Flopped and Forgotten
50 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 1 year ago - ★★★★ - 19 ratingsWe talk about Broadway musicals that weren't exactly hits: the good, the bad, and the downright ugly.
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Episodes
Mrs. Doubtfire
October 13, 2022 01:59 - 1 hour - 65.8 MBWe're back! And we've brought a fresh flop with us.
Juno
April 30, 2022 16:31 - 55 minutes - 56.5 MBSince we don't talk about Bruno, this week we are talking about Juno, a musical set in Ireland during the Irish War of Independence. We've got some legendary people behind this one, so grab a Guiness and meet us at the Winter Garden Theatre!
Ain't Broadway Grand
March 22, 2022 02:17 - 57 minutes - 56.6 MBBio musicals are all the rage right now and have we got one for you! Ain't Broadway Grand tells the story of producer Mike Todd (kind of) and a show he never actually produced. Confused? So are we.
Triumph of Love
March 01, 2022 02:44 - 51 minutes - 50.8 MBThis week, we travel to Greece... again. We're looking at Triumph of Love from 1997, which starred Betty Buckley and Susan Egan.
The Frogs
February 03, 2022 08:51 - 53 minutes - 55 MBWe are paying tribute to the late, great Stephen Sondheim in our special way this week. His 1974 musical The Frogs found its way to Lincoln Center in 2004 with some help from Nathan Lane and boy did he put his own spin on things. We've got frogs, gods, Google, and jockstraps to talk about so let's hop to it.
Diana: The Musical
January 13, 2022 07:00 - 56 minutes - 55.9 MBWe're back! And we've got a fresh flop to talk about. The people's princess got the Broadway treatment and while the show may not have been a hit with critics, we're giving it a fair chance. Join us for this musical romp through Kensington Palace and while we're there we'll discuss dancing corgies, RuPaul's Drag Race, and whether Eric knows what year it is.
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
September 16, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 81.4 MBThis musical had everything: beloved characters, a legendary director, spectacular sets, great costumes, Bono, most of the cast of Hadestown... so what could possibly have gone wrong? Oh, so very many things. From producers dying to budgets growing out of control to those famous cast injuries, we are looking at everything that made Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark the biggest financial flop in the history of musical theatre.
Flahooley
August 31, 2021 02:42 - 57 minutes - 56.3 MBThis week, we head back to 1951 for Flahooley. This musical tells the story of a toy company that produces a brand new doll only to be nearly driven out of business by a confused but well meaning genie. Yes, that's right, a genie. Join us on this strange adventure and we'll try and make it make sense as we talk about puppets, pizza rolls, and the Red Scare. Oh, and racism. Because 1951.
Mack & Mabel
August 05, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 63 MBMack and Mabel is a favorite among flop enthusiasts thanks to its unforgettable score and stellar cast album. But what else is there to this musical about (probably) real life lovers from the silent film era? We peel back the celluloid to explore that question, as well as a religious pretzel craze, our favorite Bernadette Peters roles, and the fascinating real lives of Mack Sennett and Mabel Normand.
Darling of the Day
July 28, 2021 03:22 - 56 minutes - 57.4 MBPicture it: London, 1905. A troubled artist fakes his own death and begins a romance with the suitor of the actual dead man he's now impersonating. This is the basic plot of Jule Styne's Darling of the Day, a musical that couldn't quite earn the distinction of being a masterpiece. What went wrong? We'll paint the picture for you and we'll throw in some New York style pizza, a very funny dame, and a critique from Lisa's dog.
Bring Back Birdie
July 06, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 60.6 MBThis week, we have a rarity: a Broadway sequel! Bring Back Birdie was the 1981 sequel to the hit 1960 musical Bye Bye Birdie, but how did it stand up to its predecessor? Let's just say we wish they'd opted for a revival of the original.
Fade Out -- Fade In
June 07, 2021 06:00 - 50 minutes - 51.2 MBIt's back to the sixties we go for this Carol Burnett star vehicle, although the word "vehicle" may be triggering to Carol when she thinks about how this show came crashing down around her. Join us for all the details on that as well as the jobs we've stumbled into, Lisa's disappointing-yet-delightful lunch, and our new favorite Broadway star: Smaxie the seal.
The Capeman
May 24, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 60.4 MBThis week, we discuss a musical that was inspired by the true story of a teenaged murderer turned poet. Oh yeah, it was also inspired by a ghost's visit to Paul Simon. Listen to learn how it all went down!
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
March 22, 2021 07:00 - 54 minutes - 52.4 MBWe're keeping it in the family this week with our second show in a row to star a LuPone sibling. This time, Patti's up to the plate and she's bringing some very big stars (and a million wigs) with her. So pour some sangria and join us in sunny Spain for conversation about bad accents, soup, and the questionable roles we had in high school.
Late Nite Comic
March 05, 2021 04:18 - 52 minutes - 61.3 MBThis week's episode is a doozey. Late Nite Comic ran for an impressively brief four performances in 1987, but why? No, really, why? Why did it close so quickly? Why are there two albums with the score, but neither involve the actual cast? And why, oh why, did it run in the first place? We may not have all the answers, but we definitely crack more jokes in this episode than there were in this disastrous musical comedy.
Big: The Musical
February 15, 2021 08:00 - 51 minutes - 61.9 MBWe're kicking off our fourth season with a show that didn't quite live up to its name. Big is the musical version of the hit movie that made Tom Hanks a star, so where did it go wrong? Was it a case of too much product placement? Was the famous piano too big for the stage? And what does one of the stars of Grease have to do with it? Listen now to find out!
Here's Love (or, Miracle on 34th Street: The Musical)
December 07, 2020 08:00 - 52 minutes - 63.5 MBChristmastime is here, and what better way to celebrate than with a Christmas themed musical flop? When Meredith Willson adapted the movie Miracle on 34th Street for the Broadway stage, he gave it a misleading title that may have contributed to its demise. This week, we are talking about Here's Love, as well as the history of The Rockettes, our favorite Christmas movies, and Santa's credit score.
Allegiance
November 23, 2020 08:00 - 48 minutes - 57.6 MBAs the first Broadway musical to be created by Asian Americans, Allegiance would have been ground-breaking whether it flopped or not. Of course, it did flop, so we're talking about it this week. Starring the legends that are George Takei and Lea Salogna, Allegiance focuses on the internment of Japanese Americans in World War II. We will discuss that as well as the Pledge of Allegiance and our favorite baseball positions.
Bright Star
November 09, 2020 08:00 - 47 minutes - 57 MBBack in 2016, actor Steve Martin and folk-rock singer Edie Brickell teamed up on the musical Bright Star, a fictional expansion on the true Iron Mountain Baby story. It may have brought bluegrass to Broadway but it couldn't bring in the crowds, so it ended up on our show. This week, we talk about why that is, as well as Peter, Paul and Mary songs, George Washington's favorite cocktail, and an idea of Lisa's that's truly terrifying.
Dear World
October 19, 2020 07:00 - 55 minutes - 65.3 MBThis week, we look at Dear World, Jerry Herman's attempt to further capitalize on the success of Mame and its star Angela Lansbury. Come on down to yet another restaurant basement with us for tales of big hats, the McDonald's in Times Square, and the world premiere of Hello, Bobby!
Anna Karenina: The Musical
October 05, 2020 07:00 - 56 minutes - 66.7 MBLeo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina is one of the greatest books ever written, so how could the musical have flopped so badly? We're on a mission to find out how and on the way to our discovery we'll discuss breakfast cereals, gluten struggles, and of course, the famous novel itself.
Disaster!
September 21, 2020 07:00 - 55 minutes - 65.7 MBEarthquakes and tidal waves and piranhas, oh my! This jukebox musical from Seth Rudetsky and Jack Plotnick pays homage to popular disaster films of the 1970s and is filled with some of the biggest hits from that decade too. Put on your best bell bottoms because we're off on an adventure that includes gambling nuns, death by ice sculpture, and our least favorite aspic fillings of all time. Disaster! Act One: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56Pqptd9lOc Disaster! Act Two: https://www.you...
House of Flowers
September 07, 2020 07:00 - 53 minutes - 63.2 MBThis week we are living out Truman Capote's Caribbean fantasy with his musical House of Flowers, known for its Calypso inspiration and stars Pearl Bailey and Diahann Carroll. See you in the islands where we'll talk about a great turtle rescue, the perfect brothel snack, and Lisa's inability to remember a single name.
The Last Ship
August 24, 2020 07:00 - 50 minutes - 60.9 MBAll aboard for our discussion of Sting's musical flop The Last Ship! How did one of the world's greatest songwriters manage to wreck this show? You'll have to listen to us talk through our shared fear of misplaced large machines, late night shopping at Kohl's, and (of course) our favorite songs by The Police to find out.
Aspects of Love
August 10, 2020 07:00 - 47 minutes - 56.7 MBThis week we are taking on one of the true titans of musical theater: Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. Aspects of Love was a smash success in the West End, but Broadway audiences did not fall in love with this 1990 show the same way as their British counterparts. Tune in for everything from 90s album art to a salute to Captain Tom.
I Had a Ball
July 28, 2020 07:17 - 47 minutes - 55.2 MBTake a stroll with us down the famous Coney Island Boardwalk! We'll have a ball discussing millennial nostalgia, that one Bobby Darin song, our new favorite costumer designer, and some New York history that echoes loudly today. You won't need psychic powers to see how the fate of this 1964 musical turned out... Video of Karen Morrow performing "I Had Ball": https://youtu.be/5vtTNnWHwa0
Play On!
July 13, 2020 07:00 - 42 minutes - 46.4 MBWe're back! Play On! is both our first jukebox musical and the first show we've done with an all black cast. Join us as we set a Duke Ellington soundtrack to not only Shakespeare, but also our fantasy Antiques Roadshow musical and Lisa's "covid brain".
Wonderland
March 16, 2020 07:00 - 56 minutes - 65.8 MBThis week, we take a trip down the Yellow Brick Road to Wonderland. If you think we've just made a topical mistake, you might want to take a closer look at Frank Wildhorn's 21st century take on the classic Dorot--we mean, Alice tale. White rabbits and tea parties and existential crises, oh my! Full show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dInHF1Iilzo
Home Sweet Homer
March 02, 2020 08:00 - 45 minutes - 50.5 MBHome Sweet Homer may have only lasted one day on Broadway, and it may have been all but erased from history, but that doesn't stop us from trying! No, really. We tried. In any case, join us for talks about our favorite myths, saganaki, and the current Broadway smash we'd clearly rather be discussing.
The Bridges of Madison County
February 17, 2020 08:00 - 54 minutes - 63.3 MBThe Derek Klena fan club is back in session and this time we're meeting in Madison County, Iowa! We'll be discussing the musical adaptation of The Bridges of Madison County as well as American geography, Nicholas Sparks, and the underground club that Lisa ran in high school.
Anyone Can Whistle
February 03, 2020 08:00 - 49 minutes - 57.9 MBThis week, we discuss our first Sondheim show; "Anyone Can Whistle". This 1964 flop takes us to a town where things aren't quite what they seem in order to try and challenge our view of conformity. While on our journey, we will be fangirling over Angela Lansbury, advocating for a new kind of audience participation, and of course, whistling. Well, the one host who can whistle will be whistling...
9 to 5
January 20, 2020 08:00 - 54 minutes - 64 MBYou've seen the movie. You may even work the shift! And now you get to learn all about "9 to 5: The Musical," Dolly Parton's stage adaptation of the very film she starred in back in 1980. Clock in and join us for new segments, familiar stars, big numbers and more in our Season Two premiere! Link to the full show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVpbKQC1VTo
Q & A Special!
December 28, 2019 04:50 - 31 minutes - 35.9 MBChristmas came late this year and our gift to you... is us! Get to know Eric and Lisa with questions from listeners like you. Plus some information on season two. Enjoy!
Original Cast Album: Co-Op
November 25, 2019 08:00 - 31 minutes - 35.2 MBFor our first season finale we are going a little outside of the box and discussing our most recommended musical to date which, fun fact, has never been produced live on stage. Original Cast Album: Co-Op is the title of a fake flop, and what an extraordinary show it would be! Join us for some Richard Kind fangirling, a trip down memory lane, and the scene that had us laughing out of control. See you in January!
Bravo Giovanni
November 13, 2019 04:58 - 31 minutes - 35 MBWhat we lack in timeliness we make up for in bad Italian accents... but our Bravo Giovanni episode is finally here! And bravo, indeed. Join us for pasta, some Guy Fieri talk, more pasta, a little opera, and yes, even more pasta.
Gettin' the Band Back Together
November 04, 2019 07:00 - 33 minutes - 39 MBHave you been searching far and wide for a musical that sounds like it was written by your dad? You can finally rest easy knowing that it came and it flopped! Gettin' the Band Back Together is the garage band fantasia of every straight boomer's dreams and we're here to tell you all about it. We'll also tell you about Eric's brief music career, why we've changed our minds about improv, and, of course, Les Misérables.
Carrie: The Musical
October 28, 2019 06:00 - 34 minutes - 39 MBFor our first Halloween special, we bring you one of the most famous Broadway flops of all time: Carrie. Join us if you dare for plenty of spooks and scares, including high school memories, the slaughtering of a beloved cartoon character, and Eric having no idea what he watched or listened to in preparation for this show.
70, Girls, 70
October 21, 2019 06:30 - 31 minutes - 35.7 MBLooking for the perfect musical to produce at your local nursing home? Look no further than 70, Girls, 70, a musical about a group of senior citizens who steal furs to raise money for the hotel in which they live. We will explore this world of geriatric kleptomania and along the way discover new ways to use elephants as metaphors, Lisa's dream Mary Poppins revival, and a cryptic warning from our other sibling.
Dogfight
October 14, 2019 06:00 - 30 minutes - 33.5 MBThis week, we venture Off-Broadway for the very first time to talk about the musical Dogfight. With the composers of Dear Evan Hansen and the director of Wicked, it sure had an upper hand. So why is it largely forgotten? You'll have to tune in to find out. But one thing's for sure: we're placing our bets on a comeback! Clip from the musical: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQu2lNHaFXo Link to our Spotify page: https://open.spotify.com/user/h4ehf5b7g09mgr00ecjnwv7pa?si=52e-nb6ESTSPlFNOZO...
Rex
October 07, 2019 06:00 - 35 minutes - 37.2 MBFor our tenth episode, we thought it would be fun to combine two of our favorite things: Broadway and the Tudors. Rex is a musical about Henry VIII and some of his many wives, making it the perfect choice for us. Listen for the answers to all your burning questions, such as "What does Richard Rodgers' ghost sound like?", "Would Eric and Lisa have survived in sixteenth century England?", and "What happens to Anne Boleyn?" (Spoiler alert: it does not end well for her).
Side Show
September 30, 2019 06:00 - 32 minutes - 35.8 MBThis week we visit Side Show, a musical about real-life conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton and their time in vaudeville. Side Show flopped not once, but twice! That's right... DOUBLE FLOP! Our sideshow acts include getting our boating licenses, nineties flashbacks, and thirsting over yet another hunk. Highlight reel from the 2014 revival: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iau--dMlElo
Dance of the Vampires
September 23, 2019 06:00 - 32 minutes - 36.9 MBNo one wants their musical to flop, but when you do a show based on the work of a dirt-bag-scum-faced-jerk, what do you expect? Such is the case with Dance of the Vampires. Grab your garlic and join us for the return of Michael Crawford, German lessons, more theremin noises, and the Thoroughly Modern Millie rewrite of your dreams! Full show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62AgTUhCNJk&t=1717s
Taboo: The Boy George Musical
September 16, 2019 06:00 - 36 minutes - 41.4 MBWith big names like Rosie O'Donnell and Boy George attached, you might expect Taboo to be a hit. But, of course, if it were a hit we wouldn't be talking about it! Welcome to the world of Taboo, which (in our world) is also the world of Halloween parades, long dead monarchs, and Koosh balls. Broadway promo reel part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvvAg-tFibs Broadway promo reel part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKYYJcspOsc Broadway promo reel part 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch...
Chess
September 09, 2019 07:00 - 32 minutes - 38.2 MBChess is a musical that is surprisingly popular for a flop. Nevertheless, join us as we dive into the Cold War, try to pronounce Swedish names, and forget the title of one of the biggest hit songs of the decade. Full Broadway show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekuksRgmmnc
The Pirate Queen
August 28, 2019 07:00 - 29 minutes - 33 MBSlower than a sinking ship... it's a squid!... it's a whale!... it's The Pirate Queen! All aboard for conversations about the Tudors, giant collars, and, of course, Riverdance! Plus learn about the role that Mel Brooks played in saving the world (at least from this show). Link to The History Chicks episode on Grace O'Malley: http://thehistorychicks.com/episode-109-grace-omalley/ Link to The Pirate Queen's full show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fj5YDG4g8tw&t=1528s
Tovarich
August 19, 2019 04:03 - 32 minutes - 38.1 MBTovarich is a 1963 musical that really only had one thing going for it.... Vivien Leigh! Fangirl over her with us and along the way we'll discover Russian folk songs, hot men in white t-shirts, and an animated classic that Eric shockingly doesn't care for. Link to Ed Sullivan performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7Ghdnfo21E
Amélie the Musical
August 15, 2019 00:33 - 40 minutes - 47.1 MBWhat's French and strange and magical all over? The musical Amélie! We discuss the skills necessary to act as a goldfish and why Bette Middler has got the juice, gnome puns, and the 2017 Tony Awards. This show was robbed we tell you, robbed! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDsBmuTVNcY&t=35s
The Civil War: The Musical!
August 05, 2019 04:03 - 37 minutes - 43.1 MBThis week, we are talking about a musical that had us dream casting Muppets, longing for elementary school plays, and beseeching Ken Burns more than once. Bring your muskets because we're going to war! Link to the Tony Awards performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Rmgs9OUiyw
Two by Two
July 29, 2019 02:43 - 33 minutes - 39.1 MBFor our first episode, we are talking about the 1970 Richard Rodgers musical Two by Two; Broadway's take on Noah's Ark. Settle in for impersonations of Jean Valjean, theremins, and a chain smoking Mama Rose. Plus, learn what happens to the gitka!