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 24: Danny Ginges and Philip Foxman, on their rock musical Atomic

On this episode of STAGE GROK, I talk with lyricist-bookwriter Danny Ginges and composer-lyricist Philip Foxman, about their rock musical Atomic, which debuted in Australia, then moved to off Broadway, and then was produced by two regional theatres in 2016, Meadow Brook Theatre in Rochester, Michigan, and then New Line Theatre in St. Louis. Danny and Philip talk about the creation and development of Atomic, on the phone from Sydney, Australia, where they live.

Danny Ginges (left) and Philip Foxman

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 14: Historian Todd Decker, on Show Boat

On this episode of STAGE GROK, I talk with Washington University professor Todd Decker about Show Boat, its creation, its impact, its history, its legacy, and the many forms it has taken over the last century. Todd has written three books, Music Makes Me: Fred Astaire and Jazz, Show Boat: Performing Race in an American Musical, and Who Should Sing “Ol’ Man River”?

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 12: Lee Wilkof on Little Shop of Horrors

On this episode of STAGE GROK, I talk with actor Lee Wilkof, who originated the roles of Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors and Sam Byck in Assassins. He has also appeared in many other shows in New York and elsewhere. We talk about his experience working on Little Shop.

Please excuse the sketchy phone connection...

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 11: Peter Filichia, writer and musical theatre historian

On this episode of STAGE GROK, I talk with Peter Filichia, writer and musical theatre historian, about the musical theatre today and about his books, The Great Parade; Strippers, Showgirls and Sharks; Broadway Musical MVPs; Let's Put on a Musical; and Broadway Musicals: The Biggest Hit & the Biggest Flop of the Season, 1959 to 2009. Peter also writes four online columns, for Music Theatre International, BroadwaySelect.com, Masterworks Broadway, and Kritzerland Records.

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 6: Jennifer Ashley Tepper, director of programming, 54 Below

On this episode of STAGE GROK, I talk with Jennifer Ashley Tepper, author, historian, producer, about her two volume Untold Stories of Broadway, her concert series If It Only Even Runs a Minute, and her series of concerts at 54 Below in New York, where she is director of programming. Jennifer 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.

Check out Jennifer's website, her author bio and books on Amazon, and her recent Playbill article, "They Only Ran a Minute! 10 Forgotten Musicals Due For a Revival." You can follow Jennifer on Twitter @jenashtep.

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.