BROADWAY NATION

This is the seventh and final episode in my series of conversations with author OLIVER SODEN regarding his recent book: MASQUERADE: THE LIVES OF NOEL COWARD This week we explore the final chapters of both Coward's life and this brilliant biography. Remarkably, during the final decade of his life Coward wrote the book, music & lyrics for two Broadway musicals — SAIL AWAY (starring Elaine Stritch) and THE GIRL WHO CAME TO SUPPER (Starring Jose Ferer & Florence Henderson), and directed HIGH SPIRITS (with book, music & lyrics by Hugh Martin & Timothy Gray and starring Tammy Grimes & Beatrice Lillie) which was based on Coward's play Blithe Spirit. At the same time he enjoyed an extraordinary revival of his status as a playwright of including landmark productions of PRIVATE LIVES and HAY FEVER as the first play by a living author to be presented at the National Theatre, and culminating in a remarkable trio of new plays under the title of SUITE IN THREE KEYS that he wrote and starred in. And I feel certain that you will find Soden's account of Coward's final public appearance, with Marlene Dietrich on his arm, at a special performance of the hit off-Broadway revue Oh, Coward! to be very moving. Become a PATRON of Broadway Nation! I want to thank our Broadway Nation Patron Club members, such as Mark Stanton, 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 week marks the 124th birthday Noel Coward who was born on December 16, 1899, just in time to become, without a doubt, one of the most remarkable figures of the 20th Century. And yes, his parents named him Noel because his birth came so close to Christmas! So it couldn’t be more appropriate that today’s episode is the sixth in series of discussions with Oliver Soden, the author of the truly remarkable new book, Masquerade — The Lives of Noel Coward. 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

My guest again this week is Oliver Soden whose recent book is titled Masquerade – The Lives of Noel Coward. I am devoting more episodes to this book than I have to any previous books, but I found the writing and research to be so exceptional, and this conversation with Soden to be so captivating that I don’t want you to miss any of it. Today Oliver and I focus on a very difficult period in Noel Coward’s career when his was seen to be seriously out of step with the theatrical world of post-war Britain. However, in his personal life during this same time he meets the man who will become his life partner, Graham Payn. If you missed the previous episode in this series you may want to catch up with those before listening to this one. 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 the fourth part of my interview with Oliver Soden author of the truly extraordinary new book MASQUERADE — THE LIVES OF NOEL COWARD. In this episode we discuss Noel Coward’s life and career during the late 1930s including his amazingly provocative play DESIGN FOR LIVING and the bisexual love triangle at the center of it, as well as dazzling series of nine one act plays and musicals that make up TONIGHT AT 8:30 in which Coward and Gertrude Lawrence played a dazzling array of characters, and Oliver especially focusses on the surrealistic SHADOW PLAY. Then Soden recounts Cowards secret and dangerous activities during the Second World War working as a spy for the British government — much of which he has uncovered and revealed in his book for the very first time. During this incredibly active period Coward also created the plays PRESENT LAUGHTER and BLYTHE SPIRIT and the classic films IN WHICH WE SERVE and BRIEF ENCOUNTER. If you missed the first three episodes you may want to catch up with those before embarking on this one. Oliver Sodon is a writer and broadcaster whose previous books include the critically acclaimed 2019 biography of composer Michael Tippett. Oliver’s writing on art, music and literature has appeared in the Guardian, Spectator, London Review of Books, and the Times Literary supplement, and he is a frequent guest speaker on BBC radio and television broadcasts. Coward was without a doubt one of the most remarkable figures of the 20th Century and as you will hear Oliver and I had a great time talking about him. And it will be my pleasure to share that conversation with you over the next several episodes. Critics have hailed this book and Oliver Soden as “Brilliant,” “Excellent,” “Illuminating,” Captivating,” “Definitive,” “fresh and original…a brilliant young writer,” “and emerging literary star.”  Become a PATRON of Broadway Nation! This episode is made possible in part through the generous support of our Patron Club members. If you would like to help support the work of Broadway Nation I will information at the end of the podcast about how you too can become a Patron. If you are a fan ofBroadway Nation, I invite you too to 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 third part of my interview with Oliver Soden author of the truly extraordinary new book MASQUERADE — THE LIVES OF NOEL COWARD. In this episode we discuss Noel Coward’s life and career during the 1930s including what has become his most produced play Private Lives, his spectacular patriotic anti-war pageant Cavalcade, and his final musical revue, Words And Music (which was titled Set To Music on Broadway.) And most especially his relationship with the great Gertrude Lawrence. If you missed the first two episodes you may want to catch up with those before embarking on this one. Oliver Sodon is a writer and broadcaster whose previous books include the critically acclaimed 2019 biography of composer Michael Tippett. Oliver’s writing on art, music and literature has appeared in the Guardian, Spectator, London Review of Books, and the Times Literary supplement, and he is a frequent guest speaker on BBC radio and television broadcasts. Noel Coward was without a doubt one of the most remarkable figures of the 20th Century and as you will hear Oliver and I had a great time talking about him. And it will be my pleasure to share that conversation with you over the next several episodes.  Become a PATRON of Broadway Nation! This episode is made possible in part through the generous support of our Patron Club members. If you would like to help support the work of Broadway Nation I will information at the end of the podcast about how you too can become a Patron. If you are a fan ofBroadway Nation, I invite you too to 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

Hello Broadway Nation listeners! This week for the first time in more than 126 episodes some unforeseen technical complications have reared their ugly heads and those, on top of the tech rehearsals for the upcoming production of White Christmas that I am co-directing at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre, and some important deadlines for my upcoming book, have all come together and kept me from posting a new episode of this podcast as planned. This is especially frustrating to me because we are in the middle of what I think is a fantastic series of episodes about Oliver Soden’s new biography of Noel Coward which I promise we will get back to as soon as possible! In the meantime, here is another of my favorite episodes Gypsy vs The Sound Of Music in The Golden Age Of Broadway which I thought would be appropriate since the The Sound Of Music opened on November 16, 1959, 63 years ago this week. Enjoy! The 1950s were crowned by four legendary musicals that went head to head for the “Best Musical” prize at the TONY Awards.In the last episode we looked at the 1958 contest of West Side Story vs. The Music Man,. In this episode I focus on the 1959–1960 which brought us Gypsy vs. The Sound Of Music.And you could subtitle this episode Ethel Merman vs. Mary Martin! Spoiler alert:There was a tie for the Best Musical Tony Award that season, but if you don’t already know the story, it probably didn’t end up the way you think it would have. As with the previous pair, there are still Broadway mavens that remain outraged over which show won, and which musical was in their view unjustly denied its rightful award! And in addition to Merman and Martin, the giants of Broadway that are figure significantly in this episode include: David Merrick, Leland Hayward,, July Styne, Stephen Sondheim, Arthur Laurents, Jerome Robbins, Joe Layton and, of course, Rodgers & Hammerstein, WARNING:: There are a few historically correct curse words used in this episode. You know how theater people are! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a special encore episode of Broadway Nation. In light of the recent revisal of Rodgers & Hart's musical comedy Pal Joey at New York's City Center I thought it would be interesting to revisit one of my favorite episodes. I’ll be back next week with the third part of my conversation with Oliver Soden regarding his amazing new biography of Noel Coward. In the meantime please enjoy Pal Joey and the Silver Age of Broadway, part 2: During the 1930s Broadway was severely impacted by the economic disaster of the "Great Depression". However, somehow out of all that hardship and struggle came an extraordinary period of artistic achievement and spectacular continuing development for the Broadway Musical. The inventors of these shows included several new and defining masters of the musical, as well as many of the bright lights of the 1920’s, who now achieved their full wattage in the 1930’s. Among these were Dietz & Schwartz., Lindsay & Crouse, Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hart, The Gershwins, and George "Mr" Abbott. Become a PATRON of Broadway Nation! This episode is made possible in part through the generous support of our Patron Club members! If you would like to help support the work of Broadway Nation I will information at the end of the podcast about how you too can become a Patron. If you are a fan ofBroadway Nation, I invite you too to 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

My guest again this week is Oliver Soden, author of the amazing new biography: Masquerade — The Lives of Noel Coward. Today in the second part of our conversation Oliver relates how Noel Coward, while still in his early 20s,emerged as one of the signature voices of the 1920s, both in London and on Broadway. If you missed part one of our conversation you may want to catch up with that before listening to this one. Oliver Sodon is a writer and broadcaster whose previous books include the critically acclaimed 2019 biography of composer Michael Tippett. Oliver’s writing on art, music and literature has appeared in the Guardian, Spectator, London Review of Books, and the Times Literary supplement, and he is a frequent guest speaker on BBC radio and television broadcasts. Coward was without a doubt one of the most remarkable figures of the 20th Century and as you will hear Oliver and I had a great time talking about him. And it will be my pleasure to share that conversation with you over the next several episodes. Become a PATRON of Broadway Nation! This episode is made possible in part through the generous support of our Patron Club members! If you would like to help support the work of Broadway Nation I will information at the end of the podcast about how you too can become a Patron. If you are a fan ofBroadway Nation, I invite you too to 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

My guest this week is OLIVER SODEN, the author of a truly remarkable new book: Masquerade — The Lives of Noel Coward. As frequent listeners to this podcast may remember, as a teenager growing up in Cincinnati, Ohio, I developed an unlikely affinity for all things related to Noel Coward, inspired I am sure by that double record cast recording of the 1972 musical revue, Oh, Coward! — an album that I still love listening to. And from then on I was hooked! So this book is right in my wheelhouse! This is the first biography of Coward in nearly thirty years and it is a spectacular achievement — incredibly thorough and brilliantly researched. Perhaps most remarkably, as the title would indicate, Oliver Soden is able to encompass all of the many lives of Noel Coward — including his multiple careers as actor, singer, dancer, playwright, lyricist, composer, director, media celebrity, screenwriter, film director, and night club entertainer, as well as his hair-raising espionage career during World War II and his personal life, and romantic gay relationships which, of course, had to be kept secret at the time. But because of Soden’s exclusive and unrestricted access to Coward’s unpublished diaries and correspondence they are revealed here in more detail than ever before. And I was especially happy that this book gives equal weight to Coward’s musicals, revues, and songs as it does to his brilliant plays. Oliver Sodon is a writer and broadcaster whose previous books include the critically acclaimed 2019 biography of composer Michael Tippett. Oliver’s writing on art, music and literature has appeared in the Guardian, Spectator, London Review of Books, and the Times Literary Supplement, and he is a frequent guest speaker on BBC radio and television broadcasts. Noel Coward was without a doubt one of the most remarkable figures of the 20th Century, and as you will hear over the next several episodes, Oliver Soden and I had a great time discussing Coward and this extraordinary new biography.  Become a PATRON of Broadway Nation! This episode is made possible in part through the generous support of our Patron Club members. If you would like to help support the work of Broadway Nation I will information at the end of the podcast about how you too can become a Patron. If you are a fan ofBroadway Nation, I invite you too to 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

I am thrilled to announce that today’s episode is a Broadway Nation take over! Since I am currently wearing a number of hats including returning to Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre to co-direct Irving Berlin’s White Christmas (which started rehearsals this week), AND working on deadline for my upcoming book (also titled Broadway Nation) but still in the midst of all that firmly committed to keeping new episodes of this podcast rolling out on a regular basis — this week I asked my frequent co-Host and audience favorite, ALBERT EVANS to take over the podcast and talk about any musical theater topic of his choice. And I couldn’t be happier that he selected: “Pastiche Musicals.” Many, many, musicals contain "pastiche songs" — new compositions that are designed to evoke or mimic song styles from the past.Stephen Sondheim, is a genius at these, and may be the most famous and adept creator of them. He loves writing pastiche andevery Sondheim show includes at least one example. In Follies, of course, half the score is pastiche! Albert talks a bit about those, but his main focus in on musicals in which the entire show — book, music & lyrics — is pastiche. Most especially, the West End and Broadway hit, The Boyfriend, and the long running off-Broadway sensations Little Mary Sunshine, and Dames At Sea. All three of these musicals are tuneful, hilarious, and extremely gay — in every sense of that word! And with Albert as your guide I know that you will have a wonderful time discovering or reinvigorating your own passion for pastiche!  Become a PATRON of Broadway Nation! This episode is made possible in part through the generous support of our Patron Club members including one of our newest members: Lois Hunter. If you would like to help support the work of Broadway Nation I will information at the end of the podcast about how you too can become a Patron. If you are a fan ofBroadway Nation, I invite you too to 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