Backstage Babble

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with Broadway veteran Annie McGreevey. Tune in to hear some of the stories of her wonderful career, including a memorable note from Bob Fosse during SWEET CHARITY, standing by for Ethel Merman in CALL ME MADAM, the joy of working with John Kenley, singing for Hal Prince at her COMPANY audition, talking to Stephen Sondheim about “Another Hundred People,” making birthday cakes during ANNIE, why THE MAGIC SHOW was a workout, the surprising fate of THE MOONY SHAPIRO SONGBOOK, crying after A CHORUS LINE, recording demos for FOLLIES, headlining at the Fontainebleau, performing with Carol Burnett in FROM THE TOP!, her journey with dyslexia, learning how to wrestle for BELOW THE BELT, performing a solo piece in I STAND BEFORE YOU NAKED, how Joshua Logan kept her job in RIP VAN WINKLE, performing at the first Kennedy Center Honors, making a cameo in JUNO at Encores!, going on in SWEENEY TODD at the last minute, and so much more. Don’t miss this in-depth talk with one of Broadway’s best.   In-person and livestream tickets to Backstage Babble Live are available here: https://54below.org/events/charles-kirschs-backstage-babble-live-3/

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with four-time Tony winning director Jerry Zaks. Tune in to hear some of the stories of his wonderful career, including creating a three-part comedic bit in A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, helping Swoosie Kurtz find her character in THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES, his upcoming work on BOEING-BOEING, an audacious early audition, revising ANYTHING GOES for Lincoln Center, choosing the design for LEND ME A TENOR, how he collaborated with Christopher Durang, finding the heart of THE MUSIC MAN, what made him want to revive BIG FISH, the difficulty of working on THE CAPEMAN, how he avoids embarrassing actors, revising THE ADDAMS FAMILY for the national tour, the “Ma Nishtana” question in musical theater, commissioning a new book for SISTER ACT, bringing LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS to Broadway, creating STAIRWAY TO PARADISE for Encores!, collaborating with Neil Simon on LAUGHTER ON THE 23RD FLOOR, making changes to FACE VALUE, finding out about the shutdown during MRS. DOUBTFIRE rehearsals, and so much more. Don’t miss this candid conversation with one of Broadway’s most brilliant directors. Tickets to Backstage Babble Live are available here: https://54below.org/events/charles-kirschs-backstage-babble-live-3/

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with Broadway director Darko Tresnjak, whose production of ARCHDUKE is currently playing off-Broadway. Tune in to hear some of her wonderful stories, including the first idea he brought to A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE, creating the iconic staging for “I’ve Decided to Marry You,” cutting the show’s original bows sequence, why he connected with ANASTASIA, auditioning Christy Altomare for the title role, writing ASK FOR THE MOON, directing Lesli Margherita in THE FLAMINGO KID, how he came to Hartford Stage, what Marian Seldes revealed about THE SKIN OF OUR TEETH, telling a political story in RUSSIAN TROLL FARM, staging his own Olympics as a child, reviving AMOUR and CARNIVAL, meeting Marge Champion at Williamstown, the advice he took from Jack O’Brien about running a theater, casting musical theater actresses in THE WOMEN, his dream production of PAL JOEY, and so much more. Don’t miss this in-depth conversation with one of Broadway’s best.

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with two-time Tony winner Brian Stokes Mitchell. Tune in to hear some of his wonderful stories, including why JELLY’S LAST JAM was the hardest show he’s ever done, an out-of-body experience during RAGTIME, learning KING HEDLEY II in nine days, how he came to appreciate KISS ME, KATE, getting slapped by Marin Mazzie, auditioning for OH, KAY! and PORGY AND BESS simultaneously, making his Broadway debut with MAIL, going from the Belleville Dinner Theater to Broadway with MAN OF LA MANCHA, coming back to Broadway with WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN, the pitfalls of adapting movies for the stage, how he got his first big job on TRAPPER JOHN, MD, starring in LOVE LIFE before and after the pandemic, researching the history of SHUFFLE ALONG, his vision for a revival of THE MUSIC MAN, covering Stephen Sondheim’s work on his albums, workshopping HERE WE ARE, and so much more. Don’t miss this in-depth conversation with a true Broadway legend.

Today, I’m thrilled to present a “Broadway Behind the Scenes” special featuring conversations with two of New York theater’s most influential figures: producer and press agent Jeffrey Richards and casting director Tara Rubin. Tune in to hear scintillating stories and insights about both of their careers and their thoughts on the current state of Broadway.

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with Broadway director Trip Cullman, whose production of Martyna Majok’s Queens is currently playing at Manhattan Theater Club. Tune in to hear some of the stories of his legendary career, including reinventing I CAN GET IT FOR YOU WHOLESALE,  the use of music into CULT OF LOVE and CHOIR BOY, working on UNKNOWN SOLDIER after Michael Friedman passed away, telling Joshua Harmon’s personal stories in SIGNIFICANT OTHER and WE HAD A WORLD, deciding on the set for LOBBY HERO, assisting Joe Mantello on TAKE ME OUT, bringing a sex scene to life in A SMALL FIRE, his dramaturgical concept for SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION, what he learned from Mike Nichols during THE SEAGULL, staging an intense moment in THE LONELY FEW, being the only gay person working on ANGELS IN AMERICA, why THE ROSE TATTOO was a heartbreaker, bringing THELMA AND LOUISE to the stage, working on UNKNOWN SOLDIER after Michael Friedman passed away, why he loves casting musical theater actors in plays, how COWBOY MOUTH inspired his love of directing, his long collaboration with Leslye Headland and Halley Feiffer, his upcoming work on BECKY SHAW, and so much more. Don’t miss this candid conversation with one of Broadway’s best.

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with Broadway veteran Michael Vita. Tune in to hear some of the stories of his legendary career, including how PROMISES, PROMISES changed Broadway, how summer camp led to BYE BYE BIRDIE, moving to England in 1961, a long preview process for GOLDEN RAINBOW, his memorable audition for BALLROOM, touring America with 42ND STREET, having fun backstage with Gwen Verdon and Jerry Orbach, how A DOLL’S LIFE led to ON YOUR TOES, performing with Natalia Makarova, the genius of Hal Prince, going on at the last minute in JACQUES BREL IS ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVING IN PARIS, working on CYRANO with Christopher Plummer out of town, a mishap during SKYSCRAPER, his opening night gift during CHICAGO, talking about Bob Fosse with Michael Bennett, how he helped found BC/EFA, his second career as an AIDS activist, and so much more. Don’t miss this in-depth interview with a true Broadway veteran.

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with three-time Tony nominated librettist David Thompson. Tune in to hear some of the stories of his legendary career, including how he made his debut with FLORA, THE RED MENACE, experimenting with AND THE WORLD GOES ROUND, the last-minute nature of the CHICAGO revival, what he learned from Kander and Ebb, why 70, GIRLS, 70 is an anomaly, working with Andrew Lloyd Webber and Garth Drabinsky on MUSIC OF THE NIGHT, why STEEL PIER didn’t make a hit on Broadway, incorporating suggestions from the cast into THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS, completing that show after Fred Ebb’s passing, how 9/11 affected THOU SHALT NOT, working with Jerry Herman on revising DEAR WORLD, rewriting RAGS, adapting THE BLUE ANGEL and LITTLE MISS MARKER, a different kind of storytelling in THE BEAST IN THE JUNGLE, the beauty of THE LOOK OF LOVE, collaborating with Hal Prince on PRINCE OF BROADWAY, making theater in Japan, what attracted him to BAR MITZVAH BOY, reinventing NEW YORK, NEW YORK for the stage, his new piece with John Kander, and so much more. Don’t miss this candid conversation with one of Broadway’s finest wordsmiths.

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with Tony winner and Emmy nominee Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Tune in to hear some of the stories of his legendary career, including how he booked his Broadway debut in ON THE TOWN during college, why it worked better at the Delacorte than on Broadway, starring in TAKE ME OUT just after the pandemic, the genesis of THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, a real-life magical moment during THE TEMPEST, why FULLY COMMITTED appealed to him as a play to revive, how GRAND HORIZONS and LOG CABIN made a dream come true for him, finding movement in that show, coming to Hollywood as a stage actor, why he never had speaking roles growing up, doing Shakespeare in the Park and MODERN FAMILY simultaneously, being an out actor on Broadway and in Hollywood, the difficulty of his role in THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, his upcoming play about Truman Capote, and so much more. Don’t miss this candid and hilarious conversation with a star of stage and screen.

Today, I’m thrilled to announce my interview with Oscar nominee Chris Sarandon. Tune in to hear some of the stories of his legendary career, including how he fell in love with Joanna Gleason during NICK AND NORA, bonding with the cast of THE ROTHSCHILDS, co-starring with Rex Harrison in THE DEVIL’S DISCIPLE, his Oscar campaign for DOG DAY AFTERNOON, the cult appeal of THE PRINCESS BRIDE, why he felt limited as a replacement in TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA, learning from Colleen Dewhurst and George C. Scott, why he wept every time he watched THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA, the strangeness of putting together MARCO POLO SINGS A SOLO, why CENSORED SCENES FROM KING KONG didn’t take off on Broadway, his collaboration with Ulu Grosbard, advising James Ivory on STREETS OF NEW YORK, and so much more. Don’t miss this in-depth conversation with a veteran of stage and screen.