Episode 41: Bonnie Comley, BroadwayHD Founder and CEO

On this episode of STAGE GROK, I talk with Broadway producer and BroadwayHD founder and CEO Bonnie Comley, about her career and about the BroadwayHD digital streaming service. Bonnie is a three-time Tony Award-winning producer, and has also won an Olivier Award and two Drama Desk Awards for her stage productions. She is a full member of The Broadway League and the Audience Engagement and Education Committee, and she has also produced over 40 films.

Here's Scott's blog post about the BroadwayHD channel.

STAGE GROK host Scott Miller is the artistic director of New Line Theatre in St. Louis, and the author of seven books on musical theatre, nine musicals, and the musical theatre blog The Bad Boy of Musical Theatre. Opening and closing theme music: Overture from Cry-Baby the Musical by Adam Schlessinger and David Javerbaum, from New Line Theatre's 2012 production. Used by permission. Logo designed by Matt Reedy. Stage Grok is available on iTunes.

               

Episode 40: Composer-Lyricist Georgia Stitt on Copyright and Musical Theatre

On this episode of STAGE GROK, I talk with composer, lyricist, and music director Georgia Stitt, about musical theatre and copyright in this new age of bootlegs, smart phones, YouTube, and other social media platforms. Georgia is the chair of the Copyright Advocacy Committee of the Dramatists Guild. She's also the founder of Maestra Music Inc, a support and advocacy organization for "female-identifying, non-binary, and gender non-conforming composers, music directors, orchestrators, arrangers, copyists, rehearsal pianists and other musicians who are an underrepresented minority in musical theater."

Check out the Stage Grok interview with Georgia's husband, composer-lyricist Jason Robert Brown.

STAGE GROK host Scott Miller is the artistic director of New Line Theatre in St. Louis, and the author of seven books on musical theatre, nine musicals, and the musical theatre blog The Bad Boy of Musical Theatre. Opening and closing theme music: Overture from Cry-Baby the Musical by Adam Schlessinger and David Javerbaum, from New Line Theatre's 2012 production. Used by permission. Logo designed by Matt Reedy. Stage Grok is available on iTunes.

               

Episode 39: Author Andy Propst on Comden & Green

On this episode of STAGE GROK, I talk with author Andy Propst about his book They Made Us Happy: Betty Comden & Adolph Green's Musicals & Movies, about the legendary writing team that brought us Singin' in the Rain, On the Town, Wonderful Town, Bells Are Ringing, On the 20th Century, The Will Rogers Follies, and many more shows and films.

Check out the Stage Grok interview with Adolph Green's daughter, Broadway composer and lyricist Amanda Green.

STAGE GROK host Scott Miller is the artistic director of New Line Theatre in St. Louis, and the author of six books on musical theatre, nine musicals, and the musical theatre blog The Bad Boy of Musical Theatre. Opening and closing theme music: Overture from Cry-Baby the Musical by Adam Schlessinger and David Javerbaum, from New Line Theatre's 2012 production. Used by permission. Logo designed by Matt Reedy. Stage Grok is available on iTunes.

               

Episode 38: Jason Robert Brown, Broadway Composer-Lyricist

On this episode of STAGE GROK, I talk with Broadway composer-lyricist Jason Robert Brown, about his writing process, his work in musical theatre and on the solo stage, and his composer-lyricist wife Georgia Stitt.

Jason will be in St. Louis for his solo show on March 15, 2019 at the Grandel Theatre, presented by The Ready Room.

Here is Jason's song "Hope," discussed in the interview.

Check out the Stage Grok interview with Jason's wife, composer-lyricist Georgia Stitt.

STAGE GROK host Scott Miller is the artistic director of New Line Theatre in St. Louis, and the author of six books on musical theatre, nine musicals, and the musical theatre blog The Bad Boy of Musical Theatre. Opening and closing theme music: Overture from Cry-Baby the Musical by Adam Schlessinger and David Javerbaum, from New Line Theatre's 2012 production. Used by permission. Logo designed by Matt Reedy. Stage Grok is available on iTunes.

               

Episode 37: Orchestrator Charlie Rosen, on Be More Chill and his Broadway Big Band

On this episode of STAGE GROK, I talk with Charlie Rosen, composer, performer, and orchestrator, about Charlie Rosen's Broadway Big Band, his 8-Bit Big Band, and his work as music supervisor and orchestrator for Be More Chill. Charlie has also orchestrated and played in quite a few Broadway and off Broadway shows.

Here are two videos we discuss in the podcast, Charlie's Broadway Big Band playing his arrangement of the Candide overture, and also Super Mario Bros. Live with George Salazar and Charlie's 8-Bit Big Band.

Click Here for the Stage Grok interview with Be More Chill songwriter Joe Iconis.

Click Here for the Stage Grok interview with actor Katlyn Carlson about being in Be More Chill.

Click here for the Stage Grok interview with Be More Chill producer Jennifer Ashley Tepper.

STAGE GROK host Scott Miller is the artistic director of New Line Theatre in St. Louis, and the author of six books on musical theatre, nine musicals, and the musical theatre blog The Bad Boy of Musical Theatre. Opening and closing theme music: Overture from Cry-Baby the Musical by Adam Schlessinger and David Javerbaum, from New Line Theatre's 2012 production. Used by permission. Logo designed by Matt Reedy. Stage Grok is available on iTunes.

               

Episode 36: Producer Jennifer Ashley Tepper, Be More Chill

On this episode of STAGE GROK, I talk again with Jennifer Ashley Tepper, author, historian, and Broadway producer, about Be More Chill, which she's producing. Jen has worked on the Broadway shows [title of show], Godspell, The Performers, and Macbeth. She also co-produced Hit List, the live concert version of the fictional musical from Smash. She has worked on other projects with Ars Nova, National Alliance for Musical Theatre, The Producing Office, PBS, The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization, New York Musical Theatre Festival, Second Stage, The York Theatre, and the Tony Awards.

Click Here for the Stage Grok interview with Be More Chill songwriter Joe Iconis.

Click Here for the Stage Grok interview with actor Katlyn Carlson about being in Be More Chill.

Click Here for the Stage Grok interview with Be More Chill orchestrator and music supervisor Charlie Rosen.

Click Here for the 2015 Stage Grok interview with Jen about 54 Below.

STAGE GROK host Scott Miller is the artistic director of New Line Theatre in St. Louis, and the author of six books on musical theatre, nine musicals, and the musical theatre blog The Bad Boy of Musical Theatre. Opening and closing theme music: Overture from Cry-Baby the Musical by Adam Schlessinger and David Javerbaum, from New Line Theatre's 2012 production. Used by permission. Logo designed by Matt Reedy. Stage Grok is available on iTunes.

               

Episode 35: Actor Katlyn Carlson, Chloe in Be More Chill

On this episode of STAGE GROK, I talk with actor Katlyn Carlson, who plays Chloe in the Broadway musical Be More Chill, about the show and the incredible reception it has received around the world.

Click Here for the Stage Grok interview with Be More Chill songwriter Joe Iconis.

Click Here for the Stage Grok interview with Be More Chill orchestrator and music supervisor Charlie Rosen.

Click Here for the Stage Grok interview with Be More Chill producer Jennifer Ashley Tepper

STAGE GROK host Scott Miller is the artistic director of New Line Theatre in St. Louis, and the author of six books on musical theatre, nine musicals, and the musical theatre blog The Bad Boy of Musical Theatre. Opening and closing theme music: Overture from Cry-Baby the Musical by Adam Schlessinger and David Javerbaum, from New Line Theatre's 2012 production. Used by permission. Logo designed by Matt Reedy. Stage Grok is available on iTunes.

               

Episode 34: Composer-Lyricist Joe Iconis on BE MORE CHILL

On this episode of STAGE GROK, I talk with composer-lyricist Joe Iconis, about his writing process, and about his show Be More Chill and the incredible reception it has received.

Photo credit: Stephanie Wessels

Click Here for the Stage Grok interview with actor Katlyn Carlson about being in Be More Chill.

Click Here for the Stage Grok interview with Be More Chill producer Jennifer Ashley Tepper

Click Here for the Stage Grok interview with Be More Chill orchestrator and music supervisor Charlie Rosen.

STAGE GROK host Scott Miller is the artistic director of New Line Theatre in St. Louis, and the author of six books on musical theatre, nine musicals, and the musical theatre blog The Bad Boy of Musical Theatre. Opening and closing theme music: Overture from Cry-Baby the Musical by Adam Schlessinger and David Javerbaum, from New Line Theatre's 2012 production. Used by permission. Logo designed by Matt Reedy. Stage Grok is available on iTunes.

               

Episode 33: Lyricist-Bookwriter Greg Kotis on Urinetown and Yeast Nation

On this episode of STAGE GROK, I talk with lyricist and bookwriter Greg Kotis, about his shows Urinetown and Yeast Nation. Kotis and his writing partner Mark Hollmann most recently were part of the writing team for a stage musical adaptation of The Sting.

Greg Kotis

STAGE GROK host Scott Miller is the artistic director of New Line Theatre in St. Louis, and the author of six books on musical theatre, nine musicals, and the musical theatre blog The Bad Boy of Musical Theatre. Opening and closing theme music: Overture from Cry-Baby the Musical by Adam Schlessinger and David Javerbaum, from New Line Theatre's 2012 production. Used by permission. Logo designed by Matt Reedy. Stage Grok is available on iTunes.

               

Episode 32: Actor Thom Sesma

On this episode of STAGE GROK, I talk with actor Thom Sesma, about his career and about stepping into the title role in the new, immersive, off Broadway production of Sweeney Todd. He has appeared in many shows on and off Broadway, as well as several productions at the The Rep here in St. Louis.

Thom Sesma

STAGE GROK host Scott Miller is the artistic director of New Line Theatre in St. Louis, and the author of six books on musical theatre, nine musicals, and the musical theatre blog The Bad Boy of Musical Theatre. Opening and closing theme music: Overture from Cry-Baby the Musical by Adam Schlessinger and David Javerbaum, from New Line Theatre's 2012 production. Used by permission. Logo designed by Matt Reedy. Stage Grok is available on iTunes.