Musical Minutes with John and John: Recent Episodes
John McKeever/John Norine, Jr.
An informal and fun discussion between two classically trained conductors who also work in musical theatre.
***Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
The Johns end Season 6 of the podcast with a show very near and dear to their hearts in Stephen Sondheim's "Sunday in the Park with George". They talk about the narrative devices found within, their views on Bernadette Peters, which is the "best" version of the show, and so much more. John N. gushes... but what else is new?
This isn't the end! Season 7 will be coming this summer! What would you like to hear the Johns talk about? How's the new format working out for you? Let us know!
Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by James Lapine
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
On this week's "very special episode" of John and John (overdramatic title provided courtesy of John N.), the pair discuss the longest-running musical in Broadway history, "The Phantom of the Opera". The Johns talk about the cultural impact of the show, their thoughts on the (lack of) character arcs for most of the show's characters, the legacy of Andrew Lloyd Webber, and so much more.
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyrics by Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe
Book by Richard Stilgoe and Andrew Lloyd Webber
Based on the 1909 novel "The Phantom of the Opera" by Gaston Leroux
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
This week, the Johns backflip in to discuss the 2012 musical "Bring It On". Come take a look as they discuss the uniformity of the score, the role and reach of licensing in the life cycle of a Broadway musical, and how this show manages to distinguish itself in some meaningful ways.
Music by Tom Kitt and Lin-Manuel Miranda
Lyrics by Amanda Green and Lin-Manuel Miranda
Book by Jeff Whitty
Based on the 2000 film "Bring It On", screenplay by Jessica Bendinger
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
This week, the Johns delve into the world of Roald Dahl and look at the Tim Minchin musical "Matilda". A significant departure from the work of "Groundhog's Day", the duo gets into their thoughts on the fantastical elements of the show, where this property was a bit more successful than the aforementioned "GHD", and delve into the world of thought experiments with: will there ever be a show with children that John M. likes?
Music and lyrics by Tim Minchin
Book by Dennis Kelly
Based on the novel "Matilda" by Roald Dahl
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
It's no secret on this podcast that "band on stage" holds a solid part of the Johns' hearts. This week, the pair discuss the 2012 musical "Once" that not only features the band on stage, but the band as part of the story. John and John give their thoughts on the concept of a "Day in the Life" musical, the score's success on stage and at the Tony Awards, and how some shows are more than the sum of their parts.
Music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová
Book by Enda Walsh
Based on the movie "Once", screenplay by John Carney
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
John and John seize the day in their next show and discuss the 2012 Disney musical "Newsies". They have a few notes about the score, the dichotomy of the dance vs non-dance music, the attempts at authenticity, and the role of dance in the modern musical... well, at least this modern musical.
Music by Alan Menken
Lyrics by Jack Feldman
Book by Harvey Firestein
Based on the 1992 movie "Newsies", screenplay by Bob Tzudiker and Noni White
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
This week, the Johns venture a little bit off the traditional path and delve into the 1995 show, "Songs For A New World". They talk about the through-line that replaces a traditional plot, their thoughts on the strengths and weaknesses of Jason Robert Brown's musical output, and how this show encapsulates the concept of Americana in a way that is more appropriate for the subject.
Music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
Some weeks, it feels like you're saying the same thing over and over - week after week. With the modern Broadway trend leaning heavily into movie adaptations, it becomes easy to feel like one is in a loop. So, John and John run headfirst and go a little multiverse and talk about "Groundhog Day: The Musical", a movie adaptation that is literally about reliving every day over and over....
The Johns delve deep into this show that they honestly enjoy, but has some apparent flaws: an inconsistent (if occasionally brilliant) score and a sense of humor that can be a bit... dry at times.
Music and lyrics by Tim Minchin
Book by Danny Rubin
Based on the movie "Groundhog Day" by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
Every so often, we like to take a look at a show that isn't a "Big Broadway Hit" and try and contextualize it in the larger scheme. This week, the Johns look at the 2014 Off-Broadway show "Heathers: The Musical" and discuss how it moved the needle on the zeitgeist of Broadway material, while also being a very... complex show.
Music, lyrics, and book by Lawrence O'Keefe and Kevin Murphy
Based on the 1989 movie "Heathers", screenplay by Daniel Waters
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
This week the Johns return to the Dynamic Duo of Rogers and Hammerstein and a show, that, while not a flop like "Pipe Dream" - was a rare miss for the team. "Me and Juliet" suffers from too much on the stage and not enough attention off it. John and John give their thoughts on the endurance of the music, the memorability of the characters, and how sometimes even Broadway is a job where you punch a clock.
Music by Richard Rogers
Lyrics and Book by Oscar Hammerstein II
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
This week the Johns travel to the magical and mystical land of... Scotland. I mean, in this case, it really is! The pair discuss the 1947 musical "Brigadoon" and get into 18th-century Scottish law, how this show is more accurate than "Braveheart", and the appropriateness of the Highland Bagpipe on the Broadway stage.
Music by Frederick Loewe
Lyrics and book by Alan Jay Lerner
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
Well, after last week with John M. being the voice of reason, we felt it was only fair to let the wind shift slightly and so we started out our non-flops portion of the season with a show that he... does not like. The Johns discuss the 2017 musical "Anastasia" and after maybe the best (at least the most sarcastic) rundown ever, the duo discuss their connections with the show, their thoughts on movie vs show, and take aim at the "villain" of the show.
Music by Stephen Flaherty
Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens
Book by Terrance McNally
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
To end this year's February Flops, the Johns take Leonard Bernstein to task (kinda, sort of) for his 1976 flop "1600 Pennsylvania Avenue". The pair talk about the troubled road this show had on it's way to Broadway due to incessant meddling during its out-of-town tryouts and how aspects of this show remain in other works of Bernstein. And John M. delights in John N. taking shots at his hero.
Music by Leonard Bernstein
Lyrics and book by Alan Jay Lerner
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
For the third week of February Flops, the Johns take a look at a show that may not have been a flop... had it premiered 20 years earlier. While discussing Jerry Herman's maligned show "Mack and Mabel" - the pair get into the state of Broadway in the 1970s, some of the printed criticism of the show, and the orchestration choices for this misplaced Golden Age musical.
Music and lyrics by Jerry Herman
Book by Michael Stewart
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
This week, John and John tackle the monolithic (in terms of performance length, not artistic merit) Stephen Schwartz musical "The Baker's Wife". Their share their feelings on the quality of the book, their takeaways from the score, and... wouldn't you know it, that pesky Frank Loesser makes another appearance.
Music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Book by Joseph Stein
Based on the movie of the same name by Marcel Pagnol and Jean Giono
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
It may be a little late, but we are back! And with another set of February Flops to kick things off!
For our first show in the 2023 edition of the Flops, we look at a very rare miss from the titans of the Golden Age - Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, and their show "Pipe Dream". John and John talk about the collaboration between Hammerstein, Rodgers, and author John Steinbeck; how Frank Loesser is tangentially involved; and how would this show fare as populated by the Muppets?
Music by Richard Rodgers
Lyrics and book by Oscar Hammerstein
Based on the novel "Sweet Thursday" by John Steinbeck
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
Once upon a time....
In a far-off kingdom...
There were two podcast hosts.
John and John wind down Season 5 (more to come!) by talking about the monolithic "Into the Woods". They debate the role of the role of Narrator/Mysterious Man, the movie vs the stage production, their favorite songs and recordings, and John M has some... feelings about the show's most recognizable theme.
Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by James Lapine
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
This week, John and John discuss the Disney musical that never made it to Broadway in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame". They discuss the representation in the show, the genesis from "Der Glöckner der Notre Dame", the problems this show has and tries to solve, and John N reaffirms his theater crush on Patrick Page.
Music by Alan Menken
Lyrics by Stephen Schwarz
Book by James Lapine and Peter Parnell
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
This week, the Johns talk about the 1966 musical "The Apple Tree" and look at how the show works as a series of three separate stories, but comes together under a common umbrella to make a complete show. They also discuss the greatness that is Alan Alda, and briefly get into the debate of cast album vs soundtrack.... well, John N. does; John M. rises above the foolishness.
Music by Jerry Bock
Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick
Book by Jerry Bock, Sheldon Harnick, and Jerome Coopersmith
Based on "The Diaries of Adama nd Eve" by Mark Twain, "The Lady or the Tiger" by Frank R. Stockton, and "Passionella" by Jules Feiffer
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
For this week's episode, John Squared talks about the 1971 production of "Two Gentlemen of Verona", a musical based on the play of the same name by William Shakespeare. Listen in as the pair talk about the absurd nature of the material and how it doesn't always make sense, the okay-ness of the resulting material, and where this show sits in the legacy of the rather stacked 1971 Broadway season.
Music by Galt MacDermot
Lyrics by John Guare
Book by John Guare and Mel Shapiro
Based on the play "Two Gentlemen of Verona" by William Shakespeare
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
On the heels of last week's episode with Stage Manager Kelsey Tippins, the Johns talk about the 2018 show "The Prom" - one that John N. seems to desperately want to work on. The pair discuss their love of the music, the framing of the heart of the show, and the "savior" trope that is set up and ultimately subverted by Emma's self-determination.
Music by Matthew Sklar
Lyrics by Chad Beguelin
Book by Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
This week, John and John sit down with Stage Manager Kelsey Tippins, who is fresh off the first national tour of "The Prom", and she talked about tour life, how one becomes a stage manager, and some of the more interesting venues around the country.
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
Join John and John as they have a lengthy discussion about the "best" song written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein during their collaboration. As with our last show, the categories are set, (almost) every show is represented, and opinions fly like ravens in the night!
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
Travel with the Johns to a mystical land of ogres, princesses, dragons, fairy tale creatures... and way too many fart jokes. The duo talks about the 2008 musical "Shrek" and discusses some of the more memorable moments, their thoughts on the pacing of the show, and how they managed to get the stars they did.
Music by Jeanine Tessori
Book and Lyrics by David-Lindsay Aibaire
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
On the heels of last week's interview with Brian Binion, John and John talk about the musical "Ain't Too Proud" and talk (yet again) about their feelings on jukebox musicals, the source material of the show, and the concept of narration, and John N. takes some time to talk about a person whose name should be much more commonly known - even amongst theatre aficionados.
Music and Lyrics by The Temptations
Book by Dominique Morisseau
Based on the book "The Temptations" by Otis WIlliams
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
This week the Johns talk a bit with actor Brian Binion, who is currently a swing on the National Tour of "Ain't Too Proud". We hear how Brian found his opportunities in breaking into Broadway, his experiences working on a Cruise show, and get some great stories from his time as an ensemble member on Broadway with "The Lion King".
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
John and John take some time to talk about the current hit musical "A Strange Loop", discuss the script's construction, their thoughts on the unity of the score and ensemble writing and hypothesize about the emotional toll of this show.
Music, book, and lyrics by Michael R. Jackson
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
This week, the Johns try and swing for the fences with the 1950s hit, "Damn Yankees". The pair talk about their love of the score, the dawning of the age of Fosse and Verdon, and how this show ends up having a lot of heart for having the devil as a character.
Music by Richard Adler
Lyrics by Jerry Ross
Book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
The Johns continue their dive into "Mean Girls" with an episode about the show; for the first time in a while, they significantly differ in their opinions! The duo discusses their thoughts on the music, the writing team of Fey and Richmond, and how this show tries to be a lot more than it needs to be.
Music by Jeff Richmond
Lyrics by Nell Benjamin
Book by Tina Fey
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
John and John sit down to talk to collaborative pianist Beth Grimmett-Tankersley, who currently plays Keys 1 and is the conductor swing for the US tour of "Mean Girls". The three talk about tour life, how Beth got her start in touring musicals, and so much more!
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
For this week's episode, John and John discuss the 1946 musical "Annie Get Your Gun". They discuss the appropriateness of the show (in the 1940s and today) discuss their feelings about "There's No Business Like Show Business" and the orchestrations (which were done by committee), and John N. has an existential crisis?
Music and lyrics by Irving Berlin
Book by Dorothy and Herbert Fields
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
John and John muddle their way through the Jungle of Nool to try and figure out why "Seussical" existed on the Broadway stage. It's a challenge even for John N, the official "defender of the realm" on this pod for Ahrens and Flaherty.
Music by Stephen Flaherty
Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens
Music and book by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
John and John spend some time with the Rodgers and Hammerstein hit musical "Carousel" - John N. talks about what this show means to him (hint - it may or may not be one of his all-time favorites), and the pair talk about their interpretation and presentation with the show's troubling content. Then dive into the music - which both have exceptionally strong feelings about.
Music by Richard Rodgers
Lyrics and book by Oscar Hammerstein II
Based on the play "Lilliom" by Ferenc Molnar
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
This week, the Johns sit down with Caitlin Molloy, who currently is working on Broadway's "Moulin Rouge". Caitlin talks about the day-to-day life of the theatre, what exactly goes into her particular brand of theatre magic, and shares some stories of working on some "big name" shows (#Kiko).
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
John and John try to "stick it to the man" by talking about 2015's "School of Rock"... which makes Andrew Lloyd Webber the man? Anyway... the pair discuss the transition from movie to musical, the puffery of the "new" music, and give Webber a LITTLE credit for some stuff.
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyrics by Glenn Slater
Book by Julian Fellowes
Based on the movie "School of Rock" directed by Richard Linklater
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
Season 5 is here! John and John kick things off with a discussion on the 1982 cult classic "Little Shop of Horrors". The pair discuss the intimacy of the show's scale, what works, what doesn't, and the role of camp in music theater.
Music by Alan Menken
Book and lyrics by Howard Ashman
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
I don't wanna do the work today. Biut the podcast must go on! John and John switch it up for the Season 4 Finale and talk about one of their favorite shows from the Team StarKid catalog: Firebringer! Now, to be fair, this is not a "Broadway" show. It's not meant to be - but the duo loves it nonetheless. And you can watch a 100% legal video on YouTube! (Go ahead... we'll wait....)
https://youtu.be/ZmVuNlu0LCk
I know, right?? John and John talk about the role of language in modern theater, give a little bit of background on Team StarKid, and talk about how shows like this are important to the theatrical genre as a whole.
Music and lyrics by Meredith Stepien and Mark Swiderski
Book by Matt Lang, Nick Lang, and Brian Holden
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
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Forget Paradise City, John and John are going to take you on a Journey, but leave your Guns and Roses at home because this will involve your Twisted Sister... (ok, that's quite enough of that)
John and John talk about the jukebox musical "Rock of Ages" and talk about the mining of nostalgia, commercial vs artistic (again), and the standards that should be met when producing a show such as this.
Music by lots of bands
Lyrics by those same bands (mostly)
Book by Chris D'Arenzo
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
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It's a tale as old as time, so why not talk about it? John and John discuss the show that started the Broadway/Disney collaboration in "Disney's Beauty and the Beast". They talk about commercialism vs artistic merit, how to portray the fantastical on stage, and the importance of lyricist Howard Ashman to the process.
Music by Alan Menken
Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice
Book by Linda Woolverton
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
The sun is shining, and it's a lovely day on Musical Minutes. John and John talk about the 2003 hit musical "Avenue Q" and talk about the difficulties in casting the show, the line between social commentary and entertainment, and once again harp on and on about orchestrations. Plus John N. talks about one of his favorite performers in Stephanie D'Abruzzo.
Music and lyrics by Jeff Marx and Robert Lopez
Book by Jeff Whitty
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
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I'll tell you, my friends - we've got trouble. Right here... on this podcast.
John and John talk about Meredith Wilson's treasured classic "The Music Man" and discuss their love for the music despite its complications, their admiration for Robert Preston and Barbara Cook, and dive deep into the weeds about orchestrations once more.
Music, book, and lyrics by Meredith Wilson
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
Well, the time has come, and the Johns can't avoid this show any longer.
The pair talk about the culturally iconic 2015 show "Hamilton". The pair discuss their first reactions to the show, how the show is a representation of historical fiction, and how much the property has ingrained itself into the 21st-century cultural lexicon.
Music, book, and lyrics by Lin Manuel Miranda
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
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John and John talk about one of John M's favorite properties in "Pal Joey". The duo talks about the comparisons between the Rogers/Hart collaboration and the Rogers/Hammerstein team, the idea of how music history doesn't ever fit in neat boxes, and look at the staying power of this show.
Music by Richard Rodgers
Lyrics by Lorenz Hart
Book by John O'Hara
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
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John and John head down to 19th century Paris to talk about the current hit on Broadway "Moulin Rouge". The talk about the role of entertainment in artistic endeavors in the theater sphere, and how success is not just about "art" but can also be a fun spectacle. Plus, they marvel at how many songs they just managed to cram in this show.
Music by... a lot of people
Lyrics by... even more people
Book by John Logan (who is just one person)
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
For this week's episode, John and John talk about Kander and Ebb's work "Kiss of the Spider Woman. The Johns share their thoughts on how this show fits within the greater Kander and Ebb legacy, how the drive for authentic representation deserves more than lip service and some of the more problematic issues with this show.
Music by John Kander
Lyrics by Fred Ebb
Book by Terrance McNally
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
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Phone rings, door chimes, in comes... John and John with their newest episode - where they talk about one of Stephen Sondheim's underrated hits in "Company". The pair talk about how this show is better than the sum of its parts, the reliance of the score in the Jonathan Tunick orchestrations, and how completely John Doyle missed the mark in his presentation of the show. John N also gives a report on his recent viewing of the current Broadway revival and how the casting choices made for the production increase the nuance of the show.
Also, John N has important thoughts on his Patti LuPone take. Worth it for those alone.
Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by George Furth
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
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Representation matters - but that's just the beginning of the story!
John and John sit down this week to talk about the musical adaptation of Alison Bechdel's coming of age graphic novel, "Fun Home". The pair discuss how this show is important not only for its representation, but how it's amazingly successful in presenting that representation in a realistic, sincere, and nuanced way. Also, John and John talk about how the show is indicative of the changing styles of Broadway, its technical elements, and how this influenced their view of composer Jeanine Tesori.
Music by Jeanine Tesori
Lyrics and book by Lisa Kron
Based on the graphic novel "Fun Home" by Alison Bechdel
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
John and John delve into the politics of New York City with their talk on the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical "Fiorello!". The Johns talk about how sympathetic characters create a drive for the audience to care, and how that can make the mundane more special. There is also talk about the music of Bock and Harnick, and how Barbara Cook saved one of the songs from continuing a disturbing trend on Broadway.
Music by Jerry Bock
Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick
Book by Jerome Weidman and George Abbott
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
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John and John end the 2022 edition of February Flops with a show that they genuinely want to love - Leonard Bernstein's Candide. The pair talk about the show's existence in both the Broadway and Opera worlds, their love for the music (especially the overture), and how sometimes the revision process doesn't make anything much better.
Music by Leonard Bernstein
Lyrics by Richard Wilbur, John Latouche, Dorothy Parker, Lillian Hellman, Leonard Bernstein, Felicia Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim
Book by Lillian Helman, revised by Richard Wilbur
Based on the novella “Candide” by Voltaire
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
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For the penultimate episode of the 2022 edition of February Flops, John delve into the depths of the movie-turned-musical and spend some time on "Rocky: The Musical" - a show that John N wanted to work and John M thought might make a great play. The two also discuss the weight of Ahrens and Flaherty and how this show might impact their legacy.
Music by Stephen Flaherty
Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens
Book by Thomas Meehan
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
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John and John continue through February Flops with a show that never belonged on Broadway... and technically never was! The pair discuss Annie 2: Ms. Hannigan's Revenge, and talk about how any idea isn't the same as a good idea.
Music by Charles Strouse
Lyrics by Martin Charnin
Book by Thomas Meehan
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
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It's the most wonderful time of the year! John and John return to February Flops, where the duo talks about various shows that didn't quite cut it on Broadway.
First up is "Glory Days" a show that lasted on Broadway for one official performance - it closed the same night it opened. John and John talk about how the show fails to resonate with... well, anyone.
Music and lyrics by Nick Blaemire
Book by James Gardiner
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
It may be one short day in the Emerald City - but this was an episode long overdue. John and John talk about the Broadway and cultural juggernaut "Wicked" and discuss the issues of the niche role the show plays and how the cultural lexicon of Broadway has changed in relation to this show and its success.
Music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Book by Winnie Holzman
Based on the novel "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West" by Gregory Maguire
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
Buckle in while John and John try something a little different this week.
This episode is a continuation of a conversation had in Season 3 - where the pair delved ever so slightly into the concept of what Sondheim's best song may be. So, John M. came up with a rubric (which is mostly followed... mostly) and the duo dive deeper into what they think makes Sondheim... well, Sondheim.
They may have gotten it wrong - and look forward to all the comments telling them where they messed up.
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
John and John continue the season with a discussion on the current hit "Hadestown" and talk about the possibility of influences from the operatic tradition, the role of staging in the success of a production, and John N. gets into his theatre crush on Patrick Page.
Music, lyrics and book by Anaïs Mitchell
Based on the Greek myth of Orpheus and Euridice
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
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Welcome to Season 4 of "Musical Minutes With John and John"!
To start the season off, the Johns take a look at the peak of the Rodgers and Hammerstein mountain with their last collaboration "The Sound of Music". The pair discuss how they view the legacy of Rodgers and Hammerstein and how this show exemplifies their process. They also get into a bit of a discussion of the movie version, and as always - try and give a good recommendation on what to listen to. It's good to be back!
Music by Richard Rodgers
Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Book by Howard Lindsay and Russell Crouse
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
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To finish off Season 3, John and John take a look at Stephen Sondheim's "Follies", a show about regret, looking to the past, and seeing what might have been. The pair discuss the show's legacy in recordings, the various revisions that the show underwent, their deep and abiding love for Sondheim's use of tone painting... and it all culminates in a discussion about Sondheim's musical legacy. Which is left up in the air and will be revisited in Season 4.
Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by James Goldman
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
Sit down with your favorite eggrolls and miniature farm animals - because this week John and John try and get their gimmick by talking about Gypsy. They talk about the lasting power of the show, how it faced some massive juggernauts when originally on Broadway, and where they would place the overture in the overall body of theatrical work.
Music by Jules Styne
Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by Arthur Laurents
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
This week, John and John man the barricades to talk about the height of the Megamusical and "Les Miserables". The team talks about their... issues with the score and orchestration, and how it affects their views of the piece.
Music by Claude-Michel Schönberg
Lyrics by Alain Boubil and Jean-Marc Natel
Book by Alain Boubil and Claude-Michel Schönberg
Based on the novel “Les Miserables” by Victor Hugo
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
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This week, John and John talk about "The Ghost With the Most"... but don't say his name three times in a row, or we'll have some problems on our hands. "Beetlejuice" is our topic of the week, and the duo talks about its changes from the source material, some (relatively minor) issues John N. has with the show, and where its lasting place in the theatre canon could end up.
Music and lyrics by Eddie Perfect
Book by Scott Brown and Anthony King
Based on the movie "Beetlejuice" by Geffen Company Pictures
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
This week, John and John delve into the 2005 musical "Little Women: The Musical". They talk about their issues with the script and how it glosses over some of Louisa May Alcott's divine characterizations, the score (especially the auditioners' favorite number 'Astonishing'), and some of their experiences with their own productions.
Music by Jason Howland
Lyrics by Mindi Dickstein
Book by Allan Knee
Based on the book "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
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John and John venture into the pie shop this week to talk about "Waitress". The pair discuss their thoughts on the music of Sara Bareilles, the effectiveness of the story, and their future hopes for this show.
Music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles
Book by Jessie Nelson
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
The time has come to talk about the birth of the Megamusical era and Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Cats". John and John sit down to talk about the enduring legacy of this show, their earliest experiences with the production, and their thoughts on the enduring legacy and its place on Broadway.
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyrics by T.S. Elliot, with additional lyrics by Trevor Nunn
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
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John and John talk this week about Adam Guettel's 'The Light in the Piazza" and discuss their love for this score (despite some rather major stylistic issues), their bafflement at the story (#shetlandpony), and their view of this show's place in the 2000s canon of Broadway musical theatre.
Music and lyrics by Adam Guettel
Book by Craig Lucas
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
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Mix three sailors with three young women in World War 2 New York City - add in some madcap adventures, someone who "understands", and some incredibly interesting names - and you have "On the Town". Join John and John as they take a look at this monolith of a show, discuss their issues with the book, their thoughts on the music (before things start going off the rails...), and end with a brief discussion on this shows inclusion process.
Music by Leonard Bernstein
Book and Lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
We talk about orchestration, a lot.
I mean, it's kind of our thing.
For this episode, John and John talk a little bit about orchestration and dive into the father of modern Broadway orchestrators - Robert Russell Bennett (1894 - 1981). The pair talk a little of his background, some of the projects he delved into, and his lasting legacy on Broadway today.
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
John and John take a look at one of the highlights of the Golden Age of Broadway, as well as the show that started the phenomenon on "Rodgers and Hammerstein" by looking at their 1943 show, "Oklahoma". The duo talk about the role of ballet (and dance in general) in the narrative process, the necessary nature of a villain in a story, and the difference between creative vision and "tinkering".
Music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics and book by Oscar Hammerstein II
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
In a bit of a departure - John and John discuss "Thoroughly Modern Millie" and spend the entire time talking about why this show shouldn't be done. They delve into the problematic portrayals within and discuss author Dick Scanlan's response to criticism about his show.
Music by Jeanie Tesori, lyrics by Dick Scanlan, and book by Dick Scanlan and Richard Morris
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
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"The sound you are hearing is not a technical problem. It is not a musical cue. It is not a joke. It is the sound of one man's mounting anxiety. I... am that man."
Join John and John as they take a glance at the early work of composer and playwright Jonathan Larson and his work "Tick, Tick... Boom!". The pair discuss the tribulations of a small show, the trope of the "coming of age" story, and play a little "What if?".
Music, book, and lyrics by Jonathan Larson
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
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This week, John and John venture into new territory - and talk about a show that hasn't technically opened on Broadway yet (curse you, COVID!). The duo delves into "Six" and talk about their love of this show - from the clever wordplay to the costuming as well as the integration of 21st Century media and culture.... this show has it all.
Music, lyrics, and book by Lucy Moss and Toby Marlow
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
The classic love story plays out on the Broadway stage once more in "La Cage aux Folles" - with a few changes, of course. Join John and John as they delve into this amazing score and show, while they discuss the power of Alban's character whilst avoiding the pitfalls of a romantic lead, the accessibility of the show for various theatres financially, and the underratedness of Jerry Herman.
Music and lyrics by Jerry Herman
Book by Harvey Firestein
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
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For the second half of the interview with artist and propmaker Jessica C Ayala, John M and Jessica talk about life during the pandemic, working on multiple fronts, and personal tastes in the theatre sphere.
Jessica C Ayala is an NYC-based propmaker, artisan, and Properties Designer - and has worked on the properties team for productions at the Public Theatre, Signature Theatre, and Lincoln Center in New York City, among others. Jessica is a graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. More information can be found at www.jessicacayala.com
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
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This week, John M. sits down with master propmaker and Properties Designer Jessica C. Ayala for the first of a two-part interview about one of the most overlooked, yet most essential parts of the theatre-making experience. What is a prop? What differentiates between prop, set, and scenery? How does creativity play into the process?
Jessica C Ayala is an NYC-based propmaker, artisan, and Properties Designer - and has worked on the properties team for productions at the Public Theatre, Signature Theatre, and Lincoln Center in New York City, among others. Jessica is a graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. More information can be found at www.jessicacayala.com
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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Sometimes the master puts down his pen... and it's up to someone to take it up again. Join John and John as they discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and talk about the pervasive nature of audience participation, the ambiguity of the show's ending, and the operatic trope of trouser roles and how they are represented in musical theatre.
Music, book, and lyrics by Rupert Holmes
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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John and John venture into the madcap world of dancing waiters, singing shopkeepers, and the most lovely matchmaker you'll meet on the East Coast! The duo talks about the enduring popularity of the score and cast recording, the concept of cutting numbers, and how good ol' Horace is just a rotten person.
Music and Lyrics by Jerry Hermann
Book by Micahel Stewart
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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John and John are back with Season 3! To return to the podcast, the two Johns take a look at "Come From Away" - and discuss the idea of art imitating life, the authenticity of the sound, and touch on their favorite trope: band onstage.
Book, Music and Lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein
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Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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For the final episode of Season 2 - John and John dive into the one singular sensation that is "A Chorus Line". The duo discusses their thoughts on Hamlisch's fantastic score, the genesis of the show, and how, once again... orchestrators matter.
Book by James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante
Music by Marvin Hamlisch
Lyrics by Edward Kleban
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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John and John attend the tale of "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" to talk about the place for this show in the opera vs. musical debate, their love for almost every part of this score, and the importance of orchestrations - especially as a character in Sondheim's catalog.
Spoilers... they have some feelings about John Doyle.
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by Hugh Wheeler
Based on the 1973 play of the same name by Christopher Bond
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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This week marks the return of John M. to the podcast - Musical Minutes's own Dynamic Duo is back together!
This week, John and John talk about the trope maker that has founded a million jokes on this podcast - the essential Golden Age musical where you get almost nothing but singing and dancing gangsters: "Guys and Dolls". They talk about their enjoyment of the characterizations of the leading roles, talk about the strengths and weaknesses of the book, and their love for Frank Loesser's music and lyrics... although John N has some thoughts on the title song.
Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser
Book by Abe Burrows and Jo Swerling
Based on characters from several short stories by Damon Runyon
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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For the second half of our Ahrens and Flaherty "Dynamic Duo" segment, John N. talks about "Once on This Island" - and how the goal can be finding one's own humanity and sticking to it in the face of the gods themselves.
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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For the second entry in the Dynamic Duos topic, John N. sifts through the catalog of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flattery. Prolific collaborators of the stage and screen, Ahrens and Flaherty have given us such shows as Ragtime, Seussical, Lucky Stiff, Rocky the Musical, and Once on This Island - among many others. John gives a brief overview of their history and talks about the concept of humanism in the collaborative process.
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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As the second half of the Kander and Ebb story, John N. talks about "Chicago: A Musical Vaudeville" and discusses the anatomy of the "Kander and Ebb" sound, the collaborative process and its ups and downs, and how art and life can intermingle.
Music by John Kander
Lyrics by Fred Ebb
Book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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John N. is back with a few solo episodes - and trying something a little different.
This week, he introduces the short series of "Dynamic Duos" - pairs of collaborators on Broadway that you may or may not be aware of, but probably should; then pairs it with a show that you'll probably know and maybe even love from that duo.
First up is the writing team of John Kander (composer) and Fred Ebb (lyricist). What began as an introduction in 1962 fermented into a 42-year collaboration with movies, shows, and songs to their credit. They started modestly with "Flora: The Red Menace", but soon had such hits as "Cabaret", "Chicago", and many more.
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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This week John N. is joined by Dr. Aaron and Mark Albin, founders and directors of Art 4, a professional musical theatre production company integrating four different mediums of art - performing, visual, literary, and culinary - to cultivate unique arts experiences that engage the community. Mark, Aaron, and John discuss the show's presentation of race and how our current events might inform the story, the concept of blending historical fiction with historical accuracy, and how presenting a show has changed in the Age of COVID.
Find the episode on your favorite podcast app or by going to https://anchor.fm/musicalminutes
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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This week John N. is joined by Dallas actor, director, and stage manager Sienna Riehle to discuss the late 1990's mega-smash hit "Rent". John admits to a bit of (well deserved) hero-worship before the pair discuss whether "Rent" can be considered a period piece, whether Benny is a "bad guy" or a "bad" guy, and opine on Jonathan Larson's intent in either emulating or subverting Giacomo Puccini's opera "La Boheme".
Music, lyrics, and book by Jonathan Larson
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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Over the next three weeks, John N. will be joined by various professionals in the theatre world to get a unique take on some beloved musical theatre properties.
"My Fair Lady" has a complicated message - one that is often lost or obfuscated in oversimplification and generalization. But looking a bit closer shows some interesting threads of self-determination, female character agency, and how old-fashioned some "masculine" views can be.
John N is joined by Philadelphia actress (and to be fair, younger sister) Kristen Norine; the two discuss the above and much more.
Music by Frederick Loewe
Book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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John and John finish off the interview with Justin and get some more info about his background as well as some fantastic stories from some of his more memorable gigs.
To learn more about Justin and his work - please visit www.justinschmitztheatre.com
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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John and John were incredibly fortunate to sit down with DC-based sound Designer Justin Schmitz, and had the opportunity to talk about his experiences and anecdotes about working in music theatre - so much so that we had to split the interview into two episodes. In the first part - Justin talks about his work with non-traditional audiences, what to do when everything goes wrong, and how artists are coping with the current pandemic.
To learn more about Justin and his work - please visit www.justinschmitztheatre.com
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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We end the month of February (and February Flops) with one of the biggest flops in recent memory.... Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark. Plagued with technical and artistic issues, the show managed to set a record for the longest preview period with 182 performances. John and John talk about the lack of an out-of-town period that could have helped with the technical problems, their views on the score, and how flash does not equal substance.
Music and lyrics by Bono and The Edge
Book by Julie Taymor, Glen Berger, and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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For the third entry in the February Flops series, John and John discuss Kander and Ebb's very first show together, and how it doesn't... really say anything? But it's fascinating to see the birth of this dynamic duo and also the introduction of Liza Minelli into the larger Broadway sphere.
Music by John Kander
Lyrics by Fred Ebb
Book by George Abbott and Robert Russell
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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In February, John and John sit down to talk about four shows that failed for various reasons on Broadway.
Week 2 sees John and John tackle the highly problematic "Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson", which ran on Broadway for 94 performances. The pair discuss how labeling satire doesn't make it so, the blandness of the score, and how it's pretty amazing to be this tone-deaf.
Music and lyrics by Michael Friedman
Book by Alex Timbers
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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In February, John and John (YAY - McKever is BACK!) sit down to talk about four shows that failed for various reasons on Broadway.
First up is Stephen Sondheim's "Merrily We Roll Along". John and John talk of their love of the music for this production, but how the various book and logistics issues doomed this production to close after only 16 performances.
Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by George Furth
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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When you have a dream to right the world's wrongs, to find and save your dream - you pull yourself out of bed and do it... even if you have to fight a few windmills to do so.
In this episode, John talks about the 1956 hit "Man of La Mancha" - touching on the beloved trope of the "show within a show", how the dense writing of Cervantes can translate to the popular medium of the Broadway musical, and the role of the audience in imagining the story.
And the Spanish Inquisition - which no one ever expects.
Music by Mitch Leigh
Book by Dale Wasserman
Lyrics by Joe Darion
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
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John's third solo episode tackles Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Jesus Christ Superstar" - a show that paved the way for the idea of the modern Megamusical in the 1980s and beyond. He covers its place in Broadway history, how it helped shows that came after, and how prevalent it has become in our cultural zeitgeist.
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyrics by Tim Rice
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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Brains can be tricky, and brains can lie. Sometimes all we can do is try to be next to normal and that has to be good enough.
For solo episode number two - John looks at the 2009 hit "Next to Normal" and talks about parallels to "Dear Evan Hansen", subversion in music and lyrics, and how some shows can be a marathon in every way possible.
Music by Tom Kitt
Book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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Season 2 premiere!
Join John (and John in spirit) as we open our second season with Kismet - a musical that takes a less-tropic look at a fanciful story in the vein of 1001 Nights. John talks about his love of Alexandr Borodin, how this show might fare today, and just how much borrowed music there is in Kismet.
Book by Charles Lederer and Luther Davis
Music by Alexandr Borodin, Robert Wright, and George Forrest
Lyrics by Robert Wright and George Forrest
Adapted from a play of the same name by Edward Knoblock
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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Looks like this train is getting ready to head back onto the tracks! John and John check-in and briefly discuss Season 2 of "Musical Minutes" - things such as February Flops! And Dynamic Duos! And more! We're excited to get to it and can't wait to start sharing it with you on January 6th, 2021.
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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John and John wind down Season One of the podcast with the hilarious hit, "Something Rotten!"
(Don't worry - there is a Season 2! And we won't be banished before it happens!)
Our erstwhile hosts talk about how this show is a tongue-in-cheek love letter to Broadway (lots of lampshades are tossed), how some old 19th-century tropes are resurrected, and how important is a plot, really?
Music and lyrics by Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick
Book by Karey Kirkpatrick and John O'Farrell
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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(Seriously - Season Two is coming!)
One man must decide between two women while "taking care" of eight family members to assume his place at the head of a family... all played by one man.
Trust us, the math checks out. Sort of.
Join John and John as they discuss "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder", and talk about the subtle spectacle of the show's casting, the nonsensical humor of the pot, and offer an audiophile's take on the cast recording.
Music by Stephen Lutvak
Lyrics and book by Robert L. Freedman
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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There was a podcast, and there were two hosts named John... and there was a show called "Cabaret" in a theatre that was part of Broadway.... and it felt like the end of the world."
Art reflects life. Sometimes it's not the good parts. John and John discuss Kander and Ebb's "Cabaret".
Music by John Kander
Lyrics by Fred Ebb
Book by Joe Masteroff
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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John and John venture to a magical land where the weather is controlled by Royal Proclamation and systems of government are determined by sword-holding rocks and women in ponds. This week they dive into the Lerner and Lowe classic, "Camelot"; discussing the dichotomy of the music and the score, the reliance of the book on source material, and the mystique of the magical... cave? Invisible walls? Something like that.
Music by Frederick Lowe
Lyrics and book by Alan Jay Lerner
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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John and John sit down to talk about another entry in the new realism of modern musical theatre - "The Band's Visit". We talk about one of our most cherished tropes (band on stage!), the concept of realism in the show, and the importance of representation on stage and in the story... all while trying to not mangle and be respectful of everyone's names.
Music and lyrics by David Yazbek
Book by Itamar Moses
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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Budapest, 1934. John and John step into Maracek's Parfuemrie to talk about "She Loves Me". They talk about the charming score, the grand pastiche of characters, and this story's place in popular culture.
Music by Jerry Bock
Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick
Book by Joe Masteroff
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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John and John go WAY back to the 1930s and look at one of the Gershwin duo's finest works - "Of Thee I Sing". We talk about the absurdity of the plot and the comedy therein. One of the Johns expresses a long-hidden feeling of support for Ira, the forgotten Gershwin. Good times all around!
Music by George Gershwin
Lyrics by Ira Gershwin
Book by Lloyd S. Kaufmann
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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In the 21st century, we are all connected digitally and virtually... yet it's sometimes easy to feel like you're completely lost and alone.
John and John break down their thoughts on the current musical "Dear Evan Hansen" and talk about the modern Broadway sound and genre, the effects of the mind on our actions, and realism in theatre.
Music and Lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Book by Steven Levenson
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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Six unique kids, three adults, and a whole dictionary to choose from. What could be more original or entertaining?
John and John talk about a mutual favorite show, "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee". Hear them recount some fun stories from their own experiences with the show, how the concept of adults-as-kids adds a deeper connotation, and just how funny this show can be!
Music and Lyrics by William Finn
Book by Rachel Sheinkin
Based on the play "C-R-E-P-E-S-C-U-L-E" by The Farm
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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John and John dive deep into one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's early rock operas, Evita. They talk about the mystery of post-life for Eva Peron, the eclectic nature of the score, and how this show is a great example of "art imitating life".
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyrics and Book by Tim Rice
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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When "South Pacific" is first mentioned, so many thoughts turn to silly Thanksgiving reviews and island life. But in the 1940s, the show was groundbreaking in its stance on racism. Winner of 10 Tony Awards, and sitting on the Billboard charts for 400 weeks (not a typo!). John and John talk about the role in the social morals of the time, the popularity of the musical, and get into it once more about how effective of an ending the show has.
Music by Richard Rodgers
Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Book by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joshua Logan
Based on Tales of the South Pacific by James A. Michener
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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"And this bright star
Having traced its parabola
With inexpressible speed
Through immeasurable space
Seems suddenly
To have stopped
Like an arrow piercing the earth
Stopped for me"
-Pierre, "Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812"
John and John sit down to talk about the visually and technically stunning "Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812".
They get into the one-of-a-kind staging, integrating the band into the set and audience, and the subtle brilliance that is author/composer Dave Malloy.
Music, Lyrics, and Book by Dave Malloy
Adapted from Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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What happens when you mix a Follies starlet, a tottering old lady, a man of a thousand (bad) accents, and a woman who loves a good martini? Well, you get "The Drowsy Chaperone"!
John and John discuss how the show uses tropes of the Golden Age, the technical elements that make this show a delight, and whether its better to "live, not leave".
Also - there are singing gangsters.
Music and Lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison
Book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
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This week John and John get a little silly... well, more so than usual by "diving" into the 2017 musical "A SpongeBob Musical"!
They talk about the role of theatre in entertainment, the collaborative nature of the score, and an admiration for one of the noblest of theatrical tropes - a band member onstage. All this about a not-so-simple sponge, a crabby squid, a greedy crab, a genius squirrel, and... Patrick.
Original Songs and Lyrics by Yolanda Adams, Alex Ebert of “Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros”, Sara Bareilles, Jonathan Coulton, Domani, Derek Drymon, Mark Harrison, Stephen Hillenburg, Rob Hyman, Lady Antebellum [Now Lady A], Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, Lil' C, Panic! At the Disco, Plain White T's, Blaise Smith, Steven Tyler & Joe Perry of “Aerosmith”, The Flaming Lips, They Might Be Giants, and T.I.
Additional Songs and Lyrics by David Bowie, Brian Eno, Tom Kenny, and Andy Paley.
Book by Kyle Jarrow
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
"A glooming peace this morning with it brings.
The sun, for sorrow, will not show his head.
Go hence, to have more talk of these sad things."
-Prince Escalus, Act V, Scene 3
William Shakespeare - Romeo and Juliet
John and John explore one of the seminal musical theatre works of the mid 20th century in West Side Story. They talk about subversion, the "newness factor" of WSS and John (Norine) spends way too long fanboy-ing over Leonard Bernstein.
Music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and book by Arthur Laurents. Inspired by William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
In his review of the original 1973 Broadway production, Clive Barnes in The New York Times called A Little Night Music "heady, civilized, sophisticated and enchanting." Well, what did you expect from Stephen Sondheim? Join John and John as they explore this love letter to the triple meter, Richard Strauss, and Ingmar Bergman.
Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and book by Hugh Wheeler. Inspired by the 1955 Ingmar Bergman film Smiles of a Summer Night.
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
This week, John and John step back to Philadelphia in the 18th century and "courteously" discuss show endings, fiction vs. reality, and representative birds with 1776 - music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards, and book by Peter Stone.
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
In this "very special episode" of MMwJaJ, John and John travel the world and back again to bring you a shockingly serious discussion on The Fantasticks - music by Harvey Schmidt, lyrics and book by Tom Jones.
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com or comment on our Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/musicalminutes
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
Episode 3! Time to join us with your flowering fields and souring cheese as we sit down and talk about the 1970's musical Pippin - music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, and book by Roger Hirson - with additional (uncredited) material by Bob Fosse.
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
Next up on the docket is the Cole Porter classic musical, Kiss Me Kate - music and lyrics by Cole Porter, book by Bella and Samuel Spewack.
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes
In their first episode, John McKeever and John Norine, Jr - both orchestral conductors who also work as Music Directors in the theatre - introduce themselves and the podcast before diving into a discussion of the show Bright Star - music by Edie Brickell and Steve Martin, lyrics by Edie Brickell, and book by Steve Martin.
Intro and outro music ("BeBop 25") provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Have a question for John or John? Want to leave feedback or tell us how wrong we are? Email us at musicalminutespodcast@gmail.com
For more info on our hosts - please visit https://norine62.wixsite.com/musicalminutes