Know the Show
63 episodes - English - Latest episode: 25 days ago -Join Director Michael Fling (Artistic Associate, Goodspeed Musicals) and Dramaturg Anika Chapin (Director of Artistic Development, Signature Theatre) as they explore and examine your favorite shows, from contemporary hits to classic Broadway. They’ll share fascinating tidbits about each show’s creation and history, then analyze a song or scene to illustrate how the dramaturgy of the show works. Whether you're "Getting to Know" a show for the first time or learning more about an "Old Friend", you're guaranteed to fall in love with musical theatre all over again. New episodes monthly.
Homepage Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Cabaret
June 24, 2020 11:00 - 1 hour - 72.3 MBCABARET Music by John Kander | Lyrics by Fred Ebb | Book by Joe Masteroff | Based on The Berlin Stories by Christopher Isherwood and the play I Am A Camera by John Van Druten. Episode Segments: 1:44 - Speed Test 3:55 - Why God Why 5:17 - Back to Before 25:33 - What's Inside 50:37 - How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? 1:06:42 - Our Favorite Things 1:14:55 - Corner of the Sky Works Consulted: Cabaret (Original Libretto) by Joe Masteroff, John Kander & Fred Ebb | Directed & Pro...
Les Misérables
June 10, 2020 11:00 - 1 hour - 75.5 MBLES MISÉRABLES A Musical by Alain Boublil & Claude-Michele Schönberg | Based on a novel by Victor Hugo | Music by Claude-Michele Schönberg | Lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer | Original French Text by Alain Boublil & Jean-Marc Natel | Additional Material by James Fenton | Adapted and Originally Directed by Trevor Nunn & John Caird | Orchestrations by John Cameron | Original London Production by Cameron Mackintosh & The Royal Shakespeare Company Episode Segments: 3:05 - Speed Test 5:07 - Why G...
Les Miserables
June 10, 2020 11:00 - 1 hour - 75.5 MBThe megamusical Les Miserables is an epic in every sense of the word: based on a novel by Victor Hugo that is huge in both size and scope, the show came to Broadway by way of France and then London, with audiences as big as the famous waving red flag. We'll dive into the musical’s unconventional genesis, discuss about how the score of the show illustrates the complex relationship between its protagonist and antagonist, Jean Valjean and Javert, and discuss our favorite and least favorite (sorr...
Guys & Dolls
May 27, 2020 11:00 - 1 hour - 70.8 MBWhen you see a guy reach for stars in the sky, you can bet that IN THE SPOTLIGHT is diving into the classic 1950 musical comedy Guys and Dolls. We’ll discuss why the show is both a great musical and a great comedy, share some juicy stories of the show’s creation, and take a closer look at ‘My Time of Day’ and how it reveals secret layers of Sky’s character.
Guys and Dolls
May 27, 2020 11:00 - 1 hour - 70.8 MBGUYS AND DOLLS A Musical Fable of Broadway | Music & Lyrics by Frank Loesser | Book by Jo Swerling & Abe Burrows Episode Segments: 1:35 - Remember 5:41 - Why God Why 6:49 - Back to Before 32:09 - What's Inside 51:46 - How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? 1:00:59 - Our Favorite Things 1:13:03 - Corner of the Sky Works Consulted: The Making of Guys and Dolls by Keith Garebian Guys and Dolls (Libretto) Book by Abe Burrows & Jo Swerling, Music & Lyrics by Frank Loesser, Based on ...
Spring Awakening
May 13, 2020 11:30 - 1 hour - 67.3 MBSPRING AWAKENING | Book & Lyrics by Steven Sater | Music by Duncan Sheik Episode Segments: 1:44 - Remember 4:42 - Why God Why 5:37 - Back to Before 22:31 - What's Inside 40:16 - How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? 56:36 - Our Favorite Things 1:07:54 - Corner of the Sky Works Consulted: Spring Awakening (Libretto) Book & Lyrics by Steven Sater, Music by Duncan Sheik Spring Awakening: In the Flesh by David Cote Music Credits: "Overture" from Dear World (Original Broadway Cast ...
4 - Spring Awakening
May 13, 2020 11:30 - 1 hour - 67.3 MBThe 2006 musical SPRING AWAKENING by Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater took the world by storm when it first landed on Broadway. Although its source material was a German play from 1891, the exploration of teenage repression and angst nonetheless felt breathtakingly new and prompted The New York Times to write that "Broadway may never be the same." In the fourth episode of IN THE SPOTLIGHT, Michael Fling and Anika Chapin tell the story of this pop/rock musical classic which spawned a legion of im...
3 - Into the Woods
April 29, 2020 14:03 - 1 hour - 72.1 MBDid Bruno Bettelheim's 'The Uses of Enchantment' inspire the show? Is the Giant a metaphor for AIDS? Go INTO THE WOODS with us as we explore Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s beloved 1987 musical fairy tale. Learn about the show's inspirations and path to Broadway, including tidbits like the line in the show that is the only line Sondheim has ever "borrowed" from a performer - and dive deep into an analysis of the song "A Very Nice Prince." Whether you're new to the show or, like us, alrea...
Into the Woods
April 29, 2020 14:03 - 1 hour - 72.1 MBINTO THE WOODS | Book by James Lapine | Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Episode Segments: 1:42 - Plot/Synopsis 6:15 - Why God Why 12:28 - Back to Before 24:35 - Deep Dive 49:59 - How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? 1:00:22 - Our Favorite Things 1:15:22 - Why It Works Works Consulted: Into the Woods (Libretto) Book by James Lapine, Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Look, I Made A Hat by Stephen Sondheim Music Credits: "Overture" from Dear World (Original Broadway Cast Re...
Annie
April 15, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 59 MBANNIE | Book by Thomas Meehan | Music by Charles Strouse | Lyrics by Martin Charnin | Based on Little Orphan Annie by permission of The Media Tribune Services, Inc. Works Consulted: Annie (Libretto) Book by Thomas Meehan, Music by Charles Strouse, Lyrics by Martin Charnin Annie (1999 Telefilm) Directed by Rob Marshall Put on a Happy Face by Charles Strouse Music Credits: "Overture" from Dear World (Original Broadway Cast Recording) | Music by Jerry Herman | Performed by Dear World Or...
2 - Annie
April 15, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 59 MBIn this week's episode, we’ll discuss the American classic Annie which premiered at Goodspeed about 45 years ago. Michael & Anika explain this history of the show, how it got to Goodspeed, and even reveal which famous composer may have worked on the music for a brief time. Featuring a deep dive into the song “Maybe” and fun facts that illuminate how the show almost never came to be, the podcast will leave you fully dressed with a smile.
1 - South Pacific
April 14, 2020 23:06 - 1 hour - 64 MBGoodspeed Musicals' Michael Fling and Anika Chapin dive deep into the classic musical, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific. Learn about the history of the show (including which future James Bond appeared in the chorus), and explore the show’s storytelling and structure with a dramaturgical analysis of the song ‘Twin Soliloquies’. Both a celebration and an exploration of one of the all-time great musicals, it is tempting to say this is some enchanted podcast..
South Pacific
April 14, 2020 23:06 - 1 hour - 64 MBSOUTH PACIFIC | Music by Richard Rodgers| Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II | Book by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joshua Logan | Adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Tales of the South Pacific by James Michener Works Consulted: South Pacific (Libretto) Book by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joshua Logan, Music by Richard Rodgers, Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II South Pacific (Film) Directed by Joshua Logan The South Pacific Companion by Laurence Maslon Something Wonderful: Rodgers and Ham...