Backstage Babble – Details, episodes & analysis

Today, I’m thrilled to present my interview with star of stage and screen Mario Cantone. Tune in to hear the stories of his legendary stage career, including how a phone call with Joe Mantello led to ASSASSINS, an early audition for TORCH SONG TRILOGY, when he almost co-starred with Pamela Adlon in THE PRISONER OF SECOND AVENUE, why he turned down THE PRODUCERS and THE LION KING, his struggle to find the comedy in THE TEMPEST, how a birthday party performance led to his Broadway solo show LAUGH WHORE, why a good impressionist is like a caricaturist, his friendships with Dorothy Loudon and Fred Ebb during OVER AND OVER, talking about Joan Crawford with Stephen Sondheim, developing BLISS out of town, the audition he walked out of, how AND JUST LIKE THAT has changed his life, and so much more. You won’t want to miss this interview with one of the funniest men in show business.

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with legendary director and choreographer Susan Stroman. Tune in to hear all about her upcoming projects LEFT ON TENTH, ANGEL OF ARKANSAS, and SMASH, as well as some of the stories of her great career, including the lessons she learned from John Kander and Fred Ebb, the choreographic journey of THE MUSIC MAN, why CRAZY FOR YOU felt like it was in her blood, the art of partnering in STEEL PIER, why Hal Prince credits SHOWBOAT for his entire career, staging tryouts from Hunter College to Japan, watching Nathan Lane and Stephen Sondheim collaborate on THE FROGS, how an experience in a club and an offer from Andre Bishop led to CONTACT, finding the structure of NEW YORK, NEW YORK, her collaborations with dance arrangers including Glen Kelly and Peter Howard, the similarities and differences between Mel Brooks and Woody Allen, using visual inspiration for LITTLE DANCER, working on THOU SHALT NOT during 9/11, how research influenced her choreography for OKLAHOMA, the joys and challenges of directing POTUS right after the pandemic, and more. You won’t want to miss this interview with a true master of the American theater.

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with legendary lyricist Susan Birkenhead. Tune in to hear the stories of her great career, including how Shirley Bernstein introduced her to Mary Rodgers, the song of hers that was cut from WORKING, the Patti LaBelle-led project that led to JELLY’S LAST JAM, the show she gets recognized for the most, the hardest role to cast in THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES, how she became involved in BOOP, the lyric that Frank Sinatra loved, how Jule Styne became her mentor, the advice she got from Stephen Sondheim, workshopping the music of Cole Porter with Carolee Carmello, why she ultimately pulled out of FANNY HACKABOUT JONES, the musical she initiated, how she ended up in Lehman Engel’s workshop, adapting MOONSTRUCK, working with Cy Coleman on SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS, and so much more. You won’t want to miss this in-depth conversation with one of theater’s most fascinating figures.

Today, I am so happy to announce Part 2 of my episode with Broadway actress Beth Fowler, star of Sweeney Todd, Beauty and the Beast, The Boy From Oz, and more. Tune in today to hear more of the amazing stories of her career, including what it was like working with Whoopi Goldberg, her New York Times review for Inherit the Wind, the mistake with the revival of Bells are Ringing, her collaboration with Bob Gunton, why Take Me Along shouldn't have come to Broadway, plus anecdotes about Hugh Jackman, Jerry Zaks, Faith Prince, and more. 

Today, I am so happy to announce my interview with two-time Tony Award nominee and television star Beth Fowler. Tune in today to hear some of the stories of her legendary career, including: choosing between two Broadway shows, meeting a real Roosevelt during Teddy and Alice, bonding over Leonard Bernstein with Patricia Routledge, performing the Andrews Sisters’ repertoire with Maxine Andrews, her fantasy Broadway debut, directing for Burt Reynolds, working with Nick Jonas, how she almost didn’t end up on Orange is the New Black, why the New York Times had too much influence, the reason A Little Night Music closed, a compliment from Hal Prince, and so much more. You won’t want to miss this conversation!

Today, I am so honored to announce the release of my newest episode, featuring Broadway and cabaret star Karen Mason. If you want to see Karen’s talents at work, you can buy tickets to her Birdland show, Kander and Ebb and All That Jazz on March 28 at this link:

Birdland Link

And you can find her new album, Let the Music Play, on Spotify and Amazon Music.

In the meantime, tune in here to hear Karen tell some of the stoires of her legendary career, including: her disastrous audition for Sunset Boulevard, why Mamma Mia came along at just the right time, bonding with the cast of Rebecca, her first-day-of-rehearsal tradition, finding her own interpretations of Mama Rose and Norma Desmond, the unusual opening night party for Play Me a Country Song, and why she couldn’t be part of the original Torch Song Trilogy. You won’t want to miss this fun and entertaining conversation with a true legend of the theater.

I am so honored today to announce my episode with one of Broadway’s foremost musical directors adnd author of the new memoir Facing the Music David Loud. The memoir is available here:

Facing the Music

And you can see the Lyrics and Lyricists tribute to him through the ticket link here:

Lyrics and Lyricists

But meanwhile, tune in today to hear him tell some of the stories of his long career, including what Ann Reinking gained from the choreographers she worked with, an askew turntable at Les Miserables, his complicated history with The Secret Garden, why Sondheim is the perfect idol, working with Mike Nichols, his admiration for Burton Lane, delving back into his life to write his memoir, why he decided to retire, and so much more.

Today, I am so excited to announce Backstage Babble’s 100th Episode! I want to send a sincere thank you to everyone who has listened to this podcast: without you, I could never have reached this point. And beyond that, it is thrilling to be able to present my interview with a Broadway icon, Harvey Fierstein. Tune in today to hear some of the stories of his legendary career, including the musical that Warren Beatty pitched to him, the problems he has with the way La Cage Aux Folles is usually staged, hanging out with Marsha P. Johnson, his early days with Andy Warhol at La MaMa, the creation of the global phenomenon that is Torch Song Trilogy, performing Tevye for Sheldon Harnick and Jerry Bock, and more.

And if you want more Harvey, remember to buy his newly published memoir I Was Better Last Night! And Happy 100th!

I am so happy to announce the release of Backstage Babble's 99th episode with Tony-winning musical director and  orchestrator Ted Sperling. In addition to his Broadway career, Ted is also the artistic director of Mastervoices, under whose auspices he will be presenting an all-star concert of Anyone Can Whistle at Carnegie Hall this Thursday, March 10, starring Vanessa Williams and Elizabeth Stanley. It’s a must-see event for all theater fans, and tickets are available here:

Anyone Can Whistle

In the meantime, tune in today to hear Ted tell some of the stories of his illustrious career, including getting his start from Paul Gemignani, his long partnership with Victoria Clark, why he decided to leave Ragtime, the tense environment of Titanic, what it was like casting My Fair Lady, the uniqueness of William Finn, building his own circle of collaborators, the very strange experience of Roza, his collaboration with Stephen Sondheim, why Anyone Can Whistle is relevant today, and so much more.

Today, I am so happy to announce the release of my interview with Broadway choreographer Liza Gennaro, author of the new book Making Broadway Dance, available here: Purchase Making Broadway Dance

Tune in now for an in-depth study of Broadway choreography, including many of the stories of Ms. Gennaro’s long career, including: what she remembers about seeing the original Oliver!, why Smile deserves a second look, assisting her father on the trouble-ridden Threepenny Opera, interviewing Donald Saddler and Gemze De Lappe, collaborating with Lee Theodore on American Dance Machine, being a dance captain at a young age, how she makes musical numbers evolve out of the script, why the revival of Once Upon a Mattress might have been a mistaken endeavor, recreating Jerome Robbins’ choreography, and so much more.