Broadway Breakdown

It’s never too early to argue about the Tonys. In this episode, Matt is joined by Broadway obsessives Richie Grasso and Jeff Malone (Half Hour, Half Hour with Jeff & Richie ) to make wildly premature, deeply passionate predictions about the current season. Together, they size up contenders, clock narrative momentum, question voter behavior, and debate what actually wins awards versus what deserves to.
Broadway Breakdown Links
Broadway Breakdown Discord
Broadway Breakdown Substack
Timestamps00:00 – Welcome & ground rules for premature Tony takes05:10 – Best Musical: early frontrunners and dark horses15:40 – Best Revival: nostalgia vs. reinvention24:30 – Lead Actor & Actress races begin to form36:00 – Featured categories and scene-stealing performances45:20 – Director, score, and design categories55:10 – Critical buzz vs. box office reality1:03:30 – Industry narratives, snubs, and voter psychology1:12:00 – What could change everything before nominations1:20:00 – Final hot takes and disclaimers (because it’s January)
Listener discussion questions
Which category do you think is most unpredictable this year—and why?Do you prefer Tony voters reward innovation or execution?What early prediction do you think will age the worst by nomination day?


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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 Links
Broadway Breakdown Discord
Broadway Breakdown Substack
Timestamps04:20 – 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 Verdon
Listener discussion questions
Is 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: Here
Broadway Breakdown Substack: Here
TIME STAMPS:
00:00 - Housekeeping
7:05 - #27
10:00 - #26
14:00 - #25
18:12 - #24
21:25 #23
28:53 - #22
33:10 - #21
52:40 - #20
57:30 - #19
1:01:06 - #18
1:05:17 - #17
1:14:29 - #16
1:18:10 - #15
1:20:43 - #14
1:28:20 - #13
1:36:23 - #12
1:39:18 - #11
1:43:20 - #10
1:49:42 - #09
1:52:02 - #08
1:57:46 - #07
2:01:14 - #06
2:07:38 - #05
2:09:01 - #04
2:16:250 - #03
2:26:27 - #02
2:26:40 - #01
LISTENER 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: Here
Broadway Breakdown Substack: Here
Timestamps03:15 – Tennessee Williams’s life and autobiographical parallels
07:40 – Memory play vs. realism: what Williams was reinventing
18:00 – Amanda Wingfield: villain, survivor, or both?
25:00 – Laura’s interior life and the danger of sentimentality
31:45 – The Gentleman Caller and dramatic inevitability
38:00 – Original Broadway production and early critical response
43:30 – Film adaptations and what gets lost on screen
50:00 – Major Broadway revivals and shifting interpretations
1:12:30 – Legacy: why directors keep returning to this play
Key people mentionedTennessee Williams, Laurette Taylor, Julie Harris, Jessica Tandy, Sally Field, Cherry Jones, Zachary Quinto, Paul Newman
Listener 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 Links
Broadway Breakdown:  Discord Channel
Broadway Breakdown: Substack

Timestamps
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 audiences
Key People:
Edward Albee (Playwright), Mercedes Ruehl, Bill Pullman, Sally Field, Bill Irwin, Lindsay Duncan, Sarah Paulson, Eddie Redmayne
Listener 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