Monkeys and Playbills

Grow out your hair, open those collared shirts, and burn them bras, ladies: we're going back to the 1970s with Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous! Adapted from the 2000 movie of the same name, this adaptation features book and lyrics by Crowe with music by Tom Kitt.Paul and Jill squeeze into their tour van to ponder: what makes a good movie adaptation? How many headlights are on the highway? And where's Penny Lane's all-female folk band called The Band Aids?We got MERCH y'all! Visit Spring to check out our mugs, t-shirts, hoodies and more!Instagram: @monkeysandplaybillspod Email: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.com Patreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybills

We're back, baby! Join Paul and Jill for a scholarly study of 2024's Lempicka, starring Eden Espinosa as the titular painter.Not to paint this show with a broad brush, but Paul and Jill found it a bit sketchy. Why were there Suicide Squad-esque place subtitles? Can there be two musicals about painters? And can sad men chill for like, a second?We got MERCH y'all! Visit Spring to check out our mugs, t-shirts, hoodies and more!Instagram: @monkeysandplaybillspod Email: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.com Patreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybills

Everyone's favourite musical theatre nerds are coming to you live and in-person! Join us for a saucy late-night show where we dive in to one of musical theatre's greatest embarrassments: 2019's Cats, in all its human-fingered/CGI/Jason Derulo glory.We got MERCH y'all! Visit Spring to check out our mugs, t-shirts, hoodies and more!Instagram: @monkeysandplaybillspod Email: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.com Patreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybills

Hear ye, hear ye! You're invited to a royal ball - and we hear it's “Bad.” It's Bad Cinderella, y'all!Paul, Jill, and returning guest Nelson Bettencourt huddle in the town square, wondering: didn't this composer do some better stuff first? Is one “bad” for having internalized misogyny? And why don't we just officially rename this “Carmello Cast” already?We got MERCH y'all! Visit Spring to check out our mugs, t-shirts, hoodies and more!Instagram: @monkeysandplaybillspod Email: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.com Patreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybills We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, as well as our producing partners the Crescent Arts Centre, on this season of Monkeys and Playbills.

This week, we're inviting very special guest Peter Fernandes to a Wild Party! Michael John LaChiusa's Wild Party, to be specific. Paul, Jill, and Peter huddle in the corner, whispering furtively: did you hear what Mandy Patinkin did? What ever happened to that bright Australian upstart who played Queenie? And wait, are we sure we're talking about the right Wild Party and not the two other versions that exist?We got MERCH y'all! Visit Spring to check out our mugs, t-shirts, hoodies and more!Instagram: @monkeysandplaybillspod Email: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.com Patreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybills We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, as well as our producing partners the Crescent Arts Centre, on this season of Monkeys and Playbills.

From award-winning writer Ben Townsley, Tales of the Great Transfiguration explores an event that swept through the city of Providence, RI, transforming people into anything and everything. An expectant father transformed into a silverback gorilla. A husband erupted into 45 million dollars in cash. A lighthouse turned into a - well, we won't spoil it for you.The Great Transfiguration acts as a wonderfully absurd lens through which we can analyze our relationship with change and transformation, both internally and systemically. "Tales" was directed by Andraea Sartison and features a stellar lineup of Manitoban talent, including sound designer MJ Dandeneau. Stay tuned wherever you get your podcasts!

Paul, Jill, and our live audience of dedicated Playbills are swinging through the streets of New York City with our first-ever live episode! We're sharpening our Spidey senses for a look at 2011's “Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark”.Paul, Jill, and our rogues gallery demand answers! Why is there reference to a Greek goddess? Do The Edge's friends just get to call him “The”? And will SOMEONE get us pictures of Spider-Man?!We got MERCH now y'all! Visit Spring to check out our mugs, t-shirts, hoodies and more! Instagram: @monkeysandplaybillspod Email: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.com Patreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybills We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, as well as our producing partners the Crescent Arts Centre, on this season of Monkeys and Playbills.

Welcome to the show (ba ba-da da)! We're travelling backwards in time with 1981's Merrily We Roll Along, with music by up-and-coming Broadway nobody Stephen Sondheim.Paul and Jill provide important answers, followed by questions such as: where does one get a sweatshirt showing their narrative significance? Why does Hal Prince loves bleachers so much? And why the heck hasn't Richard Linklater called?”Dreamgirls, Nine, and the Greatest Face-Off in Tony Award History” - Vanity Fair, 2015To get tickets to the live recording of Monkeys and Playbills, or join us for our livestream from away, visit https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/515130076927 We got MERCH now y'all! Visit Spring to check out our mugs, t-shirts, hoodies and more!Instagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybillsWe gratefully acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, as well as our producing partners the Crescent Arts Centre, on this season of Monkeys and Playbills.

We're exploring three shows bidding adieu to the Great White Way: Beetlejuice, Phantom of the Opera, and 1776! It's the ghost with the most, the phantom with the fandom, and… the lesser-known founding fathers musical.Paul, Jill, and Daph ask deep, though-provoking questions such as: is it easy to receive vocal coaching through layers of brick? Should Sherman Edwards sue Lin-Manuel Miranda? And what mid-tier film from the eighties should become a musical next?To get tickets to the live recording of Monkeys and Playbills, or join us for our livestream from away, visit https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/515130076927We got MERCH now y'all! Visit Spring to check out our mugs, t-shirts, hoodies and more!Instagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybillsWe gratefully acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, as well as our producing partners the Crescent Arts Centre, on this season of Monkeys and Playbills.

We're travelling way, way, WAY back in time to the 1930s with Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht's The Threepenny Opera! This week, we're joined by Sick + Twisted Theatre's Debbie Patterson, to talk all things Verfremdungseffekt.Paul, Jill, and Debbie puzzle over such questions as: why does Brecht hate applause? What other sneaky show tunes was the Chairman of the Board tricked into singing? And when will we finally seize the means of production to make Daddy Marx proud?We got MERCH now y'all! Visit Spring to check out our mugs, t-shirts, hoodies and more!Instagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybillsWe gratefully acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, as well as our producing partners the Crescent Arts Centre, on this season of Monkeys and Playbills.

It's astounding… time is fleeting… madness has taken control of Monkeys and Playbills! We are joined live in the living room by Breton Lalama (@bretonlikethecrackers) to discuss 1975's “The Rocky Horror Show!”This occult classic has Jill! Paul! Breton! Dr Scott! asking… who was your sexual awakening in the film adaptation? Why didn't New York like this show? And have you HEARD Tim Curry's original Broadway accent?!We got MERCH now y'all! Visit Spring to check out our mugs, t-shirts, hoodies and more!Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybillsWe gratefully acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, as well as our producing partners the Crescent Arts Centre, on this season of Monkeys and Playbills.

It's 2008. The height of the iPod. Hoodies have that weird flap thing in front. Paul makes Daphne include a bit about how The Dark Knight came out this year and that was great. And also, a little two-hander on Broadway makes a tiny splash: this week, we're talking about Bartram and Hill's “The Story of My Life!”Paul and Jill stare at a blank Word document, hopelessly wondering: why is Tom such a dingus? Is there space on Broadway for a teeny-tiny musical? And why does Jill keep bringing up the circus?We got MERCH now y'all! Visit Spring to check out our mugs, t-shirts, hoodies and more!Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybillsWe gratefully acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, as well as our producing partners the Crescent Arts Centre, on this season of Monkeys and Playbills.

Welcome to It Takes Two! On this podcast, we pair five emerging artists with five professional mentors to work together on an informal mentorship process. Over four weeks, pairs will develop and create a performance piece as well as record an interview together to talk about their process.

Who are we now? This week, we're bending the rules just a bit to talk about a very special under-100 performance: the great Beanie Feldstein-Julie Benko-Lea Michele upset of 2022. It's time to take a look at Funny Girl!Paul, Jill, and Daph examine the drama with opera glasses to ask: whatever happened to that girl from Spring Awakening? How do we solve a problem like a miscast performer? And does Twitter need to calm down? (Spoiler: the answer is yes.)We got MERCH now y'all! Visit Spring to check out our mugs, t-shirts, hoodies and more!Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybillsWe gratefully acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts on this season of Monkeys and Playbills.

It's the 80s. Hair is big. Suits are shoulder-padded. And Boy George is running around screwing with all your preconceived notions of gender. Join Paul, Jill, and special guest Tatiana Carnevale as we explore 2004's Taboo!While head-bobbing to techno, our intrepid hosts find themselves wondering: is it a bad idea to play your best friend in a musical? Was the world not yet ready for this amount of gay? And will Paul have perpetual nightmares spawned by Leigh Bowery's “Birth”?We got MERCH now y'all! Visit Spring to check out our mugs, t-shirts, hoodies and more!Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybillsWe gratefully acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts on this season of Monkeys and Playbills.

Call us the Necronomicon, because we're back with another instalment of Revive or Die! This week, Paul and Jill let Producer Daph talk enough to join them in visiting three forgotten musicals of yesteryear: 70, Girls, 70; Home Sweet Homer; and Rockabye Hamlet.Together, these intrepid practitioners of the dark arts find themselves asking: is anyone more bad-ass than Angela Lansbury? Can Yul Brynner get it? And what musical genre best fits Much Ado About Nothing?We got MERCH now y'all! Visit Spring to check out our mugs, t-shirts, hoodies and more!Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybills

We've got a royal scandal on our hands this week, folks: featuring NYC and Winnipeg's own Raffie Rosenberg! This princess production was directed by Christopher Ashley with music and lyrics by David Bryan and Joe DiPietro. You know, that guy from Bon Jovi and Memphis. Paul, Jill, and Raffie hold court to ask the important questions, like: should one's kingdom get funkadelic? Why can't I marry a Scorpio? And why didn't we go with “Epic Smackdown for the Crown” over “Thriller in Manila”?We got MERCH now y'all! Visit Spring to check out our mugs, t-shirts, hoodies and more!Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybills

Paul and Jill don their fedoras and trenchcoats for a look at 1940s - what? Really? Okay, 1991's Nick & Nora! This salute to the fast-talking dames and lads of mid-century private detecting was directed by Arthur Laurents (welcome back!) with music by Charles Strouse (welcome back Chuck!)Paul and Jill sidle up to the bar and slyly ask the big questions, like: who's a good boy, Riley? How did so many heavy hitters sign on for this show? And can you fine someone for writing such racist and sexist stereotypes?We got MERCH now y'all! Visit Spring to check out our mugs, t-shirts, hoodies and more!Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybills

New year, same us! Paul and Jill gather with aching heads and full hearts to discuss ol' buddy ol' pal of the podcast Charles Strouse. The clock is ticking and we have only half an hour to take on Annie: the original plucky young orphan with a heart of gold and infectious optimism. Like, maybe too infectious. Calm down, kid, it's the Depression, we're allowed to be moody.We got MERCH now y'all! Visit Spring to check out our mugs, t-shirts, hoodies and more!Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybills

Paul, Jill, and special guest Ali Fulmyk are heading down the rabbit hole in this week's look at 2011's Wonderland! This Christmas Carroll - no? wrong thing? oh well - was directed by Gregory Boyd with music by recurring composer, Frank Wildhorn. Oh, Frankie, we gotta stop meeting like this.Paul, Jill, and Ali flip upside down to ask the Caterpillar the big questions, like: can authors make a guest appearance in all their adaptations? Can Carlos Santana and Rob Thomas sue? And how are we going to fit this whole cast in Thirsty Jail?We got MERCH now y'all! Visit Spring to check out our mugs, t-shirts, hoodies and more!Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybills

Paul and Jill are joined by dear, very real Friend of the Podcast Nelson Bettencourt! Together, they flip through the history books and discover three forgotten musicals from yesteryear: Breakfast at Tiffany's, Hurry, Harry, and Working.Paul, Jill, and Nelson scratch their heads and ponder: does anyone remember the band Deep Blue Something? Won't someone please think of the documents? And when will Broadway revive the one-verb musical?We got MERCH now y'all! Visit Spring to check out our mugs, and more merch coming soon!Find Nelson on Instagram at i@nelsonfmbettencourtTwitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybills

We're heading back to the swinging sixties with this week's episode: Anyone Can Whistle! (Well, except maybe Fay Apple).Paul and Jill take a look at this oddly titled bomb from some guy no one's ever heard of, Stephen Sond-heem. Soundheim? Fun Home? Eh, he'll probably never make it. With the OBC starring Angela Lansbury and diva after diva taking over in concert versions, this salute to cookies and blowing through pursed lips was penned by Mr. Sundhelm and Arthur Laurents.Paul and Jill try their hand at a tune, while puzzling over the lack of whistling in this show; how they got all those cookies to pirouette; and whatever happened to this no-name composer from days gone by.Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybills

We have a special guest on this week's episode: the melodious voice, the producer with the mostest, it's Producer Daph! Who writes the copy for all our episodes! And feels very weird about referring to herself in the third person!Paul, Jill, and Daph are each other's dates to the prom in this look at 1988's Carrie! This doomed dance was directed by Terry Hands with music by the aptly named Michael Gore, featuring Barbara Cook and Linzi Hateley as mother and daughter White.Huddled at a table feeling self-conscious in our outfits, Paul, Jill, and Daph get to talking: is Barbara Cook's noggin okay? What does a million-dollar sound design sound like? And telekinetic dresses: cool or lame?Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybills

We're resurrecting the podcast with an all new season, starting with 2011's Ghost! This spectre spectacular stars Caissie Levy and Richard Fleeshman as Demi and Patrick - we mean, Molly and Sam. The show was directed by Matthew Warchus with music by Dave Stewart, Glen Ballard, Bruce Joel Rubin, and of course, The Righteous Brothers. Paul and Jill sit around a table, hands clasped, to ask the great beyond the important questions, like: is anyone else turned on and crying? Does this podcast need more bits? And do we really like this design, or are we just projecting?Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybills

We're gonna bring the flavour AND show you how. Join us on October 13th for the start of Season Two! We've got guests. We've got episodes. Coming straight from our homes to your ear boxes!

As part of our "Ones that Got Away" series, Paul and Jill head back in time - twice - with 2016's Bright Star! This bluegrass blend of Broadway and banjo comes courtesy of Steve Martin (yeah, that Steve Martin) and Edie Brickell. The show was directed by Walter Bobbie and stars Paul's new favourite person Carmen Cusack.Paul and Jill decide to set awhile and ask themselves: how would one do a Bright Star Junior? Why does the mayor get this much stage time? And how many times has Mr. Martin played a dad on screen?Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybills

Paul, Jill, and Julie travel back in time to the height of the Cold War with 1988's Chess! This first foray into musical theatre is brought to us by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus of ABBA and Mamma Mia! fame. Bringing the show to life are Judy Kuhn and David Carroll with direction by Trevor Nunn. It's power suits. It's brick-sized cell phones. It's Russia vs. America. It's a game played by old dudes in the park taken to dramatic new heights. Paul and Jill accost Julie with important questions, such as: where are all the women at? Can I move my rook to Queen's 3? Is that even a thing? Why doesn't this musical add more to its run time and teach us how to play chess?Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybills

Paul and Jill take a trip down ol' Central America way for Jimmy Buffett's Escape to Margaritaville! This jukebox, palm-frond basking joy ride stars Paul Nolan and Alison Luff, was directed by Christopher Ashley, and features music from the chief Parrothead himself.Paul and Jill mix themselves a batch of the titular beverage and find themselves wondering: what does musical theatre have against flats? Is bad costume design to blame for accidental incest? And where the hell did we put that shaker of salt?Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills Ko-FI: https://ko-fi.com/monkeysandplaybills

Paul, Jill, and special guest Katie German migrate their way down to Treegap, New Hampshire for 2016's Tuck Everlasting! Based on the novel of the same name, this musical retelling features music by Chris Miller and Nathan Tysen, was directed by Casey Nicholaw, and stars Sarah Charles Lewis as Winnie. We also get an unexpected bonus appearance of our flaming red fave, Carolee Carmello!Some reading discussion questions include: how many times did Paul call our audience “mother-tuckers”? Should we bring back the dream ballet? And what is the secret behind Miss Carmello's incredible hair? Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills

Paul and Jill travel to Topeka, Kansas for this half-Mennonite, all-Sherie Rene Scott musical: Everyday Rapture! This self-described semi-star takes the stage directed by Michael Mayer with music arrangements by Tom Kitt and book co-written with Dick Scanlan.Paul and Jill find themselves perplexed, asking such questions as: Is Mr. Rogers sexy? Is it a bad idea to cast young upstarts to might upstage you in your own show? And if this is the middle, Ms. Scott, what on earth do you consider the top?Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills

This episode of Monkeys and Playbills has everything. Our favourite sci-fi princess. A literal Greek chorus. An absurd amount of tailors. Burgess Meredith. Meta-musicals. And, of course, our first-ever episode with an actual monkey. (Ape. Gorilla. Whatever.)We’re back with another exciting episode of Revive or Die! This week, Paul and Jill take a look at three more musicals from days gone by, including Happy as Larry, A Broadway Musical, and Censored Scenes from King Kong. We ask Pulitzer-prize nominated questions, like when will folks learn not to star and direct in the same show? Did we see too much of King Kong’s banana? And how the heck does one order a ticket for A Broadway Musical without inviting a lengthy bit at their expense?Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills

Paul and Jill are joined this week by special guest Hal Wesley Rogers to take on 2010’s The Scottsboro Boys! This tour-de-force of real-life events was directed by Susan Stroman, with music by legendary team Kander and Ebb (Chicago, Cabaret). This troupe stars Winnipegger-turned-Broadway performer Joshua Henry as Haywood Patterson, and features just… just some incredible performances. Paul, Jill, and Hal ask the important questions, like can we always have glitter showers? Was this production sponsored by IKEA? And how do we retroactively wake up the Tony Awards committee so they don’t sleep on this show?CW: anti-Black racism, police brutality, and sexual assault.For more information about how to support your local anti-racist organization, please visit:www.blacklivesmatter.ca instagram.com/justice4blackliveswinnipeg/ Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills

Pirates. Irish dancing. Queen Elizabeth I. Recorders. MOM?! This week, Paul and Jill examine the multi-million dollar flop that is Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil’s The Pirate Queen. This swashbuckling Irish epic stars Stephanie J. Block as Gráinne/Grace O'Malley, with music by the Les Mis duo themselves, all directed by Frank Galati.Our adventurous, sea-faring team asks deep, soulful questions like: what’s Michael Flatley up to lately? Does he want to hang out? How awesome is Irish dancing? And whose sapphically satisfying idea was it to have Stephanie J. Block run around this stage in period dress while wielding a sword?Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills

It’s a triple-bill this week on Monkeys and Playbills! We’re taking on three underperforming musicals from days gone by: Galt MacDermot’s Dude; Charles Strouse’s Bring Back Birdie; and Bud Freeman’s Beg, Borrow or Steal! (Is Producer Daphne really annoyed about the lack of an Oxford comma? Yes. Yes she is.)With three times the amount of shows to work with, Paul and Jill are swamped with questions, like what is WITH these humongous casts? What does Bud Freeman have against the beats, man? And how much absolute chutzpah does Donald O’Connor have to complain about the material he’s given while onstage performing said material?Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills

Paul, Jill, and special guest Stephanie Sy take on 1970’s schlock and awe with 2016’s Disaster! (exclamation mark!) This send-up of seventies’ disaster movies was directed by Jack Plotnick, written by Seth Rudetsky, and starring anyone who’s ever been to the Tonys.Today’s trifecta of terrible titillation demand answers to important questions like: does Adam Pascal need a nap and some warm tea? Were those real twins? And is “Hot Stuff” the greatest song ever written?Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills

Paul and Jill take on the rootin’, tootin’-est couple in history: Frank Wildhorn’s Bonnie and Clyde! This semi-historically accurate love story stars Laura Osnes and Jeremy Jordan as the titular star-crossed lovers, with direction by Jeff Calhoun and music by Frank Wildhorn.At gunpoint, Jill and Paul ask the big questions, like what was the tank top budget for this show? Should it be Clyde and Bonnie or Bonnie and Clyde? And does anyone else have a really poor taste in their mouth, or is it just this show?Shout-out to the ladies of Tits and Teeth for having us! Stay tuned at the end of the episode for where to find them.Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills

Join Paul and Jill on their leap into Alan Menken’s 2012 reimagining of the Steve Martin classic! This original revival features music by the Duke of Disney himself, Alan Menken, starring Raul Esparza and directed by Christopher Ashley.This week, Paul and Jill ask themselves: why did Alan Menken work so hard to scrub this show from the internet? Is Brooke Shields doing okay? And can we see Raul fight Hugh Jackman for similar-career supremacy?Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills

Did everyone enjoy their intermission? Get some wrapped candies? Hob-nob by the bar? Make after-show plans? Delightful.We’re back with Part II of our take on 1998’s Parade with special guest Elliot Lazar! You already know this from last week, but the show was directed by Hal Prince with music by Jason Robert Brown and starring Brent Carver. Big questions for this week include: is it too late to rebrand ourselves as “CarmelloCast”? Where did Brent Carver get off being such a sweet dude? And who did we brand the first-ever “enemy of the podcast”?Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills

Paul and Jill sit down with star of stage and other stage Elliot Lazar to discuss 1998’s Parade! This based-on-true-events tour de force was directed by theatre’s daddy Hal Prince with music by theatre wunderkind Jason Robert Brown and starring Canadian icon Brent Carver.Big questions for this week include: why can’t every show have a big-ass tree? Could this have been the next Les Mis? And what, you think you could write funny questions about a show that deals with this kind of subject matter? CW: this musical deals with themes of antisemitism and sexual assault.Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills

Paul and Jill are heading to Whoville in this week’s exploration of Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch Musical! This television adaption of the 2006 musical was directed by Max Webster (stage) and Julia Knowles (film) with music by Mel Marvin and starring Glee’s Matthew Morrison as the titular triple-decker toadstool and sauerkraut sandwich. Burning questions for this height of television history include: can we get Stephen Sondheim on the phone? Have we finally met a fart joke Paul didn’t like? And why? Dear god why?Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.comBecame a patron at patreon.com/monkeysandplaybills, starting at $5 USD/month!

This week, we’re travelling to Innerspace with special guest Ryan Segal! This interstellar spectacle, this cosmic composition, this show about comic book characters in space, was written by Stuart Ross and Barry Keating, directed by Larry Carpenter, and stars Liz Larsen and Sharon McKnight. It’s also our first-ever Best Musical nom at the Tonys!This astral adventure begs questions like: when will the Comic Book Powers That Be give Paul a decent musical? Did Ryan accidentally become a bootlegger for this guest appearance? And is it hard to be a diva? Like, hard hard hard hard hard?Twitter: @monkeyplaybillsInstagram: @monkeysandplaybillspodEmail: monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.com

We’re gonna make like Burger King and get into a whopper with this week’s musical: Big Fish! (Are we allowed to say that? Don’t sue us.)Big Fish was directed by Susan Stroman, written by John August, music by Andrew Lippa, and starring Norbert Leo Butz. Big questions for Big Fish include: was that really two guys on each other’s shoulders? When is Danny Elfman going to compose a musical? And where was the rest of the cast?If you have a show you’d like us to cover, you can get in touch with us at @monkeysandplaybillspod on Instagram and by emailing monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.com.

Monkeys and Playbills heads to the circus in this week’s episode on Side Show: directed and choreographed by Robert Longbottom and co-starring friend of the podcast, Alice Ripley. We ask the big questions about the big top, like why is this show such a sausage fest? Whatever happened to Robert Longbottom? And why does Paul like seizure-inducing light shows so much?If you have a show you’d like us to cover, you can get in touch with us at @monkeysandplaybillspod on Instagram and by emailing monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.com.

Up next in our inaugural Halloween Spooktacular, we’re taking a look at 2006’s Lestat: directed by Robert Jess Roth; musical staging by Matt West; and with music by Elton John. Talking points for this episode include: was that a wig or real hair? Why are Jill’s cats so precocious? And how did no one say “it sucked” despite the low-hanging fruit being like, right there?If you have a show you’d like us to cover, you can get in touch with us at @monkeysandplaybillspod on Instagram and by emailing monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.com.

This week, Paul and Jillian examine 2016's American Psycho: directed by Rupert Goold, choreographed by Lynne Page, and starring Benjamin Walker. Talking points for this episode include: when is it acceptable to do Thriller arms onstage? How much stage blood is too much stage blood? And how good is "Hip to Be Square"?If you have a show you'd like us to cover, you can get in touch with us at @monkeysandplaybillspod on Instagram and by emailing monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.com.Intro Song: "American Psycho" by Treble Charger

Hello and welcome to the first-ever episode of Monkeys and Playbills: the show where hosts Paul De Gurse and Jillian Willems take a look at Broadway musicals that had fewer than 100 performances before closing.First up: 2017’s Amelie, directed by Pam McKinnon, musical staging and choreography by Sam Pinkleton, and starring Phillipa Soo. Paul and Jillian ask the big questions about the show, like what’s with the fish? Why Elton John? And what does this show have against France?If you have a show you’d like us to cover, you can get in touch with us at @monkeysandplaybillspod on Instagram and by emailing monkeysandplaybillspod@gmail.com.