Theatre for Those Who Can't Cope: Recent Episodes

Shira Kaplan

Shira is not qualified to talk about theatre (unless you count her BFA and fanatical feelings about Broadway), but she's going to do it anyway. Shira's mom thinks going to too much theatre is maladaptive, so this podcast is a productive usage of her theatre-going.

Hi, I'm Shira. I cannot cope with life, so this is THEATRE FOR THOSE WHO CAN'T COPE. :)

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I have a lot of feelings about musical theatre being adapted into other forms of art... I have a few suggestions for studio execs, a few suggestions for the future of musical movies, and a few suggestions for YOU! To help break down this art form, I have made a few categories (classic I know)

Here are my categories for musical movies and TV shows:

  1. Original musical movies
  2. Stage to screen musical movies
  3. Filmed stage musicals
  4. Musical TV shows

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5 Shows That I’ve Still Never Seen And May Not Ever Because They Only Live In My Mind And That Is Special, No?

  1. Aida
  2. In the Heights
  3. Next to Normal
  4. Bridges of Madison County
  5. Amelie

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UPCOMING SHOWS LISTED IN ORDER

THE SHARK IS BROKEN

EL MAGO POP

PURLIE VICTORIOUS

JAJA’S AFRICAN HAIR BRAIDING

MELISSA ETHERIDGE: MY WINDOW

GUTENBERG! THE MUSICAL!

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG

I NEED THAT

HARMONY

SPAMALOT

HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO

APPROPRIATE

PRAYER FOR THE FRENCH REPUBLIC

THE NOTEBOOK

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Send this to your friend/uncle/cousin/babysitter/nemesis who is visiting New York and doesn't know what to see!!!

Fall 2023 Season

Shows mentioned:

  1. & Juliet Running time: 2 hours and 30 minutes, including intermission Opened November 17, 2022
  2. A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond MusicalRunning time: 2 hours and 15 minutes, including intermission Opened December 4, 2022
  3. MJ Running time: 2 hours and 30 minutes, including intermission Opened February 1, 2022
  4. Moulin Rouge! Running time: 2 hours and 45 minutes, including intermission Opened July 25, 2019
  5. Once Upon a One More Time Running time: 2 hours and 30 minutes, including intermission Opened June 22, 2023
  6. Aladdin Running time: 2 hours and 30 minutes, including intermission Opened March 20, 2014
  7. The Lion King Running time: 2 hours and 30 minutes, including intermission Opened November 13, 1997
  8. Back to the Future Running time: 2 hours and 40 minutes, including intermission Opening August 3, 2023
  9. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Running time: 3 hours and 30 minutes, including intermission Opened December 7, 2021
  10. Some Like It Hot Running time: 2 hours and 30 minutes, including intermission Opened December 11, 2022
  11. Chicago Running time: 2 hours and 30 minutes minutes, including intermission Opened November 14, 1996
  12. Wicked Running time: 2 hours and 30 minutes, including intermission Opened October 30, 2003
  13. Hadestown Running time: 2 hours and 25 minutes, including intermission Opened April 17, 2019
  14. Kimberly Akimbo Running time: 2 hours and 20 minutes, including intermission Opened November 10, 2022
  15. Sweeney Todd Running time: 2 hours and 30 minutes, including intermission Opened March 26, 2023
  16. Here Lies Love Running time: 1 hour and 30 minutes, no intermission Opened July 20, 2023
  17. Six Running time: 1 hour and 20 minutes minutes, no intermission Opened October 3, 2021
  18. Hamilton Running time: 2 hours and 55 minutes, including intermission Opened August 6, 2015
  19. Shucked Running time: 2 hours and 15 minutes, including intermission Opened April 4, 2023
  20. The Book of Mormon Running time: 2 hours and 30 minutes, including intermission Opened March 24, 2011

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I attended opening night of the 2nd revival of INTO THE WOODS (thanks to my sis Dr. Leah, Stephen Sondheim z"l, and James Lapine)

But also I talk about HADESTOWN??? And also "Baby It's Cold Outside"???

Lots of stuff to cry about :)

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2022 Tony Awards

June 12, 2022

Breaking down the BEST ORIGINAL MUSICAL CATEGORY with me, Shira :) Who is not qualified, but loves theatre nonetheless.

WINNER: A STRANGE LOOP

MR. SATURDAY NIGHT

MJ THE MUSICAL

SIX: THE MUSICAL

PARADISE SQUARE

GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY

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2022 Tony Awards

June 12, 2022

Breaking down the BEST PLAY CATEGORY with me, Shira :) Who is not qualified, but loves theatre nonetheless.

WINNER: The Lehman Trilogy

By Stefano Massini, this production translated by Ben Powers

On a cold September morning in 1844, a young man from Bavaria stands on a New York dockside dreaming of a new life in the new world. He is joined by his two brothers, and an American epic begins. 163 years later, the firm they establish – Lehman Brothers – spectacularly collapses into bankruptcy, triggering the largest financial crisis in history.

The Minutes

By Tracy Letts

THIS RECORD-BREAKING HIT from the award-winning Steppenwolf Theatre follows the inner-workings of a city council meeting in the small town of Big Cherry—and the hypocrisy, greed, ambition and devious doings that ensue. This electrically charged and sharply funny play proves that everything you know can change—it’s just a matter of minutes.

Hangmen

By Martin McDonough

What’s Britain’s second-most famous executioner to do now that hanging has been abolished? Drink, of course. But when a cub reporter and a mysterious stranger turn up at his pub, everything hangs in the balance.

Skeleton Crew

By Dominique Morriseau

In 2008 Detroit, a small automotive factory is on the brink of foreclosure, and a tight knit family of workers hangs in the balance. With uncertainty everywhere, the line between blue collar and white collar becomes blurred, and this working family must reckon with their personal loyalties, their instincts for survival and their ultimate hopes for humanity.

Clyde’s

By Lynn Nottage

In this stirring new play, a truck stop sandwich shop offers its formerly incarcerated kitchen staff a shot at reclaiming their lives. Even as the shop’s callous owner tries to keep them under her thumb, the staff members are given purpose and permission to dream by the enigmatic, zen-like chef and his belief in the possibility of the perfect sandwich.