Broadway Breakdown

Spooky Sickness! Ghosts and Corsets! Wigs and Jump Scares! That’s right, we’re talking Moliere and haunted homes.
Matt reviews two plays that are scaring Broadway (in two very different ways): PARANORMAL ACTIVITY and THE IMAGINARY INVALID. Answering questions like: how do you instill fear into a 1200 seat house? Why do conflicting acting styles ruin comedy? Do actors make good directors? Find out!!
Important Links:
* Broadway Breakdown Green Room: Patreon
* Broadway Breakdown: Discord
* Broadway Breakdown: Substack
* Broadway Breakdown: Youtube
Time Stamps:
00:55 Paranormal Activity
20:55 The Imaginary Invalid
Listener Questions:
“Is it possible to truly scare a Broadway audience for a full length play? When was the last time that happened?”
“Why do modern creatives have trouble translating Moliere?”
“What does it take to make centuries-old pieces succeed?”


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bwaybreakdown.substack.com

So. Mean. Such School. Much Girl.
Matt reviews the latest show at Manhattan Theatre Club: SCHOOL GIRLS or THE AFRICAN MEAN GIRLS PLAY. Spoiler alert: he absolutely loooved it. Matt goes into the brilliance of the performances, the magic of playwright Jocelyn Bioh’s writing, and what exactly he means by “how to use Patina Miller.”
Important Links:
* Broadway Breakdown Green Room: Patreon
* Broadway Breakdown: Discord
* Broadway Breakdown: Substack
* Broadway Breakdown: Youtube
Listener Questions:
“Can a comedy also make a statement? Should they just try to entertain?”
“What is a character in theater who started hateful and ended sympathetic?”
“What role would you cast Patina Miller in?”


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bwaybreakdown.substack.com

One of the most likable men in theater reviews the latest show by one of the most likable men in Hollywood. And with the assistance of his grandmother! Matt saw BILLY CRYSTAL 860 and discusses the trickiness of being intimate without being revealing, the balancing act of pain and humor, and how Ben Vereen stole Robert Morse’s Tony (according to some). Get a kick out of Sally!
Important Links:
* Broadway Breakdown Green Room: Patreon
* Broadway Breakdown: Discord
* Broadway Breakdown Substack
* Broadway Breakdown: Youtube


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bwaybreakdown.substack.com

It’s time! It’s here! You submitted, Sally Bowl received, and Matt withdrew 12 random selections (plus one Matt pick) for the next series of Broadway Breakdown Deep Dives. Classic movie musicals! Less class movie musicals! Iconic Broadway plays and musicals…notorious flops. It’s all here for the next 13 Deep Dives. Take a listen and find out what we got!!!
Important Links:
* Broadway Breakdown: Green Room (Patreon)
* Broadway Breakdown: Discord
* Broadway Breakdown: Substack
* Broadway Breakdown: Youtube


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bwaybreakdown.substack.com

Matt’s a Drama Desk Voter, have ya heard? Which means he sees SO much theatre. YAY! But also that means he doesn’t have as much time to record. BOO! Solution for now? A giant Review Round Up Episode covering over a dozen different performances!! What came out on top? What was forgettable? And what evening made Matt weep from start to finish? Also…how exactly does Elizabeth Holmes play into all of this??
Important Links:
* Broadway Breakdown: THE GREEN ROOM (Patreon)
* Broadway Breakdown: DISCORD
* Broadway Breakdown: SUBSTACK
* Broadway Breakdown: YOUTUBE
Time Stamps:
0:00 Hello and a New Review
2:20 Shuffle Along Reunion Concert
7:54 Garry Starr Classic Penguins
11:57 Music City
12:52 Truly, Howard Hughes
14:02 In Honor of Jean-Michel Basquiat
15:44 Arias with a Twist
17:56 Delirium
22:00 Pre-Existing Condition
27:30 A Ghost in Your Ear
30:09 Anon
36:20 Soon
49:20 Slam Frank
1:02:50 Midnight
Listener Questions:
“Is being controversial synonymous with being important?”
“Are there story ideas that are actually off-limits?”
“Should we cater to shorter attention spans or do we need to challenge them?”


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bwaybreakdown.substack.com