Backstage Babble

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with Pulitzer Prize finalist Amy Herzog. Tune in to hear some of the stories of her legendary career, including writing about her grandmother in 4000 MILES, why AFTER THE REVOLUTION was a bigger play than she usually writes, how Ibsen inspired her play BELLEVILLE, the complexities of telling her own story MARY JANE, what Carrie Coon and Rachel McAdams b...

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with two-time Tony winner Stephen Spinella, who is currently starring in Jerome at Playwrights Horizons. Tune in to hear some of the stories of his legendary career, including a transcendent experience onstage in ANGELS IN AMERICA, how he first met Tony Kushner, finding the gay subtext in OUR TOWN, his seven-year run in HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD...

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with Tony nominee Elizabeth Stanley, who will be starring in the newly announced production of Disruption. Tune in to hear some of the stories of her legendary career, including John Rando’s mantra for ON THE TOWN, the unique vibe of MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, what Stephen Sondheim changed about “You Could Drive A Person Crazy” in COMPANY, memories of Mark...

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with Tony nominee Jeremy Shamos, who will be starring in the newly announced revival of Awake and Sing. Tune in to hear some of the stories of his legendary career, including the experience of starring in the controversial CORPUS CHRISTI, experimenting with comedy with Steve Martin during METEOR SHOWER, being Tony nominated for CLYBOURNE PARK, participa...

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with legendary playwright Sarah Ruhl. Tune in to hear some of the stories of her legendary career, including her experience breaking the fourth wall in EURYDICE, telling her own story in LETTERS FROM MAX, watching the audience response to IN THE NEXT ROOM, teaching at the Yale School of Drama, addressing addiction in BECKY NURSE OF SALEM, exploring Virg...

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with Tony nominee Michael Hayden. Tune in to hear some of the stories of his legendary career, including the real questions asked by CAROUSEL, finding his singing voice for the role, why he decided to leave CABARET, getting advice from Edward Albee during THE LADY FROM DUBUQUE, playing two roles in ALL MY SONS, what Stephen Sondheim told him during MERR...

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with Tony winner Deirdre O’Connell, who is currently starring in Romeo and Juliet at Shakespeare in the Park. Tune in to hear some of the stories of her legendary career, including the intensive process of learning DANA H, her harrowing Broadway debut in THE FRONT PAGE, what she learned from Geraldine Page on AGNES OF GOD, doing research for MAGIC/BIRD,...

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with veteran actress Patricia Conolly, who has appeared in over 30 Broadway shows. Tune in to hear some of the stories of her legendary career, including acting with Laurence Olivier in THE BROKEN HEART, a note Tom Stoppard gave her during THE COAST OF UTOPIA, playing for Lauren Bacall in WAITING IN THE WINGS, understanding her part in THE HEIRESS, a my...

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with Broadway director and choreographer Danny Mefford, whose productions of SPELLING BEE and BIGFOOT are currently playing off-Broadway. Tune in to hear some of the stories of his legendary career, including identifying the central arc in SPELLING BEE, his journey with staging THE SOUND OF MUSIC, the secret to the success of DEAR EVAN HANSEN, being con...

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with three-time Tony nominee Linda Emond, who is currently starring in BECKY SHAW. Tune in to hear some of the stories of her legendary career, including her winding road to her Broadway debut in 1776, working with Mike Nichols and Philip Seymour Hoffman on DEATH OF A SALESMAN, why she initially said no to CABARET, having a role written for her in IHO,...

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with visionary director Sam Gold. Tune in to hear some of the stories of his legendary career, including how Alan Rickman got him his Broadway directing debut with SEMINAR, acting as a college student in THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK, adapting a graphic novel to the stage with FUN HOME, his approach to revivals, staging Shakespeare after the pandemic, his vis...

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with two-time Tony nominee Daphne Rubin-Vega, who is currently starring in THE ADDING MACHINE at The New Group. Tune in to hear some of the stories of her legendary career, including the relevance of Elmer Rice’s play, gaining early stardom with RENT, identifying with Magenta in THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, working with Philip Seymour Hoffman on JACK GOES BOA...

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with Tony-nominated composer, lyricist, and librettist Laurence O’Keefe, author of the musical HEATHERS, which is currently playing at New World Stages. Tune in to hear some of the stories of his legendary career, including developing BAT BOY at the Actors’ Gang, revising the show for productions at Harvard and Encores!, deconstructing the title song of...

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with Tony-nominated writer and director Tina Landau. Tune in to hear some of the stories of her legendary career, including conceiving the SPONGEBOB musical, how she decided to bring in multiple pop artists to write the score, meeting Adam Guettel at Yale, developing REDWOOD with Idina Menzel, how the concept for that musical evolved, how that show refl...

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with star of stage and screen Jonathan Cake, who is currently starring in DEATH OF A SALESMAN. Tune in to hear some of the stories of his legendary career, including his collaboration with Fiona Shaw on MEDEA, touring as a young actor with the National Youth Theater, how he first encountered DEATH OF A SALESMAN, bringing Tennessee Williams’ BABY DOLL to...

Today, I’m thrilled to announce two Backstage Babble shorts: conversations with legendary artists that, for whatever reason, didn’t last as long as full episodes. For this special episode, it is an honor to welcome producer and theater owner Rocco Landesman, and Tony winner Tony Shalhoub, who is currently starring in Antigone (This Play I Read in High School) at the Public Theater. Don’t miss thes...

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with Tony nominee Micaela Diamond. Tune in to hear some of the stories of her legendary career, including finding her voice in PARADE, acting opposite Ben Platt, what she learned from her debut in THE CHER SHOW, researching Cher’s life and career, learning from Stephanie J. Block and Teal Wicks, getting notes from Ethan Coen in A PLAY IS A POEM, buildin...

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with veteran actress Elizabeth Marvel, who is currently starring in THE DINOSAURS at Playwrights Horizons. Tune in to hear some of the stories of her legendary career, including her unlikely beginnings, how Michael Langham gave her her Broadway debut in THE SEAGULL, performing the controversial revival of JULIUS CAESAR in the Park, why she wants to form...

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with Broadway veteran Sean Allan Krill, who is currently starring in CHESS. Tune in to hear some of the stories of his legendary career, including developing JAGGED LITTLE PILL from the ART to Broadway, the show’s two unexpected closings, the key to unlocking his role in CHESS, researching the role of Governor Slaton in PARADE, following Harry Connick,...

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with Tony-winning director Julie Taymor. Tune in to hear some of the stories of her legendary career, including the visual motif of circles in THE LION KING, adapting the plot of the film, exploring artifice in THE TEMPEST on stage and on screen, working with Kathryn Hunter on A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, practicing mask work in auditions, how studying my...

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with Tony-winning playwright Itamar Moses. Tune in to hear some of the stories of his legendary career, including making changes to THE ALLY, the radio-play aspects of DEAD OUTLAW, his collaboration with David Cromer, why HAMILTON deserved its Best Book Tony award, adapting THE BAND’S VISIT for the stage, moving the show to Broadway, how “Omar Sharif” s...

Today, I’m thrilled to announce a very special 2025 wrap-up episode of Backstage Babble. 25 former guests, including legendary actors, writers, and directors, returned to the show to share three top theater memories from the last 25 years, and the result is a collection of never-before-heard anecdotes and thrilling insights. This episode features, in alphabetical order:   Betsy Aidem Beowulf Borit...

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with Oscar-nominated stage and screen director Rob Marshall. Tune in to hear some of the stories of his legendary career, including rehearsing with Renee Zellweger for the film of CHICAGO, pitching his adaptation of the script to Miramax, putting his own stamp on DAMN YANKEES, teaching Blake Edwards about directing theater during VICTOR/VICTORIA, how Le...

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with Broadway veteran Annie McGreevey. Tune in to hear some of the stories of her wonderful career, including a memorable note from Bob Fosse during SWEET CHARITY, standing by for Ethel Merman in CALL ME MADAM, the joy of working with John Kenley, singing for Hal Prince at her COMPANY audition, talking to Stephen Sondheim about “Another Hundred People,”...

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with four-time Tony winning director Jerry Zaks. Tune in to hear some of the stories of his wonderful career, including creating a three-part comedic bit in A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, helping Swoosie Kurtz find her character in THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES, his upcoming work on BOEING-BOEING, an audacious early audition, revising ANYTHI...