A Musical Theatre Podcast

Jeffrey Scott Parsons

Conversations revealing the cultural and emotional impact of our favorite musicals in theatre history.

On each episode of “A Musical Theatre Podcast,” Jeff welcomes a special guest to explore one musical from theatre history. Together they get to the heart of the show’s cultural and emotional impact by looking at its creators, context, and storytelling. Always fun and heartfelt, this is the podcast to celebrate the humanity of our musical theatre art form.

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178 episodes
Updated Friday

Episodes178

Newest first

DAMN YANKEES with Chryssie Whitehead
Jeff and guest Chryssie Whitehead discuss the musical DAMN YANKEES (music & lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop)
Friday · 1 hr
HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH with Matt Rodin
Jeff and guest Matt Rodin discuss the musical HEDWIG & THE ANGRY INCH (music & lyrics by Stephen Trask, text by John Cameron Mitchell)
June 28 · 1 hr 9 min
MOULIN ROUGE! with Ryan W. Garcia
Truth Freedom Beauty Love, but maybe most of all... love. Surrender to the kinetic energy and sweeping romance of La Belle Epoque, beware of the tuberculosis, as Jeff and guest Ryan Garcia (The Try Guys) discuss the Tony winning Best Musical MOULIN ROUGE! Guesses only: who do you think is a fan of the film, and who isn't? Be sure to check out Ryan's podcast Big Theatre Kid Energy and follow him on Instagram and his show on TikTok. If you enjoyed this episode, check out the first jukebox musical we ever covered: ALL SHOOK UP with Andre Myers Join us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠PATREON!⁠⁠⁠⁠ for bonus episodes, contests, and conversations all while supporting the show for only a few dollars each month! Share our posts and videos on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you're feeling like giving back, check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠TeePublic Store⁠⁠⁠⁠. The profits we receive are donated to ⁠⁠⁠⁠Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS⁠⁠⁠⁠. More than anything, thank you for being part of this wonderful podcasting community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
June 14 · 1 hr 4 min
STARLIGHT EXPRESS with Sophie-Rose Middleton
There is one musical that holds the Guiness Book of World Records for "most visitors to a musical in a single theatre." Congratulations on not realizing it's STARLIGHT EXPRESS. (We didn't know it either!) This week, we're exploring the cultural and emotional impact of Andrew Lloyd Webber's roller skating musical that is still playing to packed houses around the world. Is it a little silly? Absolutely. Does it deserve its own episode? 1000%. Sophie-Rose Middleton (CATS, SIX) joins us to look back at her time as "Pearl" in the long-running German production and help us figure out what exactly the "Starlight Express" is. She also shares an important lesson for all young performers out there currently celebrating (or mourning) their BFA ambitions. Follow Sophie-Rose on TikTok at @sophierosemiddleton and Instagram @sophierose_middleton! If you enjoyed this episode, check out one of our first episodes of the podcast: CATS with James Vasquez and John Treacy Egan. Join us at ⁠⁠⁠PATREON!⁠⁠⁠ for bonus episodes, contests, and conversations all while supporting the show for only a few dollars each month! Share our posts and videos on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠. If you're feeling like giving back, check out our ⁠⁠⁠TeePublic Store⁠⁠⁠. The profits we receive are donated to ⁠⁠⁠Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS⁠⁠⁠. More than anything, thank you for being part of this wonderful podcasting community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 31 · 1 hr 5 min
HERE LIES LOVE with Maria-Christina Oliveras
Jeff and guest Maria-Christina Oliveras discuss the musical HERE LIES LOVE (created by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim)
May 13 · 1 hr 1 min
SEUSSICAL with Kevin Chamberlin
Jeff and guest Kevin Chamberlin discuss the musical SEUSSICAL (score and book by Lynn Ahrens & Stephen Flaherty)
April 19 · 1 hr 1 min
HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING with Ryan Scott Oliver and special guest Lindsay Mendez
Jeff and guests Ryan Scott Oliver and Lindsay Mendez discuss the musical HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING (music & lyrics by Frank Loesser, book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock, and Willie Gilbert)
April 6 · 1 hr 18 min
THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME with Rodd Cyrus
Jeff and guest Rodd Cyrus discuss the musical THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, book by Peter Parnell)
March 15 · 1 hr 13 min
Patreon! Preview: MAKING RENT with Tim Weil
Jeff and guest Tim Weil discuss his new book "Making Rent."
March 1 · 17 min
THE FULL MONTY with Misha Brown
Jeff and guest Misha Brown discuss the musical THE FULL MONTY (music & lyrics by David Yazbek, book by Terrance McNally)
February 23 · 1 hr 4 min
SIX with Teale Dvornik and Gianna Yanelli
Jeff and guests Teale Dvornik and Gianna Yanelli discuss the musical SIX (by Toby Marlow & Lucy Moss)
January 25 · 1 hr 12 min
THE SOUND OF MUSIC with Tyler Joseph Ellis
Jeff and guest Tyler Joseph Ellis discuss the musical THE SOUND OF MUSIC (music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, book by Howard Lindsay & Russel Crouse)
January 4 · 1 hr 24 min
WAR PAINT with Caden Zane Marshall
Jeff and guest Caden Zane Marshall discuss the musical WAR PAINT (music by Scott Frankel, lyrics by Michael Korie, book by Doug Wright)
Dec 21, 2025 · 1 hr 19 min
GREY GARDENS with Drew Droege
This week we're spending another winter in a summer town as we cover the terrific 2006 musical GREY GARDENS. Here to not only have his cake but chew it and masticate it is the great Drew Droege (MESSY WHITE GAYS, TITANIQUE). Drew takes us through lesser-known accounts and perspectives on the Beale women, all while raising up the non-conformist ladies whose voices and humor give us life! Follow Drew on Instagram at @drewdroege and buy tickets to his new play at messywhitegays.com. If you enjoyed this episode...wait for next week's. It's a companion piece! Join us at PATREON! for bonus episodes and an upcoming Christmas gift! Be sure to follow and share our content on Instagram and TikTok and subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts! Looking to give back? We have designs at our TeePublic Store, and the profits we receive are donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Above all, thank you for being part of this wonderful podcasting community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 30, 2025 · 1 hr 4 min
BONNIE & CLYDE with Ivan Menchell
Jeff and guest Ivan Menchell discuss the musical BONNIE & CLYDE (music by Frank Wildhorn, lyrics by Don Black, book by Ivan Menchell)
Nov 9, 2025 · 52 min
BARNUM with Ryan VanDenBoom
Jeff and guest Ryan VanDenBoom discuss the musical BARNUM (music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Michael Stewart, book by Mark Bramble)
Oct 27, 2025 · 59 min
1776 with Howard Sherman
Jeff and guest Howard Sherman discuss the musical 1776 (music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards, book by Peter Stone)
Oct 8, 2025 · 1 hr 11 min
RAGS with Samantha Massell
Jeff and guest Samantha Massell discuss the musical RAGS (music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, original book by Joseph Stein)
Sep 15, 2025 · 1 hr 10 min
SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE with Danielle Ferland
Jeff and guest Danielle Ferland discuss the musical SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE (music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by James Lapine)
Sep 1, 2025 · 1 hr 6 min
PARADE with Max Chernin
Jeff and guest Max Chernin discuss the musical PARADE (music & lyrics by Jason Robert Brown, book by Alfred Uhry)
Jun 29, 2025 · 1 hr 14 min

A Musical Theatre Podcast

DAMN YANKEES with Chryssie Whitehead

HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH with Matt Rodin

MOULIN ROUGE! with Ryan W. Garcia

STARLIGHT EXPRESS with Sophie-Rose Middleton

HERE LIES LOVE with Maria-Christina Oliveras

SEUSSICAL with Kevin Chamberlin

HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING with Ryan Scott Oliver and special guest Lindsay Mendez

THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME with Rodd Cyrus

Patreon! Preview: MAKING RENT with Tim Weil

THE FULL MONTY with Misha Brown

SIX with Teale Dvornik and Gianna Yanelli

THE SOUND OF MUSIC with Tyler Joseph Ellis

WAR PAINT with Caden Zane Marshall

GREY GARDENS with Drew Droege

BONNIE & CLYDE with Ivan Menchell

BARNUM with Ryan VanDenBoom

1776 with Howard Sherman

RAGS with Samantha Massell

SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE with Danielle Ferland

PARADE with Max Chernin