Broadway Press Day with Ruthie Fierberg – Details, episodes & analysis

The Pulitzer Prize-winning play "English" by Sanaz Toossi officially opened on Broadway on Jan. 23, 2025. Host Ruthie Fierberg spoke with Toossi, director Knud Adams and the cast while they were in the earliest days of Broadway rehearsals.

Actors Tala Ashe (Elham), Ava Lalezarzadeh (Goli), Pooyah Mohseni (Roya), Marjan Neshat (Marjan) and Hadi Tabbal (Omid) introduce their characters, share behind-the-scenes details and offer insights into Toossi's writing. Plus, you'll hear about the show's unique use of dialects and the challenge they posed for all involved.

Hear directly from the cast and creatives about the moving and funny new play about language and identity in this latest episode of "Broadway Press Day."

Manhattan Theatre Club welcomes the brand-new comedy "Eureka Day" to Broadway. Pronounced with the emphasis on "Day," Jonathan Spector's play takes place at a private, progressive school in Berkeley, California. As the lights come up, we see four parents and the principal of Eureka Day gathering for a meeting of the parent executive meeting, in which everything about the school is decided by unanimous consensus. When a mumps outbreak hits the school, the parent board must come up with a plan to move forward. But will they able to reach consensus? How will their values get them through this?

Directed by Anna D. Shapiro, "Eureka Day" is a hysterical look at how communities make hard choices. Host Ruthie Fierberg speaks with Spector, Shapiro as well as cast members Amber Gray ("Hadestown") , Jessica Hecht ("Summer, 1976"), Bill Irwin ("The Iceman Cometh"), Thomas Middleditch (TV's "Silicon Valley") and Chelsea Yakura-Kurtz (Broadway debut) about what audiences can expect from the play and this cast of characters.

Learn more at manhattantheatreclub.com.

The music in this episode is courtesy of Manhattan Theatre Club and "Eureka Day."

Often lauded as one of the greatest musicals ever written, "Gypsy" is back on Broadway. The 2024 revival began previews on Nov. 21, 2024, reopening the Majestic Theatre on 44th Street. The best known role in "Gypsy" isn't the title character — it's her mother, Mama Rose. Originated by Ethel Merman in 1959, Rose has been played on Broadway by Angela Lansbury, Tyne Daly, Bernadette Peters and Patti LuPone. Now, six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald will play the famous Madame.

But aside from its star, what will be different about this "Gypsy"? As you'll hear in this episode, Tony-winning director George C. Wolfe brings his perspective to the classic, as will three-time Tony-nominated choreographer Camille A. Brown.

In this episode of "Broadway Press Day," host Ruthie Fierberg speaks to Wolfe and Brown as well as stars Joy Woods ("The Notebook"), Jordan Tyson ("The Notebook"), Tony winner Danny Burstein ("Moulin Rouge!," "My Fair Lady," "Follies," "South Pacific," "The Drowsy Chaperone") and Audra (does she need credits?).

Learn more at gypsybway.com.

The music in this episode is courtesy of "Gypsy." It features the production's orchestra performing the musical's overture during the unveiling of the refurbished Majestic Theatre.

"Gypsy" features a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.

Have you heard the title of the new Broadway musical "Maybe Happy Ending" and thought, "Hmmm, what's that about?" Look no further than our latest episode.

Written by Broadway newcomers Will Aronson and Hue Park, "Maybe Happy Ending" takes audiences to the future in Seoul, South Korea. It's the age of Helperbots (think a high-tech version of Rosie from "The Jetsons"), and Helperbots Oliver and Claire are now living in the retired Helperbot yards, having become outdated models. When Claire knocks on Oliver's door, an unlikely friendship begins. They take off on an adventure through Seoul and, maybe, even fall in love.

Here, host Ruthie Fierberg speaks with stars Emmy Award winner Darren Criss and Helen J Shen and their castmates Marcus Choi and Dez Duron. She also interviews writers Will and Hue and Tony-winning director Michael Arden.

The production has released five songs from the completely original score. Listen to this episode for snippets, or hear the full songs here.

"Maybe Happy Ending" is currently playing at the Belasco Theatre on Broadway. Visit the show's website for tickets and more information.

Delia Ephron's new play officially opened at Broadway's James Earl Jones Theatre on Oct. 23, 2024. Though she may be best known for her novels (like "Siracusa") or rom-com screenplays (like "You've Got Mail"), Ephron now brings romance to the stage.

"Left on Tenth" is adapted from Ephron's memoir of the same title — about falling in love in her 70s and battling a fatal illness. Here, host Ruthie Fierberg chats with Ephron, producer Daryl Roth ("Kinky Boots") and stars Julianna Margulies (TV's "The Good Wife") and Peter Gallagher ("On the 20th Century," TV's "Grace & Frankie") about what to expect from the new Broadway play.

Thornton Wilder's "Our Town" is a play known as a pillar of the American theatrical canon. But what makes it so? What is "Our Town" about? And what should audiences expect from this 2024 Broadway revival?

Host Ruthie Fierberg interviews director Kenny Leon, producer Jeffrey Richards and members of the cast, including Zoey Deutch ("The Politician"), Katie Holmes ("All My Sons," TV's "Dawson's Creek"), Jim Parsons ("Mother Play," TV's "The Big Bang Theory"), Ephraim Sykes ("Ain't Too Proud"), Richard Thomas ("The Little Foxes," TV's "The Waltons") and Michelle Wilson ("Sweat") to find the answers.

Host Ruthie Fierberg interviews members of the cast and creative team of the upcoming Broadway musical "A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical." Beginning performances on Oct. 16 at Broadway's Studio 54, the original musical will tell the story of famous trumpeter, vocalist and activist Louis Armstrong.

In this episode, hear from co-director and star James Monroe Iglehart (Tony Award winner for "Aladdin"), book writer Aurin Squire, co-director Christina Sajous, choreographer Rickey Tripp and tap choreographer DeWitt Fleming Jr. and producer Vanessa Williams (Tony nominee for "Into the Woods") about what to expect from "A Wonderful World."

For more in-depth interviews, up-to-date news and showreviews on Broadway, visit broadwaynews.com.

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NBC's cult-favorite television series "Smash" comes to Broadway as a brand new stage musical. The series — about the making of a Marilyn Monroe bio-musical called "Bombshell" — first debuted in 2012. Broadway's "Smash" will officially open at the Imperial Theatre on April 10, 2025.

The show was a melodrama on television, but the Main Stem version is a backstage farce — highlighting the shenanigans that go on as a group of artists try to make the original musical "Bombshell." The shift in tone was producer Steven Spielberg's idea (yes, that Steven Spielberg).

Hear from book writers Rick Elice and Bob Martin, songwriters Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, director Susan Stroman, choreographer Joshua Bergasse, producers Robert Greenblatt and Neil Meron and actors Jacqueline B. Arnold, Brooks Ashmanskas, Caroline Bowman, Bella Coppola, Casey Garvin, Robyn Hurder, Nicholas Matos and Kristine Nielsen as they share what to expect from "Smash" on Broadway.

Tony Award-winning actor Idina Menzel ("Wicked") returns to Broadway in the new, original musical "Redwood." Menzel stars as Jesse, a woman who has experienced a profound personal loss. After a year of avoiding her own feelings and struggling to deal with her grief, Jesse longs to escape. She drives until she can't anymore — until she lands in the Redwood Forest. "Redwood" chronicles Jesse's transformative experience among nature and the people who care for it.

Menzel not only stars in this musical, she co-conceived it with Tony-nominated director Tina Landau ("SpongeBob SquarePants"). Tina wrote the book and co-wrote the lyrics; Menzel provided additional material. Newcomer Kate Diaz composed the music and co-wrote lyrics. But "Redwood" isn't just about original material — it spotlights technology, design and aerial choreography in a way Broadway hasn't experienced.

Learn about the creative and rehearsal process and what you can expect from "Redwood," now playing at Broadway's Nederlander Theatre.