BROADWAY NATION

My guest this week is author Maya Cantu who joins me to discuss her new book, Greasepaint Puritan — Boston to 42nd Street in the Queer Backstage Novels of Bradford Ropes. In this book Maya reclaims the life and work of Bradford Ropes, the author of the naughty, bawdy, gaudy, sporty, and very gay novel, 42nd Street, on which both the classic film and stage adaptation are based. That’s just the first of his three long-forgotten novels that include Stage Mother and Go Into Your Dance, all of which were inspired by Rope’s own experiences as a performer, and all three of which give us a chance to go backstage on Broadway during the 1920s and experience the lives of gay men in show business. As you will hear Maya Cantu has done a miraculous job of uncovering all of this Cantu is a dramaturg and interdisciplinary scholar who teaches on the Drama Faculty of Bennington College. She is also the author of American Cinderella on the Broadway Musical Stage: Imagining the Working Gril from “Irene” to “Gypsy”. Become a PATRON of Broadway Nation! I want to thank our Broadway Nation Patron Club members, such as our newest member Cheryl Hodges-Selden whose generous support helps to make it possible for me to bring this podcast to you each week. If you would like to support the creation of Broadway Nation, here is the information about how you too can become a patron. For just $7.00 a month, you will receive exclusive access to never-before-heard, unedited versions ofmany of the discussions that I have with my guests —in fact I often record nearly twice as much conversation as ends up in the edited versions.You will also have access to additional in-depth conversations with my frequent co-host Albert Evans that have not been featured on the podcast. All patrons receive special “on-air” shout-outs and acknowledgment of your vital support of this podcast. And if you are very enthusiastic about Broadway Nation there are additional PATRON levels that come with even more benefits. If you would like to support the work of Broadway Nation and receive these exclusive member benefits, please just click on this link: https://broadwaynationpodcast.supercast.tech/ Thank you in advance for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a special encore episode of Broadway Nation. 1970s Broadway experienced another blast from the past with the return of the Black Musical.More than a dozen hit black musicals opened during the decade, and three of them won the Tony Award for BEST MUSICAL. About half of these were new, original musical plays – mostly adaptations of popular plays or novels. All of them employed a combination ofrhythm & blues, pop, rock, jazz and traditional Broadway style music to help tell their stories. The other half were musical revues that showcased the classic songs of the great black songwriters of the 1920s, 30s and 40s.These shows represented a significant black wing of the ongoing Nostalgia Craze. Please join me as I explore the musical plays PURLIE, RAISIN, and THE WIZ,; the gospel musicals DON’T BOTHER ME I CAN’T COPE, AND YOUR ARMS TOO SHORT TO BOX WITH GOD.; and the songbook revues BUBBLING BROWN SUGAR, AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’, EUBIE!, SOPHISTICATED LADIES, and BLACK AND BLUE. Become a PATRON of Broadway Nation! I want to thank our Broadway Nation Patron Club members, such as our newest member Cheryl Hodges-Selden whose generous support helps to make it possible for me to bring this podcast to you each week. If you would like to support the creation of Broadway Nation, here is the information about how you too can become a patron. For just $7.00 a month, you will receive exclusive access to never-before-heard, unedited versions ofmany of the discussions that I have with my guests —in fact I often record nearly twice as much conversation as ends up in the edited versions.You will also have access to additional in-depth conversations with my frequent co-host Albert Evans that have not been featured on the podcast. All patrons receive special “on-air” shout-outs and acknowledgment of your vital support of this podcast. And if you are very enthusiastic about Broadway Nation there are additional PATRON levels that come with even more benefits. If you would like to support the work of Broadway Nation and receive these exclusive member benefits, please just click on this link: https://broadwaynationpodcast.supercast.tech/ Thank you in advance for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest today is the prolific and award-winning book writer and lyricist Stephen Cole who joins me today to talk about his new novel: Mary & Ethel…and Mikey Who? I found it to be a terrific book, both wildly funny and very moving. And as you will hear, at times it feels like Stephen wrote this novel especially for me, and for the fans of this podcast. Stephen Cole is an award-winning musical theatre writer whose shows have been produced from New York City to London to the Middle East and Australia. His off-Broadway musical with Matthew Ward, AFTER THE FAIR, was nominated for the Outer Critic's Circle Award for Best Musical and was subsequently produced in London to great acclaim.THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER won the prestigious Edward Kleban Award and was produced in New York City, Dallas, and San Francisco, where it was nominated for several Bay Area Theatre Awards. The award-winning 1998 concept CD features Ron Raines, Sally Mayes, and Dorothy Loudon. SATURDAY NIGHT AT GROSSINGER'S has had successful runs in Texas (starring Gavin MacLeod), Los Angeles, and Florida. Broadway legend Chita Rivera toured in CASPER, and Hal Linden and Dee Hoty starred in the world premiere of his musical adaptation of DODSWORTH.In 2005, Stephen was commissioned to write ASPIRE, the first American musical to premiere in the Middle East. This experience resulted in another musical about the creation of that show entitled THE ROAD TO QATAR!, produced to rave reviews and awards Off-Broadway, in London, and at the Edinburgh Festival, garnering a Best Musical nomination. Among his other produced shows are ROCK ODYSSEY, which played to hundreds of thousands of kids for ten seasons of productions at the Adrienne Arscht Center in Miami, and MERMAN'S APPRENTICE, presented in concert at Birdland in New York City, followed by an all-star cast album on Jay Records, and an acclaimed premiere production in Sonoma, CA in 2019. Stephen's latest critically acclaimed musical is GOIN' HOLLYWOOD.Stephen's published books include That Book About That Girl and I Could Have Sung All Night, the Marni Nixon story, currently in development as a feature film from Amazon. Stephen has also written several published stories and his real-life friendships with Ethel Merman and Mary Martin resulted in this, his first novel. Visit www.stephencolewriter.org. Become a PATRON of Broadway Nation! I want to thank our Broadway Nation Patron Club members, such as Geoffrey Block and Larry Spinelli, whose generous support helps to make it possible for me to bring this podcast to you each week. If you would like to support the creation of Broadway Nation, here is the information about how you too can become a patron. For just $7.00 a month, you will receive exclusive access to never-before-heard, unedited versions ofmany of the discussions that I have with my guests —in fact I often record nearly twice as much conversation as ends up in the edited versions.You will also have access to additional in-depth conversations with my frequent co-host Albert Evans that have not been featured on the podcast. All patrons receive special “on-air” shout-outs and acknowledgment of your vital support of this podcast. And if you are very enthusiastic about Broadway Nation there are additional PATRON levels that come with even more benefits. If you would like to support the work of Broadway Nation and receive these exclusive member benefits, please just click on this link: https://broadwaynationpodcast.supercast.tech/ Thank you in advance for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest today is theatrical animal trainer Bill Berloni. Beginning with the original production of ANNIE in 1977, Bill has provided and trained animals of all species and sizes for 27 Broadway musicals and plays, as well as for countless Off-Broadway shows, National Tours, regional theaters, movies, television shows, commercials and the NYC Ballet – and he found almost all of those animal actors in shelters, humane societies and rescue leagues. His awards include a 2011 Tony Honor for “Excellence in the Theater”, a 2014 Outer Critics Circle Award for “Special Achievement”, and a 2017 Drama League Award for “Unique Contribution to the Theatre” all in acknowledgment of an incredible Broadway career that has included two revivals of Annie, The Woman In White, Gypsy, Legally Blonde, The Lt of Inishmore, A Christmas Story, and The Ferryman. Bill recently released a third edition of his book, Broadway Tails: Heartfelt Stories Of Rescued Dogs Who Became Show Biz Superstars.I have to say it’s a surprisingly affecting book, and I was not expecting to be tearing up as many times as I did when I was reading the new edition in preparation for this podcast. Broadway Nation is written and produced by me – David Armstrong. I invite you to follow Broadway Nation on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram – where you can find out more about my guests and episodes and interact with a large and lively community of Broadway fans. Become a PATRON of Broadway Nation! I want to thank our Broadway Nation Patron Club members, such as John Schroeder and Alan Brodie whose generous support helps to make it possible for me to bring this podcast to you each week. If you would like to support the creation of Broadway Nation, here is the information about how you too can become a patron. For just $7.00 a month, you will receive exclusive access to never-before-heard, unedited versions ofmany of the discussions that I have with my guests —in fact I often record nearly twice as much conversation as ends up in the edited versions.You will also have access to additional in-depth conversations with my frequent co-host Albert Evans that have not been featured on the podcast. All patrons receive special “on-air” shout-outs and acknowledgment of your vital support of this podcast. And if you are very enthusiastic about Broadway Nation there are additional PATRON levels that come with even more benefits. If you would like to support the work of Broadway Nation and receive these exclusive member benefits, please just click on this link: https://broadwaynationpodcast.supercast.tech/ Thank you in advance for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest this week is Ted Chapin whose captivating 2003 book Everything Was Possible: The Birth of the Musical “Follies,” has recently been reissued in a revised and updated edition. As you may know, this book is based on Ted’s first-hand experience as the production assistant on the original Broadway production of the Stephen Sondheim, Hal Prince, & James Goldman landmark musical Follies. Of course, the expression, “I just couldn’t put that book down” is a cliché – but in this case, it has been absolutely true – twice!-- both when I read this book when it was originally released, and again just a few weeks ago when I had the great pleasure of diving into it all over again. On last week’s episode, Peter Filichia, talked about wanting to be able to go back in time and be a “fly on the wall” to witness the inner workings of legendary musicals as they were being put together. Ted’s book allows all of us to do exactly that.This book makes you feel as it you are right there in the thick of it during Follies' rehearsal period in New York, and in Boston during its out-of-town tryout’s many trials and tribulations. For 40 years Ted served as the President of The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization a role that he was personally chosen by the Rodgers and Hammerstein families to take on.On his watch, there were eight Tony Award-winning Best Revivals of musicals in the R&H catalog -- On Your Toes, Carousel, Show Boat, Annie Get Your Gun, South Pacific, The King And I – twice! – and Oklahoma! He also supervised major R&H productions In London, on television, and around the world. And Ted is the co-founder of the acclaimed City Center Encores! series, and he currently serves on the boards of City Center, The Kurt Weil Foundation, and the American Theatre Wing. It is always a delight to speak with him – especially regarding his one-of-a-kind experience of being in the rooms where Follies happened.  Become a PATRON of Broadway Nation! I want to thank our Broadway Nation Patron Club members, such as John Schroeder and Alan Brodie whose generous support helps to make it possible for me to bring this podcast to you each week. If you would like to support the creation of Broadway Nation, here is the information about how you too can become a patron. For a just $7.00 a month you will receive exclusive access to never-before-heard, unedited versions ofmany of the discussions that I have with my guests —in fact I often record nearly twice as much conversation as ends up in the edited versions.You will also have access to additional in-depth conversations with my frequent co-host Albert Evans that have not been featured on the podcast. All patrons receive special “on-air” shout-outs and acknowledgement of your vital support of this podcast. And if you are very enthusiastic about Broadway Nation there are additional PATRON levels that come with even more benefits. If you would like to support the work of Broadway Nation and receive these exclusive member benefits, please just click on this link: https://broadwaynationpodcast.supercast.tech/ Thank you in advance for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is the second half of my conversation with author Liza Gennaro, whose fascinating book is titled: Making Broadway Dance. If you missed part one you may want to catch up on that episode before listening to this one. Liza is currently the Dean of Musical Theater at the Manhattan School of Music and she also has had a very active and successful career as a dancer and choreographer.Interestingly, she is closely related to this subject matter of her book because her father was the Tony Award winning choreographer and star dancer, Peter Gennaro.He is profiled in the book as well as in this episode. By the end of Part 1, we had made it to the late 1940s when Agnes de Mille was dominating the field of Broadway choreography. Between 1943 and 1945, De Mille had four hits in a row – Oklahoma!, One Touch of Venus, Bloomer Girl, and Carousel – and three of them choreographed in her signature “Americana” style.This unprecedented string of successes made her the most powerful choreographer in the commercial theater, and soon led to her becoming the first director-choreographer of the “Golden Age” with Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Allegro. De Mille’s most significant contribution to the Broadway Musical was breaking the mold of the traditional Broadway chorus girl by insisting on hiring actor/dancers who could fully embody the characters that they were playing. This new approach to Broadway dance, and this new kind of Broadway dancer, would be adopted by everyone who followed in her footsteps – especially Jerome Robbins – who years later would write, “Agnes broke the conception of what the Broadway dancer could be in the Broadway Musical.What they looked like, what was desired of them, and what their contribution to the show was.” And, as you will hear, Robbins took that idea and ran with it, just as De Mille’s “Americana” style was starting to lose its luster. That’s just the beginning Later in the episode Liza and I discuss Michael Kidd, Bob Fosse, Gower Champion, Michael Bennett, Graciela Daniele, Susan Stroman, Kathleen Marshall, Bill T. Jones, Stephen Hoggett, Lorin Latarro, Kelly Devine, Sergio Trujillo, Jerry Mitchell and more! Become a PATRON of Broadway Nation! I want to thank our Broadway Nation Patron Club members, such as John Schroeder and Alan Brodie whose generous support helps to make it possible for me to bring this podcast to you each week. If you would like to support the creation of Broadway Nation, here is the information about how you too can become a patron. For a just $7.00 a month you will receive exclusive access to never-before-heard, unedited versions ofmany of the discussions that I have with my guests —in fact I often record nearly twice as much conversation as ends up in the edited versions.You will also have access to additional in-depth conversations with my frequent co-host Albert Evans that have not been featured on the podcast. All patrons receive special “on-air” shout-outs and acknowledgement of your vital support of this podcast. And if you are very enthusiastic about Broadway Nation there are additional PATRON levels that come with even more benefits. If you would like to support the work of Broadway Nation and receive these exclusive member benefits, please just click on this link: https://broadwaynationpodcast.supercast.tech/ Thank you in advance for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is the first half of my recent conversation with author Liza Gennaro, whose fascinating new book is titled: Making Broadway Dance. Liza is currently the Dean of Musical Theater at the Manhattan School of Music and prior to that she had a very active and successful career as a dancer and choreographer on Broadway and with prominent theater companies across the country.Most notably she choreographed the hit Broadway revival of Frank Loessor’s The Most Happy Fella. As she writes in the introduction to her book, Liza came to her love and interest in musical theater dance genetically.Her father was Peter Gennaro, the Tony Award winning choreographer and star dancer of Broadway musicals and TV variety shows.And her mother, Jean Gennaro, was a ballerina turned Broadway dancer who danced for Bronislava Nijinska, Agnes De Mille, and Michael Kidd. As you might imagine, Liza grew up immersed in the world of Broadway, and all manner of dance, and she is able to weave all of that life experience into this remarkable book.I can’t think of anyone more uniquely qualified to write it. Appropriately for the final day of Women’s History Month, this episode focuses largely on two great female choreographers -- Katherine Dunham and Agnes de Mille.I have stated that De Mille is arguably the most important woman in the history of Broadway musical – not including the star performers, of course – and she has received quite a bit of focus in previous episodes of this podcast.However, I am especially happy today to shine a spotlight on Katherine Dunham whose influence on Broadway dance – like that of many other black artists – has often been overlooked and undervalued.But her impact and significance cannot be denied. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why are the great Musicals so unforgettable? Why do musicals have so much power and impact? How is it that they are able to live in our hearts and memories for a lifetime? Musicals are experiences that get embedded in our psyche. We remember them forever -- vividly and in often in great and specific detail. And they get embedded in our emotional and physical memory as well.Our bodies and nervous systems recall how we felt when we experienced them years, even lifetimes later. In this Season One finale Episode Albert Evans and I tell our own stories of when, how, and why we fell in love with Broadway Musicals and suggest why this happens to so many of us. Become a PATRON of Broadway Nation! I want to thank our Broadway Nation Patron Club members, such as John Schroeder and Alan Brodie whose generous support helps to make it possible for me to bring this podcast to you each week. If you would like to support the creation of Broadway Nation, here is the information about how you too can become a patron. For a just $7.00 a month you will receive exclusive access to never-before-heard, unedited versions ofmany of the discussions that I have with my guests —in fact I often record nearly twice as much conversation as ends up in the edited versions.You will also have access to additional in-depth conversations with my frequent co-host Albert Evans that have not been featured on the podcast. All patrons receive special “on-air” shout-outs and acknowledgement of your vital support of this podcast. And if you are very enthusiastic about Broadway Nation there are additional PATRON levels that come with even more benefits. If you would like to support the work of Broadway Nation and receive these exclusive member benefits, please just click on this link: https://broadwaynationpodcast.supercast.tech/ Thank you in advance for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is the second of two special holiday bonus episodes of Broadway Nation.Just like the first, this is an audio version of a Broadway Nation Live! performance that was given in Decemberof 2019 at the Vashon Center For The Performing Arts on Vashon Island, WA.If you prefer to watch a video of this performance you can stream it on their website at: vashoncenterforthearts.org In Part One we looked at how the Jewish-Russian immigrant songwriter, Irving Berlin -- in addition to being one of the prime inventors of the Broadway Musical -- also created an entirely new category of popular song: “the Christmas Standard”.In this episode we explore how Berlin was aided and abetted in that endeavor by the son of Irish and German immigrants from Washington State who became one of the most popular performers of all time -- Bing Crosby.Along with Judy Garland I call Bing one of Broadway’s greatest stars who never appeared on Broadway. But first, we start off with Albert Evans’ amazing in-depth analysis of the genius of Irving Berlin, and the inspiration and craft that is behind the most popular song of all time.As you will remember the last episode ended with me introducing Albert and asking him this question: “Why? Why, is White Christmas the most popular song of all time?”You won’t want to miss his answer! This live show features musical performances by Cayman Ilika, Eric Ankrim, Chris DiStefano, and Albert Evans.Happy New Year! Become a PATRON of Broadway Nation! I want to thank our Broadway Nation Patron Club members, such as Larry Spinelli, whose generous support helps to make it possible for me to bring this podcast to you each week. If you would like to support the creation of Broadway Nation, here is the information about how you too can become a patron. For a just $7.00 a month you will receive exclusive access to never-before-heard, unedited versions ofmany of the discussions that I have with my guests —in fact I often record nearly twice as much conversation as ends up in the edited versions.You will also have access to additional in-depth conversations with my frequent co-host Albert Evans that have not been featured on the podcast. All patrons receive special “on-air” shout-outs and acknowledgement of your vital support of this podcast. And if you are very enthusiastic about Broadway Nation there are additional PATRON levels that come with even more benefits. If you would like to support the work of Broadway Nation and receive these exclusive member benefits, please just click on this link: https://broadwaynationpodcast.supercast.tech/ Thank you in advance for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a special holiday reprise of one of Broadway Nation's most popular episodes: It's an audio version of a Broadway Nation Live! performancethat was presented in December of 2019 at the Vashon Center For The Performing Arts on Vashon Island just outside of Seattle, WA. Several previous episodes of Broadway Nation have explored the crucial role that the Jewish Russian immigrant songwriter, Irving Berlin, played in the invention of the Broadway Musical.This time I share the story of how he also invented an entirely new category of popular song – the Christmas standard. This live show features musical performances by Cayman Ilika, Eric Ankrim, Chris DiStefano, and Albert Evans. Happy Holidays! Become a PATRON of Broadway Nation! I want to thank our Broadway Nation Patron Club members, such as Larry Spinelli, whose generous support helps to make it possible for me to bring this podcast to you each week. If you would like to support the creation of Broadway Nation, here is the information about how you too can become a patron. For a just $7.00 a month you will receive exclusive access to never-before-heard, unedited versions ofmany of the discussions that I have with my guests —in fact I often record nearly twice as much conversation as ends up in the edited versions.You will also have access to additional in-depth conversations with my frequent co-host Albert Evans that have not been featured on the podcast. All patrons receive special “on-air” shout-outs and acknowledgement of your vital support of this podcast. And if you are very enthusiastic about Broadway Nation there are additional PATRON levels that come with even more benefits. If you would like to support the work of Broadway Nation and receive these exclusive member benefits, please just click on this link: https://broadwaynationpodcast.supercast.tech/ Thank you in advance for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices