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

Jun 4, 2025 · 1 hr 9 min
THE ADDAMS FAMILY with Rachel Potter
Jeff and guest Rachel Potter discuss the musical THE ADDAMS FAMILY (music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, book by Rick Elice and Marshall Brickman)
May 20, 2025 · 1 hr 16 min
SMILE with Robert W. Schneider
Jeff and guest Rob Schneider discuss the musical SMILE (music by Marvin Hamlisch, book and lyrics by Howard Ashman)
May 4, 2025 · 1 hr 7 min
DEATH BECOMES HER with Marco Pennette and Kaleigh Cronin
Just as DEATH BECOMES HER celebrates 10 Tony nominations, we're thrilled to celebrate our new episode dedicated to this brand-new Broadway hit! Joining us is one of the nominees, the hilarious book writer himself, Marco Pennette (TV's Ugly Betty & Mom), and one of hard-working cast members keeping the show going 8 performances a week, Kaleigh Cronin (Cabaret, A Bronx Tale, Jersey Boys). Marco is an open, pardon the pun, "book," and you'll love his insider look at how this musical came to be. Kaleigh is not only in the show every night but also understudies both leading lady roles and has wonderful insights on those fabulous divas. Don't miss DEATH BECOMES HER at the Lunt-Fontaine Theatre in NYC! To learn more, visit deathbecomesher.com. Be sure to follow Kaleigh on Instagram at @kaleigh_cronin. If you enjoyed this episode, check out our recent episode with the writers of WATER FOR ELEPHANTS: Rick Elice and PigPen Theatre Co. Join us at PATREON! for bonus episodes, contests, and polls! Don't forget to like and share our episodes on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠TikTok⁠. We have fun playlists on ⁠Spotify⁠ to keep you company in between episodes, and be sure to check out our ⁠TeePublic Store⁠ where our profits from the designs are donated to ⁠Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS⁠. More than anything, thank you for being an important part of this podcasting community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 12, 2025 · 1 hr 11 min
CRAZY FOR YOU with Shannon Lewis
Jeff and guest Shannon Lewis discuss the musical CRAZY FOR YOU (music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin, book by Ken Ludwig)
Mar 29, 2025 · 1 hr 4 min
BEETLEJUICE with Ryan Breslin
Jeff and guest Ryan Breslin discuss the musical BEETLEJUICE (music & lyrics by Eddie Perfect, book by Scott Brown & Anthony King)
Mar 15, 2025 · 1 hr 13 min
FUNNY GIRL with Ruby Karp
Jeff and guest Ruby Karp discuss the musical FUNNY GIRL (music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Bob Merrill, book by Isobel Lennart)
Feb 28, 2025 · 1 hr 12 min
A STRANGE LOOP with L Morgan Lee
Jeff and guest L Morgan Lee discuss the musical A STRANGE LOOP (music, lyrics, & book by Michael R. Jackson)
Feb 15, 2025 · 1 hr 15 min
THE OUTSIDERS with Kevin Csolak
Jeff and guest Kevin Csolak discuss the musical THE OUTSIDERS (music by Jamestown Revival [Jonathan Clay & Zach Chance] and Justin Levine, book by Adam Rapp and Justin Levine)
Jan 25, 2025 · 1 hr 6 min
WATER FOR ELEPHANTS with Rick Elice and PigPen Theatre Co.
Jeff and guests Rick Elice and PigPen Theatre Co. discuss their musical WATER FOR ELEPHANTS (music & lyrics by PigPen Theatre Co., book by Rick Elice)
Jan 11, 2025 · 1 hr 12 min
LEMPICKA with Sarah Anne Fernandez
Jeff and guest Sarah Anne Fernandez discuss the musical LEMPICKA (music by Matt Gould, lyrics by Carson Kreitzer, book by Carson Kreitzer & Matt Gould)
Dec 31, 2024 · 1 hr 12 min
A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD with Erica Halverson and Daniel Pelzig
Jeff and guests Dr. Erica Halverson and Daniel Pelzig discuss the musical A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD (music by Robert Reale, book & lyrics by Willie Reale)
Dec 22, 2024 · 1 hr 9 min
ANYONE CAN WHISTLE with Mike Meaney
Jeff and guest Mike Meaney discuss the musical ANYONE CAN WHISTLE (music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Arthur Laurents)
Nov 25, 2024 · 1 hr 20 min
42ND STREET with Karen Prunzik
Jeff and guest Karen Prunzik discuss the musical 42ND STREET (music by Harry Warren, lyrics by Al Dubin and Johnny Mercer, book by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble)
Nov 18, 2024 · 1 hr 20 min
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA with Sandra Joseph
Jeff and guest Sandra Joseph discuss the musical THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Charles Hart (additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe), book by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Richard Stilgoe)
Oct 27, 2024 · 1 hr 21 min
THE LAST FIVE YEARS with Grace Yurchuk
Jeff and guest Grace Yurchuk discuss the musical THE LAST FIVE YEARS (music, lyrics, & book by Jason Robert Brown)
Oct 13, 2024 · 1 hr 8 min
THE PROM with Chad Beguelin
Jeff and guest Chad Beguelin discuss the musical THE PROM (music by Matthew Sklar, lyrics by Chad Beguelin, book by Bob Martin & Chad Beguelin, original concept by Jack Viertel)
Sep 22, 2024 · 1 hr 9 min
GYPSY with Alison Fraser
Jeff and guest Alison Fraser discuss the musical GYPSY (music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Arthur Laurents)
Sep 8, 2024 · 55 min
FINE AND DANDY with Jennifer Ashley Tepper
Jeff and guest Jennifer Ashley Tepper discuss the musical FINE AND DANDY (music by Kay Swift, lyrics by Paul James, book by Donald Ogden Stewart)
Aug 25, 2024 · 17 min
Listen Now - The Magical Making of Disney's Aladdin on Broadway
Few musicals have captured the hearts of audiences quite like Disney's ALADDIN. But did you know the beloved stage adaptation of the classic animation almost never came to be? This podcast pulls back the curtain on the untold story of ALADDIN's journey from conception to Broadway triumph. Join 11-time Emmy Award winning entertainment journalist for NY1 and NY1OnStage host Frank DiLella on an in-depth exploration that begins with the initial spark of a stage adaptation. We'll delve into the challenges faced during out-of-town tryouts, the unwavering determination to overcome them, and the celebration of reaching over a decade on Broadway – a remarkable feat in the world of musical theatre. This captivating series features exclusive conversations with the original cast and creative team behind ALADDIN including Alan Menken, Casey Nicholaw, James Monroe Iglehart, Adam Jacobs, Courtney Reed, Sonya Balsara, Adi Roy and more as they recount their experiences with the show. Whether you're a lifelong Disney fan, a theatre enthusiast, or simply captivated by the magic of storytelling, this series is a must-listen. Unveil the untold story of ALADDIN and discover the passion, resilience, and drive that created a Broadway sensation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 18, 2024 · 1 hr 5 min
ANASTASIA with Damson Chola Jr.
Jeff and guest Damson Chola Jr. discuss the musical ANASTASIA (music by Stephen Flaherty, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, book by Terrence McNally)

A Musical Theatre Podcast

THE ADDAMS FAMILY with Rachel Potter

SMILE with Robert W. Schneider

DEATH BECOMES HER with Marco Pennette and Kaleigh Cronin

CRAZY FOR YOU with Shannon Lewis

BEETLEJUICE with Ryan Breslin

FUNNY GIRL with Ruby Karp

A STRANGE LOOP with L Morgan Lee

THE OUTSIDERS with Kevin Csolak

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS with Rick Elice and PigPen Theatre Co.

LEMPICKA with Sarah Anne Fernandez

A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD with Erica Halverson and Daniel Pelzig

ANYONE CAN WHISTLE with Mike Meaney

42ND STREET with Karen Prunzik

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA with Sandra Joseph

THE LAST FIVE YEARS with Grace Yurchuk

THE PROM with Chad Beguelin

GYPSY with Alison Fraser

FINE AND DANDY with Jennifer Ashley Tepper

Listen Now - The Magical Making of Disney's Aladdin on Broadway

ANASTASIA with Damson Chola Jr.