Explore every episode of the podcast Broadway Press Day with Ruthie Fierberg

The Isabelle Stevenson Award from the Tony Awards recognizes a member of the theater community who has volunteered their time to humanitarian, social service or charitable efforts. This year’s recipient is Mary-Mitchell Campbell. Campbell is an acclaimed conductor, music director, orchestrator, composer and arranger. She is currently the music director of New York City Center’s Encores! series.

Campbell is also a philanthropist, humanitarian and the founder of the nonprofit ArtsIgnite. Here, she tells us about her organization and the inspiration behind her fusion of arts and giving back.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre were established to recognize individuals and organizations that have demonstrated extraordinary achievement but are not eligible for established competitive Tony Award categories. The 1/52 Project, founded by Tony-winning designer Beowulf Boritt, received an honor this year. The organization calls on designers (and industry professionals) to donate a fraction of their earnings to provide grants to up-and-coming designers.

Here, Boritt and former grant recipient Stefania Bulbarella tell us about the 1/52 Project, its mission and this honor.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

In addition to naming nominees who will compete in 26 categories, each the Tony Awards also names a select few recipients of the Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre. Production manager Jake Bell is one of the 2026 honorees.

But what is a production manager? Jake enlightens us and shares some memories from his decades in the business here.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

“Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)” is a story about a Brit and a New Yorker. The musical began in the U.K. before transferring to the United States. It follows, then, that its producing team is also a mix of pros from the U.K. and the U.S.

Here, producers Tim Johanson, Gareth Lake of Glass Half Full Productions and Kevin McCollum share why they invested in the original musical and how they’re attracting audiences to Broadway’s Longacre Theatre.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Get more info about “Two Strangers” here.

Lighting designer Stacey Derosier first designed for Broadway in 2025 with “The Last Five Years.” One year later, Derosier has been nominated for a Tony Award for the lighting design of “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone.”

Here, Derosier breaks down the challenges of lighting this revival, the inspiration behind it and more.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Get more info about “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” here.

Producer Eva Price has previously won three Tony Awards: for co-producing Best Musical winner “Dear Evan Hansen,” co-producing Best Revival of a Play winner “Angels in America” and lead-producing Best Revival of a Musical winner “Oklahoma!” Now, Price is double-nominated for lead-producing Best Play nominee “Liberation” and Best Musical nominee “Titaníque.”

Below, Price describes how she didn’t expect to produce either show, what won her over to each and what it takes to produce on Broadway in 2026.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Read more about “Liberation ” and “Titaníque.”

Designer Jen Schriever has created the lighting for 15 Broadway shows. She’s previously received Tony Award nominations for 2022’s “A Strange Loop” and 2023’s “Death of a Salesman.” So, as director and Schriever’s co-lighting designer Michael Arden likes to say, Schriever didn’t need a co-designer. Yet, she agreed to a partnership with Arden for the massive musical “The Lost Boys,” the show for which Schriever has received her third Tony nomination and Arden has received his first as a lighting designer.

In two interviews (combined here), Arden and Schriever discuss their impressive design, their complementary partnership and more.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Get more info about “The Lost Boys” here.

An acclaimed British actor, Mark Strong has only been on Broadway twice. Yet he surely knows how to make an impact — as both his 2015 performance as Eddie Carbone in “A View From the Bridge” and his 2025 performance in the title role of “Oedipus” earned him Tony Award nominations.

Here, Strong discusses building a contemporary Oedipus, crafting his relationship with co-star Lesley Manville and missing the stage.

Producing partners and married couple Brian and Dayna Lee made their Broadway debuts as co-producers of the 2018 revival of “Angels in America,” garnered their first Tony Award for producing. The two then co-produced the 2024 revival of “Cabaret,” earning another Tony nod. Now, they have earned their Main Stem lead-producing debuts, shepherding “Giant” to the Rialto and receiving their first Tony nomination as lead producers.

Below, the Lees discuss what it takes to produce on Broadway in 2026 as well as their strategy for marketing a play that tackles present-day issues and high emotions.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Read more about “Giant” here.

Tim Jackson made his Broadway debut in 2023 as the choreographer of that year’s revival of “Merrily We Roll Along.” Just two years later, Jackson made his Main Stem directorial debut with “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York),” which is up for eight Tony Awards — including one for Jackson for Best Direction of a Musical.

Jackson actually began as the dramaturg for the musical and was taken by, as he said, the fresh characters, the fun of the story, witty songs and fizzy and playful music. Jackson then led the team in creating a new world that could match everything the material called for, as he explains below.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Get more info about “Two Strangers” here.

Actor Brandon Uranowitz has been nominated for five Tony Awards. First, he was recognized for his turn in “An American in Paris,” then for the 2017 revival of “Falsettos,” the 2019 revival of “Burn This” and “Leopoldstadt.” Uranowitz clinched the win for the latter production for his dual roles as Nathan/Ludwig. Today, he is a 2026 Tony nominee for his performance as Tateh in “Ragtime.”

Here, Uranowitz shares the personal meaning in playing all of these characters and the ways in which Tateh can be distinguished from them all.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Get more info about “Ragtime” here.

Justin Ellington made his Broadway debut as a sound designer in 2021 with the play “Pass Over.” He earned his first Tony Award nomination for his sound design of the 2022 revival of “for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf.” Now, he’s racked up his third nomination — for the sound design of the current revival of “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone.”

Below, Ellington recalls how he started his career as a sound designer, how he manages to amplify actors without sounding artificial and more.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Get more info about “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” here.

Chris Hoch and David Hornsby have actually known each other since high school, when they competed against each other in drama tournaments. Now, the pair are on the same side as they compete to win a Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical for “The Lost Boys.”

Hoch and Hornsby are first-time musical writers and first-time Tony nominees. In this episode, the duo share details behind crafting grounded characters amid a fantasy world and the lessons they learned while penning their inaugural musical.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Get more info about “The Lost Boys” here.

Playwright David Lindsay-Abaire made his Broadway debut with “Rabbit Hole” in 2006. The play was Tony Award-nominated for Best Play and went on to win the Pulitzer Prize.

This year, Lindsay-Abaire is nominated for Best Play for the world-premiere production of “The Balusters.” Here, the playwright reveals his process for writing 10 characters with a variety of backgrounds and his strategy for finding the comedy in sensitive territory.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Get more info about “The Balusters” here.

Actor Sam Tutty made his Broadway debut this past fall, originating the role of Dougal Todd in “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York).” A London-based actor, Tutty won the Olivier Award in 2020 for his performance as Evan in “Dear Evan Hansen.” Now, Tutty has received his first Tony Award nomination.

In this episode, the actor talks about developing his golden retriever-like character to be a nuanced, relatable (if excitable) young man. Plus, he reveals the most challenging part of the two-hander musical.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Get more info about “Two Strangers” here.

As one of two principal design directors with 59 Studio, Ben Pearcy has contributed projection and video design to such shows as “Flying Over Sunset” and “Stranger Things: The First Shadow.” This season, Pearcy has earned a Tony Award nomination for his work on the Lincoln Center Theater revival of “Ragtime.”

In this episode, Pearcy explains the difference between lighting, projection and video design and how he and his co-nominees manipulated each discipline to evoke the heart of the musical.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Get more info about “Ragtime” here.

Co-directors Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch teamed up for the first time to revive “Cats” as “Cats: The Jellicle Ball.” Both are accomplished directors. Levingston is an Obie Award winner and made his Broadway directorial debut with “Chicken & Biscuits.” Rauch has shepherded large ensemble plays like “All the Way” and “The Great Society” to the Main Stem.

Both are now first-time Tony Award nominees for their direction of “Cats: The Jellicle Ball.” Here, they express their pride in the musical, their collaboration and their ability to translate the magic of the show’s downtown premiere to Broadway.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Get more info about “Cats” here.

Of the three plays Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC) produced on Broadway in the 2025-2026 season, all received Tony Award nominations.

The nonprofit institution is headed by artistic director Nicki Hunter and executive director Chris Jennings. The two spoke to Broadway News about the art of crafting a balanced season as well as the overall health of Broadway.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Choreographer Ellenore Scott staged two musicals this season, earning her first Tony Award nomination for her choreography of “Ragtime.” The revival was only her fourth Broadway production as choreographer.

In the below episode, Scott talks about her conceit behind specific sequences in the musical by Terrence McNally, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Get more info about “Ragtime” here.

“Schmigadoon!” is a giant serving of good ol’ musical theater, and it took a strong team of producers to bring the show, which premiered as a musical television series, to Broadway. The producing team is led by Lorne Michaels, No Guarantees Productions, Micah Frank and Caroline Maroney.

Below, Megan O’Keefe, president and chief operating office of No Guarantees, along with Frank spoke to Broadway News about bringing the show to Broadway. They shared insights about their awareness campaign, casting the musical with Main Stem triple threats rather than mainstream celebrity talent and more.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Get more info about “Schmigadoon!” here.

Orchestrator Mike Morris made his Broadway debut just a few weeks ago with the Main Stem premiere of “Schmigadoon!” And now, Morris is a 2026 Tony Award nominee for Best Orchestrations alongside co-orchestrator Doug Besterman.

Here, Morris explains on behalf of himself and his creative partner the unique and often hidden challenges — from choosing the instruments in the orchestra to designating the specific way those instruments would be played — of orchestrating this big heaping of a Broadway musical.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Find more about “Schmigadoon!” here.

Bryce Pinkham wasn’t initially trained as a musical theater actor. Pinkham studied at the Yale School of Drama and expected he’d build a career performing in straight plays. Well, Broadway had other plans. Pinkham made his Broadway name in musicals, especiall with his Tony Award-nominated turn in “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder.”

This season, Pinkham brings more musical theater acumen to the role of the Arbiter in the revival of “Chess.” Below, the actor explains his familial connection to the musical, his specific take on the Arbiter and more.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Get more info about “Chess” here.

Scenic designer and architect David Rockwell designed his 36th Broadway show this season: “Fallen Angels.” His concept for the revival of Noël Coward’s farce has earned Rockwell his seventh Tony Award nomination. Of all the sets Rockwell has designed, he told Broadway News that “Fallen Angels” was the most challenging — making the nomination all the sweeter.

Here, Rockwell describes the calculated research he conducted to create the 1920s Art Deco set, and he points out the feminine-inspired architectural details for this female-driven comedy.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Sound designer Walter Trarbach made his Broadway debut as the associate sound designer for 2004’s “700 Sundays.” His first lead design credit was 2007’s “Cymbeline,” and his first Tony Award nomination was for 2017’s “SpongeBob SquarePants.” It’s worth noting that the categories for Best Sound Design have been in and out of contention for Tony Awards during the years of Trarbach’s career.

Here, Trarbach reveals the techniques he used to make the “Schmigadoon!” orchestra sound larger than it is, to pay homage to the Golden Age of musicals and to let the music and sound of “Schmigadoon!” soar.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Learn more about “Schmigadoon!” here.

Brandon J. Dirden has been acting on Broadway for almost 20 years, and this season he has earned his first Tony Award nomination. Dirden was recognized for his performance as Pozzo in “Waiting for Godot.”

In this episode, Dirden discusses his process of crafting this bombastic character in the Samuel Beckett classic.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Get more info about “Waiting for Godot” here.

Scenic designer Rachel Hauck made her Broadway debut with “Latin History for Morons” in 2017. Since then, Hauck has designed the sets for six more Broadway shows and has earned Tony Award nominations for four of them, including this year for “Cats: The Jellicle Ball.”

Here, Hauck describes how she translated her initial concept for the musical’s downtown premiere to its new Broadway home.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Learn more about the reimagining of “Cats” from its co-directors here.

Find out about the unique casting process for “Cats” here.

Actor Caissie Levy made her Broadway debut replacing as Penny Pingleton in “Hairspray.” Twenty years later, Levy has been nominated for her first Tony Award for her turn as Mother in “Ragtime.”

In the below episode, Levy shares the personal resonance of this role, the ways in which it has stretched her as a performer and more.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Get more info about “Ragtime” here.

Brian Usifer has been rising on the music side of Broadway for more than a decade — from associate music supervisor to music supervisor, from conductor to orchestrator. For the current revival of “Chess,” Usifer served as music supervisor and also wrote arrangements and new orchestrations. Now, Usifer is a 2026 Tony Award nominee for Best Orchestrations.

In this episode, Usifer describes what it took to preserve the original 1980s tone of the score for a contemporary audience.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Get more info about “Chess” here.

Ali Louis Bourzgui made his Broadway debut as the titular character in the 2024 revival of “The Who’s Tommy.” This year, Bourzgui originated the role of the vampire David in the musical adaptation of “The Lost Boys.”

Here, the actor explains how he crafted the character, how he has maintained the physicality of his performance and what “Lost Boys” item he wants to auction for Broadway Cares.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Learn much more about “The Lost Boys” here.

Aya Cash originated the role of Jessie Stone in “Giant” in the West End. This season, she has reprised the role on Broadway, marking her Broadway debut. Her performance has also garnered the actor her first Tony Award nomination.

In this episode, Cash discusses going head to head with scene partner John Lithgow, building her character and starring in a drama about current events.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Learn more about “Giant” here.

Scenic designer David Korins made his Broadway debut 20 years ago with 2006’s “Bridge & Tunnel.” Since then, Korins has conceived the sets for 29 more shows. He’s earned Tony Award nominations for his scenic designs for “Hamilton,” “War Paint,” “Beetlejuice,” “Hear Lies Love” and now “Dog Day Afternoon.”

Here, Korins describes the engineering behind “Dog Day”’s giant set, the resourcefulness in crafting the 1970s era and more.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Get more info about “Dog Day Afternoon” here.

Best known for her seven seasons as a cast member of “Saturday Night Live,” actor Rachel Dratch is also making an impression on Broadway. Having been nominated for a Tony Award in 2022, Dratch is now a 2026 Tony nominee for her turn as the narrator in the current revival of “The Rocky Horror Show.”

Here, Dratch discusses the significance of multiple “SNL” alumni playing on Broadway simultaneously (Ana Gasteyer is in “Schmigadoon!” and Maya Rudolph is in “Oh, Mary!), the kind of comedy she’s excited to bring the to Main Stem and her role guiding enthusiastic “Rocky Horror” audiences.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Get more info about “The Rocky Horror Show” here.

Jim Barne and Kit Buchan have made their Broadway debuts co-writing the book and score of “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York).” The duo are now Tony Award nominees in two categories: Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre.

Here, Barne and Buchan share their process of writing this musical romantic comedy — including its refinement from London and Boston to New York — and more.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Learn much more about “Two Strangers” here.

Actor Sara Chase has had quite the ride on her way to what is now her first Tony Award nomination. Chase was set to make her Broadway debut in the 2008 production of “Godspell,” which was postponed.

Ten years later, she originated the role of Myrtle Wilson in “The Great Gatsby,” and now she is leading the new musical “Schmigadoon!” as Melissa. The role has landed Chase a Tony nod for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical.

Here, she talks about how she manages to find the comedy in unexpected moments, what she credits as the secret sauce of “Schmigadoon!” and why she is so grateful to be playing this role.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Get more info about “Schmigadoon!” here.

Before the 2025-2026 season, Kelli O’Hara had been nominated for eight Tony Awards, all for her turns in musicals. She won in 2015 for her leading role in “The King & I.” Now, O’Hara has earned her ninth nomination, which is her first for a play.

O’Hara plays Julia in the Roundabout Theatre Company revival of Noël Coward’s “Fallen Angels” and is a 2026 Tony nominee for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Get more info about “Fallen Angels” here.

“Giant” is not only Mark Rosenblatt’s first Tony Award nomination, it’s the first play he’s ever written. Rosenblatt came up in theater as a director. But the idea for a play examining children’s author Roald Dahl came to him, and director Nicholas Hytner encouraged Rosenblatt to write it.

Here, Rosenblatt explains why he looked to Dahl’s problematic history for inspiration, how he crafted the structure of the play and what he hopes shines through in his script.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Read more about “Giant” here.

Lear deBessonet made her Broadway debut directing the 2022 revival of “Into the Woods,” which transferred from City Center’s Encores! series. Once again, deBessonet has successfully transferred a production from Encores! to Broadway, this season with “Ragtime.”

DeBessonet brought the staging from City Centers to Lincoln Center Theater, the latter where she now serves as artistic director. “Ragtime” marks deBessonet’s first production under her new title, and she has earned her second Tony nomination for Best Direction of a Musical with this revival.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Get more info about “Ragtime” here.

Daryl Roth has been producing on Broadway since 1991. She’s proven herself a force, having earned 43 Tony Award nominations. Rachel Sussman began producing on the Main Stem in 2019. The two, alongside producers Jenny Gersten and Eva Price, formed the lead-producing team of “Liberation,” which is Tony Award-nominated for Best Play.

Here, the veteran and newer contemporary discuss the signs of quality in a script and the lessons they’ve learned from “Liberation” about how to produce on Broadway in 2026.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? ⁠Visit broadwaynews.com⁠ and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Gina Gionfriddo has been a Pulitzer Prize finalist since 2009, but she’s only bowed on Broadway this year. Her 2008 play, “Becky Shaw,” initially bowed Off-Broadway with Second Stage — earning that Pulitzer recognition — and is now on Broadway for the first time.

Per the classics rule, “Becky Shaw” was deemed eligible for Tony Award in the category of Best Revival of a Play, and, on May 5, was nominated in that category.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Learn more about the play from the full episode in this feed.

Omari Wiles and Arturo Lyons are the duo who have brought authentic ballroom to “Cats: The Jellicle Ball.” The choreographers may be new to Broadway, but they are legends of ballroom.

Wiles is known in that scene as Omari NiNa Oricci, founder of the House of Nina Oricci, established in 2019; he is also creative director of Les Ballet Afrik dance company. Wiles has worked with global talent such as Beyoncé, Lady Gaga and Madonna. Lyons is a choreographer whose work spans ballroom, hip hop, reggae and street jazz. He has choreographed for the series “Legendary.”

Together, the pair are nominated for Best Choreography for their work on “Cats.”

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Read this feature to learn more about the casting of “Cats” and this one to learn more about the overall vision.

You can also listen to the full episode with interviews from creative team and cast members in this podcast feed.

Lighting designer Kevin Adams made his Broadway debut in 1998 with a play called “Getting and Spending.” That show, sadly, did not last long, but Adams’ career has. The designer has brought craft and showmanship to the lighting of 30 Main Stem productions, including this season’s revival of “Chess.” His thrilling design and its roots in the musical’s dramaturgy have earned him a 2026 Tony Award nomination for Best Lighting Design of a Musical.

Here, Adams describes how he evokes the epic-ness of a rock concert, the emotional tension of East versus West and sweeping musicality through lights.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Get more info about “Chess” here.

Actor Christiani Pitts made her Broadway debut in the 2016 musical version of “A Bronx Tale,” beginning as an ensemble member and later replacing in a lead role. She originated the part of Ann Darrow in the Main Stem musical adaptation of “King Kong.” This season, Pitts originated the character of Robin in “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York),” an entirely original musical, and has earned her first Tony Award nomination for her performance.

Pitts is Tony-nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for her turn in “Two Strangers.”

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Listen to our earlier episode about “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)” in this feed to learn more about the musical.

Read this feature to look inside the score.

Christopher Gattelli was first recruited to “Schmigadoon!” in its incarnation as a television series. Creator Cinco Paul asked Gattelli to choreograph for the Apple TV+ show. Now, Gattelli is the director-choreographer of the stage version of the musical.

Gattelli was most recently nominated for his direction and choreography of “Death Becomes Her.” Here, the artist defines the role of a director-choreographer, speaks to the different dance styles in the show and creating the full world of “Schmigadoon!”

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Listen to our earlier episode about “Schmigadoon!” in this podcast feed to learn more about the show.

Actor Daniel Radcliffe has said that if he is going to say yes to a project — a show that is going to take him away from his toddler and to a theater every night — it had to be truly worth doing. Radcliffe found that in “Every Brilliant Thing.” The actor is now nominated for his leading performance in the play.

Nobile is nominated for Best Revival of a Play as part of the “Every Brilliant Thing” producing team.

In this episode, the two discuss the significance of the play, the ways in which it has changed them and the exercise of casting Radcliffe’s “co-stars” from the audience for every performance.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Listen to our earlier episode about “Every Brilliant Thing” in this podcast feed.

Costume designer Brenda Abbandandolo and lighting designer Isabella Byrd needed to work hand in hand on “Dog Day Afternoon.” Through lighting and wardrobe — in conjunction with their fellow designers, director Rupert Goold and the company — they needed to evoke the 1970s for the Stephen Adly Guirgis play.

In this episode, Abbandandolo and Byrd spoke to Broadway News about their collaboration and the ways in which their designs summon the ’70s.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Get more info about “Dog Day Afternoon” here.

Just a few weeks ago, “Liberation” won the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The play’s director, Whitney White, has reached a level all her own, as well. Previously, she was nominated for her Broadway directorial debut, “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding.” Now, the director has earned her second Tony nomination for helming “Liberation,” which won the Drama League Award for Outstanding Play and is nominated for Best Play.

If White wins, she would be the first Black woman director to take home a Tony Award. In the episode below, White reflects on casting “Liberation,” making the meta structure of the play work onstage and loving Tony Awards host, P!NK.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Hear more from White, playwright Bess Wohl in the cast in our earlier podcast episode, “Introducing ‘Liberation.’”

The band the Rescues — made up of Kyler England, AG and Gabriel Mann — has been best known as the soundtrack to hit television series such as “Grey’s Anatomy.” Until now. The Rescues are now Tony Award nominees, having earned nods for best score and best orchestrations (the latter alongside Ethan Popp) for their contributions to Broadway’s “The Lost Boys.”

Here the Rescues discuss why they chose a range of genres for their score, what was cut during previews, which song they kept since day one and more.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Hear more about “The Lost Boys” in our earlier podcast episode. Read about the show in this feature.

Playwright Samuel D. Hunter has been an acclaimed scribe of the Off-Broadway scene for many years. In 2025, Hunter finally made his Broadway debut with “Little Bear Ridge Road,” a play about the relationship between an aunt and her estranged nephew who hole up together during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Like many of his other works, “Little Bear Ridge Road” is a quiet drama. In the below episode, Hunter explained his affinity towards humble stories and writing a role specifically for Tony Award winner Laurie Metcalf.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Read this feature about “Little Bear Ridge Road” for more info.

Scenic designer Scott Pask made his Broadway debut as the associate scenic designer of the 1998 revival of “Cabaret.” Since then, he has been the lead scenic designer on 70 Broadway productions (counting the “Coast of Utopia” as three separate mountings, 67 if it’s one). Pask’s latest creation is the set of the new musical “Schmigadoon!,” for which he has earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Scenic Design of a Musical.

Pask calls the show “the most special musical I’ve worked on.” Find out why in this episode.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Get more info about “Schmigadoon!” here.

Kicking off the 2026 edition of “5 minutes with a Tony nominee” is actor Nicholas Christopher, who stars in the 2025 revival of “Chess” as Anatoly.

In this episode, Christopher discusses the origins of the note he holds for what seems like forever, the firsthand research he did for the role and more.

Want to be the first to hear these chats? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit broadwaynews.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get early access to these episodes, many more exclusive interviews and breaking news stories on Broadway.

Get more info about “Chess” here.