Monkeys and Playbills

As part of our "Ones that Got Away" series, Paul and Jill head back in time - twice - with 2016’s Bright Star! This bluegrass blend of Broadway and banjo comes courtesy of Steve Martin (yeah, that Steve Martin) and Edie Brickell. The show was directed by Walter Bobbie and stars Paul’s new favourite person Carmen Cusack. Paul and Jill decide to set awhile and ask themselves: how would one do a Brig...

Paul, Jill, and Julie travel back in time to the height of the Cold War with 1988’s Chess! This first foray into musical theatre is brought to us by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus of ABBA and Mamma Mia! fame. Bringing the show to life are Judy Kuhn and David Carroll with direction by Trevor Nunn. It’s power suits. It’s brick-sized cell phones. It’s Russia vs. America. It’s a game played by old...

Paul and Jill take a trip down ol’ Central America way for Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville! This jukebox, palm-frond basking joy ride stars Paul Nolan and Alison Luff, was directed by Christopher Ashley, and features music from the chief Parrothead himself. Paul and Jill mix themselves a batch of the titular beverage and find themselves wondering: what does musical theatre have against fl...

Paul, Jill, and special guest Katie German migrate their way down to Treegap, New Hampshire for 2016’s Tuck Everlasting! Based on the novel of the same name, this musical retelling features music by Chris Miller and Nathan Tysen, was directed by Casey Nicholaw, and stars Sarah Charles Lewis as Winnie. We also get an unexpected bonus appearance of our flaming red fave, Carolee Carmello! Some readin...

Paul and Jill travel to Topeka, Kansas for this half-Mennonite, all-Sherie Rene Scott musical: Everyday Rapture ! This self-described semi-star takes the stage directed by Michael Mayer with music arrangements by Tom Kitt and book co-written with Dick Scanlan. Paul and Jill find themselves perplexed, asking such questions as: Is Mr. Rogers sexy? Is it a bad idea to cast young upstarts to might ups...

This episode of Monkeys and Playbills has everything. Our favourite sci-fi princess. A literal Greek chorus. An absurd amount of tailors. Burgess Meredith. Meta-musicals. And, of course, our first-ever episode with an actual monkey. (Ape. Gorilla. Whatever.) We’re back with another exciting episode of Revive or Die! This week, Paul and Jill take a look at three more musicals from days gone by, inc...

Paul and Jill are joined this week by special guest Hal Wesley Rogers to take on 2010’s The Scottsboro Boys! This tour-de-force of real-life events was directed by Susan Stroman, with music by legendary team Kander and Ebb (Chicago, Cabaret). This troupe stars Winnipegger-turned-Broadway performer Joshua Henry as Haywood Patterson, and features just… just some incredible performances. Paul, Jill,...

Pirates. Irish dancing. Queen Elizabeth I. Recorders. MOM?! This week, Paul and Jill examine the multi-million dollar flop that is Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil’s The Pirate Queen. This swashbuckling Irish epic stars Stephanie J. Block as Gráinne/Grace O'Malley, with music by the Les Mis duo themselves, all directed by Frank Galati. Our adventurous, sea-faring team asks deep, soulful q...

It’s a triple-bill this week on Monkeys and Playbills! We’re taking on three underperforming musicals from days gone by: Galt MacDermot’s Dude ; Charles Strouse’s Bring Back Birdie ; and Bud Freeman’s Beg, Borrow or Steal ! (Is Producer Daphne really annoyed about the lack of an Oxford comma? Yes. Yes she is.) With three times the amount of shows to work with, Paul and Jill are swamped with questi...

Paul, Jill, and special guest Stephanie Sy take on 1970’s schlock and awe with 2016’s Disaster! (exclamation mark!) This send-up of seventies’ disaster movies was directed by Jack Plotnick, written by Seth Rudetsky, and starring anyone who’s ever been to the Tonys. Today’s trifecta of terrible titillation demand answers to important questions like: does Adam Pascal need a nap and some warm tea? We...

Paul and Jill take on the rootin’, tootin’-est couple in history: Frank Wildhorn’s Bonnie and Clyde! This semi-historically accurate love story stars Laura Osnes and Jeremy Jordan as the titular star-crossed lovers, with direction by Jeff Calhoun and music by Frank Wildhorn. At gunpoint, Jill and Paul ask the big questions, like what was the tank top budget for this show? Should it be Clyde and Bo...

Join Paul and Jill on their leap into Alan Menken’s 2012 reimagining of the Steve Martin classic! This original revival features music by the Duke of Disney himself, Alan Menken, starring Raul Esparza and directed by Christopher Ashley. This week, Paul and Jill ask themselves: why did Alan Menken work so hard to scrub this show from the internet? Is Brooke Shields doing okay? And can we see Raul f...

Did everyone enjoy their intermission? Get some wrapped candies? Hob-nob by the bar? Make after-show plans? Delightful. We’re back with Part II of our take on 1998’s Parade with special guest Elliot Lazar! You already know this from last week, but the show was directed by Hal Prince with music by Jason Robert Brown and starring Brent Carver. Big questions for this week include: is it too late to r...

Paul and Jill sit down with star of stage and other stage Elliot Lazar to discuss 1998’s Parade! This based-on-true-events tour de force was directed by theatre’s daddy Hal Prince with music by theatre wunderkind Jason Robert Brown and starring Canadian icon Brent Carver. Big questions for this week include: why can’t every show have a big-ass tree? Could this have been the next Les Mis ? And what...

Paul and Jill are heading to Whoville in this week’s exploration of Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch Musical! This television adaption of the 2006 musical was directed by Max Webster (stage) and Julia Knowles (film) with music by Mel Marvin and starring Glee ’s Matthew Morrison as the titular triple-decker toadstool and sauerkraut sandwich. Burning questions for this height of television history include: can...

This week, we’re travelling to Innerspace with special guest Ryan Segal! This interstellar spectacle, this cosmic composition, this show about comic book characters in space, was written by Stuart Ross and Barry Keating, directed by Larry Carpenter, and stars Liz Larsen and Sharon McKnight. It’s also our first-ever Best Musical nom at the Tonys! This astral adventure begs questions like: when will...

We’re gonna make like Burger King and get into a whopper with this week’s musical: Big Fish! (Are we allowed to say that? Don’t sue us.) Big Fish was directed by Susan Stroman, written by John August, music by Andrew Lippa, and starring Norbert Leo Butz. Big questions for Big Fish include: was that really two guys on each other’s shoulders? When is Danny Elfman going to compose a musical? And wher...

Monkeys and Playbills heads to the circus in this week’s episode on Side Show: directed and choreographed by Robert Longbottom and co-starring friend of the podcast, Alice Ripley. We ask the big questions about the big top, like why is this show such a sausage fest? Whatever happened to Robert Longbottom? And why does Paul like seizure-inducing light shows so much? If you have a show you’d like us...

Up next in our inaugural Halloween Spooktacular, we’re taking a look at 2006’s Lestat: directed by Robert Jess Roth; musical staging by Matt West; and with music by Elton John. Talking points for this episode include: was that a wig or real hair? Why are Jill’s cats so precocious? And how did no one say “it sucked” despite the low-hanging fruit being like, right there? If you have a show you’d lik...

This week, Paul and Jillian examine 2016's American Psycho : directed by Rupert Goold, choreographed by Lynne Page, and starring Benjamin Walker. Talking points for this episode include: when is it acceptable to do Thriller arms onstage? How much stage blood is too much stage blood? And how good is "Hip to Be Square"? If you have a show you'd like us to cover, you can get in touch with us at @monk...

Hello and welcome to the first-ever episode of Monkeys and Playbills: the show where hosts Paul De Gurse and Jillian Willems take a look at Broadway musicals that had fewer than 100 performances before closing. First up: 2017’s Amelie , directed by Pam McKinnon, musical staging and choreography by Sam Pinkleton, and starring Phillipa Soo. Paul and Jillian ask the big questions about the show, like...