Explore every episode of the podcast What The Musical
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| WTM Ep. 66: Bright Star | 13 Jun 2021 | 01:10:38 | |
Content Warning: family separation I Can't Wait for this episode on Bright Star! We talk Chelsey's Personal Review Corner, community storytelling, and whole characters at every age. PLUS: JLM will forever be our brightest star. Theme music by Cullen Vance. WtM logo and poster art by Theron, Ink. | |||
| WTM Ep. 65: Into the Woods, Part II | 07 May 2021 | 01:04:18 | |
Content Warning: infertility, sexual predation & assault, family loss & death It Takes Two (episodes) to head Into the Woods! In the second half of this 2-part episode, we talk apathy vs ambivalence, deficit choices, and rejecting narratives. PLUS: JLM could guest-star...and that's the moral of the story! Theme music by Cullen Vance. WtM logo and poster art by Theron, Ink. | |||
| WTM Ep. 58: Company, Part II | 02 Nov 2020 | 00:56:46 | |
Let's venture Side by Side by Side into Part II on Company! We talk likable narrators, unattractive desperation, and the wonder of adult friendships. PLUS: JLM as Bobby or JoAnne? We'll drink to that. Theme music by Cullen Vance. Our favorite versions of "Being Alive:" | |||
| WTM Ep. 57: Company, Part I | 23 Oct 2020 | 00:52:33 | |
Bell rings, door chimes, let's talk Company! In the first half of this 2-part episode, we talk breaking gender norms, affectionate but loveless marriages, and the lie of the biological clock. Theme music by Cullen Vance. | |||
| WTM Ep. 56: Songs for a New World | 29 Sep 2020 | 00:52:27 | |
I'm Not Afraid of Anything, especially not this episode on Songs for a New World! We talk JRB's debutante ball, the inescapable male gaze, and letting music do the heavy lifting. PLUS: even a broken JLM watch is right twice a day. Theme music by Cullen Vance. | |||
| WTM Ep. 55: Carrie: The Musical | 08 Sep 2020 | 01:31:10 | |
CW: bullying, religion, homicide Do Me A Favor and turn up this episode on Carrie! We talk literal translations, the troubles with stage telekinesis, and the musical trilogy nobody expected. PLUS: there's just no good segue here, but JLM is always a good topic. Theme music by Cullen Vance. | |||
| WTM Ep. 54: Anything Goes | 21 Jul 2020 | 00:51:26 | |
CW: racism, misogyny Let's Misbehave--time to dive into Anything Goes! We talk the cheese crackers of musicals, maximum triple threats, and what to do with your available time. PLUS: JLM is the top. Theme music by Cullen Vance. | |||
| WTM Ep. 53: Footloose | 27 Jun 2020 | 00:58:55 | |
Content warning: mentions of bullying, family loss, religion, abusive partners I Can't Stand Still any longer--we gotta cut Footloose! We talk taking the grunge out of Kenny Loggins, logical fallacies, and sequels that should have been. PLUS: let's get lost in a JLM waltz... Theme music by Cullen Vance. Original Broadway cast album: Amazon | iTunes | Spotify Listening suggestions: | |||
| WTM Ep. 52: King Kong | 20 May 2020 | 00:59:15 | |
Skull Island can't contain this episode on King Kong! We talk the new dream ballet, screaming about feminism, and literally smashing patriarchy. PLUS: JLM is no stranger to showbiz, so give him a call. Theme music by Cullen Vance. Show Notes: | |||
| WTM Ep. 51: Moulin Rouge! the Musical | 24 Apr 2020 | 01:01:44 | |
Content Warnings: mentions of sexual harassment, assault, TB and COVID-19. Your Song is one of the many we'll hear at the Moulin Rouge! We talk spectacular spectacular, what makes a jukebox musical, and weird narrative structures. PLUS: could JLM can-can? Theme music by Cullen Vance. | |||
| WTM Ep. 50: Newsies | 04 Apr 2020 | 01:02:31 | |
The World Will Know when they open our take on Newsies! We talk imagining Santa Fe, little stories entwined with big wealth, and instinctive coordinated dancing. PLUS: In JLM's defense, nobody is on Broadway right now. Theme music by Cullen Vance. Original Broadway cast: Amazon | iTunes | Spotify Broadway pep this week: | |||
| WTM Ep. 49: Come From Away | 22 Mar 2020 | 01:23:53 | |
Content warning: 9/11. Welcome to the Rock, where we fly into Come From Away! We talk with special guest Eric Braman about courageous kindness, fish kisses, and being in love (or just stuck in Newfoundland). PLUS: JLM is our preferred pilot. Theme music by Cullen Vance. Original Broadway cast album: Amazon | iTunes | Spotify Program Notes: | |||
| WTM Ep. 64: Into the Woods, Part I | 30 Apr 2021 | 00:49:36 | |
Content Warning: infertility, sexual assault, family loss & death Maybe They're Magic, or maybe it's time to venture Into the Woods! In the first half of this 2-part episodes, we talk the ineffective nature of selfish people, being fluent in anxiety, and the winding paths of parenthood. Theme music by Cullen Vance. WtM logo and poster art by Theron, Ink. | |||
| WTM Ep. 48: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers | 14 Mar 2020 | 00:51:33 | |
Content Warning: mentions of rape & kidnap. Theme music by Cullen Vance. | |||
| WTM Ep. 47: [title of show] | 15 Feb 2020 | 00:54:26 | |
What Kind of Girl is She? The kind that does an episode on [title of show], of course! We talk the value in creativity, early internet phenoms, and proposing with musical numbers. PLUS: we're still hoping for a voicemail cameo from JLM. Theme music by Cullen Vance. Original Broadway cast album: Amazon | iTunes | Spotify Watch: Susan Blackwell's Youtube channel, Side by Side by Susan Blackwell. | |||
| WTM Ep. 46: The Wiz | 25 Jan 2020 | 00:56:02 | |
| WTM Ep.45: Cats | 09 Jan 2020 | 01:12:40 | |
| WTM Ep. 44: The Phantom of the Opera | 24 Dec 2019 | 01:24:20 | |
All I Ask of You is a deep breath before diving into The Phantom of the Opera! We talk bad optics, ear-wormy repetition, and the worst stage mom ever. PLUS: one of the only sighs of relief we can breathe is that JLM is not in Phantom. Theme music by Cullen Vance. Original London cast recording: Amazon | iTunes | Spotify Norm Lewis & Sierra Boggess perform The Music of the Night and The Phantom of the Opera. Your Fave is Problematic: Ep. 79. The Phantom of the Opera | |||
| WTM Ep. 43: Dreamgirls | 06 Dec 2019 | 00:55:37 | |
And I Am Telling You it's time for Dreamgirls! We talk powerhouse female leads, non-jukebox Mowtown, and Jennifer Holliday being right. PLUS: Jimmy may fall, but JLM would make him triumphant. Theme music by Cullen Vance. Original Broadway cast album: Amazon | iTunes | Spotify Watch: Jennifer Holliday's Tony Awards performance of "And I Am Telling You" | |||
| WTM Ep. 42: Xanadu | 22 Nov 2019 | 00:47:29 | |
Strange Magic is at play--it's time to roll on into Xanadu! We talk the dangers of roller skates, Chelsey's Charles Isherwood impression, and acrostic poems. PLUS: we advocate for our favorite muse, JLM. Theme music by Cullen Vance. | |||
| WTM Ep. 41: Little Shop of Horrors | 25 Oct 2019 | 00:53:02 | |
Ya Never Know what will happen when we dive into Little Shop of Horrors! We talk the rules of mushroom foraging, life when you're endearingly pathetic, and a suggestion for a climate activist angle on the show. PLUS: why has nobody cast JLM as Audrey II? WHY??? Content Warning: brief mention of domestic abuse. Theme music by Cullen Vance. | |||
| WTM Ep. 40: Be More Chill | 11 Oct 2019 | 00:58:46 | |
Do You Wanna Hang? Let's jump into Be More Chill! We welcome special guest Montana to talk catchy lyrics, teenage reality, and the dangers of Mountain Dew. Plus: we'd upgrade to a JLM-voiced Squip any day. Theme music by Cullen Vance. Check out his new album, Cullen, Vol. 1, out now! Be More Chill original cast album: Amazon | iTunes | Spotify Watch the 2019 Tony Awards parody of "Michael in the Bathroom." | |||
| WTM Ep. 39: Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 | 21 Sep 2019 | 00:46:00 | |
No One Else understands Tara's love for this show--it's time for Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812! We talk drinking vodka in your 30s, how to make Russian lit exciting, and discover what happens when Chelsey doesn't prepare. Plus: we might be tired, but JLM never sleeps. Theme music by Cullen Vance. Original cast album: Amazon | iTunes | Spotify | |||
| WTM Ep. 63: The Who's Tommy | 02 Apr 2021 | 01:09:09 | |
Content Warning: child abuse, murder, sexual assault, racism, ableism There's an Amazing Journey ahead with The Who's Tommy! We talk rock ballets, setting up idols to fall, and pinball as a metaphor for life. PLUS: is JLM more of a pinball or skee-ball kinda guy? Theme music by Cullen Vance. WtM logo and poster art by Theron, Ink. | |||
| WTM Ep. 38: Cambodian Rock Band | 05 Sep 2019 | 00:56:09 | |
No need to fight Tooth & Nail--it's time for Cambodian Rock Band! We talk the anti-Miss Saigon, teaching an audience to code switch, and why you should skip Hamilton for now. Plus: the gentlest JLM Watch to-date. WTM theme music by Cullen Vance. Featured music for Cambodian Rock Band by Dengue Fever. "Jeas Cyclo (Ride Cyclo)" by Yol Aularong: Amazon | iTunes | Spotify Follow Cambodian Rock Band on Twitter: @thecyclos ****** Beverage: One Thousand Tears of a Tarantula Shake and serve in a collins glass. Garnish with house-made pickles. *Kaffir-curry syrup: 1 litre hot water; 4tbsp red curry paste; 6 kaffir lime leaves; 2kg white sugar. Boil all for 20 minutes and fine strain. | |||
| WTM Ep. 37: The Color Purple | 09 Aug 2019 | 00:56:23 | |
All We've Got To Say is that it's time to discuss The Color Purple! We talk plot squiggles, syncretic spirituality, and rage at Steven Spielberg. PLUS: there's always room for JLM at this jazz club. Theme music by Cullen Vance. Original Broadway Cast album: Amazon | iTunes | Spotify Video: 2006 Tony Awards performance by the Broadway revival cast. | |||
| WTM Ep. 36: The Last Five Years | 19 Jul 2019 | 01:07:06 | |
See, I'm Smiling--it must be time to discuss The Last Five Years! We talk brooding youth, collaborative artistry, and writers getting dangerously autobiographical. Plus: all we want for our birthdays is JLM on Broadway. | |||
| WTM BONUS INTERVAL: How to Succeed | 12 Jul 2019 | 00:16:54 | |
We had lots to say about How To Succeed... and business! Join us for a bonus interval all about pep talks, Chelsey's Rules for How To Succeed, and baseball metaphors. | |||
| WTM Ep. 35: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying | 10 Jul 2019 | 00:52:47 | |
Take a long Coffee Break to discuss How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying! We talk Tara's eventual book, scheming spouses, and coffee drinking alliances. Plus: if there's one man who knows how to succeed in breaking our hearts without really trying, it's JLM. Theme music by Cullen Vance. | |||
| WTM Ep. 34: The Tony Awards, Part II | 09 Jun 2019 | 00:30:44 | |
Presentation, performance, and personality--it's our second of two episodes on The Tony Awards! We talk award show bingo, underrated gems, and make our best guesses on the 2019 winners. PLUS: will Dr. JLM announce a return to the stage? Theme music by Cullen Vance. | |||
| WTM Ep. 33: The Tony Awards, Part I | 08 Jun 2019 | 01:09:25 | |
Happy Holidays, theatre kids--it's time to unwrap The Tony Awards with this first of two episodes before Broadway's biggest night! We talk about The Big Six, opening numbers to lift your spirits, and terrible choices. Mix Tequila, Opinions, and a little Time; serve chilled. Theme music by Cullen Vance. Check out a playlist of some of our favorite Tony performances! | |||
| WTM Ep. 32: She Loves Me | 23 May 2019 | 00:49:24 | |
Tonight at Eight (or whenever you listen), dive into She Loves Me! We talk live broadcasts, mustaches we love to hate, and beating vanilla metaphors into the ground. PLUS: 3k and counting, JLM. 3k AND COUNTING. Theme music by Cullen Vance. | |||
| WTM Ep. 31: My Fair Lady | 03 May 2019 | 00:47:16 | |
Wouldn't It Be Loverly to catch up with a new episode? Let's dive into My Fair Lady! We talk code-switching, the Julie Andrews Effect (redux), and emotional Broadway stars. PLUS: JLM Watch is hitting record numbers, and we don't like it. Theme music by Cullen Vance. | |||
| WTM Ep. 30: The Band's Visit | 05 Apr 2019 | 00:49:07 | |
Something Different happens in this episode on The Band's Visit! We talk unexpected crooning, feeling big-ly, and NEA funding. Plus: a whole new kind of Jesse L. Martin watch. Theme music by Cullen Vance. Check him out on Spotify! | |||
| WTM Ep. 62: Darling Grenadine | 26 Mar 2021 | 00:58:53 | |
Content Warning: alcoholism Manhattan is never far away when we sip our way through Darling Grenadine! We talk new musical development, centering off-center characters, and the best dog in a musical, ever. PLUS: please wave a safely-socially-distanced "hello" to JLM for us. Theme music by Cullen Vance. WtM logo and poster art by Theron, Ink. Check out more from Darling Grenadine creator Daniel Zaitchik. | |||
| WTM Ep. 29: Chicago | 23 Mar 2019 | 00:46:14 | |
When You're Good to Mama, she gives you a new episode on Chicago! This time around, we talk career definers, criminal celebrities, and premeditated dream ballets. Plus, with the revival still running on Broadway, what are the chances of a little JLM stunt-casting? Theme music by Cullen Vance. | |||
| WTM Ep. 28: The Music Man | 08 Mar 2019 | 00:52:33 | |
We need 76 Trombones to welcome in this episode on The Music Man! We talk wholesome con-artists, library dream ballets, why not to give a song to a plot device, and the magic of barbershop quartet. Plus, we check in on Mayor of Our Hearts, Jesse L. Martin. Theme music by Cullen Vance. | |||
| WTM Ep. 27: 36 Questions | 03 Feb 2019 | 00:43:15 | |
One Thing... let's get this one thing straight: this time we're checking out the musical podcast 36 Questions! We talk audio intimacy, Groffsauce, and pet ducks. Plus: please only hand Jesse L. Martin roles on Broadway, not rolls. Theme music by Cullen Vance. Original cast album recording: Bandcamp | |||
| WTM Ep. 26: The Little Mermaid | 18 Jan 2019 | 00:43:53 | |
Things get a little salty when we go Under the Sea to chat about The Little Mermaid! We talk mer-blades, under-utilizing great casts, and the hierarchy of Disney princes. PLUS: JLM is back in good health, but is he on Broadway? Theme music by Cullen Vance. | |||
| WTM Ep. 25: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum | 31 Dec 2018 | 00:38:17 | |
Needing a Comedy Tonight? Then let's check out A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum! We finish our first full year with comic star power, the least Sondheim of Sondheim, and Tara gets a nook of her own. PLUS: Jesse L. Martin would make a great Captain. Just sayin'. Theme music by Cullen Vance. | |||
| WTM Ep. 24: Elf the Musical | 21 Dec 2018 | 00:35:25 | |
Let's get Sparklejollytwinklejingley for Elf the Musical! We talk boundless optimism, bah-hum-burgers, and being a good person year-round. PLUS: anyone want to fill our stockings with news of JLM returning to Broadway? Anyone? Theme music by Cullen Vance. | |||
| WTM Ep. 23: Chess | 07 Dec 2018 | 00:50:38 | |
Pity the Child who misses this episode on Chess! We talk genre-swaps, incomplete metaphors, and how The Arbiter is, indisputably, the best. PLUS: a check-in on another Rent alum, who mysteriously has not yet appeared in this show.... Theme music by Cullen Vance. | |||
| WTM Ep. 22: A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder | 16 Nov 2018 | 00:44:16 | |
I Don't Know What I'd Do Without You, so come with me to check out A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder! We talk ridiculous deaths, punching up, and horrible romantic choices. PLUS: anyone have any ideas on roles for Jesse L. Martin while he's on medical leave? Theme music by Cullen Vance. | |||
| WTM Ep. 21: Oklahoma! | 02 Nov 2018 | 00:49:23 | |
Oh What A Beautiful Mornin' for a podcast and a stroll through Oklahoma! We talk the OG of OGs, falling over pretty people, and the joy of fence-leaping. PLUS: we're pretty sure the best possible date to take to this show would be Jesse L. Martin. Just sayin'. Theme music by Cullen Vance. | |||
| WTM BONUS INTERVAL: Sweeney Todd | 26 Oct 2018 | 00:14:08 | |
We had a ton to say about Sweeney Todd and not nearly enough time to cover it all in one episode. Here's a little bonus debate from Tara & Chelsey regarding seeing a playwright within their own works. Check it! Theme music by Cullen Vance. | |||
| WTM Ep. 61: Cinderella | 20 Feb 2021 | 00:46:08 | |
A Lovely Night is only made better by the magic of Cinderella! We talk contemporary casting, love at first sight, and fairy tale revolutions. PLUS: we bet JLM would waltz through a lovely night. Theme music by Cullen Vance. WtM logo and poster art by Theron, Ink. | |||
| WTM Ep. 20: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street | 19 Oct 2018 | 00:49:31 | |
La'ies 'n' gen'tl'men, may I have your attention puh-leeeease? It's time to attend the tale of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street! We talk benign cannibalism, Sondheim gets creepy, and Chelsey forgets the romantic lead's name... again. PLUS: aren't we a little overdue for a Sweeney revival, perhaps starring Jesse L. Martin? Theme music by Cullen Vance. | |||
| WTM Ep. 19: The Sound of Music | 05 Oct 2018 | 00:44:32 | |
My Favorite Things include this episode on The Sound of Music! We talk The Julie Andrews Effect, surprise Nazis, and dating advice from Chelsey. Plus, we name the perfect Cpt. von Trapp for the next revival--if only someone would call JLM! | |||
| WTM Ep. 18: Fun Home | 24 Sep 2018 | 00:57:25 | |
No need to wait Days and Days--our episode on Fun Home is here now! Guest artist Allison Mickelson joins us to talk about drinking, drawing, and what it's like to play a role multiple times. PLUS: will she be as excited about checking on JLM as we are? Content warning: this episode includes discussion of suicide and predatory sexual behavior. Please care for yourself in choosing whether to listen to this episode. Find out more about Allison Mickelson. WTM theme & jingles by Cullen Vance. | |||
| WTM Ep. 17: Spring Awakening | 14 Sep 2018 | 00:46:55 | |
All That's Known is it's time for another episode, and we're covering Spring Awakening! We talk teenage angst, stars-before-they-were-stars, and the bitch of living. Plus: it occurs to us that Jesse L. Martin is choosing not to come back to Broadway... but that can't be right. Content warning: this episode includes discussion of rape, incest, suicide, and abortion. Please care for yourself in choosing whether to listen to this episode. Theme music by Cullen Vance. | |||