Broadway Breakdown

"The sun has got his hat on!" It's the revival NO ONE saw coming! Yes, we're talking about the smash musical comedy ME AND MY GIRL! Fellow Broadway podcasters Kristina Miller-Weston and Bobby Traversa (MY FAVORITE FLOP) come on the Breakdown to discuss the 30's West End musical that found a second, richer life in the 1980's and went up against some major heavyweights! The three also discuss the we...

"All these DOORS!" It's a gut-busting, pants-dropping, door-slamming night at the theatre! It has violence! It has alcohol! It has SARDINES! We're talking about the all-time classic farce NOISES OFF! Breakdown Friend Adam Elsberry (@adamels) returns to discuss with Matt the joys of British comedy, censorship on the London stage, and the kitty cat joke that's almost too risque for television. Join...

"Jellicles can and Jellicles do." You know it, you hate it, you love it, you secretly know at least two songs from it...it's CATS! Good friend and Sastress Amanda Lee Hawkins (@imamandahawkins) comes on the Breakdown to explore with Matt this feline fever dream that somehow ran for decades around the world. The two also discuss how horniness overrides most emotions, the song in CATS that no one ex...

"What's On?" If we're talking British imports, then we gotta talk about the West End's ultimate incubator for Broadway transfers: The Royal National Theatre!! Specifically, 4 BIG, IMPORTANT, SEXY PLAYS from the National. Breakdown Regular Ali Gordon (@msalicenutting) helps Matt tackle the first National play to come to Broadway(ROSENCRANTZ & GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD), the first to become a sensation...

"What's new, Buenos Aires?" Things are HEATING UP with the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice Belt-A-Thon...EVITA! Even though the sung through "rock opera" is the team's follow up to their controversial SUPERSTAR, EVITA truly marks the team's arrival on the theatre scene...and their invasion of Broadway. Guest and Patti Lupone impressionist Jonathan Hoover (@inappropriatepatti ) joins Matt to discuss t...

"Please Sir, I want some more..." Welcome to the NEWEST series on Broadway Breakdown: The British Invasion, covering imports from the West End to our beloved Broadway! First up: OLIVER! Exclamation Point! The British Wave didn't start with this adaptation from the Charles Dickens novel, but it sure got its momentum from it. Guest Margaret Hall (GEMIGNANI) comes on to discuss with Matt the dark fam...

"Look at it, LOOK AT IT!" Guest/Alum of the Pod Jimmy Larkin (@letshearitforthechoice) closes out the Sondheim Series with ROAD SHOW(aka BOUNCE, aka WISE GUYS)! The two discuss why it took almost 20 years for the show to make it to NYC, lawsuits, and why writing a musical about incest may NOT be a great idea Plus! Matt reveals his official ranking of all the Sondheim musicals AND an announcement o...

IN THE HEIGHTS came out in theaters this week! What did Matt think? More importantly what did our resident movie musical critic, Matt's Mom, think?! Can a light entertainment be deep? Is it possible to have TOO many good ideas? And how are we all misusing hyperboles? FIND OUT! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this...

"Brek-kek-kek-kek!" Stephen Sondheim, Susan Stroman, and Nathan Lane...how could it lose? Well, we're gonna find out EXACTLY how. Breakdown Legend Ali Gordon comes aboard the River Styx to discuss with Matt the last new Sondheim score to hit Broadway...THE FROGS! And Ali is our Frogs expert because the bitch has actually SEEN the damn show! What a treat! The two discuss their time at theatre camp,...

"Everybody's got the right to be happy..." It took 13 years... but it got to Broadway and won some Tonys, to boot! That's right. We're talking ASSASSINS! This week, Matt is joined by musical artist Erin Markey to discuss the political-LSD-vaudeville and all the hang ups that go with it. The two also discuss Erin's experience performing as Squeaky Fromme at City Center, the importance of wigs, and...

"This is nice, isn't it...?" Special guest Kevin Metzger-Timson (MT Trivia, Tara Rubin Casting) joins Matt to discuss the first fully formed musical Sondheim wrote: SATURDAY NIGHT! Despite being his first, it took almost 50 years to come to New York and even then...never got to Broadway. Matt and Kevin converse over the early mistakes of Sondheim, the insanely stacked cast of the show's NY premier...

BONUS EPISODE! On a very special Breakdown, Matt sits with triple threat and beautiful soul Natascia Diaz (EVERY LITTLE STEP, SEUSSICAL, CAROUSEL) and oooohhhh is it WONDERFUL! During their conversation, Natascia discusses the difficulties and pay off of playing Fosca in PASSION, Matt talks about the time he yelled at someone in public about CAROUSEL and what it means to have a legacy. We TOLD you...

"So much happiness..." If Stephen Sondheim wrote for Taylor Swift...it would turn out to be PASSION. That's right! It's here! The last Tony-winning Sondheim musical in the series. Matt is joined by his dear friend Nur Pratama to discuss all things love, sex and sickness with this sexy Sondheim chamber opera. Together, Nur and Matt discuss what it means to be loved, getting booed on stage, and bein...

"And I know things now..." Before SHREK, there was INTO THE WOODS! That's right, we've come to the classic fairy tale Sondheim musical that every high school in America has performed at one point in the last 30 years. But even though it's Sondheim's most produced musical, is it his best? Matt and guest Kevin Zak (CLINTON, WAITRESS) dive into all things witches, giants and beans and discuss the sho...

"GOD, I am so HOT." It's SUNDAY on a Thursday! We're talking all things SUNDAY IN THE PARK with our Resident GEORGE expert Emily Maltby (EVITA, ANASTASIA)!!! YESSSSS, Emily has returned to discuss even further her favorite musical in the Sondheim canon. Emily and Matt discuss secrets storylines, being immortalized and why Kim Cattrall would've been a great asset to the show. MOVE OOOOOOOOONNNN!!!...

"Hey, Old Friend..." From the highest of highs to the lowest of lows...here go with MERRILY! The big Broadway flop that almost made Sondheim quit the business, gave Liz Callaway her debut, and despite running for 16 performances has continued to survive and become beloved in its own right. Guest Jane Bruce (JAGGED LITTLE PILL) comes on to discuss re-written material, what "selling out" means, and...

"Attend the tale..." Ooooooooohhhh it's the BIG ONE!! Broadway music director Justin Mendoza (BOOK OF MORMON, WICKED) discusses with Matt just about every element of this grand ol' cannibalistic musical/opera including stupid lovers, sociopathic actresses and what SWEENEY TODD has in common with LES MIS. God, that's GOOD! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices This is a pub...

"Have some tea, My Lord..." 1976, Broadway met Kabuki with PACIFIC OVERTURES, and Sondheim fans have been arguing over it ever since. Guest Sam Simahk (MY FAIR LADY, THE KIND AND I, CAROUSEL) chats with Matt about the historical Sondheim musical's virtues and shortcomings, as well as diversity in musicals, Japanese history and telling your story. Next!!! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit meg...

"RAISINS!!" The Sondheim Streak continues with one of the songwriter's biggest hits: A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC! Podcast alum Charlotte Maltby (THE SOUND OF MUSIC) returns to discuss all things delightful about the one Sondheim musical even your grandmother will love! Plus Matt and Charlotte get into how NIGHT MUSIC spawned Sondheim's biggest pop hit, Matt's personal connection to the original Broadway...

"I'm just a Broadway Baby" The Golden Age of Sondheim keeps going with the existential showbiz fever dream that is FOLLIES! Peter Koplik (aka MATT'S DAD) makes his Breakdown debut to discuss his longtime love for the musical. Plus the two discuss FOLLIES' connections to The Glass Menagerie, Fellini, and PADDINGTON 2! You'll love it, and we're not just being kiiiiiind! Learn more about your ad choi...

"I'd like to propose a toast..." A LITTLE SONDHEIM MUSIC gets conceptual with the marital musical COMPANY! Yes, we're finally entering the TRUE Sondheim era!! And who better to discuss the landmark musical than a member of the most recent Broadway production, Britney Coleman (SUNSET BOULEVARD, TOOTSIE, BEAUTIFUL)!!! Britney and Matt discuss the complex music, Bobby's sexuality, and the joys of bei...

"We're gonna be alright..." Stephen Sondheim, Richard Rodgers and Arthur Laurents wrote a musical once and we ALL forgot about it!! Friend of the pod Adam Elsberry (THE WILD PARTY WARS PART 1 and 2)returns to Breakdown to discuss with Matt about what happens when your lead actors are TOO hot, how Sondheim missed the boat, and why the best characters in musicals are all essentially Samantha Jones f...

"I don't know, but it's BRILLIANT!" Things get weird w/ Daddy Sondheim's next musical about conformity, sanity and the power of a red wig: ANYONE CAN WHISTLE. Broadway historian Jennifer Ashley Tepper (author of the Untold Stories of Broadway Anthology) returns to the pod to discuss this truly whacky musical with Matt as well as the show's troubled process getting produced, including Angela Lansbu...

"INTERMISSION!" We barrel into the 60's with the first Broadway score ENTIRELY written by our boy Stephen Sondheim. Broadway music director and former guest of the pod Patrick Sulken (PRETTY WOMAN, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS)stops by to discuss with Matt how such a successful show had such a disastrous out of town tryout, a score that works even though it doesn't fit the show, and why this musical may...

Impossible? Things are happening EVERY day!! Alum of the pod Jimmy Larkin (@letshearitforthechoice)joins Matt to interview legendary/award winning music director Paul Bogaev on his illustrious career on Broadway (CHESS, AIDA, SUNSET BOULEVARD). film (CHICAGO, NINE, DREAMGIRLS) and TV (CINDERELLA, ANNIE) including the making of the iconic CINDERELLA starring Brandy, the Tony winning actresses that...