Half Hour with Jeff & Richie (Post-Show Broadway Discussions and Interviews)

In this episode of Half Hour, we discuss Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody, now playing Off-Broadway at The Club in New York City. Inspired by the hockey romance series and TV adaptation, the show uses a fast-moving parody format, a small cast, and a sharp comic structure to tell a story that works best for audiences familiar with the source material. We talk about the plot, the “Sus...

In this episode of “Half Hour”, we take a closer look at the 2026 Encores! production of La Cage aux Folles, now playing at New York City Center. Starring Billy Porter as Albin and Wayne Brady as Georges, this revival offers a contemporary take on a landmark musical. We break down the show’s origins and cultural impact, then dive into the current production’s direction, design, and overall concept...

In this episode of Half Hour, we go category by category through the 2026 Tony Awards, sharing our predictions for who will take home the top honors in the musical races. From Best Musical to acting, direction, and design, we break down each category and discuss the nominees, including Schmigadoon!, The Lost Boys, Titanique, Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York, and Cats: The Jellicle Ball....

In this episode of Half Hour, we go through the 2026 Tony Awards category by category, sharing our predictions for who will win in each category. We cover Best Play, Best Revival, acting categories, and design, discussing nominees including Liberation, Giant, and The Balusters, along with other productions shaping this season. The episode highlights key performances and creative teams while lookin...

In this episode of Half Hour, we discuss the 2026 Broadway revival of The Rocky Horror Show, now playing at Studio 54. Directed and choreographed by Sam Pinkleton and starring Luke Evans as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, the production revisits the cult classic with a renewed focus on theatricality, audience interaction, and design. We take a deeper dive into how this revival balances its original countercul...

In this episode of Half Hour, we discuss the Broadway production of The Balusters, now playing at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. Written by David Lindsay-Abaire and directed by Kenny Leon, the play centers on a neighborhood association navigating questions of safety, preservation, and community identity. We take a deeper dive into the play’s structure, themes, and staging, breaking down how a see...

In this episode of Half Hour, we take a closer look at Roundabout Theatre Company’s 2026 Broadway revival of Fallen Angels at the Todd Haimes Theatre. Written by Noël Coward and directed by Scott Ellis, the production stars Rose Byrne and Kelli O’Hara as two women revisiting a shared past over the course of one increasingly chaotic afternoon. We break down the play’s structure, its farcical pacing...

In this episode of Half Hour, we discuss the Broadway production of Giant, now playing at the Music Box Theatre. Written by Mark Rosenblatt and directed by Nicholas Hytner, the play centers on a pivotal chapter in the life of Roald Dahl, examining the tension between artistic legacy and personal controversy. We take a deeper dive into the play’s structure and focus, breaking down how its contained...

In this episode of Half Hour with Jeff & Richie, we discuss the Broadway production of Beaches, now playing at the Majestic Theatre. Based on the iconic film and novel, the musical adaptation stars Jessica Vosk and Kelly Barrett as lifelong friends CC Bloom and Hillary Whitney, navigating decades of friendship through joy and heartbreak. We examine Vosk's performance and her Tony potential, analyz...

In this episode of Half Hour with Jeff & Richie, we discuss the Broadway production of The Lost Boys, now playing at the Palace Theatre. Directed by two-time Tony Award winner Michael Arden, the musical adaptation of the 1987 Warner Bros. film stars three-time Tony Award nominee Shoshana Bean as Lucy, alongside a cast navigating themes of family, belonging, and teenage vampires in Santa Carla. We...

In this episode of Half Hour, we analyze the Broadway production of Schmigadoon! now playing at the Nederlander Theatre. We break down the show’s transition from Apple TV+ series to stage, its blend of parody and homage to Golden Age musicals, and the work of Christopher Gattelli’s direction and choreography. We discuss standout performances from Alex Brightman, Sara Chase, Ana Gasteyer, McKenzie...

In this episode, we dig into the 2026 Broadway revival of August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, now playing at the Barrymore Theatre. We unpack how the play’s boardinghouse setting, character-driven structure, and themes of home, history, and spiritual connection come through in this production. We also look at how the staging uses levels, windows, and movement to frame the characters’ journ...

In this episode of Half Hour, we take a deeper dive into the Broadway production of Dog Day Afternoon at the August Wilson Theatre. We walk through the true crime story behind the show, how the Oscar-winning film was adapted for the stage, and what shifts when a sweaty Brooklyn bank robbery plays out live in front of an audience. We break down the overall production, including Stephen Adly Guirgis...

In this episode of Half Hour, we take a deeper dive into the 2026 Broadway revival of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman at the Winter Garden Theatre. We walk through the production’s take on the American Dream, the pressure to succeed, and how those themes land in 2026. We break down Joe Mantello’s direction, including the spare, symbolic staging, the recurring car motif, and the way the product...

In this episode of “Half Hour”, we take a closer look at the 2026 Broadway revival of David Auburn’s Proof at the Booth Theatre, starring Ayo Edebiri and Don Cheadle in their Broadway debuts. We walk through the play’s structure and plot, considering how this production navigates questions of genius, trust, and mental health within a family still reckoning with loss. We break down Thomas Kail’s di...

In this episode of Half Hour, we take a deeper dive into the Broadway production of The Fear of 13 at the James Earl Jones Theatre, written by Lindsey Ferrentino and directed by David Cromer. We break down how the original documentary has been reshaped into a theatrical experience, and what is gained when Nick Yarris’s story of wrongful conviction and years on death row is told live onstage. We ta...

In this episode of Half Hour, we take a closer look at the 2026 Broadway production of Titaníque at the St. James Theatre, the Céline Dion-fueled parody of Titanic that has sailed uptown after its celebrated Off-Broadway run. We break down how the show’s journey from a downtown cult favorite to a commercial Broadway production affects the storytelling, the humor, and the overall energy in a larger...

In this episode of Half Hour, we dive into the 2026 Broadway revival of Becky Shaw by Gina Gionfriddo, now playing at the Hayes Theater. Directed by Tripp Coleman with design by David Zinn, the production stars Lauren Patten, Alden Ehrenreich, Madeline Brewer, Patrick Ball, and Linda Emond. The conversation explores the play’s blend of comedy and drama, its sharp look at modern relationships, and...

In this episode of Half Hour, we sit down with Sam Tutty, currently starring in Two Strangers (Carry A Cake Across New York) on Broadway. We talk about how he first found his way into the industry and what it has meant to build a career across London and New York. Our conversation digs into what it has been like to perform in Two Strangers from the earliest days of the show through its current New...

In this episode of Half Hour, we sit down with Hannah Cruz, currently starring in Chess at the Imperial Theatre. Cruz shares how she first found her way into performing, offers a look behind the scenes of this renowned musical’s latest revival, and reflects on her work in The Connector and Suffs. The discussion also touches on her upcoming role in the film adaptation of Merrily We Roll Along and h...

In this episode of Half Hour, we discuss Cats: The Jellicle Ball, now running at the Broadhurst Theatre. Blending ballroom culture with Broadway tradition, this reimagined production turns a theatrical classic into a full-scale celebration of movement, identity, and joy. We dive into what makes this version feel alive… from the creative team’s concept to standout cast performances and the vibrant...

In this episode of Half Hour, we take a deeper dive into the New York City Center Encores! production of Michael John LaChiusa and George C. Wolfe’s The Wild Party, based on the 1928 narrative poem by Joseph Moncure March. We discuss the show’s plot and concept, explore the source material, and consider how this Wild Party differs from the better-known Andrew Lippa version. They then review overal...

In this episode of “Half Hour”, we discuss Bigfoot! The Musical, now playing Off-Broadway at New York City Center – Stage I. Set in the town of Muddirt, this new musical comedy follows an eight-foot-tall outcast caught in small-town paranoia, corrupt politics, and ‘80s nostalgia. We break down the book, music, and lyrics by Amber Ruffin, Kevin Sciretta, and David Schmoll, and talk about how the sh...

In this episode of “Half Hour”, we examine Blue Moon, the Richard Linklater film profiling lyricist Lorenz Hart on the night Oklahoma! opens without him. Ethan Hawke leads as the troubled Hart, alongside Margaret Qualley, Bobby Cannavale, and Andrew Scott as Rodgers, capturing a pivotal moment in musical theater history. Our discussion covers the screenplay's blend of fact and reflection, Rodgers...

In this episode of “Half Hour”, we take a closer look at the Off-Broadway world premiere of Chinese Republicans by Alex Lin at Roundabout Theatre Company’s Laura Pels Theatre, directed by Chay Yew. We break down the play’s high-pressure corporate setting, its shifting tone between sharp humor and harsh workplace realities, and how the structure frames an intergenerational story of ambition and ass...