Episodes

195
Jan. 17, 2026

Ep 195: 40 Years of CHESS

Because this is a Broadway history podcast, I don’t usually comment on recently opened productions, since we can’t know yet whether they will be historically significant. The exceptions, of course, are major revivals of Broadway musicals from the past. And since I’ve been around for a while and had the opportunity to see the original 1986 London production of Chess, which ran for three years, as well as the 1988 Broadway production, which closed after only 68 performances, and a few weeks ago, t...
190
Jan. 9, 2026

Ep 194: The Great Waltz on Radio & TV

With special guest Albert Evans
Guest: Albert Evans
Dec. 31, 2025

Irving Berlin, Bing Crosby and the Story of "White Christmas," America's Most Popular Song, part 2

This is the second of two special holiday episodes of Broadway Nation. Just like the first, this is an audio version of a Broadway Nation Live! performance that was given in December of 2019 at the Vashon Center For The Performing Arts on Vashon Island, WA. If you prefer to watch a video of this performance you can stream it on their website at: vashoncenterforthearts.org In Part One we looked at how the Jewish-Russian immigrant songwriter, Irving Berlin — in addition to being one of the prime ...
193
Dec. 10, 2025

Ep 193: BY STRAUSS! In Search of THE GREAT WALTZ, part 2

This week Albert Evans joins me once again as we go “In Search of Lost Broadway.” Specifically, the 1934 smash-hit musical The Great Waltz, conceived, directed, and lighted by Hassard. Short, with a book by Moss Hart, choreography by Albertina Rasch, based on the Viennese operetta and London hit, Waltzes From Vienna with English lyrics by Desmond Carter, and featuring the music of both Johann Strausses, I and II. If you missed the first episode in this series, you may want to catch up with that ...
Guest: Albert Evans
Dec. 7, 2025

A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM BROADWAY NATION!

You are invited to join me on December 11 at 5:00 PM at The Museum of Broadway where Tony and Olivier Award-winning lyricist , David Zippel, will be interview me about my new book, Broadway Nation: How Immigrant, Jewish, Queer, and Black Artists Invented the Broadway Musical. Reserve your FREE seats now at https://www.themuseumofbroadway.com/calendar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov. 21, 2025

Encore Episode: MY FIRST SONDHEIM

This episode was recorded in 2021 just five days after it was announced that Stephen Sondheim had died and as it happened my friend, colleague and frequent co-host and contributor to Broadway Nation, Albert Evans, was spending the Thanksgiving weekend with me, and so we were together when this news began to break and during the incredible reaction and response this loss over the days that followed. The coverage of Sondheim’s life and legacy in both traditional and social media had been phenomena...
Guest: Albert Evans
Sept. 26, 2025

The Most Produced Play in America: Come From Away

A conversation with authors IRENE SANKOFF and DAVID HEIN
186
Sept. 19, 2025

Ep 186: GOING HOLLYWOOD — THE OXFORD GUIDES TO FILM MUSICALS

A new book series highlighting LOVE ME TONIGHT, SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, and LA LA LAND.
222
Aug. 19, 2025

Special Pod Swap Episode: DAVID ARMSTRONG on THE WRONG CAT DIED podcast.

This episode features David Armstrong who is the author & podcast host of Broadway Nation
Guest: Mike Abrams
157
Aug. 14, 2025

Episode 181: In Search of Lost Broadway: RIO RITA

With special guest Albert Evans
Guest: Albert Evans