Broadway Breakdown

Matt revisits the Oscar-winning 2002 film adaptation of Chicago to unpack how it cracked the code for movie musicals in the 21st century. Joined by Casey Balsham (podcast It’s Broadway B*tch), the two explore why Chicago’s cinematic choices worked where so many others failed, how the film reframed Bob Fosse’s theatrical language, and why Chicago still looms large over every musical-to-film adaptation that followed.Casey Balsham—comedian, performer, and longtime Chicago obsessive—is the ideal guest for this episode. With a deep appreciation for musical theater history and a sharp eye for performance, Casey brings humor, specificity, and genuine love for the material while interrogating what makes this adaptation so enduring.Broadway Breakdown LinksBroadway Breakdown DiscordBroadway Breakdown SubstackTimestamps04:20 – From stage to screen: adapting Kander & Ebb14:30 – Plot overview and structural changes from the stage27:00 – Star performances and stunt casting done right40:15 – The film’s awards run and Oscar impact46:30 – Why Chicago succeeded where others failed58:30 – Legacy: can this formula be repeated?Key people mentionedJohn Kander, Fred Ebb, Bob Fosse, Martin Richards, Rob Marshall, Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere, Queen Latifah, John C. Reilly, Chita Rivera, Gwen VerdonListener discussion questionsIs Chicago successful because it’s theatrical—or because it resists realism entirely?Which performance anchors the film most strongly for you, and why?Do you think there’s been a movie musical since Chicago that has surpassed it? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bwaybreakdown.substack.com

The year has ended, but the season is still going. So we’re doing what Broadway Breakdown does best…reviewing and ranking!!! Matt saw nearly 30 shows so far this season both Broadway and Off-Broadway and he wants to gather his thoughts on how he feels about them all. Some good, a few great, a couple somewhat bad…let’s dig in!BROADWAY BREAKDOWN LINKS:Broadway Breakdown Discord: HereBroadway Breakdown Substack: HereTIME STAMPS:00:00 - Housekeeping7:05 - #2710:00 - #2614:00 - #2518:12 - #2421:25 #2328:53 - #2233:10 - #2152:40 - #2057:30 - #191:01:06 - #181:05:17 - #171:14:29 - #161:18:10 - #151:20:43 - #141:28:20 - #131:36:23 - #121:39:18 - #111:43:20 - #101:49:42 - #091:52:02 - #081:57:46 - #072:01:14 - #062:07:38 - #052:09:01 - #042:16:250 - #032:26:27 - #022:26:40 - #01LISTENER QUESTIONS* What show so far this season do you think history will be most kind to?* What do you think is currently a front runner for the Tony Award and could a spring entry change that?* What’s an example of a song in a musical where you felt “This song is only here because it’s a musical, not because it’s needed”? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bwaybreakdown.substack.com

Tennessee Williams’s The Glass Menagerie is one of the most produced and most analyzed plays in the American canon…and now it’s our turn! Matt and guest Amy Jo Jackson explore the play’s autobiographical roots and why memory—not realism—is the engine that drives its enduring emotional power. From Laura’s fragility to Amanda’s survival instincts, this episode argues for Menagerie as a living, elastic work that changes depending on who’s telling the story.Amy Jo Jackson is a theater artist, educator, and longtime Williams devotee whose work centers on text-driven performance and classical American drama. Her deep familiarity with The Glass Menagerie—as both a practitioner and analyst—makes her an ideal guide through the play’s emotional contradictions, historical context, and performance challenges.Broadway Breakdown Links:Broadway Breakdown Discord: HereBroadway Breakdown Substack: HereTimestamps03:15 – Tennessee Williams’s life and autobiographical parallels07:40 – Memory play vs. realism: what Williams was reinventing18:00 – Amanda Wingfield: villain, survivor, or both?25:00 – Laura’s interior life and the danger of sentimentality31:45 – The Gentleman Caller and dramatic inevitability38:00 – Original Broadway production and early critical response43:30 – Film adaptations and what gets lost on screen50:00 – Major Broadway revivals and shifting interpretations1:12:30 – Legacy: why directors keep returning to this playKey people mentionedTennessee Williams, Laurette Taylor, Julie Harris, Jessica Tandy, Sally Field, Cherry Jones, Zachary Quinto, Paul NewmanListener discussion questionsDoes knowing The Glass Menagerie is autobiographical change how you watch it?What is your marker for when fragility is played right?Can one move up without moving forward? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bwaybreakdown.substack.com

Edward Albee’s final play to open on Broadway remains one of the most controversial: The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? In this Deep Dive, Matt and guest Robert W. Schneider unpack its infamous premise and explore why a play so boldly bonkers can be so shockingly rewarding. The two also explore how Albee weaponizes language, social taboos, and why the play’s legacy is still undefined.Robert W. Schneider—director, educator, author, and longtime theater historian—is the perfect sparring partner for this conversation. A deep lover of Albee’s work with firsthand experience teaching and contextualizing The Goat, Rob brings historical perspective, production insight, and a fearless willingness to argue the play’s moral, emotional, and theatrical implications.Broadway Breakdown LinksBroadway Breakdown:  Discord ChannelBroadway Breakdown: SubstackTimestamps 00:00 – Introduction 06:45 – Plot overview and the play’s infamous reveal 15:30 – Original Broadway production and cultural reaction in 2002 20:00 – Mercedes Ruehl’s performance and the physical toll of Stevie 38:30 – Tony Awards context and critical reception 52:00 – Revivals, casting fantasies, and what it would take to bring it back 1:15:00 – Legacy: is The Goat a masterpiece, a provocation, or both? 1:27:00 – Final thoughts on Albee, tragedy, and modern audiencesKey People:Edward Albee (Playwright), Mercedes Ruehl, Bill Pullman, Sally Field, Bill Irwin, Lindsay Duncan, Sarah Paulson, Eddie RedmayneListener Discussion Questions: Does The Goat still shock modern audiences—or has the culture caught up to it? Is Albee’s language indulgent by design, or does it undermine the play’s momentum? What kind of casting would make a Broadway revival of The Goat viable today? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bwaybreakdown.substack.com

Our Deep Dive of Great Comet comes to its conclusion. Actor/singer/diva/Great Comet superfan Natalie Walker remains to dig into the show’s electrifying soundscape, its roots in War and Peace, and how Dave Malloy explodes character, form, and musical vocabulary. Matt and Natalie break down what makes Comet such a singular theatrical experience—structurally, emotionally, and spiritually—and why its legacy continues to glow long after the comet’s tail faded from Broadway.Guest introductionNatalie Walker is an actor, singer, and comedic force known for her singular interpretations of musical theater material. She’s been nominated for a Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel Award and recently brought her sold out show Mad Scenes to Joe’s Pub. Her extensive history with Great Comet across multiple productions—including Kazino, A.R.T., and Broadway—brings insight as both a performer and longtime fan makes her the ideal partner for this deep-dive analysis.Broadway Breakdown Links:Broadway Breakdown DiscordBroadway Breakdown SubstackTimestamps00:00 – Welcome & why Great Comet still mattersWhy Comet remains one of the most daring Broadway productions of the 2010s.04:30 – Translating Kazino’s immersive chaos to a proscenium Matt and Natalie break down the production design on Broadway.11:50 – “Charming” and the weaponization of flattery A textual and musical unpacking of Hélène’s manipulation and why “such a shame to bury pearls in the country” is one of song’s great lines.34:20 – The Abduction: pacing, spectacle, and the Broadway-length debate Matt’s case for trimming the sequence and why certain Broadway changes improved storytelling.42:30 – Pierre, Natasha & the power of perceived monstrosityPierre’s meeting with Natasha and how online behavior mirrors the novel’s themes.59:00 – Pierre’s emotional repression & the final confessionA breakdown of Pierre’s “you should be with the brightest, handsomest, best person” scene and why people who seem emotionally constrained often feel the most.1:24:45 – Social media, discourse & the collapse of the Broadway runHow the “Great Comet discourse” spiraled, why it fed into Malloy’s Octet, and what the show reveals about online culture and human empathy.Key people mentionedCreators* Dave Malloy (composer, lyricist, book), Rachel Chavkin (director), Sam Pinkleton (choreography), Mimi Lien (set design), Paloma Young (costumes), Bradley King (lighting)Original Broadway cast* Josh Groban (Pierre), Denée Benton (Natasha), Lucas Steele (Anatole), Amber Gray (Hélène), Grace McLean (Marya D.), Brittain Ashford (Sonya), Nick Choksi (Doléhov)Other notable performers mentioned* Heath Saunders, Shaina Taub, Kuhu Verma (Octet)Resources:* Original Broadway Cast Recording – Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812* Tolstoy’s War and Peace (Volume 2, Part 5) — source text for the musical* Dave Malloy’s website & notes on Comet* Ars Nova production materials / archival info* A.R.T. production history* Broadway run timeline & Tony Awards overview* Octet (Dave Malloy) – background and cast informationListener discussion questions* Great Comet blends musical genres with character psychology—what musical shift in the show hits you the hardest, and why?* Which version of Great Comet (Kazino, ART, Broadway) do you think best suits the material—and what would your dream version look like?* Pierre and Natasha’s final scene is deceptively simple—what do you think the moment reveals about each of them that the rest of the show doesn’t? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bwaybreakdown.substack.com