Broadway Games: Another Mash-Up!

  Broadway Games:

Another Mash-Up!

This is what happens when two theater icons collide. Figure out each word based on the given clues, then rearrange the "orange" letters to win the game!

___ ___ ___ ___ ___   ___ ___ ___

___   ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

___ ___ ___ ___ ___   ___ ___

___   ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

HINT: It's what happens when a Sondheim song meets an Arthur Miller play.

He wrote Joe Turner’s Come and Gone

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

Just in Time is all about him

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

Drood, 1776 and Carrie star Buckley

___ ___ ___ ___ ___

She’s Mother

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

He’s The Outsiders' Darrel Curtis

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

June Squibb’s most recent Broadway show

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

A roller skating musical

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

The show currently playing at the New Amsterdam

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

“I Dreamed a Dream” singer

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

Mrs. Levi-Gallagher

___ ___ ___ ___ ___

Three Tall Women playwright Edward

___ ___ ___ ___ ___

He plays the cake carrying Dougal

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

He will be starring in The Rocky Horror Show

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

Operation Mincemeat’s Tony-winner

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

Queen that sings “Don’t Lose Ur Head” in Six

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 

Fathers and Sons II

Fathers and Sons II

This all started when I read over the complete cast list for the upcoming Broadway musical, Beaches, and realized that Ben Jacoby is Mark Jacoby's son and they will both be on the boards at the same time. Boy, did I fall down an internet rabbit hole looking for others. The results came in yesterday's article (HERE) and now today's article.

Here are five more fathers and sons that have been and/or are on America's stages, some at the same time on the same stage, others, years apart.

Mark and Joaquin Consuelos

Both Mark, the dad, Joaquin, the son, are making their New York stage debut this season. Mark, famous for his TV roles in All My Children, Riverdale, and recently, 9-1-1, co-hosts LIVE with Kelly and Mark. The latter he does with his wife, Kelly Ripa. He will be making his Broadway debut in Fallen Angels, co-starring Kelli O'Hara and Rose Byrne. Their son will also be making his Broadway debut in Death of a Salesman, with Nathan Lane and Laurie Metcalf. What a great way to start for them!

Junius Brutus and Edwin Booth

Here is another father/son Duo that are a part of a true American acting dynasty. Junius Brutus had twelve children, three of whom were active on the Broadway stage. Junius himself, had a distinguished career as a Shakespearean actor, in both Great Britain and the United States, including the title roles in both Othello and Richard III. While his life was a rich one, it was marred by tragedy. In the space of 1833, three of his children died. One of his actor sons went on to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln.  Another of his sons, Edwin, fared much better with an illustrious career in the mid to late 1800s, when he starred in several Shakespearean and classical roles. He was also a prolific producer and owner of Booth's Theatre. In 1913, the Booth Theatre as we know it today was built and named for Edwin.

Chuck and Eddie Cooper

A modern day Broadway dynasty is headed by Tony Award winner Chuck Cooper, father of Lilli and Eddie, both of whom are following in dad's footsteps. Beginning with his debut in 1983 in Amen Corner, Chuck has amassed some 20 Broadway credits, including understudying for two Sondheim shows, Getting Away with Murder and Passion, plus the original casts of Caroline, or Change, Chicago, Prince of Broadway, and his Tony-winning turn in The Life. Recently, father and son appeared together in Encore's Titanic. Eddie has joined the Main Stem ranks with roles in Parade, Dead Outlaw and the upcoming play, The Fear of 13.

Robert and Alan Alda

The Alda men may be more famous for their giant careers on TV and film, but neither were strangers to the stage. While they did appear together on M*A*S*H, they never appeared on Broadway together. Father Robert began his enviable career as the original Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls, winning a Best Actor Tony Award for his efforts. Son Alan, forever Hawkeye Pierce, also had success on The Great White Way, with four Tony Award nominations. He appeared in, among other things, The Apple Tree, Jake's Women, QED, Art, and a revival of Glengarry Glen Ross. In an interesting bookend to his stage career, he was in the original cast of Purlie Victorious, and co-produced the 2023 revival!

Bobby and Jake Cannavale

Bobby Cannavale has become a regular on the theater scene over the past two decades or so. I'm glad he makes time for the stage between TV and film gigs. Most recently, he appeared in the revival of Art, and in Sondheim's Here We Are. Among his other roles, his debut in Mauritius earned him a Tony nomination, which he followed with another Tony-nominated turn in The Motherfucker with the Hat. His son Jake is just getting started - he made his Broadway debut in Fish in the Dark. He certainly comes by his talents naturally with a family that not only includes his father, but he is also the grandson of Sidney Lumet and great-grandson of Lena Horne!

Fathers and Sons I

Fathers and Sons I

When I read over the complete cast list for the upcoming Broadway musical, Beaches, a name stuck out to me, and I had to look up this actor. Was he related to another famous stage star? He is, indeed, related - he is the son of the other guy!The results of that search created a rabbit hole of searches for similar pairs, and then today's article.

Here are nine fathers and sons that have been and/or are on America's stages, some at the same time on the same stage, others, years apart.

So who started this?

Mark and Ben Jacoby

Mark, the dad, has had a long, illustrious career, including acclaimed performances in Show Boat and The Phantom of the Opera, the show that I first saw him in, the 1986 revival of Sweet Charity. Most recently, he played Neil Diamond in A Beautiful Noise. Today, he appears, albeit briefly, in Chess. His son Ben, who is in the upcoming musical Beaches, has also played a music icon, playing Barry Mann in Beautiful. He also, like his father, appeared in Phantom, as Raoul in the national tour of that show.

Maurice and Lionel Barrymore

Dad Maurice is the father of a true American acting dynasty. All three of his children are likely more famous than he is. His daughter, Ethel, has a Broadway theater named for her, and his other son, John, was also an accomplished stage actor, and is Drew's grandfather. But we chose son Lionel for this article because he might be the most familiar to you, as a star of the beloved film, It's a Wonderful Life. He also had a storied career on the Broadway stage, with over 20 credits, including the title role in Macbeth, and his debut in 1900, in Sag Harbor. His father had many vaudeville and Broadway credits, most famously in 1895's The Heart of Maryland and 1899's Becky Sharp. He led a sensational, news making life right up until his death in a mental institution at age 55.

Herschel and Michael Bernardi

This father and son duo have experience playing the same show, Fiddler on the Roof. Dad Herschel, of course, played Tevye as a replacement in the original production, and as the original lead in the 1981 revival. He also created leading roles in Bajour and as the titular Zorba. His son, Michael, was Mordcha in the 2015 revival, understudying the role of Tevye.

Zero and Josh Mostel

Another even more famous Tevye - the one who started it all - Zero, also has a son with an amazing acting career. That son is Josh, has 8 main stem credits, including My Favorite Year and Getting Away With Murder. His film career includes Jesus Christ Superstar (as King Herod), City Slickers and Sophie's Choice among many others. Zero also famously created the role of Pseudolus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and starred in the acclaimed Ionesco play, Rhinoceros. He won Tony Awards for all three of his most famous roles.

Tomorrow: 5 more Father/Son acting duos including another theatre namesake, and three currently active pairs!

(Off) Broadway Quiz: The Denizens of Skid Row

(Off) Broadway Quiz:

The Denizens of Skid Row

With the recent announcement of new casting for the long-running (and utterly fantastic) off-Broadway revival of Little Shop of Horrors, it occurred to me that I haven't paid much attention to this gem of a production since I reviewed it in 2019. That was egregious of me to say the least. Today, I aim to rectify that oversight!

How well do you know the folks who have spent time on Skid Row over the past six or seven years? Take today's quiz to find out! (NOTE: Some of the questions have multiple correct answers.)

1. Soon-to-be Seymour Jordan Fisher co-starred with another Seymour, Nicholas Christopher in which show?

   A. Hamilton   B. Sweeney Todd   C. Dear Evan Hanson   D. Chess

2. Several Disney Channel stars have headlined this revival. Which of these actors has not appeared in a Disney Channel sitcom or movie?

   A. Jordan Fischer   B. Joshua Bassett   C. Corbin Bleu   D. Milo Manheim

   E. Thomas Doherty   F. Darren Criss   G. Andrew Barth Feldman

3. What Broadway show does former Seymour Jeremy Jordan and former Audrey Sarah Hyland have in common?

4. TRUE or FALSE: Former Mushnik Stuart Zagnit also appeared in the original off-Broadway production.

5. Former Audrey Madeline Brewer is probably most famous for her role in which TV series?

   A. Grey's Anatomy   B. The Handmaid's Tale   C. Schitt's Creek   D. Reba

6. Which of the following former cast members have won Tony awards?

   A. Andrew Barth Feldman   B. Jonathan Groff   C. Lena Hall   D. Joy Woods

7. Which of the following former cast members are Tony nominees, but not winners?

   A. Darren Criss   B. Jeremy Jordan   C. Matt Doyle   D. Andrew Durand

E. Joy Woods   F. Conrad Ricamora   G. Constance Wu

8. These former cast members, Jonathan Groff, Matt Doyle, Gideon Glick and Skylar Astin, all have which Broadway show in common? 

9. All of these former cast members have appeared or are currently appearing on Broadway during the 2025-2026 season EXCEPT:

   A. Nicholas Christopher   B. Darren Criss   C. Andrew Barth Feldman   

D. Sarah Hyland   E. Sherie Rene Scott   F. Jeremy Kushnier

10. Graham Phillips was Seymour to Elizabeth Gillies' Audrey. In what show did they both appear with Ariana Grande on Broadway?

Long-running Shows I Still Haven't Seen

If you follow this site regularly, you know that like most avid theater fans, I have, over the years, lamented missing certain shows. You can catch all of those I've discussed HERE. But it is rare that at any given time, there are so many longer running shows that I've somehow missed. Right now, there are four!

Long-running Shows I Still Haven't Seen

Three of the four shows below are jukebox musicals, and I am sure that that figures in to why I've so far missed them. But there are other reasons...

Hell's Kitchen

As this show is closing in just a few days, I suppose I could have waited and added it to my "One That Got Away" series, but I don't feel like I missed out on this one as much as others on that list. While I appreciate the work of Alicia Keys and can grasp why she is both popular and acclaimed, I'd never say she's been on the top of my playlist. But here is one show I can exactly pinpoint why I've avoided it. I found their Tony Awards performance to be a complete mess and truly off-putting. (Not to mention misleading to a public that probably thought they'd get to see Ms. Keys at the piano. She was not and never was.) And it wasn't a fluke of an off performance, either. I've felt exactly the same way every time I've seen something from it on other shows. If I regret anything, it's that I missed the debut performance of Tony-winner Maleah Joi Moon, and the other Tony-winning performance of Kecia Lewis, an actress I've long been a fan of for years.

Just In Time

The youngest of the shows here, it is still a possibility that I'll catch it. A big fan of Jeremy Jordan, it is maybe slightly more likely than the others on this list. Anyway, the most surprising thing to me about not seeing this one is that I am a huge Jonathan Groff follower. So why didn't I get to it by now? In this case, its a combination of not being a huge Bobby Darin fan, and economics. There is only so much money in my pocket earmarked for shows, and last season meant having to make hard choices. With a decidedly smaller field of new musicals to see, I might still make a splish splash to the Circle in the Square.

MJ

Of the four shows on this list, this is the one that is most personally surprising to me. As a child of the 80s, Michael Jackson was a giant part of my life. Thriller, Bad and Off the Wall are three albums I had in three formats - vinyl, cassette and CD - and I still listen to them somewhat regularly. I have seen several performances from the show on various programs and they are all consistently well-done and exciting. Yet, somehow, MJ has become the show that I keep putting off, thinking I'll get to it eventually. I hope I do, as I have heard mostly wonderful things about it from people whose opinions I respect, and I also hope this one doesn't make it to my other list!

The Great Gatsby

This show is based on my all-time favorite novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It is one piece of literature that I read for pleasure, not intellectual stimulation alone. So you'd think I'd have seen this show several times, right? Except... well, it just looks (and sounds) too Disney-meets-80s-megamusical. The other recent musical version looked (and sounded) like something I'd much prefer - darker, sexier, more willing to hit those darker themes. And now, with Jeremy Jordan (and Eva Noblezada for a short while together) back for a while, it is more tempting. I also missed the national tour, when it debuted here in Baltimore, but that was definitely economic - the tickets here were more expensive than Broadway! I'm guessing I'll regret it, but I probably won't see this version. I'm holding out for Gatsby: An American Myth.

So, readers, am I missing out? If I had to pick one of these, which should I get tickets for? Let me know!  Jeff

Broadway Musical Logos: 2025-2026 Season (So Far) - The New Musicals

As I mentioned last week, I've been asked a lot this season, "why haven't you been reviewing show logos this year, Jeff?" Well, to be honest, it's because I am pretty disappointed in them so far. But, due to popular demand, I will provide my two-cents on each after all. The two new musicals of the season to date, one an abject flop, the other an acclaimed but modest hit, are, like those of the season's first two revivals, less than inspiring. I miss logos that are logos, not just a choice of font and a couple of cast photos, put together like an AI prompt and nothing more. I miss real show art.

Broadway Musical Logos: 2025-2026 Season

The New Musicals

The Queen of Versailles

 Well, I guess one can't argue that this logo sold a lot of tickets. It sure is pink. I suppose that producers thought including a photo of the star was a good idea. And maybe it was, until that star made some unfortunate comments on social media. But the dog is cute and the jumbo soda is something else to look at. At least the background photo hints at the story - a mansion under construction. Unless you know that The Queen of Versailles refers to a documentary about Jackie Siegel (and that you know who she is) there's not much else to go on about what you are seeing. Even the tagline, "The American Dream At Any Cost," isn't nearly as clever as it thinks it is. When the most creative thing about it is that the title "Queen" is in royal-ish cursive and the "Versailles" has a crack in it, you know it isn't good.

Grade: D

Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

Given the crazy title - which is both cute and a ponderous - it's kinda fun that the logo is so literal. Even including pictures of the stars is a clever choice. Heck, unless you are a real Broadway fan, they are literal strangers, too! But they are good-looking and have a fair amount of chemistry. With any luck and any sense of justice, these two will not be strangers for long - they are sensational, and even if this logo doesn't make you want to run out and buy tickets, maybe my word will: this is a funny, tuneful and sweet little show!

Grade: C-

 

Since I wrote this, the advertising has started touting it's stars with scenes from the show itself, revealing even more of the chemistry between Sam Tutty and Christiani Pitts, not to mention its status as an New York Times Critic's Pick. I think this is a good evolution for their show art. (B-)

Broadway Games: Openers or Closers...or Both?

Broadway Games:

Openers or Closers...or Both?

Often, a Broadway musical's initial impression or closing moments are what stay with audiences. Right out of the gate, first timers at A Chorus Line were invested with "I Hope I Get It," and left the Shubert on a cloud, humming, "One." Today's shows are no different!

DIRECTIONS: For each of today's current musicals, we've listed a song or two. You tell whether it is the opening number, the closing number, or both!

For example, Moulin Rouge!: "Come What May" Answer: Closing Number

1. "Can't Stop the Feeling!" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

2. "Arabian Nights" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

3. "Candela" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

4. "Endgame/Someone Else's Story/You and I" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

5. "Hot Honey Rag" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

6. "The End" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

7. "Road to Hell" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

8. "Alexander Hamilton" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

9. "Empire State of Mind" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

10. "This Could Be the Start of Something New" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

11. "Why Love?" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

12. "Wanna Be Startin' Something/You Just Can't Win" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

13. "Born to Lead" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

14. "Ragtime" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

15. "Ex-wives" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

16. "Hello!" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

17. "Roaring On" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

18. "The Circle of Life" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

19. "Tulsa '67" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

20. "New York" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

21. "No One Mourns the Wicked" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both