Broadway Breakdown

Fame, humanity...DEMONS?!?!? We’re reviving Jukebox That Musical!! And who better to bring it back than Bio Mother John Wascavage and Podmother Ali Gordon? Matt, John and Ali go through the catalogue of Lady Gaga (thanks to your votes) and come up with a bonkers musical that’s part social commentary, part lusty monster mash. We’d say more but you should hear it to believe it. DONATELLA! Important...

Matt went to London and saw 8 shows. Also…we’re back!!!! Take a journey as Matt struggles to travel anywhere and wipes himself out seeing more shows than he had days in England. Important Links: * Broadway Breakdown Discord: Join Here * Broadway Breakdown Green Room (Patreon): Join Here * Broadway Breakdown Substack: Join Here * Broadway Breakdown Youtube: Join Here Time Stamps: 2:00 Voting for th...

Full Episode Here: The Broadway Breakdown Green Room INTRODUCING! The debut of the Broadway Breakdown FANTASY DRAFT! It’s like Fantasy Football. Except without the pesky football. And without a cash prize. Just all of your opinions on what we picked. Breakdown regulars Adam Elsberry (@adamels), Margaret Hall (@itsmargarethall), Rob W. Schneider (@robwschneider) and newcomer Steve Tipton (@stevetip...

Matt is a fancy Drama Desk voter now, which means he has to see a LOT more shows! It’s quiet on Broadway right now, so Matt’s been seeing a whole bunch of Off-Broadway productions and he’s coming back early on the Breakdown to do a Summer Review Wrap Up! Followed up by a talk with Matt Rodin (@whoismattrodin) about his new site theater.games and how it’s combining fun and education for theater lov...

While you’re waiting for Broadway Breakdown to come back in full, enjoy this crossover bonus episode of Matt on the podcast Behind the Awards . Once again talking all things Fall Broadway!!! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bwaybreakdown.substack.com

New episodes will be coming again before you know it, but until that happens check into the Broadway Breakdown Green Room and submit your question’s for our first exclusive Q&A! Plus some other updates about how Matt’s Drama Desk voter-ship will effect the podcast. Join the Green Room and Submit Your Questions Here! Broadway Breakdown: Discord This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss...

It’s our first Patreon exclusive!!!! Take a listen and decide if you want to get inside the Broadway Breakdown Green Room: Join Us Here! Friends of the pod Robbie Rozelle (@divarobbie), Rachael Anderson and Will Anderson (@the_theater_lovers) have come along to compile a list (with some help of other Breakdown friends) of the top 50 opening numbers in musical theater history and rank them! It’s me...

WARNING: This episode deals with discussions of mental health and su*cide. Caution before listening. And with that, Matt’s Picks has come to a close with the final choice: NEXT TO NORMAL. Former guest Brian Nash (@brianjnash) returns to discuss the Tony/Pulitzer winning musical and many (though not nearly ALL) of its intricacies: mental health, complex relationship dynamics, and banging music. The...

“It’s a new old world and we are FINALLY here!!” After years of playing the overture for listeners, Matt is FINALLY getting the chance to do a deep dive on what--he believes--is the best musical theatre score of the 21st century: THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA. And who better to discuss this romantic, sumptuous show with than Guncle Adam Elsberry (@adamels) ? Together, Matt and Adam discuss the show’s co...

2 more weeks before we go dark for the month. And once you’ve finished listening to the news…GO TO OUR BRAND NEW PATREON! * Broadway Breakdown PATREON LINK!!! WOOHOO!!! Other Important Links: * Broadway Breakdown Discord * Broadway Breakdown: Substack * Broadway Breakdown: Youtube Listener Discussion Questions: “ What kind of content would you wanna see on the Patreon?” “Will you be able to handle...

“I’m coming to the cottage.” Whether that line means something to or not, you should pay attention: HEATED RIVALRY is one of the best, if not THE best, new musical playing in New York. Smart, stupid, sexy, sassy, with a load of well crafted musical theater songs, Matt is taken aback by just how much he loves this tiny show than can. Important Links: * Broadway Breakdown Discord: Join the group! *...

The 2025-2026 Broadway season may be over, but there are still lessons to learn as we plunge into the 2026-2027 season. And that’s why we have Sean Nyberg with us! Sean, a longtime fan of the Breakdown, makes his podcast debut to discuss his first season as a producer: what he’s learned, what he’s cherished, and what he and Matt both want listeners to consider as the new Broadway season comes roun...

Matt was gonna take a week off but Michael Paulson decided to write an article. Matt goes into the latest NY Times “Doom and Gloom” piece about the state of Broadway musicals and what it gets right…and what it leaves out. Is the Broadway musical doomed? Or is this a turning point? Matt looks at this past season, the seasons before it, and last week’s grosses to figure out where we go from here. Tu...

Oh boy! We’re back with a good old fashioned Deep Dive. And it just so happens to be on one of the best, most under-appreciated, musicals of all time: SHE LOVES ME ! Matt is joined by Broadway actress Leah Horowitz ( Thoroughly Modern Millie , La Cage Aux Folles, Les Miserables ) to discuss the brilliance and joy of one of the last great Golden Age musicals. Matt and Leah also discuss their person...

It was QUITE the Tony telecast ladies and germs. And Matt is here to discuss it all with a longtime friend and backstabbing assailant John Wascavage! Matt and John get into that immediately legendary opening number, winners they were thankful for, and unaware hypocrisy in the theater community. It’s a ride!!! Guest Information: John Wascavage is an actor, writer and comedian. He’s worked Off-Broad...

It’s finally…almost over. The 79th Annual Tony Awards are in a few days, which means we gotta hunker down and make our FINAL predictions on this year’s winners. Coming back full circle with us is friends of the Breakdown Richie Grasso and Jeff Malone (HALF HOUR w/ JEFF AND RICHIE). Jeff and Richie discuss with Matt personal favorites, what they’d hope to have win and ultimately what they think wil...

Pudding season is almost over. But before we can do final predictions, we need to look back at Tony Awards of the past to make sense of our Tony Awards future. Friend of the pod Robbie Rozelle (@divarobbie) returns to drum up some fun Tony trivia and discuss patterns and evolutions of Tony Award wins. PLUS! A fun interview with the star and co-creator of Blood/Love Carey Renee Sharp! Check it out!...

Matt is joined by longtime theater podcaster Alan Seales for a wide-ranging conversation attempting to make sense of one of the messiest and most unpredictable Tony seasons in recent memory. Together, they unpack how narratives form, why certain shows over-perform while others stall, and what this year’s nominations reveal about the current state of Broadway. From voter psychology to industry hype...

After a full Broadway season of transfers, star vehicles, ambitious new musicals, baffling misfires, and surprise favorites, Matt finally attempts the impossible: ranking (almost) every show from the 2025/2026 season. From major Tony contenders to chaotic curiosities, he revisits what worked, what didn’t, and which productions lingered long after curtain call. Along the way, the episode becomes le...

Matt is joined by passionate theater voices Rachael Anderson and Will Anderson for an immediate, no-filter reaction to the 2026 Tony Award nominations. From expected frontrunners to shocking omissions, the trio breaks down what the nominations reveal about this season’s shifting narratives—and what they might signal for the winners. Important Links * Broadway Breakdown Live: The (Slightly Early) T...

Matt gathers a panel of trusted Tony obsessives for one last, no-holds-barred conversation before nominations: big swings, chaotic predictions, and the kinds of industry narratives that can quietly shape outcomes. Together, they unpack how momentum, perception, and voter psychology are colliding in a particularly unpredictable season—where no category feels fully locked. It’s part strategy session...

Matt dives into The Lost Boys , the musical adaptation of the cult-favorite film. Matt unpacks its dark, teen-vampire energy and how (or if) it succeeds on stage. He explores the show’s tonal balancing act—camp vs. sincerity, nostalgia vs. reinvention—and whether the material sustains itself as a full-fledged musical. Along the way, Matt highlights standout performances and considers where the sho...

Matt takes on two plays operating at very different registers: a revival of August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone and the sharp, contemporary satire The Balusters . One is a richly layered American classic exploring identity, history, and spiritual belonging; the other, a biting ensemble piece dissecting privilege, power, and social performance. Matt unpacks how each production handles tone,...

Matt dives into two wildly different theatrical experiences: The Rocky Horror Show and The Fear of 13 . One leans into camp and audience participation, the other a stark, psychological portrait rooted in real-life events. Matt explores how each production navigates tone, performance demands, and audience engagement—plus whether either has a meaningful path in this year’s Tony Awards race. Importan...

Matt tackles a trio of plays that each grapple—very differently—with intellect, identity, and emotional survival: the revival of Proof , the biting dark comedy Becky Shaw , and the intimate, audience-driven Every Brilliant Thing . From questions of legacy and authorship to razor-sharp social satire and deeply personal storytelling, Matt unpacks what makes each production tick—and where they fall s...