The Fabulous Invalid

This week, Jamie and Rob sit down with self-proclaimed “theater nerd” Ted Chapin, whose knowledge and love of the theater extends well beyond his over 30 year career at The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization, the licensing agency, rental library, and music publishing company that oversees the R&H catalogue, and countless others, including Irving Berlin, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and more. We talk about...

This week, Jennifer, Jamie, and Rob sit down with Broadway veteran Jose Llana at Orso Restaurant. We discuss Jose’s life and 24-year career in the theater, including his marriage, the 2016 election, his roles in The King and I, Flower Drum Song, and On The Town. We also chat about representation on Broadway, having to tell his Filipina mother he was playing dictator Ferdinand Marcos in Here Lies L...

This week, while the ladies are away, Jamie and Rob offer a special “Spring Preview” episode to discuss the upcoming new shows on Broadway, what’s going on in London, Glenn Close, and Jamie’s age. This week’s music: Tracie Bennett singing “I'm Still Here,” Dorothy Collins and John McMartin sing “Don’t Look At Me,” “Tom, Dick or Harry” from Kiss Me, Kate, “Michael in the Bathroom” from Be More Chil...

On this week’s show, we sit down with Mary Testa and Ali Stroker, two of the stars of the upcoming Broadway revival of Oklahoma! We discuss what makes this production of Oklahoma! so unique and the enduring legacy of this magnificent show.   This week’s music: Damon Daunno singing “The Surrey With The Fringe On Top,” Nancy Walker singing “I Can Cook Too,” the Annie “Overture,” music from the “Ball...

This week’s show features our sit down with Heather Hitchens, President and CEO of the American Theatre Wing, and Patrick Pacheco, a journalist and award-winning commentator who served as editor of American Theatre Wing, an Oral History, a beautiful book published last year to celebrate 100 years of The Wing—an organization dedicated to supporting excellence and education in theater. We discuss th...

On this week’s show, we speak with Jacob Dickey, who is currently in the ensemble of Disney’s “Aladdin” on Broadway where he also covers the roles of Aladdin and Kassim. We talk with Jacob about what it is like working on his first Broadway show, covering multiple roles, being in a long run of a show, “Aladdin Camp,” and his love for biscuits. Before that, Rob and Jamie welcome back Leslie Kritzer...

On this week’s show, we speak with Jon Hoche, Danny Miller, and Jacob Williams who are “The Voodoo Team” from King Kong on Broadway. Jon is the voice of Kong, Danny is responsible for Kong’s jaw movement and facial expressions, and Jacob calls the cues and operates Kong’s shoulders, arms, and wrists. Together, they help bring Kong to life on stage eight times a week. They share with us some secret...

On this week’s show, we speak with Broadway star and cabaret legend, Christine Andreas. We discuss Christine’s brilliant fourth solo album, “Piaf: No Regrets,” being haunted by Edith Piaf, and her star turn in My Fair Lady and Oklahoma! to name a few. Jennifer, Rob, and Jamie discuss Skittles™: The Musical and Rob gives us a closer look at Edith Piaf. This week’s music: Christine Andreas singing “...

On this week’s, show we speak with “Dear Evan Hansen” and “The Real O’Neals” star Noah Galvin who is about to appear in MCC’s “Alice by Heart,” a new musical. Noah discusses beginning his career at the age of ten, working in almost every off-Broadway house in New York City, the differences between TV and theater, his newfound love of baking, and the cuisine of Yotam Ottolenghi. Before all of that,...

This week’s show we continue our conversation with "Jersey Boys” and "The Cher Show" book writer Rick Elice. This time we dip back to the late 70’s and early 80’s to discuss New York theater at that time and what it was like being at the start of what became one of the most powerful advertising agencies on Broadway. This week’s music: “A Little Priest” from “Sweeney Todd,” “I Hope I Get It,” “I Ca...

This week’s show is part one of our conversation with "Jersey Boys” and "The Cher Show" book writer Rick Elice. Taped at Orso Restaurant in December, on this episode we dive into Rick’s process for writing “The Cher Show” and his experience working with the one and only Cher. But, before all that, Jamie and Rob discuss the January closings on Broadway and later, with “You May Be Wondering,” Rob of...

This week we chat with Broadway showstopper Bonnie Milligan. We talk to Bonnie about face masks, accents, Netflix, and our shared love of Rachel York. Bonnie tells us about her opening night on Broadway, what she admires about her character, Pamela, in “Head Over Heels”, The Go Go’s, and her journey from cabaret sensation to Broadway. Jamie and Bonnie also geek out over Doris Day. This week’s musi...

‘Tis the season for year-end top ten lists. On this week’s show, Rob and Jamie discuss Rob’s top ten favorite shows from 2018 (plus a few of his honorable mentions) as reviewed on Stage Left. Tweet us your top ten @FabulousInvalid! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode, Jamie, Rob, and Jennifer chat with “Mean Girls” very own Gretchen Wieners, Ashley Park. We talk inclusion, diversity, angel cards, Jennifer and Ashely discuss both playing Tuptim (at different times), how mean the “Mean Girls” really are, and Jamie geeks out on "Tales of the City.” Rob schools Jamie on “The Jimmy Awards and gives us a bit more information on what the top arts coll...

On this episode, Jamie, Rob, and Jennifer chat with actor, author, and activist Eric Ulloa about Muppets and mass gun violence. As we mark the sixth anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting, we discuss “26 Pebbles”, a documentary play Eric created from the voices of the residents of Newton, Connecticut in the aftermath of that tragedy, and the ways in which theatre can inspire acti...

On this episode, Jamie, Rob, and Jennifer chat with Tony Award-winning playwright, librettist, screenwriter, and activist David Henry Hwang. We discuss David’s very early start as a playwright, his complicated relationship with “The King And I” and how the 2016 election changed the course of his newest work, “Soft Power.” David also discusses his role as Chair of the American Theater Wing, his lif...

On this episode, Jamie, Rob and Jennifer chat with actor, writer, director and “theater maker” Arian Moayed. We discuss his short form thriller, “The Accidental Wolf,” playing a wonderful yet terrible character on HBO’s “Succession,” the obstacles we all face day to day, making a nonprofit from scratch, and the incredible work his company, Waterwell, is doing every day. Jennifer, Jamie, and Rob ha...

This week, we’re coming to you from Orso Restaurant! Rob and Jamie (Jennifer is busy on stage) discuss London theater and sit down with Tony Award-winning designer and architect David Rockwell. David discusses getting his start and how he prepares for designing his shows, which include “Hairspray,” “She Loves Me,” “Tootsie,” “Kiss Me Kate” and “The Rocky Horror Show.” Rob digs a little deeper into...

On this episode, Jamie, Rob and Jennifer chat with Jackie Hoffman about offending everyone, neurosis, Ambien vs. Unisom, Fiddler on the Roof, and that Jessica Lange is a very nice lady. Rob gives a look into the wonderful character actress, Molly Picon. This week’s music: Molly Picon singing, “Do You Love Me” from a London studio cast recording of Fiddler On The Roof where she plays Golde. Two exc...

On this episode Rob and Jamie chat with legendary theatre, dance, and opera lighting designer Natasha Katz, whose roster of over 60 Broadway credits include Tony Award-winning designs for “Aida”, “The Coast of Utopia”, “Once”, “The Glass Menagerie”, “An American in Paris”, and “Long Day’s Journey Into Night”. A New York native and American Theatre Wing Trustee, Natasha is joining us on her dinner...

On this week’s show, we talk with two time Olivier Award winner and Tony Award nominee Tracie Bennett. Tracie is best known for her roles in the West End stage at Velma Von Tussle in “Hairspray,” Laura Henderson in “Mrs. Henderson Presents,” and Carlotta Campion in “Follies.” Tracie discusses playing Judy Garland, working with Stephen Sondheim, training to be a stunt woman, getting her start on th...

On this episode, we chat with actress and playwright Jocelyn Bioh, whose play, “School Girls, Or the African Mean Girls Play”, is currently running off-Broadway. We discuss her brilliant play, colorism, taking chances, working the “Shrek” lottery, and reality television. Rob, Jamie and Jennifer discuss hugs (not Jamie’s favorite thing), making art, revivals and death (a podcast favorite). Rob give...

On this week’s show we talk to legendary theater photographer Joan Marcus about what production photography means today, her favorite photos and just how tough it is to get those iconic shots. Jamie, Rob and Jennifer also discuss "My Favorite Murder," twice, the lack of musical revivals this season, confess a few sins, and give a special shout-out to our very own Leslie Kritzer. Learn more about y...

Coming to you live from Orso restaurant, we talk to the incredible Marsha Mason about Neil Simon, organic farming, race car driving, dancing with Clint Eastwood and how she saved A Chorus Line (seriously). Join us while we eat some great food, chat with Marsha, learn about Joe Allen, bitch about the Kavanaugh confirmation and Jamie confesses his creepy obsession with Upper West Side filming locati...

Rob & Jamie hop down to Arlington, Virginia to talk to Eric Schaeffer and Maggie Boland about running a theater, career choices and Audra McDonald.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices