The BSB Podcast

For generations of readers, the Harry Potter series has been a place to escape into a world of magic, unforgettable friendships, and epic battles between good and evil. So when Harry Potter and the Cursed Child arrived, fans eagerly returned to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, ready for another adventure. And arrived they did, as Cursed Child has continued to entertain audiences on Broadway for e...

As a critic, I know that sometimes the most difficult part of writing is getting started. That initial hurdle has proven time and time again to be a challenge that can absolutely stop a project in its tracks. However, it's not the only problem we writers encounter when trying to put our words to the page. Writer's block, developing a character, and finding your hero's journey are all things that c...

What happens when your biggest competition is also the person who knows you best? In Athena, Gracie Gardner turns the fast-paced world of competitive fencing into something much bigger than a sport. Every lunge, parry, and point becomes part of a battle over friendship, identity, ambition, and the pressure to be the best. At first glance, the play seems to revolve around two talented teenage fence...

Our time at the Paris Opera House is almost over; however, we're not quite ready to leave the story of Christine Daaé and her Angel of Music behind. The love story in The Phantom of the Opera has captured audiences' hearts for decades, but there's so much more to appreciate in this Andrew Lloyd Webber musical than just the story itself! There's a brilliance to the magic happening in this productio...

I'm sure there's a time when we've all felt different or out of place because of something beyond our control. Something we would love to change about ourselves, if only we had the chance, and yet the real healing comes not just from learning to live with that difference, but from embracing it fully. It's this universal message that lies at the heart of Robert Montano's autobiographical one-man pl...

The stage is set and the actors in place for another wonderful performance; however, there's something afoot at the Paris Opera House. Strange things have been happening for a while, and at the center of it all is the young Christine Daaé and her Angel of Music!  The mystery of The Phantom of the Opera has entertained audiences for decades and has recently begun to tour North America once again! R...

We live in an age of media where those shows we loved growing up are making a comeback in monumental ways. Nostalgia is real, and the desire to return to a world that was vibrant and comfortable is not only desired but absolutely needed. We don't crave a reboot; we want a sequel that brings together those who made the original project so special, much like The Guild film, which is finally in the w...

What's theater without a little magic? There's nothing quite like the stage magic that brings the musicals and plays to life each and every day on Broadway. However, in the heart of Times Square, there's another kind of magic happening that you may not even be aware of! No, it's not the magic of the Big Apple (although that is a special kind of magic if I do say so myself), but instead that of Jim...

While many of us may have heard the name Oliver Twist, how many are familiar with his story? Originally published as a serial in the mid-19th century by Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist tells the tale of a young orphan who joins a gang of juvenile pickpockets and ultimately finds his family. It's a dark tale brimming with light that has found life outside the pages of a book, as in the musical Oliver...

Do you hear that sound coming down the road? Faint at first but gaining volume with each passing moment, as something comes into focus. A parade of red plumes and shiny brass, indicating the approach of a marching band! It must be the North American touring production of The Music Man, coming to a city near you! This classic show recently came to the Fox Theatre in Detroit, MI, with a production t...

When's the last time you hitched a ride on the Wells Fargo wagon and hightailed it out of the big city for life in a small town? No, we're not talking literally, but more so about when the last time you've seen The Music Man! With the recent Broadway revival a few seasons ago, there's been renewed interest in the show, with a North American touring production kicking off recently! The tale of Haro...

Romeo, Romeo, Wherefore Art Thou Romeo? A simple question some might be asking themselves, as we just found the young man from Verona on Broadway with his beautiful Juliet, in the recent revival of Romeo + Juliet. While the story itself is largely intact, as is the language in which it is spoken, there's a new life in this classic William Shakespeare tale of love and woe. Featuring music from Jack...

In this episode of the BSB Podcast, hosts Brian Kitson and RJ Miller-Zelinko break down all the excitement (and perhaps a bit of disappointment) from the 79th Tony Awards! From the shows that swept their categories to the wins that shocked everyone, there's so much to discuss from this year's Tony Awards! Did your favorite show take home the gold? Which of the shows had devastating losses? Which p...

There's nothing quite like standing on a theater stage, or at least I would assume so. The bright lights blaze down on you, as a shadowed audience is waiting with bated breath, hanging on your every word. And so you begin your number, giving it everything you got, making those present in the auditorium gasp with every impressive high note you hit, making it look as easy as saying hello. Now imagin...

Nashville: a city where every street corner seems to echo with the promise of a hit song. The Off-Broadway show, Music City, brings the heart and soul of Nashville to St. Luke's Theatre in the heart of NYC. Blending original country music with a story of ambition, love, and resilience, the play (with music) follows a group of aspiring artists as they chase their dreams in one of the world's most c...

In an era crowded with crime dramas and police procedurals, Scarpetta distinguishes itself through its unique atmosphere and psychological complexity. Rather than treating forensic science as a collection of laboratory tricks, this Prime Video series presents it as a meticulous search for truth, where every detail has the potential to unlock a mystery. Visually, Scarpetta embraces a dark, polished...

Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) was an unexpected hit from our most recent trip to New York City. There's just something about the story of Dougal and Robin discovering fundamental truths about themselves because of their adventures together. Two Strangers is deeply moving and unbelievably real in almost every way, giving Broadway the heart that it desperately needs at this time. Whil...

Head Over Heels is one of the most delightfully unconventional musicals to reach Broadway in recent years. Set to the infectious hits of The Go-Go’s, the show transforms a 16th-century pastoral romance into a vibrant, contemporary celebration of love, identity, and self-discovery. What could have been a simple jukebox musical becomes something far more inventive: a witty, fast-paced comedy that em...

When was the last time you revisited a theatrical classic? A story that is timeless and continues to live on long past its time on stage. Since we've begun our journey here at BSB Insider, we've seen quite a few revivals come across the stages of Broadway, but none so striking as the most recent take on the William Shakespeare classic, Romeo + Juliet! In this episode of the BSB Podcast, hosts Bria...

Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) is a sparkling, sharply observed musical that proves how much emotional weight can be carried by the lightest of premises. What begins as a whimsical mission to transport a wedding cake across Manhattan unfolds into a richly textured exploration of identity, family, and the unexpected connections that shape our lives. Set against the restless energy of...

They Will Kill You is the kind of horror-action film that kicks down the door, splashes blood across the walls, and dares you not to have fun. Director Kirill Sokolov's vision is crystal clear, as audiences follow Asia Reaves, a former convict who takes a housekeeping job in a creepy New York apartment building. However, it isn't long until she discovers that its residents are hiding a deadly secr...

There are friendships, there are wedding parties, and then there are the women of Always a Bridesmaid, a group so committed to their friendship that they seem permanently trapped in a cycle of bouquets, bridesmaid dresses, and wedding cake. This show from Jones Hope Wooten proves that while fashions change, hairstyles evolve, and romantic relationships come and go, true friends will always be ther...

If musical theatre is a game of strategy, then Chess is the intermezzo move. It is the rare musical whose score is so dazzling that it has survived productions that often struggled to match its energy. While directors, producers, and dramaturgs have spent decades trying to solve this puzzle, the music itself has never been the problem. From its thunderous opening chords to its soaring power ballad...

Few musicals have enjoyed a reputation as gloriously complicated as Chess. For decades, it has occupied a peculiar place in Broadway lore: too beloved to be forgotten, too messy to be universally embraced. Its long-awaited Broadway revival finally gives audiences another chance to witness a show that has spent nearly forty years trying to win a match against its own reputation. Set amid the geopol...

A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder proves that murder can be surprisingly charming when wrapped in wit, elegance, and a perfectly tailored Edwardian suit. The musical follows Monty Navarro, an ambitious young man who discovers he is ninth in line to a noble title and decides that waiting for fate to do its work is simply inefficient. What follows is a delightfully absurd parade of accidents,...