably are sort of afraid to do, I think. And it crossed a bunch of boundaries that needed to be crossed.

[2:40] Alan Seales: Yeah. And it takes an underrepresented group in multiple different groups and puts them front and center stage. But it also is just really good musical theater storytelling. It's got every part that you look for when you watch a good musical. And it's got really talented people who in the past wouldn't have been seen telling that story.

[3:02] Jillian Hochman: Yeah, I agree. So for my... Gosh, I saw fewer number of shows. Having the two small children kind of affects how many times I can go out at night. Gosh, The Cher Show, I want to say, is one of my top favorites, easily, of course, with The Prom right next to it, those two shows. Very, very different, but still equally amazing. I saw Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway for the first time this year, even though it opened Broadway previously. But I saw it off-Broadway, of course, Dear Evan Hansen is Dear Evan Hansen, just, again, phenomenal.

[3:44] Alan Seales: Yeah, I saw it off-Broadway too. I have not seen it on Broadway yet, but I hope we get to see it with the new kid going in. That's going to be great.

[3:53] Jillian Hochman: Great. King Kong was... What did you think of King Kong?

[3:59] Alan Seales: I liked it. I saw the fourth preview, so I knew it wasn't done cooking it. There were definitely parts that I think because it was so many previews, it was a little bit more forgiving on, just knowing that that's the process of previews and you're still working and there's edits and there's changes and there's rehearsals during the day. I want King Kong to win Best Actor.

[4:24] Jillian Hochman: You want Kong himself?

[4:25] Alan Seales: Yes.

[4:26] Jillian Hochman: We should give him a special...

[4:28] Alan Seales: All 13 people it takes to control him. He was incredible.

[4:32] Jillian Hochman: Well, you could make a special Tony category for Best Animatronic Puppet.

[4:36] Alan Seales: Yeah, that would go to Brooks in The Prom.

[4:41] Jillian Hochman: No, he was absolutely phenomenal when you first see him on stage. I saw it with our friend Lauren. Shout out to Lauren. We love you, Lauren, so much. But we were literally holding each other's hands flipping out because he was so phenomenal.

[4:55] Alan Seales: I'm a tech geek. I love the tech that goes into the theater, so I agree with you when I saw Kong come down the first time. I saw Kong, of course, because in previews and the commercials and stuff, they don't shy away from it. They show you because they want you to come see it, but seeing it in person, it's just something else. It becomes this living character on stage and he takes up the whole stage. He's incredible.

[5:25] Jillian Hochman: Want to talk about plays? I saw more plays than you did.

[5:28] Alan Seales: Yeah, you saw a lot more.

[5:29] Jillian Hochman: But I want to talk about some plays.

[5:30] Alan Seales: Yeah, do it.

[5:32] Jillian Hochman: My favorites this year were Lifespan of a Fact, which stars Dana Radcliffe, Cherry Jones, and Bobby... Oh, I can't remember his name.

[5:42] Alan Seales: Yes, thank you. I wanted to say something similar, but not. It was fantastic. The three of them carried it very, very well, and it was such an interesting story. It's a limited run, so if you didn't get to see it, I hope you do. I hope they bring it back. I hope they recorded it. I also was lucky enough to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, parts one and part two. Did it in one day, so I did a two o'clock show and an eight o'clock show.

[6:10] Alan Seales: You won the lottery.

[6:11] Jillian Hochman: I won the lottery. That was crazy. I sat in the front row.

[6:16] Alan Seales: Wow.

[6:17] Jillian Hochman: It was phenomenal. I can't tell you anything because hashtag keep the secrets.

[6:22] Alan Seales: That's not fair.

[6:24] Jillian Hochman: I know, but it was so good. That's all I could say. Another honorable mention I would say is Daniel's Husband. That was an off-Broadway play that is closing at the end of this month, so I hope you got to go see it. Absolutely phenomenal. I had no idea what it was about going in, and it was heart-wrenching and beautiful, and I hope it transfers just because Matthew, who plays Daniel's husband, deserves a Tony for that performance.

[6:54] Alan Seales: I enjoyed Lobby Hero, and Michael Cera, of course, who doesn't love Michael Cera, I want to talk about not Chris Evans, but Chris Evans' mustache.

[7:04] Jillian Hochman: Yeah, that also deserves a Tony.

[7:06] Alan Seales: The Best Stache Award goes to Chris Evans' mustache.

[7:10] Jillian Hochman: I think that's fair, more than fair.

[7:13] Alan Seales: Was Chris Evans' debut, was it his Broadway debut?

[7:15] Jillian Hochman: I think so, but don't quote me on that.

[7:17] Alan Seales: I believe you're right.

[7:19] Jillian Hochman: I think so.

[7:20] Alan Seales: If only we had the internet sitting in front of us.

[7:22] Jillian Hochman: No.

[7:24] Alan Seales: But yeah, Chris, Broadway debut, shout out to you, great job there, and of course, was a peer and an equal of everybody else on stage. It was a season winner. It was great. I really liked it.

[7:36] Jillian Hochman: Do you want to talk about our favorite performances?

[7:41] Alan Seales: Sure.

[7:43] Jillian Hochman: Who blew you away on the stage?

[7:48] Alan Seales: I always love watching Orfeh.

[7:51] Jillian Hochman: Oh, I love her so much.

[7:53] Alan Seales: Pretty Woman, which I forgot to mention was, again, one of my favorite shows. I love Bryan Adams' music too, so yes, Pretty Woman. But yeah, watching Orfeh just belt her butt off.

[8:07] Jillian Hochman: That voice.

[8:08] Alan Seales: There's a special place in heaven for that. I have loved that voice for well over a decade, and it's just amazing.

[8:18] Jillian Hochman: And Bonnie Milligan in Head Over Heels, speaking of belting, and Beth Leavel in The Prom, speaking of belting.

[8:26] Alan Seales: It is a good year for women on Broadway.

[8:28] Jillian Hochman: Yeah, right? There are some great stuff being written.

[8:31] Alan Seales: And then, of course, Brooks as well. Brooks and Beth in The Prom, just the two of them together, crack me up.

[8:39] Jillian Hochman: I feel like that's a preppy clothing brand, Brooks and Beth.

[8:43] Alan Seales: Brooks and Beth.

[8:44] Jillian Hochman: Katrina Lenk in The Band's Visit. I got to see it this year, even though it won everything last year. Just that voice and the way she moves, I was mesmerized.

[8:57] Alan Seales: I also want to shout out Bryan Cranston. Everyone knows him from Breaking Bad, and he is in Network right now, which is a movie from the 70s that they transformed into a play. And his performance was one of the most breathtaking things I've ever seen.

[9:19] Jillian Hochman: There's the famous line, I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore. And just the whole scene, I was crying.

[9:27] Alan Seales: And I don't cry.

[9:28] Jillian Hochman: And I was crying.

[9:29] Alan Seales: To make you have emotion.

[9:32] Jillian Hochman: That's pretty good.

[9:32] Alan Seales: Yes. I know. Oh, and then I also have to shout out Anthony Boyle from Cursed Child who played Scorpius Malfoy. I've never laughed so hard in my life. And the amount of spit that came out of that boy's mouth was, he stole the show. Again, I can't tell you anything about it. I must keep the secrets, but he absolutely stole the show. The whole original London cast here in New York is departing very, very soon. And if you didn't get to see them, I hope you get to see them in something. But especially Anthony, that kid is going places.

[10:10] Jillian Hochman: Stephanie J. Block and Jared Spector from Cher Show. Stephanie, I didn't have my glasses on when I was watching. And we were about like seventh or eighth row, center. And I come out, or the lights come up. She's coming up center stage on the trap door. And I'm like, I'm sitting there squinting, and everyone's cheering and screaming. And I thought it was Cher, because I couldn't see clearly. I literally thought it was Cher who would come out there. And just, she nailed it. Totally nailed it.

[10:41] Alan Seales: And then Jared Spector, of course, with Sonny Bono, playing Sonny Bono. All the crowd, when he started to sing his first song, the crowd all around us started talking and clapping. At my show, when I saw it, everyone, as soon as I Got You Babe started, we were on our feet, just flipping out, screaming.

[11:03] Jillian Hochman: Yeah, yeah. Wonderful job there. Gosh, what else should we cover? Give a shout out, I guess, to our friend Ariana DeBose and Donna Summer. I saw that this year as well, which is closing. She, of course, Tony nomination, did a phenomenal, phenomenal job.

[11:18] Alan Seales: Yeah, shout out to everything that's closing. That is just amazing, and had its moment, and gave so many people so, so much. So shout out to Head Over Heels, and Summer, and Once On This Island, and Lifespan of a Fact. And all these different shows that just are incredible.

[11:38] Jillian Hochman: Torch Songs, we didn't talk about Torch Songs. Michael Urie was phenomenal in that. His performance was fantastic. And they're closing as well.

[11:47] Alan Seales: And that's how it goes. Unfortunately, the winter can be harsh here in New York. But they got some just incredible performances out of these shows.

[11:57] Jillian Hochman: There's good stuff coming back, like filling in behind them.

[12:00] Alan Seales: Yeah.

[12:01] Jillian Hochman: Be More Chill coming.

[12:02] Alan Seales: Yeah, what are you excited about for 2019?

[12:04] Jillian Hochman: Oh, goodness. Well, Be More Chill...

[12:06] Alan Seales: Got my tickets.

[12:08] Jillian Hochman: Do you?

[12:08] Alan Seales: Yep, I got preview tickets.

[12:13] Jillian Hochman: I never got to see Oklahoma at St. Ann's Warehouse.

[12:16] Alan Seales: Yeah, I'm really happy that's coming back.

[12:18] Jillian Hochman: I'm happy that's going to Circle and Square.

[12:20] Alan Seales: Hadestown.

[12:21] Jillian Hochman: Hadestown, yeah.

[12:24] Alan Seales: Next episode after this one is going to be with Ani DeFranco. Special little teaser for you.

[12:27] Jillian Hochman: So you can hear the story.

[12:30] Alan Seales: Ani actually helped Anais Mitchell get Hadestown composed in the first place because...

[12:38] Jillian Hochman: The original concept album.

[12:39] Alan Seales: The original concept album, right.

[12:40] Jillian Hochman: Because Anais is signed on Ani's record label.

[12:44] Alan Seales: Spoilers.

[12:44] Jillian Hochman: Spoilers.

[12:45] Alan Seales: Stay tuned.

[12:46] Jillian Hochman: Yeah.

[12:47] Alan Seales: Yeah, I'm really excited for Hadestown. Excited for Be More Chill. Excited for Oklahoma. What else?

[12:53] Jillian Hochman: What else do we have that's coming in?

[12:54] Alan Seales: I'm excited for Kiss Me Kate because I love Will Chase.

[12:59] Jillian Hochman: I had a friend who directed him in a little indie film once.

[13:04] Alan Seales: Cool story.

[13:05] Jillian Hochman: I used my computer to transcode lots of footage for her.

[13:08] Alan Seales: So I saw all the dailies of Will Chase in his scenes.

[13:11] Jillian Hochman: That's good.

[13:12] Alan Seales: Gosh, looking over our list here. It's been a good year.

[13:16] Jillian Hochman: It has.

[13:17] Alan Seales: It's been a really good year for plays.

[13:19] Jillian Hochman: Yeah.

[13:20] Alan Seales: Lots of good plays that were on Broadway this year. It'll be interesting to see when the Tony nominations come out how that goes.

[13:28] Jillian Hochman: Speaking of Tony noms, my question for you is, probably not if, when King Kong gets nominated. How are you going to bring that puppet into the Tonys, into Radio City?

[13:41] Alan Seales: You know, they're just going to have to get a really big Uber.

[13:45] Jillian Hochman: And with that, we shall end here. Happy holidays to everybody listening.

[13:49] Alan Seales: You can connect with us as always. Feedback at thetheaterpodcast.com. Find us on Twitter and Instagram, theater underscore podcast. Facebook.com slash official theater podcast.

[14:03] Jillian Hochman: And as always, thank you to Jukebox the Ghost playing this lovely music that you hear underneath. Any final words for the year?

[14:10] Alan Seales: Thank you for listening to us and sticking with us. We love hearing from you and we love seeing your posts and your replies.

[14:19] Jillian Hochman: We want to know what did you like this year? What did you see? What did you want to see? If you're not in New York, what regional theater did you get to see? Tell us everything. Tell us why you love this world. Thank you for supporting the arts. Thank you for caring about music and arts education. Thanks for being nerds with us.

[14:43] Alan Seales: Theater nerds, exactly. Thank you so much for listening. Thanks for supporting and we will see you in the new year.