Claim OwnershipMarks & Vincentelli: A Theatre Podcast
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A theatre podcast hosted by critics Peter Marks (Washington Post) and Elisabeth Vincentelli (contributor to the New York Times). Featuring guest interviews, show discussion and more.
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There’s much talk these days about the dire financial health of musicals on Broadway, where costs have skyrocketed — and so have ticket prices. Yet, very few of the big shows manages to turn a profit. How can this go on? Tom Kirdahy submits to some questioning about this issue, and his own work on Broadway and in the movies. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marksvincentelli.substack.com/subscribe
Whitney White is a busy director, and we couldn’t be happier about it — we’ve been following her career for several years now, and it’s always exciting to see what she’ll come up with next.You can see her production of the new musical “Saturday Church” (which Elisabeth wrote about for The New York Times) at New York Theater Workshop until Oct. 24. And on Oct. 8, she’s starting previews for the Broadway run of the Bess Wohl play “Liberation” (which was at the Laura Pels Theater a few months ago).Whitney talked to us about both of those shows, but also went back to growing up in Chicago with a mom who made sure her daughter had a broad, inquisitive mind — turns out that studying political science is not a bad way to start a career in theater — and her days working as an actress (oh, the shows she’s been in!). We also touched on some key productions in her career, like Aleshea Harris’s “What to Send Up When It Goes Down” and Jocelyn Bioh’s “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding,” as well as her own “Macbeth in Stride,” which is part of a larger Shakespeare-themed project.Thanks to Christian Huygen for our theme music. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marksvincentelli.substack.com/subscribe
Our guest this week is none other than Jinkx Monsoon, who’s killing it as Mary Todd Lincoln in “Oh, Mary!” on Broadway. Just ask Elisabeth: She’s seen the show five times with three different leading ladies.Jinkx basically gave us a TED Talk on the art of comedy, and frankly she’s well placed to talk about that stuff — there’s even a Madeline Kahn reference, so you know we’re in good hands. Of course we talked about her recent turn in “Pirates! The Penzance Musical” and Peter gushed about Jinkx’s take on “Somewhere That’s Green” (which she performed when she played Audrey in the Off Broadway revival of “Little Shop of Horrors,” of course).It’s impossible to avoid, so we also got into a discussion of the current climate in the U.S., and Jinkx talked about how it has weighed on some of her touring decisions — maybe not in the way you’d expect. Which reminds us: Now’s the time to buy your tickets for “The Jinkx and DeLa Holiday Show,” which has become a bona fide new traditionNeed some background on our guest? Here’s the profile Elisabeth wrote for the New York Times back in April.Thanks to Christian Huygen for our theme music. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marksvincentelli.substack.com/subscribe
RADA is a world-famous institution that has trained the likes of Vivien Leigh, Ralph Fiennes, Anthony Hopkins, Glenda Jackson, Alan Rickman and Roger Moore. Now you can add Peter Marks to the list. In August, Peter — as you may recall, a former theater critic — embarked on a daunting adventure: He enrolled in RADA’s five-week Shakespeare intensive program! He tells us about living out his acting dreams in London. His fellow Swan (listen to the episode for the explanation) Caitlin Wilson joined us for the occasion as well. Memorizing lines, getting used to iambic pentameter, inhabiting Shylock, King Lear and Bottom — Peter jumped through many hoops during what he called a life-changing experience.You won’t be able to see that but trust us: Elisabeth’s mouth was agape in disbelief the entire time. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marksvincentelli.substack.com/subscribe
Both Peter and Elisabeth tore through Jeff Hiller’s new memoir, “Actress of a Certain Age: My Twenty Year Trail to Overnight Success.” And they both experienced episodes that involved laughing so hard that you feel nauseous (Peter) and laughing so hard on the subway that you start drawing stares (Elisabeth).Yes, the book is that funny. So of course we had to get Jeff on the show. Also because we’ve been fans of his acting for years. Thanks to the HBO series “Somebody Somewhere,” where he played Bridget Everett’s friend Joel for three seasons, more people than ever have become aware of Jeff’s talent. For many New Yorkers, he’s also a beloved stage regular who’s brightened shows like “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,” “Silence! The Musical” (a brilliant parody of “The Silence of the Lambs”), “Bright Colors and Bold Patterns” and “Hercules.” Jeff is incredibly funny onstage, and of course he was incredibly funny on the podcast. He talked about the new book, his career, acting and of course Elisabeth used the opportunity to ask about a reading she once saw that paired Jeff and Cole Escola — long before they became Tony-winning Cole Escola. Thanks to Christian Huygen for our theme music. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marksvincentelli.substack.com/subscribe
In this episode, multi-hyphenate theater man Jeremy McCarter talked to us about his new project: a six-part audio adaptation of “Hamlet” he wrote and directed for his own Make-Believe Association (you’ll find links to listen on your favorite platform on the company’s site).McCarter’s adaptation streamlines Shakespeare’s play and places the listener inside the Prince of Denmark’s head — which is why you really want to listen on headphones, thanks to the superb sound design from Mikhail Fiksel, who won a Tony Award for his work on “Dana H.” in 2022. The cast is a stellar mix of New York and Chicago actors, including Daniel Kyri as Hamlet, Jacob Ming-Trent as Polonius, Sharon Washington as Gertrude and John Douglas Thompson as Claudius/Ghost.But wait: yes, you have heard of Jeremy McCarter — he wrote the best-selling book “Hamilton: The Revolution” with Lin-Manuel Miranda! And before founding Make-Believe Association, he worked at the Public Theater, where he created and ran the Public Forum series. (Readers of New York magazine may also remember him as the critic who replaced John Simon in 2005.)This is an enlightening episode about the art of adaptation, most particularly in an aural medium. Don’t take our word for it, though: check it out!Thanks to Christian Huygen for our theme music. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marksvincentelli.substack.com/subscribe
On this episode we welcome Joe Iconis and Christopher Ashley, whose show “The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical” is at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Va., until July 13.Joe wrote the music and lyrics, and co-wrote the book with Gregory S. Moss. Christopher directed, as he did at the La Jolla Playhouse premiere a couple of years ago. They’re going to talk about the show’s loooooong gestation, why it’s unauthorized, and of course why the king of gonzo journalism is a great subject for a musical.Both Joe and Christopher are likely to be familiar to our listeners. Joe wrote the scores for “Be More Chill” (which is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a big bash at Two River Theater this summer!) “Broadway Bounty Hunter” and “Love in Hate Nation.” Christopher has directed Broadway hits like “Come From Away,” “Memphis” and Elisabeth’s beloved “Xanadu.” He is about to leave his job as La Jolla artistic director to take on similar duties at the Roundabout Theater Company in New York.Joe almost lost it when he discussed what happened in this video shot at Thompson’s house in Colorado. Check it out!Thanks to Christian Huygen for our theme music. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marksvincentelli.substack.com/subscribe
On this episode, Jonathan Groff talks to us about his new Broadway show, “Just in Time,” in which he guides the audience through his own love for Bobby Darin and, of course, Darin’s life. It’s an explosive performance from an actor we thought we knew — after all, Groff is no stranger to the stage, from “Spring Awakening” to “Hamilton” to his Tony-winning turn as Franklin Shepard in the revival of “Merrily We Roll Along.” (Peter and Elisabeth are also fans of Groff’s miniseries “Mindhunter” so of course they begged for a new season.)It’s a rollicking episode with tons of great stories about growing up in a Mennonite community in Pennsylvania and falling into YouTube rabbit holes. As Elisabeth likes to say: Who among us…? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marksvincentelli.substack.com/subscribe
One of the most annoying canards out there is that critics relish writing pans.Wrong!A pan is a pain for everybody, and it certainly is not fun to write. Elisabeth recently had to do it for Caitlin Saylor Stephens’s new play “Five Models in Ruin, 1981,” which is playing through June 1 at Lincoln Center Theater, as part of the LCT3 incubator. So Peter decided to interview his own co-host to see how she tackled the show for The New York Times. We do read excerpts of the review on the podcast but here’s a gift link so you can follow along as we engage in some text analysis. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marksvincentelli.substack.com/subscribe
For this episode we had the pleasure of talking to Kimberly Belflower, a young playwright who’s making quite a splash with her Broadway debut, “John Proctor Is the Villain” — yes, that John Proctor, from “The Crucible.” It just got seven Tony nominations, including for best play and for best leading actress in a play (for Sadie Sink — yes, that Sadie Sink, from the Netflix series “Stranger Things”). Despite what the title may suggest, the new show isn’t a spoof of Arthur Miller’s play, which is usually interpreted as an allegory about the McCarthy era. Belflower’s story is set in a Georgia high school where students read the text through the prism of what’s been happening, darkly, to some of them. Their charismatic English teacher, played by Gabriel Ebert, has a key role.We had a bracing conversation with Belflower about the early years of the MeToo movement, how she developed the play and worked with director Danya Taymor — and her surprising connection to our last guest, Jeffrey Seller!Thanks to Christian Huygen for our theme music. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marksvincentelli.substack.com/subscribe
Jeffrey Seller has produced quite a few of musicals, including two mega-hits that were both hugely influential and hugely successful at the box office: “Rent” and “Hamilton.” Naturally, we had to ask him: What makes a good producer?Seller dropped by the podcast to talk about his new memoir, “Theater Kid,” in which he takes us from his childhood near Detroit to his early years in New York, when he worked in the office of the producers Barry and Fran Weissler, and on to his fateful meetings with Jonathan Larson and Lin-Manuel Miranda.He had quite a few thoughts about the state of Broadway, and in particular what’s happening with musicals. Even if you haven’t seen his shows — but if you listen to his podcast, chances are that you have — Seller will make you ponder where the industry’s at these days.Thanks to Christian Huygen for our theme music. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marksvincentelli.substack.com/subscribe
“Maybe Happy Ending’ is the Broadway hit that nobody really saw coming. On this episode we welcome its stars, Helen J Shen and Darren Criss, who was just nominated for a Tony Award in this role. Darren and Helen portray a pair of HelperBots who have been cast out by their owners and end up living in a robot retirement community. What happens to them is, well, the stuff of the classic story of boybot meets girlbot.The show premiered in Seoul, South Korea, in 2016. Its unlikely premise was brought to fruition by Will Aronson (music, lyrics and book) and Hue Park (lyrics and book). The Broadway version has been mounted at the Belasco Theatre by director Michael Arden, with a cast that also includes Marcus Choi and Dez Duron.Criss you probably know: He made his name in “Glee” and went on to credits in very different Broadway shows, replacing Daniel Radcliffe in “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” and appearing in a revival of David Mamet’s “American Buffalo” alongside Sam Rockwell. He won a Golden Globe and an Emmy for his portrayal of Andrew Cunanan “American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace.” As for Shen: she is making her Broadway debut, but eagle-eyed Elisabeth had spotted her in the Off Broadway musicals “Teeth” and “The Lonely Few.”Both were the kind of guests we can only dream of, so tune in!Thanks to Christian Huygen for our theme music. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marksvincentelli.substack.com/subscribe
Kate Valk joined the Wooster Group in 1979 and never looked back. We think she’s one of America’s greatest actresses, but because she’s spent her entire career with the experimental New York company, even hardcore theatergoers may not have seen her work on stage or onscreen. Fellow Woosters like Willem Dafoe (former) or Scott Shepherd (current) are easy to find because they work pretty much everywhere but Valk’s IMDB page is practically nonexistent and she’s never been on Broadway — when Elisabeth checked IBDB, the answer was“Did you mean Kate Hall? Nate Sack? Grace Falk?”Kate joined us for a free-spirited conversation in which she talked, among other things, about the Wooster Group’s idiosyncratic approach, why she’s never strayed from the company, turning to directing and her delight in educational projects. Of course she also talked about the company’s latest show, “Nayatt School Redux” (check out Ben Brantley’s terrific piece about it in the New York Times).Oh, and in August you can check out a Wooster show in a New York venue other than the company’s own Performing Garage when Eric Berryman performs “Get Your Ass in the Water and Swim Like Me” (which Valk directed) at Joe’s Pub. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marksvincentelli.substack.com/subscribe
If you saw the Broadway productions of “She Loves Me” (for which he won a Tony), "Hairspray," "Legally Blonde," "Lucky Guy" or "Kinky Boots," you saw sets by this episode’s guest, David Rockwell. Rockwell is back on Broadway with designs for two shows this spring: “Pirates! The Penzance Musical” and “Boop!” We spoke with him to discuss at what stage he engages a project, the challenges he might encounter, and what he considers important in theatrical set design.We also talked about another big source of activity for his company, Rockwell Group (which he founded in 1984): restaurants, hotels and performing venues — including the new revamp of the Laurie Beechman Theater, underneath the West Bank Café.Rockwell is just our second set-designing guest, the first being Beowulf Boritt back in Oct. 2022. Make it a twofer listen! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marksvincentelli.substack.com/subscribe
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit marksvincentelli.substack.comSince taking over the role of the Emcee in Rebecca Frecknall’s Broadway revival of “Cabaret” in September, Adam Lambert has made his mark on one of musical theater’s most iconic roles. We were impressed when we revisited the show recently, because it has finally found its footing. Lambert and Auli’i Cravalho as Sally Bowles follow through on choices tha…
On this episode, Elisabeth and Peter interview Brian Doerries, founding artistic director of Theater of War Productions. The group is made up of dozens of well-known actors, including the likes of Frances McDormand, Bill Murray, Jeffrey Wright and Elizabeth Marvel — and Peter has been known to join it, too. Theater of War travels the country and the globe with readings of plays that inspire and provoke audiences, including “Antigone in Ferguson,” “Oedipus the King,” and a recent “An Enemy of the People” on Times Square. The company’s latest project is a collaboration with WNYC that has it reading long-form pieces of journalism, starting with “How Daniel Penny Was Found Not Guilty in a Subway Killing That Divided New York” (originally published in The New Yorker) read by Chad Coleman, Amy Ryan and David Strathairn.As Doerries explains in a wide-ranging conversation, it’s the audience’s contributions that are the key to Theater of War’s success. But where will you stand, dear listeners, in the debate that came up between him and Elisabeth? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marksvincentelli.substack.com/subscribe
Peter and Elisabeth have been doing podcasts together for years now, but this was the first time a guest turned the tables and asked them what their three favorite musicals are!But don’t listen to this episode just for that. Listen to it because the guest is Stephanie Styles, a young musical-theater performer who’s going places — although right now she’s parked in the Encores! production of “Urinetown” at New York City Center, which you can see until Feb. 16 (Elisabeth reviewed it very favorably in the New York Times).Stephanie talked to us about growing up a musical-theater fan in Houston, Tex.; touring with “The Sound of Music” and “Newsies”; the Broadway shows that almost made it, like a revival of “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” with James Corden; and the Broadway shows that did make it, like the 2019 revival of “Kiss Me, Kate” with Kelli O’Hara and Corbin Bleu.We were delighted to hear that Stephanie identifies as a comic soprano, and she certainly belongs in a lineage that also includes Madeline Kahn, Kristin Chenoweth and Annaleigh Ashford. Take it away, Stephanie! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marksvincentelli.substack.com/subscribe
You may have read Elisabeth’s article about the Off Strip theater scene in Las Vegas — and if you haven’t, here is a gift link. To give listeners the lay of the land in Sin City (or rather Sin County, to be exact), we welcomed Daz Weller, artistic director of the Vegas Theater Company, who talked to us about what it’s like to do small plays and musicals in a city best known for pop residencies and Cirque du Soleil extravaganzas. There are many obstacles, but the talent pool is fantastic and locals are getting thirstier for home-grown shows. Vegas Theater Company is one of the three professional companies Elisabeth mentioned in her feature. The other two are Majestic Repertory Theater and A Public Fit Theater Company. They are both well worth a visit if you find yourself in southern Nevada. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marksvincentelli.substack.com/subscribe
Over the past decade, Marjan Neshat has become a welcome presence on the Off Broadway scene, and it’s rewarding to see her finally make her Broadway debut. And she’s in a mighty fine play, too: “English,” which Peter and Elisabeth loved when they saw it at the Atlantic Theater in 2022.Sanaz Toossi’s play, which won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize in drama, is about a small group of Iranians of various ages who are learning English near Tehran. Neshat plays their teacher, who repeatedly brings up her time living in Britain. We had a wonderful time chatting with her about her Iranian roots, her working relationship with Toussi (they also did “Wish You Were Here” together), a production of “The Seagull” starring Dianne Wiest and Alan Cumming that turned out to be important for her as an actress, and what it was like being in the Public Theater’s infamous production of “Julius Caesar” at the Delacorte that sparked controversy and protests in 2017. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marksvincentelli.substack.com/subscribe
Elisabeth put her foot in her mouth again: she said that Melissa Errico was “lovely” — as it turns out, that’s an adjective that has often been used to describe our latest guest. But Melissa is lovely, dammit!For (we think) our first holiday episode, we were delighted to welcome one of New York’s finest songbirds. She talked to us about her new show with Billy Stritch at 54 Below, “’Twas the Night After Christmas” (naturally, it starts Dec. 26 and runs through Dec. 30), and many other things.Peter and Elisabeth both have a long history with Melissa, having converted to fandom with her revelatory performance in the Encores! production of “One Touch of Venus,” back in 1996. In the intervening years, she has emerged as a top-shelf interpreter of two songwriters we are especially fond of: Stephen Sondheim and Michel Legrand. She talks about her relationship with them, and how they differed from each other, about working on and off Broadway, and her career as a traveling concert performer.Oh yes, she also talks about meeting her husband, Patrick McEnroe — and singing the National Anthem at the U.S. Open. Why does tennis come up so often in this podcast?!? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marksvincentelli.substack.com/subscribe
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